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January 24

Reading 1 - Genesis 39 & 40

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39v.8 - Joseph refused the ways of the world, because of the responsibility that he bore to his master. Here we have an important principle. Look how often it is recorded in Proverbs by the man who could claim first hand experience. Prov.1:10, 2:10-19, 5:3-8, 6:20-25,29-33, 7:5,25-27, 9:13-18, 22:14 23:26-28. The spiritual principle for ourselves is quite clear isn't it?
Peter Cresswell
40 v.8 - We do well to remember that whatever method He chooses to use, God in heaven reveals His secrets to men, and if we continue to search His revealed word, we will find them, not by our own efforts, as such, but by His unmerited permission. Gen.41:16, Psa.25:14, Dan.2:28
Peter Cresswell
ch 39 - The story of Joseph in Egypt is a wonderful picture of God's providence. Notice :3 indicates that this was known by Joseph's master and :23 the comment is made again.

ch 40 - The dreams of the butler and baker and the way in which the butler forgot Joseph - incredible in itself - further highlights the providence of God.
Peter Forbes

39:2 Whilst 'the Lord was with Joseph' we should not think that Joseph thought things were going well with him all the time he was in Egypt for even when he was in a position of authority beyond his wildest dreams he named one of his children (Genesis 41:51) as a reminder of his sorrow.

40:7 We are son taken with the way in which Joseph was able to interpret the butler and baker's dreams that we may not notice that Joseph - as the jailer - is actually concerned for the welfare of the prisoners in his charge!
Peter Forbes

Genesis 39 - Though sold cruelly by his brothers into a strange land, with strange people and strange customs, Joseph makes known his faith at a very early stage. Potiphar, his master, soon recognises that this lad is unique. His manners and ways are in complete accord with his testimony - v3. The chapter begins by informing us that Potiphar was "an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard." Literally, the Hebrew here is telling us, that Potiphar was "a eunuch, and the chief of the executioners." [see Strongs]. No wonder Potiphar's wife cast her wandering lustful eyes on this fresh young man with his strong physique. And a lesser man than Joseph may well have reasoned that, "As it seems God does not care, and I am a long way from home, and no-one cares for me anymore, and Potiphar is not entire, and his wife desires me, and I am young - Why not...?" What a contrast Joseph is here to his slightly older brother Judah, whose exploits were recorded in Genesis 38.
 
v11 - Even when "Mrs Potiphar's" scheming mind organised well arranged circumstances to fulfil her lusts, Joseph still maintained his faithfulness. As he put it so well in v9, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God."  Whilst the committing of this sin would have been a sin against his own body - 1 Corinthians 6:18, and a trespass against Potiphar himself, Joseph rightly estimates that ultimately such action is a "sin against God,"  as indeed, all transgression is - Numbers 32:23. Because of his faithfulness, and trust in the Almighty, Joseph remained a "eunuch for the kingdom of heavens sake" - Matthew 19:12 - and was ultimately elevated to being co-ruler of the then known world - Genesis 41:39-45. God will reward the faithfulness of all HIS servants with elevated positions in the coming Kingdom of Glory - Matthew 25:34.
Cliff York

Reading 2 - Psalm 44

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v.2 - 'plantedst' refers to Israel, not the heathen. It is Israel that God has 'planted'. The word here is nata` - it is used of planting gardens (eg Eden Gen.2:8) but only planting with a very long term view. This word would be used of a tree but not of a flowerbed. It carries the idea of deeprooted establishment. See the use in Gen.21:33, Exo. 15:17, Num.24:6
Peter Cresswell
v.6-8 We have an insight here into the mind of that man who was a 'man after God's own heart'. Here this man of war - this great and mighty warrior, who shed too much blood in his life to be allowed to build the place where God would choose to place his name there (or at least not physically) - places all his trust, not on his weapons, but on his God.
Peter Cresswell
In remembering how God had delivered His people in the past :1-3 the Psalmist is providing a good example for us to follow. We must think about the way that God has worked in our lives in the past so that we can have confidence that He will work in our lives in our present situations.
Peter Forbes

Reading 3 - Matthew 26

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v.6-13 - This action is rated with importance by Jesus, so much so that v.13 says that the story should be put on record for all time. Why? Well, the reason comes out in Luke 7:44-50, which, although in a different time period in its recording, appears to be a parallel account. It is a pattern for us of the way in which we too obtain forgiveness and peace through faith and devotion to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus warns his disciples 'not to trouble her'. We have the same protection, and there is strong punishment for those that do it - Gal.5:12.
Peter Cresswell

v1 - 'and it came to pass' marks a break point in Matthew's Gospel account and is found of five occasions. Matthew 7:28 11:1 13:53 19:1 (26:1)
Here are some parallels between the meal at which Jesus' feet(head) were anointed in Bethany and the 'Last Supper'

Two Days before the Passover in Bethany One day before the Passover in the Upper Room
Jesus is with friends at Bethany, along with the disciples Jesus was with his disciples - his friends John 15:4
John 12:2 Martha served I ... serve Luke 22:27
Matt.26:7 Poured poureth John 13:5
John 12:3 wiped his feet wash ... feet John 13:5
John 12:3 wiped his feet wiped [feet] John 13:5
John 12:4 should betray one will betray Matt.26:21
John 12:7 Day of burying Blood ... shed Matt.26:28
John 12:10 Consulted to kill Lazarus Counsel to kill Jesus John 11:53
Mark 14:10 Judas went out Judas went out John 13:30
John 12:11 Many believed on Jesus (because of the raising of Lazarus) Many believed on him (because of the raising of Lazarus) John 12:42

Peter Forbes

:11 In commenting about the poor always being with them Jesus is not making a callous comment and being selfish. Rather he is presenting a Biblical principle - he is quoting Deuteronomy 15:11. Deuteronomy 15 speaks of the year of release and how 'open handed' the Jews were to be. Judas was not manifesting this spirit and so the rebuke from Jesus was most appropriate
Peter Forbes
:39 In his prayer when Jesus says 'not my will but thine' he is echoing the sentiments of David when he fled from Absalom and Zadok brought the ark to him (2 Samuel 15:26)
Peter Forbes
After Jesus instituted the Last Supper with his 12 disciples, Judas departed to carry out his evil plan. Jesus tells the 11 disciples that they will all fall away, because of him; he tells them that: "he (God) will strike the shepherd (Jesus), and the sheep (disciples) of the flock will be scattered" RSV Bible. This is familiar language to us English readers. Suppose we read the same verse in a French language Bible: This language has genders, and when we read 'sheep' the word is 'brebis' and it means feminine sheep (ewes). Jesus is talking to men, so why do the French translators use the female gender? these French translators use the same source as the RSV translators; so we need to search a bit further for more evidence for the answer. John 1:29 and 36: John saw Jesus approaching him and he said to disciples standing nearby: "Behold the lamb of God", the French version Bible says 'agneau' , agneau is the masculine word for sheep. Now there are 2 words for sheep. Readers you will see the difference between the 2 words: there can be only one person, Jesus who is "the lamb of God" . all other believers who accept this fact as a true statement, must be classed as sheep (feminine gender). Another title used of Jesus is: "the Bridegroom", and the true followers of Jesus are called "the Bride of Christ". There are numerous references in the Bible to 'the sheep', each time in the French "Segond Version of the Bible", it uses 'brebis' as the word for sheep; likewise, when it has reference to the 'lamb of God' it uses the word 'agneau' .
Beryl Butler.
ANOINTED

As Jesus sat at the table in the hose of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with a very expensive jar of perfume, which she poured on his head. Jesus described this action by saying, "She has done a beautiful thing to me." None of his disciples had done anything like that for him - in fact, they complained about the waste of money in that it could have been given to the poor. But Jesus meant more to her than all the poor in the world and so she expressed her love in the best way she could and anointed him in preparation of his burial.

Jesus reply to his disciples did not excuse them (or us) from looking after the poor, but what he said put our priorities into perspective. Jesus must come first in our lives above all else. He must be the center of our affection as he was to the woman with the ointment. And even though Jesus is in heaven and not physically with us, we can still anoint him ourselves. We anoint him by pouring out our love on him, by praying to him, by serving him the best we can, by praising him and by bringing others to him. Take a moment to feel her passion as she anointed her Lord. Now we must anoint him ourselves with all the love we can. May we too, do beautiful things for him.
Robert Prins
Matthew 26 - There are a number of sections in this record that contrast one with the other. For example, v1-5 could be entitled "Conspiracy of Hatred" while the next section, v6-13 could be entitled "The Aroma of Love." vs 14-16 describes "A Covenant of Hatred" while vs17-29 describe Christ's great "The Covenant of Love" remembered regularly by His disciples in the Breaking of Bread.
 
v3 - "Caiaphas" - A leader in Israel who, it appears, will be resurrected by Jesus at His return - v64. His character is such that he may well deserve the epithet, "Caiaphas the Callous." He was the Jewish high priest (A.D. 27-36) at the beginning of our Lord's public ministry, in the reign of Tiberius - Luke 3:2, and also at the time of his condemnation and crucifixion - Matthew 26:3, Matthew 26:57; John 11:49; John 18:13, John 18:14. He held this office during the whole of Pilate's administration. His wife was the daughter of Annas, who had formerly been high priest, and Caiaphas was probably the deputy (Heb. sagan) of Caiaphas. He was of the sect of the Sadducees - Acts 5:17, and was a member of the council when he gave his opinion that Jesus should be put to death "for the people, and that the whole nation perish not" - John 11:50. In these words, he unconsciously uttered a prophecy. "Like Saul, he was a prophet in spite of himself." Caiaphas had no power to inflict the punishment of death, and therefore Jesus was sent to Pilate, the Roman governor, that he might duly pronounce the sentence against him - Matthew 27:2; John 18:28. At a later period his hostility to the gospel is still manifest - Acts 4:6. This high handed (false) high priest committed suicide when he was deposed by Rome around 2 years after the death of Christ.
Cliff York