Good Morning, Meetpastordan Readers…when we left off last week, we had just completed 2C of the second section of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ Message and His Ministry. If you have not read Part 1, I would encourage you to do so, especially for the history pertaining to the Gospel itself. In Pt. 2, I will let the Scriptures speak for themselves, with a minimum of editorial comment from me. 🙂
2D. Jesus Encounters Differing Reactions to His Ministry. 13:54-58 tells us: “Jesus returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught in the synagogue, everyone was astonished and said, ‘where does he get his wisdom and his miracles? He’s just a carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers – James, Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live right here among us. So what makes him so great?’ And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, ‘A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 16:13-19 tells us: “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘’Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ ‘Well’, they replied, ‘some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.’ Then He asked them, ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven.” (The rock on which the church is built is the revelation of who Jesus is; the Messiah, the Son of God.)
2E Jesus Faces Conflict With the Religious Leaders. 23:1-5,13-16, 25-26: “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the Scriptures. So practice and obey whatever they say to you, but don’t follow their example, for they don’t practice what they teach. They crush you with impossible religious demands and never lift a finger to help ease the burden. (The Pharisees had added an additional 600 rules and regulations to God’s 10 Commandments to “help the people” live according to God’s Law.) ‘How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you won’t let others enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and you won’t go in yourselves. Yes, how terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn him into twice the son of hell as you yourselves are. Blind guides! How terrible it will be for you. How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy – full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisees! First wash the inside of the cup, and then the outside will become clean too.” (The “teachers of religious law” were Scribes, students so to speak, of the rabbi). Note: Jesus did not subscribe to “political correctness”. 🙂
2F Jesus Teaches on the Mount of Olives, Revealing the End Times and His Second Coming. 24:4-8, 10-13, 21-25: “Jesus told them, ‘Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name saying “I am the Messiah.” ‘They will lead many astray; wars will break out near and far, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately. The nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other and there will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world, but all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come. Many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and lead many astray. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But those who endure to the end will be saved. For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen, or will ever see again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” (Chosen ones = in Christ)
The third section of Matthew tells about The Death and Resurrection of Jesus (26:1-28:20)
3A 26:1-5: “…Jesus said to his disciples, ‘As you know, the Passover celebration begins in two days, and I, the Son of Man, will be betrayed and crucified’. At that same time the leading priests and other leaders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, to discuss how to capture Jesus secretly and put him to death. ‘But not during the Passover’, they agreed, ‘or there will be a riot.”
3B Last Supper: 26-27: “As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God’s blessing on it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples saying, “Take it and eat it, for this is my body.’ Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it for this is my blood, which seals the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many.”
3C Jesus Agonizes in the Garden 26:38-39: …’My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. My Father, if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.”
BD Jesus Before Caiaphas 26:63-64: “Then the high priest said to him, ‘I demand in the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Yes, it is as you say.”
3E Jesus is Transferred to Pilate, Roman governor: 27:11, 26: “…Are you the King of the Jews?’ the governor asked. Jesus replied, ‘Yes, it is as you say”. Pilate ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify.’
3F Jesus Died on the Cross: 27.50-54: “Then Jesus shouted out again (It is Finished!). At that moment the curtain in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead after Jesus’ resurrection. They left the cemetery, then went into the Holy City and appeared to many people. (The last two sentences will be a future blog topic)
3G Jesus is Buried 27:57-60 “As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea, who was one of Jesus’ (secret) followers (and also a Jewish leader), went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth and placed it in his own new tomb. Then he rolled a stone across the entrance as he left.” (Roman soldiers guarded the tomb)
3H The Resurrection of Jesus Christ 28:1,5,6 “Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (not Jesus mother; perhaps the wife of Clopas, or the mother of James and John) went out to see the tomb. An angel spoke to the women. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said he would. Come see where his body was lying.
3I The Great Commission 28:18-20 “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
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May God Bless Ya…
Dan Presgrave, (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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