Jacob’s journey takes him to the East where he finds Laban, his mother’s brother. He then begins working for Laban. After Laban asks Jacob what his wages should be, we read that “Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.’” He had noticed Laban’s younger daughter Rachel and had fallen in love with her.
After being arrested, Jesus was held and brought before several parties for questioning. First, to the religious assembly, then to Pilate the Roman governor, then to Herod and the religious authorities in Galilee, before going back to Pilate for the final verdict. In these trials, Jesus was subjected to strong accusations and mockery.
Psalm 46 provides a dramatic picture of swirling trouble and chaos, as though the whole foundations of the earth would break apart and as though the seas would destroy the mountains. In the midst of this, the Psalmist calls the people of God to go to God for refuge and strength, acknowledging that He is their only dependable source. With the promise that God would inhabit His people, the people of God can stand strong, God being their helper.
“I AM the bread of life.”
This is the first of seven ‘I AM sayings’ of Jesus found in the Gospel of John. It was said to the crowds who sought after Jesus after experiencing His miracle of feeding the five thousand (John 6:1-13).
These ‘I Am sayings’ were specific revelations of who Jesus is, drawing from Exodus 3:14, where God revealed Himself to the Israelites as ‘I AM WHO I AM’. I AM describes a God who is completely sufficient in Himself. He stands ever present and unchangeable. In using ‘I AM’, Jesus was alluding to His own divinity.
In this story, the royal official was desperate and begged Jesus to go with him to see his son. However, Jesus did not go but declared that his son would be healed.
Most of us are familiar with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The ending of the parable always invokes in our hearts—“Would we do what the Good Samaritan did?” The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builder does the same—“Would I choose to be a wise builder or remain a foolish one?”
