Scripture: Matthew 7:1–5 (ESV)

In this episode, we step into Matthew chapter 7, where Jesus begins to teach about how we treat one another. After addressing private devotion and trust, He now moves to relationships and starts with a command that challenges every one of us: “Do not judge.” We explore how Jesus redefines judgment, not as discernment but as condemnation, and calls us to self-examination before correction. The vivid image of the speck and the log reminds us that humility and honesty are the foundation of compassion. When we let grace clear our own vision, we can see others with mercy instead of pride.

Jesus is confronting condemnation, not discernment.

The Greek krinō means to separate, evaluate, or condemn—Jesus warns against assuming God’s role as judge.

The standard we use on others will be used on us, so gentleness grows from self-awareness.

The “speck” and the “log” symbolize hypocrisy and self-deception.

True correction begins with self-examination: “First take the log out of your own eye.”

Healing makes us gentle; humility makes us clear-sighted.

As Augustine wrote, “He who would judge another must first judge himself.”

A clear heart produces compassionate vision—seeing people as fellow pilgrims, not projects.

The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew — St. John Chrysostom

The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard

The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 7:1–5

The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 7:1–5

On Christian Doctrine — St. Augustine

Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect:

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Instagram: http://instagram.com/gospelataglancepod

Substack: http://gospelataglance.substack.com

judgment, humility, hypocrisy, Matthew 7, Sermon on the Mount, grace, self-awareness, compassion, discernment, relationships

#GospelAtAGlance #TheSpeckAndTheLog #Matthew7 #SermonOnTheMount #Grace #Humility #Faith #Compassion #KingdomOfGod

Gospel at a Glance will be offline during the U.S. Thanksgiving week. We’re taking a short break to rest, breathe, and be with the people we love.

We’ll be back with a new episode on December 1.

If you’re celebrating this week, I hope it’s gentle, joyful, and filled with peace. If not, I still hope the week brings you rest and goodness in all the ways you need.

See you soon!

Andi

Connect: 

Email [email protected]

Substack: gospelataglance.substack.com

Instagram: instagram.com/gospelataglancepod

In this episode, we explore one of Jesus’s most piercing questions: Who, or what, do we actually serve? As we close Matthew 6, Jesus contrasts the loyalty we give to God with the devotion we give to “mammon,” the ancient symbol of wealth and control. He teaches that divided allegiance breeds anxiety, but single-hearted trust brings peace. Through vivid images of birds, lilies, and daily bread, we’re reminded that God’s care is steady and sufficient. The call isn’t to stop planning but to stop panicking. To seek the kingdom first and let trust replace striving.

“Serving” in this passage means full devotion, not part-time faith.

Mammon represents not just money but misplaced trust in control and self-sufficiency.

Divided loyalty leads to anxiety; single devotion leads to peace.

The natural world, birds and lilies, testifies to God’s provision and faithfulness.

“Seek first the kingdom” means reordering priorities toward God’s justice and mercy.

The opposite of anxiety isn’t apathy but trust.

God’s grace meets us daily, like manna in the wilderness. Enough for today.

Freedom grows from letting go of control and resting in God’s care.

The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay

The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew — Gregory of Nyssa

The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:24–34

The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6

City of God — St. Augustine

Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect:

two masters, anxiety, trust, faith, mammon, Matthew 6, Sermon on the Mount, kingdom of God, daily bread, freedom, discipleship

#GospelAtAGlance #TwoMasters #Matthew6 #SermonOnTheMount #Faith #Trust #KingdomOfGod #Freedom #DailyBread

Scripture: Matthew 6:19–23 (ESV)

In this episode, we reflect on Jesus’s words about treasure and vision in Matthew 6:19–23. Moving from outward devotion to inward desire, Jesus invites us to examine what we truly value and what shapes how we see the world. We learn how earthly treasure fades while heavenly treasure endures, and how a “clear eye” brings light to our whole being. Through context, language, and early Christian insight, we explore how generosity, contentment, and focus reveal where our hearts really dwell. Jesus’s challenge isn’t about rejecting possessions, it’s about reordering our loves so our hearts follow what’s eternal.

Earthly treasures are fragile; heavenly treasures endure.

What we choose to value will eventually shape what we love.

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” means our investments form our affections.

In Hebrew imagery, the “eye” symbolizes perspective; a healthy eye sees clearly and generously.

The Greek haplous means “clear” or “generous,” while ponēros means “stingy” or “evil.”

A generous outlook fills life with light; greed and envy darken the soul.

Jesus invites us not to reject joy or possessions but to align them with God’s purposes.

True freedom comes from being mastered by love, not by wealth.

The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay

The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard

The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6:19–23

The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:19–23

Confessions — St. Augustine

Commentary on Matthew — Origen

Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect:

treasure in heaven, generosity, greed, Matthew 6, Sermon on the Mount, spiritual vision, Jesus, faith, light, discipleship, eternal perspective

#GospelAtAGlance #WhereYourTreasureIs #Matthew6 #SermonOnTheMount #Faith #Light #Generosity #KingdomOfGod

Scripture: Matthew 6:16–18 (ESV)

In this episode, we explore Jesus’s teaching on fasting as the final example of practicing righteousness in secret. In the first century, fasting was a normal part of spiritual life. It was a way to express humility, repentance, and dependence on God. But Jesus calls us to a deeper sincerity, turning fasting from performance into presence.

We look at how His words challenge both ancient and modern tendencies to make devotion a show, inviting us instead into quiet communion with the Father who “sees in secret.” True fasting, we discover, isn’t about deprivation. It’s about alignment, focus, and transformation that begins beneath the surface.

Jesus says “when you fast,” not “if”—it’s an expected rhythm of faith.

“Wash your face and anoint your head” reminds us to embody joy, not gloom.

Fasting was never meant to signal holiness; it’s meant to nurture humility.

The Greek aphanizō (“disfigure”) means “to make vanish”—a warning not to lose our authentic selves behind pious appearances.

Fasting is focus, not punishment—a way to clear space for God.

Early Church Fathers taught that fasting renews the soul and trains the heart toward love.

The kingdom of God grows in quiet soil; what’s done in secret becomes fruit in public.

The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible) — William Barclay

The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard

On Fasting and Feasts — St. John Chrysostom

Confessions — St. Augustine

The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:16–18

The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6

Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses.

Follow for weekly reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect:

fasting, spiritual discipline, secret devotion, Matthew 6, Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, prayer, righteousness, humility, transformation, sincerity

#GospelAtAGlance #WhenYouFast #Matthew6 #SermonOnTheMount #Fasting #Faith #Humility #KingdomOfGod

Scripture: Matthew 6:9–15 (NRSV)

In this episode, we explor the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. They are words that have shaped Christian life for centuries. The Lord’s Prayer is not just a set of lines to memorize; it’s a framework for living. We unpack each phrase, showing how it moves from worship to dependence, forgiveness, and protection, calling listeners to live as people shaped by God’s kingdom breaking into the present moment.

“Our Father” reminds us prayer is communal and relational. God is both near and holy.

To “hallow” God’s name means to reflect His character in the world through our lives.

Praying for God’s kingdom invites us to align with His justice, peace, and mercy here and now.

“Daily bread” teaches trust in God’s provision, not pursuit of excess.

Forgiveness is both received and given—it’s the heartbeat of grace.

Asking for deliverance is dependence, not avoidance: trusting God to sustain us in trial.

The Lord’s Prayer forms a rhythm for living—worship first, then need, then grace.

NRSVUE Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6:9–15

The Lord’s Prayer by N.T. Wright

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible)

The Jewish Annotated New Testament, commentary on Matthew 6:9–15

The HarperCollins Study Bible, notes on Matthew 6

Gospel at a Glance walks through the gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses.

Follow for daily reflections that invite you to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect:

Lord’s Prayer, Our Father, Kingdom of God, forgiveness, daily bread, temptation, evil, prayer, Jesus, Sermon on the Mount

#GospelAtAGlance #TheLordsPrayer #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew6 #Faith #Grace #Forgiveness #KingdomOfGod

Scripture

Matthew 6:5–8 (NRSV)

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.

But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Episode Summary

Before teaching us what to pray, Jesus teaches us how to pray. This passage moves prayer from performance to relationship, from public display to private intimacy. Together, we reflect on what it means to pray with honesty instead of impressiveness, and how to approach God as a Father who already knows what we need.

Jesus invites us into a quiet, simple kind of prayer. Prayer that doesn’t strive for eloquence or attention, but rests in trust. The reward is not applause or perfection, but peace in the secret place.

Takeaways

Jesus warns against performative prayer meant to impress others.

The “room” (tameion) represents the inner space of honesty and stillness.

“Your Father who sees in secret” reveals a God who is intimate and attentive, not distant.

Prayer is not information for God, but formation for us.

Simplicity and sincerity make space for true communion with God.

Recommended Reading & Sources

Biblical and Historical Context

Psalm 62:8 — “Pour out your heart before him.”

Ecclesiastes 5:2 — “Let your words be few.”

Luke 11:1–4 — Parallel teaching of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Didache (c. 1st century) — Early instruction to pray the Lord’s Prayer three times daily.

Scholarly Works

R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT) — Commentary on the meaning of “secret prayer” and “empty phrases.”

N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 — Contextual explanation of Jesus’s critique of public piety.

Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary — Historical insight into Jewish and Gentile prayer customs.

Scot McKnight, The Sermon on the Mount — Analysis of prayer as relationship over ritual.

Ulrich Luz, Matthew 1–7: A Commentary — Notes on early Christian prayer practice and Greek terminology.

Mainstream and Devotional Reading

Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy — On prayer as participation in God’s life rather than performance.

Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart — Silence and solitude as gateways to prayer.

Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home — The simplicity and honesty of authentic prayer.

Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude — Cultivating interior stillness before God.

Eugene Peterson, Answering God — On prayer as response, not initiative.

About the Podcast

Gospel at a Glance walks through the Gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect

Email: [email protected]

Substack: gospelataglance.substack.com

Instagram: instagram.com/gospelataglancepod

Keywords

Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Prayer, Secrecy, Hypocrisy, Simplicity, Relationship with God, Faith, Kingdom of God, Discipleship

Hashtags

#GospelAtAGlance #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew6 #HowToPray #PrayerLife #ChristianPodcast #FaithInAction #SecretPrayer #KingdomLiving #JesusTeachings

Scripture

Matthew 6:1–4 (NRSV)

Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Episode Summary

In this episode, Jesus turns from the visible light of chapter 5 to the hidden life of chapter 6. What happens when good deeds become performance? Together, we explore Jesus’s challenge to practice righteousness without an audience, giving not for applause but for love.

Through the imagery of trumpets, masks, and the “Father who sees in secret,” Jesus invites us to rediscover the beauty of hidden faith. True generosity doesn’t seek credit; it reflects the quiet heart of God who delights in unseen obedience.

Takeaways

Chapter 5 focuses on the heart of righteousness, while chapter 6 focuses on motive.

Jesus warns against practicing goodness for attention or admiration.

“Hypocrite” (Greek hypokritēs) literally means “actor,” describing giving as performance rather than love.

“Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” paints a picture of unselfconscious generosity.

The Father’s presence in secret is not absence but intimacy. God treasures what others never see.

Recommended Reading & Sources

Biblical and Historical Context

Deuteronomy 15:7–11 — God’s command to open hands to the poor.

Proverbs 19:17 — “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.”

Matthew 5:16 — “Let your light shine before others,” now reframed by motive.

Matthew 6:5–18 — Parallel teachings on prayer and fasting in secret.

Scholarly Works

R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT) — Commentary on public vs. private righteousness.

N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 — How motive transforms outward acts.

Ulrich Luz, Matthew 1–7: A Commentary — Context on Jewish almsgiving practices.

Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary — Background on first-century giving customs and hypocrisy.

Scot McKnight, The Sermon on the Mount — On the interior transformation of faith.

Mainstream and Devotional Reading

Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy — On hiddenness as the training ground of spiritual life.

Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart — Silence, solitude, and secrecy as disciplines of love.

Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline — The discipline of secrecy as spiritual freedom.

Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel — Living for grace rather than approval.

Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ — Warnings against vanity and public praise.

About the Podcast

Gospel at a Glance walks through the Gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite us to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect

Email: [email protected]

Substack: gospelataglance.substack.com

Instagram: instagram.com/gospelataglancepod

Keywords

Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Giving, Generosity, Hypocrisy, Motive, Secrecy, Righteousness, Kingdom of God, Faith

Hashtags

#GospelAtAGlance #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew6 #SecretFaith #HiddenFaith #Generosity #ChristianPodcast #FaithInAction #JesusTeachings #KingdomLiving

Scripture

Matthew 5:43–48 (NRSV)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

so that you may be children of your Father in heaven;

for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,

and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?

Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?

Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Episode Summary

In this final section of Matthew chapter 5, Jesus delivers the heart of his kingdom vision: love that extends even to enemies. We explore how this command, often quoted but rarely practiced, breaks every social boundary and redefines what it means to be a child of God.

Enemy-love is not sentimental or naive. It’s an act of holy defiance. It imitates the Father, whose generosity and grace reach everyone. In this episode, we explore the cultural meaning of “enemy,” the deeper sense of “be perfect,” and how prayer for those who hurt us transforms both heart and world.

Takeaways

Jesus ends the “You have heard…but I say” teachings by transforming hostility into love.

Loving enemies means reflecting the impartial love of the Father, who gives sun and rain to all.

Agapē love is active good will, not emotion or approval.

“Be perfect” (teleios) means mature, complete, whole—not flawless.

Enemy-love refuses to dehumanize others and opens the possibility of redemption.

Recommended Reading & Sources

Biblical and Historical Context

Leviticus 19:18 — “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Proverbs 25:21–22 — “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat.”

Luke 6:27–36 — Parallel teaching on loving enemies.

Romans 12:14–21 — Paul’s echo of Jesus’s command to overcome evil with good.

Scholarly Works

R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT) — Commentary on the context and language of agapē love.

N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 — How enemy-love reveals God’s character.

John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus — Theological foundation for nonviolent, redemptive love.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship — Interprets “love your enemies” as total obedience to Christ.

Glen H. Stassen, Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context — Practical implications of radical peacemaking.

Amy-Jill Levine, The Misunderstood Jew — Jewish context for Jesus’s teaching on enemies and inclusion.

Mainstream and Devotional Reading

Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love — Sermons on enemy-love as the weapon of the strong.

Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness — On reconciliation through mercy and truth.

Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved — Living from belovedness rather than resentment.

Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy — Understanding “perfection” as wholeness and kingdom maturity.

Richard Rohr, Falling Upward — On spiritual growth through surrender and grace.

About the Podcast

Gospel at a Glance walks through the Gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite you to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect

Email: [email protected]

Substack: gospelataglance.substack.com

Instagram: instagram.com/gospelataglancepod

Keywords

Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Enemies, Love, Prayer, Mercy, Agape, Perfection, Kingdom of God, Discipleship

Hashtags

#GospelAtAGlance #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew5 #EnemyLove #Agape #KingdomLiving #LoveYourEnemies #ChristianPodcast #FaithInAction #JesusTeachings

Scripture

Matthew 5:38–42 (NRSV)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer.

But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;

and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well;

and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

Give to the one who asks of you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.”

Episode Summary

In this passage, Jesus overturns the world’s expectations of power and justice. Where the law of retaliation once limited revenge, Jesus invites his followers into something deeper: mercy as strength. Turning the other cheek, giving the cloak also, and walking the second mile are not about passivity but about reclaiming dignity, exposing injustice, and transforming relationships through nonviolent love.

We explore how each example in this passage challenges systems of domination and reveals a new kind of power. The freedom to love without fear and to resist evil without becoming it.

Takeaways

The lex talionis (“eye for an eye”) was meant to restrain revenge, not justify it.

“Do not resist an evildoer” means not to retaliate violently but to respond with creative, nonviolent resistance.

Turning the other cheek and walking the second mile reclaim agency and expose injustice.

Generosity and mercy disarm fear, freeing us to love without calculation.

True strength in the kingdom is the power to end the cycle of harm through love.

Recommended Reading & Sources

Biblical and Historical Context

Exodus 21:23–25; Leviticus 24:19–20; Deuteronomy 19:21 — Original context for “eye for an eye.”

Isaiah 50:6; 53:7 — The Servant who suffers without retaliation.

Romans 12:17–21 — “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”

1 Peter 2:21–23 — Christ’s example of redemptive suffering.

Scholarly Works

Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination — Explains Jesus’s “third way” of nonviolent resistance.

N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 — Discusses kingdom ethics and radical mercy.

Glen H. Stassen, Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context — Details the moral vision of Jesus’s teachings.

R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT) — Historical and cultural background on Roman occupation and Jewish law.

John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus — Theological framework for Christian nonviolence.

Scot McKnight, The Sermon on the Mount — Commentary on mercy, justice, and transformative discipleship.

Mainstream and Devotional Reading

Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love — Sermons on love as the weapon of the strong.

Henri Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak — Reflections on mercy, humility, and vulnerability.

Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness — A vision of restorative justice rooted in mercy.

Richard Rohr, The Universal Christ — How mercy and surrender express divine strength.

Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy — On the inner transformation that makes kingdom mercy possible.

About the Podcast

Gospel at a Glance walks through the Gospels one short passage at a time, finding depth, challenge, and comfort in just a few verses. Follow for daily reflections that invite you to see how the kingdom of God still breaks into ordinary life.

Connect

Keywords

Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Retaliation, Nonviolence, Mercy, Strength, Generosity, Justice, Kingdom of God, Discipleship

Hashtags

#GospelAtAGlance #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew5 #Mercy #Strength #Nonviolence #JesusTeaches #ChristianPodcast #KingdomLiving #LoveInAction