The Pharisees ask a question that prompts Jesus’ teaching about his return: “When is the kingdom of God coming?” Without extensive study, it is difficult to know precisely how the Pharisees processed the kingdom of God. While we often think of the “kingdom” as a New Testament concept, its roots are deeply embedded in the […]
Jesus is walking the borderlands—the space between Samaria and Galilee—when ten men appear. They do not approach. They cannot. They stand at a distance, bodies marked, voices raised, shouting the only prayer they have left:“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” The village is unnamed, but it does not need a name. It may have been […]
The rich man and Lazarus is about compassion, mercy, the afterlife, reaping and sowing, wealth and repentance. The rich man was not able to secure a place in heaven through his ancestry or his wealth. The Pharisees were known for their love of money, pride, and status. Jesus draws a direct comparison between the rich […]
Jesus begins with a severe warning: “Woe to the one who causes others to stumble. It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown into the sea.” He immediately follows with a demanding command: “If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him.” At first […]
The parable of the prodigal son has been retold countless times, often as a story about wayward sinners returning to God. But in its original context, it is primarily a message to the Pharisees and religious leaders—a challenge to their understanding of devotion, righteousness, and compassion. Jesus tells a series of parables in succession, building […]
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