February 28

Click here for today's text.

2011, 2012

Leviticus 22:17-23:44
1)(2011)

31 “Keep my commands and follow them. I am the LORD. 32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes[c] you holy[d] 33 and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD.”

2)(2012) Deformed animals were permitted for freewill offerings but not to fulfill a vow. Fulfilling vows required perfect sacrifices:

23 You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox[b] or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfillment of a vow.

Mark 9:30-10:12
1)(2011)Intramural disputations among Christ's disciples. Henry comments:

He rebukes his disciples for magnifying themselves. When he came to Capernaum, he privately asked his disciples what it was they disputed among themselves by the way, v. 33. He knew very well what the dispute was, but he would know it from them, and would have them to confess their fault and folly in it. Note, 1. We must all expect to be called to an account by our Lord Jesus, concerning what passes while we are in the way in this state of passage and probation. 2. We must in a particular manner be called to an account about our discourses among ourselves; for by our words we must be justified or condemned. 3. As our other discourses among ourselves by the way, so especially our disputes, will be all called over again, and we shall be called to an account about them. 4. Of all disputes, Christ will be sure to reckon with his disciples for their disputes about precedency and superiority: that was the subject of the debate here, who should be the greater, v. 34. Nothing could be more contrary to the two great laws of Christ's kingdom, lessons of his school, and instructions of his example, which are humility and love, than desiring preferment in the world, and disputing about it. This ill temper he took all occasions to check, both because it arose from a mistaken notion of his kingdom, as if it were of this world, and because it tended so directly to be debasing of the honour, and the corrupting of the purity, of his gospel, and, he foresaw, would be so much the bane of the church.

2)(2012)Marriage. Man is not allowed to separate what God has joined in marriage. Then why do churches consider husbands and wives separate in church membership?:

5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’[d] 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[e] 8 and the two will become one flesh.’[f] So they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Psalm 44:1-8

Proverbs 10:19
(2012):

19 When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.

1) (2011) from Matthew Henry's commentary:

Those that love to hear themselves talk do not consider what work they are making for repentance; for that will be wanted...

It is therefore good to keep our mouth as with a bridle: He that refrains his lips, that often checks himself, suppresses what he has thought, and holds in that which would transpire, is a wise man; it is an evidence of his wisdom, and he therein consults his own peace. Little said is soon amended, Amos 5:13; Jam. 1:19.

Years Read
2011, 2012