Chapter Twenty-Six: The King’s Victory (Matthew 28)
Disobedience to the Word (Matt. 21:23–22:14)
This series of three parables grew out of the demand of the chief priests and elders for Jesus to explain what authority He had for cleansing the temple. As the custodians of the spiritual life of the nation, they had the right to ask this question. But we are amazed at their ignorance. Jesus had given them three years of ministry, and they still would not face the facts. They wanted more evidence.
In taking them back to the ministry of John, Jesus was not trying to avoid the issue. John had prepared the way for Jesus. Had the rulers received John’s ministry, they would have received Jesus. Instead, the leaders permitted Herod to arrest John and then to kill him. If they would not accept the authority of John, they would not accept the authority of Jesus; for both John and Jesus were sent by God.
It is a basic principle of Christian living that we cannot learn new truth if we disobey what God has already told us. “If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God” (, NASB). The religious rulers had rejected the truth preached by John, and therefore Jesus could not impart new truth. Both He and John were under the same authority.
They rejected God the Father (vv. ). The vineyard, of course, speaks of the nation of Israel (; Isa. 5). The two sons represent the two classes of people in that nation: the self-righteous religious people, and the publicans and sinners. When John came ministering, the religious crowd showed great interest in his work, but they would not repent and humble themselves and be baptized (; ). The nonreligious crowd, however, confessed their sins and obeyed John’s words and were baptized.
The leaders committed two sins: They would not believe John’s message and they would not repent of their sins. Of course, the leaders felt that they had no need to repent (). But when they saw what repentance did for the publicans and sinners, they should have been convinced that John’s message was true and salvation was real. Again and again, the religious rulers rejected the clear evidence God gave them.
Their rejection of John was actually a rejection of the Father who had sent him. But God is gracious, and instead of sending judgment, He sent His Son. This leads to the next parable.
They rejected the Son (vv. ). We are still at the vineyard. This parable is based on , and in it Jesus reminded the Jews of God’s goodness to them as a nation. God delivered them from Egypt and planted them in a rich land of milk and honey. He gave them material and spiritual blessings and asked only that they bear fruit for His glory. From time to time, God sent His servants (the prophets) to the people to receive the fruit. But the people mistreated the servants, and even killed some of them.
What should the householder do? He could have sent his armies to destroy these wicked men. But instead he sent his own son to them. The reference, of course, is to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is “the Heir” (). Instead of receiving and honoring the son, the men cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Jesus was crucified “outside the gate” (, NASB), rejected by His own nation.
The people listening to the parable were caught up in the drama and did not realize that they passed sentence on themselves. Jesus quoted to explain that He was that Son and the religious leaders were the husbandmen (). The crowds had quoted from when they had welcomed Jesus into the city, so this Scripture was fresh in the minds of the rulers.
Often in the Old Testament, God is referred to as a rock or a stone (, , ; , , ). The stone is also a messianic title. To Israel, Jesus was a stumbling stone (; ; ). Israel rejected the Messiah, but in His death and resurrection He created the church. To the church, Jesus is the foundation stone, the head of the corner (; ). At the end of the age, Jesus will come as the smiting stone (), destroy Gentile kingdoms, and establish His own glorious kingdom.
Of course, the Jewish leaders knew the messianic import of the Scripture Jesus quoted. They were the builders who rejected the stone (). What were the consequences? For one thing, the kingdom would be taken from Israel and given to another nation, the church (, and note the context, ). Those who would attack this stone would be “pulverized”; those whom Christ judges will be crushed to bits.
They rejected the Holy Spirit (vv. ). This parable must not be confused with the Parable of the Great Supper () even though they have elements in common. Again we meet the Father and the Son; and the Son is alive (in spite of what the husbandmen did) and has a bride. The suggestion is that the Lord Jesus and His church are depicted (). The period described in this parable must be after His resurrection and ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The Father is still inviting the people of Israel to come, in spite of what they did to His Son. When we study the first seven chapters of Acts, we discover that the message is going out to none but Jews (, , , , ; ; ). “To the Jew first” was God’s plan (; ). How did the nation’s leaders respond to the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles? They rejected the Word and persecuted the church. The same rulers who permitted John to be killed, and who asked for Jesus to be killed, themselves killed Stephen! Later, Herod killed James ().
How did the king in the parable respond to the way the people treated his servants? He became angry and sent his armies to destroy them and their city. He then turned to other people and invited them to come to the feast. This is a picture of God’s dealing with Israel. They rejected the Father when they refused to obey John the Baptist’s preaching. Israel rejected the Son when they arrested Him and crucified Him. In His grace and patience, God sent other witnesses. The Holy Spirit came on the early believers and they witnessed with great power that Jesus was alive and the nation could be saved (; ). The miracles they did were proof that God was at work in and through them.
But Israel also rejected the Holy Spirit! This was Stephen’s indictment against the nation: “You do always resist the Holy Ghost” (). With the stoning of Stephen, God’s patience with Israel began to end, though He delayed the judgment for almost forty years. In Acts 8 we read that the message went to the Samaritans, and in Acts 10 we read that it even went to the Gentiles.
This final rejection is, to me, the awful “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” that Jesus spoke about in . This was a national sin, committed by Israel. When they rejected John, they rejected the Father who sent him; but there remained the ministry of the Son. When they rejected the Son, they were forgiven because of their ignorance (; ). No sinner today can be forgiven for rejecting Christ, for this rejection is what condemns the soul ().
But there remained the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came on the church at Pentecost, and the Apostles performed great signs and wonders (; ). The rulers rejected the witness of the Spirit, and this brought final judgment. They had rejected the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and there were no more opportunities left.
This “sin against the Holy Spirit” cannot be committed today in the same way as Israel committed it, because the situation is different. The Spirit of God is bearing witness through the Word to the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit who convinces the world of sin (). The Spirit can be resisted by unbelievers (), but nobody knows that crisis hour (if there is one) when the Spirit stops dealing with a lost sinner.
seems like an appendix to the parable, but it is vitally important. The wedding garment was provided by the host so that everybody was properly attired and the poor did not feel conspicuous. Salvation is personal and individual. We must accept what God gives to us—the righteousness of Christ—and not try to make it on our own. Since these parables had a definite national emphasis, this personal emphasis at the end was most important.
The nation’s leaders were guilty of spiritual blindness, hypocrisy, and deliberate disobedience to the Word. Instead of accepting this indictment from Jesus, and repenting, they decided to attack Him and argue with Him. The result: judgment. We should be careful not to follow their example of disobedience.
On Tuesday of Passover week, our Lord’s enemies tried to trap Him by using a series of “loaded” questions. These men were still smarting from the treatment they had received in the series of parables He had given. He had exposed their evil intentions and warned them that they were only asking for judgment. The religious leaders did not enjoy being humiliated before the crowds. They were wholeheartedly bent on destroying Jesus, and they hoped to trap Him into saying something that would permit them to arrest Him.
But there was another reason for the questions, one that His enemies did not realize. Jesus was going to die as the Lamb of God, and it was necessary for the lamb to be examined before Passover (). If any blemish whatsoever was found on the lamb, it could not be sacrificed. Jesus was examined publicly by His enemies, and they could find no fault in Him.
Of course, this personal interchange between our Lord and the religious leaders was also an opportunity for them to believe and be saved. In fact, one Pharisee came very close to the kingdom (). Even at the last minute, there is hope for the lost sinner, if he will receive the truth, repent, and believe.
There are four questions involved in this public discussion, three of them from the enemy, and one from Jesus Christ.
A Political Question about Taxes ()
The Pharisees and the Herodians were enemies; but their common foe brought them together. The Pharisees opposed the Roman poll tax for several reasons: (1) They did not want to submit to a Gentile power; (2) Caesar was revered as a god; and (3) they had better uses for the money than to give it to Rome. Since the Herodians were the party supporting Herod, they were in favor of the tax. After all, Herod’s authority was given to him by Caesar; and Herod would have had a difficult time staying in power without Rome’s support.
Palestine was an occupied nation, and the Jews had no special love for their conquerors. Every tax the poor people had to pay was another reminder that they were not free. The Zealots, an “underground” organization of fanatical Jews, often staged protests against Rome. They would oppose any Roman tax.
It is easy to see why the Pharisees and Herodians chose the poll tax as the bait for their trap. It appeared that no matter which side Jesus took, He would create problems for Himself and His ministry. If He opposed the tax, He would be in trouble with Rome. If He approved the tax, He would be in trouble with the Jews.
Jesus immediately saw through their scheme. He knew that their real purpose was not to get an answer to a question, but to try to trap Him. They were only acting a part, and this made them hypocrites. On this basis alone, He could have refused to answer them. But He knew the people around Him would not understand. Here was an opportunity for Him to silence His enemies and, at the same time, teach the people an important spiritual truth.
Each ruler minted his own coins and put his own image on them. The “penny” (denarius) had Caesar’s image on it, so it belonged to Caesar. “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,” was His reply. “And give back to God what belongs to God.” In this simple, but profound reply, Jesus taught several important truths.
Christians must honor and obey rulers. This is taught elsewhere in the New Testament (Rom. 13; ; ). Christians have a dual citizenship, in heaven () and on earth. We must respect our earthly rulers (or elected leaders), obey the law, pay taxes, and pray for all who are in authority.
Christians must honor and obey God. Caesar was not God. While governments cannot enforce religion (), neither should they restrict freedom of worship. The best citizen honors his country because he worships God.
Man bears God’s image and owes God his all. Caesar’s image was on the coin; God’s image is on man (). Sin has marred that image, but through Jesus Christ, it can be restored (; ).
The relationship between religion and government is personal and individual. It is right for the people of God to serve in government (remember Daniel and Joseph). But it is wrong for government to control the church, or for the church to control government.
A Doctrinal Question about the Resurrection ()
In spite of the fact that the Pharisees and Herodians had been worsted, the Sadducees entered the field and tried their attack. Keep in mind that this group accepted only the authority of the five Books of Moses. The Sadducees did not believe in a spirit world or in the doctrine of the resurrection (). They had often challenged the Pharisees to prove the doctrine of the resurrection from Moses, but the Pharisees were not too successful with their arguments.
The Sadducees’ hypothetical illustration was based on the Jewish law of “levirate marriage” from . (The word levirate comes form the Latin word levir which means “a husband’s brother.” It has nothing to do with the tribe of Levi.) The purpose of this custom was to preserve a man’s name should he die without a male heir. In a nation like Israel, where family inheritance was a major thing, it was important that each home have an heir. It was considered a disgrace for a man to refuse to raise up a family for his dead brother.
The Sadducees based their disbelief of the resurrection on the fact that no woman could have seven husbands in the future life. Like many people today, they conceived of the future life as an extension of their present life—only better.
But Jesus told them that they were ignorant. They did not know the Scriptures, nor did they know the power of God, which inferred that they really did not know God. There will be no need for marriage in the next life because there will be no death. Therefore it will not be necessary to bear children to replace those who die.
Jesus did not say that we would be angels when we are glorified in heaven. He said we would be “as the angels” in that we would be sexless and not married or given in marriage. The foolish stories we hear and the cartoons we see about people dying and becoming angels are certainly unbiblical.
Our Lord was not content to refute the Sadducees’ foolish views about the future life. He also wanted to answer their claim that there was no resurrection; and He did it by referring to Moses! He knew that Moses was the only authority they would accept. He reminded them of where God said to Moses, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” He did not say, “I was the God of Abraham,” for that would mean that Abraham was no more. By saying “I am,” the Lord made it clear that these three men of faith were at that time alive. And by repeating “the God of,” the Lord was saying that He knew them and loved them personally and individually.
It is a dangerous thing to speculate about the future life. We must rest on the authority of the Word of God, for only there do we have truth that answers man’s questions about the future. The Bible does not tell us everything about the future life, but it does encourage and enlighten us. Jesus answered the foolish, ignorant Sadducees so completely that they were “muzzled” (the word silence in ). Even the crowds were astonished and amazed at His answer.
An Ethical Question about the Law ()
The Pharisees probably enjoyed the embarrassment of their enemies, the Sadducees. One of their number showed respect for the Lord and His answer () and asked a question of his own: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” (, NASB) We have every reason to believe that he asked the question in sincerity and with a humble attitude.
This was not a new question, for the scribes had been debating it for centuries. They had documented 613 commandments in the Law, 248 positive and 365 negative. No person could ever hope to know and fully obey all of these commandments. So, to make it easier, the experts divided the commandments into “heavy” (important) and “light” (unimportant). A person could major on the “heavy commandments” and not worry about the trivial ones.
The fallacy behind this approach is obvious: You need only break one law, heavy or light, to be guilty before God. “For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” ().
Jesus quoted the “Shema” (), a statement of faith that was recited daily by every orthodox Jew. (The word Shema comes from the Hebrew word which means “to hear.”) The confession of faith begins with, “Hear, O Israel!”) The greatest commandment is to love God with all that we are and have—heart, soul, mind, strength, possessions, service. To love God is not to “have good feelings about Him,” for true love involves the will as well as the heart. Where there is love, there will be service and obedience.
But love for God cannot be divorced from love for one’s neighbor; so Jesus also quoted and put it on the same level as the Shema. All of the Law and the Prophets hang on both of these commandments. We might add that the teachings of the Epistles in the New Testament agree with this statement. If a man really loves God, he must also love his brother and his neighbor (; ).
If we have a right relationship with God, we will have no problems with His commandments. Love is the basis for obedience. In fact, all of the Law is summed up in love (). If we love God, we will love our neighbor; and if we love our neighbor, we will not want to do anything to harm him.
But Jesus had a deeper meaning to convey in this marvelous answer. The Jews were afraid of idolatry. When Jesus claimed to be God, they opposed Him because they could not believe it was right to worship a creature. Jesus received worship and did not rebuke those who honored Him. Was this idolatry? No, because He is God! But if the Law commands us to love God and our neighbor, then it would not be wrong for the Jews to love Jesus. Instead, they were plotting to kill Him. He had said to them one day, “If God were your Father, you would love Me” (). They accepted the authority of the Law, yet they refused to obey it in their lives.
The scribe who had asked the original question seemed to be an honest and sincere man. Not all of the Pharisees were hypocrites. He publicly agreed with Jesus (). This must have given his fellow Pharisees a fright. Jesus discerned that the man’s heart was sincere, and He commended him for his intelligence and honesty. Did the man ever get all the way into the kingdom, when he was so very near? We trust so.
Jesus had now answered three difficult questions. He had dealt with the relationship between religion and government, between this life and the next life, and between God and our neighbors. These are fundamental relationships, and we cannot ignore our Lord’s teachings. But there is a question more fundamental than these, and Jesus asked it of His enemies.
A Personal Question about the Messiah ()
Jesus did not phrase this question as He had when He asked His disciples, “Whom say you that I am?” () These men who had been arguing with Him were not sympathetic with His cause, nor were they honest in their assessment of His credentials. Jesus had to take an indirect approach with His enemies. He made this sound like another theological question, when in reality it was the most important personal question they would ever face.
“Whose Son is the Messiah?” He asked them. As trained experts in the Law, they knew the answer: “He is the Son of David.” Had they been asked, they could have referred to numbers of Old Testament Scriptures, including ; ; and . Once they had given this answer, Jesus asked a second question, this time quoting from —“The LORD [Jehovah] said unto my Lord [Hebrew “Adonai”], ‘Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.’ ”
Every orthodox Jewish scholar interpreted this to refer to the Messiah. Only the Messiah could sit at the right hand of Jehovah God. Jesus believed in the inspiration and accuracy of the Old Testament Scriptures, for He said that David spoke these words “in the Spirit” (, NASB). Nobody dared to question the accuracy or the authority of the text.
“If Messiah is David’s Son,” Jesus asked, “then how could Messiah also be David’s Lord?” There is only one answer to this question. As God, Messiah is David’s Lord; as man, He is David’s Son. He is both “the root and the offspring of David” (). teaches the deity and the humanity of Messiah. He is David’s Lord and He is David’s Son.
When He was ministering on earth, Jesus often accepted the messianic title “Son of David” (see ; ; ; ; , ). The rulers had heard the multitudes proclaim Him as “Son of David” when He rode into Jerusalem. The fact that He accepted this title is evidence that Jesus knew Himself to be the Messiah, the Son of God. As God, He was David’s Lord; but as man, He was David’s Son, for He was born into the family of David (, ).
The scholars in that day were confused about the Messiah. They saw two pictures of Messiah in the Old Testament and could not reconcile them. One picture showed a Suffering Servant, the other a conquering and reigning Monarch. Were there two Messiahs? How could God’s servant suffer and die? (see )
Had they listened to what Jesus said, they would have learned that there was only one Messiah, but that He would be both human and divine. He would suffer and die as a sacrifice for sins. He would then rise from the dead in triumph, and one day return to defeat His enemies. However, these religious leaders had their own ideas, and they did not want to change. If they had accepted His teaching, then they would also have to accept Him as the Messiah; and this they were unwilling to do.
The result of this day of dialogue was silence on the part of His enemies. They dared not ask Jesus any more questions, not because they had believed the truth, but because they were afraid to face the truth. “For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything” (, NASB). But neither did they have courage to face the truth and act on it.
Making a decision about Jesus Christ is a matter of life or death. The evidence is there for all to examine. We can examine it defensively and miss the truth. Or we can examine it honestly and humbly, and discover the truth, believe, and be saved. The religious leaders were so blinded by tradition, position, and selfish pride that they could not—and would not—see the truth and receive it.
We dare not make the same mistake today.
Matthew 23
This was our Lord’s last public message. It is a scathing denunciation of false religion that paraded under the guise of truth. Some of the common people no doubt were shocked at His words, for they considered the Pharisees to be righteous.
Perhaps we should remind ourselves that not all of the Pharisees were hypocrites. There were about 6,000 Pharisees in that day, with many more who were “followers” but not full members of the group. Most of the Pharisees were middle-class businessmen and no doubt they were sincere in their quest for truth and holiness. The name “Pharisees” came from a word that means “to separate.” The Pharisees were separated from the Gentiles, the “unclean” Jews who did not practice the Law (“publicans and sinners,” ), and from any who opposed the tradition that governed their lives.
Among the Pharisees were a few members who sought for true spiritual religion. Nicodemus (John 3; ), Joseph of Arimathea (), and the unnamed man mentioned in , come to mind. Even Gamaliel showed a great deal of tolerance toward the newly formed church (). But for the most part, the Pharisees used their religion to promote themselves and their material gain. No wonder Jesus denounced them. Note the three divisions in this message.
In this section, Jesus explained the basic flaws of pharisaical religion.
They had a false concept of righteousness (vv. ). To begin with, they had assumed an authority not their own. “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses’ seat” is the literal translation. There is no record in the Scriptures that God assigned any authority to this group. Their only authority was the Word of God. Therefore, the people were to obey whatever the Pharisees taught from the Word. But the people were not to obey the traditions and the man-made rules of the Pharisees.
To the Pharisee, righteousness meant outward conformity to the Law of God. They ignored the inward condition of the heart. Religion consisted in obeying numerous rules that governed every detail of life, including what you did with the spices in your cupboard (). The Pharisees were careful to say the right words and follow the right ceremonies, but they did not inwardly obey the Law. God desired truth in the inward parts (). To preach one thing and practice another is only hypocrisy.
They had a false concept of ministry (v. ). To them, ministry meant handing down laws to the people and adding to their burdens. In other words, the Pharisees were harder on others than they were on themselves. Jesus came to lighten men’s burdens (), but legalistic religion always seeks to make burdens heavier. Jesus never asks us to do anything that He has not first done. The Pharisees commanded, but they did not participate. They were hypocritical religious dictators, not spiritual leaders.
They had a false concept of greatness (vv. ). To them, success meant recognition by men and praise from men. They were not concerned about the approval of God. They used their religion to attract attention, not to glorify God (). This even meant using religious ornaments to display their piety. “Phylacteries” were small leather boxes into which the Pharisees placed portions of the Scriptures. They wore these boxes on their foreheads and arms, in literal obedience to and . They also increased the size of their “tassels” on the hems of their garments (; see ).
The Pharisees also thought that position was a mark of greatness, so they sought the best seats in the synagogue and at the public dinners. Where a man sits bears no relationship to what a man is. Albert Einstein wrote, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
They also thought that titles of honor were a mark of greatness. The title “rabbi” means “my great one” and was coveted by the religious leaders. (Today religious leaders covet honorary doctor’s degrees.) Jesus forbad His disciples to use the title rabbi because all of them were brothers, and Jesus alone was their Teacher (“Master” in ). There is a spiritual equality among the children of God, under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Jesus also forbad them to use the title father with reference to spiritual things. Certainly it is not wrong to call one’s biological father by that name, but it is wrong to use it when addressing a spiritual leader. Paul referred to himself as a “spiritual father” because he had begotten people through the Gospel (). But he did not ask them to use that term when addressing him.
A third title that was forbidden was master (), which means “guide, instructor, leader.” This is not the same word that is translated “Master” in in the King James Version. That word means “teacher,” while this one means “one who goes before and guides.” Perhaps a modern equivalent would be “authority.” God has placed spiritual leaders in the church, but they must not replace God in our lives. A true spiritual leader directs his people into freedom and a closer fellowship with Christ, not into bondage to his ideas and beliefs.
True greatness is found in serving others, not in forcing others to serve us (; ). True greatness is not manufactured; it can only come from God as we obey Him. If we exalt ourselves, God will humble us. But if we humble ourselves, in due time God will exalt us ().
Denunciation of the Pharisees ()
We must not read this series of denunciations with the idea that Jesus lost His temper and was bitterly angry. Certainly He was angry at their sins, and what those sins were doing to the people. But His attitude was one of painful sorrow that the Pharisees were blinded to God’s truth and to their own sins.
Perhaps the best way to deal with these eight “woes” is to contrast them with the eight beatitudes found in . In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord described true righteousness; here He described a false righteousness.
Entering the kingdom—shutting up the kingdom (v. ; ). The poor in spirit enter the kingdom, but the proud in spirit keep themselves out and even keep others out. The Greek verb indicates people trying to get in who cannot. It is bad enough to keep yourself out of the kingdom, but worse when you stand in the way of others. By teaching man-made traditions instead of God’s truth, they “took away the key of knowledge” and closed the door to salvation ().
Mourners comforted—destroyers condemned (v. 14; ). While this verse is not in some manuscripts of Matthew, it is found in and . Instead of mourning over their own sins, and mourning with needy widows, the Pharisees took advantage of people in order to rob them. They used their religion as a “cloak of covetousness” ().
Meek inherit the earth—proud send souls to hell (v. ; ). A proselyte is a convert to a cause. The Pharisees were out to win others to their legalistic system, yet they could not introduce these people to the living God. Instead of saving souls, the Pharisees were condemning souls!
A “child of hell” is the equivalent of “child of the devil,” which is what Jesus called the Pharisees (; ; ). A “child of the devil” is a person who has rejected God’s way of salvation (righteousness through faith in Christ). This person parades his own self-righteousness through whatever religious system he belongs to. The convert usually shows more zeal than his leader, and this “double devotion” only produces double condemnation. How tragic that people can think they are going to heaven, when actually they are going to hell!
Hungering for holiness—greedy for gain (vv. ; ). “Blind guides” is a perfect description, one that must have brought a smile to the lips of the listeners. Jesus had used it before (). The Pharisees were blind to the true values of life. Their priorities were confused. They would take an oath and use some sacred object to substantiate that oath—the gold in the temple, for example, or the gift on the altar. But they would not swear by the temple itself or the altar. It was the temple that sanctified the gold and the altar that sanctified the gift. They were leaving God out of their priorities.
Jesus knew that the Pharisees wanted both the gold and the gifts on the altar. This is why the Pharisees practiced “Corban”—anything dedicated to God could not be used for others (; ). These men were not seeking for the righteousness of God; they were greedy for gain. They worked out a “religious system” that permitted them to rob God and others and still maintain their reputations.
Obtaining mercy—rejecting mercy (vv. ; ). The Pharisees majored on minors. They had rules for every minute area of life, while at the same time they forgot about the important things. It is usually the case that legalists are sticklers for details, but blind to great principles. This crowd thought nothing of condemning an innocent man, yet they were afraid to enter Pilate’s judgment hall lest they be defiled ().
There is no question that the Old Testament Law required tithing (; ). Abraham had practiced tithing long before the Law was given (), and Jacob followed his grandfather’s example (). The principles of Christian giving under grace are given in 2 Corinthians 8–9. We are not content simply to give a tithe (10 percent), but we also want to bring offerings to the Lord out of hearts filled with love.
Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the important qualities God is seeking. Obeying the rules is no substitute. While it is good to pay attention to details, we must never lose our sense of priorities in spiritual matters. Jesus did not condemn the practice of tithing. But He did condemn those who allowed their legalistic scruples to keep them from developing true Christian character.
Pure in heart—defiled in heart (vv. ; ). Jesus used two illustrations: the cup and platter, and the sepulcher. They both stated the same truth: it is possible to be clean on the outside and at the same time defiled on the inside. Imagine using dishes that were defiled! Whatever you put into the dish or cup would also become defiled. The Pharisees were careful to keep the outside very clean, because that was the part that men would see; and they wanted the praise of men. But God sees the heart (). When God looked within, He saw “greed and self-indulgence” (, NIV).
Jewish people were careful not to touch dead bodies or anything relating to the dead, because this would make them ceremonially unclean (). They would whitewash the tombs lest someone accidentally get defiled, and this was done especially at Passover season. What a graphic picture of the hypocrite: white on the outside, but filled with defilement and death on the inside!
“Blessed are the pure in heart,” was our Lord’s promise. “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (, NASB). D.L. Moody used to say, “If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.” The Pharisees lived for reputation, not character.
Peacemakers and persecuted are God’s children—persecutors are the devil’s children (vv. ; ). When Jesus called the Pharisees “serpents … generation of vipers,” He was identifying them with Satan who is the serpent (). In His Parable of the Tares, Jesus made it clear that Satan has a family (). Satan is a murderer and a liar (), and his children follow his example. The Pharisees were liars () and murderers ().
It was traditional for the Pharisees to build, improve, and embellish the tombs of the martyrs. But it was “their fathers” who killed the martyrs! Not their biological fathers, of course, but their “spiritual fathers”—the hypocrites of the past ages.
There have always been counterfeit believers in the world, starting with Cain (; ). The Pharisees and their kind are guilty of all the righteous blood shed in the name of “religion.” The first martyr recorded in Old Testament Scripture was Abel (Gen. 4), and the last one recorded was the Prophet Zechariah (—the Hebrew Bible ends with 2 Chronicles, not Malachi).
What will be the result of this long history of murders? Terrible judgment! “This generation” (the “generation of vipers,” ) would taste the wrath of God when the cup of iniquity was full (; ). Some of this judgment came when Jerusalem was destroyed, and the rest will be meted out in eternity.
As we review these tragic woes from the lips of our Lord, we can see why the Pharisees were His enemies. He emphasized the inner man; they were concerned with externals. He taught a spiritual life based on principles, while the Pharisees majored on rules and regulations. Jesus measured spirituality in terms of character, while the Pharisees measured it in terms of religious activities and conformity to external laws. Jesus taught humility and sacrificial service; but the Pharisees were proud and used people to accomplish their own purposes. The holy life of Jesus exposed their artificial piety and shallow religion. Instead of coming out of the darkness, the Pharisees tried to put out the Light; and they failed.
Jesus spoke these words of lamentation as a sincere expression of His love for Jersualem, and His grief over the many opportunities for salvation that they had passed by. “Jerusalem” refers to the entire nation of Israel. The nation’s leaders had been guilty of repeated crimes as they rejected God’s messengers, and even killed some of them. But in His grace, Jesus came to gather the people and save them.
“I would have … ye would not” summarizes the tragedy of final rejection of the truth. There is no argument here about divine sovereignty and human responsibility, for both are included. God could not force His salvation on the people; neither could He change the consequences of their stubborn rejection. “You will not come to Me that you may have life” ().
The image of the mother bird gathering and covering her brood is a familiar one. Moses used it in his farewell sermon (). It is a picture of love, tender care, and a willingness to die to protect others. Jesus did die for the sins of the world, including the nation of Israel: but “His own received Him not” ().
“Your house” probably means both the temple and the city, both of which would be destroyed in A.D. 70 by invading Roman armies. The temple was “My house” in , but now it has been abandoned and left empty. Jesus left both the temple and the city and went out to the Mount of Olives ().
Yet, Jesus left the nation with a promise: He would one day return, the nation would see Him and say, “Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord!” This is a quotation from , that great messianic psalm that was quoted so many times in His last week of ministry. The crowds had used those words on Palm Sunday ().
When would this promise be fulfilled? At the end of the age when Jesus Christ returns to earth to deliver Israel and defeat their enemies (Zech. 12; ). The fact that Israel rejected the King would not hinder God’s great plan of redemption. Instead of establishing His glorious kingdom on earth, Jesus would build His church (; ). When that work is finished, He will return and take His church to heaven (). Then there will be a time of judgment on earth (“the Day of the Lord,” “the time of Jacob’s trouble”), at the end of which He will return to deliver Israel.
We cannot read this severe denunciation without marveling at the patience and goodness of the Lord. No nation has been blessed like Israel, and yet no nation has sinned against God’s goodness as has Israel. They have been the channel of God’s blessing to the world, for “salvation is of the Jews” (). Yet they have suffered greatly in this world.
Jesus was born a Jew, and He loved His nation. We who are Gentiles ought to thank God for the Jews, for they gave us the witness of the one true God, they gave us the Bible, and they gave us Jesus Christ the Saviour. Like Jesus, we ought to love the Jews, seek to win them, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and encourage them every way we can.
The Olivet Discourse grew out of some questions the disciples asked when Jesus told them that the temple would one day be destroyed. First, they wanted to know when. This answer is not recorded in Matthew but is given in . Second, they asked about the sign of Christ’s return. This is answered in . In their final question, they asked about the sign of the end of the age. Christ’s reply is in .
We must keep in mind that the “atmosphere” of this discourse is Jewish. Jesus talked about Judea (), the Sabbath (), and the prophecies of Daniel concerning the Jewish people (). The full truth about the Rapture of the church (; ) had not yet been revealed, for it was a mystery ().
indicates that our Lord was discussing events that will take place on earth during the time of Tribulation. (See , where “birth-pangs” are a symbol of the Tribulation; and see also , ). After the church has been suddenly taken out of the world, there will be a period of “peace and safety” () followed by a time of terrible suffering. Many Bible scholars believe this period will last seven years (). It is this period of “Tribulation” that Jesus described in the Olivet Discourse. At the end of that period, Jesus will return to the earth, defeat His foes, and establish the promised kingdom.
In the section before us, Jesus explained three different periods in the time of the Tribulation.
The Beginning of the Tribulation ()
The events described in this section are “the beginning of birth-pangs” (). The image of a woman in travail is a picture of the Tribulation period (; ). Let’s consider some of the significant events that will occur at the beginning of this period.
Religious deception (vv. ). The Jews have often been led astray by false prophets and false christs. The rider on the white horse in is the Antichrist, that final world dictator who will lead the nations astray. He will begin his career as a peacemaker, signing a covenant with Israel to protect her from her enemies (). Israel will welcome this man as their great benefactor ().
Wars (v. ). Note that wars are not a sign of the end. There have always been wars in the world, and will be until the very end. Wars of themselves do not announce the end of the age or the coming of the Lord.
Famines (v. ). War and famine usually go together. suggests terribly high prices for staple foods, for a “penny” was a day’s wages.
Death (vv. ). Earthquakes help to create famines, and both help to cause epidemics that take many lives.
Martyrs (v. ). Christians have always been hated by the world, but here we have an acceleration of persecutions and murders. All nations will be involved. This certainly was not true in the history of the early church.
Worldwide chaos (vv. ). Those who once were true to each other will betray each other. This suggests that marriages, homes, and nations will be torn asunder because of lack of loyalty. Lawlessness will abound (), for even the law enforcement agencies will not be able to keep the peace.
has nothing to do with personal salvation in this present age of grace. “The end” does not mean the end of this life; it refers to the end of the age (). Those believers on earth during this terrible period, who endure in their faith, will be saved when the Lord comes at the end and delivers them.
Worldwide preaching (v. ). teaches that God will choose and seal 144,000 Jewish evangelists who will carry the kingdom message to the ends of the earth. This verse does not teach that the Gospel of God’s grace must be spread to every nation today before Jesus can return for His church. It is the Lord’s return at the end of the age that is in view here.
The Middle of the Tribulation ()
The midpoint of the Tribulation period is most important, for at that time an event will take place that was prophesied centuries ago by Daniel (). Please notice that this prophecy concerns only the Jews and the city of Jerusalem (“thy people and … thy holy city,” ). To apply it to the church or to any other people or place is to misinterpret God’s Word.
The prophecy involves seventy weeks, and the Hebrew word “week” means “a week of years,” or seven years. Seventy sevens would equal 490 years. But this period of 490 years is broken up into three parts:
(1) During seven weeks (49 years) the city of Jerusalem would be rebuilt and the worship reestablished.
(2) After 63 weeks (434 years) Messiah would come to Jerusalem and die for the sins of the world.
(3) The prince will make an agreement with the Jews for one week (seven years) to protect them from their enemies.
The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given in 445 B.C. by Cyrus (; Ezra 1). The city was rebuilt in troubled times. Sir Robert Anderson in his classic book The Coming Prince (Kregel, 1975) has proved that there were exactly 482 prophetic years (of 360 days each) between the giving of the decree and the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the King.
But we must account for the remaining “week” of seven years. Where does it fit in? Note that the same city that was rebuilt will also be destroyed “by the people of the prince that shall come” (), that is, the Romans. (“The prince that shall come” is a name for the Antichrist.) This event took place in A.D. 70. But the Jewish nation would be spared and the city restored again. For at some future date, the prince that shall come (Antichrist) will make a covenant with the Jews for seven years. This is where the missing “week” fits in. He will agree to protect them from their enemies and permit them to rebuild their temple. ( talks about a restoration of the sacrifices, and this would demand a temple.)
The logical place for this seven-year period is after the Rapture of the church. “The time of Jacob’s trouble,” the Tribulation period, will be seven years long. indicates that the Antichrist cannot be revealed until the restrainer is taken out of the midst. That restrainer is the Holy Spirit in the church. Once the church is out of the world, then Satan can produce his masterpiece, the Antichrist.
He will make the agreement for seven years, but after three-and-one-half years (“in the midst of the week”) he will break that agreement. He will then move into the Jewish temple himself and proclaim that he is God (; Rev. 13).
The Antichrist will cause a living statue of himself to be put into the temple, and his associate (the false prophet, ) will cause the whole earth to worship it. Satan has always wanted the world’s worship, and in the middle of the Tribulation he will begin to receive it (). Jesus called this statue “the abomination of desolation” (; ).
An interesting parenthesis occurs at the end of —“whoso readeth, let him understand.” This statement indicates that what Jesus was teaching would have greater significance for people reading Matthew’s Gospel in the latter days. By reading the Prophet Daniel and the words of Jesus, these believers will understand the events and know what to do. This is another evidence that the Olivet Discourse applies to people during the Tribulation period.
Prophetic scholars have speculated as to why the Antichrist would break his covenant with the Jews after three-and-one-half years. It has been suggested that the invasion of Israel by Russia, prophesied in Ezekiel 38–39, would occur at that point. Certainly Israel will be at ease and dwelling in safety at that time, for she will be protected by the Antichrist (). At that time, he will be the ruler of a ten-nation alliance, “The United States of Europe” (). Russia, of course, will be soundly beaten, not by Israel, but by Almighty God. When the Antichrist sees that his great enemy, Russia, has been beaten, he will take advantage of the opportunity and move into Israel, breaking his covenant and taking over the temple.
The readers of this prophecy in the latter days will know what to do: Get out of Judea! These instructions are similar to those given in , but they refer to a different time period. Luke’s instructions apply to the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and the “sign” was the gathering of the armies around the city. Matthew’s instructions apply to Jewish believers in the middle of the Tribulation, and the “sign” is the desecration of the temple by the image of the Antichrist. Those who have confused those two “sign events” have ended up believing that Jesus Christ returned in A.D. 70!
This entire paragraph relates only to Jews, for no Christian believer would worry about breaking a Sabbath law. This event ushers in “the Great Tribulation,” the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week, when the judgments of God will be hurled on the earth. During the first three-and-one-half years of the Tribulation, the judgments were natural: wars, famines, earthquakes, etc. But during the last half, the judgments will be supernatural and devastating.
During this period, God will care for His elect (), referring to Jews and Gentiles who believe and are converted. “The elect” here does not refer to the church since the church will have been raptured at least three-and-one-half years previously.
World conditions will be so terrible that men will wonder if any relief will come, and this will give false christs opportunities to deceive many. Satan is capable of performing “lying wonders” (; ). The fact that a religious leader performs miracles is no assurance that he has come from God. Many Jews will be deceived, for “the Jews require a sign” (). Jesus performed true signs in His Father’s name, and the nation rejected Him (). Satan’s miracles they will accept.
indicates that the return of Jesus to the earth will be sudden, like a stroke of lightning. The event that precedes His return is the gathering of the Gentile nations at Armageddon (; ). The eagles flying around the carcass picture the awful carnage that will result from this great battle (). The cosmic changes mentioned in precede the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
We are not told what “the sign of the Son of man in heaven” is, but the people on earth at that time will recognize it. When Jesus comes for the church, He will come in the air and His people will be caught up to meet Him in the air (). But our Lord’s second coming at the end of the Tribulation will be a great public event, with every eye seeing Him ().
This event will have special meaning for Israel. Jesus will return at that hour when Israel is about to be defeated by the Gentile armies (Zech. 12). He will rescue His people, and they will see Him and recognize that He is their Messiah (). There will be a national repentance, national cleansing, and national restoration under the gracious leadership of their Messiah.
We must not confuse the trumpet of with the “trump of God” mentioned in . “His elect” in refers to people on earth, Jews and Gentiles, who have trusted Christ and been saved. In the Old Testament, Israel’s movements were announced by trumpet signals (Num. 10; ). Israel has been a scattered people for many centuries. The angels will gather Israel with trumpets just as the priests did in Old Testament times ().
Scholars of prophecy do not agree on all the details of future events. But the following summary is a fair representation of what many prophetic scholars believe as to the order of events:
1. The Rapture of the church (; ). This can occur at any time.
2. The leader of the ten European nations makes a seven-year agreement with Israel ().
3. After three-and-one-half years, he breaks the agreement ().
4. He moves to Jerusalem and sets up his image in the temple (; Rev. 13).
5. The Antichrist begins to control the world and forces all people to worship and obey him. At this time God sends great tribulation upon the earth ().
6. The nations gather at Armageddon to fight the Antichrist and Israel, but see the sign of Christ’s coming and unite to fight Him (Zech. 12; ; ).
7. Jesus returns to the earth, defeats His enemies, is received by the Jews, and establishes His kingdom on earth (; Zech. 12:7–13:1). He will reign on earth for 1,000 years ().
The purpose of prophecy is not to entertain the curious, but to encourage the consecrated. Jesus closed this section of His discourse with three practical admonitions, built around three illustrations: a fig tree, Noah, and a thief in the night. makes it clear that no one will know the day or the hour of the Lord’s coming. But they can be aware of the movements of events and not be caught by surprise.
The fig tree (vv. ). reads, “Behold the fig tree and all the trees” (NASB). The fig tree in the Bible is often a picture of Israel (; ); and the other trees would picture the nations of the world. Perhaps our Lord was suggesting that increased nationalism will be one of the signs of the end times. Certainly future events cast their shadows before them. “And when these things begin to come to pass” (, italics mine) suggests that a sign need not be full-blown before it is important to God’s people.
The budding of the trees indicates that summer is near. The beginning of these signs indicates that the Lord’s coming is near. The generation alive on earth at that time will see these events take place. Our generation sees a foreshadowing of these signs. We do not look for signs as such; we look for the Saviour (). Jesus can come for His church at any time.
The days of Noah (vv. ). Here the emphasis is on the fact that the people did not know the day when judgment would strike. Noah and his family in the ark are a picture of God’s miraculous preservation of Israel during the awful time of the Tribulation. (Enoch is a picture of the church which is raptured before the Tribulation—; ; ; .)
What kept the people from listening to Noah’s message and obeying? The common interests of life—eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage. They lost the best by living for the good. It is a dangerous thing to get so absorbed in the pursuits of life that we forget Jesus is coming.
The verb “taken” in means “taken away in judgment.” Do not apply these verses to the Rapture of the church when believers are caught up in the air to meet the Lord. During the Tribulation, a division will take place: Some people will perish in judgment (be taken away), while others will remain to enter into the kingdom. The use of “took them all away” in makes this clear.
The thief in the night (vv. ). Jesus used Noah to warn that men will not know the day, and He used the picture of the burglar to warn that they will not know the hour. After the Rapture of the church, there will be a time of peace and safety on earth (). Then suddenly God’s judgments will fall ().
People alive on earth during the Tribulation period will be able, from the Scriptures, to tell the drift of events; but they will not be able to calculate the exact day or hour of Christ’s return. Added to this is the fact that the days will be “shortened … for the elect’s sake” (). This may mean fewer days of tribulation, or it may mean fewer hours so that the people on earth suffer a bit less ().
When we combine the exhortations found in these three pictures, we end up with: “Know that He is near! Watch therefore! Be ye also ready!” Believers alive during that period of history will certainly find great comfort in the promises of the Word of God.
While the interpretation of this section relates to Israel during the Tribulation, we may apply the Word to our own hearts. We do not know when our Lord will return for His church. Therefore, we must be alert, watchful, and faithful. Jesus dealt with this in detail in the next section of the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:45–25:30).
How grateful we ought to be that God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation when Jesus Christ appears. He has saved us from the wrath to come (; ). As the people of God, we will certainly go through tribulation (; ), but not the Tribulation.
Matthew 24:45–25:46
We noted that the “atmosphere” of the first section of the Olivet Discourse was definitely Jewish. A careful reading of this section indicates that the “atmosphere” has changed. Jesus had been describing the sign-events of the Tribulation period, and had named one judgment after another, culminating in His return to earth. But in this section, the emphasis is on the Lord delaying His return (; , ).
It seems reasonable to assign Matthew 24:45–25:30 to our present age of the church, during which time it appears that the Lord is delaying His return (2 Peter 3). The closing section () describes the judgment the Lord will execute when He returns to earth. In general, the teachings in the Olivet Discourse relate to the Jews (), the professing church (Matt. 24:45–25:30), and the Gentile nations (). This corresponds with the threefold division of mankind mentioned by Paul in . We have already studied in detail our Lord’s coming as it relates to Israel, so let us look at it in the two remaining relationships.
Christ’s Coming and the Professing Church (Matt. 24:45–25:30)
We must not be surprised that our Lord suddenly changed from discussing His return as it relates to Israel to His return as it relates to the church. It is not uncommon in Scripture for a speaker or writer to change emphasis right in the middle of a sentence. For example, the entire Church Age occurs in the time period between the words given and and in . A similar “leap” is seen in , where the Church Age takes place in the period between the “year of the Lord” and the “day of vengeance.”
In the section devoted to Israel, Jesus described primarily the outward events of the period; in this section, He described inward attitudes. While everyone who has trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour is going to heaven (; ), not every believer is ready to meet the Lord.
When Jesus Christ returns and takes His church to heaven, He will sit on His judgment seat and judge His own people (; ). He will not judge our sins, because these have already been judged on the cross (). But He will judge our works and will give rewards to those who have earned them (). These parables suggest that Jesus will judge three different groups of professed believers.
Obedient and disobedient servants (vv. ). God’s people on earth are called a household (; ). God has put servants over each household to feed the members. This suggests to us the local church family with its spiritual leaders. The purpose of spiritual leadership is that the leaders feed the people, not that the people feed the leaders! The Apostle Peter caught this truth and emphasized it in his first letter ().
It is a serious thing to be a pastor or other officer in a local church. We must take care that our motives are right and that we serve Christ and His people in love. Both in word and deed, we must lead the family in the right way (). The members of the family should submit to spiritual leadership, because one day both people and leaders will face the Judgment Seat of Christ ().
The servant’s task is not to be popular, but to be obedient. He must feed the family the food that it needs, when it needs it. He should bring out of his “spiritual cupboard” things new and old (). Some Bible teachers, in their search for something new and exciting, forget the nutrition of the old truths of the Word. But other ministers are so wrapped up in the old that they fail to discover the new insights and new applications of the old truths. The new grows out of the old, and the old is made more meaningful by the new.
If the spiritual leader is obediently doing his job when the Lord returns, he shall be rewarded. But if that leader is not doing his job when the Lord returns, he will be dealt with in a severe way. I prefer to translate : “And shall punish him severely and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.” (Even in that day of despotic rule, it would be unthinkable for a master to cut his servant in half.) The whole picture is one of pain and loss. This does not suggest punitive measures at the Judgment Seat of Christ, because there we will have glorified bodies. But it does suggest loss of reward and loss of opportunity.
Jesus did not amplify the truth here, but from other Scriptures we learn that one reward for obedient service will be ministry in the kingdom that He will establish on earth (). The reward for obedient service is the capacity for greater service. Not to have a place of ministry in His kingdom would, to me, be a tremendous loss.
What caused this servant’s downfall? Something went wrong in his heart: He ceased to expect his Lord to return (). He lived like the world and mistreated his fellow servants. Whenever God’s servants cannot work together, it is often because somebody has forgotten that the Lord will return. Looking for His appearing, and loving His appearing, should motivate us to be faithful and loving (; ).
Wise and foolish witnesses (vv. ). A wedding in that day had two parts. First, the bridegroom and his friends would go from his house to claim the bride from her parents. Then the bride and groom would return to the groom’s house for the marriage feast. The suggestion here is that the groom has already claimed his bride and is now on his way back home. However, we must not press the image of the church as a bride too far, because much of this truth was not revealed until the ministry of Paul ().
The church has known for 2,000 years that Jesus is coming again, and yet many believers have become lethargic and drowsy. They are no longer excited about the soon-coming of the Lord. As a result, there is little effective witness given that the Lord is returning.
The oil for burning reminds us of the special oil used in the tabernacle services (). Oil is usually a symbol of the Spirit of God, but I wonder if this particular oil is not also a symbol of the Word of God. The church should be “holding forth the word of life” in this dark and wicked world (). We need to keep the word of His patience () and keep witnessing of the return of Jesus Christ.
When the bridegroom and bride appeared, half of the bridesmaids were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil. “Our lamps are going out!” they cried. The bridesmaids who had oil were able to light their lamps and keep them shining bright. It was they who entered into the wedding feast and not the foolish girls who had no oil. This suggests that not every professing Christian will enter heaven, for some really have not trusted Jesus Christ sincerely. Without the Spirit of God and the Word of God, there can be no true salvation.
Jesus ended this parable with the warning He had uttered before: “Watch” (; ). This does not mean standing on a mountaintop gazing at the heavens (). It means “to stay awake and be alert” ().
Profitable and unprofitable servants (vv. ). This parable must not be confused with the Parable of the Pounds () though the two parables do have similarities. Please note that each servant in this parable was given money (a talent was worth about twenty years’ wages) according to his ability. The man with much ability was given five talents; the man with average ability received two talents; the man with minimal ability received one talent.
The talents represent opportunities to use our abilities. If five talents were given to a person with minimal ability, he would be destroyed by the heavy responsibility. But if only one talent were given to a man of great ability, he would be disgraced and degraded. God assigns work and opportunity according to ability. We are living in the period of time between and . We have been assigned our ministries according to the abilities and gifts God has given us. It is our privilege to serve the Lord and multiply His goods.
The three servants fell into two categories: faithful and unfaithful. The faithful servants took their talents and put them to work for their Lord. The unfaithful servant hid his talent in the earth. Instead of using his opportunities, he buried them! He did not purposely do evil. But by doing nothing, he was committing sin and robbing his Lord of service and increase.
The two men who put their money to work each received the same commendation (, ). It was not the portion but the proportion that made the difference. They started as servants, but their Lord promoted them to rulers. They were faithful with a few things, so the Lord trusted them with many things. They had worked and toiled, and now they entered into joy. Their faithfulness gave each of them a capacity for greater service and responsibility.
The third servant was unfaithful and therefore was unrewarded. Because this man was afraid he might fail, he never tried to succeed. He feared life and his responsibilities. This paralyzed him with anxiety, so he buried the talent to protect it. The least he could have done was put the money in a bank and collect some interest. There was no real risk in that.
What we do not use for the Lord, we are in danger of losing. The master reprimanded the unfaithful, unprofitable servant, and then took his talent from him. The man with the most talents received the extra talent.
Some feel that this unprofitable servant was not a true believer. But it seems that he was a true servant, even though he proved to be unprofitable. The “outer darkness” of need not refer to hell, even though that is often the case in the Gospels (; ). It is dangerous to build theology on parables, for parables illustrate truth in vivid ways. The man was dealt with by the Lord, he lost his opportunity for service, and he gained no praise or reward. To me, that is outer darkness.
It is possible that the one-talent man thought that his one talent was not really very important. He did not have five talents, or even two. Why worry about one? Because he was appointed as a steward by the Lord. Were it not for the one-talent people in our world, very little would get accomplished. His one talent could have increased to two and brought glory to his master.
These three parables encourage us to love His appearing, look for His appearing, and labor faithfully until He comes. We should be watching, witnessing, and working. We may not be successful in the eyes of men, or even popular with others. But if we are faithful and profitable, we shall receive our reward.
Christ’s Coming and the Gentile Nations ()
This section explains to us how Jesus Christ will judge the Gentile nations. The word nations in means “Gentiles,” and it is in the neuter gender in the Greek. The word them in that same verse is in the masculine. This means that the nations will be gathered before Jesus Christ, but He will judge them as individuals. This will not be a judgment of groups (Germany, Italy, Japan, etc.) but of individuals within these nations.
We must not confuse this judgment with the Great White Throne Judgment described in . Some scholars merge both passages and call this “the general judgment.” The Bible knows nothing of a “general judgment.” This judgment takes place on earth immediately after the Battle of Armageddon. The White Throne Judgment takes place in space somewhere (“the earth and the heaven fled away,” ). The judgment here in Matthew 25 takes place before the kingdom is established on earth, for the saved are told to “inherit the kingdom” (). The White Throne Judgment will take place after the 1,000-year reign of Christ ().
There is another error we must avoid. We must not force this passage to teach salvation by good works. A superficial reading would give the impression that helping one’s neighbor is sufficient to earn salvation and go to heaven. But this is not the message of this passage. Nobody at any time in the history of the world was ever saved by good works.
The Old Testament saints were saved by faith (Heb. 11); the New Testament saints were saved by faith in Jesus Christ (). People today are saved the same way. The gospel of “do good” is not a scriptural message. It is right for believers to do good (; ), but this is not the way unbelievers can be saved.
If we keep in mind the three groups in the account, it will help to solve this problem: There were sheep, goats, and brethren. Who are these people that the King dares to call “My brethren”? It seems likely that they are the believing Jews from the Tribulation period. These are people who will hear the message of the 144,000 and trust Jesus Christ. Since these believing Jews will not receive the “mark of the beast” (), they will be unable to buy or sell. How, then, can they survive? Through the loving care of the Gentiles who have trusted Christ and who care for His brethren.
The interesting thing about this judgment is that the sheep individuals are surprised at what they hear. They will not remember having seen the Lord Jesus Christ and ministering to His needs. But just as they lovingly ministered to the believing Jews, they did it to Christ. Their motive was not reward, but sacrificial love. In fact, these Gentiles took their own lives in their hands when they welcomed the homeless Jews and cared for them. “He that receiveth you receiveth Me,” Jesus said to His disciples (); and surely this would also apply to His brethren.
The individuals designated goats were judged because they did not trust Jesus Christ and give evidence of that faith by caring for His brethren. They apparently received the mark of the beast and took care of themselves and their own, but they had no time for the Jewish remnant that was suffering on earth (). There are sins of omission as well as sins of commission (). Not doing good is the moral equivalent of doing evil.
When we compare the two judicial sentences (, ), we discover some interesting truths. To begin with, the sheep were blessed of the Father; but it does not say that the goats were “cursed of the Father.” The sheep inherit the kingdom, and inheritance is based on birth. Because they had been born again through faith, they inherited the kingdom.
This kingdom was prepared for these saved individuals, but does not state that the everlasting fire was prepared for the goats. It was prepared for the devil and his angels (). God never prepared hell for people. There is no evidence from Scripture that God predestines people to go to hell. If sinners listen to Satan, and follow his ways, they will end up where he ends up—in the torments of hell. There are only two eternal destinies: everlasting punishment for those who reject Christ or eternal life for those who trust Him.
The sheep will be ushered into the kingdom to share in Christ’s glory. The church will be reigning with Christ, and Israel will enjoy the fulfillment of the promises made through the prophets. All of creation will share in the glorious liberty of God’s children (). Jesus Christ will rule from David’s throne in Jerusalem (), and peace will reign for 1,000 years (Isa. 11).
As we look back over the Olivet Discourse, we should review several facts. To begin with, God is not finished with the people of Israel. Jesus made it clear in this sermon that Israel would be purified and brought to faith in the Messiah. God has not cast away His people ().
Second, the Old Testament promises of the kingdom will be fulfilled. The Tribulation period will be a very difficult time for people on the earth. But it will be “travail” in preparation for the birth of the kingdom. The suffering will lead to glory.
Third, God is going to judge this world. He is not sending cataclysmic judgments today because this is a day of grace when His message is, “Be you reconciled to God” (). The heavens are silent because man’s sins have already been judged at the Cross. God has spoken once and for all through His Son, and He will not speak to this earth again until He sends His judgments during the Tribulation.
Fourth, we as Christians and members of His church are not looking for signs. “The Jews require a sign” (). There will be no signs given prior to the sudden return of Christ in the air for His church. However, as we see some of these Tribulation signs beginning (“When these things begin to take place,” , NASB), we feel that the end is not far away. It seems that international tensions and problems are increasing to the point where the world will cry out for a dictator, and Satan will have his candidate ready.
Finally, no matter what view of prophecy we take, we know that Jesus is coming again. As Christians, we must be alert and ready. We must not waste our opportunities. We may not have a great deal of ability or a great many gifts, but we can still be faithful in the calling He has given us.
Events were now moving to a climax. The King was preparing to suffer and die. This preparation was in three stages and at three different locations. As we examine these stages, we can see the growing conflict between Christ and the enemy.
At Bethany: Worship versus Waste ()
Matthew does not claim to give us a chronological account of the events of the last week. At this point he inserted a flashback to describe the feast in Bethany and the beautiful act that Mary performed. The religious leaders were meeting to plot against Jesus, but His friends were meeting to show their love and devotion to Him. Also, by joining these two accounts, Matthew showed the connection between Mary’s worship and Judas’ betrayal. It was after the feast in Bethany that Judas went to the priests and offered his help (). The Lord’s rebuke triggered Judas’ response.
The feast at Bethany took place “six days before the Passover” () in the house of Simon the leper. Apparently he had been healed by the Lord Jesus. There were at least seventeen people at this dinner: Simon, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Jesus, and the 12 Apostles. True to her character as the “doer” in the family, Martha did the serving (). The three key persons in this event are Mary, Judas, and Jesus.
Mary (v. ). Only John identifies this woman as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus. She is found only three times in the Gospels, and in each instance she is at the feet of Jesus. She sat at His feet and listened to the Word (); she came to His feet in sorrow after the death of Lazarus (); and she worshiped at His feet when she anointed Him with the ointment (). Mary was a deeply spiritual woman. She found at His feet her blessing, she brought to His feet her burdens, and she gave at His feet her best.
When we combine the Gospel records, we learn that she anointed both His head and His feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. A woman’s hair is her glory (). She surrendered her glory to the Lord and worshiped Him with the precious gift that she brought. It was an act of love and devotion that brought fragrance to the whole house.
Because she had listened to His word, Mary knew that soon Jesus would die and be buried. She also knew that His body would not need the traditional care given to the dead because His body would not see corruption (; ). Instead of anointing His body after His death, she did so before His death. It was an act of faith and love.
Judas (vv. ). The disciples did not know the true character of Judas. His criticism of Mary sounded so “spiritual” that they joined him in attacking her. We know the real reason Judas wanted the ointment sold: The money would go into the treasury and he would be able to use it ().
Judas is a tragic figure. He was called to be one of Christ’s disciples and was named an apostle along with the others (). He received power to heal (), and he probably used this power. It is not the power to do miracles that is proof of salvation (), but obedience to God’s Word.
In spite of his affiliation with the band of disciples, and his association with Christ, Judas was not a true believer. When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He made it clear that one of them (Judas) was not cleansed (). Like many professing Christians today, Judas was “in” the group of believers but not “of” them.
Notice that every time Mary sought to do something for Jesus, she was misunderstood. Her sister Martha misunderstood her when Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to hear Him teach the Word. Judas and the other disciples misunderstood her when she anointed Jesus. Her friends and neighbors misunderstood her when she came out of the house to meet Jesus after Lazarus had been buried (). When we give Jesus Christ first place in our lives, we can expect to be misunderstood and criticized by those who claim to follow Him.
Why did Judas follow Jesus for three years, listen to His Word, share His ministry, and then turn traitor? One thing is certain: Judas was not the victim of circumstances or the passive tool of providence. It was prophesied that one of Messiah’s close associates would betray Him, (; ), but this fact does not relieve Judas of responsibility. We must not make him a martyr because he fulfilled this prophecy.
While we can never fully understand the mind and heart of Judas, we do know that he had every opportunity to be saved. He was often warned by Jesus: in the Upper Room, Jesus even washed Judas’ feet. Probably, Judas saw in Jesus the hope for Israel’s political freedom. If Jesus established His kingdom, Judas, as treasurer, would have had an important position. When Jesus repeatedly refused to become a political Messiah, Judas turned against Him. Satan found a willing tool in Judas. Satan put the ideas into Judas’ mind () and then entered into Judas to use him to betray Jesus to the enemy ().
Judas’ life is a warning to those who pretend to serve Christ but whose hearts are far from God. He is also a warning to those who waste their opportunities and their lives. “Why this waste?” asked Judas when he saw that expensive ointment poured out on Jesus. Yet Judas wasted his opportunities, his life, and his soul! Jesus called him son of perdition () which literally means “son of waste.”
Jesus (vv. ). He immediately came to the defense of Mary, for He always protects His own. He rebuked Judas and the other disciples and praised Mary for her loving act of devotion. Nothing given to Jesus in love is ever wasted. Her act of worship not only brought joy to the heart of Jesus and fragrance to the house, but also blessing to the whole world. Her devotion encourages us to love and serve Christ with our very best. Such service brings blessings to others that perhaps we will know nothing about until we see Him.
Jesus did not criticize the disciples because they were concerned about the poor. He was concerned about the poor, and we should be too. He was cautioning them against missing their opportunity to worship Him. They would always have opportunities to help the poor. But they would not always have the opportunity to worship at His feet and prepare Him for burial.
In the Upper Room: Faithfulness versus Betrayal ()
Preparation for Passover (vv. ). It was necessary to purchase and prepare the materials needed for the Passover feast. It was also necessary to find a place in crowded Jerusalem where the feast could be held. Jesus sent Peter and John to make these important preparations (). They were to follow a man who was carrying a pitcher of water and he would show them a large upper room. It would be most unusual for a man to be carrying the water, for this was usually done by the women.
Peter and John would have had to secure the bread and bitter herbs, as well as the wine, for the feast. They would have had to find a perfect lamb, and then have had the lamb slain in the court of the temple and the blood put on the altar. The lamb would be roasted whole, and then the feast would be ready.
Announcement of a betrayer (vv. ). Up to the very end, the disciples did not realize that one of their own number, Judas, was the traitor. They did not see any difference in the way Jesus treated Judas, which is remarkable testimony to our Lord’s patience and love. It was during the Passover feast, as they were eating, that Jesus announced the presence of a traitor. The disciples looked at one another, wondering who the traitor might be. Then they asked Jesus, “It is not I, is it?” The construction of the question indicates they expected No as the answer.
Judas was reclining to our Lord’s left; this was a place of honor at a feast. (This may explain why the disciples again started arguing over who was the greatest. See .) John was reclining at our Lord’s right, and thus was able to rest on His breast (). It was an act of friendship to eat bread together, especially bread that had been dipped into the dish of herbs. It was also an honor to be given a morsel of bread by your host. Jesus gave the bread to Judas (), and Judas accepted it knowing full well that he was betraying his Lord. For Jesus, giving the bread was a gracious act of hospitality; for Judas, accepting the bread was an evil act of treachery.
presents both the human and the divine sides of this event. From the divine point of view, Judas’ treachery was predicted in Scripture and was part of the plan of God. But from the human point of view, Judas was guilty of a base crime and was completely responsible for what he did. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are not in conflict, even though we may not be able to understand how they work together to fulfill God’s will.
After Judas took the morsel of bread, Satan entered into him (). He then went out to keep his promise to the religious leaders in delivering Jesus into their hands; and even then, the other disciples did not know what he was doing. “He went immediately out; and it was night” (). For Judas, it is still night.
Institution of the Lord’s Supper (vv. ). It was after Judas had left the room that Jesus instituted something new, the Lord’s Supper (). He took two elements from the Passover feast, the unleavened bread and the cup, and He used these to picture His own death. The broken bread pictured His body given for the sins of the world. The “fruit of the vine” () pictured His blood, shed for the remission of sins. The text does not indicate that anything special or mysterious happened to these two elements. They remained bread and the “fruit of the vine” but they now conveyed a deeper meaning: the body and the blood of Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Supper reminds us to look ahead for Christ’s return. We will observe this supper until He comes (). The Passover pointed ahead to the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (). The Lord’s Supper announces that this great work has been accomplished.
In , Jesus added the note of future glory in the kingdom. Jesus did eat bread, fish, and honey after His resurrection (; ). But there is no record that He drank the fruit of the vine. Even as He faced the rejection of His nation and the suffering of the cross, He was looking ahead to the kingdom that would be established because of His sacrifice. There were traditionally four cups drunk at the Passover feast, each cup relating to one of the four promises in . Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper between the third and fourth cups.
The hymn that Jesus and His disciples sang before they left the Upper Room was part of the traditional Hallel, Psalms 116–118. Read those psalms in the light of Christ’s death and resurrection and see how they take on new meaning. Imagine our Lord being able to sing praises to God in the face of rejection, suffering, and death.
Gethsemane: Submission versus Resistance ()
At the Mount of Olives was a private garden which Jesus often had used as a retreat (). Gethsemane means “oil press,” a significant name in the light of our Lord’s agony in that Garden.
The disciples’ failure announced (vv. ). This announcement was probably made as the band of men made their way to the Garden. We usually point to Peter as the one who had failed the Lord, but all of the disciples were involved. Jesus referred to in warning His disciples, but He also added a word of promise: He would rise again and meet them in Galilee. Unfortunately, the men paid little attention to the promise of His resurrection. On Resurrection Day, the angels reminded them of the meeting in Galilee (, ).
When Peter disagreed with the Lord, this was the beginning of his sin of denying the Lord. Peter was unwilling to apply the word “all” to himself. Instead of reassuring Peter, the Lord gave him a personal warning: He would deny Christ three times! Peter thought he was better than the other men, and Jesus told him he would be even more cowardly than the others.
Peter’s response was to deny Christ’s word even more fervently, and the other disciples joined in this protest. Had Peter listened to the word and obeyed it, he would not have denied his Lord three times.
Jesus’ surrender accomplished (vv. ). He left eight of the disciples at the entrance to the Garden, while He and Peter, James, and John went further into the Garden. This was the third time He had taken these three men with Him. They were with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration () and in the home of Jairus where He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (). He wanted them to watch and pray. He was entering into a difficult time, and the presence of His disciples would be an encouragement to Him.
We must not think that it was the fear of death that made our Lord so agonize in the Garden. He did not fear death, but faced it with courage and peace. He was about to “drink the cup” that His Father had prepared for Him, and this meant bearing on His body the sins of the world (; ). Many godly people have been arrested, beaten, and slain because of their faith. But only Jesus experienced being made sin and a curse for mankind (; ). The Father has never forsaken any of His own, yet He forsook His Son (). This was the cup that Jesus willingly drank for us.
Jesus was not wresthng with God’s will or resisting God’s will. He was yielding Himself to God’s will. As perfect Man, He felt the awful burden of sin, and His holy soul was repelled by it. Yet as the Son of God, He knew that this was His mission in the world. The mystery of His humanity and deity is seen vividly in this scene.
Peter and his fellow disciples had promised to be faithful to death, and yet they went to sleep! They needed to pray for themselves, because danger was around the corner. And how much it would have meant to their Lord if they had watched and prayed with Him. They had failed, but their Lord had succeeded.
The arrest achieved (vv. ). Jesus knew that Judas and the arresting officers were near, so He awakened the sleeping disciples and prepared them for what was coming. The fact that this band of soldiers and temple guards carried weapons and lanterns shows that Judas did not really understand Jesus. Judas thought they would have to search for Him in the Garden and fight off His disciples in order to arrest Him. But Jesus came to them and calmly surrendered. It would not even have been necessary for Judas to betray Jesus with a kiss, for Jesus told the soldiers who He was.
It is tragic to see how Judas cheapened everything that he touched. His name means praise (), yet who would name a son “Judas” today? He used the kiss as a weapon, not as a sign of affection. In that day, it was customary for disciples to kiss their teacher. But in this case, it was not a mark of submission or respect. The Greek verbs indicate that Judas kissed Jesus repeatedly.
At this point, some of the other disciples asked, “Shall we strike with the sword?” When He was with them in the Upper Room, Jesus had talked to them about swords (). Jesus was preparing them for a different kind of life. They would need to use whatever means He provided for their care and safety. They would be in a hostile world, and He would not always perform miracles to help them.
The problem was, the disciples misunderstood what He taught them. As usual, they took Him literally. “ ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ And He said to them, ‘It is enough’ ” (, NASB). Peter had argued with the Word, denied the Word, and disobeyed the Word (when he went to sleep). Now he ran ahead of the Word. In his zeal to help Jesus, Peter cut off Malchus’ ear with a sword. He did not wait for the Lord to tell him what to do, but (like Moses in Egypt, ) Peter rushed ahead and trusted the arm of flesh. Had Jesus not healed the ear of Malchus, there probably would have been four crosses on Calvary!
The fact that the guards had not arrested Him in the temple indicates that there was a divine timetable controlling His life. These things were not happening by accident, but by appointment. It was all part of God’s plan, yet evil men were responsible for the deed. “This Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (, NASB).
Of course, they had no right to arrest Jesus. He had broken no laws, He had committed no crimes. They were treating Him like a common thief—and yet it was Judas who was the thief! The disciples who bravely promised to deliver Him deserted Him. “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (). Later, even the Father would leave Him!
Each of us must decide: Will it be the sword or the cup? Will I resist God’s will or submit to God’s will? The cup usually involves suffering, but that suffering ultimately leads to glory. We need not fear the cup, for it has been prepared by the Father especially for us. He knows how much we can take, and He mixes the contents in wisdom and love.
Matthew 26:57–27:26
After Jesus was arrested, He was taken to the house of Annas, the former high priest who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest (). Annas, a shrewd politician, was something of a “godfather” in the temple establishment. Jesus then was taken to Caiaphas and, in the morning, to the meeting of the Sanhedrin. They turned Him over to Pilate who tried to put Him under Herod’s jurisdiction (). But Herod sent Him back to Pilate.
Matthew centered his attention on four persons who were involved in the trial and suffering of the Lord.
According to Old Testament Law, the high priest was to serve until death. But when the Romans took over the nation of Israel, they made the high priesthood an appointed office. This way they could be certain of having a religious leader who would cooperate with their policies. Annas served as high priest from A.D.6 to A.D. 15, and five of his sons, as well as Caiaphas his son-in-law succeeded him. Caiaphas was high priest from A.D. 18–36, but Annas was still a power behind the throne (see ).
Both Annas and Caiaphas were Sadducees, which meant they did not believe in the resurrection, the spirit world, or the authority of any of the Old Testament except the five Books of Moses. It was the high priestly family that managed the “temple business’ which Jesus had overthrown twice during His ministry. Of course, these men were most happy to lay hands on their enemy. Caiaphas had already made it clear that he intended to sacrifice Jesus in order to save the nation ().
The high priest hastily assembled the Sanhedrin, composed of the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes (). While the men were gathering, Caiaphas and his assistants were seeking for witnesses to testify against the prisoner. They had already determined that He was guilty, but they wanted to go through the motions of a legal trial.
Since no honest witnesses could be found (which in itself proves our Lord’s innocence), the leaders arranged for false witnesses to testify. The Law of Moses warned against false witnesses (), but even the religious leaders twisted God’s Word to accomplish their selfish purposes. That there were two witnesses fulfilled the letter of the Law. But that they deliberately lied broke both the letter and the spirit of the Law. These witnesses cited a statement Jesus had made early in His ministry: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (). It was a serious matter to speak against the temple; this very charge later led to the death of Stephen (; ).
When confronted with this charge, Jesus remained silent. This was a fulfillment of . Jesus could not deny that He made the statement, and yet neither could He explain the spiritual meaning of the statement to this group of worldly minded men. In His attitude toward His enemies, Jesus set an example for us to follow ().
When Caiaphas saw that the false charges were not incriminating Jesus, he took another approach. He put Jesus under oath. In our day of repeated perjury and carelessness with the truth, we cannot appreciate the solemn importance that the Jews gave to oaths. This, of course, was according to their Law (; ; ). Caiaphas knew that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God (), so he put Him under oath to declare this. The clever priest knew that Jesus could not avoid replying.
Jesus did affirm that He is the Son of God. He applied to Himself and , both of which are messianic passages. In these two quotations, Jesus predicted His resurrection and ascension and His return in glory. This would mean salvation to those who trust Him, but for Caiaphas it would mean condemnation.
Without even considering the evidence, Caiaphas passed the sentence. The treatment given Jesus after the verdict had been reached was certainly illegal and inhumane. Of course, all of this only revealed the wickedness of the priest’s heart. At the same time, it fulfilled the messianic prophecies ().
Peter has been criticized for following “afar off” (); but that was not his mistake. His mistake was that he followed at all. He was supposed to get out! Jesus had warned Peter that he would deny Him. Jesus had also quoted which states that the “sheep shall be scattered.” Finally, Jesus had expressly commanded the disciples not to follow: “Let these go their way” (). If Peter had listened to the word and obeyed it, he would never have failed the Lord in such a humiliating way.
The Apostle John was also a part of this failure, for he had followed with Peter and gotten both of them entrance into the high priest’s house (). Jesus had warned them to “watch and pray” lest they enter into temptation (). But they had gone to sleep instead. Consequently, they entered into temptation, and Peter fell.
Peter’s denial of Christ was the climax of a series of failures. When the Lord first warned Peter that he would be tested by Satan, Peter affirmed his faith and his ability to remain true to the Lord. In pride, Peter argued with the Word of God! He even dared to compare himself to the other disciples and affirmed that, though they might fall, he would remain true.
The fact that Peter was standing by the enemy’s fire, warming himself, indicates how defeated he was. The denial was even more humiliating because two of the interrogators were servant girls. The third challenge came from a man, one of the bystanders; but Peter failed again. This man was a relative of Malchus, the man Peter had wounded (). So Peter’s impulsive deed caught up with him even after Jesus had repaired the damage.
Mark’s account of this event indicates that the cock would crow twice (). After the third denial, the cock crowed for the second time (). This means that the first cock-crowing was a warning to Peter, and he should have left the scene immediately. The third denial and the second cock-crow climaxed the test, and Peter had failed.
The crowing of the cock reminded Peter of the word of Jesus. Had Peter remembered and obeyed the word, he would never have denied his Lord. It was at that time that Jesus turned and looked at Peter (), and that look of love broke the apostle’s heart. Peter went out and wept bitterly.
After His resurrection, Jesus met privately with Peter and restored him to his discipleship (; ). Jesus also restored him publicly (). Peter learned some important lessons during that difficult experience. He learned to pay attention to the Word, to watch and pray, and to put no confidence in his own strength.
The Jewish council reconvened in the morning and delivered the official verdict against Jesus, so that people could not say that their hastily called night meeting was unlawful. Now all were able to attend. It is likely that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea either did not attend or abstained from voting (). But the Jews did not have the authority to exercise capital punishment (), so the prisoner went to Pilate, the Roman procurator. Only he could sentence the prisoner to death.
At this point, Judas returned to the scene. He witnessed the official trial and sentencing of Jesus and realized that He was condemned to die. Judas’ response was one of remorse and regret. The Greek word translated “repented himself” in indicates, not a sorrow for sin that leads to a change of mind and action, but a regret at being caught, a remorse that leads to despair. Peter truly repented, and Jesus restored him. But Judas did not repent, and this led him to suicide.
Judas had sold Jesus for the price of a slave (). In desperation, he threw the money on the temple floor and left. The Law would not permit the use of this kind of tainted money for temple purposes (). The leaders were careful to observe the Law even while they were guilty of breaking it. They used the money to buy a “potter’s field” where Jewish strangers who died could be buried properly.
adds to our understanding of the event. Judas went off by himself, brooded over his terrible crime, and finally hanged himself. Apparently his body was not discovered for some days, because it became bloated and his bowels gushed out. Perhaps the tree limb on which he was hanging also broke and helped to cause this.
does not say that Judas committed suicide in the field that the priests bought with the money. That act would have defiled the land and the priests would never have purchased it. states that the priests bought a field; states that the money Judas acquired was used to buy it. Judas could not have purchased a field with that money because he gave the money back to the priests. The priests called the cemetery “the field of blood” because it was purchased with “blood money.” Judas’ suicide added more “blood” to the name, since it was he who contributed the money.
But, why did Matthew relate this event to a prophecy in Jeremiah, when the prophecy is found in ? One possible solution is that his prophecy was spoken by Jeremiah (note ) and became a part of the Jewish oral tradition. It was later written by Zechariah. The Prophet Jeremiah definitely was involved in the purchase of a field (), and also with a potter’s house (), and a burial ground (). Matthew may have been referring to these general facts as background for the specific prophecy written by Zechariah.
Pontius Pilate was the sixth Roman procurator to serve in Judea. He was not liked by the Jews because he did things that deliberately violated their Law and provoked them. He was not above killing people to accomplish his purposes (). Pilate’s position was always rather precarious because of his bad relationship with Israel and because of Rome’s changing policy with the Jews.
The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of three crimes. They claimed that He was guilty of misleading the nation, forbidding the paying of taxes, and claiming to be a king (). These were definitely political charges, the kind that a Roman governor could handle. Pilate focused on the third charge—that Jesus claimed to be a king—because this was a definite threat to Rome. If he could deal with this “revolutionary” properly, Pilate could please the Jews and impress the Emperor at the same time.
“Are You the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked. Jesus gave him a clear reply: “It is as you say.” However, Jesus then asked Pilate a question about his question (). Was Pilate thinking of “kingship” in the Roman sense? If so, then Jesus is not that kind of a king. Jesus explained to the governor that His kingdom was not of this world, that He had no armies, that His followers did not fight. Rather, His kingdom was a reign of truth.
This conversation convinced Pilate that Jesus was not a dangerous revolutionary. “I find no fault in Him,” was Pilate’s decision. But the Jewish rulers were insistent that Pilate condemn Jesus. They repeated their charges and, as they enlarged on them, mentioned that Jesus was from Galilee. When Pilate heard that, he saw a way out of his dilemma, since Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction. It is possible that Herod was displeased with Pilate because Pilate had slain some of Herod’s citizens (). This would have been an opportunity for Pilate to become reconciled to Herod.
Matthew did not record the trial held before Herod Antipas (). Herod was the one who had murdered John the Baptist and had threatened to kill Jesus (). Jesus was silent before Herod, for Herod had silenced the voice of God. All the king could do was mock Jesus and send Him back to Pilate. If Pilate had hoped to get rid of the problem, he was disappointed. However, this maneuver did patch up the quarrel between the two rulers.
Pilate wanted to solve the problem but not make any definite decision about Jesus. As a Roman governor, he was pledged to uphold the law. But as a politician, he knew he had to get along with the people. Every decision Pilate made forced him to make another decision, until he was the prisoner of his own evasions. He questioned Jesus further, but He made no reply.
Pilate had one more scheme: He would follow the tradition of releasing a prisoner. Instead of selecting some unknown prisoner, Pilate deliberately chose the most notorious prisoner he had, Barabbas. This man was a robber () and a murderer (). Pilate reasoned that the crowd would reject Barabbas and ask for Jesus to be released, for who wants a convicted murderer and robber turned loose into society?
But Pilate was wrong. In spite of the fact that Jesus had ministered by healing the sick and even raising the dead, the people rejected Him and chose a murderer to be released. Pilate realized that a riot was in the making, and he could not afford to let this happen. The very thing the rulers wanted to prevent—a riot at Passover season ()—they engineered themselves in order to force Pilate to act. The governor did act, purely out of expediency and not on the basis of integrity. He released a guilty man and condemned an innocent Man, and that innocent Man is the Son of God.
Pilate took three steps in an attempt to exonerate himself. First, he washed his hands and declared that he was innocent of any guilt. Second, he stated clearly that Jesus was a just person, that is, not worthy of death. Third, he offered to punish Jesus and then release Him, but the rulers would accept no compromise. Finally, the religious rulers used the one weapon against which Pilate had no defense: “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar” (, NASB). At this, Pilate capitulated, had Jesus scourged, and delivered Him to be crucified.
Since the Jews could not execute criminals, it was necessary for the Roman officials to assist; and Pilate issued the order. Of course, all of this was in fulfillment of prophecy. The Jews did not crucify; they used stoning to execute criminals. Psalm 22, written by a Jew, is a vivid picture of crucifixion. “They pierced my hands and my feet” (). Jesus was made a curse for us, for “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (; ). But still God was at work in fulfilling His divine purposes.
Pilate knew what was right, but refused to do anything about it. He was “willing to please the people” (). Judas yielded to the devil in his great sin (, ); Peter yielded to the flesh when he denied his Lord; but Pilate yielded to the world and listened to the crowd. Pilate looked for the easy way, not the right way. He has gone down in history as the man who condemned Jesus.
Matthew and the other Gospel writers recorded the historical facts of our Lord’s suffering and death. It remained for the writers of the New Testament Epistles to explain the theological meaning of this event. History states that “Christ died,” but theology explains, “Christ died for our sins” (). Let’s consider the various kinds of suffering that our Lord endured that day.
The official indictment against Jesus was that He claimed to be the King of the Jews (). The soldiers took advantage of this accusation and paid “homage” to the king. It was a cruel way to treat an innocent prisoner who had already been scourged. But Pilate did nothing to restrain them. He was glad to get the prisoner off of his hands.
First, the soldiers disrobed Jesus and dressed Him in an old “soldier’s cloak.” Imagine attiring the Prince of Peace () in a discarded military uniform! Matthew described the robe as scarlet, while Mark used the word purple. There is no contradiction; “reddish-purple” would be a good description of an old faded garment. Imagine how our Lord must have felt when this robe was thrown on His bleeding body.
A king must have a crown, so they wove together the thorny twigs of a plant, and pushed it on His head. They gave Him a reed as a scepter, and then bowed before Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They repeated this mock homage not realizing that the One they were mocking was indeed King of kings and Lord of lords.
Then they did something that no subject would ever do to his king: They spat on Him and hit Him with the reed. While some of the soldiers were bowing before Him, others were hitting Him on the head or spitting on Him (). Jesus took all of this humiliation and pain without speaking or fighting back (). His submission was not a sign of weakness; it was a sign of strength.
Crucifixion was the most shameful and painful way to execute a criminal. Jesus did not simply die; He died “even the death of a cross” (). Roman citizens ordinarily were not crucified. In fact, crucifixion was never mentioned in polite society, so degrading was this form of capital punishment.
Jesus was led outside the city to the place of execution (). It was required that the prisoner carry his own cross (or at least the crossbeam), and that he wear a placard around his neck announcing his crime. That placard was then hung over his head on the cross for all to see.
While the record does not state so expressly, it appears that Jesus was unable to carry the cross, and this was slowing down the progress of the group. When we remember that He had been awake all night, scourged, and abused by the soldiers, we can conclude that He was exhausted. Jesus started out bearing His cross (). says, “And they bring Him to Golgotha” (literal translation). This suggests that the soldiers had to assist Jesus in the procession, for the word “bring” has the meaning of “to carry, to bear.”
There was to be no delay in this execution. The Passover was about to be celebrated, and the Jewish leaders did not want their holy day desecrated by the dead bodies of criminals (). In order to hasten the procession, the soldiers drafted a visitor to Jerusalem, Simon from Cyrene. He had come to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, and now he was humiliated by being forced to carry the cross of an unknown criminal! Roman soldiers had the authority to draft citizens ().
Mark referred to Simon as though the people reading his Gospel would recognize him: “the father of Alexander and Rufus” (). Apparently these two sons were well-known members of the church. It seems likely that this humiliating experience resulted in Simon’s conversion as well as in the conversion of his family. Simon came to Jerusalem to sacrifice his Passover lamb, and he met the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for him.
It was customary to give a narcotic drink to those about to be crucified, for this would help to ease the pain. Jesus refused this drink; He did the will of God in complete control of His faculties. Also this act fulfilled .
It was customary for the soldiers to share the loot at an execution. This was a fulfillment of . After they had finished gambling for His clothing (), they sat down and “guarded Him there” (). After all, this Jesus was known to be a miracle-worker. Nobody knew how many followers He had, and perhaps they were even then preparing to rescue Him. He had one man in His band of disciples who had been a Zealot (—“Simon the Zealot”), and that fanatical group stopped at nothing when it came to opposing Roman authority.
By combining the Gospel records, we arrive at the full accusation that was put over His head: “This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.” The Jewish rulers did not approve of what Pilate wrote, but for once the governor did not vascillate (). In one sense, this title proved to be the first “Gospel tract” ever written. It announced to one of the thieves crucified with Him that He was the Saviour and a King. He dared to believe this message and asked Jesus to save him!
Jesus was not executed in a quiet building, away from the city’s noise and activity. He was executed on a public highway, on a day when perhaps hundreds of people were traveling. The fact that His indictment was written in three languages—Greek, Hebrew, and Latin—indicates that a cosmopolitan crowd passed by Golgotha, “the place of the skull.” This in itself was humiliating, for the passersby could stare and shout bitter mockery at the victims. Again, this mockery from the crowd had been predicted ().
It was bad enough that the common rabble mocked Him, but even the Jewish leaders joined the attack. They reminded Him of His promise to rebuild the temple in three days (; ). “If You can do that, You can come down from the cross and prove to us that You are God’s Son!” In reality, it was the fact that He stayed on the cross that proved His divine sonship.
The Jewish rulers mocked His claim to be the Saviour. “He saved others; He cannot save Himself” (,NASB). He had saved others. But if He saved Himself, then nobody else could be saved! He did not come to save His life, but to give it as a ransom for sinners.
Jesus was crucified at 9 o’clock in the morning; and from 9 until noon, He hung in the light. But at noon, a miraculous darkness covered the land. This was not a sandstorm or an eclipse, as some liberal writers have suggested. It was a heaven-sent darkness that lasted for three hours. It was as though all of creation was sympathizing with the Creator. There were three days of darkness in Egypt before Passover (); and there were three hours of darkness before the Lamb of God died for the sins of the world.
Jesus had spoken at least three times before this darkness fell. While they were crucifying Him, He repeatedly prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (). He had spoken to the repentant thief and assured him a place in paradise (). He had also given His mother into the care of His beloved disciple, John (). But when the darkness came, Jesus was silent for three hours.
After three hours, the darkness left. Then Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” This was a direct quotation from . It was during the time of darkness that Jesus had been made sin for us (). He had been forsaken by the Father! That darkness was a symbol of the judgment that He endured when He was “made a curse” for us (). suggests a period of light and a period of darkness; and emphasizes the holiness of God. How could a holy God look with favor on His Son who had become sin?
Jesus spoke these words in Hebrew, and the spectators did not understand Him. They thought He was calling for Elijah to help Him. Had they listened carefully and consulted Psalm 22 in its entirety, they would have understood the truth.
In rapid succession, the Lord spoke three more times. He said, “I thirst” (); and this fulfilled . Someone took pity on Him and moistened His lips with some sour wine. The others waited to see if perhaps Elijah would come to His rescue.
Then Jesus shouted, “It is finished! Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit!” The fact that Jesus shouted with a loud voice indicates that He was in complete control of His faculties. Then He voluntarily yielded up His spirit and died.
Though He was “crucified through weakness” (), He exercised wonderful power when He died. Three miracles took place simultaneously: The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; an earthquake opened many graves; some saints arose from the dead. The rending of the veil symbolized the wonderful truth that the way was now open to God (). There was no more need of temples, priests, altars, or sacrifices. Jesus had finished the work of salvation on the cross.
The earthquake reminds us of what happened at Mount Sinai when God gave the Law to Moses (). The earthquake at Calvary signified that the demands of the Law had been met and the curse of the Law forever abolished (). The torn veil indicates that He conquered sin; the earthquake suggests that He conquered the Law and fulfilled it; and the resurrections prove that He defeated death.
We are not told who these saints were; they were simply believers who had died. The King James Version suggests that they did not come out of the graves until after His resurrection; the New American Standard Bible agrees with this. It is difficult to believe that they were given life on Friday afternoon and yet remained in their tombs until Sunday. The New International Version suggests that these saints were resurrected immediately and came out of their tombs, but that they did not visit in Jerusalem until after Jesus had been raised from the dead. It is not likely that many Jews would be in the cemetery on Passover, since they might be defiled by the dead. These resurrections could have taken place with nobody finding out at that time.
The result of all of this was the testimony of the centurion and those watching. “Truly this was the Son of God.” Did this indicate saving faith? Not necessarily. But certainly it indicated hearts that were open to the truth.
The only disciple at the cross when Jesus died was John (). But many women were watching from a distance, undoubtedly those who had assisted Him in His ministry (). Three women were named: Mary Magdalene, who had been delivered of seven demons (); Mary, the mother of James and Joses, who also was at the tomb on Resurrection morning (; ); and Salome, the mother of James and John. Salome had asked Jesus for special thrones for her sons. We wonder how she felt as she saw Him hanging on a cross.
Were it not for the intervention of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (), the body of Jesus might not have had a decent burial. Joseph and Nicodemus had come to believe in Jesus, even though they had not openly testified of their faith. God kept them hidden, as it were, that they might care for the body of Jesus. Since Joseph was a rich man, and he prepared the new tomb, he helped in the fulfillment of prophecy, —“He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death” (NIV).
It is not likely that Joseph prepared that tomb for himself. He was a wealthy man and certainly would not want to be buried so near a place of execution. He prepared that tomb for Jesus, and he selected a site near Golgotha so that he and Nicodemus could bury Christ’s body quickly. Joseph and Nicodemus could very well have been in the garden waiting for Jesus to die. When they took Him from the cross, they defiled themselves and were not able to eat the Passover. But, what difference did it make? They had found the Lamb of God!
In contrast to the loving care given by Jesus’ friends, notice the plottings and maneuvering of the Jewish leaders. The disciples had forgotten that Jesus promised to rise from the dead on the third day, but His enemies remembered. Pilate permitted the leaders to set a guard at the tomb. This guard put an official Roman seal on the stone. All of this was of God, for now it was impossible for anyone—friend or foe—to steal the body. Without realizing it, the Jewish leaders and the Roman government joined forces to help prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28
If anything proves the kingship of Jesus Christ, it is His resurrection from the dead. The final chapter in Matthew’s Gospel is a record of victory. It is a thrilling fact that believers today share in that victory.
Notice the various stages in the experience of the believers with reference to His resurrection.
The women who had lingered at the cross came early to the tomb, bringing spices that they might anoint His body. They thought He was dead. In fact, they wondered how they would move the huge stone that blocked the entrance to the tomb (). It is remarkable that they did not believe in His resurrection when He had taught this truth repeatedly (; ; ; ).
We must never underestimate the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The world believes that Jesus died, but the world does not believe that He arose from the dead. Peter’s message at Pentecost emphasized the Resurrection. In fact, it is emphasized throughout the Book of Acts. What is the significance of the Resurrection?
It proves that Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus stated that He had authority to lay down His life and to take it up again ().
It verifies the truth of Scripture. Both in the Old Testament and in the teaching of Jesus, His resurrection is clearly taught (see ; ). If Jesus had not come out of the tomb, then these Scriptures would not be true.
It assures our own future resurrection. Because Jesus died and rose again, we shall one day be raised to be like Him (). In fact, the entire structure of the Christian faith rests on the foundation of the Resurrection. If we do away with His resurrection, we have no hope.
It is the proof of a future judgment. “Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man who He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” ().
It is the basis for Christ’s heavenly priesthood. Because He lives by the power of an endless life, He is able to save us “to the uttermost” (). He lives to intercede for us.
It gives power for Christian living. We cannot live for God by our own strength. It is only as His resurrection power works in and through us that we can do His will and glorify His name (see ).
It assures our future inheritance. Because we have a living hope, we can experience hopeful living. A dead hope grows weaker and weaker before it eventually dies. But because Jesus Christ is alive, we have a glorious future (see ).
Whenever God’s people gather on the Lord’s Day they bear witness that Jesus is alive and that the church has received spiritual blessings. When the followers of the Lord gathered that first Lord’s Day, they were discouraged and defeated.
“And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred” (, NASB). Two angels had appeared () and one of them had rolled the stone away from the door. Of course, the soldiers on duty were greatly frightened by this sudden demonstration of supernatural power. The stone was not rolled away to permit Jesus to come out, for He had already left the tomb. It was rolled back so that the people could see for themselves that the tomb was empty.
One of the angels spoke to the women and calmed their fears. “He is not here! Come, and see!” Keep in mind that these women, as well as the disciples, did not expect Jesus to be alive.
What did they see in the tomb? The graveclothes lying on the stone shelf, still wrapped in the shape of the body (). Jesus had passed through the graveclothes and left them behind as evidence that He was alive. They lay there like an empty cocoon. There was no sign of struggle, the graveclothes were not in disarray. Even the napkin (which had been wrapped around His face) was folded carefully in a place by itself.
We cannot examine this evidence in the same way the believers did that first Easter Sunday. But we do have the evidence of the Word of God. Jesus was not held by the bonds of death (). He had promised to arise from the dead, and His Word was never broken.
The remarkable change in the early believers is another proof of His resurrection. One day they were discouraged and hiding in defeat. The next day they were declaring His resurrection and walking in joyful victory. In fact, they were willing to die for the truth of the Resurrection. If all of this were a manufactured tale, it could never have changed their lives or enabled them to lay down their lives as martyrs.
There were over 500 witnesses who saw Jesus alive at one time (). These appearances of the risen Christ were of such a nature that they could not be explained as hallucinations or self-deception. The people who saw Him were surprised. It would have been impossible for over 500 people to suffer hallucinations at the same time. Even the Apostle Paul, who was an enemy of the church, saw the risen Christ; that experience transformed his life (Acts 9).
The existence of the church, the New Testament, and the Lord’s Day add further proof that Jesus is alive. For centuries, the Jews had been God’s people, and they had honored the seventh day, the Sabbath. Then a change took place: Jews and Gentiles united in the church and became God’s people; they met on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day. The New Testament is a lie if Jesus is dead, for every part of it points to a risen Christ.
Of course, Christians have experienced His resurrection power in their own lives. While the inward, subjective experience alone would not prove our Lord’s historic resurrection, when combined with the other evidences, it adds great weight to the case. Still it is possible for people to be self-deluded. “Believers” in all kinds of cults will claim their way is true because of what they have experienced. But Christians have the weight of church history, Scripture, and dependable witnesses to back up their own personal experiences of faith.
“Come and see!” was followed by “Go and tell!” We must not keep the Resurrection news to ourselves. The angel sent the women to tell (of all people) Christ’s own disciples. They should have been expecting the news, but instead, they questioned it even when they heard it.
They Met the Living Christ Personally ()
It is when we are obeying God’s Word that He comes to us. Jesus had already appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden (; ). Notice that our Lord’s first two Resurrection appearances were to believing women. These faithful women were not only the last to leave Calvary, but they were also the first to come to the tomb. Their devotion to Jesus was rewarded.
“All hail!” can be translated, Grace. What a marvelous greeting for the Resurrection Day! The women fell at His feet, took hold of Him, and worshiped Him. There must have been some fear in their hearts, for He immediately assured them with His typical, “Be not afraid!”
Not only had the angel commissioned them, but the Lord also commissioned them. The phrase “My brethren” revealed the intimate relationship between Christ and His followers. Jesus had spoken similar words to Mary Magdalene earlier that morning (). Jesus reinforced the instructions of the angel that the disciples meet Him in Galilee (see ). In the Garden, Jesus had told His disciples that He would rise from the dead and meet them in Galilee; but they had forgotten ().
While the believers were worshiping the living Christ, the unbelievers were plotting to destroy the witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By now, some of the soldiers had realized that they were in a desperate plight. The Roman seal had been broken, the stone had been rolled away, and the body was not in the tomb. For a Roman soldier to fail in his duty was an offense punishable by death (; ). But the soldiers were shrewd: They did not report to Pilate or to their superior officers; they reported to the Jewish chief priests. They knew that these men were as anxious to cover up the miracle as were the soldiers themselves! Between the chief priests, the elders, and the soldiers, they put together a story that would explain the empty tomb: The body was stolen.
By examining this story, we see that it actually proves the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus’ body was stolen, then it was taken either by His friends or His enemies. His friends could not have done it since they had left the scene and were convinced that Jesus was dead. His enemies would not steal His body because belief in His resurrection was what they were trying to prevent. They would have defeated their own purposes if they had removed His body. And, if they had taken it, why did they not produce it and silence the witness of the early church?
Anyone who stole the body would have taken the body in the graveclothes. Yet the empty graveclothes were left in the tomb in an orderly manner. This was hardly the scene of a grave robbery.
The religious leaders had given money to Judas to betray Jesus. They also gave money to the soldiers to say that the body had been stolen. These Romans would have demanded a large price, for their lives were at stake. If their superiors heard that these soldiers had failed, they could have been executed. Even if the story got to Pilate, he was not likely to do much about it. He was sure that Jesus was dead (), and that was all that mattered to him. The disappearance of Jesus’ body created no problems for Pilate.
Mark Twain once wrote that a lie can go around the world while truth is still lacing up her boots. There is something in human nature that makes it easy for people to believe lies. It was not until the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, and the powerful witness of the Apostles, that the Jews in Jerusalem discovered the truth: Jesus Christ is alive! Any sincere person who studies this evidence with an open heart will conclude that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historic fact that cannot be refuted.
Our Lord also appeared to the two Emmaus disciples that day (), and also to the ten disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem (). A week later, He appeared to the eleven disciples and dealt with Thomas’ unbelief (). On that first Easter Sunday, Jesus also made a special appearance to Peter (; ).
That day began with the disciples and the women thinking Jesus was dead. Then they were told that He was alive. Following that announcement, they met Him personally. There was one more stage in their experience.
They Shared the Good News with Others ()
Some Bible scholars equate this “mountain meeting” in Galilee with the appearance of the Lord to “more than 500 brethren at one time” (). The fact that some of the people present doubted His resurrection would suggest that more than the eleven Apostles were present, for these men were now confirmed believers. Our Lord’s ascension did not take place at this time, but later, after He had ministered to His disciples in Jerusalem ().
is usually called “the Great Commission,” though this statement is no greater than that in any of the other Gospels, nor is it the last statement Jesus made before He returned to heaven. However, this declaration does apply to us as believers, so we should understand the factors that are involved.
An authority (v. ). In this verse, the word power means “authority,” the right to use power. The entire Gospel of Matthew stresses the authority of Jesus Christ. There was authority to His teaching (). He exercised authority in healing (), and even in forgiving sins (). He had authority over Satan, and He delegated that authority to His Apostles (). At the close of his Gospel, Matthew made it clear that Jesus has ALL authority.
Since Jesus Christ today has all authority, we may obey Him without fear. No matter where He leads us, no matter what circumstances we face, He is in control. By His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated all enemies and won for Himself all authority.
Christianity is a missionary faith. The very nature of God demands this, for God is love and God is not willing that any should perish (). Our Lord’s death on the cross was for the whole world. If we are the children of God and share His nature, then we will want to tell the good news to the lost world.
When we read the Book of Acts, we see that the early church operated on the basis of the Lord’s sovereign authority. They ministered in His name. They depended on His power and guidance. They did not face a lost world on the basis of their own authority, but on the authority of Jesus Christ.
An activity (vv. ). The Greek verb translated go is actually not a command but a present participle (going). The only command in the entire Great Commission is “make disciples” (“teach all nations”). Jesus said, “While you are going, make disciples of all the nations.” No matter where we are, we should be witnesses for Jesus Christ and seek to win others to Him ().
The term “disciples” was the most popular name for the early believers. Being a disciple meant more than being a convert or a church member. Apprentice might be an equivalent term. A disciple attached himself to a teacher, identified with him, learned from him, and lived with him. He learned, not simply by listening, but also by doing. Our Lord called twelve disciples and taught them so that they might be able to teach others ().
A disciple, then, is one who has believed on Jesus Christ and expressed this faith by being baptized. He remains in the fellowship of the believers that he might be taught the truths of the faith (). He is then able to go out and win others and teach them. This was the pattern of the New Testament church ().
In many respects, we have departed from this pattern. In most churches, the congregation pays the pastor to preach, win the lost, and build up the saved—while the church members function as cheerleaders (if they are enthusiastic) or spectators. The “converts” are won, baptized, and given the right hand of fellowship, then they join the other spectators. How much faster our churches would grow, and how much stronger and happier our church members would be, if each one were discipling another believer. The only way a local church can “be fruitful and multiply” (instead of growing by “additions”) is with a systematic discipleship program. This is the responsibility of every believer, and not just a small group who have been “called to go.”
Jesus had opened the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures (). They knew what He wanted them to teach to their own converts. It is not enough to win people to the Saviour; we must also teach them the Word of God. This is also a part of the Great Commission.
An ability (v. ). Jesus is not only “in the midst” when His people gather together (), but He is also present with them as they scatter into the world to witness. Had He remained on earth, Jesus could not have fulfilled this promise. It was when the Spirit came that Jesus could be with His people no matter where they were.
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan told about an experience in his life that involved this statement. Early in his Christian life, Morgan used to visit several ladies once a week to read the Bible to them. When he came to the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Morgan read, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of this age.” He added, “Isn’t that a wonderful promise?” One of the ladies quickly replied, “Young man, that is not a promise—it is a fact!”
There are no conditions for us to meet, or even to believe; for Jesus Christ is with us. Paul discovered this to be true when he was seeking to establish a church in the difficult city of Corinth. Obeying this commission, Paul came to the city (), won people to Christ and baptized them () and taught them the word (). When the going was tough, Paul had a special visit from the Lord: “Be not afraid … for I am with thee” ().
The phrase “the end of the age” indicates that our Lord has a plan; He is the Lord of history. As the churches follow His leading and obey His Word, they fulfill His purposes in the world. It will all come to a climax one day; meanwhile, we must all be faithful.