Imagine the surprise of the Jerusalem church when Saul, the persecutor, showed up in the city professing to be a follower of Christ. They were filled with fear and disbelief. There was no way anyone was going to accept him into their fellowship … until a believer named Barnabas took action.

The preparations for Passover were so important to Jesus that He sent His two most trusted disciples: Peter and John. Both men would have known what preparations were required under the Law. However, they wisely asked Jesus what details they should follow. We, too, would do well to ask Jesus about the details.

i believe the omission of his name is purposeful. As a part of the nameless crowd, he could be any one of us, free from any of the preconceived notions that might come with knowing his background.

On one particular day, as Jesus and His disciples were walking through a grainfield, the religious leaders accused Jesus and His disciples of an act of “Sabbath defiance.” The Pharisees accused them of “wantonly disregarding the rules” of Sabbath by plucking off the heads of grain, rubbing them between their hands, and eating the grain.

Thus we see the clash—one that continues today—the religious traditions of men versus an authentic relationship with a Holy God.

The Gibeonites opted to use the weapon of deception—and they were very good at producing fake news—down to the last detail. They loaded their donkeys with patched wineskins and weathered saddlebags. They loaded their packs with dry and moldy bread. They dressed themselves in ragged clothes and worn-out, patched sandals.

Two Israelite men, Eldad and Medad, were part of a group of seventy elders that God had directed Moses to assemble.(1) We don’t know from which tribe these men originated. There is no further information about them other than this one reference in Scripture. For some unknown reason these two men, who were probably brothers, had not gone to the Tabernacle with the rest of the elders; they were still in the camp. However, when the Holy Spirit came upon the elders, He came upon all of the elders, including these two who weren’t in the tabernacle. Oh, and isn’t it interesting that theirs are the only names we know out of that group of seventy? Perhaps the Lord has a lesson for us to learn from these two men.

The Israelites found themselves in the Sin Desert between Elim behind and Mount Sinai ahead. God was teaching His children who He was. He was teaching them His character. He was giving them truth to live by; truth on which they could stand firm.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew and Mark both write that this was Jesus’s response when the expert in religious law asked Him which was the most important commandment in the law of Moses. Luke writes that the expert in religious law told Jesus that they were the most important commandments in response to Jesus’s question, and He affirmed him. If the Spirit of God impressed all three Gospel writers to include this dialogue, it is well worth our paying attention.

When Simon witnessed the miracles performed by Philip, he did not demonstrate faith in the Word of God; rather, he placed his faith in the miracles themselves. His belief was like that of many people who witnessed the miracles of Jesus but refused to acknowledge His Word. Simon’s “belief and baptism” were not the result of true repentance; they were part of his attempt to manipulate and deceive in order to gain favor and power.

It was Tuesday. Jesus had made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday and had cleared out the temple on Monday. The leading priests, teachers and elders were all still stinging from His rebukes the day before. So, it’s no wonder their first question—or should i say their first accusation—was a challenge to His authority.