Latest Commentaries

The LORD states that Israel is swallowed up because she has intermingled with foreign nations. She is not fulfilling her role as a priestly nation, so has become like a worthless vessel, that is no longer useful for its intended purpose.

Jesus’s Surrender: Jesus boldly submits to arrest. As He does, He confronts the armed crowd sent to arrest Him by the secret of night. He points out that by arresting Him at night and not by day that they are violating the law, and that everything has happened this way to full the Messianic prophecies. The disciples abandon Jesus.

Peter’s Attack: A disciple pulls out his sword to defend Jesus to the death. His swing cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus tells His disciple to stop, because this is part of His Father’s plan.

Judas’s Betrayal: Jesus awakens His disciples to inform them that Judas has betrayed Him. Judas is accompanied by an armed crowd who have been sent by the priests and elders to arrest Jesus. Judas identifies His master with a kiss.

As Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He checks on His disciples and finds them sleeping during His hour of grief. Jesus continues to pray and tells His Father that He will obey Him. The disciples fall back asleep again, as Jesus returns to pray more.

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prays to His Father. He asks for another way to be made for Him to complete His mission of saving the world that would not require Him to suffer and die. But having made this request, Jesus tells His Father that He will submit to His will.

Jesus led the disciples to a place called Gethsemane and asks them to pray. He takes Peter, James, and John further into the garden and confesses that He is grieved to the point of death. He asks them to remain and stay awake with Him.

God is the very essence of good and David knows he is in God’s good hands

An inextricable part of an enduring relationship with God is the human willingness to respond with obedience to God’s gracious act of engagement.

David directs us to perceive and seek our access to God in spirit through prayer.

Placing one’s trust utterly in the Lord for all of life’s experiences results in a deeper understanding about life, the good as well as the suffering.

Jesus asks the religious lawyer which of the three travelers was a neighbor to the injured man. The lawyer responds, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus counsels the Lawyer to be like this Samaritan if he wishes to inherit the blessings of eternal life.

Jesus tells the lawyer a parable in response to his self-justifying question: Who is my neighbor? The story is about a traveler who is attacked, robbed, and left for dead on the side of the road. Three men come by. The first two pass by and deliberately avoid the dying man. The third, a despised Samaritan, not only stops to help him, but also goes above and beyond to ensure that he is taken care of so that he can recover his health.

A lawyer comes to put Jesus to the test by asking Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus deftly flips the question back to the religious expert: "What does the law say?" The lawyer answers with the two greatest commandments: Love God and Love Others. Jesus tells him that he has answered correctly and to do this to inherit eternal life. The lawyer wishes to justify himself to these commandments and asks Jesus: "Who is my neighbor?"

The LORD pronounces woe on Israel. The nation will be destroyed because she has strayed from God and broken her covenant promise. Now the covenant provisions for breaking her promise will be enforced.

The LORD describes Israel’s ignorance and vulnerability due to her pride. The nation has become like a senseless dove, flitting back and forth between trusting in Assyria and Egypt rather than turning to God, and trusting in Him.

The LORD gives the reasons why the Israelites are insensitive to His call. They have plunged so deep into depravity that their evil deeds encircle them. Their lust for evil is like fire in an oven, which awaits the opportune moment to burst forth.

This is the first of Isaiah’s four "Servant Songs" prophesying about the Messiah to come, and emphasizing that the coming Messiah will not only be a king, but also a servant. The song declares that the LORD’s Servant will be commissioned by God to bring forth justice to the nations. It also says that as He accomplishes His mission, He will not be boastful or quarrelsome. The LORD’s Servant will be extremely gentle and kind.

This is the first of Isaiah’s four “Servant Songs” prophesying about the Messiah to come. It emphasizes that the coming Messiah will not only be a king, but also a servant.

Proverbs 6:30-35 explains how the repercussions of betrayal are severe.