Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life is the third commentary in the Opening the Scriptures series. George Martin's other two in this series include one on Mark and another on Luke. Alas, I do not believe there is a volume on John's Gospel. The book is laid out in a format where it gives a Scripture passage first to read. Then, it breaks up the passage into individual verses with a commentary for each verse. In addition to commentary, there are hundreds of questions for personal or group reflection, which are designed to make you think and grow in your understanding of Scripture. The sections that provide background information on the world Jesus lived in or the audience to which Matthew wrote his Gospel are invaluable if you are looking to dive deeper into the Gospel.
It would be impossible for me to touch on every passage in this book, so I am going to focus on the first chapter of Matthew, which details the genealogy of Jesus. A lot of commentators will make mention of a couple of big names in this genealogy, i.e., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but gloss over the genealogy as a whole. Mr. Martin, however, walks us through person by person, pointing out significant figures and also anomalies in the genealogy. The main anomalies are the women, Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. The first two women were not women of great moral fiber, yet they are part of Jesus' genealogy, and it shows us that God can bring about salvation through imperfect people.
The depth Mr. Martin dives in these books is astounding. I led a Bible Study on Luke last year, and, used his volume on Luke as my primary source. It was an immense help, and made me feel wiser and able to answer questions with certainty. The beauty of there being three volumes in this series is that each one corresponds with a specific Year in the Church (A = Matthew, B = Mark, C = Luke). Since next year is Year B, I would recommend purchasing the volume on Mark first. However, whichever one you choose to purchase first, you will not be disappointed and will want to own all three eventually. Five Stars!
This book was provided to me for free by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!
When it comes to picking which commentaries you follow along with when reading your Bible, you can never be too careful. I have a couple of multi-volume Bible commentaries that I trust:
Even with these four, I am always on the lookout for more commentaries. Recently I have been introduced to Brazos Theological Commentary. Unlike the commentaries above, Brazos commentaries are not written strictly by Catholics or strictly by Orthodox or strictly by Protestants. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I am willing to give the series a shot on a book-by-book basis. Today, I will be reviewing their commentary on Luke.
The Brazos commentary on Luke by David Lyle Jeffrey is one of the more recent volumes in this series, but the first one I have had the chance to study and read. I must admit that I have never heard of Dr. Jeffrey, and it was the endorsements of Scott Hahn and Matthew Levering that sold me on this being a worthwhile volume in a series, with which I am unfamiliar. It turns out that Dr. Jeffrey "is known as a medievalist and as a scholar of biblical tradition in Western Literature and art." He is also a professor or literature and humanities at Baylor. This shows in the way he approaches his commentary on Luke.
The first thing I noticed about this commentary is the format. Almost every commentary I own, has the Scriptural text at the top of the page or in a block quote before the commentary. This one does not, so you will need a Bible to reference specific passages when studying with this book.. Dr. Jeffrey opts for three versions of the Bible - King James (KJV), New King James (NKJV), and Revised Standard (RSV). I'm not a fan of the first two, but that's a personal preference. The second thing I noticed was that unlike other commentaries, this isn't a verse-by-verse commentary. I have mixed feelings on this. On the one hand, I'm used to the verse-by-verse format. On the other hand, sometimes you can get lost in the minutia of interpreting each word or each verse that you miss the forest for the trees.
It's hard to fully analyze and review a commentary, so instead of attempting this monumental task, I am just going to talk about one passage in Luke that I always enjoy reading and how Dr. Jeffrey discusses. When it comes to the scene of Gabriel appearing to Zacharias, Dr. Jeffrey points out that Gabriel's name means, "power of God" or "emissary of God." He also points out that he only is mentioned four times in the Bible, but each time it contains a messianic message. He also references places Gabriel appears outside of Scripture like 1st and 2nd Enoch and the Qumran scrolls. He then goes on to compare and contrast Zacharias' doubt with Abraham's doubt and how Abraham was humble and doubting, but Zacharias was more brazen and bold in his unbelief. Dr. Jeffrey calls on many sources in this one passage of Luke, such as St. John Chrysostom and Venerable Bede. He also dissects the language and shows how beautiful in symbolism and wordplay the original Greek is. This plethora of opinions (including Aquinas, Calvin, etc.) and examination of language pervades the entire book and adds a richness to it that other commentaries on Luke do not have.
Despite the unique approach (not form-critical, nor philological, nor verse-by-verse), this was still a solid commentary on the Gospel of Luke. It is clear from reading this commentary that Dr. Jeffrey cares very deeply about this book of the Bible and the message within it. For those unfamiliar with Luke, that message is found in Luke 1:1-2 - "to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us." I cannot say that this will be the primary commentary I reference when reading Luke, it has earned a place on my bookshelf with other commentaries I reference. And I will definitely reference this again and again, especially when the Church's calendar rolls back around to reading primarily from Luke. I look forward to investigating other volumes in this series as well to see if they are just as good or better.
This book was provided to me for free by Brazos Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!
Luke Chapter 2
2:1-14 – The Nativity of Jesus
2:15-20 – The Visit of the Shepherds
2:21 – The Circumcision of Jesus
2:22-38 – The Presentation in the Temple
2:39-40 – The Return to Nazareth
2:41-52 – The Finding in the Temple
Instructions
Answer as many questions as you can. Write down other questions you might have, or interesting things you learned and read that are not covered in the questions.
Questions for Interpretation
1. Verse 4 – What does the name Bethlehem mean? Where else do we find Bethlehem mentioned in the Bible?
Bethlehem means "House of Bread." Jesus is the Bread of Life.
We see Bethlehem elsewhere in the Bible in the following places:
When Jacob buried Rachel (Genesis 48:7)
Most of the Book of Ruth
It is the home of Jesse, David's father, and where David was anointed by Samuel.
2. Verse 7 – What are the swaddling clothes a prefigurement for? What is significant about laying Jesus in a manger?
The swaddling clothes are a prefigurement for the burial cloths of Jesus in the tomb.
A manger is a feeding trough for animals. Jesus one day will become food for us all in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Interesting note: Nativity sets get it all wrong when they put Jesus in a stable. Jesus was in fact born in a cave, which would have been an extension of the inn or lodging house. There is now a church built over this very spot!
3. Verses 8-14 – Why does St. Luke make note about it being nighttime when Jesus was born? See John 1:1-5.
Jesus was born at nighttime when most people were asleep. This darkness, however, is not just physical but spiritual. The world is in a state of sin, and it needs The Light to come and illuminate it. Jesus is The Light. Unfortunately, as pointed out in John's Gospel, many will not recognize The Light, and even sadder, more will reject The Light and choose the darkness of their sins.
4. Verse 8 – Why do you think God chose to reveal the birth of Jesus to shepherds first? Can you think of other Biblical shepherds?
This is just my opinion, but I think Jesus chose them because He is the Good Shepherd. Also, shepherds were lowly. They worked out in the fields, smelled badly, and not many people cared about them. Jesus chooses to reveal Himself not to the high and mighty of His time, but the lowly.
Other important Biblical shepherds include Abel, Jacob, Moses, and David!
5. Verses 21-24 – Read Leviticus 12:1-8. What does their sacrifice say of their financial situation?
According to Jewish law, in order for a woman to be made clean after birthing a child, she must offer a lamb as sacrifice, unless she could not afford one. If she could not afford a lamb, then two turtledoves or two pigeons were given as the sacrifice. Since Mary and Joseph did not sacrifice a lamb, it shows that they were of the poorer part of society. Jesus could have been born to a wealthy family and come into this world in glory. Instead, He humbled Himself and came to a poor family.
Interesting note: According to Numbers 18:16, the firstborn son belongs to God unless his parents pay a ransom price of five shekels. There is no mention of Joseph and Mary paying a ransom for Jesus, so St. Luke either omitted this detail, or Jesus always belonged to God, and this is foreshadowing of His eventual death.
6. Verse 34 – What does Simeon's prophecy of the "fall and rise of many in Israel" mean?
Notice that the fall comes before the rise. Many Jewish people will reject the New Covenant of Jesus, ultimately losing their chance at salvation. However, those who ultimately followed Jesus and accepted his gift of salvation will rise.
7. Verse 35 – What does "and you yourself a sword will pierce" mean?
The path of salvation is not an easy path. There will be times of suffering, but how we view and use this suffering can make it redemptive. No one understood this better than Mary, as she had to watch her only Son die on the Cross..
8. Verse 46a – What is significant about the amount of time it took before they found Jesus in the Temple?
The three days foreshadow the time between Jesus' death and Resurrection. Just as His Blessed Mother was worried and distraught over losing Him as a child, she will be even more distraught losing Him to death.
9. Verse 46b – What is significant about Jesus being "in the midst of the teachers?"
Jesus is not off to the side of the elders casually listening. He is in the middle of the great teachers; actively listening, fully participating, and teaching.
Questions for Reflection
1. Verse 11 – What do I have in mind when I acknowledge Jesus as Lord?
2. Verses 13-14 – How have I experienced God’s favor and peace?
3. Verses 15-16 – How quickly have I responded to God’s invitations and instructions?
4. Verses 17-19 – How often do I meditate on Scripture? On what God is doing for and through me?
5. Verses 21-23 – What is my idea of holiness? How am I striving to be holy?
6. Verse 24 – What example do Joseph and Mary set for me?
7. Verses 28-29 – What is the chief service God has assigned me?
8. Verse 30 – Where am I most in need of Jesus’ rescue?
9. Verses 31-33 – How have I grown in my understanding of Jesus? What about Him most amazes me?
10. Verses 49-51 – What about Jesus is most a mystery for me?
11. Verse 51a – Have I ever adjusted my behavior when I realized the grief I was causing others? What changes did I make?
12. Verse 51b – What do I imagine Mary’s thoughts and ponderings to be at this point in Jesus’ life?
The reflection questions were taken from Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life by George Martin and used with permission from Our Sunday Visitor. For commentary and more reflection questions, purchase the book. It's great!
Luke Chapter 1
1:1-4 – Prologue
1:5-25 – The Annunciation of John
1:26-38 – The Annunciation of Jesus
1:39-45 – The Visitation
1:46-56 – The Canticle of Mary
1:57-66 – The Nativity of John
1:67-80 – The Canticle of Zechariah
Instructions
Answer as many questions as you can. Write down other questions you might have, or interesting things you learned and read that are not covered in the questions.
Questions for Interpretation
1. Verse 5 – What does the name Zechariah mean? What does the name Elizabeth mean? What is significant about them being from the tribe of Aaron?
Zechariah means Yahweh remembers. Elizabeth means my God is an oath. God has not forgotten his righteous servants. It is significant that they are from the tribe of Aaron because they are of the priestly tribe. Since Mary is their kinswoman, she too is from this priestly tribe.
2. Verses 6-7 – What other important women in the Bible were barren? Barrenness was regarded as punishment for sin according to Jewish people. Why did God allow righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth to be barren?
Sarah – Abraham's wife, Rebekah – Isaac's wife, Rachel – Jacob's wife, Manoah's wife – Mother of Samson, Ruth – Boaz's wife, Hannah – Elkanah's wife, and the Mother of Samuel
Interesting note: Being chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord was something that could only happen to you once in your life, if ever. Therefore, it was not mere chance or coincidence that Zechariah was chosen, but Divine Providence.
3. Verses 8-11 – Compare these verses with Revelation 8:3-4.
Zechariah was offering the prayers of the people of God at the altar of incense. Is Gabriel the angel in Revelation who takes up the prayers of the people to the altar in Heaven?
Interesting note: It must be terrifying to see an angel, because the first thing they always tell the people is to not be afraid.
4. Verses 13-15a – What does the name John mean? What is significant about John not drinking wine or strong drink? What other Old Testament figures took this vow?
John means Yahweh is merciful or gracious. God finally granted his two parents a child. He was consecrated from the womb, like Nazirites Samson and Samuel, mentioned above.
5. Verses 15b-17 – Compare these verses to Malachi 3:1a and 3:23-24.
In Malachi, we see mention of a messenger coming before Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus. John the Baptist, will be a great prophet like Elijah, and will be the last prophet in fact.
Interesting note: John the Baptist and Elijah even dressed alike wearing a hairy garment and leather belt. See 2 Kings 1:7-8 and Matthew 3:4. They both had the same mission to of trying to get the people to repent and turn to God.
6. Verses 18-20 – Besides the answer to his prayers, what gift did Gabriel offer to Zechariah, which he was oblivious to? Why did Gabriel make Zechariah mute?
Gabriel told Zechariah his name and that he was sent to share the Good News of the coming Messiah. But Zechariah wanted a better sign than an angel coming down and talking to him, so he was made mute for his disbelief.
Interesting note: The people were amazed at how long he stayed in the sanctuary, because they thought he had offended God, and God struck him dead. Also, we have to assume that Gabriel visited Elizabeth as well and told her of God's plans. Otherwise, it would have been an interesting note Zechariah wrote to Elizabeth telling her why he can't talk and that they are to have a son.
7. Verse 26 – What is the six month referring to?
The sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.
8. Verse 27 – What is significant about Joseph being from the house of David?
It means that Jesus is born into a kingly line.
9. Verses 26-38 – How is Mary’s questioning of Gabriel different than Zechariah’s? Compare and contrast the two annunciations. (Luke 1:11-20 and Luke 1:26-38)
9Mary’s questioning is more innocent and wonder than doubt and skepticism. Comparison of two annunciations
• Gabriel appears
• Parent shows worry and concern at sight of angel
• Angel’s command to not be afraid
• Message of a future birth of a son
• Name of Child
• Child’s purpose/mission
o John – Turn children of Israel to God
o Jesus – Establish kingdom of which there will be no end
• Role of the Holy Spirit
o John – Filled with Holy Spirit in mother’s womb
o Jesus – Holy Spirit will come upon Mary and God will overshadow her
10. Verse 41 – How was John able to identify that Mary was filled with the Messiah?
He was filled with the Holy Spirit from his conception.
11. Verses 42-45 – Compare these verses to 2 Samuel 6:9-11, 14-16. What item pre-figures Mary in this passage? Why is this significant?
Ark of the Covenant. The Holy Spirit overshadowed both. David and John the Baptist both leapt in front of the Ark of the Covenant. They both were the dwelling place of God.
Interesting note: The old Ark of the Covenant contained the 10 Commandments (the word of God inscribed in stone), Aaron's rod, and manna. The new Ark of the Covenant contained Jesus who is the Word of God in flesh, the true High Priest, and the Bread of Life. No one knows what happened to the Ark of the Covenant after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple. However, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess it. That is why you will find a replica of the original ark in every Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
12. Verses 46-56 – Mary’s gives God praise for three things. What are they? Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10, and see how Hannah’s song is similar to Mary’s.
She gives God praise for what he has done personally for her, for his mercy toward the poor, and for his faithfulness to the people of Israel. Mary's canticle is very similar to Hannah's prayer and shows that she is a good Jewish girl who knows her Scripture.
13. Verse 59 – According to Jewish numerology, the number 8 symbolizes salvation and new beginnings. What does the number 8 mean to Catholics? (See Catechism 2174.)
CCC 2174 states. “Jesus rose from the dead "on the first day of the week." Because it is the "first day," the day of Christ's Resurrection recalls the first creation. Because it is the "eighth day" following the Sabbath, it symbolizes the new creation ushered in by Christ's Resurrection.” Significant 8s in the Bible are 8 people on Noah’s ark when the world was re-born after the Great Flood. David was the 8th son of Jesse. Abijah mentioned earlier was also of the 8th priestly division.
14. Verses 60-64 –Why was Zechariah’s voice restored?
Zechariah's voice was restored, because he listened to Gabriel and God and called his son John.
Interesting note: Why didn't Elizabeth just tell the people that God said to call him John or that Zechariah said to call him such? Why were they amazed that Zechariah also wanted to call his son John?
15. Verses 68-79 – What images stand out to you as significant in Zechariah’s canticle?
Horn of salvation: Horns were considered a sign of power.
Covenant: God has a long line of covenants with the people of Israel, which they have never been faithful in keeping. God is establishing His final covenant with Israel through His Son Jesus, which the people ultimately reject.
Salvation from enemies: Jesus is coming to provide ultimate salvation from Satan, not just worldly enemies like the Romans.
16. Verse 80 – Read Isaiah 40:3. Why do you think John went to go live in the desert until his ministry?
Fulfills the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah of a voice crying out in the desert to “Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!”
Interesting note: John the Baptist would have also been one of the male children Herod ordered to be killed (the Holy Innocents). According to tradition, Elizabeth and John fled to the desert and a mountain opened revealing a cave to hide them in. Herod’s soldiers came to Zechariah looking for John, but he refused to give up their location, so they killed him at the Temple altar (Luke 11:51). Elizabeth died while John was still a child, and it was said that an angel ministered to him until the time of his ministry.
Questions for Reflection
1. Verses 11-13 – Have I ever had prayer answered after I had given up hope and stopped praying?
2. Verses 14-15 – When did God select me for his service? How have I been equipped to carry out my service?
3. Verse 29 – How have I reacted when I have experienced God’s special favor or call? How did it change the way I think of myself?
4. Verse 35 – What does it mean to me that Jesus is the Son of God?
5. Verses 36-37 – When or how do I place limits on what God can do? Or what God can do for me?
6. Verse 45 – How eager am I to embrace the word of God? How is Mary a model for me?
7. Verses 46-55 – How can Mary’s prayer serve as a model for my prayers?
8. Verses 70-72 – How have I experienced God’s mercy and love?
The reflection questions were taken from Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life by George Martin and used with permission from Our Sunday Visitor. For commentary and more reflection questions, purchase the book. It's great!
Studies included Greek philosophy, medicine, and art
Became a professional physician
Preached with St. Paul in Rome
After St. Paul's martyrdom, he preached throughout Italy, Dalmatia, Macedonia, and other regions.
He wrote both a Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.
His patron was probably Theophilus, the governor of Achaia
Some give him credit for contributing to the Epistles to the Hebrews.
Is credited with being the first Christian iconographer. His first icon was of the Mary the Directress. (See below for what a 16th Century icon looks modeled after the original)
In his old age, he visited Libya, Egypt, and then returned to Greece.
He was hanged at age 84 from an olive tree in the town of Thebes.
His relics are divided into three places
His tomb is located next to the tree and it has the rib closest to his heart there.
The tomb still works miracles, with myrrh appearing on tomb on 12/22/97.
His body is in the Abbey of Santa Giustina in Padua
His head is in the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague
His feast day is October 18th.
If you found this interesting, and would like to read more of the notes from my introductory lesson, send me an email by clicking the button below, and I'll be glad to forward you my notes. I won't make you do this for every lesson. It's just that the rest of my lesson involves tables and charts that I couldn't copy over prettily into Blogger.
There are some days where I feel completely lazy - that I accomplish nothing for the entire day. Then there are other days where I wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew. For example, I have volunteered to lead a Bible study on the Gospel of Luke this year, without a DVD to do most of the work for me. Thankfully, there are great Bibles and books on the market that can help me in my preparation. One of the main books I will be using to help lead my study is called Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life by George Martin, and it is available at Our Sunday Visitor.
Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life is a nearly 700 page tome in which George Martin takes the Gospel of Luke and breaks down its meaning, verse-by-verse. Why 700 pages? Well, Luke wasn't exactly short of words either, as he recorded some of the longest chapters in the Bible. In this book, Mr. Martin uses the NAB translation of Luke and places it in his book prior to the commentary.
In addition to providing commentary in his book, Mr. Martin includes several other useful resources in this book. He provides references to complementary Scripture passages. This is especially helpful when comparing passages across Gospels and seeing how they differ. It is also helpful if you want to flip to the Old Testament passage to which Luke refers. The provided reflection questions are also very useful when studying Luke. There are 32 reflections for the first chapter of Luke alone! This is especially helpful for individual or group Bible study. The last resource I mention is also my favorite, the "Background" sections. These sections provide great information for understanding the culture and history during Jesus' day.
Unlike some commentaries, which can get so deep that you feel like you are drowning in theology, this one is very readable. Even though I have not read every page in this book, I can say without a doubt that it is a 5-star book. I plan on using it as one of the main texts to lead my Bible study this year, and feel free to stop by my blog every other Wednesday for notes from my Bible study. If you don't have time to use this as a group study, make a resolution to read Luke this year, and use this book to help you understand it better. At least pick up a copy for when Year C rolls around. After you work your way through this book, you could also pick up its companion book, Bringing the Gospel of Mark to Life.
This book was provided to me for by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!
