Saturday, October 18, 2025

October 26, 2025 – A Study of Matthew – Speaking the Truth

Speaking the Truth

Job 42:1-9 – New International Version (NIV)

1 Then Job replied to the Lord:

“I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.

“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’
My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

Who did Job reply to (verse 1)?

What cannot be thwarted (verse 2)?

Who spoke of things they did not understand (verse 3)?

What was Job to do when the Lord questioned him (verse 4)?

In your opinion, what is the difference between Job’s ears hearing the Lord and his eyes seeing the Lord (verse 5)?

How did Job respond to his eyes seeing the Lord (verse 6)?

Why was the Lord angry at Eliphaz and his two friends (verse 7)?

What needed to happen to keep the Lord from dealing with them according to their folly (verse 8)?

What did the Lord accept (verse 9)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the importance of our words?

Matthew 12:30-37 - New International Version (NIV)

30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Who is against Jesus (verse 30)?

What do those who don’t “gather” with Jesus do (verse 30)?

What “will not be forgiven” (verse 31)?

Can someone who “speaks a word against the Son of Man” be forgiven (verse 32)?

How can you recognize a “bad tree” (verse 33)?

What does “the mouth” speak (verse 34)?

Where does a good man bring “good things out of” (verse 35)?

What will everyone have to do “on the day of judgment” (verse 36)?

How are we “acquitted” (verse 37)?

How are we “condemned” (verse 37)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the importance of our words?

In your opinion, what does the Lord’s statement to Eliphaz in Job 42:1-9 help us understand about Jesus saying “by your words you will be condemned” in 12:30-37?

James 3:3-12 - New International Version (NIV)

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

How do we make horses obey us (verse 3)?

What makes a ship go where the pilot wants it to go (verse 4)?

What can a small spark do (verse 5)?

What “sets the whole course of one’s life on fire” (verse 6)?

What can “no human being” tame (verses 7 and 8)?

Where do both “praise and cursing” come from (verse 9)?

Can “both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring” (verses 11 and 12)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the importance of our words?

In your opinion, how does the fact that the Lord offered Eliphaz a way to prevent the Lord from dealing with his folly in Job 42:1-9 offer hope for people who are challenged to control their tongues as warned by James 3:3-12?

In your opinion, what does the statement in James 3:3-12 that “out of the same mouth come praise and cursing” combined with what Jesus said in Matthew 12:30-37, “for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” help us understand about ourselves?

Titus 3:4-11 - New International Version (NIV)

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Who was “foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures” (verse 3)?

What appeared (verse 4)?

Why did God save us (verse 5)?

How did God save us (verse 5)?

How was the Holy Spirit “poured out on us” (verse 6)?

How are we justified (verse 7)?

What does Paul want “those who have trusted in God” to devote themselves to (verse 8)?

Why should “foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law” be avoided (verse 9)?

Who should be avoided after two warnings (verse 10)?

What are “warped and sinful” people (verse 11)

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the importance of our words?

In your opinion, how is the forgiveness of Eliphaz in Job 42:1-9 for the words he spoke a model of the forgiveness of Christians in Titus 3:4-11?

In your opinion, what does knowing that Titus 3:4-11 reveals that Christians have been saved through washing and rebirth help us understand about the good and bad trees in Matthew 12:30-37?

In your opinion, how is the hopelessness in James 3:3-12 that “no human being can tame the tongue” transformed by Titus 3:4-11?

In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from Job, Matthew, James and Titus teach us about the challenge of being human?

In your opinion, how do we avoid controversies, arguments, and quarrels in the world today?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

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