Daily Bible Study

October 4, 2026 Bible Study — Jesus Taught His Disciples Who Then Taught Others

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 5-6.

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Last year when I covered this passage I focused on the fact that Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount by sitting down.  I think that this should change the way we look at Jesus’ ministry.  We picture Jesus going around and preaching to large crowds.  Yet here, when a large crowd gathered, Jesus sat down and spoke to his disciples.  Which brings up another point, when we read “disciples” in the Gospels we think of the Twelve, but in Acts on Pentecost there were about 120 disciples gathered.  So, most of the time when the Gospels talk about Jesus’ disciples they are referring to a group which was 120 strong after His resurrection (I believe the number went up and down over the course of His ministry).  So, the model of Jesus’ ministry, which we should follow, is generally teaching to a group of around 100, while sometimes taking a smaller group of about twelve aside for more advanced teaching, but only occasionally preaching to large crowds.

I want to talk about what I think may have happened here.  Jesus sat down and His disciples gathered around Him.  He taught them a few things, such as the Beatitudes, then the disciples went out and explained what He had just taught to members of the crowd, while Jesus healed some of the sick among them.  Once they had gone over the teaching with members of the crowd, the disciples gathered around Jesus again and He taught them another bit to teach to others.  Or, perhaps Jesus did not break this up into pieces but instead taught the whole thing to His disciples before they dispersed among the crowd teaching groups within the crowd.  In either case, think about it.  It only took me a little over ten minutes to read this passage.  A crowd which gathered to hear Jesus preach was going to want to spend more than ten minutes with Him. Also, what better way for the disciples to learn what Jesus was teaching then to immediately go and teach it others in small groups.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

 

Daily Bible Study

October 3, 2026 Bible Study — Matthew Points Out the Importance of Women and of Sinful Men in Jesus’ Ancestry

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  Matthew 1-4.

I have a Youtube video of me reading the Scripture passage and my comments. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts.

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I want to start by taking note that in his genealogy of Christ, Matthew mentions each of the women who the Old Testament talks about who are in His genealogy.  In fact, he mentions that Judah had two sons by Tamar, even though only one of them was part of Jesus’ genealogy.  Another interesting point is that while Matthew mentions Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth by name, he refers to Bathsheba as the wife of Uriah.  He does not do that to downplay Bathsheba in favor of her first husband.  Rather, he highlights all of David’s sin, not just his adulterous affair with Bathsheba.  The next thing I want to note is verse 25 in chapter one.  The wording seems odd if Joseph and Mary never consummated their marriage.  The phrase could say, “he took his wife, but he knew her not.  And he called the son she bore Jesus.”  Saying that Joseph “knew her not until she had given birth to a son” suggests to me that he did so after Jesus was born.

Finally I want to touch on the fact that Joseph decided to take Mary, his wife, and Jesus, his son (Jesus was Joseph’s son because Joseph was by this point raising Him as his adopted son) to Nazareth rather than returning to Bethlehem.  Matthew casually mentions that a key motivating factor in Joseph going to Nazareth was that he learned that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod.  What is not mentioned is that Archelaus had slaughtered a large number of Jews shortly before Joseph left Egypt, something he would have likely heard about during his trip back (I want to note that Archelaus was an Idumean, not a Jew).  Unlike his father Herod, Archelaus was never king, and Matthew’s wording seems to indicate that he was aware of this distinction.  The important point here is that  some of the people Matthew was writing to would have known about what Archelaus had done and the fact that he was never king.  Which means that Matthew did not need to explain the significance of Joseph being afraid of Archelaus.

 

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

 

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October 2, 2026 Bible Study — God Uses a Portion of His Spirit to Join Each Married Couple Together

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Malachi 1-4.

I have a Youtube video of me reading the Scripture passage and my comments. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts.

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One thing I think worth mentioning is that we do not know if Malachi is the name of the author of this book, or merely the title he was given by God, since Malachi means “my messenger”.  In any case, he writes that God is angry with His people, both the ordinary people and the religious leaders.  The ordinary people because they have offered corrupted offerings, and the religious leaders because they have accepted those corrupt offerings in the name of God and have not taught the people to do what is right in God’s eyes.  Religious leaders are called to guard the knowledge of God and be His messenger to the people.  Instead many have taught false things in God’s name, saying that those who do evil are good in the sight of God.  Malachi goes on to condemn those who divorce their wife as faithless.  I want to note that while Malachi does not say it, his condemnation applies for women who divorce their husbands.  Malachi adds an interesting thought about the marriage covenant.  When he says that God made them one he also says that God does so by putting a portion of His Spirit into the union.  So, marriage is not just a man and a woman joining together.  God is also a part of that union.  I was going to go on, but I want to stop there and think about what that means for my marriage, and to encourage you to do the same about your marriage.

Side Note: Jesus notes that those who have cheated on their spouse have already broken the marriage

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

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October 1, 2026 Bible Study — Jesus Is the Fountain Which Cleanses from Sin

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Zechariah 11-14.

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Today’s passage begins with something which made me question my understanding that Zechariah was writing after the return from Exile.  However, Zechariah does write after the Exile, which leads me to see why the Early Church saw this prophecy as being about Jesus’ coming.  I am not sure I fully understand what Zechariah is saying here.  I would not make the connection between the thirty pieces of silver given to the shepherd in this passage if Matthew had not done so in his Gospel.  The first part of this prophecy which is clear to me is where Zechariah says that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will mourn for the one whom they have pierced.  Jesus is the One whom they have pierced.  And Jesus is the fountain which has been opened to cleanse the inhabitants of Jerusalem from sin and uncleanness.  Jesus is a fountain which cleanses all who come to Him from sin and uncleanness.  One interpretation of this passage is that the day is coming when all of the people of Israel will turn to God, accept Jesus, and be cleansed of their sin.  Another could be that all people who turn to God and accept Jesus will be made into the people of Israel, whom God will cleanse from their sin.  I am certain that the latter is true, but I am not certain that this prophecy is not more specific than that.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

 

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September 30, 2026 Bible Study — Live So That People Will Seek the Lord of Hosts

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Zechariah 7-10.

I have a Youtube video of me reading the Scripture passage and my comments. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts.

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Some of the Jews who had returned from Exile came to Zechariah to ask if they should continue the fasts which they had instituted to memorialize the destruction of Jerusalem.  I can understand their question.  they had established these fasts to mourn the fall of Jerusalem, but now Jerusalem was restored.  Should they continue the fasts as worship to God in memory of the sins of their ancestors, or would doing so be failing to honor God for restoring Jerusalem?  Zechariah’s response reminds me of what Paul says in Romans 14 where he says “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  In this passage Zechariah says, “Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”  The point made by both Zechariah and Paul is that it is not the rituals which make us holy before God.  Instead what is important is how we treat others, how we treat our fellow image bearers of God.  A little further after what I quote above, Zechariah tells us that God will bring His people to Himself and says that, “they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”  Zechariah tells us that we should live our lives so that those around us will say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”  Let us live so that the nations of the world will seek the Lord of Hosts.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

September 29, 2026 Bible Study — Return to the Lord

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Zechariah 1-6.

I have a Youtube video of me reading the Scripture passage and my comments. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts.

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Zechariah begins his prophecy by calling on the Jews who had returned from Exile to return to the Lord.  The people whom Zechariah called on to return to the Lord thought that they were already serving the Lord.  So, we also should examine our lives and see where we fail to be faithful to God.  Then we should return once more to Him.  Perhaps, we should also see Zechariah as speaking to the Jewish people today to return to God.  Or, perhaps we should read all of the prophecies of Zechariah as being fulfilled in his day.

As I read a little further into the passage I see Zechariah speak of the two olive trees which are the anointed ones who stand by the Lord.  In the Book of Revelation, John speaks of two witnesses who are the two olive trees.  Clearly John either sees Zechariah as prophesying something in his future (that is, John’s future), or he is borrowing Zechariah’s symbolism because it was already familiar to his readers.  When I read Zechariah, the two olive trees seem to me to be Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor, but John seems to read this differently.

I want to touch on the four chariots which went to the four winds of heaven.  The angel who spoke to Zechariah only told him where three of the chariots were going, and two of them went to the same place, even though the angel had already said that they were going out to the four winds of heaven which we would usually understand to be in each of the four cardinal directions (North, South, East, and West).  The angel says that the chariot with black horses goes towards the north country, and that the one with white horses follows it, while the chariot with dappled horses goes toward the south country.  But he does not say where the chariot with the red horses goes.  I do not know what we are to take from that.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

September 28, 2026 Bible Study — Humble Yourself and Seek to Do What God Wants of You, Even If You Think You Aren’t Ready

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  Zephaniah and Haggai.

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The first thing which struck me when I read this is that the prophet who wrote this book is part of the ruling family.  He was a cousin of King Josiah and made this prophecy while his cousin was pushing religious revival.  Zephaniah’s prophecy closely echoed that which Josiah received when he asked about the Book of the Law which had been found during the restoration of the temple.  Zephaniah condemns the people of Jerusalem for the same sins which Jeremiah and Ezekiel would also condemn them: Baal worship, worshiping the starry host, and combining worship of God with worship of Molek (which throughout the Old Testament appears to involve sacrificing one’s children).  He warns that the day is coming when God will bring destruction upon the complacent who think that God will not bring judgement upon them, who think that their wealth and/or political power will shield them from this coming disaster.  Zephaniah says that wealth and power will not provide protection, that only those who humble themselves before God and do what He commands.  If you want shelter from the coming disaster, seek God’s righteousness with humility.  Only the meek and humble who trust in the name of the Lord will survive that coming day.  Zephaniah was speaking of the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem, but his prophecy should stand as a warning to people of all time.

Now we come to the prophet Haggai, who prophesied after the return from Exile.  He also has a message for all of us.  After returning from Exile the Jews thought that they should wait until they had become economically secure before they began to rebuild the temple.  I do not believe that Haggai’s message calls that completely wrong.  However, the prophet basically says, “How long are you going to use that excuse to not do the Lord’s will?”  And that is the lesson we should learn.  The problem with waiting until our finances, or other economic circumstances, are secure to do God’s will is that we will may always think of more that needs to be secure.  Instead, we should start doing what we know of God’s will for us as soon as we know what it is.  If we don’t do that we will find that our personal circumstances are never right to do God’s will.  I am tempted to list some examples from my life, but I’m afraid that my wife would think they are about her when the problem is not what she has done or not done.  The problems I am thinking of are things I have failed to do, which I need to do so that I can do what God is calling me to do.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

September 27, 2026 Bible Study — Will You Oppose God, or Will You Fear and Trust Him?

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nahum and Habakkuk.

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Nahum begins his prophecy against Nineveh by telling us that God takes vengeance on His adversaries.  Even though He is slow to anger, God will punish the guilty.  None can withstand His anger and when His wrath comes forth the seas will dry and the mountains tremble.  However, Nahum also tells us that God is a stronghold on that day for those who take refuge in Him, and He will surely remember who they are.  We have a choice.  We can either humbly take refuge in God, or we can be His adversaries and plot against Him.  Things will not end well for the latter, so let us choose to be the former.

While I was reading Habakkuk I thought about Artificial Intelligence (which is not really intelligence of any kind).  Habakkuk speaks of idols which are images shaped by men, but upon which those same men turn their worship.  Habakkuk refers to these idols as speechless and says that they are silent.  He asks if they can teach, with the answer being obviously, “no.”  Well, today, the makers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) think they have given a voice to these silent images, but it is not truly a voice.  They think that AI can teach, and while that is technically true it can only teach what someone else already knows.  AI cannot teach us something new.  AI is just another idol which some men worship.  Let us put our trust in God and fear Him alone.  Let us neither fear nor trust AI.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

 

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September 26, 2026 Bible Study — God Will Make Peace for Those Who Serve Him

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  Micah 3-7.

I have a Youtube video of me reading the Scripture passage and my comments. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts.

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Micah condemns leaders and rulers who distort justice for their own advantage instead of delivering the justice which they know God demands.  He condemns religious leaders who give comfort to those from whom they gain benefit and have only condemnation for those who have nothing to give them.  Religious leaders who distort God’s word but think that God will protect them because they “serve God.”  Micah directs this condemnation against the people of Israel and Judah, but I think it is a warning for people of all times and places.  Rulers and political leaders who distort justice for their own gain will pay the price in God’s time.  Those who use religion to benefit themselves at the expense of others will also pay a price.  A society which holds such people in high esteem will fall to its enemies.

When Micah wrote, God was the Lord of the Israelites and only those who became one with the Israelites could enter into a relationship with Him.  However, Micah prophesied that a day would come when all peoples could easily come to God, and He would welcome them and teach them His ways.  That day has now come.  God will judge between peoples and those who put their faith fully in Him will not need to learn war any longer.  All benefit together when they work together to serve God rather than fight for resources.  No one will make us afraid if we trust in God with all of our hearts and serve Him.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

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September 25, 2026 Bible Study — We Will Serve God’s Purposes, Even When We Run Away From Him

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Jonah and Micah 1-2.

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When God called Jonah to prophesy in Nineveh, he didn’t just say “No.”  He went and got on a ship going the opposite direction, trying to get as far from Nineveh as possible.  Jonah knew that if he stayed where he was he was going to find himself in Nineveh.  And he knew that if he found himself in Nineveh he would begin conveying God’s message to the people of Nineveh.  And if he did that, he knew that the people of Nineveh might repent, and if they repented, God would withhold the punishment He had planned for them.  So, as I said, Jonah tried to put as much distance between himself and Nineveh as possible.  Jonah was right.  God did not allow him to avoid the mission to which He had called him.  However, we often overlook what else God did with Jonah’s disobedience.  God used it to bring the men on the ship Jonah sailed on to Him.  They began to sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to Him.  They learned about the true God and began to worship Him.  God will use us to serve His purposes, even when we try to run from Him, but we will suffer more if we try to do so.  One last point on this.  God is gracious and will give us the opportunity to voluntarily choose to do His will, even when we are at our lowest, if we, as Jonah did, utterly repent and turn back to Him.

Micah prophesies against those who take property from others by deceit or by twisting the law in their favor and against those who oppress others by going after their families.  He goes on to prophesy against those who tell God’s prophets not to preach God’s message.  He suggests that they seek prophets who will only preach good news, who will encourage them to do wrong rather than warn them of their sin.  And all through this, Micah threads God’s warnings to those who oppress their neighbor or others.  One might think Micah was saying that those who oppress others tell God’s prophets not to prophesy God’s warnings, and one would be right.  But in thinking that one might overlook that he is also saying that those who tell God’s prophets to change their message are likely guilty of oppressing others.  If you have found yourself thinking that someone preaching an uncomfortable message should change what they preach, perhaps you need to examine your own life to see what you need to change.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.