Scripture with the Fathers

Israel is God's "first born son" and consecrated as a nation of priests. But what is the nature of that priesthood? How does this relate to God's pedagogy of salvation of man? We explore these topics along with how this eventually plays out with the entering into time of the Only Begotten Son of the Most High. We learn from a Jewish Pharisee to understand how the covenant was ordered as a contingency by God declaring, "If you will obey my voice..."

Jesus heals "all who came to him..." Matthew records that Jesus fulfills the prophet Isaiah as written in 35:5-6. After the healings, Jesus feeds the four thousand in the wilderness, thus fulfilling feeding the Israelites in the wilderness in Exodus. Jesus is demonstrating that he is fulfilling the prophecy of Moses that another will come, greater than him. Jesus cures the blind, lame, deaf, and mute. Moses had not done such, in fact Moses had brought, by the power of God the plagues in Egypt. Immediately after, the Pharisees and Sadducees ask him for a sign to test Him. Seriously? What does that say about those enemies of Jesus? What could possibly motivate them to "test" the Lord? We hear from St. Augustine and St. John Chrysostom.

Chapter 18 begins with the reuniting of Moses, his wife, sons and his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Three key themes pop out of this chapter: the wisdom of Jethro, a non-Hebrew or Gentile, the humility of Moses, and the delegation of authority in a hierarchical structure for the society. We hear from Chrysostom, Augustine and Origen. We also see in the meal with the Lord, the invitation of the Gentiles through Jethro. Jethro, after hearing of the great wonders the Lord had worked for the Israelites with Moses as the mediator, praises the Lord for being greater than all the gods and offers burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord.

Continuing with our discussion of the Canaanite woman's faith. We turn to Scott Hahn, Curtis Mitch, Edward Sri, St. Jerome, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Augustine in order to unpack Jesus' encounter with this gentile woman whom he calls a "dog." What actually that means and the reference. We turn to Exodus and Acts to discover who are the children at the masters table. What is the significance of this encounter for those who would follow Christ from the Gentile nations?

Picking up from Chapter 16, the Manna is more than just the bread, but it is the meat from quail, a bird. We look back to Genesis 1:20-23 to understand John 6 as the sign of the Eucharist as foreshadowed in Exodus 16. Birds "swim" in the waters above the earth and the fish swim in the waters below the earth.

We look at Chapter 17 and the Water from the Rock. We turn to St. Paul to gain insight into the significance of the water from the Rock. God provides for the Israelites despite them murmuring and testing God. This testing of God is remembered in Psalm 95, which is read every day in the invitatory of the Liturgy of the hours.

Jesus explains the parable to Peter who is dull in understanding. Jesus explains this so Peter can understand and we hear from Jerome and Augustine. Augustine displays a detailed understanding of the operation of the natural operations of the body. Jesus then leaves and goes to Sidon and Tyre, Gentile lands, Oh no! But is Jesus doing anything that should scandalize the Jews? We look back to the Old Testament to gain insight on Jesus' movement into Gentile lands.

The Israelites murmur once again against Moses and in their hunger and murmuring God provides the manna; but what is it? We look to the Psalms, Wisdom and the Fathers to gain insight into what this manna or manhu (Hb.) actually is. Lastly we look to the Gospel of John as Jesus tells us exactly what the manna was and is.

Jesus explains what defiles a man and it is not what enters, but what comes out of man's mouth as that reveals what resides in his heart. We hear from St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome. We also look to Genesis and Acts of the Apostles in unpacking this saying to the Pharisees and Scribes who are offended by Jesus' speech. Jesus cautions the multitude about following those that are blind (do not understand) the Law of God.

The Song of Miriam is still echoing in the heads of the Hebrews, just after God rescues them from the Egyptian Army, so that Egypt never again threatens them again, and three days later, they murmur against Moses and God; again, now for the second time. They reach an oasis, but the waters are bitter and not drinkable. Moses cries to God and is shown a tree which Moses throws into the water to make it sweet. What are we to make of this? We hear from St. Ambrose, Tertullian, Origen, St. Jerome and Cyril of Alexandria for insight into these events.

Jesus heals the sick not just at Gennesaret, but the town's people brought others as well. We see from Jerome and Chrysostom that Jesus fame has spread to the surrounding area and apparently heard about the woman who was healed by simply touching the hem (fringe) of his garment. But as Jesus' fame is being spread to the surrounding area, His fame has apparently reached Jerusalem, for, "Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem..." They find the perverbale speck in the eye of the disciples, (not washing their hands) meanwhile transgressing the 4th commandment and thus missing the log in their own eye! Their duplicity of honoring God in their lips, while their deeds are full of malice.