The Gospel of Matthew: What I Learned
Jesus' apostle emphasized His fulfillment of Old Testament Messianic prophecy
An outline and a “What I Learned” for Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are also available.
Matthew traces the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah from Abraham via David the King to Joseph, husband of Mary. He names Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba killed by David (honoring a man faithful to God), and he names five women: Tamar; Rahab, Boaz’s mother; Ruth, Boaz’s wife; Bathsheba; and Mary (demonstrating women, sinners, and foreigners are all welcome and can be honored in God’s family).
Joseph was faithful to all that he was commanded by God, either through angels or dreams, to do. The angel of the Lord reassured him that Mary was with child by the Holy Spirit. He kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son, Jesus.
Matthew introduces the phrase, “Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet,” a variation of which he uses throughout his entire Gospel account, as he was trying to demonstrate to his Jewish brethren that Jesus was their Messiah.
Magi from the east arrive in Jerusalem to worship the newborn King of the Jews, having seen His star in the east. A search of the scriptures reveals the child was to be born in Bethlehem, so the magi followed the star to Bethlehem, where it stood over the place where Jesus was. My pastor husband Kirk addressed the arrival of the magi, wise men who had likely benefited from the instruction of the late prophet Daniel, who had been an exile from Israel to Babylon, in his Christmas Eve Sermon. He addressed how our Lord reveals Himself through creation, scripture, and the Holy Spirit. I highly recommend it.
An enraged King Herod, using the timing of the star’s appearance he learned from the magi, slays all children two years old and younger in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, fulfilling a prophesy of Jeremiah.
Joseph had been obedient to the warning of an angel of the Lord in a dream and had taken Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Once Herod dies, he is commanded by an angel in a dream to return to Israel and then, being warned by God in a dream, settles in Nazareth in Galilee, fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah would be a Nazarene.
John the baptist was prophesied by Isaiah. His message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He baptized multitudes of people in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. John warned the religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, that they should not trust in their relationship to Abraham but to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, saying “every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” He explains He who comes after him will baptize with Holy Spirit and fire.
After Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan, we see the triune God. The Spirit of God descends from heaven as a dove, lighting on Jesus, and a voice from heaven says, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Jesus is led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil in the wilderness. After 40 days of fasting, He endures 3 temptations, and answers them all with Scripture.
The first was to use His power to satisfy His hunger by commanding stones to become bread. Jesus answers, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.”
Satan then uses a promise in Scripture in his second temptation, but Jesus answers, “YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.”
Satan will give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He will worship him, demonstrating he has been given the world, if even for a short time [this is symbolically explained in Revelation 12]. Jesus answers, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’”
After John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus settles in Capernaum in the region of Galilee, preaching the same message as John: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Jesus calls fishermen Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow Him and they do, immediately.
“Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. The news about Him spread…they brought to Him all who were ill… and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him”
Matthew 5 (Day 5 & Day 6): Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount, delivered to His disciples
He begins with “The Beatitudes,” offering the hope of blessing for those who are His who find themselves in conditions which don’t seem “blessed.” He foreshadows the persecution that comes with following Him.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
He tells us we are salt and light in the world.
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”
“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
“everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
“Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”
“everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
“everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
“make no oath….But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.”
“do not resist an evil person”
“love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
Matthew 6 (Day 7): Jesus’ continued Sermon on the Mount, delivered to His disciples
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them”
don’t try to be noticed by others in giving, fasting, praying
“your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you”
“when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition”
“your Father knows what you need before you ask Him”
“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]”
“if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth….But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven”
“You cannot serve God and wealth.”
“do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on”
“who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”
“your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things”
“seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
“do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”
Matthew 7 (Day 8): Jesus’ continued Sermon on the Mount, delivered to His disciples
Jesus instructs us not to judge so that we will not be judged
“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”
“first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye”
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
“Enter through the narrow gate”
“for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.”
“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.”
“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”
He “will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”
“everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”
“When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”
A leper came to Jesus and said, “‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’”
Jesus is willing to heal us.
After healing him, Jesus told the leper, “go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Despite accusations to the contrary, Jesus followed the Mosaic Law.
In Capernaum, a centurion came to him, telling him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.”
Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
The centurion, recognizing Jesus’ authority, said, “just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
The centurion presented the problem and Jesus presented the solution, that He would heal his servant. The centurion’s faith was in the fact that Jesus could do what He said He would do.
Jesus’ observed, “I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
It is faith, not tribe, that saves.
Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law by touching her hand when she was lying in bed with a fever
“This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.’”
Jesus taught the cost of following Him, and the cost of His leaving heaven to serve us.
“the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head”
He also had an admonition for those who had excuses for not following Him, like waiting for the end of a life of a parent:
“Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.’
When there was a storm on the sea but Jesus was asleep, His disciples woke Him because they thought they were perishing. He asked, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”
Why are we afraid if we know Jesus is with us?
In the country of the Gadarenes, on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, he met two men who were demon-possessed.
The demons recognized Jesus and also had recognition that their time was short: “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
According to their request, Jesus cast the demons into a herd of swine, who then rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drown….“the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.”
At this point, they preferred commerce to miracles. We know Jesus returned to this area later and that time they welcomed Him.
“‘so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—then He said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, pick up your bed and go home’”
Jesus’ signs were to demonstrate His authority
“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, ‘Follow Me!’ And he got up and followed Him.”
Matthew followed immediately, as had James, John, Andrew, and Peter
“‘Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?’ But when Jesus heard this, He said, ‘It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: “I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,” for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”
The Pharisees had no compassion for lost sinners. Jesus associated with them in order to save them.
Jesus used the imagery of new patches and old garments, and new wine and old wineskins, to demonstrate the incompatibility of the New Covenant with the Old.
Jesus heals the synagogue official’s daughter, a woman with a hemorrhage, two blind men, and a demon-possessed man.
All but the demon-possessed man seek Jesus in some way, believing He has the power to heal. He is the object of their faith. It’s interesting to consider that the demon-possessed man might not have been capable of seeking Jesus. Jesus had compassion on the incapable, and healed him.
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.’”
This has been the model since Jesus ministered on earth, that He would send workers to join Him in His harvest. May we continue to beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.
“Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness”: Simon Peter & his brother Andrew, James the son of Zebedee & his brother John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. A lot, but not all, of His instructions to them are applicable to us.
He sent them initially to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and not to the Samaritans or Gentiles. This directive obviously changed after His resurrection.
He told them to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”
All that we have been given is from the Lord, which should inspire us to give freely.
He told them, “the worker is worthy of his support,” so they did not need to work to acquire it.
He gave interesting instructions on finding who was “worthy” in any new city or village and staying at their house. If the house was “worthy,” they should bless, but if not worthy, they should remove their blessing.
This likely implies finding those who live in a manner pleasing to God and who are not hostile but open to the things of God, even if they do not yet believe.
“Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.”
“I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”
“beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them”
“when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”
“You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
“whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next”
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master….If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!”
“do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known”
“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell”
“everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”
“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
“whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Matthew 11 (Day 14)
“John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.’”
Jesus, the Word, pointed John back to the word to confirm to him who He was.
“what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU’….all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
He also pointed men back to the word to reveal who John the Baptist was.
“John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
Those who do not desire to believe will always find an excuse not to. “Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” should give us great reassurance.
“He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.”
“if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes”
Jesus’ miracles should bring us to repentance.
“no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him”
We know the Father through the Son.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
The rest that we find in Jesus is for our souls, for eternity. We may not find bodily rest here on this earth, in this life.
“have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?…if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
Revolutionary words from Jesus that you can break a Law and still be innocent. This should convict us to be compassionate with one another, not possibly condemning the innocent, when only He knows each individual heart and how He has led and directed action.
“they questioned Jesus, asking, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’—so that they might accuse Him. And He said to them…‘it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’”
“the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there.”
“This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.’”
“a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him,” but the Pharisees said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
Jesus replied, “If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you,”
The pharisees do not want to admit that Jesus is of the kingdom of God.
“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters”
It’s interesting to ponder that there are only two sides: with Jesus, or against Him.
“any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.”
Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit of God. The pharisees’ sin was their failure to believe the Spirit of God.
“every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
“when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
This also speaks to either being with Jesus or against Him. We are spiritual beings. If we do not fill our spiritual void with Him, we are vulnerable to unclean spirits.
“An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign…no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet…the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”
The sign of Jesus’ resurrection is sufficient for belief in Him.
“whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother”
Jesus accepts into His family those who do His will.
“Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ‘I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.’”
“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ Jesus answered them, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”’”
The parable of the sower (it seems two are lost, one is not lost but unfruitful, and one is fruitful):
Seed beside the road: “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.”
Seed on rocky places: “the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away”
Seed among thorns: “man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful”
Seed on good soil: “man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES”
“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.”
The parable of the tares of the field:
“The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
“So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
There are descriptions akin to this in Revelation 14 & 17
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
“the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
“the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind”
“when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.
“So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Again, there are descriptions reminiscent of this in Revelation 14 & 17
We will be gathered up at the end of time. Our righteousness or wickedness depends on our belief or disbelief, so may we believe while there is time.
“Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”
A scribe is a lawyer who knew the Law (old) who became a disciple and learned the New Covenant (new).
When Jesus went to Nazareth, His home town, and began teaching in the synagogue, “they took offense at Him” and “He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief”
If you review the miracles of Jesus, most of them involve the receiver having some belief in Him. There are others (demon-posessed, or otherwise oppressed in society because of some condition they are in) where He initiates the healing, but ensures they understand Who He is so they can come to faith in Him.
Herod had John the Baptist beheaded in prison
“His disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus.”
In their mourning, John’s disciples went to Jesus.
“Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself”
Jesus appears to mourn as well.
“and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.”
But Jesus is willing to be interrupted in His own need to care for the needs of others.
Jesus feeds 5000
“When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, ‘This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’”
The disciples brought Jesus a problem.
“But Jesus said to them, ‘They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!’ “
But he told them to solve the problem.
“They said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’”
All they saw was more problems.
“And He said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’
“He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied”
May we similarly bring what we have to Jesus so He can multiply it to give it to others.
Jesus walks on water
“He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away….He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray….And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea….Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid….Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water’….And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”
“But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”
We become frightened and sink when we take our eyes off Jesus, but we just need to call out to Him again.
“Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’”
Why do we doubt?
I love the observation that on his return to Gennesaret, where He had previously been asked to leave, He was welcomed. He was merciful in giving them another opportunity, and they recognized their need for Him.
“when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick”
The Pharisees ask Jesus about their disciples not following the traditions of the elders, and Jesus asks, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?”
”rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: “THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.”’
Jesus teaches the crowd, addressing the lack of importance of the tradition of hand cleaning, “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
“Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?’ But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.’”
Jesus did not care that He offended.
He also implied the Pharisees “ruled” not at His Father’s command (they were plants He did not plant).
Jesus further explained the parable, “the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”
May we be cognizant of that which defiles us: evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. The wages of sin are death. But the free gift of grace comes from repentance and belief in our Savior. Repentance means a turning away from our former sins.
The Syrophonecian woman: “Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.’”
“He answered and said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’ And He answered and said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ But she said, ‘Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed at once.”
Abraham was told that through Him all the nations would be blessed. This woman, and her faith in Jesus, are an example of that promise fulfilled.
“the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”
Miracles should lead us to glorify God.
Jesus feeds 4000
“I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.”
Jesus initiated this provision out of His compassion.
Matthew 16 (Day 23)
“Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.”
Jesus’ signs were sufficient for us to believe, especially the sign of His rising from the dead.
“You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?”
Why do we have such little faith that He will provide?
“‘beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Beware of the false teaching of “religious authorities.”
“‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’”
Jesus was recognized as greater than just a “great teacher” by men when He was on earth.
“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and our Father in heaven will reveal that to us if we seek Him.
“He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.”
I believe He didn’t want His disciples to tell people He was the Christ because that was the claim that would get Him killed, and that was all, even that declaration, in His timing.
“He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.’”
This is convicting to set our minds on God’s interests, not man’s.
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”
Matthew 17 (Day 24)
The Transfiguration: “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
God spoke out of heaven at Jesus’ baptism, and again at the Transfiguration.
“And His disciples asked Him, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ And He answered and said, ‘Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.”
“Elijah already came,” as John the Baptist.
“‘Why could we not drive it out?’ And He said to them, ‘Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. [But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’]
Our faith is not in our own ability. Our faith is in the One who can heal.
“‘From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?’ When Peter said, ‘From strangers,’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are exempt. However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.’”
Jesus the Creator owns all, provides all, and is the Son of the King.
“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Humility is required for repentance and the belief that we are sinners in need of a Savior.
“And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Jesus will execute justice for those who act against the innocent, especially in stumbling them in their faith in Him.
“it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire….It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.”
Jesus’ words are dramatic, but the point is well taken. Nothing we have on earth is worthy of losing heaven.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.”
This is the precise verse that convicted me against my former pro-abortion opinion.
“If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.”
Heaven rejoices when the lost are found in Him.
“So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.”
This is foundational truth: it is not the will of our Father in heaven that any perish.
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
We are often guilty of failing to follow this discipline when we are wronged by our spiritual brother or sister.
“where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
What a comforting truth.
“‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’”
I noticed that it does not say that my brother has to ask for this forgiveness.
“‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
Our Father is merciful, and He asks that we be merciful also.
“Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
Jesus quotes Genesis, foundational truths declared by God from the beginning. I love finding the source of the traditional wedding declaration, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
“They said to Him, ‘Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.’”
The Law was given to sinful men, recognizing that they were sinful. Provisions were made in the Law “Because of your hardness of heart.” If we were willing to follow Him and do His will, such provisions would not need to be made.
“Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
The Sunday School song, “Jesus loves the litle children,” is true.
“‘if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ Then he said to Him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor,and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.”
It is the willingness to forsake all to follow Jesus that completes us.
“it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
“With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
We get distracted by the things of this life and it is difficult for us to give them up to follow Him, but He enables what is seemingly impossible.
“everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.”
We do gain a spiritual family on earth, earning us invitations into homes based simply on our mutual following of Jesus. We do gain in this life, with eternal life to look forward to in addition.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner…he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day… ‘whatever is right I will give you.’…‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
Our Father is the landowner and He can do what He wishes with what He owns. The offer He gives us is that belief in His Son who died for us, and rose again, is sufficient to save us for eternity. Everyone is offered that gift, regardless of our “work” on earth. We can trust Him to give us what is “right.”
“whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave”
“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Two blind men called out to Jesus as He was leaving Jericho, “‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.’ Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.”
When we cry out to Jesus, recognizing Him for who He is, may He have mercy on us. And may His mercy inspire us to follow Him.
Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey and colt “to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
‘SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, “BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.”’
“The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!’”
“Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written, “MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER”; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.’”
The chief priests and scribes were indignant with this, His healing the blind and the lame in the temple, and the children shouting, “‘Hosanna to the Son of David’….And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF”?’”
He spent the night in Bethany. When He was returning to the city in the morning, He saw a fig tree without any fruit and withered it, saying, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.”
When His disciples asked about it, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
This is difficult for us to understand, but maybe it helps to know He spoke it to His apostles to whom He had given great authority and who ministered in His name after His resurrection and ascension.
The chief priests and elders asked by what authority He was doing things and who gave Him that authority. He asked them, “‘The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?’ And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, ‘If we say, “From heaven,” He will say to us, “Then why did you not believe him?” But if we say, “From men,” we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.’ And answering Jesus, they said, ‘We do not know.’ He also said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
The chief priests and the elders did not want the answer.
“Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.”
“Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
“When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.”
the parable of the wedding feast: “‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
We are invited by God the King, but it seems He wants us to be changed
“the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said….‘Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?’…‘Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.’ And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ Then He said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.’ And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.”
The Pharisees tested whether Jesus had any King before God, but they also tested whether He was encouraging lack of submission to the Roman government. They were amazed at His ability to escape this trap.
The Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) asked whose wife a woman would be in the resurrection if successive brothers married her to raise up children for the previous brothers who had died (remember that Judah’s sons were supposed to do this for Tamar in Genesis 38)
Jesus addressed this question on two counts:
First, people neither marry or are given in marriage in heaven.
Second, He addressed their denial of the resurrection by saying God calling Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob implies He is not the God of the dead but the living. Notice that when the patriarchs died, this was described as their being gathered to their people (e.g. Genesis 25:8). This has the same implication.
Since the Sadducees were silenced, the Pharisees tried. A lawyer asked, “which is the great commandment in the Law?
“‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Since they were trying to trap Him, Jesus questioned them about how the Christ could be a son of David if David himself called Him “Lord,'“ silencing them.
“No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.”
After the Sadducees and Pharisees failed to trip him, Jesus spoke to the crowd and His disciples about them:
“The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.”
It seems the scribes and Pharisees seated themselves, meaning God did not seat them. They were self-appointed.
They did teach the Law of Moses and Jesus did not rebuke them for that, saying: “all that they tell you, do and observe.””
“they do all their deeds to be noticed by men”
“But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
He then pronounces eight woes on the scribes and Pharisees, calling them hypocrites
“you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in”
“you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation”.
“you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves”
“[you] say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.”
“you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others”
Jesus never taught that the Law did not need to be followed, but that justice and mercy and faithfulness were the point of the Law
“you clean the outside of the cupand of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also”
“you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness”
“you build the tombs of the prophets….So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets”
I heard a teaching on this that prophets and the righteous are quite annoying to the unrighteous when they are alive. They can be celebrated when they are dead and no longer speaking/convicting/exposing the unrighteous.
“Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.”
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”
Jesus predicts His death and second coming
when Jesus’ disciples point out the temple buildings to Him, He said, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”
His disciples asked, “what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
“See to it that no one misleads you.”
“nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
“when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)”
“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
“false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”
“I have told you in advance.”
“immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken”
“the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn
“they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
parable of the fig tree:
“when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near”
“when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door”
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming….For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.”
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.”
the prudent took oil in flasks with their lamps, but the foolish did not
“the bridegroom came, and those who were ready [the prudent] went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.”
“Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
May we be prudent and know Him before it is too late.
“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.”
He gave one slave five talents, another, two, and to another, one.
God gives us all different amounts of faith, resources, or whatever gift it is He has given us.
The first two slaves doubled their resources, but the third buried his in a hole in the ground. The first two heard, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”
The slave who hid what had been given to him heard, “take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.”
“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
May we recognize all we have is from Him and not hide what He has given us.
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another…He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.”
“Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.”
“Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”
“Then He will also say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels”
“for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.”
“‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”
“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’”
Matthew 26 (Day 41, Day 42, and Day 43)
Matthew 26:6-19 show us devotion, betrayal, and obedience
“When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, ‘You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.”
Jesus continually told His disciples what was going to happen, so that when it happened they would remember that He told them. All fulfillment of prophecy increases our faith.
“when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.”
“the disciples were indignant when they saw this”:
‘Why this waste? For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.’
“Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me.’”
“For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.”
Let’s not miss the lesson that the poor will always be with us on this earth.
“Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”
“Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?’”
“they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him”
“on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’”
“The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.”
during dinner, Jesus said to His disciples, “‘Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.’…And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, ‘Surely it is not I, Rabbi?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself.’”
I learned this in the book “The Crucifixion of the King of Glory” by Eugenia Constantinou that this expression, “You have said it yourself” is a confirmatory expression, implying that the truth just was spoken by the speaker.
the words of institution of the Lord’s Supper
“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.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.’
‘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.’”
“After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, “I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.” But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’”
Jesus knew the nature of His disciples and He knew what they would do, just as He knows us.
He uses the term “fall away,” but we know all but Judas are restored. This gives us hope that repentance can restore our relationship with Christ.
“But Peter said to Him, ‘Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.’ All the disciples said the same thing too.”
We can have such confidence, but we can fail, just as Peter and the disciples all did.
“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.’
Three times Jesus prayed regarding the Lord’s will:
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
‘My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
while He prayed, He kept finding the disciples sleeping:
“So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
“Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
“Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.” As he betrayed Jesus with a kiss, signaling the person they were to seize, Jesus said, “Friend, do what you have come for.”
Even in his betrayal, Jesus called Judas friend.
“one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?’” He further explained, “all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.”
Jesus was at all times in control of these events
“Then all the disciples left Him and fled.”
as He had told them
“Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.”
“Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward….But Jesus kept silent.
“And the high priest said to Him, ‘I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself’”
This is another fact I learned this in the book “The Crucifixion of the King of Glory” by Eugenia Constantinou, that this call, “I adjure You by the living God” was such an appeal that it constrained the answerer to tell the truth. Jesus uses the phrase He used with Judas, “You have said it yourself,” meaning, the truth had come out of the high priest’s mouth. He was answering that, yes, He was the Christ the Son of God.
Jesus went on, quoting the prophet Daniel, “nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.’”
“Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death!’”
They did not want the truth. They did not truly want to know whether Jesus was the Christ. They were looking for an excuse to kill Him. They killed Him because He claimed He was the Christ.
“Now Peter was sitting outside in the court yard,” and he denied Jesus three times. “And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, ‘Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.”
His bitter weeping showed repentance, which restored his relationship with Christ. This is different than the remorse that Judas was about to show, which did not restore his relationship with Christ.
“when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; and…delivered Him to Pilate the governor.”
“when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse”
he “returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? See to that yourself!’”
“he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself”
the remorse of Judas, which destroys, is difference than the repentance of Peter, which restores
“The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.’ And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.”
“Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ‘AND THEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel; AND THEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER’S FIELD, AS THE LORD DIRECTED ME.’”
“Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you say.’”
Once again, as I learned in the book “The Crucifixion of the King of Glory” by Eugenia Constantinou, “it is as you say” is a phrase of confirmation, basically saying the truth has come out of the questioner’s mouth.
“while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?’ And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.”
Jesus’ silence was prophesied in Isaiah 53
“Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’”
“For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.”
Pilate’s “wife sent him a message, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.’”
“the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.”
“Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said, ‘Crucify Him!’ And he said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they kept shouting all the more, saying, ‘Crucify Him!’”
“When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.’ And all the people said, ‘His blood shall be on us and on our children!’ Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.”
“the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.”
“they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.”
“they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull”
“when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots.”
“above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.’”
“those passing by were hurling abuse at Him”
“the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him”
”The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him”
“from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘ELI, ELI, LAMASABACHTHANI?’ that is, ‘MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?’”
This is a quote from Psalm 22, drawing attention to Jesus’ fulfillment of this Messianic Psalm
“Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.”
Jesus did all things willingly, including giving up His spirit”
“the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom”
“tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.”
“the centurion, and those who were with him…said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’”
“a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus….went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus…Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb…and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb”
“on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, ‘Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, “After three days I am to rise again.” Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, “He has risen from the dead,” and the last deception will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.’ And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.”
Matthew 28 (Day 46)
on “the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave….a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it….The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.”
“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.’”
“Jesus met them and greeted them,” and said, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
Note the continual reassurance, “Do not be afraid”
“some of the guard…assembled with the elders and…they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.” And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.’”
“this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.”
“But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.”
some were doubtful!
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”