Chapter Nine: The King’s Conflicts (Matthew 11–12)
Key theme: The King and His kingdom
I.THE REVELATION OF THE KING—chapters 1–10
A.His person—1–4
B.His principles—5–7
C.His power—8–10
(Note: The message during this period of His ministry was, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” [; ; ].)
II.THE REBELLION AGAINST THE KING—chapters 11–13
E.Result: the “mysteries of the kingdom”—13
III.THE RETIREMENT OF THE KING—chapters 14–20
(The Lord seeks to leave the multitudes to be alone with His disciples.)
A.Before Peter’s confession—14:1–16:12
C.After Peter’s confession—17:1–20:34
(Second mention of the cross—)
IV.THE REJECTION OF THE KING—chapters 21–27
(“The kingdom of God shall be taken from you,” .)
A.His public presentation as King—
B.His conflict with the rulers—21:17–23:39
C.His prophetic message—24–25
D.His suffering and death—26–27
V.THE RESURRECTION OF THE KING—chapter 28
(Matt. 1–2)
(Matt. 3–4)
(Matt. 5)
(Matt. 6)
(Matt. 7)
(Matt. 8–9)
(Matt. 10)
(Matt. 11–12)
(Matt. 13)
(Matt. 14)
(Matt. 15)
(Matt. 16)
(Matt. 17)
(Matt. 18)
(Matt. 19:16–20:34)
(Matt. 21:1–22:14)
(Matt. 23)
(Matt. 24:45–25:46)
(Matt. 26:57–27:26)
(Matt. 28)
Twenty or thirty years after Jesus had gone back to heaven, a Jewish disciple named Matthew was inspired by the Spirit of God to write a book. The finished product is what we know today as “The Gospel According to Matthew.”
Nowhere in the four Gospels do we find a single recorded word that Matthew spoke. Yet in his Gospel, he gives us the words and works of Jesus Christ, “the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (). Matthew did not write to tell us about himself. But let’s get acquainted with him and the book he wrote. Then we can learn all that he wanted us to know about Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit used Matthew to accomplish three important tasks in the writing of his Gospel.
The Bridge-Builder: He Introduced a New Book
That book was the New Testament. If a Bible reader were to jump from Malachi into Mark, or Acts, or Romans, he would be bewildered. Matthew’s Gospel is the bridge that leads us out of the Old Testament and into the New Testament.
The theme of the Old Testament is given in : “This is the book of the generations of Adam.” The Old Testament gives the history of “the Adam family,” and it is a sad history indeed. God created man in His own image, but man sinned—thus defiling and deforming that image. Then man brought forth children “in his own likeness, after his image” (). These children proved themselves to be sinners like their parents. No matter where you read in the Old Testament, you meet sin and sinners.
But the New Testament is, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ” (). Jesus is the last Adam (), and He came to earth to save the “generations of Adam.” (This includes you and me, by the way.) Through no choice of our own, we were born into the generations of Adam, and this made us sinners. But by a choice of faith, we can be born into the generation of Jesus Christ and become the children of God!
When you read the genealogy in Genesis 5, the repeated phrase and he died sounds like the tolling of a funeral bell. The Old Testament illustrates the truth that “the wages of sin is death” (). But when you turn to the New Testament, that first genealogy emphasizes birth and not death! The message of the New Testament is that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” ().
The Old Testament is a book of promise, while the New Testament is a book of fulfillment. (To be sure, there are many precious promises in the New Testament. But I am referring to the emphasis of each half of the Bible.) Beginning with , God promised a Redeemer; and Jesus Christ fulfilled that promise. Fulfilled is one of the key words in the Gospel of Matthew, used about fifteen times.
One purpose of this Gospel is to show that Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah. His birth at Bethlehem fulfilled (). Jesus was taken to Egypt for safety, and this fulfilled (). When Joseph and the family returned and decided to settle in Nazareth, this fulfilled several Old Testament prophecies (). Matthew used at least 129 quotations or allusions to the Old Testament in this Gospel. He wrote primarily for Jewish readers to show them that Jesus Christ was indeed their promised Messiah.
The Biographer: He Introduced a New King
None of the four Gospels is a biography in the modern sense of the word. In fact, the Apostle John doubted that a complete biography of Jesus could ever be written (). There are many details about the earthly life of Jesus that are not given in any of the Gospels.
Each of the four Gospels has its own emphasis. Matthew’s book is called, “the Gospel of the King.” It was written primarily for Jewish readers. Mark’s book, the Gospel of the Servant, was written to instruct Roman readers. Luke wrote mainly to the Greeks and presented Christ as the perfect “Son of man.” John’s appeal is universal, and his message was, “This is the Son of God.” No one Gospel is able to tell the whole story as God wants us to see it. But when we put these four Gospel accounts together, we have a composite picture of the person and work of our Lord.
Being accustomed to keeping systematic records, Matthew gives us a beautifully organized account of our Lord’s life and ministry. The book can be divided into ten sections in which “doing” and “teaching” alternate. Each teaching section ends with, “When Jesus had ended these sayings” or a similar transitional statement. The chapters can be divided like this:
Narrative
Teaching
Transition
1–4
5–7
8:1–9:34
9:35–10:42
11:2–12:50
13:53–17:27
19:1–23:39
24:1–25:46
26:1–28:20 (the Passion Narrative)
Matthew described Jesus as the Doer and the Teacher. He recorded at least twenty specific miracles and six major messages: the Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5–7), the charge to the apostles (chap. 10), the parables of the kingdom (chap. 13), the lesson on forgiveness (chap. 18), the denunciation of the Pharisees (chap. 23), and the prophetic discourse on the Mount of Olives (chaps. 24–25). At least 60 percent of this book focuses on the teachings of Jesus.
Remember, Matthew focuses on the kingdom. In the Old Testament, the Jewish nation was God’s kingdom on earth: “And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (). Many people in Jesus’ day were looking for the God-sent Deliverer who would release them from Roman bondage and reestablish the glorious kingdom of Israel.
The message of the kingdom of heaven was first preached by John the Baptist (). The Lord Jesus also preached this message from the very beginning of His ministry (). He sent out the 12 Apostles with the same proclamation ().
However, the Good News of the kingdom required a moral and spiritual response from the people, and not simply the acceptance of a ruler. John the Baptist called for repentance. Likewise, Jesus made it clear that He had not come to overcome Rome, but to transform the hearts and lives of those who trusted Him. Before He could enter into the glory of the kingdom, Jesus endured the suffering of the cross.
One further word about this Gospel. Matthew arranged his material in a topical order, rather than chronological. He grouped ten miracles together in chapters 8–9 instead of putting them into their historical sequence in the Gospel’s narrative. Certain other events are totally omitted. By consulting a good harmony of the Gospels, you will see that, while Matthew does not contradict the other three Gospel writers, he does follow his own pattern.
Matthew was not only a bridge-builder who introduced a new book, the New Testament; and a biographer who introduced a new King, Jesus Christ; but he also accomplished a third task when he wrote his book.
The Believer: He Introduced a New People
This new people, of course, was the church. Matthew is the only Gospel writer to use the word church (; ). The Greek word translated church means “a called-out assembly.” In the New Testament, for the most part, this word refers to a local assembly of believers. In the Old Testament, Israel was God’s called-out people, beginning with the call of Abraham (; ). In fact, Stephen called the nation of Israel “the church [assembly] in the wilderness” (), for they were God’s called-out people.
But the New Testament church is a different people, for it is composed of both Jews and Gentiles. In this church there were no racial distinctions (). Even though Matthew wrote primarily for the Jews, he has a “universal” element in his book that includes the Gentiles. For example, Gentile leaders came to worship the Infant Jesus (). Jesus performed miracles for Gentiles and even commended them for their faith (; ). The Gentile Queen of Sheba was praised for her willingness to make a long journey to hear God’s wisdom (). At a crisis hour in Jesus’ ministry He turned to a prophecy about the Gentiles (). Even in the parables, Jesus indicated that the blessings which Israel refused would be shared with the Gentiles (; ). The Olivet Discourse stated that the message would go “unto all nations” (); and the Lord’s commission involves all nations ().
There were only believing Jews and believing Jewish proselytes in the church at the beginning (Acts 2–7). When the Gospel went to Samaria (Acts 8), people who were part Jewish and part Gentile came into the church. When Peter went to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10), the Gentiles became fully accepted in the church. The Conference at Jerusalem (Acts 15), settled the decision that a Gentile did not have to become a Jew before he could become a Christian.
But Matthew anticipated all of this. And when his book was read by members of the early church, both Jews and Gentiles, it helped to settle differences and create unity. Matthew made it clear that this new people, the church, must not maintain a racial or social exclusiveness. Faith in Jesus Christ makes believers “all one” in the body of Christ, the church.
Matthew’s own experience with the Lord is recorded in ; and it is a beautiful example of the grace of God. His old name was Levi, the son of Alphaeus (). “Matthew” means “the gift of God.” Apparently, the name was given to commemorate his conversion and his call to be a disciple.
Remember that tax collectors were among the most hated people in Jewish society. To begin with, they were traitors to their own nation because they “sold themselves” to the Romans to work for the government. Each tax collector purchased from Rome the right to gather taxes; and the more he gathered, the more he could keep. They were considered thieves as well as traitors; and their constant contacts with Gentiles made them religiously suspect, if not unclean. Jesus reflected the popular view of the publicans when He classified them with harlots and other sinners (; ); but it was obvious that He was the “friend of publicans and sinners” (; ).
Matthew opened his heart to Jesus Christ and became a new person. This was not an easy decision for him to make. He was a native of Capernaum, and Capernaum had rejected the Lord (). Matthew was a well-known businessman in the city, and his old friends probably persecuted him. Certainly Matthew lost a good deal of income when he left all to follow Christ.
Matthew not only opened his heart, but he also opened his home. He knew that most, if not all, of his old friends would drop him when he began to follow Jesus Christ; so Matthew took advantage of the situation and invited them to meet Jesus. He gave a great feast and invited all the other tax collectors (some of whom could have been Gentiles), and the Jewish people who were not keeping the Law (“sinners”).
Of course, the Pharisees criticized Jesus for daring to eat with such a defiled group of people. They even tried to get the disciples of John the Baptist to create a disagreement (). The Lord explained why He was fellowshipping with “publicans and sinners”: They were spiritually sick and needed a physician. He had not come to call the righteous because there were no righteous people. He came to call sinners, and that included the Pharisees. Of course, His critics did not consider themselves “spiritually sick,” but they were just the same.
Matthew not only opened his heart and home, but he also opened his hands and worked for Christ. Alexander Whyte of Edinburgh once said that, when Matthew left his job to follow Christ, he brought his pen with him! Little did this ex-publican realize that the Holy Spirit would one day use him to write the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament.
According to tradition, Matthew ministered in Palestine for several years after the Lord’s return to heaven, and then made missionary journeys to the Jews who were dispersed among the Gentiles. His work is associated with Persia, Ethiopia, and Syria, and some traditions associate him with Greece. The New Testament is silent on his life, but this we do know: Wherever the Scriptures travel in this world, the Gospel written by Matthew continues to minister to hearts.
Matthew 1–2
If a man suddenly appears and claims to be a king, the public immediately asks for proof. What is his background? Who pays homage to him? What credentials can he present? Anticipating these important questions, Matthew opened his book with a careful account of the birth of Jesus Christ and the events that accompanied it. He presented four facts about the King.
Since royalty depends on heredity, it was important for Jesus to establish His rights to David’s throne. Matthew gave His human heredity () as well as His divine heredity ().
His human heredity (vv. ). Genealogies were very important to the Jews, for without them they could not prove their tribal memberships or their rights to inheritances. Anyone claiming to be “the Son of David” had to be able to prove it. It is generally concluded that Matthew gave our Lord’s family tree through His foster father, Joseph, while Luke gave Mary’s lineage ().
Many Bible readers skip over this list of ancient (and, in some cases, unpronounceable) names. But this “list of names” is a vital part of the Gospel record. It shows that Jesus Christ is a part of history; that all of Jewish history prepared the way for His birth. God in His providence ruled and overruled to accomplish His great purpose in bringing His Son into the world.
This genealogy also illustrates God’s wonderful grace. It is most unusual to find the names of women in Jewish genealogies, since names and inheritances came through the fathers. But in this list we find references to four women from Old Testament history: Tamar (), Rahab and Ruth (), and Bathsheba “the wife of Uriah” ().
Matthew clearly omitted some names from this genealogy. Probably, he did this to give a systematic summary of three periods in Israel’s history, each with fourteen generations. The numerical value of the Hebrew letters for “David” equals fourteen. Matthew probably used this approach as a memory aid to help his readers remember this difficult list.
But there were many Jewish men who could trace their family back to King David. It would take more than human pedigree to make Jesus Christ “the Son of David” and heir to David’s throne. This is why the divine heredity was so important.
His divine heredity (vv. ). and make it clear that Jesus Christ’s birth was different from that of any other Jewish boy named in the genealogy. Matthew pointed out that Joseph did not “beget” Jesus Christ. Rather, Joseph was the “husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Jesus was born of an earthly mother without the need of an earthly father. This is known as the doctrine of the Virgin Birth.
Every child born into the world is a totally new creature. But Jesus Christ, being eternal God (, ), existed before Mary and Joseph or any of His earthly ancestors. If Jesus Christ were conceived and born just as any other baby, then He could not be God. It was necessary for Him to enter this world through an earthly mother, but not to be begotten by an earthly father. By a miracle of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary, a virgin ().
Some have raised the question that perhaps Mary was not a virgin. They say that should be translated “young woman.” But the word translated virgin in this verse always means virgin and cannot be translated “young woman.”
Both Mary and Joseph belonged to the house of David. The Old Testament prophecies indicated that the Messiah would be born of a woman (), of the seed of Abraham (), through the tribe of Judah (), and of the family of David (). Matthew’s genealogy traced the line through Solomon, while Luke’s traced it through Nathan, another one of David’s sons. It is worth noting that Jesus Christ is the only Jew alive who can actually prove His claims to the throne of David! All of the other records were destroyed when the Romans took Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
To the Jewish people in that day, betrothal (engagement) was equivalent to marriage—except that the man and woman did not live together. They were called “husband and wife,” and, at the end of the engagement period, the marriage was consummated. If a betrothed woman became pregnant, it was considered adultery (see ). But Joseph did not punish or divorce Mary when he discovered she was with child, for the Lord had revealed the truth to him. All of this fulfilled .
Before we leave this important section, we must consider the three names assigned to God’s Son. The name Jesus means “Saviour” and comes from the Hebrew name, Joshua (“Jehovah is salvation”). There were many Jewish boys with the name Joshua (or, in the Greek, Jesus); but Mary’s Boy was called “Jesus the Christ.” The word Christ means “anointed”; it is the Greek equivalent of Messiah. He is “Jesus the Messiah.” Jesus is His human name; Christ is His official title; and Immanuel describes who He is—“God with us.” Jesus Christ is God! We find this name “Immanuel” in and .
The King, then, was a Jewish male who is also the divine Son of God. But, did anybody acknowledge His kingship? Yes, the magi from the East came and worshiped Him.
We must confess that we know little about these men. The word translated “wise men” (magi) refers to a group of scholars who studied the stars. Their title connects them with magic, but they were probably more like astrologers. However, their presence in the biblical record is not a divine endorsement of astrology.
God gave them a special sign, a miraculous star that announced the birth of the King. The star led them to Jerusalem where God’s prophets told them that the King would be born in Bethlehem. They went to Bethlehem, and there they worshiped the Christ Child.
We do not know how many magi there were. From the three gifts listed in , some people have assumed there were three kings from the Orient, though this is not certain. But when their caravan arrived in Jerusalem, there were enough of them to trouble the whole city.
Keep in mind that these men were Gentiles. From the very beginning, Jesus came to be “the Saviour of the world” (). These men were also wealthy, and they were scholars—scientists in their own right. No scholarly person who follows the light God gives him can miss worshiping at the feet of Jesus. In Jesus Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (). In Him dwells “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” ().
The magi were seeking the King, but Herod was afraid of the King and wanted to destroy Him. This was Herod the Great, called king by the Roman senate because of the influence of Mark Antony. Herod was a cruel and crafty man who permitted no one, not even his own family, to interfere with his rule or prevent the satisfying of his evil desires. A ruthless murderer, he had his own wife and her two brothers slain because he suspected them of treason. He was married at least nine times in order to fulfill his lusts and strengthen his political ties.
It is no surprise that Herod tried to kill Jesus, for Herod alone wanted to bear the title “King of the Jews.” But there was another reason. Herod was not a full-blooded Jew; he was actually an Idumaean, a descendant of Esau. This is a picture of the old struggle between Esau and Jacob that began even before the boys were born (). It is the spiritual versus the carnal, the godly versus the worldly.
The magi were seeking the King; Herod was opposing the King; and the Jewish priests were ignoring the King. These priests knew the Scriptures and pointed others to the Saviour, but they would not go to worship Him themselves! They quoted but did not obey it. They were five miles from the very Son of God, yet they did not go to see Him! The Gentiles sought and found Him, but the Jews did not.
indicates that the miraculous star was not always visible to the magi. As they started toward Bethlehem, they saw the star again; and it led them to the house where Jesus was. By now, Joseph had moved Mary and the baby from the temporary dwelling where the Lord Jesus had been born (). The traditional manger scenes that assemble together the shepherds and wise men are not true to Scripture, since the magi arrived much later.
Matthew cites a second fulfilled prophecy to prove that Jesus Christ is the King (). How He was born was a fulfillment of prophecy, and where He was born was a fulfillment of prophecy. Bethlehem means “house of bread,” and this was where the “Bread of Life” came to earth (). Bethlehem in the Old Testament was associated with David who was a type of Jesus Christ in His suffering and glory.
A person is identified not only by his friends, but also by his enemies. Herod pretended that he wanted to worship the newborn King (), when in reality he wanted to destroy Him. God warned Joseph to take the Child and Mary and flee to Egypt. Egypt was close. There were many Jews there, and the treasures received from the magi would more than pay the expenses for traveling and living there. But there was also another prophecy to fulfill, : “I called My Son out of Egypt.”
Herod’s anger was evidence of his pride; he could not permit anyone to get the best of him, particularly some Gentile scholars! This led him to kill the boy babies two years of age and under who were still in Bethlehem. We must not envision hundreds of little boys being killed, for there were not that many male children of that age in a small village like Bethlehem. Even today only about 20,000 people live there. It is likely that not more than 20 children were slain. But, of course, 1 is too many!
Matthew introduced here the theme of hostility, which he focused on throughout his book. Satan is a liar and a murderer (), as was King Herod. He lied to the magi and he murdered the babies. But even this horrendous crime of murder was the fulfillment of prophecy found in . In order to understand this fulfillment, we must review Jewish history.
The first mention of Bethlehem in Scripture is in connection with the death of Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel (). Rachel died giving birth to a son whom she named Benoni, “son of my sorrow.” Jacob renamed his son Benjamin, “son of my right hand.” Both of these names relate to Jesus Christ, for He was a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (), and He is now the Son of God’s right hand (; ). Jacob put up a pillar to mark Rachel’s grave which is near Bethlehem.
Jeremiah’s prophecy was given about 600 years before Christ was born. It grew out of the captivity of Jerusalem. Some of the captives were taken to Ramah in Benjamin, near Jerusalem; and this reminded Jeremiah of Jacob’s sorrow when Rachel died. However, now it was Rachel who was weeping. She represented the mothers of Israel weeping as they saw their sons going into captivity. It was as though Rachel said, “I gave my life to bear a son, and now his descendants are no more.”
Jacob saw Bethlehem as a place of death, but the birth of Jesus made it a place of life! Because of His coming, there would be spiritual deliverance for Israel and, in the future, the establishment of David’s throne and kingdom. Israel, “the son of my sorrow,” would one day become “the son of My right hand.” Jeremiah gave a promise to the nation that they would be restored to their land again (), and this promise was fulfilled. But he gave an even greater promise that the nation would be regathered in the future, and the kingdom established (). This promise shall also be fulfilled.
Very few people today think of Bethlehem as a burial place; they think of it as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. And because He died for us and rose again, we have a bright future before us. We shall live forever with Him in that glorious city where death is no more and where tears never fall.
Herod died in 4 B.C., which means that Jesus was born sometime between 6 and 5 B.C. It is impossible not to notice the parallel between and , the call of Moses. As God’s Son, Jesus was in Egypt and was called out to go to Israel. Moses was outside Egypt, hiding for his life, and he was called to return to Egypt. But in both cases, God’s program of redemption was involved. It took courage for Joseph and his family to leave Egypt, and it took courage for Moses to return to Egypt.
Archelaus was one of Herod’s sons, and to him Herod had willed the title of king. However, the Jews discovered that, in spite of his promises of kindness, Archelaus was as wicked as his father. So they sent a delegation to Rome to protest his crowning. Augustus Caesar agreed with the Jews and made Archelaus an ethnarch over half of his father’s kingdom. (Jesus may have had this bit of Jewish history in mind when He told the Parable of the Pounds in .)
The whole episode is a good example of how God leads His children. Joseph knew that he and his family were no safer under the rule of Archelaus than they had been under Herod the Great. It is likely they were heading back to Bethlehem when they discovered that Archelaus was on the throne. Certainly, Joseph and Mary prayed, waited, and sought God’s will. Common sense told them to be careful; faith told them to wait. In due time, God spoke to Joseph in a dream, and he took his wife and her Son to Nazareth, which had been their home earlier ().
But even this fulfilled prophecy! Once again, Matthew points out that every detail in the life of Jesus was foretold in the Scriptures. It is important to note that Matthew did not refer to only one prophet in , but instead says “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets” (plural).
We will not find any specific prophecy that called Jesus a “Nazarene.” The term Nazarene was one of reproach: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” () In many Old Testament prophecies, the Messiah’s lowly life of rejection is mentioned; and this may be what Matthew had in mind (see Ps. 22; , ). The term “Nazarene” was applied both to Jesus and His followers (); and He was often called “Jesus of Nazareth” (; ; , ).
But perhaps Matthew, led by the Spirit, saw a spiritual connection between the name “Nazarene” and the Hebrew word netzer, which means “a branch or shoot.” Several prophets apply this title to Jesus (see ; ; ; ; ; ).
Our Lord grew up in Nazareth and was identified with that city. In fact, His enemies thought He had been born there; for they said that He came from Galilee (). Had they investigated the temple records, they would have discovered that He had been born in Bethlehem.
Who ever heard of a king being born in a humble village and growing up in a despised city? The humility of the King is certainly something to admire and imitate ().
Matthew 3–4
Some thirty years passed between chapters 2 and 3 of Matthew, during which Jesus lived in Nazareth and worked as a carpenter (; ). But the time came for Him to begin His public ministry which would culminate at the cross. Was He still qualified to be King? Had anything taken place that would disqualify Him? In chapters 2 and 3, Matthew assembled the testimonies of five witnesses to the person of Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God and the King.
For over 400 years, the nation had not heard the voice of a prophet. Then John appeared and a great revival took place. Consider four facts about John.
His message (vv. , ). John’s preaching centered on repentance and the kingdom of heaven. The word repent means “to change one’s mind and act on that change.” John was not satisfied with regret or remorse; he wanted “fruits meet for repentance” (). There had to be evidence of a changed mind and a changed life.
All kinds of people came to hear John preach and to watch the great baptismal services he conducted. Many publicans and sinners came in sincere humility (), but the religious leaders refused to submit. They thought that they were good enough to please God; yet John called them a “generation of vipers.” Jesus used the same language when He dealt with this self-righteous crowd (; ; ).
The Pharisees were the traditionalists of their day, while the Sadducees were more liberal (see ). The wealthy Sadducees controlled the “temple business” that Jesus cleaned out. These two groups usually fought each other for control of the nation, but when it came to opposing Jesus Christ, the Pharisees and Sadducees united forces.
John’s message was one of judgment. Israel had sinned and needed to repent, and the religious leaders ought to lead the way. The ax was lying at the root of the tree; and if the tree (Israel) did not bear good fruit, it would be cut down (see ). If the nation repented, the way would be prepared for the coming of the Messiah.
His authority (vv. ). John fulfilled the prophecy given in . In a spiritual sense, John was “Elijah who was to come” for he came in the “spirit and power of Elijah” (). He even dressed as Elijah did and preached the same message of judgment (). John was the last of the Old Testament prophets () and the greatest of them (; see ).
The Jews baptized Gentile converts, but John was baptizing Jews! His baptism was authorized from heaven (); it was not something John devised or borrowed. It was a baptism of repentance, looking forward to the Messiah’s coming (). His baptism fulfilled two purposes: it prepared the nation for Christ and it presented Christ to the nation ().
But John mentioned two other baptisms: a baptism of the Spirit and a baptism of fire (). The baptism of the Spirit came at Pentecost (, and note that Jesus said nothing about fire). Today, whenever a sinner trusts Christ, he is born again and immediately baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ, the church (). In contrast, the baptism of fire refers to the future judgment, as Matthew explains ().
His obedience (vv. ). Jesus was not baptized because He was a repentant sinner. Even John tried to stop Jesus, but the Lord knew it was His Father’s will. Why was Jesus baptized? First, His baptism gave approval to John’s ministry. Second, He identified Himself with publicans and sinners, the very people He came to save. But mainly, His baptism pictured His future baptism on the cross (; ) when all the “waves and billows” of God’s judgment would go over Him (; ).
Thus, John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and also as the Lamb of God (). Because of John’s witness, many sinners trusted Jesus Christ ().
The coming of the Holy Spirit like a dove identified Jesus to John (), and also assured Jesus as He began His ministry that the Spirit’s ministry would always be His (). The dove is a beautiful symbol of the Spirit of God in its purity and in its ministry of peace. The first time we see a dove in Scripture is in . Noah sent out two birds, a raven and a dove; but only the dove came back. The raven represented the flesh; there was plenty for the raven to eat outside the ark! But the dove would not defile itself on the carcasses, so it came back to the ark. The second time the dove was released, it returned with an olive leaf, a symbol of peace. The third time, the dove did not return.
There may be another picture here. The name Jonah means “dove,” and he too experienced a baptism! Jesus used Jonah as a type of Himself in death, burial, and resurrection (). Jonah was sent to the Gentiles, and Jesus would minister to the Gentiles.
On three special occasions, the Father spoke from heaven: at Christ’s baptism, at the Transfiguration (), and as Christ approached the cross (). In the past, God spoke to His Son; today He is speaking through His Son ().
The Father’s statement from heaven seems to be an echo of —“The Lord hath said unto Me, ‘Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.’ ” informs us that this “begetting” refers to His resurrection from the dead, and not to His birth at Bethlehem. This statement ties in perfectly with the Lord’s baptismal experience of death, burial, and resurrection.
But the Father’s statement also relates Jesus Christ to the “Suffering Servant” prophesied in Isaiah 40–53. In , Matthew quoted from , where the Messiah-Servant is called “My beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased.” The Servant described in Isaiah is humble, rejected, made to suffer and die, but is also seen to come forth in victory. While the nation of Israel is seen dimly in some of these “Servant Songs,” it is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is revealed most clearly in them. Again, we see the connection with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection.
Finally, the Father’s statement approved all that Jesus had done up to that point. His “hidden years in Nazareth” were years of pleasing the Father. Certainly, the Father’s commendation was a great encouragement to the Son as He started His ministry.
From the high and holy experience of blessing at the Jordan, Jesus was led into the wilderness for testing. Jesus was not tempted so that the Father could learn anything about His Son, for the Father had already given Jesus His divine approval. Jesus was tempted so that every creature in heaven, on earth, or under the earth might know that Jesus Christ is the Conqueror. He exposed Satan and his tactics, and He defeated Satan. Because of His victory, we can have victory over the tempter.
Just as the first Adam met Satan, so the Last Adam met the enemy (). Adam met Satan in a beautiful Garden, but Jesus met him in a terrible wilderness. Adam had everything he needed, but Jesus was hungry after forty days of fasting. Adam lost the battle and plunged humanity into sin and death. But Jesus won the battle and went on to defeat Satan in more battles, culminating in His final victory on the cross (; ).
Our Lord’s experience of temptation prepared Him to be our sympathetic High Priest (; ). It is important to note that Jesus faced the enemy as man, not as the Son of God. His first word was, “Man shall not live by bread alone.” We must not think that Jesus used His divine powers to overcome the enemy, because that is just what the enemy wanted Him to do! Jesus used the spiritual resources that are available to us today: the power of the Holy Spirit of God (), and the power of the Word of God (“It is written”). Jesus had nothing in His nature that would give Satan a foothold (), but His temptations were real just the same. Temptation involves the will, and Jesus came to do the Father’s will ().
The first temptation (vv. ). This involved the love of God and the will of God. “Since You are God’s beloved Son, why doesn’t Your Father feed You? Why does He put You into this terrible wilderness?” This temptation sounded like Satan’s words to Eve in Genesis 3! It is a subtle suggestion that our Father does not love us.
But there was another suggestion: “Use Your divine powers to meet Your own needs.” When we put our physical needs ahead of our spiritual needs, we sin. When we allow circumstances to dictate our actions, instead of following God’s will, we sin. Jesus could have turned the stones into bread, but He would have been exercising His powers independently of the Father; and He came to obey the Father (; ).
The Lord quoted to defeat Satan. Feeding on and obeying God’s Word is more important than consuming physical food. In fact, it is our food ().
The second temptation (vv. ). The second temptation was even more subtle. This time Satan also used the Word of God. “So You intend to live by the Scriptures,” he implied. “Then let me quote You a verse of Scripture and see if You will obey it!” Satan took the Lord Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, probably 500 feet above the Kidron Valley. Satan then quoted from where God promised to care for His own. “If You really believe the Scriptures, then jump! Let’s see if the Father cares for You!”
Note carefully our Lord’s reply: “It is written AGAIN” (, emphasis mine). We must never divorce one part of Scripture from another, but we must always “compare spiritual things with spiritual” (). We can prove almost anything by the Bible if we isolate texts from the contexts and turn them into pretexts. Satan had cleverly omitted the phrase “in all Thy ways” when he quoted from Psalm 91. When the child of God is in the will of God, the Father will protect him. He watches over those who are “in His ways.”
Jesus replied with : “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” We tempt God when we put ourselves into circumstances that force Him to work miracles on our behalf. The diabetic who refuses to take insulin and argues, “Jesus will take care of me,” may be tempting the Lord. We tempt God when we try to force Him to contradict His own Word. It is important for us as believers to read all Scripture, and study all God has to say, for all of it is profitable for daily life ().
The third temptation (vv. ). The devil offered Jesus a shortcut to His kingdom. Jesus knew that He would suffer and die before He entered into His glory (; ; ). If He bowed down and worshiped Satan just once (this is the force of the Greek verb), He could enjoy all the glory without enduring the suffering. Satan has always wanted worship, because Satan has always wanted to be God (). Worshiping the creature instead of the Creator is the lie that rules our world today ().
There are no shortcuts to the will of God. If we want to share in the glory, we must also share in the suffering (). As the prince of this world, Satan could offer these kingdoms to Christ (; ). But Jesus did not need Satan’s offer. The Father had already promised Jesus the kingdom! “Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen [nations] for Thine inheritance” (). You find the same promise in , and this is the psalm of the cross.
Our Lord replied with : “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Satan had said nothing about service, but Jesus knew that whatever we worship, we will serve. Worship and service must go together.
Satan slunk away, a defeated foe; but he did not cease to tempt Jesus. We could translate , “And when the devil had ended every possible kind of temptation, he stood off from Him until a suitable season.” Through Peter, Satan again tempted Jesus to abandon the cross (); and through the crowd that had been fed, Satan tempted Jesus to an “easy kingdom” (). One victory never guarantees freedom from further temptation. If anything, each victory we experience only makes Satan try harder.
Notice that Luke’s account reverses the order of the second and third temptations as recorded in Matthew. The word “then” in seems to indicate sequence. Luke only uses the simple conjunction “and” and does not say he is following a sequence. Our Lord’s command at the end of the third temptation (“Get thee hence, Satan!”) is proof that Matthew followed the historical order. There is no contradiction since Luke did not claim to follow the actual sequence.
After Jesus Christ had defeated Satan, He was ready to begin His ministry. No man has a right to call others to obey who has not obeyed himself. Our Lord proved Himself to be the perfect King whose sovereignty is worthy of our respect and obedience. But, true to his purpose, Matthew had one more witness to call to prove the kingship of Jesus Christ.
Matthew has already shown us that every detail of our Lord’s life was controlled by the Word of God. Remember that between the end of His temptation and the statement in comes the ministry described in through . We must not think that John the Baptist was thrown into prison immediately after our Lord’s temptation. Matthew wrote his book topically rather than chronologically. Consult a good harmony of the Gospels to study the sequence of events.
In , Matthew quoted Isaiah (see ). The prophet wrote about people who “walked” in darkness, but by the time Matthew quoted the passage, the situation was so discouraging that the people were sitting in darkness! Jesus Christ brought the Light to them. He made His headquarters in Capernaum in “Galilee of the Gentiles,” another reference to the universal outreach of the Gospel’s message. In Galilee there was a mixed population that was somewhat despised by the racially “pure” citizens of Judea.
How did Jesus bring this Light to Galilee? We are told in : through His teaching, preaching, and healing. This emphasis is found often in the Gospel of Matthew; see ; ; ; ; ; . Matthew was quite clear that He healed “all manner of sickness and all manner of disease” (). There was no case too difficult for Him!
The result of these great miracles was a tremendous fame for Jesus, and a great following of people from many areas. “Syria” refers to an area in northern Galilee. “Decapolis” means “ten cities” and was a district made up of ten cities originally built by followers of Alexander the Great. The Decapolis was in the northeastern part of Galilee. “Beyond Jordan” means Perea, the area east of the Jordan. News traveled fast, and those who had afflicted friends or family members brought them to Jesus for healing.
Matthew listed some of the “cases” in . “Diseases and torments” could cover almost any disease. Of course, our Lord often delivered people from demons. The term “lunatic” did not refer to people who were insane. Rather, it was used to describe those afflicted with epilepsy (see ). Palsy meant “paralytic.”
Miracles of healing were but a part of Christ’s ministry throughout Galilee; for He also taught and preached the Word. The “light” that Isaiah promised was the Light of the Word of God, as well as the Light of His perfect life and compassionate ministry. The word preach in and means “to announce as a herald.” Jesus proclaimed with authority the Good News that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.
The phrase kingdom of heaven is found thirty-two times in Matthew’s Gospel. The phrase kingdom of God is found only five times (; ; ; , ). Out of reverence for the holy name of the Lord, the Jews would not mention “God” but would substitute the word “heaven.” The Prodigal Son confessed that he had sinned “against heaven,” meaning, of course, against God. In many places where Matthew uses kingdom of heaven, the parallel passages in Mark and Luke use kingdom of God.
In the New Testament, the word kingdom means “rule, reign, authority” rather than a place or a specific realm. The phrase “kingdom of heaven” refers to the rule of God. The Jewish leaders wanted a political leader who would deliver them from Rome; but Jesus came to bring spiritual rule to the hearts of people. This does not deny the reality of a future kingdom as we have already noted.
But Jesus not only proclaimed the Good News and taught the people God’s truth, He also called to Himself a few disciples whom He could train for the work of the kingdom. In we read of the call of Peter, Andrew, James, and John, men who had already met Jesus and trusted Him (). They had gone back to their fishing business, but He came and called them to give up their business and follow Him. The details of this call may be found in and .
The term “fishers of men” was not new. For centuries, Greek and Roman philosophers had used it to describe the work of the man who seeks to “catch” others by teaching and persuasion. “Fishing for men” is but one of many pictures of evangelism in the Bible, and we must not limit ourselves to it. Jesus also talked about the shepherd seeking the lost sheep (), and the workers in the harvest-field (). Since these four men were involved in the fishing business, it was logical for Jesus to use this approach.
Jesus had four and possibly seven men in the band of disciples who were professional fishermen (see ). Why would Jesus call so many fishermen to His side? For one thing, fishermen were busy people; usually professional fishermen did not sit around doing nothing. They either sorted their catch, prepared for a catch, or mended their equipment. The Lord needs busy people who are not afraid to work.
Fishermen have to be courageous and patient people. It certainly takes patience and courage to win others to Christ. Fishermen must have skill; they must learn from others where to find the fish and how to catch them. Soul-winning demands skill too. These men had to work together, and the work of the Lord demands cooperation. But most of all, fishing demands faith: fishermen cannot see the fish and are not sure their nets will enclose them. Soul-winning requires faith and alertness too, or we will fail.
Matthew has presented to us the person of the King. Every witness affirms, “This is the Son of God, this is the King!”
Matthew 5
The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most misunderstood messages that Jesus ever gave. One group says it is God’s plan of salvation, that if we ever hope to go to heaven we must obey these rules. Another group calls it a “charter for world peace” and begs the nations of the earth to accept it. Still a third group tells us that the Sermon on the Mount does not apply to today, but that it will apply at some future time, perhaps during the Tribulation or the millennial kingdom.
I have always felt that was the key to this important sermon: “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The main theme is true righteousness. The religious leaders had an artificial, external righteousness based on Law. But the righteousness Jesus described is a true and vital righteousness that begins internally, in the heart. The Pharisees were concerned about the minute details of conduct, but they neglected the major matter of character. Conduct flows out of character.
Whatever applications the Sermon on the Mount may have to world problems, or to future events, it is certain that this sermon has definite applications for us today. Jesus gave this message to individual believers, not to the unsaved world at large. What was taught in the Sermon on the Mount is repeated in the New Testament epistles for the church today. Jesus originally gave these words to His disciples (), and they have shared them with us.
In this chapter, Jesus gave three explanations about true, spiritual righteousness.
Being a master Teacher, our Lord did not begin this important sermon with a negative criticism of the scribes and Pharisees. He began with a positive emphasis on righteous character and the blessings that it brings to the life of the believer. The Pharisees taught that righteousness was an external thing, a matter of obeying rules and regulations. Righteousness could be measured by praying, giving, fasting, etc. In the Beatitudes and the pictures of the believer, Jesus described Christian character that flowed from within.
Imagine how the crowd’s attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word: “Blessed.” (The Latin word for blessed is beatus, and from this comes the word beatitude.) This was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus that day. To them it meant “divine joy and perfect happiness.” The word was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the gods or the dead. “Blessed” implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness. This is what the Lord offers those who trust Him!
The Beatitudes describe the attitudes that ought to be in our lives today. Four attitudes are described here.
Our attitude toward ourselves (v. ). To be poor in spirit means to be humble, to have a correct estimate of oneself (). It does not mean to be “poor spirited” and have no backbone at all! “Poor in spirit” is the opposite of the world’s attitudes of self-praise and self-assertion. It is not a false humility that says, “I am not worth anything, I can’t do anything!” It is honesty with ourselves: we know ourselves, accept ourselves, and try to be ourselves to the glory of God.
Our attitude toward our sins (vv. ). We mourn over sin and despise it. We see sin the way God sees it and seek to treat it the way God does. Those who cover sin or defend sin certainly have the wrong attitude. We should not only mourn over our sins, but we should also meekly submit to God (see ; ).
Meekness is not weakness, for both Moses and Jesus were meek men (; ). This word translated “meek” was used by the Greeks to describe a horse that had been broken. It refers to power under control.
Our attitude toward the Lord (vv. ). We experience God’s mercy when we trust Christ (), and He gives us a clean heart () and peace within (). But having received His mercy, we then share His mercy with others. We seek to keep our hearts pure that we might see God in our lives today. We become peacemakers in a troubled world and channels for God’s mercy, purity, and peace.
Our attitude toward the world (vv. ). It is not easy to be a dedicated Christian. Our society is not a friend to God nor to God’s people. Whether we like it or not, there is conflict between us and the world. Why? Because we are different from the world and we have different attitudes.
As we read the Beatitudes, we find that they represent an outlook radically different from that of the world. The world praises pride, not humility. The world endorses sin, especially if you “get away with it.” The world is at war with God, while God is seeking to reconcile His enemies and make them His children. We must expect to be persecuted if we are living as God wants us to live. But we must be sure that our suffering is not due to our own foolishness or disobedience.
How True Righteousness Comes ()
Certainly after the crowd heard our Lord’s description of the kind of person God blesses, they said to themselves, “But we could never attain that kind of character. How can we have this righteousness? Where does it come from?” They wondered how His teaching related to what they had been taught all their lives. What about Moses and the Law?
In the Law of Moses, God certainly revealed His standards for holy living. The Pharisees defended the Law and sought to obey it. But Jesus said that the true righteousness that pleases God must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees—and to the common people, the scribes and Pharisees were the holiest men in the community! If they had not attained, what hope was there for anybody else?
Jesus explained His own attitude toward the Law by describing three possible relationships.
We can seek to destroy the Law (v. ). The Pharisees thought Jesus was doing this. To begin with, His authority did not come from any of the recognized leaders or schools. Instead of teaching “from authorities” as did the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus taught with authority.
Not only in His authority, but also in His activity, Jesus seemed to defy the Law. He deliberately healed people on the Sabbath Day and paid no attention to the traditions of the Pharisees. Our Lord’s associations also seemed contrary to the Law, for He was the friend of publicans and sinners.
Yet, it was the Pharisees who were destroying the Law! By their traditions, they robbed the people of the Word of God; and by their hypocritical lives, they disobeyed the very Law that they claimed to protect. The Pharisees thought they were conserving God’s Word, when in reality they were preserving God’s Word: embalming it so that it no longer had life! Their rejection of Christ when He came to earth proved that the inner truth of the Law had not penetrated their hearts.
Jesus made it clear that He had come to honor the Law and help God’s people love it, learn it, and live it. He would not accept the artificial righteousness of the religious leaders. Their righteousness was only an external masquerade. Their religion was a dead ritual, not a living relationship. It was artificial; it did not reproduce itself in others in a living way. It made them proud, not humble; it led to bondage, not liberty.
We can seek to fulfill the Law (v. ). Jesus Christ fulfilled God’s Law in every area of His life. He fulfilled it in His birth because He was “made under the Law” (). Every prescribed ritual for a Jewish boy was performed on Him by His parents. He certainly fulfilled the Law in His life, for nobody was ever able to accuse Him of sin. While He did not submit to the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees, He always did what God commanded in the Law. The Father was “well pleased” with His Son (; ).
Jesus also fulfilled the Law in His teaching. It was this that brought Him into conflict with the religious leaders. When He began His ministry, Jesus found the Living Word of God encrusted with man-made traditions and interpretations. He broke away this thick crust of “religion” and brought the people back to God’s Word. Then, He opened the Word to them in a new and living way—they were accustomed to the “letter” of the Law and not the inner “kernel” of life.
But it was in His death and resurrection that Jesus especially fulfilled the Law. He bore the curse of the Law (). He fulfilled the Old Testament types and ceremonies so that they no longer are required of the people of God (see Heb. 9–10). He set aside the Old Covenant and brought in the New Covenant.
Jesus did not destroy the Law by fighting it; He destroyed it by fulfilling it! Perhaps an illustration will make this clear. If I have an acorn, I can destroy it in one of two ways. I can put it on a rock and smash it to bits with a hammer. Or, I can plant it in the ground and let it fulfill itself by becoming an oak tree.
When Jesus died, He rent the veil of the temple and opened the way into the holiest (). He broke down the wall that separated the Jews and Gentiles (). Because the Law was fulfilled in Christ, we no longer need temples made with hands () or religious rituals ().
How can we fulfill the Law? By yielding to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work in our lives (). The Holy Spirit enables us to experience the “righteousness of the law” in daily life. This does not mean we live sinlessly perfect lives, but it does mean that Christ lives out His life through us by the power of His Spirit ().
When we read the Beatitudes, we see the perfect character of Jesus Christ. While Jesus never had to mourn over His sins, since He was sinless, He was still a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (). He never had to hunger and thirst after righteousness since He was the holy Son of God, but He did delight in the Father’s will and find His satisfaction in doing it (). The only way we can experience the righteousness of the Beatitudes is through the power of Christ.
We can seek to do and teach the Law (v. ). This does not mean we major on the Old Testament and ignore the New! Second Corinthians 3 makes it clear that ours is a ministry of the New Covenant. But there is a proper ministry of the Law () that is not contrary to the glorious message of God’s grace. Jesus wants us to know more of the righteousness of God, obey it, and share it with others. The moral law of God has not changed. Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament epistles and commanded to believers. (The exception is the Sabbath commandment, which was given as a sign to Israel, see .)
We do not obey an external Law because of fear. No, believers today obey an internal Law and live because of love. The Holy Spirit teaches us the Word and enables us to obey. Sin is still sin, and God still punishes sin. In fact, we in this present age are more responsible because we have been taught and given more!
How Righteousness Works in Daily Life ()
Jesus took six important Old Testament laws and interpreted them for His people in the light of the new life He came to give. He made a fundamental change without altering God’s standards: He dealt with the attitudes and intents of the heart and not simply with the external action. The Pharisees said that righteousness consisted of performing certain actions, but Jesus said it centered in the attitudes of the heart.
Likewise, with sin: The Pharisees had a list of external actions that were sinful, but Jesus explained that sin came from the attitudes of the heart. Anger is murder in the heart; lust is adultery in the heart. The person who says that he “lives by the Sermon on the Mount” may not realize that the Sermon on the Mount is more difficult to keep than the original Ten Commandments!
Murder (vv. ; ). I have read that one out of every thirty-five deaths in Chicago is a murder, and that most of these murders are “crimes of passion” caused by anger among friends or relatives. Jesus did not say that anger leads to murder; He said that anger is murder.
There is a holy anger against sin (), but Jesus talked about an unholy anger against people. The word He used in means “a settled anger, malice that is nursed inwardly.” Jesus described a sinful experience that involved several stages. First there was causeless anger. This anger then exploded into words: “Raca—empty-headed person!” These words added fuel to the fire so that the person said, “You fool—rebel!”
Anger is such a foolish thing. It makes us destroyers instead of builders. It robs us of freedom and makes us prisoners. To hate someone is to commit murder in our hearts ().
This does not mean that we should go ahead and murder someone we hate, since we have already sinned inwardly. Obviously, sinful feelings are not excuses for sinful deeds. Sinful anger robs us of fellowship with God as well as with our brothers, but it does not put us into jail as murderers. However, more than one person has become a murderer because he failed to control sinful anger.
Sinful anger must be faced honestly and must be confessed to God as sin. We must go to our brother and get the matter settled, and we must do it quickly. The longer we wait, the worse the bondage becomes! We put ourselves into a terrible prison when we refuse to be reconciled. (See for additional counsel.) It has well been said that the person who refuses to forgive his brother destroys the very bridge over which he himself must walk.
Adultery (vv. ; ). Jesus affirmed God’s law of purity, and then explained that the intent of this law was to reveal the sanctity of sex and the sinfulness of the human heart. God created sex, and God protects sex. He has the authority to regulate it and to punish those who rebel against His laws. He does not regulate sex because He wants to rob us, but rather, because He wants to bless us. Whenever God says, “No” it is that He might say “Yes.”
Sexual impurity begins in the desires of the heart. Again, Jesus is not saying that lustful desires are identical to lustful deeds, and therefore a person might just as well go ahead and commit adultery. The desire and the deed are not identical, but, spiritually speaking, they are equivalent. The “look” that Jesus mentioned was not a casual glance, but a constant stare with the purpose of lusting. It is possible for a man to glance at a beautiful woman and know that she is beautiful, but not lust after her. The man Jesus described looked at the woman for the purpose of feeding his inner sensual appetites as a substitute for the act. It was not accidental; it was planned.
How do we get victory? By purifying the desires of the heart (appetite leads to action) and disciplining the actions of the body. Obviously, our Lord is not talking about literal surgery; for this would not solve the problem in the heart. The eye and the hand are usually the two “culprits” when it comes to sexual sins, so they must be disciplined. Jesus said, “Deal immediately and decisively with sin! Don’t taper off—cut off!” Spiritual surgery is more important than physical surgery, for the sins of the body can lead to eternal judgment. We think of passages like and ; ; .
Divorce (vv. ). Our Lord dealt with this in greater detail in , and we shall consider it there.
Swearing (vv. ; ; ). This is not the sin of “cursing,” but the sin of using oaths to affirm that what is said is true. The Pharisees used all kinds of tricks to sidestep the truth, and oaths were among them. They would avoid using the holy name of God, but they would come close by using the city of Jerusalem, heaven, earth, or some part of the body.
Jesus taught that our conversation should be so honest, and our character so true, that we would not need “crutches” to get people to believe us. Words depend on character, and oaths cannot compensate for a poor character. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin; but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (). The more words a man uses to convince us, the more suspicious we should be.
Retaliation (vv. ; ). The original law was a fair one; it kept people from forcing the offender to pay a greater price than the offense deserved. It also prevented people from taking personal revenge. Jesus replaced a law with an attitude: be willing to suffer loss yourself rather than cause another to suffer. Of course, He applied this to personal insults, not to groups or nations. The person who retaliates only makes himself and the offender feel worse; and the result is a settled war and not peace.
In order to “turn the other cheek,” we must stay where we are and not run away. This demands both faith and love. It also means that we will be hurt, but it is better to be hurt on the outside than to be harmed on the inside. But it further means that we should try to help the sinner. We are vulnerable, because he may attack us anew; but we are also victorious, because Jesus is on our side, helping us and building our characters. Psychologists tell us that violence is born of weakness, not strength. It is the strong man who can love and suffer hurt; it is the weak man who thinks only of himself and hurts others to protect himself. He hurts others then runs away to protect himself.
Love of enemies (vv. ; ). Nowhere did the Law teach hatred for one’s enemies. Passages like indicate just the opposite! Jesus defined our enemies as those who curse us, hate us, and exploit us selfishly. Since Christian love is an act of the will, and not simply an emotion, He has the right to command us to love our enemies. After all, He loved us when we were His enemies (). We may show this love by blessing those who curse us, doing good to them, and praying for them. When we pray for our enemies, we find it easier to love them. It takes the “poison” out of our attitudes.
Jesus gave several reasons for this admonition. (1) This love is a mark of maturity, proving that we are sons of the Father, and not just little children. (2) It is Godlike. The Father shares His good things with those who oppose Him. suggests that our love “creates a climate” of blessings that makes it easy to win our enemies and make them our friends. Love is like the sunshine and rain that the Father sends so graciously. (3) It is a testimony to others. “What do ye more than others?” is a good question. God expects us to live on a much higher plane than the lost people of the world who return good for good and evil for evil. As Christians, we must return good for evil as an investment of love.
The word perfect in does not imply sinlessly perfect, for that is impossible in this life (though it is a good goal to strive for). It suggests completeness, maturity, as the sons of God. The Father loves His enemies and seeks to make them His children, and we should assist Him!
Matthew 6
The true righteousness of the kingdom must be applied in the everyday activities of life. This is the emphasis in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus related this principle to our relationships to God in worship (), our relationship to material things (), and our relationship to other people ().
Jesus also warned about the danger of hypocrisy (, , ), the sin of using religion to cover up sin. A hypocrite is not a person who falls short of his high ideals, or who occasionally sins, because all of us experience these failures. A hypocrite deliberately uses religion to cover up his sins and promote his own gains. The Greek word translated hypocrite originally meant “an actor who wears a mask.”
The righteousness of the Pharisees was insincere and dishonest. They practiced their religion for the applause of men, not for the reward of God. But true righteousness must come from within. We should test ourselves to see whether we are sincere and honest in our Christian commitment. In this chapter, Christ applied this test to four different areas of life.
Giving alms to the poor, praying, and fasting were important disciplines in the religion of the Pharisees. Jesus did not condemn these practices, but He did caution us to make sure that our hearts are right as we practice them. The Pharisees used almsgiving to gain favor with God and attention from men, both of which were wrong motives. No amount of giving can purchase salvation; for salvation is the gift of God (). And to live for the praise of men is a foolish thing because the glory of man does not last (). It is the glory and praise of God that really counts!
Our sinful nature is so subtle that it can defile even a good thing like sharing with the poor. If our motive is to get the praise of men, then like the Pharisees, we will call attention to what we are doing. But if our motive is to serve God in love and please Him, then we will give our gifts without calling attention to them. As a result, we will grow spiritually; God will be glorified; and others will be helped. But if we give with the wrong motive, we rob ourselves of blessing and reward and rob God of glory, even though the money we share might help a needy person.
Does this mean that it is wrong to give openly? Must all giving be anonymous? Not necessarily, for everyone in the early church knew that Barnabas had given the income from the sale of his land (). When the church members laid their money at the Apostles’ feet, it was not done in secret. The difference, of course, was in the motive and manner in which it was done. A contrast is Ananias and Sapphira (), who tried to use their gift to make people think they were more spiritual than they really were.
Jesus gave four instructions to guide us in our praying.
We must pray in secret before we pray in public (v. ). It is not wrong to pray in public in the assembly (), or even when blessing food () or seeking God’s help (; ). But it is wrong to pray in public if we are not in the habit of praying in private. Observers may think that we are practicing prayer when we are not, and this is hypocrisy. The word translated closet means “a private chamber.” It could refer to the store-chamber in a house. Our Lord prayed privately (); so did Elisha () and Daniel ().
We must pray sincerely (vv. ). The fact that a request is repeated does not make it a “vain repetition”; for both Jesus and Paul repeated their petitions (; ). A request becomes a “vain repetition” if it is only a babbling of words without a sincere heart desire to seek and do God’s will. The mere reciting of memorized prayers can be vain repetition. The Gentiles had such prayers in their pagan ceremonies (see ).
My friend Dr. Robert A. Cook has often said, “All of us have one routine prayer in our system; and once we get rid of it, then we can really start to pray!” I have noticed this, not only in my own praying, but often when I have conducted prayer meetings. With some people, praying is like putting the needle on a phonograph record and then forgetting about it. But God does not answer insincere prayers.
We must pray in God’s will (vv. ). This prayer is known familiarly as “The Lord’s Prayer,” but “The Disciples’ Prayer” would be a more accurate title. Jesus did not give this prayer to us to be memorized and recited a given number of times. In fact, He gave this prayer to keep us from using vain repetitions. Jesus did not say, “Pray in these words.” He said, “Pray after this manner”; that is, “Use this prayer as a pattern, not as a substitute.”
The purpose of prayer is to glorify God’s name, and to ask for help to accomplish His will on earth. This prayer begins with God’s interests, not ours: God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will. Robert Law has said, “Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done in earth.” We have no right to ask God for anything that will dishonor His name, delay His kingdom, or disturb His will on earth.
It is worth noting that there are no singular pronouns in this prayer; they are all plural. It begins with “OUR Father.” When we pray, we must remember that we are part of God’s worldwide family of believers. We have no right to ask for ourselves anything that would harm another member of the family. If we are praying in the will of God, the answer will be a blessing to all of God’s people in one way or another.
If we put God’s concerns first, then we can bring our own needs. God is concerned about our needs and knows them even before we mention them (). If this is the case, then why pray? Because prayer is the God-appointed way to have these needs met (see ). Prayer prepares us for the proper use of the answer. If we know our need, and if we voice it to God, trusting Him for His provision, then we will make better use of the answer than if God forced it on us without our asking.
It is right to pray for daily physical needs, for forgiveness, and for guidance and protection from evil. “Lead us not into temptation” does not mean that God tempts His children (). In this petition we are asking God to guide us so that we will not get out of His will and get involved in a situation of temptation (), or even in a situation of tempting God so that He must miraculously rescue us ().
We must pray, having a forgiving spirit toward others (vv. ). In this “appendix” to the prayer, Jesus expanded the last phrase of , “as we forgive our debtors.” He later repeated this lesson to His disciples (). He was not teaching that believers earned God’s forgiveness by forgiving others; for this would be contrary to God’s free grace and mercy. However, if we have truly experienced God’s forgiveness, then we will have a readiness to forgive others (; ). Our Lord illustrated this principle in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant ().
We have seen that true praying is a “family affair” (“Our Father”). If the members of the family are not getting along with one another, how can they claim to have a right relationship with the Father? The emphasis in 1 John 4 is that we show our love for God by loving our brothers. When we forgive each other, we are not earning the right to prayer; for the privilege of prayer is a part of our sonship (). Forgiveness belongs to the matter of fellowship: If I am not in fellowship with God, I cannot pray effectively. But fellowship with my brother helps to determine my fellowship with God; hence, forgiveness is important to prayer.
Since prayer involves glorifying God’s name, hastening the coming of God’s kingdom (), and helping to accomplish God’s will on earth, the one praying must not have sin in his heart. If God answered the prayers of a believer who had an unforgiving spirit, He would dishonor His own name. How could God work through such a person to get His will done on earth? If God gave him his requests, He would be encouraging sin! The important thing about prayer is not simply getting an answer, but being the kind of person whom God can trust with an answer.
The only fast that God actually required of the Jewish people was on the annual Day of Atonement (). The Pharisees fasted each Monday and Thursday () and did so in such a way that people knew they were fasting. Their purpose, of course, was to win the praise of men. As a result, the Pharisees lost God’s blessing.
It is not wrong to fast, if we do it in the right way and with the right motive. Jesus fasted (); so did the members of the early church (). Fasting helps to discipline the appetites of the body () and keep our spiritual priorities straight. But fasting must never become an opportunity for temptation (). Simply to deprive ourselves of a natural benefit (such as food or sleep) is not of itself fasting. We must devote ourselves to God and worship Him. Unless there is the devotion of the heart (see Zech. 7) there is no lasting spiritual benefit.
As with giving and praying, true fasting must be done in secret; it is between the believer and God. To “make unsightly” our faces (by looking glum and asking for pity and praise) would be to destroy the very purpose of the fast. Our Lord here laid down a basic principle of spiritual living: Nothing that is truly spiritual will violate that which God has given us in nature. God usually does not tear down one good thing in order to build up another. If we have to look miserable to be considered spiritual, then there is something wrong with our views of spirituality.
Remember that hypocrisy robs us of reality in Christian living. We substitute reputation for character, mere words for true prayer, money for the devotion of the heart. No wonder Jesus compared the Pharisees to tombs that were whitewashed on the outside, but filthy on the inside! ()
But hypocrisy not only robs us of character, it also robs us of spiritual rewards. Instead of the eternal approval of God, we receive the shallow praise of men. We pray, but there are no answers. We fast, but the inner man shows no improvement. The spiritual life becomes hollow and lifeless. We miss the blessing of God here and now, and also lose the reward of God when Christ returns.
Hypocrisy also robs us of spiritual influence. The Pharisees were a negative influence; whatever they touched was defiled and destroyed. The people who admired them and obeyed the Pharisees’ words thought they themselves were being helped, when in reality, they were being hurt.
The first step toward overcoming hypocrisy is to be honest with God in our secret life. We must never pray anything that we do not mean from the heart; otherwise, our prayers are simply empty words. Our motive must be to please God alone, no matter what men may say or do. We must cultivate the heart in the secret place. It has well been said, “The most important part of a Christian’s life is the part that only God sees.” When reputation becomes more important than character, we have become hypocrites.
We are accustomed to dividing life into the “spiritual” and the “material”; but Jesus made no such division. In many of His parables, He made it clear that a right attitude toward wealth is a mark of true spirituality (see ; ). The Pharisees were covetous () and used religion to make money. If we have the true righteousness of Christ in our lives, then we will have a proper attitude toward material wealth.
Nowhere did Jesus magnify poverty or criticize the legitimate getting of wealth. God made all things, including food, clothing, and precious metals. God has declared that all things He has made are good (). God knows that we need certain things in order to live (). In fact, He has given us “richly all things to enjoy” (). It is not wrong to possess things, but it is wrong for things to possess us. The sin of idolatry is as dangerous as the sin of hypocrisy! There are many warnings in the Bible against covetousness (; ; ; ; ; ).
Jesus warned against the sin of living for the things of this life. He pointed out the sad consequences of covetousness and idolatry.
Enslavement (vv. ). Materialism will enslave the heart (), the mind (), and the will (). We can become shackled by the material things of life, but we ought to be liberated and controlled by the Spirit of God.
If the heart loves material things, and puts earthly gain above heavenly investments, then the result can only be a tragic loss. The treasures of earth may be used for God. But if we gather material things for ourselves, we will lose them; and we will lose our hearts with them. Instead of spiritual enrichment, we will experience impoverishment.
What does it mean to lay up treasures in heaven? It means to use all that we have for the glory of God. It means to “hang loose” when it comes to the material things of life. It also means measuring life by the true riches of the kingdom and not by the false riches of this world.
Wealth not only enslaves the heart, but it also enslaves the mind (). God’s Word often uses the eye to represent the attitudes of the mind. If the eye is properly focused on the light, the body can function properly in its movements. But if the eye is out of focus and seeing double, it results in unsteady movements. It is most difficult to make progress while trying to look in two directions at the same time.
If our aim in life is to get material gain, it will mean darkness within. But if our outlook is to serve and glorify God, there will be light within. If what should be light is really darkness, then we are being controlled by darkness; and outlook determines outcome.
Finally, materialism can enslave the will (). We cannot serve two masters simultaneously. Either Jesus Christ is our Lord, or money is our lord. It is a matter of the will. “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare” (). If God grants riches, and we use them for His glory, then riches are a blessing. But if we will to get rich, and live with that outlook, we will pay a great price for those riches.
Devaluation (vv. ). Covetousness will not only cheapen our riches, but it will also cheapen us! We will start to become worried and anxious, and this anxiety is unnatural and unspiritual. The person who pursues money thinks that riches will solve his problems, when in reality, riches will create more problems! Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of security, and that feeling ends in tragedy. The birds and lilies do not fret and worry; yet they have God’s wealth in ways that man cannot duplicate. All of nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money, and money always fails.
Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to bear—but the results are still the same. Instead of helping us live longer, anxiety only makes life shorter (). The Greek word translated take no thought literally means “to be drawn in different directions.” Worry pulls us apart. Until man interferes, everything in nature works together, because all of nature trusts God. Man, however, is pulled apart because he tries to live his own life by depending on material wealth.
God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will feed and clothe us. It is our “little faith” that hinders Him from working as He would. He has great blessings for us if only we will yield to Him and live for the riches that last forever.
Loss of testimony (vv. ). To worry about material things is to live like the heathen! If we put God’s will and God’s righteousness first in our lives, He will take care of everything else. What a testimony it is to the world when a Christian dares to practice ! What a tragedy it is when so many of us fail to practice it.
Loss of joy today (v. ). Worrying about tomorrow does not help either tomorrow or today. If anything, it robs us of our effectiveness today—which means we will be even less effective tomorrow. Someone has said that the average person is crucifying himself between two thieves: the regrets of yesterday and the worries about tomorrow. It is right to plan for the future and even to save for the future (; ). But it is a sin to worry about the future and permit tomorrow to rob today of its blessings.
Three words in this section point the way to victory over worry: (1) faith (), trusting God to meet our needs; (2) Father (), knowing He cares for His children; and (3) first (), putting God’s will first in our lives so that He might be glorified. If we have faith in our Father and put Him first, He will meet our needs.
Hypocrisy and anxiety are sins. If we practice the true righteousness of the kingdom, we will avoid these sins and live for God’s glory.
Matthew 7
The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of exercising a false judgment about themselves, other people, and even the Lord. Their false righteousness helped to encourage this false judgment. This explains why our Lord closed this important sermon with a discussion of judgment. In it He discussed three different judgments.
The first principle of judgment is that we begin with ourselves. Jesus did not forbid us to judge others, for careful discrimination is essential in the Christian life. Christian love is not blind (). The person who believes all that he hears, and accepts everyone who claims to be spiritual will experience confusion and great spiritual loss. But before we judge others, we must judge ourselves. There are several reasons for this.
We shall be judged (v. ). The tense of the verb judged signifies a once-for-all final judgment. If we first judge ourselves, then we are preparing for that final judgment when we face God. The Pharisees “played God” as they condemned other people; but they never considered that God would one day judge them.
We are being judged (v. ). The parallel passage in is helpful here. Not only will God judge us at the end, but people are also judging us right now; and we receive from people exactly what we give. The kind of judgment, and the measure of judgment, comes right back to us. We reap what we have sown.
We must see clearly to help others (vv. ). The purpose of self-judgment is to prepare us to serve others. Christians are obligated to help each other grow in grace. When we do not judge ourselves, we not only hurt ourselves, but we also hurt those to whom we could minister. The Pharisees judged and criticized others to make themselves look good (). But Christians should judge themselves so that they can help others look good. There is a difference!
Let’s look at our Lord’s illustration of this point. Jesus chose the symbol of the eye because this is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body. The picture of a man with a two-by-four stuck in his eye, trying to remove a speck of dust from another man’s eye, is ridiculous indeed! If we do not honestly face up to our own sins, and confess them, we blind ourselves to ourselves; and then we cannot see clearly enough to help others. The Pharisees saw the sins of other people, but they would not look at their own sins.
In , Jesus used the illustration of the eye to teach us how to have a spiritual outlook on life. We must not pass judgment on others’ motives. We should examine their actions and attitudes, but we cannot judge their motives—for only God can see their hearts. It is possible for a person to do a good work with a bad motive. It is also possible to fail in a task and yet be very sincerely motivated. When we stand before Christ at the Judgment Seat, He will examine the secrets of the heart and reward us accordingly (; ).
The image of the eye teaches us another truth: We must exercise love and tenderness when we seek to help others (). I have had extensive eye examinations, and once had surgery to remove an imbedded speck of steel; and I appreciated the tenderness of the physicians. Like eye doctors, we should minister to people we want to help with tender loving care. We can do more damage than a speck of dirt in the eye if we approach others with impatience and insensitivity.
Two extremes must be avoided in this matter of spiritual self-examination. The first is the deception of a shallow examination. Sometimes we are so sure of ourselves that we fail to examine our hearts honestly and thoroughly. A quick glance into the mirror of the Word will never reveal the true situation ().
The second extreme is what I call a “perpetual autopsy.” Sometimes we get so wrapped up in self-examination that we become unbalanced. But we should not look only at ourselves, or we will become discouraged and defeated. We should look by faith to Jesus Christ and let Him forgive and restore us. Satan is the accuser (), and he enjoys it when we accuse and condemn ourselves!
After we have judged ourselves honestly before God, and have removed those things that blind us, then we can help others and properly judge their works. But if we know there are sins in our lives, and we try to help others, we are hypocrites. In fact, it is possible for ministry to be a device to cover up sin! The Pharisees were guilty of this, and Jesus denounced them for it.
Christians must exercise discernment; for not everyone is a sheep. Some people are dogs or hogs, and some are wolves in sheep’s clothing! We are the Lord’s sheep, but this does not mean we should let people pull the wool over our eyes!
The reason we must judge (v. ). As God’s people, we are privileged to handle the “holy things” of the Lord. He has entrusted to us the precious truths of the Word of God (), and we must regard them carefully. No dedicated priest would throw meat from the altar to a filthy dog, and only a fool would give pearls to a pig. While it is true that we must carry the Gospel “to every creature” (), it is also true that we must not cheapen the Gospel by a ministry that lacks discernment. Even Jesus refused to talk to Herod (), and Paul refused to argue with people who resisted the Word ().
The reason for judgment, then, is not that we might condemn others, but that we might be able to minister to them. Notice that Jesus always dealt with individuals according to their needs and their spiritual condition. He did not have a memorized speech that He used with everybody. He discussed the new birth with Nicodemus, but He spoke of living water to the Samaritan woman. When the religious leaders tried to trap Him, He refused to answer their question (). It is a wise Christian who first assesses the condition of a person’s heart before sharing the precious pearls.
The resources God gives us (vv. ). Why did our Lord discuss prayer at this point in His message? These verses seem to be an interruption, but they are not. You and I are human and fallible; we make mistakes. Only God can judge perfectly. Therefore, we must pray and seek His wisdom and direction. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” ().
Young King Solomon knew that he lacked the needed wisdom to judge Israel, so he prayed to God; and the Lord graciously answered (). If we are to have spiritual discernment, we must keep on asking God, keep on seeking His will, keep on knocking at the door that leads to greater ministry. God meets the needs of His children.
The guiding principle (v. ). This is the so-called “Golden Rule,” one of the most misunderstood statements in the Bible. This statement is not the sum total of Christian truth, nor is it God’s plan of redemption. We should no more build our theology on the Golden Rule than we should build our astronomy on “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
This great truth is a principle that ought to govern our attitudes toward others. It only applies to believers, and it must be practiced in every area of life. The person who practices the Golden Rule refuses to say or do anything that would harm himself or others. If our judging of others is not governed by this principle, we will become proud and critical, and our own spiritual character will degenerate.
Practicing the Golden Rule releases the love of God in our lives and enables us to help others, even those who want to hurt us.
But remember that practicing the Golden Rule means paying a price. If we want God’s best for ourselves and others, but others resist God’s will, then they will oppose us. We are salt, and salt stings the open wound. We are light, and light exposes dirt.
The basis for judging (vv. ). Since there are false prophets in the world, we must be careful of deception. But the greatest danger is self-deception. The scribes and Pharisees had fooled themselves into believing that they were righteous and others were sinful. It is possible for people to know the right language, believe intellectually the right doctrines, obey the right rules, and still not be saved. Jesus used two pictures to help us judge ourselves and others.
The two ways (vv. ). These are, of course, the way to heaven and the way to hell. The broad way is the easy way; it is the popular way. But we must not judge spiritual profession by statistics; the majority is not always right. The fact that “everybody does it” is no proof that what they are doing is right.
Quite the contrary is true: God’s people have always been a remnant, a small minority in this world. The reason is not difficult to discover: The way of life is narrow, lonely, and costly. We can walk on the broad way and keep our “baggage” of sin and worldliness. But if we enter the narrow way, we must give up those things.
Here, then, is the first test: Did your profession of faith in Christ cost you anything? If not, then it was not a true profession. Many people who “trust” Jesus Christ never leave the broad road with its appetites and associations. They have an easy Christianity that makes no demands on them. Yet Jesus said that the narrow way was hard. We cannot walk on two roads, in two different directions, at the same time.
The two trees (vv. ). These show that true faith in Christ changes the life and produces fruit for God’s glory. Everything in nature reproduces after its kind, and this is also true in the spiritual realm. Good fruit comes from a good tree, but bad fruit comes from a bad tree. The tree that produces rotten fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them” ().
The second test is this: Did my decision for Christ change my life? False prophets who teach false doctrine can produce only a false righteousness (see ). Their fruit (the results of their ministry) is false and cannot last. The prophets themselves are false; the closer we get to them, the more we see the falsity of their lives and doctrines. They magnify themselves, not Jesus Christ; and their purpose is to exploit people, not to edify them. The person who believes false doctrine, or who follows a false prophet, will never experience a changed life. Unfortunately, some people do not realize this until it is too late.
From picturing two ways and two trees, our Lord closed His message by picturing two builders and their houses. The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith; the two trees illustrate the growth and results of the life of faith here and now; and the two houses illustrate the end of this life of faith, when God shall call everything to judgment. There are false prophets at the gate that leads to the broad way, making it easy for people to enter. But at the end of the way, there is destruction. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what others may think. The final test is: What will God say?
How can we prepare for this judgment? By doing God’s will. Obedience to His will is the test of true faith in Christ. The test is not words, not saying “Lord, Lord,” and not obeying His commands. How easy it is to learn a religious vocabulary, and even memorize Bible verses and religious songs, and yet not obey God’s will. When a person is truly born again, he has the Spirit of God living within (); and the Spirit enables him to know and do the Father’s will. God’s love in his heart () motivates him to obey God and serve others.
Words are not a substitute for obedience, and neither are religious works. Preaching, casting out demons, and performing miracles can be divinely inspired, but they give no assurance of salvation. It is likely that even Judas participated in some or all of these activities, and yet he was not a true believer. In the last days, Satan will use “lying wonders” to deceive people ().
We are to hear God’s words and do them (see ). We must not stop with only hearing (or studying) His words. Our hearing must result in doing. This is what it means to build on the rock foundation. We should not confuse this symbol with the “rock” in . Paul founded the local church in Corinth on Jesus Christ when he preached the Gospel and won people to Christ. This is the only foundation for a local church.
The foundation in this parable is obedience to God’s Word—obedience that is an evidence of true faith (). The two men in this story had much in common. Both had desires to build a house. Both built houses that looked good and sturdy. But when the judgment came (the storm), one of the houses collapsed. What was the difference? Not the mere external looks, to be sure. The difference was in the foundation: The successful builder “dug deep” () and set his house on a solid foundation.
A false profession will last until judgment comes. Sometimes this judgment is in the form of the trials of life. Like the person who received the seed of God’s Word into a shallow heart (), the commitment fails when the testing comes. Many people have professed faith in Christ, only to deny their faith when life becomes spiritually costly and difficult.
But the judgment illustrated here probably refers to the final judgment before God. We must not read into this parable all the doctrine that we are taught in the Epistles; for the Lord was illustrating one main point: profession will ultimately be tested before God. Those who have trusted Christ, and have proved their faith by their obedience will have nothing to fear. Their house is founded on the Rock, and it will stand. But those who have professed to trust Christ, yet who have not obeyed God’s will, will be condemned.
How shall we test our profession of faith? By popularity? No, for there are many on the broad road to destruction. And there are many who are depending on words, saying “Lord, Lord”—but this is no assurance of salvation. Even religious activities in a church organization are no assurance. How then shall we judge ourselves and others who profess Christ as Saviour?
The two ways tell us to examine the cost of our profession. Have we paid a price to profess faith in Christ? The two trees tell us to investigate whether our lives have really changed. Are there godly fruits from our lives? And the two houses remind us that true faith in Christ will last, not only in the storms of life, but also in the final judgment.
The congregation was astonished at this sermon. Why? Because Jesus spoke with divine authority. The scribes and Pharisees spoke “from authorities,” always quoting the various rabbis and experts of the Law. Jesus needed no human teacher to add authority to His words; for He spoke as the Son of God. We cannot lightly dismiss this sermon, for it is God who gave it to us! We must either bow before Him and submit to His authority, or we will be condemned.
Matthew 8–9
We have been introduced to the person of the King (Matt. 1–4) and the principles of the King (Matt. 5–7); and now we are ready for the power of the King. After all, if a king does not have the power to accomplish anything, what good are his credentials or his principles? In chapters 8 and 9, Matthew reported ten miracles. They are not given in chronological order, except for the last four, since Matthew followed his own approach of grouping messages or events.
Before we survey these miracles, however, we must pause to answer the obvious question: Why did our Lord perform miracles? Certainly He wanted to meet human needs. God is concerned about the temporal well-being of His creatures as well as their eternal happiness. It is wrong to separate ministry to the body and ministry to the soul, since we must minister to the whole person (see ).
Certainly our Lord’s miracles were additional credentials to prove His claim as the Messiah of Israel. “The Jews require a sign” (). While miracles of themselves are not proof that a man has been sent by God (even Satan can perform miracles []), they do add weight to his claim, especially if his character and conduct are godly. In the case of Jesus Christ, His miracles also fulfilled Old Testament prophecies (see ; ). refers us to ; and Jesus Himself in referred John the Baptist to the Old Testament promises. These same “signs and wonders” would be the credentials of His followers in their ministries (; ).
Along with His compassion and credentials, there was a third reason for miracles: His concern to reveal saving truth to people. The miracles were “sermons in action.” Even Nicodemus was impressed with them (). It is worth noting that five of these miracles were performed at Capernaum, and yet the city rejected Him (). Even the rejection by the nation of Israel fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (see ). Like the judgments against Egypt in Moses’ day, the miracles of the Lord were judgments in Israel; for the people had to face facts and make decisions. The religious leaders decided that Jesus was working for Satan (; ).
One thing is certain: Jesus did not perform miracles to “get a crowd.” He usually avoided the crowd. Time after time, Jesus instructed those whom He had healed not to talk too much (, ; ; ). He did not want people trusting Him simply on the basis of spectacular deeds (see ). Faith must be based on His Word ().
The miracles in these chapters are recorded in three groups, with an event relating to discipleship separating the groups. Matthew did not tell his readers why he used this arrangement, but we will follow it. To help us grasp some of the spiritual lessons, I have characterized each section with a special emphasis.
Lepers, Gentiles, and women were considered outcasts by many Jewish people, especially the Pharisees. Many Pharisees would pray each morning, “I give thanks that I am a man and not a woman, a Jew and not a Gentile, a free-man and not a slave.”
Cleansing the leper (vv. ). There were a number of afflictions that our Bible categorizes as leprosy. This dreaded infection forced the victim to live apart from others and to cry, “Unclean! Unclean!” when others approached, so they would not be defiled. That the leper ran up to Jesus and violated the code is evidence of his great faith that Jesus would heal him.
Leprosy is an illustration of sin (). The instructions given to the priests in Leviticus 13 help us understand the nature of sin: Sin is deeper than the skin (); it spreads (); it defiles and isolates (); and it is fit only for the fire (, ).
When Jesus touched the leper, He contracted the leper’s defilement; but He also conveyed His health! Is this not what He did for us on the cross when He was made sin for us? () The leper did not question His ability to heal; he only wondered if He were willing. Certainly God is willing to save! He is “God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved” (). God is “not willing that any should perish” ().
Jesus commanded the man not to tell others but to go to the priests and have them declare him restored and fit for society. This ceremony is described in Leviticus 14 and is another beautiful picture of Christ’s work for sinners. The bird slain pictures the death of Christ; the bird released pictures His resurrection. Putting the bird into the jar pictures the Incarnation, when Christ took a human body that He might die for us. The application of the blood to the ear, thumb, and toe illustrates the need for personal faith in His death. The oil on the blood reminds us of the Spirit of God, who enters the person when he trusts the Saviour.
The man did not obey Christ; he told everybody what the Lord had done! (Christ tells us to tell everybody, and we keep quiet!) tells us that the healed leper’s witness forced Jesus to avoid the city; and yet the crowds came to Him.
The centurion’s servant healed (vv. ). A centurion was an officer over 100 men in the Roman army. Every centurion mentioned in the Gospels and Acts was a gentleman of high character and sense of duty, and this man was no exception. The fact that he was concerned about a lowly servant-boy indicates this. The word “palsy” indicates a kind of paralysis.
It would seem that everything about this man would prevent him from coming to Jesus. He was a professional soldier, and Jesus was a Man of peace. He was a Gentile, and Jesus was a Jew. But this soldier had one thing working for him: he was a man of great faith. This centurion understood that Jesus, like himself, was under authority. All Christ had to do was speak the word and the disease would obey Him the way a soldier obeyed his officer. It is worth noting that only those who are under authority have the right to exercise authority.
Twice in the Gospels it is recorded that Jesus marveled: here, at the great faith of the Gentile centurion; and in , at the great unbelief of the Jews. Matthew recorded two “Gentile” miracles: this one, and the healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman (). In both cases, the Lord was impressed with their great faith. This is an early indication that the Jews would not believe, but the Gentiles would. Also, in both of these miracles, our Lord healed from a distance. This was a reminder of the spiritual position of the Gentiles “afar off” ().
Peter’s mother-in-law healed (vv. ). She was in bed with a fever and Peter and Andrew told Jesus about her need when they all arrived home after the synagogue service (). Women did not hold a high position in Israel, and it is doubtful that a Pharisee would have paid much attention to the need in Peter’s home. Jesus healed her with a touch, and she responded by serving Him and the other men.
This seems like a “minor miracle,” but the results were major; for after sundown (when the Sabbath ended), the whole city gathered at the door that the Lord might meet their needs (). Blessing in the home ought to lead to blessing in the community. The change in one woman’s life led to miracles in the lives of many people.
Matthew saw this as a fulfillment of . Please note that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in His life and not on the cross. He bore man’s sicknesses and infirmities during His ministry on earth. To say that there is “healing in the Atonement,” and that every believer has the “right” to claim it, is to misinterpret Scripture. applies this same truth to the forgiving of our sins which He bore on the cross. Sin and sickness do go together (see ), since sickness is a consequence of Adam’s sin and also an illustration of sin. But God is not obligated to heal all sicknesses. He is obligated to save all sinners who call on Him.
First “discipleship” interlude (vv. ). Because great crowds followed Jesus, and opposition had not yet begun, many would-be disciples wanted to follow Him. However, they would not pay the price. This is the first use of “Son of man” in Matthew as a name for Jesus. It comes from and is definitely a messianic title and a claim to kingship. might be expressed, “Let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead.” Jesus was not asking the man to be disrespectful to his father (who was not yet dead), but to have the right priorities in life. It is better to preach the Gospel and give life to the spiritually dead than to wait for your father to die and bury him.
Peace to the Disturbed (Matt. 8:23–9:17)
The persons involved in these three miracles all had a need for peace, and Jesus provided that peace.
Peace in the storm (vv. ). The Sea of Galilee is about thirteen miles long and eight miles wide. It was not unusual for violent storms suddenly to sweep across the water. Jesus undoubtedly knew the storm was coming, and certainly could have prevented it. But He permitted it that He might teach His disciples some lessons.
The storm came because they obeyed the Lord, and not because (like Jonah) they disobeyed Him. Jesus was asleep because He rested confidently in the will of His Father; and this is what the disciples should have done. Instead, they became frightened and accused Jesus of not caring! Matthew wanted his readers to contrast the “little faith” of the disciples with the “great faith” of the Gentile centurion.
Peace in a community (vv. ). This dramatic incident is most revealing. It shows what Satan does for a man: robs him of sanity and self-control; fills him with fears; robs him of the joys of home and friends; and (if possible) condemns him to an eternity of judgment. It also reveals what society does for a man in need: restrains him, isolates him, threatens him, but society is unable to change him. See, then, what Jesus Christ can do for a man whose whole life—within and without—is bondage and battle. What Jesus did for these two demoniacs, He will do for anyone else who needs Him.
Christ came to them, and even braved a storm to do it. This is the grace of God! He delivered them by the power of His Word. He restored them to sanity, society, and service. The account in shows that one of the men asked to become a disciple of the Lord. But, instead of granting his request, Jesus sent him home to be a witness. Christian service must begin at home.
There are three prayers in this event: (1) the demons besought Jesus to send them into the swine; (2) the citizens besought Him to leave; and (3) the one man besought Him to let him follow (see ). Jesus answered the prayers of the demons and the citizens, but not the prayer of the healed man!
We can construct a “statement of faith” from the words of the demons. (Demons do have faith; see .) They believed in the existence of God and the deity of Christ, as well as the reality of future judgment. They also believed in prayer. They knew Christ had the power to send them into the swine.
The fact that the demons destroyed 2,000 pigs is nothing compared with the fact that Jesus delivered two men from the powers of Satan. God owns everything () and can do with it as He pleases. Jesus values men more than pigs or sheep (). He brought peace to these men’s lives and to the community where, for a long time, they had been causing trouble.
Peace in the conscience (vv. ). The Lord had shown Himself powerful over sickness and storms, but what could He do about sin? Palsy was a gradual paralysis. This man was unable to help himself, but fortunately he had four friends with love, faith, and hope. They brought him to Jesus and permitted nothing to stand in their way. Was the man’s physical condition the result of his sin? We do not know. But we do know that Jesus dealt with the sin problem first, for this is always the greatest need.
We must not conclude from this miracle that all sickness is caused by sin, or that forgiveness automatically means physical healing. A pastor of mine often says, “God can heal every sickness except the last one.” More important than the healing of this man’s body was the cleansing of his heart. He went home with both a sound body and a heart at peace with God. “ ‘There is no peace,’ saith my God, ‘to the wicked’ ” ().
Second “discipleship” interlude (vv. ). We have covered the call of Matthew in the first chapter of this study. We need only to comment on the four pictures of His ministry that Jesus gave in this message. As the Physician, He came to bring spiritual health to sick sinners. As the Bridegroom, He came to give spiritual joy. The Christian life is a feast, not a funeral. The illustration of the cloth reminds us that He came to bring spiritual wholeness; He did not come to “patch us up” and then let us fall apart. The image of the wineskins teaches that He gives spiritual fullness. Jewish religion was a worn-out wineskin that would burst if filled with the new wine of the Gospel. Jesus did not come to renovate Moses or even mix Law and grace. He came with new life!
In this section Matthew recorded four miracles involving five persons.
A broken home (vv. , ). It must have been difficult for Jairus to come to Jesus, since he was a devout Jew and the leader in the synagogue. But Jairus’ love for his dying daughter compelled him to seek Jesus’ help, even if the religious leaders were opposing Him. When Jairus first came to Jesus, his daughter was close to death. The delay caused by the healing of the woman gave “the last enemy” opportunity to do its work. The ruler’s friends came and told him that his daughter had died.
Jesus quickly reassured the man and went with him. In fact, the delay should have helped to strengthen Jairus’ faith; for he saw what the woman’s meager faith had accomplished in her own life. We must learn to trust Christ and His promises no matter how we feel, no matter what others say, and no matter how the circumstances may look. The scene at home must have frightened Jairus, yet Jesus took command and raised the girl from the dead.
A broken hope (vv. ). informs us that this woman had tried many physicians, but none could help her. Imagine the despair and discouragement she felt. Her hopes were shattered. Because of this hemorrhage, the woman was ceremonially unclean (), which only added to her hopelessness. The “hem” refers to the special tassels that the Jews wore on their garments to remind them they were God’s people (; ).
It is interesting that Jairus and this woman—two opposite people—met at the feet of Jesus. Jairus was a leading Jewish man; she was an anonymous woman with no prestige or resources. He was a synagogue leader, while her affliction kept her from worship. Jairus came pleading for his daughter; the woman came with a need of her own. The girl had been healthy for 12 years, and then died; the woman had been ill for 12 years and was now made whole. Jairus’ need was public—all knew it; but the woman’s need was private—only Jesus understood. Both Jairus and the woman trusted Christ, and He met their needs.
Jairus may have resented the woman, because she kept Jesus from getting to his daughter before the girl died. But his real problem was not the woman, but himself: He needed faith in Christ. Jesus forced the woman to give her testimony (see Mark’s account) both for her sake and for the sake of Jairus. The fact that God has helped others ought to encourage us to trust Him more. We ought not to be so selfish in our praying that we cannot wait on the Lord, knowing He is never late.
This woman’s faith was almost superstitious; and yet Jesus honored it and healed her. People must “touch Christ” where they are able, even if they must start at the hem of His garment. The Pharisees enlarged their hems and tassels in order to appear more spiritual, but they lacked the power to heal (). Others touched the hem of Christ’s garment and were also healed ().
When Sir James Simpson, the inventor of chloroform, was dying, a friend said to him, “You will soon be resting on His bosom.” The scientist replied: “I don’t know as I can do that, but I think I have hold of the hem of His garment.” It is not the strength of our faith that saves us, but faith in a strong Saviour.
Broken bodies (vv. ). We are not told why these men were blind. Blindness was a serious problem in the East in that day. The records state that Jesus healed at least six blind men, and each case was different. These two blind men acknowledged Christ as the Son of David (see ) and persisted in following Him right into the house. (No doubt they had friends who helped guide them.) It was their faith that Christ honored. Their “Yes, Lord” was the confession that released the power for their healing and their sight was restored.
Blindness is a picture of spiritual ignorance and unbelief (; ; ). The sinner must be born again before he can see the things of God (). And the believer must be careful to grow spiritually or he will damage his spiritual vision ().
The final miracle in this series involved a demon (). While there is a difference between sicknesses and demonic workings (), the demons do have the power to cause physical afflictions. In this case, the demon made the man mute. Think of what a handicap this would be! Jesus delivered him, and the people admitted that this was a new thing in Israel.
But the religious leaders would not admit that Jesus was the Messiah. How, then, could they explain His miracles? Only by saying that His miracles were wrought in the power of the wicked one. They would repeat this charge later, and Jesus would refute it (). In their unbelief, the Pharisees were playing right into Satan’s hands!
Third “discipleship” interlude (vv. ). Not only did Jesus heal; He also taught and preached. But He could not do the work alone—He needed others to help Him. He requested that His disciples pray that God would provide the needed workers. It was not long before the disciples themselves were involved in the ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing (see Matt. 10). In the same way, when we pray as He commanded, we will see what He saw, feel what He felt, and do what He did. God will multiply our lives as we share in the great harvest that is already ripe ().
Matthew 10
The work of salvation could be accomplished only by Jesus Christ, and He did it alone. But the witness of this salvation could only be accomplished by His people, those who have trusted Him and been saved. The King needed ambassadors to carry the message—and He still needs them. “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” () It is not enough that we pray for laborers (). We must also make ourselves available to serve Him.
Before Jesus sent His ambassadors out to minister, He preached an “ordination sermon” to encourage and prepare them. In this sermon, the King had something to say to all of His servants—past, present, and future. Unless we recognize this fact, the message of this chapter will seem hopelessly confused.
Instructions for Past Apostles ()
A “disciple” is a learner, one who follows a teacher and learns his wisdom. Jesus had many disciples, some of whom were merely “hangers-on,” and some who were truly converted (). From this large group of followers, Jesus selected a smaller group of twelve men; and these He called “apostles.” This word comes from the Greek word apostello, which means “to send forth with a commission.” It was used by the Greeks for the personal representatives of the king, ambassadors who functioned with the king’s authority. To make light of the king’s envoys was to be in danger of insubordination.
A man had to meet certain qualifications to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. He must have seen the risen Christ () and fellowshipped with Him (). He had to be chosen by the Lord (). The Apostles laid the foundation of the church () and then passed from the scene. While all believers are sent forth to represent the King (; ), no believer today can honestly claim to be an apostle; for none of us has seen the risen Christ ().
These Apostles were given special power and authority from Christ to perform miracles. These miracles were a part of their “official credentials” (; ; ; ). They healed the sick (and note that this included all kinds of diseases), cleansed the lepers, cast out demons, and even raised the dead. These four ministries paralleled the miracles that Jesus performed in Matthew 8 and 9. In a definite way, the Apostles represented the King and extended His work.
Christ’s commission to these twelve men is not our commission today. He sent them only to the people of Israel. “To the Jew first” is the historic pattern, for “Salvation is of the Jews” (). These twelve ambassadors announced the coming of the kingdom just as John the Baptist had done () and Jesus Himself (). Sad to say, the nation rejected both Christ and His ambassadors, and the kingdom was taken from them ().
The Apostles depended on the hospitality of others as they ministered from town to town. In those days, for a town to refuse a guest was a breach of etiquette. However, the ambassadors were to remain only with those who were “worthy,” those who trusted Christ and received His message of peace and forgiveness. The Apostles were not to compromise. If a town rejected their words, they were to warn the people and depart. To shake off the dust was an act of judgment ().
We do not know how long this “evangelistic campaign” lasted. Jesus Himself went out to preach (see ), and later the Apostles returned to Him and reported what had happened (). tells us that Jesus had sent the men out in pairs, which explains why their names are listed in pairs in . tells us that the names of the Apostles will be on the foundations of the heavenly walls. The name of Judas will, of course, be replaced by Matthias ().
While we may learn from the spiritual principles in this paragraph, we should not apply these instructions to our lives. The Lord’s commission to us includes “all the world” (), not just the nation of Israel. We preach the Gospel of the grace of God (). Our message is, “Christ died for our sins,” and not, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The King has come; He has already suffered, died, and risen from the dead. Now He offers His salvation to all who will believe.
Instructions for Future Disciples ()
The “atmosphere” of this section is different from that in the previous section. Here the Lord spoke of persecution, but we have no record that the Twelve suffered during their tour. Jesus also spoke of a ministry to the Gentiles (). The Holy Spirit had not been given, yet Jesus talked about the Spirit speaking in them (). seems to indicate a worldwide persecution; yet the Apostles were ministering only in their own land. Finally, speaks about the return of the Lord, which certainly moves these events into the future. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that these instructions apply to witnesses at some future time.
But, what time? To some degree, some of these events took place in the Book of Acts; yet Jesus Christ did not return at that time. And the ministry in Acts was not limited to “the cities of Israel” (). It seems that the period described in this section closely parallels the time of Tribulation that Jesus described in His “Olivet Discourse” (Matt. 24–25). In fact, the statement, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (), is definitely a part of our Lord’s prophetic discourse (; ). It does not refer to a person keeping himself saved, but rather enduring persecution and being faithful.
If, then, these instructions apply to that future time of Tribulation, we can easily understand why Jesus said so much about hatred and persecution. The Tribulation period will be a time of opposition. God’s servants will be like sheep in the midst of wolves. They will need to be “tough-minded but tenderhearted.” This opposition will come from organized religion (), government (), and even the family ().
While believers in scattered parts of the world are experiencing some of this persecution today, the indication is that this opposition will be worldwide. “Religion” has always persecuted true believers. Even the Apostle Paul persecuted the church when he was the unconverted Saul of Tarsus. Church history reveals that “organized religion” that has no Gospel has opposed men and women who have dared to witness boldly for Christ.
states that government will also share in this program of persecution. The prophetic Scriptures teach that, in the last days, government and religion will work together to control the world. Revelation 13 describes a time during the Tribulation period when a world ruler (the Antichrist) will force the world to worship him and his image. He will control world religion, economics, and government; and he will use all three to persecute those who stand true to Christ.
There will also be a decay of family love and loyalty. “Without natural affection” is one of the marks of the end times (). Jesus quoted to prove this point (). The three institutions which God established in this world are the home, human government, and the church. In the last days, all three of these institutions will oppose the truth instead of promote it.
But the Tribulation period will also be a time of opportunity. The believers will be able to witness to governors and kings (). Their enemies will try to trip them up, but the Spirit of God will teach the witnesses what to say. Believers today must not use as an excuse not to study the Word in preparation for witnessing, teaching, or preaching. These verses describe an emergency situation; they are not God’s regular pattern for ministry today. Even during the days of the Apostles, the Spirit gave them their messages when they faced their enemies (). This unusual ministry of the Spirit will be evident during the Tribulation period.
The Tribulation will be a time of opposition and opportunity; but it will also be a time of obligation. The ambassadors of the King must “endure to the end” and faithfully perform their ministry, even if it costs them their lives. In spite of scourging, rejection by their families, persecution from city to city, and trials before leaders, the servants must remain true to their Lord. Their witness will be used by God to win others. indicates that 144,000 Jewish witnesses will carry God’s Word throughout the world during the Tribulation; and as a result, great multitudes will come to Christ ().
No doubt these words in Matthew 10 will become very precious and meaningful to witnesses during that time. We, today, can learn from these words, even though their primary interpretation and application are for God’s servants at a future time. No matter how difficult our circumstances may be, we can turn opposition into opportunities for witness. We can trust the Spirit of God to help us remember what the Lord has taught us (). Instead of fleeing and looking for an easier place, we can “endure to the end,” knowing that God will help us and see us through.
Instructions for Present Disciples ()
While the truths in this section would apply to God’s servants during any period of Bible history, they seem to have a special significance for the church today. The emphasis is, “Fear not!” (, , ) The particular fear Christ discussed is explained in : the fear of confessing Christ openly before men. God has no “secret service.” The public confession of faith in Christ is one evidence of true salvation (). Several reasons show why we must not be afraid to openly confess Christ. Let’s examine these reasons that are found in Matthew 10.
Suffering is to be expected (vv. ). Men persecuted Jesus Christ when He was ministering on earth, so why should we expect anything different? We are His disciples, and the disciple does not “outrank” the Master. They said that Jesus was in league with Satan (Beelzebub: lord of the dung; lord of the house); so they will say the same thing about His followers. However, we should count it a privilege to suffer for Him and with Him (; ).
God will bring everything to light (vv. ). The enemies of Christ use secret and deceptive means to oppose the Gospel. But true believers are open and courageous in their lives and witness. We have nothing to hide. “In secret have I said nothing,” said Jesus (). False witnesses lied about Jesus during His trial, but God saw to it that the truth came out. We have nothing to fear because the Lord will one day reveal the secrets of men’s hearts () and expose them and judge them. Our task is not to please men, but to proclaim God’s message. The present judgment of men does not frighten us, because we are living in the light of the future judgment of God.
We fear God alone (v. ). All that men can do is kill the body; and, if they do, the believer’s soul goes home to be with the Lord. But God is able to destroy both body and soul in hell! Of course, God will never condemn one of His own children (; ). Martin Luther caught this truth when he wrote:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever.
The person who fears God alone need never fear any man or group of men. The fear of God is the fear that cancels fear.
God cares for His own (vv. ). It did not cost much to purchase sparrows in the market. If we compare these verses with , we discover that sparrows were so cheap that the dealer threw in an extra one! Yet the Father knows when a sparrow falls to the ground; and the Father is there. If God cares for sparrows in such a marvelous way, will He not also care for His own who are serving Him? He certainly will! To God, we are of greater value than many sparrows.
God is concerned about all of the details of our lives. Even the hairs of our head are numbered—not “counted” in a total, but numbered individually! God sees the sparrow fall to the ground, and God sees when a hair falls from the head of one of His children. When He protects His own, He protects them down to the individual hairs (). There is no need for us to fear when God is exercising such wonderful care over us.
Christ honors those who confess Him (vv. ). To confess Him means much more than to make a statement with the lips. It also means to back up that statement with the life. It is one thing to say, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” and quite another thing to surrender to Him and obey His will. The walk and the talk must go together.
In heaven, Jesus has two special ministries. As our High Priest, He gives us grace to keep us from sinning. As our Advocate, He forgives and restores us when we do sin (). The merits of His heavenly intercessory work do not depend on our faithfulness, for He is faithful even if we are not (). But the benefits of His heavenly ministry are for those who are faithful to Him. When Christ confesses us before the Father, He is securing for us the benefits of His sacrificial work on the cross. When He denies us before the Father, He is unable to share these graces with us. The fault is ours, not His.
But something else is involved. One day we shall stand before His judgment seat where the rewards will be distributed (; ). If we have denied Him, we will lose rewards and the joy of hearing His “Well done.” To be sure, anyone who denies Him on earth may be forgiven. Peter denied the Lord three times, was forgiven, and was restored.
We cannot escape conflict (vv. ). Once we have identified with Jesus Christ and confessed Him, we are part of a war. We did not start the war; God declared war on Satan (). On the night our Lord was born, the angels declared, “On earth peace” (). But Jesus seemed to deny this truth. “I came not to send peace, but a sword” (). Had Israel accepted Him, He would have given them peace. But the people refused Him, and the result was “a sword.” Instead of there being “peace on earth,” there is “peace in heaven” (). He has made peace through the blood of His cross () so that men can be reconciled to God and to each other.
The only way a believer can escape conflict is to deny Christ and compromise his witness, and this would be sin. Then the believer would be at war with God and with himself. We will be misunderstood and persecuted even by those who are the closest to us; yet we must not allow this to affect our witness. It is important that we suffer for Jesus’ sake, and for righteousness’ sake, and not because we ourselves are difficult to live with. There is a difference between the “offense of the cross” () and offensive Christians.
Each believer must make the decision once and for all to love Christ supremely and take up his cross and follow Christ. The love in is the motive for the cross in . To “carry the cross” does not mean to wear a pin on our lapel or put a sticker on our automobile. It means to confess Christ and obey Him in spite of shame and suffering. It means to die to self daily. If the Lord went to a cross for us, the least we can do is carry a cross for Him.
presents us with only two alternatives: spare your life or sacrifice your life. There is no middle ground. If we protect our own interests, we will be losers; if we die to self and live for His interests, we will be winners. Since spiritual conflict is inevitable in this world, why not die to self and let Christ win the battle for us and in us? After all, the real war is inside—selfishness versus sacrifice.
We can be a blessing to others (vv. ). Not everyone will reject our witness. There are those who will welcome us and receive a blessing. After all, we are the ambassadors of the King! Our King will see to it that they are rewarded for what they do. When people receive us, they welcome the King; for we are His representatives. Read 2 Samuel 10 for an example of what happens when people mistreat the envoys of the King.
The blessing, however, is not automatic. It all depends on the attitude of the host. If he receives the ambassador as a prophet (a spokesman for God), then he gets one reward; if he receives him only as a righteous man, there is another reward. But even a cup of cold water, given with the right spirit, brings its own reward.
Keep in mind that the theme of this last section is discipleship, not sonship. We become the children of God through faith in Christ; we are disciples as we faithfully follow Him and obey His will. Sonship does not change, but discipleship does change as we walk with Christ. There is a great need today for faithful disciples, believers who will learn from Christ and live for Him.
This brings us to the close of the first major division of Matthew, The Revelation of the King. We have seen His person (Matt. 1–4), His principles (Matt. 5–7), and His power (Matt. 8–10). How will the nation respond to this revelation?
Matthew 11–12
All of the evidence had been presented. John the Baptist had introduced the King to the nation. Jesus had revealed His person, principles, and power. It was now up to the leaders of the nation to make their decision. Instead of receiving their King, they began to rebel against Him. In these two chapters four areas of rebellion are presented.
Rebellion against His Prophet ()
Explanation (vv. ). John the Baptist was in prison in the fortress of Machaerus because he had courageously denounced the adulterous marriage of Herod Antipas and Herodias (). It seems that the Jewish leaders would have opposed Herod and sought to free John, but they did nothing. Their attitude toward John reflected their feeling toward Jesus, for John had pointed to Jesus and honored Him.
It is not difficult to sympathize with John as he suffered in prison. He was a man of the desert, yet he was confined indoors. He was an active man, with a divine mandate to preach; yet he was silenced. He had announced judgment, and yet that judgment was slow in coming (). He received only partial reports of Jesus’ ministry and could not see the total picture.
Our Lord’s reply to John revealed both tact and tenderness. He reminded John of the Old Testament prophecies about the works of Messiah (; ). John’s disciples had already told him what Jesus was doing (), but Jesus asked them to “show John again.” John had come in the spirit and power of Elijah (), and even Elijah had his days of discouragement! Jesus assured John that He was fulfilling the Father’s will.
After answering John, Jesus then praised him. John was not a “popular preacher” who catered to the crowd, nor was he a reed in the wind who vacillated with every change. He was a man of conviction and courage, the greatest of the prophets. The fact that John was privileged to announce the Messiah gave him this high position. His ministry marked the climax of the Law and the Prophets.
In what sense was John “Elijah who was to come”? () He came in the spirit and power of Elijah (), and even dressed and ministered like Elijah (; ). Like Elijah, John had a message of judgment for the apostate nation of Israel. His ministry was prophesied () and he fulfilled it. But prophesied the coming of Elijah “before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord.” This “Day of the Lord” is the time of Tribulation that will come on all the earth (see ). But no such judgments followed the ministry of John the Baptist. Why?
John’s ministry was to prepare the nation for Jesus and to present Jesus to the nation (; ). Had the people received John’s witness and accepted their Messiah, John would have fulfilled the prophecies literally. Instead, they were fulfilled in a spiritual sense in the lives of those who trusted Christ. Jesus made this clear in . Many Bible students believe that will be fulfilled literally when Elijah comes as one of the “two witnesses” spoken of in Revelation 11.
The common people held John in high regard (), and many of them had repented and been baptized by John. But the leaders refused to honor John, and this proved their unbelief and hardness of heart. Instead of being childlike and humbling themselves, the leaders were childish and stubborn, like children pouting because they could not have their way. The parable in revealed the spiritual condition of the leaders, and unfortunately it also reveals the hearts of unbelievers today.
Condemnation (vv. ). How unusual to find the word woe on the lips of Jesus! This word means judgment, but it also includes pity and sorrow. How tragic that these cities should treat lightly their opportunities to see and hear the Christ of God, and be saved! The Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon, and the godless cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, would have repented had they seen the miracles that Jesus and His disciples performed. Capernaum had been “exalted to heaven” by being privileged to have the Messiah live there. Yet her greater privileges only brought greater responsibilities and greater judgment. Five of the ten miracles recorded in Matthew 8–9 were performed in Capernaum.
Invitation (vv. ). Why did the religious leaders rebel against John and Jesus? Because they (the leaders) were intellectually and spiritually proud and would not become little babes in humility and honesty. There is a vast difference between the spoiled children of the parable () and the submissive children of this statement of praise. The Father reveals Himself to the Son, and the Son reveals Himself and the Father to those who are willing to come to the Son in faith. These verses indicate both the sovereignty of the Father and the responsibility of the sinner. Three commands summarize this invitation.
“Come.” The Pharisees all said “Do!” and tried to make the people follow Moses and the traditions. But true salvation is found only in a Person, Jesus Christ. To come to Him means to trust Him. This invitation is open to those who are exhausted and burdened down. That is exactly how the people felt under the yoke of pharisaical legalism (; ).
“Take.” This is a deeper experience. When we come to Christ by faith, He gives us rest. When we take His yoke and learn, we find rest, that deeper rest of surrender and obedience. The first is “peace with God” (); the second is “the peace of God” (). To “take a yoke” in that day meant to become a disciple. When we submit to Christ, we are yoked to Him. The word “easy” means “well-fitting”; He has just the yoke that is tailor-made for our lives and needs. The burden of doing His will is not a heavy one ().
“Learn.” The first two commands represent a crisis as we come and yield to Christ; but this step is into a process. As we learn more about Him, we find a deeper peace, because we trust Him more. Life is simplified and unified around the person of Christ. This invitation is for “all”—not just the people of Israel ().
Rebellion against His Principles ()
Jesus deliberately violated the Sabbath traditions on several occasions. He had taught the people that mere external laws could never save them or make them holy; true righteousness had to come from the heart. The Hebrew word sabat means “repose or rest,” which explains why Matthew introduced these Sabbath conflicts at this point. Jesus offers rest to all who will come to Him; there is no rest in mere religious observances.
It was lawful to satisfy your hunger from your neighbor’s field (). But to do it on the Sabbath was a breach of the Law according to the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees; for it meant doing work. Jesus gave a threefold reply to their accusation.
He appealed to a king (vv. ). The consecrated bread was to be eaten only by the priests, yet David and his soldiers ate it. Certainly the Son of David had a right to eat His Father’s grain from the field! And if David broke the law and was not condemned, surely Jesus could break man’s traditions and be guiltless (see ).
He appealed to the priests (vv. ). The priests had to offer a given number of sacrifices on the Sabbath () and yet were not condemned. In fact, their service was in obedience to the Law given by God. This suggests that man’s traditions about the Sabbath were wrong, for they contradicted God’s own Law.
He appealed to a prophet (v. ). The quotation is from , one that Jesus had already quoted (). The Sabbath law was given to Israel as a mark of her relationship to God (; ; ). But it was also an act of mercy for both man and beast, to give them needed rest each week. Any religious law that is contrary to mercy and the care of nature should be looked on with suspicion. God wants mercy, not religious sacrifice. He wants love, not legalism. The Pharisees who sacrificed to obey their Sabbath laws thought they were serving God. When they accused Christ and His disciples, they thought they were defending God. How like religious legalists today!
Note that Jesus appealed to prophet, priest, and king; for He is Prophet, Priest, and King. Note too the three “greater” statements that He made: as the Priest, He is “greater than the temple” (); as Prophet, He is “greater than Jonah” (); and as King, He is “greater than Solomon” ().
In declaring Himself “Lord of the Sabbath,” Jesus was actually affirming equality with God; for God had established the Sabbath (). He then proved this claim by healing the man with the paralyzed hand. It is sad that the religious leaders used this man and his handicap as a weapon to fight against Jesus. But the Lord was not afraid of their threats. Not doing good on the Sabbath Day (or any other day) is the same as doing evil. Jesus argued that if a farmer could care for his animals on the Sabbath, shouldn’t we care for man, made in the image of God?
They responded to this deliberate challenge by plotting to kill Him. They had accused Him of blasphemy when He healed the paralytic (), and of lack of separation when He ate with Matthew’s friends (). But this deed was even worse. He had deliberately violated the law of God! He had worked on the Sabbath by harvesting grain and healing a man.
Our Lord’s response to their hatred was withdrawal. He did not openly fight His enemies, but fulfilled the prophecy in . His enemies were but broken reeds and smoking flax. Note the double mention of the Gentiles, another hint from Matthew that Israel would reject her King and the kingdom would go to the Gentiles.
The Lord’s withdrawal at this point is an anticipation of His “retirement” described in Matthew 14–20. During that time, Jesus avoided direct conflict with His enemies that He might stay on the “divine timetable” and be crucified on schedule. Also, during that time, He taught His disciples and prepared them for His crucifixion.
Rebellion against His Power ()
The accusation (vv. ). The man that was brought to Jesus was certainly in a sad state, for he was blind, unable to speak, and possessed with a demon. Jesus delivered the man, something the Pharisees could not do. Their accusation was that He worked by the power of Satan and not by the power of God. They did not agree with Nicodemus’ evaluation of His miracles ().
The answer (vv. ). Jesus pointed out that their statement was illogical and impractical. Why would Satan fight against himself? Jesus affirmed that Satan had a kingdom, for he is the god of this age (; ). He also stated that Satan had a “house,” which seems to refer to the body of the man who was possessed (). If Satan casts out his own demonic helpers, then he is opposing himself, dividing his kingdom, and destroying his house.
Their accusation was also illogical from their own point of view, though they did not see it. There were Jewish exorcists (see ) who apparently were successful. By whose power did they cast out demons? If it was by Satan’s power, they were in league with the devil! Of course, no Pharisee was about to draw that conclusion.
Jesus was able to cast out demons because He had first defeated Satan, the prince of the demons. Jesus entered Satan’s kingdom, overcame his power, and claimed his spoils. His victory was through the Spirit of God (“the finger of God,” ) and not in the power of the evil one. This means that God is Victor over Satan, and that men must decide on whose side they will stand. There can be no compromise. We are either with God or against God.
The admonition (vv. ). Jesus warned them that their words gave evidence of the evil in their hearts. The sin against the Holy Spirit is not a matter of speech; the words spoken are only “fruit” from the sinful heart. If the heart is a treasury of good, that good will overflow through the lips and do good to others. But if the heart is a treasury of evil, that evil will spill over through the lips and do harm to the person speaking and those listening.
But what is this terrible “sin against the Holy Spirit”? Can it be committed today, and, if so, how? Our Lord said that God will forgive evil words spoken against the Son, but not against the Spirit. Does this mean that the Holy Spirit is more important than Jesus Christ, God’s Son? Surely not. We often hear the name of God or Jesus Christ used in blasphemy, but rarely if ever the name of the Holy Spirit. How can God forgive words spoken against His Son, and yet not forgive words spoken against the Spirit?
It appears that this situation existed only while Christ was ministering on earth. Jesus did not appear to be different from any other Jewish man (). To speak against Christ could be forgiven while He was on earth. But when the Spirit of God came at Pentecost as proof that Jesus was the Christ, and was alive, to reject the witness of the Spirit was final. The only consequence would be judgment.
When the leaders rejected John the Baptist, they were rejecting the Father who sent him. When they rejected Jesus, they were rejecting the Son. But when they rejected the ministry of the Apostles, they rejected the Holy Spirit—and that is the end. There is no more witness. Such rejection cannot be forgiven.
The phrase “idle word” in means “words that accomplish nothing.” If God is going to judge our “small talk,” how much more will He judge our deliberate words? It is by our conversation at unguarded moments that we reveal our true character.
Is there an “unpardonable sin” today? Yes, the final rejection of Jesus Christ. Jesus made it clear that all sins can be forgiven (). Adultery, murder, blasphemy, and other sins can all be forgiven; they are not unpardonable. But God cannot forgive the rejection of His Son. It is the Spirit who bears witness to Christ () and who convicts the lost sinner ().