Bible Study on Matthew 10:1-4, part 4, Doubting Thomas, and Matthew

 

Thomas was also called “doubting Thomas” in popular culture because of his requiring proof that Christ was risen.

 

John 20: 24  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25  The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.26 ¶  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27  Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

 

Thomas is not only a doubter and needs convincing. He is pessimistic, not believing there would be a good outcome if the company returned to Judea where the Jews had wanted to stone Jesus.

 

John 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

16  Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

 

Notice that Thomas is also called Didymus. Thomas is from the Aramaic word for twin and Didymus the Greek. Didymus was not an uncommon name in the Greek world. There was a Stoic philosopher named Arias Didymus, a scholar and grammarian named Didymus Chalcenterus, Didymus the Blind, Didymus the Musician, etc. Maybe, though, Thomas just was a twin.

 

Tradition has it that he traveled to India and, in fact, he is the patron saint of many Indian Christians. Supposedly, he was killed by a spear.

 

Matthew the publican, or tax collector, is writing this gospel. We saw his calling back in chapter 9.

 

Mathew 9:9  And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

 

According to many commentators he was also known as Levi.

 

Mark 2:14  And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

 

Luke 5:27  And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

 

If that is so, we may surmise that there were more than two pairs of brothers among the Apostles, Simon Peter and Andrew being one pair and James and John, sons of Zebedee, the others mentioned earlier, along with Matthew and James, the son of Alphaeus, as Matthew is also said to be in Mark 2:14. However, as Matthew is not mentioned as James, the son of Alphaeus’, brother it is more likely that their fathers simply had the same name. It would not be uncommon for a company of men or women to have parents with the same name. Catholic tradition says they were not brothers while the Eastern Orthodox, which split from the Catholics in 1054 claims they were.

 

Various traditions have Matthew being crucified in Alexandria, Egypt or martyred in Ethiopia.

Bible Study on Genesis 41, verses 9 to 16, the butler remembers Joseph

 

Genesis 41:9 ¶  Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 10  Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker: 11  And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12  And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. 13  And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. 14  Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 15  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16  And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Now, after two years, the butler remembers Joseph. The Pharaoh is desperate for an answer and ready to call this Hebrew prisoner to be brought before him. Joseph probably didn’t just shave his face in a bowl of water with a razor. There is evidence that Egyptians shaved the hair on their heads and face with razors and even some evidence that, at least the priests, shaving their entire bodies. Lice was something that was disgusting to ancient Egyptians, I have read, and this sanitary practice became a cultural practice for those who were not desperately poor. Wigs were very popular among both men and women and the Ebers Medical Papyrus gives us information about such details as how they made soap.[1]

Joseph’s answer to Pharaoh is significant in that he acknowledges that the interpretation of a dream is not in him but from God. God will put Pharaoh’s heart at rest regarding the meaning of the dream. See 1Chronicles 22:9 and Isaiah 62:1 for peace and rest and quietness as synonyms. Pharaoh’s troubled heart can only be calmed by God and Joseph says God will do it.

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[1] Numerous sources talk about this. Here is one website among other;  http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/hair.htm (accessed 4.4.2017).

 

Bible Study on Matthew 10, verses 1 to 4, part 3, Philip and Bartholomew

 

This Apostle Philip should not be confused with the other Christian, Philip.

 

Acts 6:2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

 

The Apostle Philip is the one to whom Christ revealed that He was indeed God the Father in the flesh.

 

John 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

 

There is more than one tradition about Philip’s end with one having him crucified upside down and preaching from his cross and another has him beheaded. We simply don’t know anything at this moment that is not presented in the Bible.

 

Bartholomew’s name is perplexing as it is not mentioned very often in the Bible. However, it was accepted by many that this is the Anglicized version of Bartholmi, or the son of Tholmi, and that this is the same Apostle as Nathanael. In this, Strong’s dictionary, agrees. Most people have more than one name, for instance, Simon Peter. We know Simon and Peter are the same person based on the contexts in which those names are found.

 

John 1:45  Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

 

Jesus revealed Bartholomew/Nathanael’s character and Nathanael acknowledged who Jesus was.

 

John 1:46  And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48  Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49  Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

 

Extrabiblical tradition says he went to India, founded Christianity in Armenia, and was finally martyred in what is called Azerbaijan today.

Bible Study on Genesis 41, verses 1 to 8, Pharaoh has frightening dreams

 

Genesis 41:1 ¶  And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 2  And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3  And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4  And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5  And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6  And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7  And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8  And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

Two complete years have gone by and Pharaoh has this dream. This reminds one of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and his calling of all his wise men together to interpret it for him, although he insisted he couldn’t remember it, so they had to tell him the dream, as well.

Daniel 2:1 ¶  And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2  Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3  And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4  Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5  The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6  But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

Dreams are often disjointed things with actors and events that make no sense and seem like the extra stuff left over from what you thought about the day previous. It is almost as if the mind uses the film that lies on the proverbial cutting room floor in the old movie days and creates something surreal. The kind of sleep that allows you to dream is important for a successful sleep, we are told. But, occasionally, in cases mentioned in the Bible, some dreams are communications. These are communications from God and God also provides the interpreter of the dream. It is like the New Testament speaking in tongues, which are always foreign languages. If there is no one in the assembly who can translate the speech does it serve a purpose from God and can it be from God? Paul says no. It is nothing more than confusion and God is not the author of confusion.

So, we have a dream that means something and we have need of someone to interpret it.

Here we have the definition of well favoured and ill favoured in the text as they are contrasted with fatfleshed and leanfleshed. Kine are cows, as is evident from the twenty or so verses in the Bible where the word is used. Do a word search or use a concordance to see.

And again, for corn, understand that it is a reference to a head of wheat in British English as it can refer to any type of grain. For example, look up the English “Corn Laws.”

John 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Bible Study on Matthew 10, verses 1 to 4, part 2, Andrew, James, and John

 

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, is also a commercial fisherman. There is not a lot about him in the Bible but Greek Orthodox tradition says that the Apostolic successor to Andrew is the Patriarch of Constantinople. Some commentators of old say that he preached around the Black Sea and in what is Southern Russia today. Supposedly he was crucified in Greece. Legend has it, mostly from the Middle Ages, that he was crucified on an X shaped cross, called in folklore the Saint Andrew’s Cross. Beware of Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox legends for which you can find no other historical evidence and is not backed up in the Bible, being a primary source of wisdom from the Holy Spirit of God, if you are a believer.

 

James is the Greek derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob. James, the son of Zebedee, is considered to be the patron saint of Spain among other things and is considered to be the first Apostle to be martyred.

 

Acts 12:1 ¶  Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2  And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

 

John, the brother of James, is called John the beloved because of these verses;

 

John 13:23  Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

 

John 19:26  When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

 

John 20:2  Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

 

John 21:7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea…20  Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

 

Clearly, there was a special relationship between Jesus and John, who is thought to be the youngest of the Apostles, a relationship that is hard for us to understand today because of social issues we confront. Let’s remember David and Jonathan.

 

2Samuel 1:26  I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

 

We are uncomfortable in modern time with men who are not homosexuals showing affection and love for each other apart from combat, a case for which we make an exception. But let me remind you that in times past manly men, virile, masculine men did not have our fear of showing devotion to close friends or to young adult men they were mentoring. It can be quite disconcerting for us to read a letter from one of our heroes past. I was shocked when I read a letter that George Washington wrote to a friend and how it expressed a heartfelt love we would never dare utter for a person of the same sex today. This was particularly confusing as there was never any suggestion in his life of feelings toward a man. So, let’s put these verses in proper perspective and not color them with our own preconceptions.

 

Jesus took special care for John, the youngest and most vulnerable of the Apostles. John is also known as the author of a gospel, three letters and the book of Revelation. Tradition has it that in spite of attempts to kill him he lived to be an old age. Tradition also says he taught Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who taught Irenaeus. He is also thought to have taught Ignatius of Antioch.

A Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 68, verses 15 to 21, the God of salvation

 

Psalm 68:15 ¶  The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan. 16  Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever. 17  The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. 18  Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. 19  Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. 20  He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death. 21  But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

 

Remember in 1Samuel 10:5 something referenced as the hill of God is referenced as a place where a Philistine fort was?

 

1Samuel 10:5  After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines:

 

Gill wrote that some say the hill of God was the place where the Ark was brought, to the house of Abinadab.

 

1Samuel 7:1 ¶  And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 2  And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

 

It is likened to another hill, the hill of Bashan, with both being prominent hills. Gill and others refer to this as the Church in typology. We will dwell with Him and He with us, for ever.

 

The chariots are referred to as angels of God, remembering Elijah’s departing.

 

2Kings 2:11  And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12  And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

 

But apart from prophecy David is still proclaiming God’s glory and His victory over his enemies. He has delivered His people. Paul links this with Christian doctrine and the actions of Christ toward us with regard to God’s grace, His unmerited favor in delivering us from damnation.

 

Ephesians 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

 

God is in control of what happens after we die and our deliverance from the second death, in a lake of unquenchable fire. He is the God of our salvation. But He also is the doom of those who go on and persist in their rebellion against Him.

Bible Study on Matthew 10, verses 1 to 4, the Apostles chosen

 

Matthew 10:1 ¶  And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 2  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3  Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4  Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

 

Notice in Matthew that the twelve disciples, the Apostles as we call them, are not mentioned as all having been called until we get to this point, after the popularly called Sermon on the Mount, while what many evangelicals call Luke’s account a version of that event as it already has the twelve Apostles chosen. See Luke 6:13-16. This is one argument for them being two different events based on the Apostles being chosen or not, the immediate audience, the exact location, and the focus of the word choices. Otherwise, Matthew and Luke are simply variations with differing details of the same sermon and, perhaps, the late mention of the majority of the twelve Apostles is merely a flashback. Regardless, both sermons define each other so cross-referencing is paramount to understanding.

 

Simon Peter is listed first. Roman Catholic tradition has him founding the church at Rome but there is more Biblical evidence that Paul would have founded that church as per the ending of Acts. Peter, from the Biblical narrative, went eastward to Babylon from whence the Babylonian Talmud would come, from a place that contained a great many Jewish refugees.

 

1Peter 5:13  The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

 

Historical church tradition can be very helpful but when it goes against the Biblical narrative we must choose the Bible. Why is Babylon thought to be used for Rome in Revelation? Because, as we know that Rome is not now likely to be the seat of the Antichrist, the Beast of Revelation, we can see by the description that that Babylon is a reference to the Babylonian tradition of paganism and rebellion against God. It is the expression of the Tower of Babel, which some governmental organizations have used as a symbol. Could Rome be Babylon at the end times? Certainly, but so could Jerusalem as I have explained in my comments on Revelation.[1] Take the Bible literally unless you cannot is the best way to think.

 

You will find, however, that most people will point out that several early church fathers have Peter at Rome and being crucified upside down. The first legitimate early church leader who mentions Peter at Rome is Clement of Rome in AD96. From him you can trace the future references to Peter at Rome.

 

Peter is a commercial fisherman.

 

Matthew 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

 

Of course, being a coarse and common person he was subject to hot temper and fits of cursing when frustrated.

 

Matthew 26:73  And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.74  Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

 

John 18:10  Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

 

He practiced the common customs of his working class background surrounded by men of his ilk.

 

John 21:7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

 

So, don’t make the modern evangelical mistake of making Peter out to be a refined, Victorian with impeccable manners and a soft disposition. It belittles the raw power of the man whom Jesus chose to do his part in spreading the good news of Christ. Perhaps this is the toxic masculinity that Marxists lament in our current society in America but it served a purpose once Peter was able to digest in his mind what the Resurrection of Christ meant. He is a different person in Acts than he was in the gospels as we have all seen, now unafraid to preach Christ, and confident in his own resurrection. Remember him all through the book of Acts.

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[1] Ernest L. Martin, “The Seven Hills of Jerusalem,” on Associates for Scriptural Knowledge, http://askelm.com/prophecy/p000201.htm. (updated February 1, 2000).