Matthew 12
Jesus helps interpret what the Sabbath is for and refers to the prophet Jonah as a 'sign' of his own death and resurrection
Discussion Questions
- How accurately was this prophecy fulfilled?
- Some biblical scholars do not believe the story of Jonah being swallowed by a huge fish. Does today’s reading help clarify this line of thought?
Share your thoughts below, or tweet about it with the #boundlessbible hashtag.
Going Deeper - from 'Words of Life'
At least six siblings knew Jesus as brother. Jesus no doubt often played the elder brother’s part. James, Joses, Judas, Simon and the sisters would often be helped by Jesus, who was a loving and faithful older brother. But one verse in the Gospels invests this title with deep spiritual meaning. We read: ‘Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother’ (v 50). To every believer, Jesus is the Elder Brother.
A truck driver was once caught in a roaring blizzard. Driving became impossible. He pulled the big truck off the road and went to sleep. When he awoke, everything was dark. Buried in a snowdrift thirty feet deep, no part of his truck was visible from the highway. He could not open the doors. He was trapped. For five days and nights he stayed in his icy tomb. But he didn’t panic. He waited, calmly and stoically, to be rescued; and finally he was.
When asked if he was afraid, he answered, ‘No. I knew my brother would be looking for me. I knew he would not rest until he found me. In my mind I could see him searching, searching, never giving up.’ The story powerfully illustrates the text from Proverbs 17:17: ‘A brother is born for adversity’.
How blessed is one who has such a brother; by blood, or by spiritual bond! The friendship of Jesus is the highest privilege and greatest blessing of life. As Henry van Dyke has written:
Thou the Father, Christ, our brother—
All who live in love are thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.
(SASB 10)
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for this special relationship we are privileged to have with you as our brother.
Beverly Ivany
Tags: Matthew