“How do we know that 14:1-12 is a flashback?” 

"How do we know definitely that Matthew's placement of the story of John the Baptist's death before Jesus feeding 5000 and walking on water was a deliberate choice? Modern readers of course can see the contrast between the kings but are we certain this was intentional and not just a coincidence? Or forgot to write it earlier?”

“At what point does the flashback end?”

"If food laws don't help our spiritual problem why did God institute them in the law?"

“Matthew 15: 24-28. What does it mean that the "lost sheep" is only the people of Israel and the outsiders are the "dogs"?"

I don't quite get the logic in 13:13. If the reason he speaks in parables is because the people will not perceive or understand, doesn't that mean would be free to speak plainly (given the crowd would not understand either way?). 

I think it is interesting in v15 that God could clearly present the secrets of the kingdom yet deliberately obfuscate it, yet in v18-23, he reveals it to us. I wonder if this has implication of how we proclaim the gospel, that there seems to have been some difference between Jesus teaching crowds and the apostles teaching where the latter is more clear as per v52. Perhaps the question is why does he obfuscate his message and then why does this change?

I have heard it said that the parable of the 4 soils is different after the cross and we now only have those that accept and don't, and Tim said there will be 4 types.

Is the parable of the sower consistent with our certainty of salvation? How can we be sure what type of 'soil' we are - that we won't initially respond favourably before the world chokes the faith out of us? (like the thorns, or the rocky ground)

Is it weird to use hell/weeping and gnashing of teeth as a motivator to trust Jesus? Do we want to focus on God's grace where possible?

Still wondering why Jesus changed "me" to "you" in quoting Malachi 3:1 passage

What is meant by the end of Matthew 11:19; "Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds"?

How should we understand 11:22,24? Does Jesus mean that those who hear and reject the gospel will be judged and punished more harshly than those who reject it without ever hearing it?

What were the cities about from 11:20-24?

Is the rest we get from Jesus a knowledge thing? 

Or is there an actual tangible 'experience' of rest Jesus offers? 

E.g. we rest knowing we are part of Jesus' family. But does this change our exhaustion now?

Is blaspheming against the holy spirit a continual sin? 

Is someone blasphemous when they are young, is that just the end for them?

How do we know if we have committed the unforgivable sin or not? Are some people unforgivable?

How does this being said pre-cross change its meaning for us relative to the disciples if it all? If not why does it not change? Central truth?

I wonder if V16-25 is about future generations since v 1, 23 seem very specific to now. Perhaps v21-22 seems to be the future (after Jesus' death & resurrection) but perhaps it makes more sense if it is his death. I wonder also if there is a needed step to associate Jesus' commands to his apostles with us, particularly because James 3.

Given Jesus had not yet been crucified, what connotations did taking up one's cross have in 10:38? Would it have still indicated crucifixion to his disciples at the time?

v 33 What about Paul? Why can we have the conclusion Tim came to? v 41 What are the prophets reward and righteous person's reward?

Can a Christian live through life on earth desiring peace? Perhaps not - because peace alludes a sentiment of contentment and with the (illegible) inward and outward. Maybe the better word is reassurance.

1. How can we take accountability for our poor sharing? Is it our problem or just the truth being hard? 2. Lots of my friends say that many people die in vain, how can we know that Christians aren't just mistaken? 3. Why does the world oppose us? Is it a balance of shocking and confronting truth but also we can tell the gospel badly and hurt people?

Sometimes people decide to not go on overseas mission to care for family members (might be sick or elderly). What does vs 35-37 mean for how we consider the needs of others we may be leaving behind (elderly parents) or will be impacted by our going (children)?