Listening to Bill and Bob

Bill said:

“I hear Jesus teaching in the Gospels that the ability to understand and willingness to be loyal are interdependent. If I shrink from loyalty, I may not be conscious of lost information, but my knowledge is emptied of its only true value. Along with this loss, may come growing awareness of, and reality of, confusion toward God’s word.”

And Bob answered:

Yes, I agree with you. Willingness to be loyal to truth is interdependent to the ability to understand that truth. Sin weakens the will and darkens the mind.

Matthew 13:53-58

(read Matthew 13: 53-58)

The problem here is a lack of loyal acknowledgment to Jesus. The people of Jesus' hometown synagogue can't seem to muster that response to him and so he cannot do many miracles there. the symbolic communication that God heals, restores, and rescues a people who loyally acknowledge Him would be marred if Jesus did many miracles without regard for the people's faithlessness. (read Matthew 13: 53-58 again)

Chiasm in Matt. 17.1 - 21.17 ?

With your Bible open, try using a chiastic structure to think through the elements of Matthew ch.17 thru ch. 27 verse17. I have diagrammed parallel elements in the new link at your right. If nothing else you will benefit from reading Matthew!