by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Continuing our study of Matthew 21:1-11, we find the cutting off and spreading of tree branches (Greek κλάδος [“klados”] in Matthew 21:8), or leafy boughs/branches (Greek στοιβάς [“stoibas”] in Mark 11:8), or palm tree branches (Greek βαΐον [“baion”] in John 12:13) along the road as something unusual in the period…
Author: UPCRL
The King Rides into Jerusalem – Part 1
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Before we plunge into the 5th great discourse in the Gospel of Matthew (i.e., The Olivet Discourse), we will briefly take a look at an event that is recorded in all the 4 Gospels. In my NASB Study Bible, there is a chart that lays out in columnar format 250…
The Parable of the Vineyard Workers
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. We will continue with our study of the discipleship principles our Lord Jesus left us in the 5 great discourses in the Gospel of Matthew. Prior to the triumphant entry into Jerusalem that marks the last days of our Lord before his crucifixion is another narrative that is part of…
Marriage and Divorce and the Pharisees
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. This is another pericope we will look at that is part of the 4th great discourse in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 18 – 20). Our subject deals with the question of marriage and divorce and what our Lord Jesus taught his disciples and the crowd following him. This narrative…
Forgiveness
by Ptr. Art CalaguasShalom.Quite related to the previous pericope about a brother who sins we looked at last week, Matthew 18:21-35 immediately follows with a parable from the Lord Jesus about forgiveness. Note that this narrative is unique to Matthew and has no parallel with the other Gospels.In this pericope, a situation is addressed regarding…
For a Brother Who Sins
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. Chapter 18 – 20 of the Gospel of Matthew contain the 4th major discourse in this Gospel and it deals about the expected nature of the community of disciples in the Kingdom of Heaven. After this teaching round, the Messiah Jesus then proceeds to his final journey to Jerusalem. We…
The Temple Tax and the Lord’s Talmidim
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. After the Transfiguration, the Lord Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy when his disciples could not; and then warns them the second time about his coming suffering, death and resurrection. When they came to Capernaum, Matthew 17:24-27 narrates something that is only found in this Gospel. While one would expect a…
The Transfiguration and Mt. Hermon
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. In Matthew 17:1-13 it is narrated that after 6 days from Caesarea Philippi, the Lord Jesus took only his disciples Simon Peter, John and James to a high mountain and there the Transfiguration happened. The Transfiguration as narrated in Matthew has close parallels in Mark 9:2-13 and in Luke 9:28-36….
Caesarea Philippi and the Gates of Hades – Part 4
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. From last week, we saw in Matthew 16:13-20 that the Lord meant for the coming Kingdom of Heaven to destroy the gates of Hades: 18κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς· And I say…
Caesarea Philippi and the Gates of Hades – Part 3
by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. To continue, in Matthew 16:13 as our Lord came into the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi in Bashan, at the foot of Mt. Hermon, he asked his disciples who is it that people believed him to be. He was using his favorite title: “Son of Man,” (τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) as…