The New Testament in 90 Days

That's what the people say at the end of chapter 7.  Jesus has been teaching (and wrangling with the Pharisees), healing and throwing the demons out.  Again, he feeds a crowd; this time it is 4,000, not 5,000, and he has seven baskets left over, not twelve.  The disciples don't understand the significance of the bread, and Jesus asks them so many questions that it appears that he is exasperated. The wrangling with the Pharisees is over the fact that his disciples don't follow all aspects of the law. Jesus points out that the Pharisees themselves have (ahem) loopholes; they are supposed to Honor their parents and help provide for them, but they can declare everything an offering to God, and then they don't have to help their families.  Jesus declares them hypocrites.  Later on, he explains that it is not what goes into us that makes us unclean, but what comes out (of our mouths, he means.) Jesus heals the daughter of a gentile woman -- although he doesn't wan...

From now on, everything that Jesus will do and say will be in the shadow of his prediction of his suffering and death.  Think about this with every parable, every teaching, and every miracle from now on.  Does Jesus' prediction make you think about what Jesus says in a different light? The first thing to notice is the transfiguration:  Jesus shining on the mountain with Moses and Elijah.  What is this about?  What's gong on?  Why does Jesus take these two disciples with him and why do they get a glimpse of his glory?  What do you think? When Jesus comes back down the mountain, he heals an epileptic boy, predicts once again his death and resurrection, and then instructs his disciples to pay the temple tax with a coin they found in a fish's mouth.  No, I don't understand what this story means.  I'm not sure anyone does. In chapter 18, there are instructions for the church found in many church constitutions.  What are we to do when th...