Genesis 37:1-50:26 Summary

Joseph was Jacob’s favourite son, which led to his brothers resenting him. Joseph made this problem worse when he told them about his dreams where they bowed down to him. One day, Judah convinced the brothers to sell Joseph into slavery without their father’s knowledge, so Joseph became a slave of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officers (37). Judah also treated his daughter-in-law, Tamar, poorly. He refused to give his youngest son to her in marriage after his other sons, to whom she was married, died. This was in violation of the law, so Tamar shamed Judah through a bit of sexual trickery that resulted in Judah and Tamar having twins (38).

The Lord blessed Joseph in Egypt, and thus also blessed Potiphar’s household. One day, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, but he refused her. She accused Joseph of attempted rape, and Joseph was sent to prison. But even in prison the Lord blessed Joseph (39). There, Joseph successfully interpreted the dreams of the other prisoners (40). Two years later, one of those former prisoners was working in Pharaoh’s court. When Pharaoh had dreams he could not interpret, this former prisoner suggested that Pharaoh call on Joseph. Joseph successfully interpreted the dreams and warned Pharaoh about an impending famine. Pharaoh was so impressed that he made Joseph his second-in-command, and Egypt prospered. Joseph married Asenath, a daughter of the priest of On, and had two boys, Manasseh and Ephraim (41).

When the famine came, Jacob sent all his sons except Benjamin to buy grain in Egypt. Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, but they failed to recognize him. Joseph spoke harshly to them and only let them leave when they promised to return with Benjamin (42). Jacob was very upset when he heard the news, and only let Benjamin go after Judah promised to take responsibility for Benjamin’s safety. After they arrived in Egypt, Joseph had a feast prepared for his brothers; it was at this feast that they all bowed down to Joseph (43). After the feast, Joseph had their bags filled with grain and sent them on their way, but he had a silver cup planted in Benjamin’s sack. He accused Benjamin of stealing and threatened to enslave him. Judah pleaded with Joseph, asking to take Benjamin’s place and explaining the vow that he had made to his father, Jacob (44). Joseph was overwhelmed with emotion and revealed his identity. His brothers were gobsmacked, but Joseph reassured them that it was God, and not them, who had sent him to Egypt. The news soon reached Pharaoh who sent the brothers to get their father so that they could return with him and settle in the land of Egypt.

Jacob was overjoyed (45). On his way to Egypt, Jacob stopped at Beersheba and God appeared to him in a vision. God reassured Jacob that even in Egypt God would be with him. When Jacob arrived, Joseph embraced his father and wept (46). Jacob met with Pharaoh and blessed him. Then the whole family settled in Goshen, some of Egypt’s best land. Joseph continued to work for Pharaoh and helped him accumulate great wealth. Meanwhile in Goshen Jacob’s family was fruitful and multiplied. As Jacob’s death drew near he had Joseph promise to take his body back to Canaan for burial after his death (47). A little while later Jacob claimed Manasseh and Ephraim as his own children and blessed them. Though Joseph objected, Jacob gave the better blessing to Ephraim even though Manasseh was the firstborn (48). Jacob then called all his sons together and gave each of them a special blessing. To Reuben he said, “You are my firstborn, but you will be first no longer, for you went to bed with my wife,” and to Judah he said, “The scepter will not depart from Judah nor the ruler’s staff from his feet.” After Jacob finished blessing his children, he died (49). Joseph had Jacob’s body embalmed and then took him to Canaan so that he could be buried in the cave that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. With their father dead, the brothers worried that Joseph might take revenge on them, but Joseph reassured them that what they had intended for evil, God had used for good (50).

Matthew 13:53-18:35 Summary

Jesus taught in Nazareth but was rejected (13). When Herod Antipas heard about Jesus he thought John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded, had been raised from the dead. While Jesus was grieving John’s death, a crowd arrived; Jesus multiplied loaves and fish to feed them. After time alone in prayer Jesus walked on water and invited Peter to do likewise; when Peter sank, Jesus saved him, calmed the storm, and joined his disciples in a boat. Amazed, they worshiped him as the Son of God (14). Jesus then argued with the Pharisees about eating customs. Jesus taught that it’s what comes out of mouths–words–rather than what goes in–food–that makes a person unclean. A Gentile woman taught Jesus about inclusivity and Jesus healed her daughter. He healed others and multiplied food to feed the multitudes (15). The Pharisees and Sadducees demanded that Jesus perform a sign to prove his authority; Jesus refused and rebuked them. He asked his disciples about his identity and Peter said, “You are the Messiah.” He accepted the title and honoured Peter, but instructed the disciples to tell no one. When Jesus predicted his own death Peter objected, but Jesus rebuked him (16). Peter and two others accompanied Jesus up a mountain and they had a vision: Jesus was transfigured, and a voice declared, “This is my dearly loved son.” Back down the mountain Jesus exorcised a demon and told his disciples they would need great faith. He again predicted his death before arriving in Capernaum where he paid a religious tax but made it clear to his disciples that he wasn’t obligated to pay it (17). Jesus responded to a question about greatness by saying that one becomes great in the Kingdom of Heaven through humility. He taught his disciples about conflict and forgiveness, suggesting that they use God’s forgiveness as a model for their treatment of others (18).

Scriptures for March 26 to April 1

This week's readings:

Genesis 37:1-50:26
Matthew 13:53-18:35

Genesis 25:19-36:43 Summary

Rebekah was barren, so Isaac prayed to the Lord and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. Rebekah prayed over the twins in her womb and the Lord told her they would become rival nations. When the twins were born, they named them Esau and Jacob. Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. One day, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal (25). When a famine forced Isaac into Gerar he deceived the people, but then acquired the king’s protection. The Lord reiterated to Isaac the promise of land, descendants, and blessing. After Isaac gained great wealth the king asked him to leave, so Isaac traveled to Beersheba and the Lord appeared to him there. Isaac then agreed to a covenant of peace with the king of Gerar and Esau married two Hittite women even though his parents did not approve (26). As Isaac was getting old, he prepared to give the firstborn’s blessing to Esau, but Jacob and Rebekah deceived Isaac and stole the blessing, invoking the name of the Lord as part of their deception. Because Esau was planning to kill Jacob once Isaac died (27), Rebekah had Isaac send Jacob to her brother Laban in Haran under the pretense that her main concern was finding Jacob a suitable wife.

On his way to Haran Jacob stopped at Bethel and the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The Lord reiterated the promise of land, descendants, and blessing to Jacob, and Jacob vowed that if the Lord was faithful to him he would make the Lord his God (28). When he arrived in Haran Jacob fell in love with Rachel, his cousin. He agreed to work for her father Laban for seven years so that he could marry her; but Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his oldest daughter, Leah, first, and thus acquired another seven years of labour from Jacob so that he could marry Rachel too. Jacob loved Rachel much more than Leah. The Lord saw this and blessed Leah with four children: Reuben, Levi, Simeon, and Judah (29). Rachel was distraught because of her infertility. One day Rachel told Jacob to sleep with her servant Bilhah so that Rachel might have a child through her. Bilhah had two sons and Rachel named them Dan and Naphtali. Not to be outdone Leah then told Jacob to sleep with her servant Zilpah so that Leah might have more children through her. Zilpah also had two sons, and Leah named them Gad and Asher. Leah herself then bore three more children: Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah, her daughter. Finally, God remembered Rachel, and she gave birth to Joseph (30).

As Jacob’s wealth increased, Laban became jealous. After speaking with the Lord in a dream, Jacob secretly left for Canaan. Laban chased after Jacob. When Laban caught up, they argued at first, but then made a covenant of peace before Jacob continued his journey (31). As Jacob continued, he discovered that Esau was coming out to meet him and became very afraid, so he sent gifts ahead to appease his brother. That night, Jacob wrestled with a mysterious figure through the night who renamed him Israel saying, “You have fought with God and with men and have won” (32). That day, he met up with Esau and the two brothers made peace (33). One day Shechem, a local ruler, raped Jacob’s daughter, Dinah. Shechem’s father, Hamor, then approached Jacob and his sons about having Shechem and Dinah marry. The brothers agreed deceitfully, asking that the men of Hamor’s household first be circumcised. While they were recovering Simeon and Levi killed them all (34). Jacob returned to Bethel under God's protection. God confirmed his name would be Israel and told him to be fruitful and multiply. The family traveled to Ephrath, and Rachel died on the journey after giving birth to her second son, Benjamin. That was also the trip when Reuben had sex with Bilhah. Soon after that Isaac died; his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him (35). Esau had many descendants through his three wives, Adah the Hittite, Oholibamah the Hivite and Basemath the daughter of Ishmael (36).

Matthew 11:1-13:52 Summary

Jesus spoke about John the Baptist’s greatness, rebuking the crowds for not believing in John or in him. He thanked God for revealing the truth to the weak, and invited them to find rest in him (11). Jesus and the Pharisees argued about the Sabbath. Jesus had healed many, arguing that mercy and goodness were most important, but the Pharisees thought his power was demonic and planned to kill him. When Jesus’ family arrived, he said that all who do the will of God are his true family (12). Crowds came to Jesus so he taught them about the Kingdom of Heaven and the Last Judgment using parables, but only explained their meaning to his disciples in private (13).

Scriptures for March 19 to 25

This week's readings:

Genesis 25:19-36:43
Matthew 11:1-13:52

Genesis 11:27-25:18 Summary

One of Shem’s descendants was Terah, father of Abram. One day Terah took Abram, Abram’s wife Sarai, and Abram’s nephew Lot, and moved from Ur to Haran (11). After Terah died, the Lord called Abram to go to a new land and promised him that he would both become a great nation and be a blessing to all the nations of the earth. So Abram traveled to Canaan and built two altars to worship the Lord, one in Shechem and another between Bethel and Ai. There, the Lord promised Abram that the land of Canaan would be given to his descendants.

A famine forced Abram into Egypt where he deceived Pharaoh. His deception led first to gifts, then to plagues on Pharaoh, and finally to Abram’s expulsion from the country (12). After returning to Canaan Abram and Lot separated to their own territories, but the Lord reiterated the promise of the entire land of Canaan and numerous descendants to Abram (13). When war broke out Lot was captured in battle, but Abram rescued him. When Abram returned from war Melchizedek, the king of Sodom, blessed him with bread, wine, and words. Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils (14). Some time later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, promising the old man that he would have a son of his own and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abram believed the Lord and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. A terrifying darkness came upon Abram that night and the Lord told him that his descendants would be slaves in Egypt for four hundred years, but the Lord also reiterated the promise that the land of Canaan would be given to Abram’s descendants (15). Years passed without a son. One day Sarai told Abram to sleep with her servant Hagar so that Sarai might have a child through her. When Hagar became pregnant, the two women feuded and Hagar ran away. The angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness, promised her a son named Ishmael, and encouraged her to return. Hagar called the the Lord who spoke to her El-Roi, the One Who Sees. Abram named the boy Ishmael. Finally, at eighty-six years old, Abram had a son (16).

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord renamed him Abraham and made a covenant that required the circumcision of the males in Abraham’s household forever. God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and promised Abraham that she would bear a son named Isaac. When Abraham laughed, God reiterated the promise (17). Three men arrived in Abraham’s camp, so he and Sarah fed them. They announced that Sarah would have a son. When Sarah laughed, the Lord reiterated the promise. After the men left, the Lord told Abraham about the plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham pleaded with the Lord to spare the righteous living there (18). Two angels warned Lot and his family about the coming destruction, and as they left the cities were destroyed. Lot settled in a cave with his daughters; desiring children, the daughters tricked Lot into having sex (19). Meanwhile, Abraham settled in Gerar where he deceived the king. His deception led first to plagues on the king, then to gifts of livestock and land (20). But the Lord was faithful to Sarah and gave her a son. Abraham named the boy Isaac.

As Isaac grew up Sarah perceived Ishamel to be a threat, so Abraham expelled Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness. God comforted Hagar there and promised to make Ishmael into a great nation (21). Meanwhile, God tested Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice his son, his only son, his beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering. Abraham was prepared to comply; he took Isaac to the top of a mountain, bound him, and had his knife in the air when the Lord called out to stop him. Because of Abraham’s obedience, God reiterated the promise that Abraham would have many descendants and be a blessing to all nations (22). Sarah died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven and was buried in a cave that Abraham bought from the Hittites (23). Then Abraham sent his oldest servant back to the homeland to find a wife for Isaac. He was adamant that Isaac should neither marry a Canaanite nor return to the homeland himself. When the servant arrived in Aram, where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled, he stopped at a well to pray for the Lord’s help. As he was praying Rebekah, Abraham’s great-niece, greeted him. Her family agreed to send her to Canaan where she married Isaac (24). Abraham married Keturah and had six more sons before he died. Isaac and Ishmael buried their father in the cave that Abraham had bought from the Hittites (25).

Matthew 8:1-10:42 Summary

Jesus then healed a man with leprosy before going to Capernaum. There Jesus met a Roman officer with great faith and healed his servant. At Peter’s house, Jesus performed many exorcisms and healings in fulfillment of the Scriptures. As he and the disciples crossed a lake Jesus spoke about the high cost of discipleship before calming a storm; the disciples were amazed at his authority. After landing Jesus performed exorcisms on two men, but the town’s residents begged Jesus to leave (8), so he returned to Capernaum. He forgave a paralyzed man’s sins to the chagrin of the religious leaders; to prove his authority, Jesus healed the man’s paralysis. He convinced a tax collector named Matthew to follow him, but first Jesus took his disciples to Matthew’s house to eat dinner with him and his “sinful” friends. Jesus then answered a question about fasting and healed many people. The crowds were amazed but the Pharisees thought Jesus’ power was demonic (9). He called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to exorcise, heal, and preach. He gave them many instructions before they left, promising that they would endure hardship, but that the Spirit would be with them (10).

Scriptures for March 12 to 18

This week's readings:

Genesis 11:27-25:18
Matthew 8:1-10:42

Genesis 1:1-11:26 Summary

When the earth was formless and the wind of God was hovering over the waters, God created the universe in six days. God started by speaking light into existence, and finished by creating human beings in God’s image, telling them to be fruitful and multiply. God declared that creation was very good. (1). God rested on the seventh day, blessed it, and declared it holy.

The Lord created a man from the ground, breathed life into him, and placed him in the Garden of Eden to care for it. The Lord told the man not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord then made many animals in order to find the man a suitable partner. The man named them, but did not find a partner. So the Lord made a woman out of the man’s rib and the man was overjoyed (2). One day the man and the woman were tricked by a snake into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord cursed the man, the woman, and the snake. Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden, for the Lord was worried that they might eat from the tree of life (3). After leaving Eden Eve gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel, but the brothers did not get along. One day Cain became jealous of the way the Lord favoured his brother and killed him. The Lord punished Cain by sending him away, but Cain was nevertheless blessed with many children. The Lord then gave Adam and Eve another son named Seth, (4) through whom Adam and Eve had many generations of descendants (5).

But even the descendants of Seth were vulnerable to human failing. The Lord was heartbroken by their wickedness and decided to destroy all living things with a flood. The only exception would be righteous Noah who was to build a giant boat for himself, his family, and a male and female representative of every kind of animal so that life might be preserved (6). Noah also took seven pairs of animals approved for eating and sacrifice. Then the Lord sent the flood; it rained for forty days and forty nights until the highest mountains of the earth were covered and all living things had died (7). Then God remembered Noah and the creatures on the boat. God sent a wind to blow across the earth and the waters receded. Once the waters dried up God told Noah to leave the boat; Noah built an altar and made an animal sacrifice to the Lord, and the Lord promised that the earth would have order despite human wickedness: there would be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night (8). God blessed Noah and his family, telling them to be fruitful and multiply, and giving them rules about food and murder. God made a covenant with them, promising them that the earth would never again be destroyed by a flood and providing them with the rainbow as a sign. But even Noah was vulnerable to human failing: one day he became drunk and exposed himself in front of his son, Ham, which prompted him to curse Ham’s son Canaan (9). Nevertheless, Noah’s three sons, Japheth, Ham, and Shem had many generations of descendants (10).

At one time humans all spoke the same language. They united in Babylonia to build a great city with a tower that would reach into the heavens. The Lord punished them by confusing their languages and scattering them across the earth for the Lord was worried that if they could achieve this, they might be able to achieve anything (11).

Matthew 1:1-7:29 Summary

Jesus is the messiah, a descendant of Abraham and David who was born to Mary, a virgin who became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit in order to fulfill the Scriptures; an angel explained this to Mary’s fiancé, Joseph, in a dream (1). Foreign wise men came to worship the child, but Herod tried to kill him. Joseph had been warned by an angel in a dream and took his family to Egypt. Once Herod died Joseph brought his family to Nazareth (2).

John the Baptist was calling people to repent and be baptized. His message was especially harsh toward those in positions of religious authority. After Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit descended upon him and a voice declared, “This is my dearly loved son” (3). Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan, but he rebuked Satan using scripture. After John was arrested, Jesus took up John’s message. He called four fishermen as disciples and began to teach, heal, and perform exorcisms throughout Galilee. Large crowds followed him (4). Jesus took his disciples to a mountainside and taught them about what it means to be blessed by God; the importance of good deeds; the purpose of the Law; anger; adultery; divorce; vows; revenge; loving one’s enemies (5); humility and heavenly reward; giving; prayer; forgiveness; fasting; wealth; the security of God’s provision (6); judging others; perseverance in prayer; loving others as oneself; the challenge of living faithfully; identifying the righteous by their actions; and using his teaching as a foundation for life (7).

Scriptures for March 5 to March 11

This week's readings:

Genesis 1:1-11:26
Matthew 1:1-7:29