Bible Verse of the Day: Scripture quotes to inspire your faith in God today.

You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles?

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Galatians 5:22-23

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

**Continuing with the notes from the previous days, many people came and claimed to be the Messiah. There were a handful of revolutionary groups who held certain parts of Jerusalem between 67-70CE. Each group held a different spot of the Temple Mount and had a leader proclaiming to be God's Messiah. Read about Masada during The Jewish Revolt to learn more.

For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

**In a follow-up to verse 13, we see that Jesus is urging his crowds to NOT follow the path of war which leads to destruction. Instead, he's calling them to the path of forgiveness and peace...humility and service...compassion and grace. Giving up national pride when faced with such oppression was a path only a few were willing to take.

Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.

**Historical note: Jesus was to have said this in the third decade of the first century. This was written down about 85-90 CE. In 67 CE Israelite revolutionaries attacked Rome in what is known as "The Jewish Revolt." Rome returned in 70 CE and destroyed everything and everyone.

Jesus is speaking to revolutionaries who are seeking their Messiah to lead them into battle (just like the Maccabean Revolt of 2nd century BCE). Reading this in that context impacts how we understand its meaning considerably.

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.

You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye?