As we read about in Matthew 3, John the Baptist breathed in an “atmosphere surcharged with the thought of the end.”[1] In his mind his baptism was the final opportunity before “water” would be eschatologically outmoded by “the Holy Spirit…
How Does Christ “Fulfill” Historical Remarks?
Matthew often speaks of Christ as fulfilling the Scriptures (e.g., Matt. 1:22; 2:23; 8:17). When the Scripture referenced is a promise or a prediction, the idea of fulfillment is relatively straightforward (as in Matt. 21:4–5). But what can Matthew mean…
[Book Review] Israel, Church, and the Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew
Matthias Konradt, Israel, Church, and the Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew. Translated by Kathleen Ess. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2014. Pp. xii + 485. $79.95 (hardcover). Konradt provides a stimulating reconsideration of the gospel of Matthew in order…
Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
We come now to Matthew 5:6 of the Sermon on the Mount, in which our Lord is speaking about life in the kingdom of heaven. What does it look like to belong to this coming age? And what is the…
Blessed Are the Meek
We do not often speak of meekness. We might be hard pressed even to define it. Meekness is not weakness; it’s a measured strength, a control over wrath. It is related to humility. Sinclair Ferguson writes, “It is the humble…
Simeon’s Gift
Today on Theology Simply Profound, we hear a sermon preached at the evening service of Westminster OPC, December 24, 2017, reflecting on Simeon’s reception of Jesus in Luke 2. Download
Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit
Matthew 5:1–16 are known as the Beatitudes, which stems from the Latin term used in the translation of these verses. A beatitude is a declaration of blessing and a statement about why that type of person will be blessed. Blessing…
Living as Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven
Matthew 5:1–3 begins the Sermon on the Mount. The Bible does not use that title. Augustine (354–430 ad) seems to have given Matthew 5–7 this name. Jesus went up on the mountain and taught his disciples these things. The message…
A Light to the Nations — John 3:16
Today, Rob and Bob talk about John 3:16 in the context of God’s inclusion of the Gentiles into the New Covenant. Was this something that we hear about before the coming of Christ? Download Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
Fulfillment in Matthew as Eschatological Reversal
We welcome Brandon Crowe back to the program to speak about the gospel of Matthew. Dr. Crowe is assistant professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is the author of the article, “Fulfillment in Matthew as Eschatological…
