Matthew 5:1-12

5:1 In both this week's readings from Revelation and Matthew, a crowd (ochlos) is beheld.

5.3 and 5.10 The tense of the second part of the beatitude, unlike the other beatitudes, is in the present tense.

5.4 The word for comfort here is "parakale-oo" the same root as "paraklehtos," or Advocate, ie, Holy Spirit (John 14:26) or from Isaiah 40:1, Comfort, Comfort me people.

5.5 Jesus will refer to himself as meek in Matthew 11:29

5.8&9 The word "seeing" and the phrase "children of God" link nicely to the book of Revelation.

5.11 Jesus himself will be reviled (Mat 27.44)

1 John 3:1-3

3:1 The word here for "we are" is actually not fully connected with "we shall be called." The word for "we shall be called" (klethomen) is part of the "hina" clause; however, the "we are" (esmen) is in the indicative. In other words, the "we are" is emphasized quite strongly here.

3:2 The word revealed has no clear subject. It could either be "he" or "it" (ie, what we shall be).

Matthew 22:15-22

22.15 The word for ensnare comes from the root for trap (even anchor!), "pageh"
22.16 The literal phrase here is that his enemies "apostled their disciples," a reminder that Jesus is not the only one with apostles or disciples...
22.18 The word for hypocrite (a Greek word) means actor, or one who plays a part.
22.20 The word here for "head" or "portrait" here is literally "eikon," which means image. So the word is whose image. If it is a human head, the answer could just as easily have been "God."

Philippians 4:1-9

4:2 The phrase -- "Have the same mind" is essentially the same as in 2:2, when Paul encourages them all to be like minded (to auto phronein), literally, to have the same thinking.

4:3
- Paul uses the word "suzuge" coming from the Greek for "with-yoked." Perhaps an interesting way of thinking about having the same mind in Christ -- we bear the same burdens?

- Like in 1:27, Paul uses the word here for "strive" based on the underlying Greek word "athlete." "With-athleted" literally; finally Paul discusses the reality of being "with worked/co-worker" So in 4:3 Paul uses three different images to describe the our life together.

4:7 The word for "understanding" here is "mind" (nous) which has been played on throughout the entire book, again linking back to chapter 2 and having the same mind that is in Christ.

4:8 The last words of this verse (logizo-mai) can be sentimentalized to read "dwell on these things" but it means more like "reckon" or "take into account."

4:9 The word here for "received" (paralamban-oo)is the word that Paul will use in 1 Cor 11 to talk about what he received concerning communion.