Some time later Jesus withdrew to the farther shore of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias) and a large crowd of people followed who had seen the signs he performed in healing the sick. Then Jesus went up the hill-side and sat down with his disciples. It was near the time of Passover, the great Jewish festival.
Raising his eyes and seeing a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Phillip, "Where are we to buy bread to feed these people?" (This he said to test him; Jesus himself knew what he meant to do.)
Phillip replied, "Twenty pounds would not buy enough bread for every one of them to have a little."
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fishes, but what is that among so many?"
Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." There was plenty of grass there, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the people as they sat there. He did the same with the fishes, and they had as much as they wanted. When everybody had had enough, he said to his disciples, "Collect the pieces left over, so that nothing may be lost." This they did, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left uneaten of the five barley loaves.
When the people saw the sign Jesus had performed, the word went round, "Surely this must be the prophet that was to come into the world."
Jesus, aware that they meant to come and seize him and proclaim him king, withdrew again to the hills by himself.
November 10, 2009
Genesis 22.1-19
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you."
So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. The Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked together.
Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!"
And he said, "Here I am, my son."
He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son."
So the two of them walked on together. When they cam to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.
But the Angel of the Lord called to him from Heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide." As it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from Heaven, and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this--and have not withheld your son, your only son--I will indeed bless you; and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of Heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies; and by your offspring shall the nations of the Earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice."
So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you."
So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. The Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked together.
Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!"
And he said, "Here I am, my son."
He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son."
So the two of them walked on together. When they cam to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.
But the Angel of the Lord called to him from Heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide." As it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from Heaven, and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this--and have not withheld your son, your only son--I will indeed bless you; and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of Heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies; and by your offspring shall the nations of the Earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice."
So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
October 26, 2009
John 5.31->
"If I testify on my own behalf, that testimony does not hold good. There is another who testifies for me, and I know what his testimony holds.
"Your messengers have been to John; you have his testimony to the truth. Not that I rely on human testimony; but I remind you of it for your own salvation. John was a lamp, burning brightly, and for a time you were ready to exult in his light. But I rely on a testimony higher than John's.
"There is enough to testify that the Father has sent me, in the works my Father gave me to do and to finish--the very works I have in hand. This testimony to me was given by the Father who sent me, although you never heard his voice, or saw his form. But his word has found no home in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
"You study the scriptures diligently, supposing that in having them you have eternal life; yet although their testimony points to me, you refuse to come to me for that life.
"I do not look to men for honor. But with you it is different, as I know well, for you have no love of God in you.
"I have come accredited by my Father, and you have no welcome for me; if another comes self-accredited you will welcome him.
"How can you have faith so long as you receive honor from one another, and care nothing for the honor that comes from God?
"Do not imagine that I shall be your accuser at God's tribunal. Your accuser is Moses, the very Moses on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses you would believe what I tell you, for it was about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how are you to believe what I say?"
"Your messengers have been to John; you have his testimony to the truth. Not that I rely on human testimony; but I remind you of it for your own salvation. John was a lamp, burning brightly, and for a time you were ready to exult in his light. But I rely on a testimony higher than John's.
"There is enough to testify that the Father has sent me, in the works my Father gave me to do and to finish--the very works I have in hand. This testimony to me was given by the Father who sent me, although you never heard his voice, or saw his form. But his word has found no home in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
"You study the scriptures diligently, supposing that in having them you have eternal life; yet although their testimony points to me, you refuse to come to me for that life.
"I do not look to men for honor. But with you it is different, as I know well, for you have no love of God in you.
"I have come accredited by my Father, and you have no welcome for me; if another comes self-accredited you will welcome him.
"How can you have faith so long as you receive honor from one another, and care nothing for the honor that comes from God?
"Do not imagine that I shall be your accuser at God's tribunal. Your accuser is Moses, the very Moses on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses you would believe what I tell you, for it was about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how are you to believe what I say?"
Genesis 21.22->
At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do; now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity; but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have resided as an alien."
And Abraham said, "I swear it."
When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelich's servants had seized, Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this; you did not tell me, and I did not hear of it until today."
So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech; and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart?"
He said, "These seven ewe lambs you shall accept from my hand, in order that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well."
Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
When they had made a covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham resided as an alien many days in the land of the Philistines.
And Abraham said, "I swear it."
When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelich's servants had seized, Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this; you did not tell me, and I did not hear of it until today."
So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech; and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart?"
He said, "These seven ewe lambs you shall accept from my hand, in order that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well."
Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
When they had made a covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham resided as an alien many days in the land of the Philistines.
October 07, 2009
John 5.27-30
"As Son of Man, he has also been given the right to pass judgement.
"Do not wonder at this, because the time is coming when all who are in the grave shall hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done right will rise to life; those who have done wrong with rise to hear their doom.
"I cannot act by myself; I judge as I am bidden, and my verdict is just; because my aim is not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me."
"Do not wonder at this, because the time is coming when all who are in the grave shall hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done right will rise to life; those who have done wrong with rise to hear their doom.
"I cannot act by myself; I judge as I am bidden, and my verdict is just; because my aim is not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me."
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