May 10, 2026 – A Study of Matthew – Content

Content

(Highlighted words are from the Greek (chortazo) means: To feed, to be filled to satisfaction, to satisfy the desire of anyone)

Ecclesiastes 5:8-15 – New International Version (NIV)

⁸ If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. ⁹ The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has enough;
    whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
    This too is meaningless.

¹¹ As goods increase,
    so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
    except to feast their eyes on them?

¹² The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
    whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
    permits them no sleep.

¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
¹⁴     or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
    there is nothing left for them to inherit.
¹⁵ Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
    that they can carry in their hands.

What should not surprise us (verse 8)?

Who takes “the increase from the land” (verse 9)?

What is the one “who loves wealth” never satisfied with (verse 10)?

What increases when “goods increase” (verse 11)?

Who is unable to sleep because of “their abundance” (verse 12)?

What “grievous evil” has been seen (verse 13)?

How does everyone depart (verse 15)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about priorities?

Matthew 15:29-39 - New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. ³⁰ Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. ³¹ The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

³² Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

³³ His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

³⁴ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

³⁵ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. ³⁶ Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. ³⁷ They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ³⁸ The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. ³⁹ After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

Where was Jesus when He “sat down” (verse 29)?

What did Jesus do for the people the “great crowds” brought Him (verse 30)?

How did the people react (verse 31)?

Why did Jesus have compassion for the people (verse 32)?

How did His disciples answer (verse 33)?

What did Jesus ask the disciples (verse 34)?

What did Jesus tell the crowd to do (verse 35)?

What happened to the loaves (verse 36)?

How much was left over after the people “were satisfied” (verse 37)?

How many ate (verse 38)?

When did Jesus get into the boat (verse 39)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about priorities?

In your opinion, how are the wealthy in Ecclesiastes 5:8-15 and the crowd listening to Jesus in Matthew 15:29-39 different?

Philippians 4:10-19 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

¹⁴ Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. ¹⁵ Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; ¹⁶ for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. ¹⁷ Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. ¹⁸ I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Why did Paul rejoice (verse 10)?

What was Paul “not saying this” because (verse 11)?

What secret has Paul learned (verse 12)?

How does Paul do this (verse 13)?

What was good of the Philippians (verse 14)?

What have only the Philippians done (verse 15)?

What had the Philippians done for Paul when he “was in Thessalonica” (verse 16)?

What does Paul desire (verse 17)?

Why is Paul “amply supplied” (verse 18)?

How will God meet the Philippians needs (verse 19)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about priorities?

In your opinion, what could the Philippians Christians in Philippians 4:10-20 have taught the rich in Ecclesiastes 5:8-15?

In your opinion, how does the reason Jesus fed the 4,000 plus in Matthew 15:29-39 reflected in the Philippian Christians in Philippians 4:10-20?

James 2:14-26 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹ Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. ²⁴ You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

In your opinion, how does the illustration in verses 15 and 16 answer the questions of verse 14?

What is faith that is “not accompanied by action” (verse 17)?

What do the demons believe that causes them to shudder (verse 19)?

What was Abraham considered righteous for doing (verse 21)?

How was Abraham’s faith made complete (verse 22)?

What was Abraham called (verse 23)?

How is a person “considered righteous” (verse 24)

What was Rahab considered righteous for doing (verse 25)?

What is the “body without the spirit” (verse 26)?

What is “faith without deeds” (verse 26)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about priorities?

In your opinion, how is Ecclesiastes 5:8-15 an example of the consequences of resisting the instructions in James 2:14-26?

In your opinion, how are Jesus in Matthew 15:29-39 and the Philippian Christians in Philippians 4:10-20 examples that we can learn from as we read James 2:14-26?

In your opinion, what do these passages from Ecclesiastes, Matthew, Philippians and James teach us about the link between compassion and deeds of faith?

In your opinion, how do we learn to be content today?

 

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)