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Glen Park Gospel Church >> Bible Studies >> Favourite Readings #5
The sixth year of favourite Bible readings. The Read Through the Bible in Three Years plan is still running on this web site and can be followed on the above 3 Year Bible link. This year however, we continue with a year of the most favourite Bible passages grouped together under one or more themes each month. You will notice that the reading may be short, sometimes only a few verses, seldom more than twenty. Also you will probably read some passages more than once, but in a different context.
The fifth year of favourite Bible readings. The Read Through the Bible in Three Years plan is still running on this web site and can be followed on the above 3 Year Bible link. This year we continue with a year of the most favourite Bible passages grouped together under one or more themes each month. You will notice that the reading may be short, sometimes only a few verses, seldom more than twenty. Also you will probably read some passages more than once, but in a different series.
If you are settled into a regular pattern with your devotional time, please continue to enjoy it, but if you are not in the habit of regular Bible reading; here is your opportunity. Make a habit of selecting something from each reading to encourage and fuel your prayer time. A point of praise; encouragement to pray; a lesson to learn or an example to follow. Use the Bible passage to keep your prayer time active and interesting. Look for God to speak to you through His word and wait on Him. He is not in a hurry. Then share this blessing with someone else.
Each month we will update the tables below to include the current month's readings, until eventually another full year is portrayed. It will then always be available from our Archive of Study sections.
Old Testament references to Jesus Christ
The Old Testament amazingly predicted most significant factors
of the life, office, and work of God's Messiah, Jesus Christ,
including His birth. This Christmas we examine some of these Old
Testament predictions and the record of their fulfilment. Meditate
on the attribute shown.
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Old Testament references by Jesus Christ
The four Gospels tell the Jesus story from different perspectives. Of a total 3920 verses in the Gospels, 1865 or 48% are Jesus' own words, and in 10% of these he quotes or alludes to the Old Testament. This month our readings examine some of these in His daily ministry. They are mainly teaching, rather than prophetic.
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The kingdom of Heaven
Matthew alone of the four evangelists uses the phrase "the kingdom of Heaven" The other writers speak of "the kingdom of God," and Matthew also uses that title in four instances. Try to find out why he does this as you read during the month. Keeping notes of your own thoughts day by day will be an advantage. More information below the calendar.
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The 'Kingdom of Heaven' and the 'Kingdom of God' in the Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus spoke to Jews in Aramaic. The Gospels as we have them translate His words from Aramaic into Greek. Each Evangelist, guided and prompted by the Holy Spirit, brought his particular purpose and style to bear as he selected the material for inclusion and the particular words to be used.
"It would appear that Matthew retains the expression, 'The Kingdom of Heaven', because the thought was familiar to the Jews (cf Daniel 4.34, 37; 4.26; 6.26; 7.14). . . .Matthew in keeping with the special scope and character of his Gospel, retained it, whereas in the other Gospels the figure was translated as being what it also, although not exclusively, meant: 'the Kingdom of God' "- W Graham Scroggie "A Guide to the Gospels", pp299,300.
The words used are 'The Kingdom (of) the Heaven'. In this phrase the 'of' derives from the grammar used and means the kingdom relating to Heaven, and not: 'in', 'out of'' or 'from' Heaven. It speaks of a sphere of sovereignty or authority and not a place. It is where God is in control, including our hearts. It is the thought behind the prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".
As you read each daily selection, and also the context, see if you can tell why Matthew chose to translate some of the words of Jesus as, 'The kingdom of God', but mostly translated them 'The kingdom of Heaven'.
These are the verses you should have found. The NASB is quoted as it is a faithful translation of this phrase from Matthew's Greek into English. Other versions may take liberties.
1. Matthew 12:28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."
2. Matthew 19:24 "Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
3. Matthew 21:31 "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They *said, "The first." Jesus *said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you."
4. Matthew 21:43 "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it."
5. Matthew 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
6. Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
7. Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
8. Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
9. Matthew 5:19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:20 "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
10. Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter."
11. Matthew 8:11 "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;"
12. Matthew 10:7 "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' "
13. Matthew 11:11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
Matthew 11:12 "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force."
14. Matthew 13:11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted."
15. Matthew 13:24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field."
16. Matthew 13:31 He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;"
17. Matthew 13:33 He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened."
18. Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."
19. Matthew 13:45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,"
20. Matthew 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind;"
21. Matthew 13:52 And Jesus said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old."
22. Matthew 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
23. Matthew 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
Matthew 18:3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
24. Matthew 18:23 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves."
25. Matthew 19:12 "For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it."
26. Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
27. Matthew 19:23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."
28. Matthew 20:1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard."
29. Matthew 22:2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son."
30. Matthew 23:13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."
31. Matthew 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom."
The Diversity and Unity of the Four Gospels
We have four Gospels because they present a different view of Jesus. Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels because the present a ‘same view.’ However although they cover similar material in one way, there were written by very different people, with different purposes, a different selection of material and each evangelist wrote in his own literary style.
MATTHEW, a Jew, wrote for Jewish people in a literary style and using techniques with which they were familiar. He included a genealogical table which shows the royal line of Jesus, beginning with Abraham and working down through King David. He showed Jesus as Jehovah’s King:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Zechariah 9:9
Zechariah shows Jesus as the Branch, the King:
"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. "In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The LORD our righteousness.' "
Jeremiah 23:5&6
MARK, a cousin of Barnabas, accompanied Paul, then Peter on their travels as a servant. His Jewish name was John and his Roman name was Mark. He wrote for Rome oriented people. His Gospel is therefore a quick action record which tells what and how, but is light on detail. Servants have no need of genealogy, but simply have to be useful people. He shows us Jesus like this, Jesus the Servant:
"Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations"
Isaiah 42:1
Zechariah shows Jesus as the Branch, the Servant:
"Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you--indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch"
Zechariah 3:8
LUKE, a Greek, wrote of Jesus the perfect man. A physician, he was qualified to write of Jesus to his countrymen in this way, for they had a philosophical mind. They analysed and pushed things back to their origins and component parts. He included a genealogical table which shows the origins of Jesus through the male line, back to Adam.
Zechariah shows Jesus as the Branch:
"Then say to him, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD" ' "
Zechariah 6:12
JOHN, was the disciple whom Jesus loved. He had a special place in His heart, and the disciple to whom Jesus gave the care of his mother Mary moments before He died. John was of a deeply spiritual turn of mind and he shows us Jesus the Son of God in all His inner beauty. He begins before creation and does not need a genealogical table. He lived to an old, old age amongst the Greek speaking Jews of the dispersion after the destruction of Jerusalem. He incorporates the ideals of the other three Gospels, but with an inner view.
Isaiah shows Jesus as the Branch:
"In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel."
Isaiah 4:2
"Listen, and I will teach you what wise men have said. Study their teachings and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them. I want you to put your trust in the Lord: that is why I am going to tell them to you now. I have written down thirty sayings for you. They contain knowledge and good advice, and they will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out you will bring back the right answer."
Proverbs 22:17-21 (GNB)
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This months readings look at a selection of texts about riches, spiritual and temporal. We have taken a wide range of Bible references to build up a portfolio of texts to try to put the topic of wealth in balanced perspective.
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"The Eternal God is your refuge and dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
The concept of God as a refuge is found throughout the Bible, either as an idea or a metaphor. The word in the Old Testament has the combined idea of a place to flee from danger and then to dwell in safety. You will probably find either 'flee' or 'refuge' depending on the Bible version you are reading. But in your meditation remember the full sense and put yourself by faith under God's all loving care as day follows day.
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In this months readings: Every Christian is called to 'live by faith.' It is not the preserve of the pastor or missionary. We read of: O ye of little faith, or, Increase our faith, and, so great faith. Faith can be measured. Faith can grow. Faith can do wonderful things if it is vested correctly in the Son of God.
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Matthew in his Gospel sorts his material into groups of two, three, five and seven. It was an Hebrew writing style to aid memory and emphasise points. Our August readings take up some of the three groups. As you read try to remember the main point of that group.
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These readings are small, mostly just two verses. Look for words and ideas in common. Use each one to fuel your meditation and worship. Then look for other instances of the same idea. Keep a note pad as you go. You can build up quite a collection to share with some one else.
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He is Able. Our God ‘is able.’ The word ‘able’ tells of power; the strength when called on to achieve, to get things done (Strongs word, G1410). This months readings examine this word as the Bible uses it to tell about God’s ability. The word has been translated in different ways, so you may not always easily identify it, but the idea is there. Meditate on the concept. Use it to help your trust to grow.
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Resources for Living as a Christian
Each reading points you to one or more resources that God has provided to enable you to survive and thrive as a Christian. Reduce each reading to one resource word meaningful to you and carry that thought with you through the day. Example: Day 1 could be, “Courage”.
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There are at least fifty metaphors used to portray and explain the person and work of Jesus Christ, and each daily reading calls up just one of these images. Make a summary of your thoughts as you go. It runs over two months, but breaks for the Christmas celebrations.
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