Daily Bible Study. Justice in the New Testament. Summer 2018 Vol. 36, No. 4. A Word From the Editor 1. Our Writers for This Quarter 2

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3 Daily Bible Study Summer 2018 Vol. 36, No. 4 A Word From the Editor 1 Our Writers for This Quarter 2 Introduction to the Study 3 Randy Cross Justice in the New Testament Unit 1: God Is Just and Merciful 5 May 28 June 24 Betty Newman Unit 2: Jesus Calls for Justice and Mercy 33 June 25 July 15 Randy Cross July 16 July 29 Clara Welch Unit 3: Paul Teaches About New Life in Christ 68 July 30 August 26 Randy Cross Editorial and Design Team Jan Turrentine, Editor Tonya Williams, Production Editor Ken M. Strickland, Designer Administrative Team Rev. Brian K. Milford, President and Publisher Marjorie M. Pon, Editor, Church School Publications Daily Bible Study is designed to help adults better understand the biblical message for their lives. Daily Bible Study (ISSN X) is published quarterly by The United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN Periodicals Postage Paid at Nashville, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Daily Bible Study, PO Box , Nashville, TN Copyright 2017 by Cokesbury. To order copies of this publication, call toll free: FAX your order to Telecommunications Device for the Deaf/Telex Telephone: Automated order system is available after office hours. Order through Cokesbury.com. Use your Cokesbury account, American Express, Visa, Discover, or MasterCard. For permission to reproduce any material in this publication, call ; or write to Permissions Office, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., P. O. Box , Nashville, Tennessee Scripture quotations are taken from the Common English Bible, copyright Used by permission. All rights reserved. New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible studies are based on Home Daily Bible Readings, copyright 2015 by the Committee on the Uniform Series. Cover photo: Shutterstock About the Cover Kavala, Eastern Macedonia, Greece Today, Macedonia is the largest and second most populous region in Greece and is located in the northern area. Thessaloniki is its capital. (Macedonia is also the name of a country in the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe, not to be confused with Macedonia, Greece.) Paul was summoned in a vision by a man from Macedonia to go there and help them (Acts 16:9), which Paul understood to mean God had called [them] to proclaim the good news to them (verse 10). Acts 16:10 17:15 records the history of Paul s first journey through Macedonia. His first convert in Europe was Lydia (Acts 16:13-15), who resided in Philippi, in the eastern division of Macedonia. Not far from Kavala, the Macedonian seaport featured on the cover, are the ruins of ancient Philippi and the remains of two early Christian basilicas.

4 A Word From the Editor A sad commentary on humankind is that we often fail to notice gross injustices unless we are their victims. That was the case during the horrific genocide in the tiny African country of Rwanda in 1994, when the majority Hutu government slaughtered hundreds of thousands of mostly Tutsi minorities. Some estimate that close to one million people were killed in the span of only three months. The eyes of many around the world were opened to this horror story when the actions of one courageous Hutu man formed the basis of the movie Hotel Rwanda. Paul Rusesabagina was that man. Managing an upscale hotel in Kigali when the genocide began, he was forced into immediate action at first because his wife is Tutsi. When they began seeing their neighbors dragged from their homes and beaten, they feared for the safety of their family and took refuge in the hotel. But they could not turn their backs on others facing grave danger. Paul managed to provide safety and sanctuary to over 1,000 potential victims by housing them in the hotel. Eventually, they were able to leave the besieged hotel in a UN convoy and travel to a safe location. Examples like this cause us to examine our own willingness to take risks so that others might find a degree of freedom, justice, and safety. How dire must situations become before we place mercy ahead of strict adherence to rules? How close to home must injustice strike before we recognize it, name it, and take action? The late British statesman Winston Churchill once said, All the greatest things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honour; duty; mercy; hope. 1 We understand things like these as citizens of our communities and nation, of course. But when we become citizens of God s kingdom, followers of Jesus Christ, they take on new meanings. Freedom, justice, mercy, and hope, in fact, find their fullest meaning in relationship to Christ. No longer can we stop when we have acquired or achieved these things. Our relationship with Christ calls and compels us to act on behalf of those whose realities are defined by bondage, injustice, and despair. When we do not feel so called, we must ask to what degree we are allowing Christ to transform us. New life in Christ empowers us to meet human need, work on behalf of the oppressed, practice forgiveness, and persist and insist until justice comes not just for us but for everyone. Our readings this quarter challenge us to consider God s justice, Jesus teachings about justice and mercy, and how our new life in Christ compels us to practice justice. As Paul reminds us, Hate evil, and hold on to what is good.... Contribute to the needs of God s people, and welcome strangers into your home.... Don t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good (Romans 12:9, 13, 21). Jan Turrentine Editor 1 From bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2015/04/50-churchill-quotes. SUMMER

5 Our Writers for This Quarter Randy Cross Randy Cross is the superintendent of the Prairie Hills District of The United Methodist Church in the Dakotas Annual Conference. He has previously served as the assistant general secretary for The United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry in Nashville, Tennessee, and as a district superintendent for the Lower James River District in the Dakotas. He has written curriculum for United Methodist churches for over 25 years. Randy and his wife, Cheri, have two adult sons, Aaron and Adam. The Crosses make their home in Rapid City, South Dakota. You may contact Randy at randycross57@gmail.com. Betty Newman Betty Newman has been a Certified Lay Servant for more than 35 years and recently became a Certified Lay Speaker under the new United Methodist church guidelines. Her passion is studying, writing, and teaching Bible studies. She and her husband, Joe, live on an East Tennessee farm, which has been in Joe s family since the late 1700 s. They are blessed exceedingly, abundantly, above by their two sons, their daughters-in-law, and their grandsons. You may Betty at bnprayerlogue@cs.com. She also blogs at and Clara Welch Clara K. Welch is an ordained deacon in the North Georgia conference. She holds a B.S. in music education from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, a Master s degree in Christian education and church music from Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee, and a Master of Theological Studies degree from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. She has served as a music teacher in two elementary schools related to the Red Bird Mission in Kentucky and has served United Methodist churches in Maryland, South Carolina, and Georgia in the areas of Christian education, children s music, and older adult ministry. Currently, Clara serves her local church in the areas of pastoral care and Christian education. She also teaches piano lessons, and her students often perform Christmas and spring recitals at a nearby assisted-living community. Clara and her husband, Brian, have one daughter, Rebecca Jo, who recently graduated from veterinary school. As they adjust to life as empty-nesters, Clara and Brian enjoy gardening, trying new recipes, hiking, and listening to their daughter s stories about the life of a veterinarian. 2 DAILY BIBLE STUDY

6 Introduction to the Study Why do we need faith at all? Why can t we simply live our own lives as we see fit and not have to deal with all of this God stuff? I mean, wouldn t it be simpler for me to be totally in charge of my own life and make my own choices based on what s best for me? Why should I have to take into consideration Someone else in my life? Can t I be the boss of my own world? If you are uncomfortable with these questions at all, then you probably already have a clear understanding of their answers. For thousands of years, humans have stood at the intersection of wanting to be completely in charge of their own lives and wanting Someone to care and lead them. Arrogance and fear are close cousins. At times in our lives, we indeed think we are the boss of the world, at least our world. And just as quickly, when something happens that is beyond our control or power, we know just how helpless we are and how we don t have the ability to hold everything together. We need God. We humans have that innate understanding that beyond our fingertips, God waits to claim us and call us into relationship that brings life, peace, and trusting hope. When we accept God, and for us as Christians, when we accept the powerful and awesome truth of Jesus Christ as Savior, our thinking, our world perspective, and our daily lives are re-ordered. It s not that we make room for God; it s that the emptiness and the hole that is inside of us, we recognize, can only be filled with the Holy Love and Presence. Of course, if we have any humility at all, it s not a matter of what we try to get God to do for us so that we have a better life, as though God were a genie or some other wish-granter. No! We begin to ask what God wants from us in response to the presence of God in our lives, a presence that brings the confidence and the hope for living each day, even in those bad days that come to all of us. The Bible is a strong and profound record of God s interaction with humans from the beginning. It helps us understand the highest and best relationship possible between us and the One who made us. The New Testament and the Old Testament offer wonderful and terrible examples of how people have striven with God and have been obedient to God through the ages. It reminds me a great deal of the process that all parents go through after bringing a new little human into the world. In the case of Aaron and Adam, our sons, my wife and I began with wriggling, crying, hungry, wet, and worse little beings who never caught on about sleeping. Eventually, however, they learned to giggle and laugh and smile and then progressed on the path to maturity. Within our family structure, we raised our boys not only to be loving but also to take on other things that mattered to us and to our world. So we taught love, forgiveness, manners, justice, kindness, the proper use of power, and a myriad of other things that filled our days beyond learning how to tie shoes or brush teeth. Today, Cheri and I stand in awe of two young men who make most of their own decisions but who do so after decades of learning what it means to be human and holy. SUMMER

7 That s what God does with us and uses Scripture and other people of faith in community to raise up humans who know how to love in the example of Christ and to live imitating God. This quarter s readings help us to reflect on the particulars of what God still intends to teach us all and how we might be able to respond and grow and mature into faithful followers within the faith community. Unit One of our readings broaches the understanding of the sabbath, a time of nonwork and re-creation as a gift of God. The readings also explore how laws were established and then perfected to allow the sabbath to care for us and not us for the sabbath. They also teach the key concepts of God s justice and how we should live out that justice in our own lives as we follow Christ. Readings in Unit Two expand our meditation to think about mercy. Justice without mercy becomes the worst sort of power, so there is a need for leaders to be just and holy as they lead God s people. We will also consider mercy and our place in God s kingdom and how we can celebrate that wonderful gift of God s acceptance of us. Readings in Unit Three ask us to meditate on how we are called to live differently than if we never knew God at all, or never received the powerful grace of Christ. They invite us to think about living transformed lives (not just adjusted or modified lives) in the light of Christ s gift and God s call. It certainly is our hope that these daily readings will help feed and strengthen your faith and give you the chance regularly to accept and live out your place as a cherished child of God. 4 DAILY BIBLE STUDY

8 Monday May 28 What comes to mind when you hear the word law? The readings in this unit will explore two of the many attributes of God. We will see that God is just and merciful. These are not opposites as many suppose; rather they fulfill one another. Genesis 18:25 (New Revised Standard Version) says, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just? However, as we shall see, just does not necessarily mean fair, but it does mean God will always do what is right. God is also merciful and not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9, King James Version). Today s Scripture takes us to an Old Testament event that, without further explanation, could leave us scratching our heads. As we read about this event, we find David lying to a priest of God and taking from the Tabernacle bread that was set aside as holy and for meeting the needs of the priests. Wait! Wasn t this a man Scripture describes as a man after [God s] own heart (Acts 13:22, KJV)? How could this be? The Bible is prescriptive and descriptive. Prescriptive Scriptures tell us exactly what to do and how to live (Deuteronomy 6:5, for example). However, at other times the Bible is simply descriptive, relating the historical account and letting the consequences of the story teach the application. Such is the case with today s Scripture. Prior to events of our text, David was anointed as the king of Israel (1 Samuel 1 Samuel 21:1-6 David Eats the Bread of Presence 16:13), but there was just one problem: Saul was still the king. Saul had been informed twice that his kingship would not continue (1 Samuel 13:14; 15:23), and in his anger and paranoia, he sought to take David s life. First Samuel 20 relates the events leading up to David s flight to Nob. As David left Jerusalem, he was alone; hungry; and, I imagine, more than just a little afraid. Nob, which was then the location of the Tabernacle, was within easy traveling distance from Jerusalem and the king s palace. It s interesting that this was where David chose to go first when running for his life. It prompts us to ask if the presence of the Lord is where we turn first when we are facing trials as well. The Bible is silent on David s lie that Saul sent him on a secret mission. Perhaps this allows us to relate to David s weakness as a man. Unbeknownst to David, however, Ahimelech was a man he could trust. When he saw David s need, he met it in the only way he could: by giving him the most holy part of the priests share of the Lord s food gifts (Leviticus 24:9). We will see later in the week that Jesus referred to this meeting of a human need in Matthew 12:3. Yes, it broke the religious law. But, as Jesus taught, it fulfilled an even greater law: that of the Law s spiritual intent. Holy God whose law is just and perfect, fill my heart with mercy to discern your greater intent. Amen. SUMMER

9 Tuesday May 29 When have you allowed sacrifice to take precedence over mercy? We could easily reverse the above question. When have you allowed mercy to take precedence over sacrifice? When is following God s letter of the law more important, or when must mercy dictate our actions? How do we balance the two? Perhaps Hosea can help with this dilemma. Most books in the Bible have a claim to fame, that one story or passage that always comes to mind first. For Daniel, it s the lion s den. For Joshua, it s the walls that came tumbling down. For Hosea, it s likely the real-life parable of a prophet sent by God to marry a prostitute. This act pictured God s relationship to Israel, who had prostituted herself among many different religions. But there is more to the Book of Hosea than a heartbreaking drama. Chapters 1 3 relate the tragic narrative of Hosea s marriage to Gomer. With Chapter 4, however, the prophet turns to the Lord s word for the people of Israel. There, God is said to have a dispute with the inhabitants of the land (Hosea 4:1). The rest of Chapter 4 chronicles the distressing state of affairs found in the northern tribe of Israel. In Chapter 5, God s reprimand falls on Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. We also find a change in Israel s name, too. Beginning in Hosea 5:3, Israel is referred to as Ephraim (the primary tribe in the northern kingdom of Israel). And, sadly, we find here Ephraim s tragic judgment related as well. Because Hosea 6:1-6 Lord Desires Mercy, Not Sacrifice Israel acted like a prostitute, their deeds [didn t] allow them to return to their God (5:4). The first part of today s text is set in a happier time in the future. Well beyond the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, even beyond our day, will come a time when Israel and Judah, united, will return to the Lord, a time when they will be able to say that God will bind us up (6:1). Many scholars view this as a picture of Christ s return, which will be as certain as the dawn (verse 3). But there was still their present-day sin. Like an exasperated parent, God cried out, What will I do with you? (verse 4). God s gracious promise of the Messiah s atoning sacrifice pictured in the Temple sacrifices had been perverted and reduced to vain ritual offered only at Israel s convenience (4:13). What was God s overriding desire instead (then as well as now)? God desired faithful love and not sacrifice (6:6). Faithful love comes from the Hebrew word chesed, which is often translated as mercy or lovingkindness. Sacrifice has its place, even under the New Covenant (Hebrews 13:15). But God wants mercy to be the motivating factor behind every offer of sacrifice that we bring to the throne. Gracious and loving God, may my sacrifice always be wrapped in mercy and love. Amen. 6 DAILY BIBLE STUDY

10 Wednesday May 30 In what ways are you meeting the needs of the poor in your area? The Israelite people certainly knew how to care for the poor. Since becoming a nation in the wilderness of Sinai, they had been mandated to care for the poor, the widows, and the immigrants among them. Today s readings give us a glimpse into that command. The Book of Leviticus is not one that we normally read for pleasure. It is (seemingly) filled with outdated laws and ordinances that no longer apply to Christians in the 21st century. However, like everything else in Scripture, we must read it in its context to find its full value. The background for the book falls between the setting up of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:2) and the subsequent departure of the Israelites from Sinai, sometime during the first two months of the second year of the Exodus (Numbers 10:11). Leviticus 1 16 primarily addresses the relationship between Israel and Jehovah, while Chapters take a more horizontal approach dealing with Israel in covenant fellowship with others. The Israelites lived under three types of Law: the judicial law, which was the legislative law governing and setting aside Israel as a nation; the civil law, which concerned their religious life; and the moral law, which was based on the Ten Commandments. The moral law was meant to guide their lives (and ours) as human beings. God gave these laws for the Israelites care and protection. In particular, the command from today s reading continues to lay the Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 23:25 Plucking Grain groundwork for the Bible lesson for this coming Sunday (Matthew 12:1-14). Why, we wonder, were the Pharisees so upset that Jesus and his disciples plucked the heads of wheat and ate it? Is it not clearly mandated in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that this was allowed? The most familiar example of this law in action is found in the Book of Ruth. Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, returned to Bethlehem destitute and alone after the deaths of both of their husbands. Likely, through the teaching of Naomi, Ruth was aware of the harvest law concerning the poor. Ruth 2:3 relates the story of how Ruth by chance happened to glean in the field belonging to Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi s late husband. The result is a beautiful story of love and redemption. Feeding the hungry and caring for the poor and disadvantaged is meant to be a way of life for the people of God. While not many of us have fields where the poor can glean, still, we must examine our lives to ascertain where we can set aside parts of our own vineyards to meet the needs of others. It must not be something that we leave for the church to do alone. God of all creation and giver of every good gift, open my eyes to the needs of those around me. Amen. SUMMER

11 Thursday May 31 Luke 14:1-6 The Sabbath Is for Merciful Acts What are some religious rules that govern your life? We may not often think about religious rules governing our lives, but we likely have more than we realize. True, we may not view them as rules, but there are still boundaries and guidelines to which we all adhere. Going to church every Sunday may be one of our rules, or tithing, or refraining from doing this or that. At times, however, we must bend our rules for the sake of meeting needs. For instance, missing Sunday worship to care for a sick child is something most every mother or father has done. How would we like it, though, if we were being watched to see how we would respond to a need? Today s text finds Jesus being put under just such a microscope. Luke related two earlier instances where Jesus dined with the Pharisees, and in each case he was scrutinized for what he would or would not do (Luke 7:37; 11:37). This time, however, he was invited to share a sabbath meal at the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, [and once again] they were watching him closely (14:1). This particular Pharisee, it seems, was apparently well known. Whether he was a leader in the local synagogue or a magistrate of some sort, we do not know, but also (curiously) in attendance at this meal was a man with an obvious physical abnormality (verse 2). Luke is the only Gospel writer to record this particular incident. The suffering man s infirmity is translated as dropsy in other versions of Scripture. It s a serious condition concerning excess water retention in the body, which can affect the heart and/or kidneys. Either the man was able to move about on his own accord, or he was placed in the home before Jesus arrived. That he was there for the purpose of testing is indicated by the fact that the Pharisees were watching to see how Jesus would react. Jesus, however, took a proactive approach. He asked the lawyers and the Pharisees, Does the Law allow healing on the Sabbath or not? (verse 3). Due to the numerous laws concerning the sabbath, it was a greatly debated topic among the Pharisees. Without a doubt, they had discussed the matter many times, but they refused to answer Jesus. If they said, Yes, it is lawful, they would have had no grounds to deny the suffering man relief. But if they said, No, it is not lawful, they would have been seen as merciless and hardhearted. After healing the man and sending him on his way, Jesus asked another question (verse 5). It seems to have had a single obvious answer. Instead, it silenced them further. What if Jesus posed his question to us? Have our religious rules kept us from providing mercy to the suffering? Merciful God, lead me to examine the priority of my own religious rules. Amen. 8 DAILY BIBLE STUDY

12 Friday June 1 What would be the result if our working reflected the work of God? What greater feel-good story could there be than the one we find in John 5? A man, sick for 38 years, lying hopelessly beside the pool of Bethsaida, found himself being asked if he would like to be healed (John 5:6). He explained his predicament that he could not get into the waters quickly enough when they were stirred so that he could be healed (verse 7). Then the man heard words that likely he never in his wildest dreams expected to hear: Get up! Pick up your mat and walk (verse 8). What was his response? Immediately the man was well, and he picked up his mat and walked (verse 9). But then we read the ominous words: Now that day was the Sabbath (verse 9). As we ve come to expect in this week s readings, any mention of the sabbath brings with it a controversy. Here we find that Jesus not only healed a man, which was breaking sabbath law, but he also (seemingly) encouraged the man to break the sabbath law by telling him to pick up his mat and carry it away. There must have been a great reason for Jesus actions on that day. In other Scripture texts this week, we ve seen that the justification for violating the Law was to alleviate human suffering. In this man s case, after 38 years of affliction, this mat may have been his only possession. Deuteronomy 24:10-13 teaches that when a poor person s only possession is his or her coat, which often doubled as a bedroll, it must not be taken from the person, even for loan collateral. John 5:9-18 The Father and I Are Working It would have been egregious for anyone to expect the man to leave his mat behind. The healed man s great joy was shortlived, however, as the Jewish leaders confronted him about breaking the sabbath law (John 5:10). His response was to tell them that the healer told him to do it (verse 11). When Jesus found the man in the Temple, he gave him a curious bit of counsel (verse 14). It s unclear whether sin caused the man s illness or if Jesus words were merely precautionary. Scholars disagree whether the man s response to seek out the Jews was out of praise for Jesus or anger at being confronted, but the result was the same (verse 16). Jesus reply raised the ire of the Jewish leaders to a fevered pitch as it implied Jesus working was equal with God s (verses 17-18). That God rested after Creation (Genesis 2:2) indicated that God s work was finished. However, immediately after the Fall, God s work of redemption began as he provided animal skins to cover Adam and Eve s sin, represented by their nakedness (Genesis 3:21). Jesus work reflected his Father s healing and redemptive work. As we are made in God s image, may our work also reflect God, for we have been created in Christ Jesus to do good things (Ephesians 2:10). May my work always be reflective of you, O God. Amen. SUMMER

13 Saturday June 2 Where do you seek comfort when oppression presses in on you? As we ask the question for today, an old hymn gently reminds us, Where could we go, but to the Lord? Human need takes on many forms. This week, we ve seen hunger and fear, physical disease and physical dysfunction; and tomorrow s text will highlight a case of physical deformity. Today s reading, however, uncovers a need that may or may not be physical, and it may or may not even be visible. The first thing we notice about the psalmist s statement in Psalm 10:12 is his bold cry of faith. We may wish that we had the type of faith to seek God in this manner, but if we go back to the beginning and read the whole psalm, we see that the psalmist didn t always feel that way. He initially cried out in anguish as he wondered where God was in troubling times (verses 1-2). Don t we hear those same cries today as oppression and fear run rampant in our own world? Reading further, we find the psalmist describing the anguish of his day. The wicked didn t believe in God (verse 4); they were overconfident (verse 6), deceitful (verse 7), deceptive (verses 8-9), and arrogant (verse 11). As we read, we come to realize that there is little difference between the psalmist s day and ours. But a change in the tone of the psalm comes in verse 12 as the psalmist calls upon God to act on behalf of those who suffer. He knew that God was not a distant and unapproachable God. God is close and powerful. The wicked s assumption Psalm 10:12-18 Deliver Justice for the Oppressed that God does not see (verse 11) is countered by the psalmist s faith that God not only sees but will act on behalf of the helpless and the orphan (verse 14). The plea to break the arms of those who are wicked and evil (verse 15) is not simply a retaliatory call. The phrase is a Hebrew idiom meaning to render something or someone powerless. The word arm often refers to one s strength or power. God assured Ezekiel (Ezekiel 30:21-23): I will break [Pharaoh s] arms, indicating that Pharaoh (and by extension, Egypt) would be rendered powerless. The psalmist continued by imploring God to make a thorough search for the wickedness until there s no more to find (Psalm 10:15). This psalm, which began cloaked with a sense of abandonment and fear, ends with an affirmation of triumph and thanksgiving. The psalmist s hope, along with our own, is renewed as we come to understand that God still listens to the desires of those who suffer and still steadies hearts. God will still establish justice for the orphan and the oppressed (verses 17-18). This has been the comforting hope of those throughout history who belong to God. Loving God, when things seem bleak, may I hold to the words of Scripture for comfort. Amen. 10 DAILY BIBLE STUDY

14 Sunday June 3 What types of laws might be broken when meeting the needs of others? Today s text finds Jesus and his disciples traveling through a wheat field on the sabbath. We don t know whether it was Friday evening or early on the sabbath morning. All we know is that the disciples were so hungry that they were eating raw grain as they passed through and as such were accused of breaking the sabbath law. To our way of thinking, Jesus and his disciples may have been taking a shortcut through someone s field, but that was not the case. In Jesus day, the planted fields were laid out in long strips, and between the strips were paths or rightsof-way for passersby to walk. The hardened path was like that on which the seed fell and the birds ate in Jesus parable of the sower (Matthew 13:4). We saw in Wednesday s lesson that provision was made in the Law for the poor, the widowed, and the immigrant; but apparently the disciples didn t fit any of these categories. True, in following Jesus they had given up everything (19:27), but they weren t gleaning in the field for sustenance; they were eating as they walked along. If their taking of food had been in a lawful manner, Jesus would have used the Law as their defense. Instead, the two scriptural examples he employed (12:3-5) each involved an admitted breaking of sabbath law. But in each case, it was broken for a greater purpose that justified the infraction. Matthew 12:1-14 Meet Human Need on the Sabbath In answering the Pharisees accusations, Jesus incorporated a common model of debating where the argument ascended from the lesser case to the greater. Concerning David s hunger, compassion for human need took priority over the holy bread in the Tabernacle. In the second illustration, the priests work, or service, in the Temple took priority over the sabbath law. Because the Temple service was greater than the sabbath law, and David s need was greater than the Tabernacle, the conclusion argued that human need, therefore, would take priority over the sabbath law. Jesus declaration coupled with his quote from Hosea (verses 6-7) seems to indicate that he was referring to human need as being greater than the Temple. Later, in the synagogue, another example of human need confronted Jesus (verse 10). He met the Pharisees pointed question with questions of his own (verses 10-11) and used the same lesser to greater argument. The Law allowed for the care of one s animals on the sabbath (which were of less value than a human); therefore, Jesus concluded, the Law allows a person to do what is good on the Sabbath (verse 12). Jesus words and actions serve to remind us that justice and mercy are not opposites. Together they portray God s divine love. Just and merciful God, fill my life with respect for the Law, coupled with mercy for needs. Amen. SUMMER

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16 Daily Bible Study Discipleship from a distinctly Wesleyan perspective P rayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness this is what we commit to when we become members of The United Methodist Church, and it s a big step. But A Disciple s Path helps us look beyond membership, presenting an engaging approach to discipleship from a distinctly Wesleyan perspective. Discipleship is ongoing, so the 6-week study is perfect for new-member groups, but also works well in small groups of long-time members. It helps you develop spiritual practices, discover your unique gifts, and engage in ministry that brings transformation to your own life and to the lives of others and the world. Resources include: Daily Workbook Leader Guide Companion Reader DVD A very useful explanation of the traditional Wesleyan view of Christian discipleship, strengthened in particular by its stress on the balanced approach of the Methodist way. Dr. Richard P. Heitzenrater, Duke University Divinity School A Disciple s Path resonates with the spirit of John Wesley, whose guidance applies to fledgling twenty-first century disciples. David Brownlee, Lead Pastor, Christ United Methodist Church, Jackson, Mississippi KAVALA, THE PRINCIPAL SEAPORT OF EASTERN MACEDONIA, GREECE, OVERLOOKING THE AEGEAN SEA James A. Harnish is the author of numerous books and Bible studies, including A Disciple s Path, Strength for the Broken Places, Make a Difference, Simple Rules for Money, and You Only Have to Die. He is an acclaimed pastor and ordained elder in The United Methodist Church who has led congregations throughout Florida, most recently Hyde Park in Tampa where he served for twenty-two years. Summer 2018 Justice in the New Testament RELIGION/Christian Education/Adult $11.99US ISBN-13: _CVR_CV1.indd All Pages DBS_ADP_.indd 1 1/10/18 2:23 PM 1/30/18 10:35 AM