12.1 They must have seemed like young teenage rebels. And yet Jesus has an answer, by the gift of wisdom from the Spirit: not just a proof-text, but a complete godly principle.
12.5 Yes, and Vicars work on Sundays, too.
12.8 Health&Safety is a modern example of rules which were intended to benefit people, but which make demands of their own, and need to be held back a bit.
12.14 Perhaps they hated him most because he defeated their arguments; strategically, it may be better to lose the battle and win the war. And yet Jesus knew that these men would never become his followers – they had too much power and status at stake. He is aware (15).
12.16 Again the secret (see 9.30, 8.4). But this time Matthew gives a prophetic reason from Isaiah (esp. v19).
Goodness me, Tom! You want us to read 17 Chapters today? Have mercy! But Tom takes a step back and points out the bigger picture (other scholars drill into the detail – Tom shows us the wide sweep and significance). Matthew, the most Jewish of the gospels, nevertheless sees that Jesus is not what most Jews were expecting. Isaiah had it right, in his Servant Songs. Tom’s phrase near the end today, “But God does things the other way up,” might summarise most of Jesus’ teaching. Good news for the poor and the weak and the meek.
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