What an extremely full week this is going to be, Father! In the midst of it all may I draw from Your strength and may Your grace flow through me. I praise You for your ever-abiding presence!
Matthew 21:12-17 (<<click to read the passage)
After Jesus drove out the riff-raff from the outer court he took the opportunity to heal many. “The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, ‘Praise God for the Son of David.’” And surprise, surprise “…the leaders were indignant.”
They whined to Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” And as usual, Jesus pulled no punches with them and replied, “Yes…Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”
I love looking back at Old Testament passages that are quoted in the New Testament. Of course, those speaking and listening in the New would often know the fuller passage of ones quoted and would know their context. The passage that Jesus quoted? Here is the whole verse,
You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you. Psalm 8:2
Hmmm….now the Greek version of that second line reads “to give you praise.” But what Jesus didn’t quote was most assuredly understood by His listeners – the “leading priests and the teachers of religious law” – the rest of the verse states, “silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.”
It had to have left them speechless…and fuming. They were totally out of line, and Jesus didn’t hesitate to set them straight.
Lord, help me to be humble. Help me to not be full of myself but to always strive to be full of You. Amen.
Sept 4th, 2018, Tues, 6:18 pm
