Posts by Todd Clippard (Page 5)
Matthew 7: Of Hogs and Dogs
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” (Matt 7:6). In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus condemns unrighteous judgment (cf John 7:24). I believe most agree that those who were often guilty of such were the scribes, Pharisees and other Jewish rulers of the day. They were quick to condemn the guiltless (Matt 12:1-8) without considering their own sins (Matt 23:23-28).…
Matthew 6: Pure Motives
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved” (Rom 10:1). Paul’s motives in all things were always pure. It is possible to do the right thing with the wrong motive. In so doing one loses all spiritual efficacy with regard to his actions (cf 1 Cor 13:1-3). In today’s text, we see three actions that in and of themselves are good and right, but when done with the wrong motive brings no…
Matthew 5: “Blessed” vs “Happy”
Two thoughts on today’s reading. The first is something I penned a few weeks ago. First, for many years I have heard and read that “blessed” as is found in the beatitudes means “happy.” I just don’t think that is so. The word appears 50 times in the NT and in the is rendered “happy” only 5 times. The other 45 are “blessed,” as in being a recipient of divine favor. In three of the five appearances of “happy,” the…
Matthew 4: The barely mentioned ministry of Jesus.
When thinking of the public ministry of Jesus, I usually think of it as beginning with the Sermon on the Mount. This would not be accurate. Immediately following his baptism and Satan’s temptation in the wilderness, Jesus went to Galilee and dwelled in Capernaum among the Gentiles. Of this period, Matthew says it was the fulfillment of Isaiah 9:1-2. The public life and ministry of Jesus began among the Gentiles, “the people who sat in darkness… and in the region…
Matthew 3: John the Baptizer
John the Baptizer is one of the all-time great characters in all of Scripture. Concerning him, the Lord said, “Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptizer…” Because of the way John burst on the scene and his message, many have a rather monolithic view of this great man. Most think of him only in terms of his strange ways and his call of repentance (not unlike the Lord – Matt 4:17, 11:19).…
Matthew 2: Prophecies Surrounding the Early Days of Jesus
I would love to spend today’s blog talking about the false narrative of equating Jesus’ family fleeing to Egypt with thousands of “refugees” who are attempting to enter America, but that would date the blog in years to come, assuming anyone was interested in reading it. Instead, I want to focus on the four prophecies fulfilled with Jesus’ birth and subsequent events in Matthew 2. The first prophecy concerns the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem as recorded in Matthew 2:1-6.…
Matthew 1: I’m the black sheep of the family.
So sang John Anderson in his 1983 hit song. When one reads Matthew’s account of the Lord’s genealogy, he sees quite a few names of people with less than stellar character. In verse 3 we see Judah, to whom Tamar bare Perez and Terah. You may recall that Tamar was Judah’s daughter in law who posed as a harlot and tricked Judah into a sexual relationship because Judah had failed to deliver Shelah as her husband (Gen 38). So we…
The Effects of Sin
“Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” This adage is true wherever and in whomever sin may found, be it an individual, a family, a nation, or the church. In considering sin’s effect on the individual, family, and nation, I can think of no better example than that of the life of David. The best known of David’s downfalls begins…
Would you crucify Him again?
Hebrews 6:4-6 is a very interesting (and disturbing) text, speaking of those who have exercised the miraculous spiritual gifts, yet still fall away from the Lord. The Hebrews writer says it is impossible “to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (v 6 NKJV). The thought of causing Jesus to be crucified again ought to cause one to shudder. I was thinking of this idea…
Remembering the Lord’s Death Every Week
During this time of the year (Easter and the other “holy days” leading up to it), there are many religious rites, rituals, and ceremonies that take place to commemorate our Lord’s death for the sins of mankind. Many have already celebrated “Lent,” “Palm Sunday,” “Ash Wednesday,” and “Good Friday.” Many will have special “sunrise services” today. All of these celebrations are done according to the traditions of men and not according to the commandment of God (Mt 15:7-9). A lot…