Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Today's reading has a lot in common with tomorrow's reading, so today we'll zoom in on the

first half and tomorrow we'll recap the last half.

One of the things that helps me through these passages is to look at the context.

First, who is this message for?

Some of that is up for debate.

Second, what in this text is information?

And what in this text is instruction?

As we read through Matthew's account of this tomorrow, aim to use those lenses for the

context.

You can ask yourself things like, is Jesus telling me something God is going to do or something

to disciples who are supposed to do or something I am supposed to do?

If he's telling us what God is going to do, it's information.

If he's telling us what the disciples were supposed to do, it's still just information,

as far as we're concerned.

But if he's telling us something we're supposed to do, it's instruction.

Let's jump in.

Jesus has been teaching in the temple, and as they're on their way out the door, one of

his disciples is like, isn't this place the best?

And Jesus just rains all over his parade by saying, yeah, these buildings are awesome.

Enjoy them all again because they're about to be rubble.

This is the temple.

...