Two Contrasting Banquets

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Matthew 14:13-21

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

 
 

CONTEXT IS KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPELS

One of the keys to understanding the Gospels is to pay attention to context:
Where specifically is this story taking place?
What happened beforehand? What happens after?

Why did Matthew place this story in this specific place?

TWO CONTRASTING BANQUETS

Today's story of the feeding of the 5,000 is a great example of the importance of context, because it occurs immediately after Herod's beheading of John the Baptist at a drunken banquet. After a banquet that culminates with a scene of horror --John's severed head is brought in on a platter--Matthew tells us the story of a very different kind of banquet on the green hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The crowds are gathered to see Jesus, and he has compassion on them. In addition to healing their diseases, Jesus presides over a remarkable miracle: everyone there is given plenty to eat.

HOW TO TELL A GOOD MAN FROM A BAD MAN

Jesus has been telling us throughout the Gospel of Matthew: you know a tree by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit, a bad tree produces bad fruit.

It's not what someone says that matters, it's what someone does. We know all we need to know about the difference between Herod and Jesus by comparing what happens at the two quite different banquets.

You know how to tell the difference between a good man and a bad man? Watch his actions, not his words.

P.S. I find v. 13 to be heartbreaking—Jesus has just heard of John’s murder, and “when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.”

 

John Goes First To Death

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Matthew 14:1-12

14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

 
 

Matthew has made it clear so far that John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus, and here unfortunately we see that John went first to death.

Jesus will follow shortly, but he won’t stay dead, and will raise all the people of God with him.

 

Jesus Was Too Ordinary For Them

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Matthew 13:53-58

53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

 
 

The people in Nazareth take offense at Jesus because he’s not spectacular enough for them.

Once again, we see that Jesus is rejected because the people expected something different—they think he’s too ordinary and is putting on airs.

How are your expectations of God affecting your trust in him today?

 

Three More Parables Explained

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Matthew 13:44-52

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

 
 

Matthew has gathered many of the parables of Jesus together in chapter 13. Let’s continue to take each one in turn:

  1. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure is about how the Kingdom is the kind of thing that is absolutely worth going all-in for.

  2. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is about how the Kingdom is worth whatever it costs.

  3. The Parable of the Dragnet is about how the Kingdom is meant for everyone and everyone is invited—but the church contains true disciples and false disciples—and at the Last Judgment there will be a sorting of the faithful from the unfaithful.

P.S. The “treasure old and new” refers to the fulfillment of Israel’s story in Jesus—Jesus is not doing something entirely new since he is the embodiment of Israel, but he is taking the old thing and showing God’s purposes for humanity in a new way.

 

Three Parables Explained

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Matthew 13:24-43

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the
foundation of the world.”

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

 
 

Let’s take each parable in turn.

  1. The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds is about the presence of evil in the world—the world contains evil. God will permit this right up until the Last Judgment. Why? Because rooting the “weeds” out of the world would end up hurting the wheat. Ponder on that one for a while.

  2. The Parable of the Mustard Seed is about how the Kingdom looks small and insignificant, but looks are deceiving—it will grow!

  3. The Parable of the Leaven is about how the Kingdom will end up affecting the whole world.

Of those 3 parables, which did you need to hear today? Why?

 

The Most Difficult Parable of All

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Matthew 13:1-23

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

 
 

The Parable of the Sower is not in itself particularly difficult, particularly because Jesus interprets it for his disciples (13:18-23):

  • The seed is “the word of the Kingdom;”

  • The seed on the path applies to people who hear and don’t
    understand because they have already decided that the news
    about Jesus makes no sense to them;

  • The seed on the rocky soil applies to people who are not
    committed to learning from Jesus as disciples, but rather have a superficial commitment, and so when difficulty comes, they have no strength or perseverance;

  • The seed among the thorns applies to people who allow the worries and concerns of the world to keep them from learning from Jesus;

  • The seed on the good soil applies to people who hear and respond to the message of Jesus, and cool stuff happens as a result!

It’s not the parable that is difficult, but what Jesus says subsequently when the disciples question him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He quotes from the prophet Isaiah, and it almost seems as if he is trying to be obscure and confusing. But in fact, he’s merely explaining why it seems some people respond and others don’t.

“When people responded to the message of the parables by joining themselves to Jesus and seeking further understanding, further revelation and explanation about the kingdom were given; to those whose hearing remained at a superficial level no further revelation was given. They were left with parables which did not achieve their goal of enlightening. The lack of receptivity prevented further progress.” -Klyne Snodgrass, Stories With Intent

The more you ask, the more you know, and by speaking in parables, Jesus is tricking people to listen harder and desire more.

What are you doing with what you’ve been given today?

 

Why Won't Jesus Give Them A Sign?

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BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT | 6:30 PM | SANCTUARY LIVESTREAM: asburytulsa.online.church

 

Matthew 12:38-50

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

 
 

The overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17-16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel. Unfortunately, we see that Israel refuses to accept Jesus as Messiah.

Here (and later, see 16:1-4), the Pharisees want a sign. Why won’t Jesus give them one? Aside from the fact that he has already been giving them sign after sign after sign (see 11:4-6), the reason he refuses here is because he knows that what they want is to have the Kingdom on their own terms, not God’s. In other words, they reject the Kingship of God altogether, since they want to put themselves at the center and use God, like a cosmic vending machine—to get what they want.

Jesus says that their rejection of him will leave them in a worse state, spiritually, than the darkness they walked in before he came. It’s terrifying.

But then Jesus shows us the way forward—obedience. “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Where do you need to be obedient today?

 

How To Tell A Good Person From A Bad Person

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Churchwide Bible Study TOMORROW, Wednesday (10/11), 6:30-8:00 PM. I love these Bible study nights and hope you’ll make every effort to be there. Livestream available if you live out of town—but why not move to Tulsa so you can attend in person? —AF

 
 

Matthew 12:33-37

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

 
 

Another reason that the Pharisees reject Jesus is because their hearts are evil, and Jesus makes the point that you can tell the truth about someone by what that person does.

What fruit does your life produce?

 

What Is The Unforgivable Sin?

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Matthew 12:15-32

15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

 
 

The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil. After pointing out the absurdity of the accusation—why would Satan cast out Satan?—Jesus calls this attitude the unforgivable sin. Why? The one sin God can't forgive is the sin of refusing to acknowledge the grace of God, the refusing to acknowledge the good, and instead calling it bad. And this makes sense: God won't force anyone to accept his grace. If you insist that God is bad and refuse his grace, God can't help you.

 

Why Do The Pharisees Hate Him So Much?

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MATTHEW 12:1-14

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

 
 

Remember, the overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17-16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel. And one of the things we see over and over again is how Israel misses the point and rejects Jesus. Why?

Well, here we see, in these disagreements over the Sabbath, that the reason the Jews reject Jesus is because they totally misunderstand the Old Testament and fail to see that God was instructing them that mercy—a disposition of the heart—was more important than outward observance of ritual.

Let’s not miss this lesson—to whom can you show mercy today?

 

Is the Way You Think Getting In Your Way?

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Note: in the printed version of the Matthew Part 2 reading guide, we somehow had some errors in the readings for yesterday (10/4) and we omitted today’s reading! The errors are fixed here.

—Andrew

 

Matthew 11:20-30

20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” 

25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

 
 

The Proclamation of Jesus as Messiah to Israel has occurred with words and deeds and yet still Israel rejects him.  Jesus points out that pagan nations from the Old Testament would have repented if they had seen the kind of things he was doing.

“Those who depend on human wit and understanding, which reflects the thinking and values of culture unaffected by God’s revelation, will never understand the saving mysteries of the kingdom.  But those who, like babes, have no illusion regarding the ultimacy of their own patterns of thinking will find that God reveals to them these mysteries in the proclamation of the gospel.”

—David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God

The surest way to make sure your thinking isn’t getting in your way is to read the Bible until it begins to shape how you think.

But the Jesus way is not about information, but about learning to live in light of God’s love.  And so he invites everyone to come and take his “yoke”—a Jewish rabbinical term about submitting to teaching—and find that the Jesus way, when we trust him, is actually easy and life-giving.

 

"An Irrational Commitment Not To Believe"

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Note: in the printed version of the Matthew Part 2 reading guide, we somehow had some errors in the readings for today (10/4) and we omitted the reading for tomorrow entirely. The errors are fixed here.

—Andrew

 

Matthew 11:1-19

1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,

“ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

 
 

John the Baptist had said that when the Messiah came, he’d bring judgment (see 3:11-12). So, when Jesus came healing and teaching, John was confused. Jesus cites Isaiah 35:5-6 and Isaiah 61:1 to show John that the scriptures foretold that the Messiah would bring judgment, yes, but also salvation.

“Jesus proceeds to give a further reason for the rejection of his message by the greater part of Israel: an irrational commitment not to believe (Mt. 11:16-19). The people reject John because of his asceticism and reject Jesus because of his lack of asceticism. When Jesus declares that ‘wisdom is justified by her deeds,’ he suggests that the ministries of John and Jesus produce the kind of wholeness and human flourishing that the Old Testament and Judaism insisted wisdom produced, even though the crowds in their irrationality fail to see it.” [emphasis added]

—David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God

 

Eternal Consequences In The Balance

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Matthew 10:24-42

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter- in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me re- ceives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

 
 

The entire purpose of this speech of Jesus is to strengthen their resolve to fulfill their mission faithfully. He doesn’t lie to them—their task will be difficult, and they should expect opposition. But, he wants them to understand that the reward will be worth it and that faithfulness to God outweighs any other consideration—there are eternal consequences in the balance.

A good reminder for us today, too.

 

The Twelve Disciples = A New Israel

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MATTHEW 10:1-23

1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

 
 

We’ve seen Jesus call 5 of the Twelve by name, and the other 7 are specifically mentioned now. Presumably these 7 responded to his call in the same way as the previous 5—with immediate obedience.

Jesus is Israel, and here he is reconstituting the 12 tribes. That’s why they are sent first to the Jews (and later, after the Resurrection—28:19-20—to the nations). What Jesus has been doing, he now sends the Twelve to do: heal, preach, exorcise, etc. And, like Jesus, they should expect opposition and difficulty.

Two quick thoughts:

1. Note how importance perseverance is for a disciple of Jesus (v.22). Don’t give up, don’t give in, live no lies, keep going.
2. Note how Jesus counsels his disciples to respect people’s choices—" And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town”—and to allow them to refuse the Good News. By all means reach out to others in love, but if the others have made their refusal clear, at some point you have to respect their choices and let them live with the consequences.

 

Let's Get To Work

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Matthew 9:18-38

18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.
27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”
29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

 
 

Remember, the overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17-16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel. Here we have, one after another, examples of Jesus proclaiming his identity by word and deed.

The great prophet Isaiah had foretold that when God came close to his people, wrongs would be righted:

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. -Isaiah 35:5-6a NIV

Here, Jesus is showing Israel who he is. Will they respond with faith?

The Pharisees admit that Jesus is doing remarkable works, but they claim it is because he is using demonic power to do so.

On the other hand, Jesus tells his disciples that many people will in fact respond in faith, that it will be a “plentiful harvest” as long as his disciples will put in the work.

I love the realism of Matthew:

  1. On the one hand, the work of the Kingdom always encounters opposition—we should expect it;

  2. On the other hand, the power of God is greater than the powers and principalities of the world, and many people will hear the Good News and respond with faith.

Be hopeful. Let’s get to work.

 

"To Follow Jesus Is To Find Life On A New Level"

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MATTHEW 9:9-17

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

 
 

The Pharisees focus on the failures of the people, but Jesus sees their need. He calls Matthew, and Matthew responds the way a disciple of Jesus should: with no excuses but with immediate obedience.

But, why would Jesus mix with sinful people? He tells the Pharisees that their focus on appropriate religious structure and ritual is misplaced, and that God is interested in the disposition of people’s hearts, not simply outwardly “correct” actions: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”

And then Jesus gives a brief parable to get them to think in a new way—now that God has come among his people, the old ways of thinking will need to be cast aside. I like how R.T. France sums up what’s happening here:

“Following Jesus is not like ‘discipleship’ as it was experienced in other pious circles at the time. It is characterized, at least for the present, by joy rather than solemnity, by feasting rather than fasting, and the two graphic sayings of vv.16-17 [the parable about the wineskins] indicate a fundament incompatibility between the dry formality of existing religious traditions and an exuberant vitality in the Jesus circle which cannot be confined within conventional forms. To follow Jesus is to find life on a new level.” —R.T. France, The Gospel of Matthew

“To follow Jesus is to find life on a new level.”

 

Visible Proof of Invisible Authority

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MATTHEW 9:1-8

1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

 
 

The reason the scribes (religious leaders) think that Jesus is blaspheming is because only God is in the position to forgive sins. To demonstrate his authority over something “invisible” like a person’s sins, Jesus then heals the man visibly by word of command.

Jesus wants us to see that physical healing is connected to our relationship with God, a relationship that has been damaged because of our sin. Matthew told us in 1:21 that Jesus came to save his people from their sins, and we see him here bringing both physical and spiritual wholeness to a man in need of it.

 

Do You Actually Want To Be Different, Or Do You Just Want To Complain?

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MATTHEW 8:28-34

28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

 
 

Do you actually want to change, or would you rather wallow in the filthy status quo?

Jesus performs an astounding miracle in this village, freeing these two men from filth and misery, and the villagers would prefer he leave than cause any more changes to the way things are.

You don't think that those villagers had parts of their lives that needed healing? But rather than begging Jesus to stay and work among them, their immediate response is to beg him to leave and never come back.

How true of human nature--so often we prefer the pain we know to the possibility of change.

 

Enough With The Lame Excuses

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MATTHEW 8:18-27

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

 
 

After Jesus calms the storm, the disciples are amazed and say to each other, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” [8:27 NIV]

Matthew is using dramatic irony here: we (the readers) know something that the disciples (the characters) don't: Jesus isn't an ordinary man at all, but the God of Israel himself, incarnate. Just as the Lord calmed the waters of chaos at the beginning (see Genesis 1) and parted the Red Sea during the Exodus, so here Jesus has those same powers—over entropy and chaos itself.

When someone like that asks you to follow him, providing lame excuses as to why you'd really like to follow him but it's just that you're so busy--that makes no sense at all.

Will there be danger and difficulty? Yes. But disciples of Jesus will also see the glory of God. In the end everything will be okay, and it will all have been worth it.

Let’s go.

EXCURSUS: “THE SON OF MAN”

The term “Son of Man” is how Jesus refers to himself. (He never calls himself “Messiah” or “Christ,” though does affirm it when other people do.) The phrase comes from Daniel 7:13-14:

13 “I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

The phrase “Son of Man” in Hebrew is a way of saying, “the human one.” In Daniel’s vision, a human is taken up and enthroned in heaven next to God (“the Ancient of Days”) and given dominion over everything.

Why does Jesus use this term so frequently to refer to himself?

“It seems that the reason why Jesus found this title convenient is that, having no ready-made [title] in current usage, it could be applied across the whole range of his uniquely paradoxical mission of humiliation and vindication, of death and glory, which could not be fitted into any preexisting model. Like his parables, the title ‘Son of Man’ came with an air of enigma, challenging the hearer to think new thoughts rather than to slot Jesus into a ready-made pigeonhole.”

—R.T. France, The Gospel of Matthew

Jesus is Israel’s Messiah, but the term was loaded with ideas that were contrary to Jesus’s mission. So, he uses a term that he can provide meaning to until folks can come to truly understand what the Messiah was supposed to be.

 

Three Miracles Of Healing And Restoration

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MATTHEW 8:1-17

8 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

14 And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

 
 

The overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17- 16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel. Matthew has just shown us the teaching of Jesus the Messiah—and "the crowds were astonished at his teaching” (7:20)—and for the next few chapters he will show us that in addition to his teaching, Jesus also did great works of power that showed his authority over both the seen realm (healing the sick, calming the storm, etc.) and the unseen realm (casting out demons). Note that Jesus demonstrates his power simply by words of command.

One of the most amazing things about the ministry of Jesus is that it is for everyone. Although Jesus was a Jew and his ministry was to the people of Israel, he made it clear that he was inviting anyone who would hear and respond into the eternal life of the Kingdom of God. For example, in today's passage after he heals the slave of a Roman centurion--a man who was a living embodiment of Roman oppression and pagan idolatry--Jesus says this:

"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." [8:11 NIV]

Wow! Jesus is saying that there is nothing about a person's identity before he or she encounters Jesus that precludes that person from following after Jesus. If he is willing to follow Jesus, then even a Roman centurion can be his disciple.

But then Jesus says something troubling (as he always does):

"But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [8:12 NIV]

That part I don't like as much. In that specific context, Jesus is saying that just because you were born a Jew in Israel does not mean that are exempt from responding to Jesus. But, applied more broadly it means this: even religious people like me have to actually say yes and follow- -no one gets a free pass.

P.S. Peter was married! I love those little details the Gospel writers throw in from time to time.