1CHRONICLES 29:
Yesterday we heard of the military commanders and officials under David, and the leaders of 13 tribes. Then we heard David’s instructions to Solomon. And it is always amazing to me the detail with which David planned for the temple, and also his generosity.

PROVERBS 22b:
Halfway through this chapter we begin a section where more of the proverbs are arranged in short paragraphs. That section begins at verse 17, just three verses after we begin today’s reading. Verse 20 introduces 30 sayings that follow

MATTHEW 3:
Yesterday we heard of the coming of the learned men from the east. While they brought three symbolic gifts, it didn’t say that there were just three men who came. And prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus being taken to Egypt, then at the family’s return, their move to Nazareth.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1CHRONICLES 27-28:
Yesterday we heard of the assignments of Levites as musicians, judges, and temple gate keepers.

PROVERBS 22a:
Our highlighted verse for today:

14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap;
those who make the LORD angry will fall into it. (NLT)

MATTHEW 2:
For today’s intro to Matthew 2, I have a correction from what I said in this episode 251 before 2022. For this information, I am relying on Leon Morris’ commentary. How come the genealogies of Matthew and Luke are different? I have often heard it said that Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph (the legal father) and Luke gives that of Mary, the actual genealogy. But that idea is unlikely. For one reason, genealogies were never reckoned through the mother, although as Morris says, “we must reckon with the fact that we have no information about what would happen when there was no human father.” But another problem with Luke giving Mary’s genealogy is that he speaks of Jesus’ father as “Joseph the son of Heli” (Luke 3:23), which doesn’t sound at all like Luke is giving Mary’s genealogy. Matthew says Joseph’s father was Jacob. There are ingenious ways of explaining how Heli or Jacob could both be correct, but all of that is pure speculation. Morris says this, and I agree: “The best suggestion is that Matthew’s list represents the legal descendants of David, those who would actually have reigned had the kingdom continued, while Luke gives the descendants of David in the line to which Joseph belonged. We have no way of being certain.”

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1CHRONICLES 25-26:
There was a rather important shift in Israel’s religious life that happened with David and his plans for temple worship rather than the older pattern of worship at the Tabernacle: It was that the priests and Levites were re-organized into groups appropriate to the new state of affairs, introducing divisions on top of the old system which was based on family lines. This reordering was still in effect at the beginning of the New Testament, where we read that Zechariah was a member of the priestly division of Abijah. So we have precedent for not always ‘doing it’ the way it was done in the past.

PROVERBS 21b:
Today’s highlighted verse:

Pro. 21:30 GNT Human wisdom, brilliance, insight—they are of no help if the Lord is against you.

MATTHEW 1:
In my earlier podcast for this day 250, I stated that “Matthew’s Gospel was perhaps written as early as 50 AD, and some material was based on Mark’s Gospel.” In so saying, I simply followed what I had repeatedly heard. However the view that Mark was written first did not gain wide acceptance until the early 20th century. Throughout history, Christians believed that copies of Matthew’s Gospel were distributed first, and that Mark was not released until around the time that Luke’s Gospel appeared. (See the Wikipedia article on Marcan priority, and David A. Black’s article in the book Perspectives on the Ending of Mark.)

It is generally accepted that Matthew was written by Levi Matthew, the tax collector and the disciple of Jesus. He does not identify himself (similarly to John in John’s Gospel), but if he had identified himself, he would have started to do so in chapter 9.

It is clear that Matthew was written for the Jewish audience, and indeed, at the time it was written, the Gospel had not yet gone far among the non-Jews. Again and again Matthew points to fullfilments of Scripture. And at times, especially near the end, he does not bother to use the words “This fulfilled …” but just includes a couple of words that would have been obvious allusions to Scripture for his audience. An odd feature of this gospel is that Matthew three-times records two people or donkeys, whereas other Gospels record only one. My own original opinion on that feature is this: Every assertion according to the Law needed to be maintained by at least two witnesses. At the times 1 becomes 2, I think Matthew is dropping the hint that he was an eyewitness.

I saved Matthew for the last of the Gospels to be read in our reading calendar because I wanted to group together several New Testament books written to the Jewish audience. Today we will hear the genealogy of Jesus.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1CHRONICLES 23-24:
Yesterday we heard a rather odd story about how “Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census.” But in 2Samuel 24:1 we read that “Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’” So who was it— Satan or the Lord? And if the problem was caused by someone else, why was David and all Israel punished?!

I think, in a place like this, we have to go back to what we learned in Job. God brought up a topic to Satan, Satan responds predictably, and God gives him permission to tempt and sets the boundaries. In other words, both God and Satan are involved. God does not tempt people to do evil, and God is in ultimate control. Satan is like a dog on a leash. And about that punishment: God arranges events in such a way that man (in this case David) is still in control and responsible for his choices.

Why was the census considered a sin? This seems to be founded on the idea that Israel— according to God’s promise, was to be as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on the sea shore, in other words, uncountable. When Moses conducted a census, there was a money offering given for every male counted. Making a military census would also show that David was trusting in numbers instead of God’s power. (See 1Chron 27:23-24.)

PROVERBS 21a:
Here is the verse I chose to highlight today:

Pro. 21:13 NLT Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.

TITUS 3:
We continue today with more true teaching for our spiritual health. We might consider 2:14 as a heading for all of today’s reading. That verse says,

Pro. 2:14 NLT He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1CHRONICLES 21-22:
Yesterday we heard the part where the writer of Chronicles skated over where David had his affair with Bathsheba. But we heard of the military victories and especially the misunderstanding that became the reason for the war with the Ammonites.

PROVERBS 20b:
Our highlighted verse for today:

Pro. 20:24 NLT The Lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?

Another proverb with deep significance is:

27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,
exposing every hidden motive.

TITUS 2:
A major theme of this book is literally ‘healthy faith’ and ‘healthy teaching.’ This is a figure of speech that boils down to believing in true teachings. (NLT translates that well as ‘wholesome teaching’.)

NLT Translation notes:
1 As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects [true/wholesome] teaching.
2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must [fully believe our true teachings//have sound faith] and be filled with love and patience.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1CHRONICLES 19-20:
Yesterday we heard about one of David’s greatest hours, and I think David would rank this as better than the killing of Goliath. It was the time when he wanted to build a house for God, and instead God promised to build his house— making for him an everlasting dynasty. Then we heard of his leading in even more amazing military victories.

PROVERBS 20a:
Today’s highlighted verse:

Pro. 20:3 GNT Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.

TITUS 1:
Commentators say that Paul wrote his letter to Titus in about the year 66, and that evidence from chapter 3:12 reveals that Paul may have written this in Nicopolis in Epirus, where he spent the winter. The letter has much in common with 1 Timothy which was written around the same time. Paul had given Titus a difficult pastoral assignment, and this letter includes advice that has been so helpful to many pastors. And personally and to my own shame, I always remember this epistle as the location of my worst argument with one of my translation consultants. Recently in Proverbs 18 we read a proverb that applies to that situation, it is this:

Pro. 18:19 NLT An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city.
Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.

NLT Translation notes:
Tit. 1:1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim [news about how to fully believe in Christ//faith] to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.
4 I am writing to Titus, [whom I consider] my true son [because we share the same beliefs//the faith that we share].
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.
13 This is true. So reprimand them sternly [so that they will continue to fully believe in true teachings//to make them strong in the faith].

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1CHRONICLES 17-18:
Yesterday we heard of the careful moving of the Ark, this time successfully. We heard exactly which men played what instruments. Then there was a sample of their praise. The psalm in chapter 18 is made of quotes from Psalms 105 and 96 and some other isolated verses.

PROVERBS 19b:
Our highlighted verse:

Pro. 19:17 NLT If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!

1THESSALONIANS 5:
Before reading chapter 5, let’s review the resurrection portion of chapter 4, starting with verse 13.

NLT Translation note:
8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of [fully believing/faith] and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1CHRONICLES 15-16:
Yesterday we heard about the first attempt to move the Ark, more about David’s family, and his defeat of the Philistines.

PROVERBS 19a:
A highlight from today’s chapter in Proverbs:

Pro. 19:14 NLT Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.

1THESSALONIANS 4:
Paul and his companions prayed, and God answered: The Thessalonian believers stayed strong in their believing in the Gospel.

NLT Translation note:
1Th. 4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him [all of/the] believers who have died.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.