Joseph’s brothers must have very sore backs by now. Since they first came to Egypt looking for food they have repeatedly bowed low, even prostrated themselves before their brother. They hated his prophetic dreams, but they cannot escape their fulfilment.

The fifth instalment in a series on Matthew 7:15-23. This and the next post consider how in practice we can recognise wolves by their fruit (Matthew 7:16, 20). In this post I look at what doesn’t count as good fruit, and how to apply the fruit test as a paternity test.

The fourth instalment in a series on Matthew 7:15-23. This and the next two posts consider the meaning and application of Jesus’ words, “You will recognize them by their fruit.” It is easy to misunderstand and misapply Jesus’ words, because we treat the fruit test as a performance test, rather than a paternity test.

It was one thing, in fulfilment of Joseph’s dreams, for his brothers to bow down before him; quite another thing for Judah to prostrate himself before his brother Joseph and offer himself up in place of Benjamin.

This is the third instalment in a series on Matthew 7:15-23. We turn our attention to the prophet-wolves’ activity, seeking to discern it from the metaphor itself, the OT background (see the previous post), and the context and concerns of the Sermon on the Mount.

Just as Judah had left his personal seal and staff with his daughter-in-law Tamar (Gen 38), so Joseph now leaves his cloak with Potiphar’s wife. But how different Joseph is to his brother! Just as when his brothers stripped his cloak off him and threw him into a pit, so now, Joseph is an innocent victim.

I don’t know the history behind hymn mashups, but I wish someone would rewind it, so that we can just get back to singing the old hymns without mashing them up into an unpalatable sandwich that has too many discordant flavours.

I’ve always loved autumn. This year I’ve been struck by the subtle variations between the different yellow, orange, and red hues. Really lovely.

Jesus presents the enemies of his kingdom from three perspectives: (1) with respect to their religious office or function, they are false prophets; (2) with respect to their inner nature, they are ravenous wolves; and (3) with respect to their outward appearance, they wear sheep’s clothing.

Jacob had spent his whole life, even from the womb, grasping, scheming and striving. After having finally escaped from Laban, after twenty years of toil (Gen 31:38, 41) and mutual trickery in exile, he prepares himself for re-entering the promised land.

In Matthew 5:23, Jesus develops his teaching about murderous anger in an unexpected direction. Having stated that anger (v. 22) makes us just as liable to God’s judgment as murder (vv. 21), Jesus’ focus appears to shift in v. 23.

What God had said to Abraham (15:1), he says to his son Isaac. The life of faith involves fearing God rather than people, recognising that he is powerful enough to overcome every obstacle to the fulfilment of his promises.