Christian Bible Studies

  13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Commentary Vs. 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”   Having given the beatitudes Jesus now likens us who believe in and belong to Him as to salt, for we are the “seasoning” of God’s Person, Word and Life that Christ Himself brings (2 Cor. 2:14-17). For we are the taste of God In Christ to our broken world when we keep His Word, but we also hel...

  1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were befo...

  23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. Commentary Now Jesus’ ministry begins! And what a ministry, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel (i.e. the Good News) of the Kingdom, healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Jesus is the Living Word of God come in the flesh and His Words, Works and Ways prove and approve Him alone, for the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Messiah, King, Savior, High Priest, Redeemer and our Friend has come in the flesh to save people! And so it ...

  18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. Commentary At this point in Jesus’ early ministry life He is still just One Man, but that is all about to change as He sets out to find the disciples whom He had already chosen for Himself; the men whom He will reveal the deep secrets and profound mysteries about the Kingdom of God and Himself. These men then whom the Lord will call Apostles will be His chosen and exclusive preachers and proclaimers of His Person, Word, and Work that is until...

  12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “ The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Commentary Having overcome every temptation by the devil, Jesus while still in Judea hears of the imprisonment of John the Baptist, Jesus’ forerunner. Now John’s imprisonment occurred when Herod, the Roman appointed ruler over the Jews would first imprison and later by the scheming of his illegitimate wife behead John the Baptist for his rebuk...

8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘ You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Commentary The devil having failed to lure Jesus into a grand display of Jesus’ Person as the Son of God (so that Jesus would be vindicated as such before one and all), now employs what he believes will be his most enticing lure of them all. And so the devil now takes Jesus up on an exceedingly high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world, and all their glory, and then he says to Him, ... “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” vs. 9 Now in Luke’s Gospel it is made clear that the devil has been g...

  5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘ You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”   Commentary The Lord Jesus having overcome the first temptation by the devil to preserve His Person and Life by His own means now faces a second. Now this temptation takes place in Jerusalem (i.e. the holy city) where the devil sets Jesus on the pinnacle of temple and then says to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”  Jesus then having rebuked the devil’s first temptation through the...