Welcome to Cam’s Reflective Bible Study Journal

Cam’s Reflective Bible Study Journal is a blog/podcast where Cam, one of Reflective Bible Study's founders, shares things he has discovered from his time studying the Bible (usually from one or more of the four gospels).

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The Request Jesus Cannot Grant: Mark 10:35-45

Published June 20, 2025 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: Mark 10:35-45 (GW)

35 James and John, sons of Zebedee, went to Jesus. They said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do us a favor.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.

37 They said to him, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

38 Jesus said, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink the cup that I’m going to drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I’m going to receive?”

39 “We can,” they told him.

Jesus told them, “You will drink the cup that I’m going to drink. You will be baptized with the baptism that I’m going to receive. 40 But I don’t have the authority to grant you a seat at my right or left. Those positions have already been prepared for certain people.”

41 When the other ten apostles heard about it, they were irritated with James and John. 42 Jesus called the apostles and said, “You know that the acknowledged rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people. 43 But that’s not the way it’s going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be most important among you will be a slave for everyone. 45 It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”

Read Mark 10:35-45 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

As Jesus approached the last week before facing the cross, two of His disciples came to Him with a request. By this point, all the disciples likely were sensing Jesus’ ministry leading towards one single moment, and the only thing they could conclude based on their preconceived ideas is that He would launch the campaign against the Romans and make the nation of Israel independent again.

The request these two disciples make is selfish, but also understandable. They ask Jesus, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (v. 37)

However, Jesus’ response is interesting. First, He asks them a counter-question, which they respond to, and after this, Jesus responds to their initial request by saying: “I don’t have the authority to grant you a seat at my right or left. Those positions have already been prepared for certain people.” (v. 40)

When I read this event knowing that Jesus would be on a cross not to long afterwards, it is hard to not see the disconnect with what these disciples ask and what they think they are asking. These disciples think they are asking for the places of most honor in a typical king’s kingdom, but they don’t realize that Jesus’ kingdom is different, and that when He receives His glory, it will look entirely different.

Jesus breaks both sides of the bad news to these disciples by saying that He doesn’t have the authority to grant their request and that those positions have already been reserved for certain people.

This leads me to wonder who these “certain people” were.

The highest point in Jesus’ ministry where He has individuals on His left and His right happens not long after this event. During this high point, Jesus is hanging on the cross with two criminals, one on His right and one on His left. This means that the point when Jesus was glorified, He was among the worst people in society and among those that the world condemned.

I am sure that these two disciples would not have asked the question they did if they knew Jesus would be glorified on a cross. While these disciples each faced trials, persecution, and death because they dedicated their lives to Jesus, it was only after Jesus’ death on the cross that they truly began to understand what His true mission was.

For us living today, Jesus’ message to these disciples is as true for us as it was for them. Jesus warns His followers to not seek power, fame, or position over others, because they might not realize what they are truly asking for. Instead, Jesus tells each of His followers that they should focus on serving like He served, because when we ask God for help serving, He is more than willing to grant our request!

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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High Priest Jesus and the Last Supper: Genesis 14:17-20

Published June 19, 2025 in Audio Journal Entries

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As we come up to the half way point in our year looking at Old Testament prophecies, passages, and events that connect in some way with Jesus’ life and ministry, for our podcast episode this week, let’s look back at an event that happens very early in the first book of the Bible. Several chapters into the book of Genesis, after the flood, and during the time of Abraham, who was also known as simply Abram, we find an interesting event where Abram has to rescue his nephew who was taken captive.

To set the stage, Abram and his nephew Lot left their homeland and traveled to the region of Caanan, which God had promised Abram that He would give His descendants. After a number of years and many challenges, Abram and Lot decided it would be better to part ways, one reason being that their servants were not getting along.

Lot decided to move to a lush valley that had some very wicked towns living in it, while Abram stayed in the less fertile mountainous region.

Not too long after Lot had moved into the area, an army came and conquered the cities in the valley and Lot was taken captive. On hearing the bad news, Abram took a small group of his own men and rescued Lot and the other captives. The event we are looking at for our podcast episode happens after this rescue mission.

As I shared in the introduction, our passage is found in the book of Genesis, chapter 14, and we will read from the New American Standard Bible translation. Starting in verse 17, we learn that:

17 Then after his return [referring to Abram] from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

He gave him a tenth of all.

In this short passage, not only to we see one of the origins of the concept of tithing, when Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all that was gained in this rescue mission, but also hinted at in this event is another partial origin for a different celebration, and one that would be celebrated in different ways throughout history.

However, before jumping forward to the New Testament, let’s look briefly at who Melchizedek was. There is no shortage of speculation and mystery surrounding this king of Salem. The Bible itself does not provide many details or clues. Melchizedek only appears by name in three passages. The first is the one we just read; the second is a reference in Psalm 110; and the third place is in the New Testament book of Hebrews, within chapters 5, 6, & 7 that quotes from Psalm 110. Both Psalm 110 and the book of Hebrews draw attention to the priestly order that Melchizedek was a part of as being connected with the Messiah, and that priests within the order of Melchizedek would be priests forever.

In a strange, almost mysterious way, Melchizedek himself seems to point forward to the Messiah, who also came from God, who also showed up at a God appointed time, and who also has origins clouded in mystery. While we know what the Bible has pulled together for us regarding Jesus’ origins when He entered humanity, we know very little about Him prior to this point. Also, those living in the first century prior to the New Testament writers assembling Jesus’ history would have had a difficult time piecing together how Jesus was able to fulfill prophecy while also not appearing to be from any of the expected places.

However, let’s move forward into the New Testament, to the night Jesus would be betrayed and arrested, to a special Passover supper Jesus shared with His disciples. During this meal, which all four gospel writers include, Jesus draws special significance to two elements of this meal.

Let’s read from Matthew’s gospel, to refresh our memory of this special event. Our New Testament passage comes from the gospel of Matthew, chapter 26, and we’ll begin reading in verse 26:

26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

For those familiar with Christianity, the verses we read describe Jesus’ “Last Supper” with His followers. While some people might consider this a stretch to see the connection, I find it fascinating that Melchizedek brings Abram bread and wine to celebrate Abram’s victory with God’s help, and Jesus blesses bread and wine on the night before He would be crucified. During the Last Supper, Jesus draws the attention of the disciples onto how the bread and wine He was blessing and sharing represented His body, blood, and life that He would be giving to them on the cross.

While the Passover itself has lots of foreshadowing pointing forward to the Messiah taking on the sins of the world, one Old Testament root for the last supper can be found hundreds of years before the origins of the Passover within this somewhat mysterious and obscure passage.

Through both the life and actions of Melchizedek and of Jesus the Messiah, we can know that we have a High Priest interceding on our behalf in Heaven, and that for followers of Jesus, this High Priest is Jesus. Jesus is not only our defender, He is also our redeemer. The body, blood, and life Jesus gave on the cross wasn’t just a demonstration of His love for us, even though it is a powerful demonstration of this. The life Jesus gave up on the cross vindicates God of one of the primary charges Satan had accused Him of.

Satan wants people to believe that God’s perfection is impossible to attain, and that only by being perfect will God then choose to love us. Satan would love for everyone to believe that God is counting down the days until He gets to destroy fallen, sinful humanity. This is because God has the rule that the reward for sin is death.

However, Jesus came to pay the penalty for those who have broken God’s law. Jesus giving up His life in death opens up the way for God to prove to the universe that He loves sinners, even though He doesn’t love sin; and that He is willing to forgive those who are willing to accept forgiveness.

Jesus as our High Priest came to bridge the gap that sin caused between Heaven and humanity, and through Jesus, we discover just how far God was willing to go to redeem sinners – which could only happen if He loves them more than Satan would want us to believe.

God loves you and He loves me, and Jesus came to show us this love by becoming our High Priest and ultimately redeeming us.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and choose to place your faith, hope, trust, and belief in Jesus. Accept the gift of His sacrifice and let Jesus’ life cover yours. If Satan tries to tempt you into doubting God’s love, remind Him of the cross, and how that proves God loves sinners!

Also, continue to pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn, grow, and build a better relationship with Jesus. Through regular prayer and Bible study, we open our hearts to God and we allow Him into our lives to transform us. When we allow Jesus into our hearts and lives, don’t be surprised when our lives begin to reflect Jesus’ life as we move through life with Him.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Year of Prophecy – Episode 25: When looking at a mysterious Old Testament character, discover one early reference pointing forward to one of the most significant moments in Jesus’ life and ministry as He moved towards the cross.

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Focusing on the Lazy One: Matthew 25:14-30

Published June 18, 2025 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: Matthew 25:14-30 (NLT)

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Read Matthew 25:14-30 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In this journal entry’s passage/parable, a powerful challenge is given regarding our perspective on life. While most people simply think of this parable praising the two resourceful and talented servants, it also reveals something significant about how important our perspective is – both our perspective of God, and our perspective of His gifts.

The best reflection of this perspective comes from an unlikely source: the third, lazy servant. While the first two servants are praised, less space is reserved to discuss these resourceful servants than the third, unresourceful one. Four verses (verses 20-23) share the master’s response to both resourceful servants, but the third servant receives four verses just for the dialog (verses 24-27) and two of the last three verses entirely to him as well.

This detail regarding focus is important. It tells me that more people will likely struggle with being a third servant than being a five-bag or two-bag one, and that we can learn more from the mistakes of the third servant than from the successes of the first two.

A simple reading of this parable reveals that the third servant saw things differently. Verses 16-18 tell what each servant did with the money entrusted to him: “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.”

The first servant invested, the second servant worked, while the third servant hid. The first two servants saw this money as a blessing, an opportunity, and a responsibility. The third servant saw the money as a curse, an unreasonable test, and probably as unfair. He might have thought something like: “Well, I could definitely do something great with two or three bags of silver, but one bag is not enough.” Or he may have been observant to how much the other servants were given and upset that he received the least, thinking to himself “It’s not fair.”

The third servant’s perspective was different. The second servant received less than half of the first, but still had the same positive perspective. This means that perspective is as important as ability – maybe even more important. Any increase is better than no increase, and even if the money was spent on a poor investment, if knowledge increased, then the master may still have considered the test a success.

A fearful, inactive, lazy third-servant perspective is opposite to what God wants from us. He wants to be able to bless us in ways that double or triple the blessing’s effectiveness. This is only possible with a positive outlook on life, a positive view of our ability, and a right perspective regarding the Gift-Giver.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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Inspiring a Gospel: John 14:15-31

Published June 17, 2025 in Written Journal Entries
Focus Passage: John 14:15-31 (GW)

15 “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper who will be with you forever. 17 That helper is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it doesn’t see or know him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you all alone. I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. You will live because I live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me and that I am in you. 21 Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father’s love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) asked Jesus, “Lord, what has happened that you are going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will go to them and make our home with them. 24 A person who doesn’t love me doesn’t do what I say. I don’t make up what you hear me say. What I say comes from the Father who sent me.

25 “I have told you this while I’m still with you. 26 However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.

27 “I’m leaving you peace. I’m giving you my peace. I don’t give you the kind of peace that the world gives. So don’t be troubled or cowardly. 28 You heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away, but I’m coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I’m going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.

29 “I’m telling you this now before it happens. When it does happen, you will believe. 30 The ruler of this world has no power over me. But he’s coming, so I won’t talk with you much longer. 31 However, I want the world to know that I love the Father and that I am doing exactly what the Father has commanded me to do. Get up! We have to leave.”

Read John 14:15-31 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

On the night Jesus was betrayed and ultimately arrested, He promises to ask the Father to send the disciples help. The help Jesus promised comes from the Father in what Jesus describes as “the Spirit of Truth”. When describing how the Helper would come, Jesus tells His followers: “I have told you this while I’m still with you. However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.” (v. 25-26)

It seems interesting in my mind that Jesus would describe the Holy Spirit as being sent from the Father in His name. In this verse, while the Holy Spirit comes in Jesus’ name, the description Jesus shares is that the Holy Spirit clearly comes from the Father.

Also contained in this short description is one of the things the Holy Spirit would do. Jesus tells His disciples that the Holy Spirit “will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.” (v. 26)

This detail is significant for us to pay attention to if we ever have doubts about whether the gospel writers could be trusted to accurately share what they witnessed while writing their respective gospels decades after the events actually happened. In John’s case, his gospel was the last to be written, and it may have been written so late in his life that all the remaining original disciples had already died.

As an old man, some skeptics might believe that we cannot trust John’s gospel record because it was written so long after the events he describes actually took place. However, if we think like a skeptic in this case, we are actually discounting the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

John says that the Holy Spirit’s role is reminding us of what Jesus has taught us, and this was true while he was writing his gospel record. John’s gospel shares a unique angle on Jesus’ ministry that can best be understood as simply inspired. While John may have held the pen, the Holy Spirit inspired the memories, events, and words that were written.

It is the same in our lives as well. While we were not present while Jesus walked the earth, the Holy Spirit is ready and willing to help us remember truth we learned while we were younger, and the Holy Spirit is happy to help redirect us back to focusing on Jesus. Jesus has offered to send the Holy Spirit to help us, and there are no downsides to accepting the Holy Spirit’s help with our lives.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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