Date | Version | Reading Plan |
---|---|---|
January 28, 2025 | ESV (2016) | OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027 |
Genesis 28
The chapter opens with Isaac calling Jacob, blessing him again and telling him not to marry a wife from the Canaanites. The TGCBC states that, “Isaac’s blessing of Jacob recalls the divine promises given to his father, Abraham. Isaac prays that these promises will pass to Jacob. However, for the promises to be fulfilled, Jacob will need to have a wife, who will bear him a son.” Isaac thus sent Jacob away to Paddan-aram in order that he marry a daughter of Laban, Rebekah’s brother and Jacob’s uncle.
Esau saw that Isaac blessed Jacob and took it upon himself to marry a daughter of Ishmael, his uncle. The motive, according to the TGCBC, is that Esau was “hoping to gain his parents’ approval”.
On his journey toward Haran, Jacob stopped, laid his head down on a rock and had a dream. He dreamt of a ladder (or staircase, depending on the translation) on which the angels of God were ascending and descending. The LORD stood above it and said that He would bless Jacob and that Jacob would be given the land on which he lie. Jacob awoke from his dream and acknowledged that God was in that place and he did not know it. He then made a vow that if God be with him—give him bread to eat and clothes to wear—he would give Him a tenth. “His vow implies that he will only embrace the Lord as his God if God brings him safely back to the land of Canaan. At this stage Jacob lacks a personal commitment to the Lord.” (TGCBC)
Key Takeaways and Application
The insights into Jacob’s spiritual journey are intriguing. Isaac blessed him Jacob again and that God would multiply him. God Himself further reinforced this sentiment in a dream he had on the journey to Haran. However, Jacob was still lacking a personal commitment to the LORD, thinking transactionally rather than relationally. How often we do the same. Rather than pursue God out of grateful reception of everything He has done for us in the sacrifice of His Son, we can pridefully seek an exchange-based interaction with Him—works for favor—as if such things merit His presence. Only when we realize that we bring nothing to the table except our sin and radical corruption will we see His abounding grace for all that it is.
Matthew 28
The final chapter of Matthew describes Jesus’ resurrection and the surrounding events. Toward the first day of the week, after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. There was a great earthquake as an angel from heaven came down, rolled the stone back and sat on it. Our of fear, the guards trembled and fell down as dead men. The angel spoke to the women, told them that Jesus had risen and instructed them to inform the disciples. The women departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy to tell the disciples. Jesus met them, greeted them told them to tell His brothers to go to Galilee where they would see Him.
While they were going, some of the guard went into the city to tell the chief priests about the resurrection. When they assembled with the elders, they gave the guards a sufficient amount of money and told them to spread the story that the disciples stole Jesus’ body. This is the story that has been spread among the Jews to this day.
The eleven disciples (Judas excepted) went to Galilee where Jesus had directed them. When they say Him, they worshiped Him but some doubted. According to the ESVEC, “There is no hint that the doubters represent a distinct group. The disciples are the antecedent of ‘some,’ so the disciples doubt. Second, ‘some’ translates the Greek hoi de, which can also mean ‘they’. In this case, Matthew would mean all of the disciples are doubting.”
Jesus then gave the disciples what has been since entitled, The Great Commission. All authority had been given to Him and thus they were to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He had commanded them.
Key Takeaways and Application
One of the most compelling themes in the chapter is the spectrum emotionality displayed by those who encountered the risen Christ. The guards trembled with fear and became as dead men (Matt. 28:4), the women departed from the tomb with both fear and joy (Matt. 28:8) and, upon seeing Jesus, the disciples both worshiped Him and doubted (Matt. 28:17). By this we see the great difficulty in processing Jesus’ return from the dead and should stir within us an utter astonishment with the truth that Jesus is Lord.