The NKJV Study Bible, Full-Color Edition by Thomas Nelson Bibles

NKJV

STUDY BIBLE Second Edition Full-Color Edition

Earl D. Radmacher, Th.D. General Editor Ronald B. Allen, Th.D. Old Testament Editor H. Wayne House, Th.D., J.D. New Testament Editor

www.ThomasNelson.com

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The NKJV Study Bible Second Edition Full-Color Edition

Copyright ©1997, 2007, 2014 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. New King James Version Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Excerpts and quotations from The NKJV Study Bible may be used in magazines, articles, newsletters, bulletins, and reviews without the written permission of the publisher. Each such use must be accompanied by the following credit line: From The NKJV Study Bible, copyright ©1997, 2007, 2014 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. Any other use of materials in The NKJV Study Bible, including the use of complete articles or other features, must be upon written permission from Thomas Nelson Publishers, Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000. The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications: (1) up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted; (2) all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text. Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgment as follows: Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins, orders of service, Sunday School lessons, church newsletters and similar works in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly, the notice “NKJV” may be used at the end of each quotation. For quotation requests not covered by the above guidelines, write to Thomas Nelson Publishers, Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000. Produced with the assistance of The Livingstone Corporation (www.livingstonecorp.com). All Rights Reserved Printed in China 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 – 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14

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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

MATTHEW

SUCCESSION TO A THRONE is often a time of conflict and uncertainty. David’s son Absalom tried to usurp the throne (2 Sam. 15:1—18:18). Solomon’s choice of successor lost more than half the kingdom to a traitor (1 Kin. 12:20). Menahem assassinated his predecessor in Israel (2 Kin. 15:14). Royalty is a dangerous business. This is no less true when the heir is the King of kings. If ever there was a high-stakes succession, this was it. A Man claims to be Israel’s own Messiah; of course all Israel sits up and takes notice. Of course He must prove His credentials: Who wants an impostor? The Book of Matthew presents Jesus’ credentials. It presents Jesus as the King, but King of a totally different kingdom—the kingdom of heaven. Author and Date This Gospel does not name its author, but it does contain clues. The author knew the geography of Palestine well (2:1; 8:5; 20:29; 26:6). He was familiar with Jewish history, customs, ideas, and classes of people (1:18, 19; 2:1; 14:1; 26:3; 27:2). He was well acquainted with the Old Testament (1:2–16, 22, 23; 2:6; 4:14–16; 12:17–21; 13:35; 21:4; 27:9). And the terminology of the book suggests that the author was a Palestinian Jew (2:20; 4:5; 5:35; 10:6; 15:24; 17:24–27; 18:17; 27:53). Other details point specifically to Jesus’ disciple Matthew as the writer of this Gospel. As a tax collector, Matthew would have been literate and familiar with keeping records of money. Appropriately, this Gospel contains more references to money than any of the others. Furthermore, Matthew’s hometown was Capernaum, a village that is given special attention in this Gospel. When Capernaum is mentioned, some special description is usually attached to it (4:13; 11:23). Matthew wrote the Gospel before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. He describes Jerusalem in the book as the “holy city” and as though it was still standing (4:5; 27:53), and he speaks of the customs of the Jews as continuing until “this day” (27:8; 28:15). Furthermore, Jesus’ prophecy (recorded in 24:2) of Jerusalem’s destruction includes no indication that it had already occurred when Matthew wrote Jesus’ words. In light of all of this, it is reasonable to conclude that the book was written sometime between A.D. 50 and 60. Emphases The Gospel of Matthew has many Jewish overtones. For example, the term “kingdom of heaven” appears 33 times and the term “kingdom of God” four times. No other Gospel lays such stress on the kingdom; the restoration of the glories of David’s kingdom was a burning hope for many Jews at the time. Matthew clearly identifies Jesus with that hope by using the Jewish royal title “Son of David” nine times in his Gospel. Furthermore he calls Jerusalem “the holy city” (4:5; 27:53) and the “city of the great King” (5:35), both uniquely Jewish ways of referring to it. First-century Jews emphasized righteousness, and Matthew uses the words “righteous” and “righteousness” more often than the Gospels of Mark, Luke, and John combined. Matthew also discusses the law, ceremonial cleanness, the Sabbath, the temple, David, the Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and Moses—all from a Jewish point of view. He has 53 Old Testament citations and more than 70 allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures. Thirteen times, the book emphasizes that Jesus’

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1508 Matthew INTRODUCTION

Aerial view of Capernaum, along the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Matthew was a tax collector in Capernaum, and was met there and called by J esus (Matt. 9:9). Z. Radovan/www.BibleLandPictures.com

actions were a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The genealogy of chapter 1 is recognizably Jewish, tracing the lineage of Jesus back through David to Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. Furthermore the Gospel mentions Jewish rulers (see 2:1, 22; 14:1) and customs such as ceremonial washing (see 15:2) without explanation, indicating that Matthew expected his predominantly Jewish audience to be familiar with such practices. Purposes Matthew’s Gospel serves several purposes beyond presenting a mere biography of Jesus. One purpose is to prove to Jewish readers that Jesus is their Messiah and promised King. The genealogy in chapter 1 points to Christ as the One who inherited God’s promises to David of an eternal dynasty. Jesus’ use of a familiar messianic psalm in Matthew 22:41–44 would have clearly implied to any Jew that He was the heir of the Davidic throne. Even though many Jews of Jesus’ time were blind to Jesus’ identity, Gentiles (such as the wise men) identified Him as Israel’s promised King when He was a baby. Finally, the charge that hung above Jesus’ head on the Cross clearly highlights His royalty: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS (27:37). But most important, the Book of Matthew proves Jesus’ legitimate authority by highlighting His wise teaching and righteous life (7:28, 29). Another purpose of the book is to outline the characteristics of the kingdom of God, both for Israel and the church. Orthodox Jews would typically scoff at any assertion that Jesus is their Messiah, let alone their King. They would retort, “If Jesus is King, where is the promised restoration of the kingdom of Israel?” Many Jews of Jesus’ day rejected Him as Messiah, even though both Jesus and John the Baptist continually preached that the kingdom was “at hand” (3:2; 4:17; 10:7). This rejection of Jesus by the Jews is a dominant theme of Matthew (11:12–24; 12:28–45; 21:33—22:14). Because of this rejection, God postponed the fulfillment of His promises to Israel and subsequently extended His blessings to both Jew and Gentile in the church. Matthew is the only Gospel writer who speaks directly of the church (16:18; 18:17). He points to the Gentile composition of this church by including several stories of the Gentiles’ faith in Jesus: the wise men, the centurion, and the Canaanite woman. He records Jesus’ prediction that the gospel will be preached to all nations (24:14), and the commission to the disciples to “make disciples of all the nations” (28:19). Jesus’ teaching pointed to the blessings of the kingdom being extended to Gentiles. But one day, Israel will be restored to its place of blessing (see Rom. 11:25–27; 15:8, 9). A final purpose of Matthew is to instruct the church. An obvious clue to this is in the Great Commission: “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (28:20). The discipling process involves instruction in the words of Christ, and the Gospel of Matthew revolves around five of Jesus’ discourses (5:1—7:28;

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Matthew INTRODUCTION 1509

10:5—11:1; 13:3–53; 18:2—19:1; 24:4—26:1). Instead of emphasizing a narrative of Jesus’ life as Mark does, Matthew uses the narrative elements in his Gospel as a setting for Jesus’ sermons. Christ in the Scriptures Matthew, as a Jew, unashamedly shapes his account about Jesus’ life so it is understood by a Jewish audience. His goal is to convince his peers that the King of kings has come. With this in mind, he uses terms and names that Jews will resonate with. By quoting more passages from the Old Testament than any other New Testament writer, he attempts to validate that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah. No less than 12 times Matthew presents Jesus as Israel’s Messianic King (1:23; 2:2, 6; 3:17; 4:15–17; 21:5, 9; 22:44, 45; 26:64; 27:11, 27–37). Also unique to Matthew is the expression, “that it might be fulfilled” which was spoken by various prophets. By footnoting familiar passages the Jews accepted as God’s inspired Word, Matthew builds his case for Christ with the precision of a former tax collector. Examine for yourself how he substantiates the prophecies that pointed to Jesus’ miraculous and obscure birth, His birthplace, His exile to Egypt and return to Israel, and His rejection and suffering. No wonder Matthew begins his book with an impressive genealogy of Jesus’ link to King David.

37–4 b.c. Herod the Great is king in Jerusalem 31 b.c.–a.d. 14 Augustus Caesar is Roman emperor c. 5 b . c.

Jesus is born in Bethlehem 4 b.c.–a.d. 39 Herod Antipas rules in Galilee and Perea a.d. 14–37

Matthew Outline I. Jesus’ birth and preparation 1:1—4:11 A. Jesus’ birth and childhood 1:1—2:23

B. Jesus’ preparation 3:1—4:11

II. The declaration of Jesus’ principles 4:12—7:29 A. The beginning of Jesus’ ministry 4:12–25

B. Jesus’ principles: the Sermon on the Mount 5:1—7:29

Tiberius Caesar is Roman emperor

c. a.d. 25–27

John the Baptist’s ministry

a.d. 26–36

Pontius Pilate is procurator of Judea

c. a.d. 27

Jesus’ first Judean ministry

c. a.d. 27–29

Jesus’ Galilean ministry

c. a.d. 30

Second Judean ministry; Crucifixion; Resurrection

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1510 Matthew INTRODUCTION

III. The manifestation of Jesus: His miracles and commissioning 8:1—11:1 A. Demonstration of Jesus’ power: a collection of miracles 8:1—9:34

B. Declaration of Jesus’ presence: the commissioning of the disciples 9:35—11:1

IV. Opposition to Jesus 11:2—13:53 A. Evidence of the rejection of Jesus 11:2–30

B. Illustrations of opposition to Jesus 12:1–50

C. Jesus’ adaptation to His opposition: parables of the kingdom 13:1–53

V. Jesus’ reaction to opposition 13:54—19:2

A. Jesus’ withdrawal 13:54—16:12

B. Jesus’ instruction to His disciples 16:13—19:2 VI. Formal presentation and rejection of the King 19:3—25:46

A. Continued instruction of the disciples 19:3—20:34

B. Formal presentation of the King: the Triumphal Entry 21:1–7

C. The nation’s rejection of the King 21:18—22:46

D. The King’s rejection of the nation 23:1–39

E. Predictions of the rejected King: the Olivet Discourse 24:1—25:46

VII. Crucifixion and resurrection 26:1—28:20

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Matthew 1:20 | 1511

Genealogy of Christ

Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Chr. 1:34, 2:1-15; Luke 3:31-34

he book of the a genealogy 1 of Jesus Christ, b the Son of David, c the Son of Abraham: 2 d Abraham begot Isaac, e Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot f Judah and his brothers. 3 g Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, h Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Am minadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot i Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and j Jesse begot David the king. k David the king begot Solomon by her 2 who had been the wife of Uriah. 7 l Sol omon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot m Abijah, and Abijah begot 3 Asa. 8 Asa begot n Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot o Uzziah. 9 Uz ziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot p Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hez e k iah. 10 q Heze kiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot 4 Amon, and Amon begot r Josiah. 11 s Jo siah begot 5 Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were t carried away to Babylon. 12 And after they were brought to Bab ylon, u Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and She altiel begot v Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and

CHAPTER 1 1 a Luke 3:23

b 2 Sam. 7:12-16;

Ps. 132:11; Is. 9:6; 11:1; Jer. 23:5 ; [Matt. 1:18; Luke 3:23, 31]; John 7:42; Acts 2:30; [Rom. 1:3]; Rev. 22:16 c Gen. 12:3; 22:18 ; [Gal. 3:16] 1 Lit. generation 2 d Gen. 21:2, 12 e Gen. 25:26; 28:14 f Gen. 29:35 3 g Gen. 38:27; 49:10 h Ruth 4:1822; 1 Chr. 2:1-15; Matt. 1:3-6 5 i Ruth 2:1; 4:1-13 6 j 1 Sam. 16:1; Is. 11:1, 10  k 2 Sam. 7:12; 12:24; Is. 9:7 2 Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Greek. 7 l 1 Kin. 11:43; 1 Chr. 3:10 m 2 Chr. 11:20 3 NU Asaph 8 n 1 Chr. 3:10 o 2 Kin. 15:13 9 p 2 Kin. 15:38 10 q 2 Kin. 20:21 r 1 Kin. 13:2 4 NU Amos 11 s 1 Chr. 3:15, 16 t 2 Kin. 24:14-16; Jer. 27:20; Matt. 1:17

1:1 Genealogy means “origin.” Genealogies were very important to first-century Jews. A genealogy (1) proved that a person was indeed an Israelite, (2) identified the tribe to which he or she belonged, and (3) qualified certain Jews for religious duties such as Levitical and priestly service (see Ezra 2:61, 62). Christ’s genealogy is crucial to historic Christianity. Matthew traced the lineage of Christ Jesus back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to show that He was a Jew, but also back through David to inform the readers that Jesus is qualified to rule on the throne of David (see 2 Sam. 7:12), an event still in the future (19:28). 1:3–6 The mention of women in a Jewish genealogy is unusual. But in addition to Mary, four women are listed in this catalog of names. The extraordinary emphasis is underscored by the kind of women Matthew mentions: Tamar, who was involved in a scandal with Judah (Gen. 38); Rahab, the Canaanite harlot of Jericho (Josh. 2); Ruth, who was not an Israelite, but a Moabite (Ruth 1:4); and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, a woman involved in a sin of horrendous proportions (2 Sam. 11:1—12:23), and who may have been a Hittite. At the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew shows how God’s grace forgives the darkest of sins and reaches beyond the nation of Israel to the world. He also points out that God can lift the lowest and place them in royal lineage. 1:16 Joseph the husband of Mary was a direct descendant of David. Matthew, however, was careful not to identify Jesus as the physical son of Joseph. The Greek pronoun translated of whom is feminine and refers to Mary. Christ and the word messiah both mean “Anointed One”; the first term is from Greek; the second is from Hebrew. In the OT, anointing signified two things: God’s choice and His empowerment for a task. Israelites were traditionally anointed to three different offices: prophet, priest, or king. Although the Lord Jesus was God’s Anointed for all three, Matthew places the most stress on Jesus’ royalty. 1:17 Abraham . . . Christ: The genealogy is broken down into three groups of names with fourteen generations in each list. The name

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Eliakim begot Azor. 14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of w Mary, of whom was born Je sus who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abra ham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. Birth of Christ 18 Now the x birth of Je sus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came to gether, she was found with child y of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being 6 a just man, and not wanting z to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your 12 u 1 Chr. 3:17 v Ezra 3:2; Neh. 12:1; Hag. 1:1 16 w Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3 18 x Matt. 12:46; Luke 1:27 y Is. 7:14; 49:5 ; Luke 1:35 19 z Deut. 24:1; John 8:4, 5 6 an upright

5 Or Coniah or Jehoiachin

David in Hebrew has a numerical value of 14. Because the heading of the list is “Son of David” (v. 1), Matthew may have been drawing attention to the Davidic emphasis in these names. In the first group, the Davidic throne is established; in the second group, the throne is cast down and deported to Babylon; in the third group, the throne is confirmed in the coming of the Messiah. Further, a basic covenant is set forth in each of these three periods: the Abrahamic covenant in the first (vv. 2–5); the Davidic covenant in the second (vv. 6–11), and the New Covenant in the third (vv. 12–16). 1:18 betrothed: Universally, the basic element of marriage is a contract (see Mal. 2:14). In Jewish culture, this covenant was made about a year before the consummation of the marriage. It was during the one-year period of betrothal that Mary was found to be pregnant. The fact that Mary was a virgin at this time is clearly implied by the phrase before they came together, and by the righteous character of Joseph and his desire to divorce Mary when her pregnancy became known (v. 19). The virgin birth, which can be deduced from Matthew’s account, is stated clearly in Luke 1:34, 35. 1:19 In agreement with the popular Jewish understanding of Deut. 24:1 (5:27–32; 19:3–9; see also Jer. 3:1, 8), Joseph wanted to divorce Mary on the grounds of infidelity. A divorce would be necessary because they had already made a marriage covenant, even though they had not yet known each other physically. Joseph could have made the divorce a public matter, or he could have gone through a private ceremony before two witnesses. Being a gracious and just man, Joseph decided to keep it private. 1:20 conceived . . . of the Holy Spirit: Verses 1–17 establish Jesus as a legal son of Joseph; vv. 18–25 deny that Joseph was Jesus’ physical father. The first was necessary to establish Jesus’ lineage to David and His royal right to be King. The second was necessary to establish His qualifications to be the Savior of all people: Jesus was God’s Son and not merely Joseph’s. Matthew elaborated on Jesus’ kingship while Luke detailed His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26–56).

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1512 | Matthew 1:21

wife, a for that which is 7 conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 b And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name 8 JESUS, c for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 d “Be hold, 9 the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 24 Then Jo seph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord com manded him and took to him his wife, 25 and 1 did not know her till she had brought forth e her 2 firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS. Visit of Wise Men Now after a Jesus was born in Bethle hem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, 1 wise men b from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, c “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen d His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Je ru sa lem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all e the

20 a Luke 1:35 7 Lit. begotten 21 b [Is. 7:14; 9:6, 7]; Luke 1:31; 2:21 c Luke 2:11; John 1:29; [Acts 4:12; 5:31; 13:23, 38; Rom. 5:18, 19 ; Col. 1:20-23] 8 Lit. Savior 23 d Is. 7:14  9 Words in oblique type in the New Testament are quoted from the Old Testament. 25 e Ex. 13:2; Luke 2:7, 21  1 Kept her a virgin 2 NU a Son CHAPTER 2 1 a Mic. 5:2 ; Luke 2:4-7 b Gen. 25:6; 1 Kin. 4:30 1 Gr. magoi 2 c Luke 2:11 d [Num. 24:17 ; Is. 60:3] 4 e 2 Chr. 36:14

f 2 Chr. 34:13 g Mal.

2:7

1:23 Behold . . . Immanuel: This is a quotation from Is. 7:14. In this verse, the prophet Isaiah consoles King Ahaz of Judah. A coalition of two kings, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel, was opposing Ahaz. Isaiah tells Ahaz not to fear, for the plans of his enemies would not succeed. As a sign to Ahaz, a son would be born of a woman, and before that boy reached the age where he could tell right from wrong, the two kings would no longer be a threat to Ahaz. Some interpretations view Isaiah’s prophecy as directly prophetic of Jesus’ birth and nothing else. According to this view, only the miraculous birth of Jesus can be considered a sign. Since the Hebrew noun translated virgin in Is. 7:14 can also mean “young woman,” some have suggested that Isaiah was prophesying about a son born during the lifetime of Ahaz—perhaps Isaiah’s son MaherShalal-Hash-Baz (Is. 8:3). Others have interpreted Isaiah’s prophecy as a prediction that a virgin, a contemporary of Isaiah, would marry and have a child. The sign to Ahaz was the sudden dissolution of Rezin and Pekah in the face of Assyria. Even though uncertainty surrounds how this prophecy was fulfilled during Isaiah’s lifetime, Matthew makes it clear that Isaiah’s words find their ultimate ful-

Jesus (Gk. Iēsous) (1:21; Luke 1:31; Acts 2:36; 4:18; 13:23; 17:3) Strong’s #2424 The Greek name Iēsous is the equivalent of the Hebrew name Yeshua, meaning “The Lord Shall Save.” Although a common name among the Jews (see Luke 3:29; Col. 4:11), the name expresses Jesus’ work on earth—to save and to deliver. This is affirmed by the explanation the angel gives Joseph after telling him to name the virgin-born child Jesus: “for He will save His people from their sins” (1:21). After Jesus was crucified for the sins of His people and raised from the dead, the early apostles proclaimed Jesus as the one and only Savior (Acts 5:31; 13:23).

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Bible Times & Culture Notes

The Wise Men The Greek word for wise men in this account (magoi ) is rendered as “astrologers” where it occurs in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the OT (Dan. 1:20; 2:2) and as “sorcerer” in its other occurrences in the NT (Acts 13:6, 8). The Greek historian Herodotus, writing in the fifth century b.c., identified the magi as a caste of Medes who had a priestly function in the Persian Empire. In the Book of Daniel the “astrologers” (magoi ) are grouped with magicians, sorcerers, and Chaldeans as advisers to the court of Babylon with responsibility for interpreting dreams. The role of the star in Matthew 2 suggests a connection with astrology. These astrologers, pursuing their observations of the stars in the heavens, encountered a sign of God, who broke through their misguided system to make the great event known.

chief priests and f scribes of the people together, g he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Beth lehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

fillment in the virgin birth of Jesus, a sign to people of all ages that God was with them. 1:25 Joseph did not know Mary physically until she gave birth to Jesus. The clear implication of this verse is that Mary was a virgin only until the birth of Jesus. The brothers and sisters of Jesus were probably younger siblings born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus’ birth (13:55, 56). Joseph could not have had children by a previous marriage, as some suppose, for then Jesus would not have been heir to the Davidic throne as the oldest son of Joseph. 2:1 The events of ch. 2 probably took place some months after Jesus’ birth. Several reasons may be offered to support this conclusion: (1) Joseph and Mary were living in a house (v. 11); (2) Jesus is referred to as a child, not an infant (v. 11); (3) Herod murdered all the male children two years old and under (v. 16); and (4) it would have been strange for Joseph and Mary to offer the sacrifice of the poor, a pair of turtledoves or pigeons (see Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24), if the wise men had just given them gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Thus the wise men must have arrived after the ritual sacrifice described in Luke 2:22–24, 39. Herod the king is Herod the Great, who reigned over Palestine from 37 b.c. until his death in 4 b.c. A crafty ruler and lavish builder, Herod had a reign marked by cruelty and bloodshed. The word translated wise men can refer either to fraudulent sorcerers (see Acts 8:9, 11; 13:6, 8) or, as here, to a more honorable class of astrologers. 2:2 born King of the Jews: These words would have struck both terror and fury into the heart of Herod. His star in the East may refer to a star supernaturally introduced into the heavens, discernible only to students of the sky. The star reappeared to guide the wise men to where Christ was (v. 9). The fact that it was called “His star” indicates that the wise men identified the star with the arrival of the King of the Jews. 2:4 chief priests: This first mention of the Jewish council— “all the chief priests and scribes of the people”—reveals that the Jewish leaders were alerted early to the coming of the Messiah. Their quick recital of Mic. 5:2 showed their prophetic astuteness concerning the messianic prophecies (v. 6). 2:5 Matthew clearly records how the Jewish religious authorities, who became Christ’s enemies later, unintentionally affirmed that

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Matthew 2:16 | 1513

The Prophecies of Jesus’ Birth Jesus fulfilled hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. Many of these prophecies involved the circumstances surrounding His birth. Below is a list of several such prophecies. Note the irrefutable similarities between the Old Testament predictions and their New Testament fulfillment. Prophecy

Old Testament Prediction

New Testament Fulfillment

The Messiah would be the seed of a woman.

Gen. 3:15

Gal. 4:4

The Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham.

Gen. 12:3

Matt. 1:1

The Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac.

Gen. 17:19

Luke 3:34

The Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob.

Num. 24:17

Matt. 1:2; 2:2

The Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah.

Gen. 49:10

Luke 3:33

The Messiah would be an heir to the throne of David.

Is. 9:7

Luke 1:32, 33

The Messiah would be anointed and eternal.

Ps. 45:6, 7; 102:25–27

Heb. 1:8–12

The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Mic. 5:2

Luke 2:4, 5, 7

The Messiah would be born of a virgin.

Is. 7:14

Luke 1:26, 27, 30, 31

The Messiah’s birth would trigger a slaughter of children.

Jer. 31:15

Matt. 2:16–18

The Messiah would also come from Egypt.

Hos. 11:1

Matt. 2:14, 15

‘ But h you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler i Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” 6

Herod, when he had secretly called the 2 wise men, determined from them what time the j star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they de parted; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and wor shiped Him. And when they had opened

6 h Mic. 5:2; John 7:42  i Gen. 49:10; [Rev. 2:27] 7 j Num. 24:17 2 Gr. magoi

7 Then

11 k Ps. 72:10; Is. 60:6 12 l [Job 33:15, 16]; Matt. 1:20 15 m Num. 24:8; Hos. 11:1 

Jesus had fulfilled a messianic prophecy in His birth. God sometimes uses the words of His opponents to speak the truth (see John 11:49–52). 2:10 The wise men undoubtedly would have been discouraged by their failure to find the King in Jerusalem, by the lack of knowledge concerning the birth of the Messiah among the leaders, by the disinterest among Israel, and by the weariness from the long journey. The reappearance of the star must have brought great joy and encouragement to them. 2:11 Gold symbolized royalty; frankincense was a fragrance; myrrh was the ointment of death. These gifts provided the financial resources for Mary and Joseph’s flight to Egypt.

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their treasures, k they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned l in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own coun try another way. Flight into Egypt 13 Now when they had departed, be hold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and de parted for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, m “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” Herod Kills the Children 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was e xceedingly

2:12 warned in a dream: Five dreams of divine guidance emphasize God’s orchestration of these perilous events (1:20; 2:12, 13, 19, 22). 2:15 fulfilled: This is the second fulfillment of prophecy recorded in ch. 2. The first, in v. 6, is a direct fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy about the birthplace of Jesus; this is a typological fulfillment. The prophecy quoted here, from Hos. 11:1, refers to the nation of Israel as God’s son coming out of Egypt in the Exodus. Jesus is the genuine Son of God, and, as Israel’s Messiah, is the true Israel (see John 15:1); therefore, He gives fuller meaning to the prophecy of Hos. 11:1.

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1514 | Matthew 2:17

angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Beth lehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spo ken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

18 n Jer. 31:15  20 o Luke 2:39 p Matt. 2:16 22 q Matt. 2:12, 13, 19 r Matt. 3:13; Luke 2:39 23 s Luke 1:26; 2:39; John 1:45, 46 t Judg. 13:5 

18 “ A n

voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”

Jesus Returns to Nazareth Luke 2:39 19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 o saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who p sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Ar chelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a q dream, he turned aside r into the region of Gal ilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called s Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled t which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

CHAPTER 3 1 a Matt. 3:1-12; Mark 1:3-8; Luke 3:2-17; John 1:6-8, 19-28 b Josh. 14:10 2 c Dan. 2:44; Mal. 4:6 ; Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 1:17; 10:9; 11:20; 21:31 3 d Is. 40:3 ; Luke 3:4; John 1:23 e Luke 1:76 4 f 2 Kin. 1:8; Zech. 13:4; Matt. 11:8; Mark 1:6 g Lev. 11:22 h 1 Sam. 14:25, 26 5 i Mark 1:5 6 j Acts 19:4, 18 7 k Matt. 12:34; Luke 3:7-9 l [Rom. 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10] 9 m John 8:33; Acts 13:26; [Rom. 4:1, 11, 16; Gal. 3:29] 10 n [Ps. 92:12-14]; Matt. 7:19; Luke 13:7, 9; [John 15:6]

2:18 This prophecy comes from Jer. 31:15, in which Rachel, who had been entombed near Bethlehem some 13 centuries before the Babylonian captivity, is seen weeping for her children as they were led away to Babylon in 586 b.c. In the slaughter of the male infants at the time of Christ’s birth, Rachel once again is pictured as mourning the violent loss of her sons. 2:22 When Herod died, his kingdom was parceled out to his three sons: Archelaus, who ruled over Judea where Bethlehem was; Antipas, who became tetrarch of Galilee, Perea, Samaria, and Idumea; and Philip, who was tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis (see Luke 3:1). Like his father, Archelaus was violent and cruel. The Romans tolerated his savagery for ten years and finally deposed him in a.d. 6. after a Jewish delegation took their protest to Rome. Joseph, aware of Herod Archelaus’s reputation and guided by God in a dream, turned north to Galilee. 2:23 Nazareth was the location of the Roman garrison in northern Galilee. Those who lived there were suspected of compromise with the enemy. 3:1 As Christ’s forerunner, John the Baptist preceded the Lord Jesus in birth, ministry, and death. Luke describes John’s birth (see Luke 1), but Matthew jumps directly into the account of John’s proclamation of the coming of the kingdom of heaven. John is called “the Baptist” because he baptized people. Unlike the common practice of proselytes and Jews administering ceremonial cleansings to themselves, John baptized those who came to him professing repentance and identifying with his message. 3:2 The Greek verb translated repent indicates a change of attitude and outlook which well may result in sorrow for sins. But the basic idea is a reversal of thinking which changes one’s life (see v. 8). The kingdom of heaven is most likely synonymous with “the kingdom

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The Person of John the Baptist Mark 1:2-6; Luke 3:3-6

In those days a John the Baptist came preaching b in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for c the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: d“ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: e‘ Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’ ” 4 Now f John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was g locusts and h wild honey. 5 i Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 j and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

The Preaching of John the Baptist Mark 1:7-9; Luke 3:7-9, 16, 17 7 But when he saw many of the Phari sees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, k “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from l the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, m ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. n Therefore every

of God.” Both terms seem to be used consistently throughout the NT to refer to God’s heavenly kingdom coming to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. This kingdom begins with the incarnation of Christ, continues with the inception of the church, and will be fully manifested when Christ returns. The kingdom was at hand because it was being offered to Israel in the person of the Messiah. John’s preaching assumed that judgment would precede the coming of the kingdom, a fact that was taught by the OT prophets (see Is. 4:4, 5; 5:15, 16; 42:1; Jer. 33:14–16; Ezek. 20:33–38; Dan. 7:26, 27; Joel 1:14, 15; 3:12–17; Zeph. 1:2– 18; 3:8–13; Zech. 13:2, 9; Mal. 3:1–5; 4:1–6). At this point, John assumed that the nation of Israel would repent and the kingdom would come. 3:3 As roads were repaired, smoothed, straightened, and leveled before a king came, so John was preparing a spiritual road for the Messiah before His arrival. The quotation is from Is. 40:3, where the prophet announces the need to prepare a highway for the return of the Jewish exiles from captivity to their homeland, Israel. 3:7 The Pharisees and Sadducees were two prominent groups in Judaism during the time of Christ. Both groups claimed to be true followers of Judaism, but their beliefs were considerably different. The Pharisees were primarily associated with the laymen of Israel. In doctrine, they held not only to the Law of Moses and Scriptures, but also to a whole body of oral tradition. Their activities were centered in the synagogue. On the other hand, the Sadducees were associated with the priestly caste, for whom worship was centered in the temple. Extremely conservative, they based their beliefs essentially on the Pentateuch—the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy (see Acts 23:6–10). 3:10 the ax is laid to the root of the trees: John likened his ministry to God’s ax, clearing His orchard of dead wood—especially that which did not bear the fruit of repentance.

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Matthew 3:17 | 1515

tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 o I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. p He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit 1 and fire. 12 q His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will r burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Baptism of Jesus Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23 13 s Then Je sus came t from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

11 o Mark 1:4, 8; Luke 3:16; John 1:26; Acts 1:5 p [Is. 4:4; John 20:22; Acts 2:3, 4 ; 1 Cor. 12:13] 1 M omits and fire 12 q Mal. 3:3 r Mal. 4:1; Matt. 13:30 13 s Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21, 22; John 1:3134 t Matt. 2:22 16 u Mark 1:10 v [Is. 11:2]; Luke 3:22; John 1:32; Acts 7:56 2 Or he 17 w John 12:28 x Ps. 2:7; Is. 42:1; Mark 1:11; Luke 1:35; 9:35; Col. 1:13

3:11 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit: John identified people with himself and his message of repentance by water baptism; the One coming after him was so much greater that He would unite people to Himself by means of the Holy Spirit. John knew that the kingdom to come would be characterized by a great display of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s people (see Is. 32:15; 44:3; Ezek. 11:19; 36:26; 39:29; Joel 2:28; Zech. 12:10). It would be the work of the Messiah to accomplish this, to baptize His people in the Spirit. But those who rejected Him the Messiah would baptize with fire, which is probably a figure for God’s judgment (vv. 10, 12). In His first advent, Christ baptized in the Spirit. When He comes again, He will baptize with fire. 3:15 to fulfill all righteousness: This phrase does not suggest that

map_41_03_jesusearlylife

14 And

John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fit ting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16 u When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and 2 He saw v the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 w And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, x “This is My b eloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus came for baptism because He had sinned; the Lord Jesus was without sin (see 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26). Jesus’ baptism probably served several purposes: (1) Jesus joined with the believing remnant of Israel who had been baptized by John; (2) He confirmed the ministry of John; and (3) He fulfilled the Father’s will. 3:16 the Spirit of God descending: This was God’s official recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. 3:17 This is My beloved Son, a reference to Ps. 2:7, implies that others heard the voice of the Father. In whom I am well pleased recalls the prophecy of Is. 42:1. Matthew 3:16, 17 demonstrates the simultaneous existence of all three Persons of the Godhead. This passage also points to the Son’s voluntary humiliation, the Father’s delight in Him, and the Spirit’s desire to glorify Christ.

~100 %?

Jesus’ Early Life GALILEE

Journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem for Jesus’ birth

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Destination in Egypt is unknown

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0 0

40 km. 40 miles

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1516 | Matthew 4:1

House (22.5% offorHerod 2”)

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Herod Philip Herod Antipas Archelaus

2nd Generation

1st Generation

 Herod Philip II (MOTHER: CLEOPATRA) Tetrach of Iturea and Trachonitis (4 b.c .–a .d . 34) (Luke 3:1)

 Archelaus (MOTHER: MALTHACE) Ethnarch of Judea,

Idumea, and Samaria (4 b .c .–a .d . 6); when Mary and Joseph left Egypt, they avoided Judea and settled in Nazareth (Matt. 2:19–23)



Herod the Great King of Judea, Galilee, Iturea, Trachonitis (37– 4 b .c .)

Aristobulus (MOTHER: MARIAMNE) (died 10 b.c .)

Birth of Jesus (Matt. 2:1–19; Luke 1:5)

 Herod Antipas (MOTHER: MALTHACE) Tetrarch of Galilee

KEY:  

and Perea (4 b.c .–a .d . 39) (Luke 3:1); second husband of Herodias; he put John the Baptist to death (Matt. 14:1–12; Mark 6:14 –29); Pilate sent Jesus to him (Luke 23:7–12)

King Ethnarch/Tetrarch

Herod Philip I (MOTHER: MARIAMNE) He did not rule; first

husband of Herodias (Matt. 14:3; Mark 6:17) (died c. a .d . 34)

BERNICE i talic capi tals denote females Antipater bold type: bloodline of Herod the Great Felix l ight type: non-bloodline

Antipater (MOTHER: DORIS)

First Temptation Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1-4

Then a Jesus was led up by b the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came

CHAPTER 4 1 a Matt. 4:1-11;

Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1 b Ezek. 3:14; Acts 8:39 4 c Deut. 8:3

4:1 Satan did not lead Jesus to the temptation; the Holy Spirit did. This temptation took place immediately after Jesus’ baptism (see Mark 1:12). Spiritual victories are often followed by testing (see 1 Kin. 19).

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to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is writ ten, c ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

4:3, 4 It is written: Jesus’ response to all three temptations was to quote the Word of God, showing His followers the power of Scripture in battling the Evil One (see Deut. 6:13; 8:3; Ps. 91:11, 12). There was nothing morally wrong with turning stones to bread; Satan

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Matthew 4:6 | 1517

#1 Palestine (Old Galilee)

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map_41_02_houseofherod3 #1 Palestine (Old Galilee)

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20 miles

Ruled by Roman governors Herod Agrippa II

3rd Generation

4th Generation

Herod of Chalcis

Felix (Governor of Judea)

 Herod Agrippa I King of Judea (a .d . 37– 44); killed James; put Peter into prison; struck down by an angel (Acts 12:1–24)

DRUSILLA Married Felix, governor of Judea (a .d . 52–59); Felix tried Paul (Acts 24:24)

HERODIAS Married her uncle Herod Philip I, and then a second uncle, Herod Antipas (Matt. 14:3; Mark 6:17)

20 km.

 Herod Agrippa II King of Judea; Paul makes a legal defense before him (Acts 25:13—26:32)

Denotes Herodias’s marriage to Herod Antipas

BERNICE With her brother at the time of Paul’s defense (Acts 25:13)

Denotes Herodias’s marriage to Herod Philip I and daughter of that marriage

SALOME Daughter of Herodias and Herod Philip I; danced in exchange for the head of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1–12; Mark 6:14–29)

Second Temptation Luke 4:9-12 5 Then the devil took Him up d into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

5 d Neh. 11:1, 18; Dan. 9:24; Matt. 27:53

6 e Ps. 91:11  f Ps. 91:12 

was tempting Jesus to do a miracle outside of the Father’s will. This explains why Jesus quotes Deut. 8:3. Bread alone does not sustain life; ultimately God is the One who sustains all life. Thus it is our responsibility to trust God and remain in His will.

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e‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and,

‘ fIn their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

4:6 throw Yourself down: In quoting the protective promise of Ps. 91:11, 12 to Jesus, Satan omitted the words “to keep you in all your ways.” Satan tempted Jesus to gain public attention through spectacle rather than through His righteous life and message.

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1518 | Matthew 4:7 7 Jesus

g ‘You

God.’ ”

said to him, “It is written again, shall not 1 tempt the LORD your

Third Temptation Mark 1:13; Luke 4:5-8, 13 8 Again,

the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and h showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, 2 “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, i ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil j left Him, and behold, k angels came and ministered to Him. Jesus Begins His Ministry Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:14, 31 12 l Now when Je sus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “ The m

land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

7 g Deut. 6:16 1 test 8 h [Matt. 16:26; 1 John 2:15-17] 10 i Deut. 6:13; 10:20; Josh. 24:14 2 M Get behind Me 11 j [James 4:7] k Matt. 26:53; Luke 22:43; [Heb. 1:14] 12 l Matt. 14:3; Mark 1:14; Luke 3:20; John 4:43 15 m Is. 9:1, 2 

16 n The

people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

17 o From that time Je sus began to preach and to say, p “Repent, for the king dom of heaven 3 is at hand.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples Mark 1:16-20

16 n Is. 42:7; Luke 2:32 17 o Mark 1:14, 15 p Matt. 3:2; 10:7 3 has drawn near 18 q Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:2-11; John 1:40-42 r Matt. 10:2; 16:18; John 1:40-42 19 s Luke 5:10 20 t Matt. 19:27; Mark 10:28 21 u Mark 1:19 23 v Ps. 22:22 ; Matt. 9:35; Mark 1:21; 6:2; 10:1; Luke 4:15; 6:6; 13:10; John 6:59; 18:20 w [Matt. 24:14]; Mark 1:14; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 16:16 x Mark 1:34; Luke 4:40; 7:21; Acts 10:38 24 4 Lit. the report of Him

4:7 Deuteronomy 6:16 emphasizes that one should not test God. The Lord asked the Israelites to put Him to the test in only one area: tithing. By giving to Him they could test whether He would fulfill His promises to bless them (Mal. 3:10). 4:10 Christ rebuked the devil for asking for worship, a temptation to do exactly the opposite of what every Israelite was called upon to do (see Deut. 6:13, 15). Specifically in reference to Jesus, Satan was

tempted (Gk. peirazō) (4:1; Luke 4:2; Mark 1:13; Heb. 4:15) Strong’s #3985 The word means “to try” or “to make proof of,” and when ascribed to God in His dealings with people, it means no more than this (see Gen. 22:1). But for the most part in Scripture, the word is used in a negative sense, and means to entice, solicit, or provoke to sin. Hence the name given to the wicked one in this passage is “the tempter” (4:3). Accordingly “to be tempted” here is to be understood both ways. The Spirit conducted Jesus into the wilderness to try His faith; but the agent in this trial was the wicked one, whose object was to seduce Jesus away from His allegiance to God. This was temptation in the bad sense of the term. Yet Jesus did not give in to temptation; He passed the test (see 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 7:26).

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18 q And Je sus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon r called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and s I will make you fishers of men.” 20 t They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 u Go ing on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and fol lowed Him.

Jesus Ministers in Galilee Mark 1:39; Luke 4:44 23 And

Jesus went about all Galilee, in their synagogues, preaching w the gospel of the kingdom, x and heal ing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then 4 His fame went throughout all Syria; and they v teaching

offering a crown without the cross. Jesus’ experience serves as a pattern in spiritual warfare today: Jesus resisted Satan (see Eph. 6:11, 13, 14; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9), then He defeated Satan with consistent, meaningful use of the Scriptures (see Eph. 6:17). 4:11 angels came and ministered: Having rejected Satan’s offer of bread, assistance from angels, and earthly kingdoms, Jesus was immediately visited by angels who helped Him. 4:13 Matthew omits the incident reported in Luke 4:16–30 of Jesus’ rejection in His hometown. Matthew simply indicates that Capernaum, located at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee, became Jesus’ home and base of operation. 4:15, 16 The passage quoted here, Is. 9:1, 2, foretells the reign of the Messiah in the coming kingdom. The ministry of Jesus in Galilee was a preview of what was yet to come. Galilee was a fertile, populous area with two major trade routes. The way of the sea was one of those routes. 4:17 The phrase from that time Jesus began occurs twice in the Book of Matthew (see 16:21). Each reference marks a crucial direction in the book. This one looks to the beginning of His earthly ministry, while 16:21 anticipates His crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus’ exhortation was identical to that of John the Baptist (3:2). 4:18–20 I will make you fishers of men: This allusion to Jer. 16:16 was used to call Peter and Andrew to discipleship and a life of ministry. 4:23 Teaching . . . preaching . . . healing summarizes Jesus’ earthly ministry. His teaching is illustrated by His discourses; His preaching is illustrated by the announcement in v. 17; His healing is illustrated by His many miracles.

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Matthew | 1519

Herod’s Temple 20 b.c .–a .d. 70 Begun in 20 b.c., Herod’s new structure towered 15 stories high, following the floor dimensions of the former temples in the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The high sanctuary shown here was built on the site of the former temples of Solomon and Zerubbabel. The outer courts surrounding the temple mount were not completed until a .d. 64. The entire structure was demolished by the Romans in a .d. 70.

Dimensions of rooms, steps, doorways, cornices, and exterior measure ments are mentioned in history (Josephus and the Mishnah) but are subject to interpretation.

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1520 | Matthew 4:25 y brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and tor ments, and those who were demon-pos sessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 z Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from 5 Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

The Beatitudes Luke 6:20-26

And seeing the multitudes, a He went up on a mountain, and when He was

seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and b taught them, saying:

24 y Mark 1:32, 33; Luke 4:40 25 z Matt. 5:1; 8:1, 18; Mark 3:7, 8 5 Lit. Ten Cities

CHAPTER 5 1 a Matt. 14:23; 15:29; 17:1; Mark 3:13; Luke 6:17; 9:28; John 6:3, 15 2 b [Matt. 7:29]; Mark 10:1; 12:35; John 8:2 3 c Prov. 16:19;

5:1 The multitudes were found at the beginning and end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (the term is translated the people in 7:28). Yet this verse implies that Jesus left the multitude. Evidently He went away from crowds(Old so that He could instruct the disciples. As #1 the Palestine Galilee) He taught the disciples, the crowds came to where He was. when He was seated: It was normal for a teacher or rabbi to sit while he taught, with his audience gathered around. The mountain, probably a high hill on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, would have served as a natural amphitheater. disciples: Jesus had many disciples in addition to the crowds who followed Him and listened to His teaching. From the many disciples, He selected 12 to receive special instruction and power. 5:2 He . . . taught them: This Sermon on the Mount recorded by

“ Blessed c are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 d Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Is. 66:2; Luke 6:20-23 4 d Is. 61:2, 3; Luke 6:21; [John 16:20]; Acts 16:34; [2 Cor. 1:7]; Rev. 21:4

Matthew (chs. 5–7) is slightly different from the sermon preached to the multitude in Luke 6. The essence of this sermon was probably preached many times during Jesus’ early ministry. The Sermon on the Mount was not given as the way of salvation for the lost, but as the way of life for true children of the kingdom. It was instruction for those who had responded to Jesus’ invitation to “repent” (4:17). These disciples were probably confused as to the true nature of righteousness and God’s kingdom. In this address, Jesus clarified both the heart of the law and the nature of true religion in God’s kingdom (see Mic. 6:8). In a sense, Jesus turned the law, which was mainly negative, inside out to show its positive core (v. 17). 5:3–12 The Beatitudes are comprised of three elements: a pronouncement of blessing, a quality of life, and a reason why the

EE I L Capernaum

~ 66%

Sepphoris

Caesarea Maritima

Scythopolis Salim (Tel Shalem) Aenon

Jerusalem

Many interpreters place John’s baptismal ministry at a point on the middle reaches of the Jordan River, where trade routes converge at a natural ford not far from the modern site of Tel Shalem.

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U M E A Beersheba

ess

Ju d e a n W i l d e rn

SAMARI

A J U D E

Gaza

Gadara Bethany on the other side of the Jordan?

Nazareth

ter

ran

ean

Sea of Galilee

Jo rd a n R .

Events surrounding Jesus’ baptism reveal the intense religious excitement and social ferment of the early days of John the Baptist’s ministry. Herod had been cruel and rapacious; Roman military occupation was harsh. Some agitation centered around the change of governors from Gratus to Pilate in a .d. 26. Most of the people hoped for a religious solution to their intolerable political situation, and when they heard of a new prophet, they flocked out into the desert to hear him. The religious sect (Essenes) from Qumran professed similar doctrines of repentance and baptism. Jesus was baptized at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan (see John 1:28). John also baptized at “Aenon near Salim” (John 3:23). For Jesus’ temptation, see notes on Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13.

Sea

map_41_04_jesusbaptismtemptation Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation

Baptism (possible site)

Temptation

Jericho

Qumran Dead Sea

Bethany on the other side of the Jordan? Baptism (traditional site)

Machaerus

0 0

10 km. 10 miles

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Matthew 5:21 | 1521 5 e Blessed

are the meek, For f they shall inherit the 1 earth. 6 Blessed are those who g hunger and thirst for righteousness, h For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, i For they shall obtain mercy. 8 j Blessed are the pure in heart, For k they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 l Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 m “Blessed

are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of n evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 o Re joice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for p so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. The Similitudes 13 “You are the salt of the earth; q but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

5 e Ps. 37:11; Is. 29:19 f [Rom. 4:13] 1 Or land 6 g Luke 1:53; Acts 2:4 h [Is. 55:1; 65:13; John 4:14; 6:48; 7:37] 7 i Ps. 41:1; Mark 11:25 8 j Ps. 15:2; 24:4; Heb. 12:14 k Acts 7:55, 56; 1 Cor. 13:12 10 l [2 Cor. 4:17]; 1 Pet. 3:14 11 m Luke 6:22 n 1 Pet. 4:14 12 o Luke 6:23; Acts 5:41; 1 Pet. 4:13, 14 p 2 Chr. 36:16; Neh. 9:26; Matt. 23:37; Acts 7:52; 1 Thess. 2:15; Heb. 11:35-37; James 5:10 13 q Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34 14 r [Prov. 4:18; John 8:12]; Phil. 2:15 15 s Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; Phil. 2:15 16 t 1 Pet. 2:12 u [John 15:8]; 1 Cor. 14:25 17 v Rom. 10:4 18 w Matt. 24:35; Luke 16:17 2 Gr. iota, Heb. yod, the smallest letter 3 The smallest stroke in a Heb. letter 19 x [James 2:10]

recipient should be considered blessed. The first element is found in the word Blessed (see Ps. 1:1), which introduces each beatitude. The second element does not describe different groups of people, but a composite picture of the kind of person who will inherit Christ’s kingdom. The third element looks ahead to some aspect of the coming kingdom. 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: The idea of God blessing the humble and resisting the proud can also be found in Prov. 3:34; James 4:6. 5:5 Earth can also be translated land (see Ps. 37:3, 9, 11, 29; Prov. 2:21). 5:13 Pure salt maintains its flavor. In Israel, some salt was mixed with other ingredients. When it was exposed to the elements, the salt would be “leached out.” Such leached-out salt was used for coating pathways. 5:16 Let your light so shine: The believer does not have inherent light; rather we have reflective light. As we behold the glory of the Lord, we reflect it. Therefore, we need to make sure that nothing comes between us and the Lord’s light (see 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 2:14–16). 5:17, 18 Do not think that I came to destroy: Jesus rejected the Pharisees’ charge that He was nullifying the law. The law was both

14 r “You

are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they s light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, t that they may see your good works and u glorify your Father in heaven. Jesus Fulfills the Law 17 v “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, w till heaven and earth pass away, one 2 jot or one 3 tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 x Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heav en; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds y the righteous ness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Murder 21 “You have heard that it was said to those 4 of old, z ‘You shall not murder, and 20 y [Rom. 10:3] 21 z Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17 4 in ancient times

temporary (see Gal. 3:19; Eph. 2:15; Heb. 7:12) and eternal (see 5:18; Rom. 3:31; 8:4). The word fulfill means “to fill out, expand, or complete.” It does not mean to bring to an end. Jesus fulfills the law in several ways: (1) He obeyed it perfectly and taught its correct meaning (vv. 19, 20); (2) He will one day fulfill all of the OT types and prophecies; and (3) He provides a way of salvation that meets all the requirements of the law (Rom. 3:21, 31). one jot or one tittle will by no means pass: This statement of Jesus provides us with one of the strongest affirmations in the Bible of the inerrancy of Scripture. It is absolutely trustworthy. 5:20 The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was essentially external adherence to rules. God demands more than this. Jesus’ words must have shaken His disciples, since the meticulously righteous deeds of the scribes and Pharisees were regarded as being far above those of the average person. However the only righteousness that satisfies God’s standard is faith in Jesus Christ (see Rom. 3:21, 22). 5:21 You have heard refers to the teaching of various rabbis rather than to that of Moses. Jesus was questioning the interpretation of the Jewish scholars, not the OT itself.

blessed

tittle

(Gk. makarios) (5:3; Luke 6:20–22; Rom. 4:7, 8; James 1:12, 25) Strong’s #3107

(Gk. keraia) (5:18; Luke 16:17) Strong’s #2762

This Greek word is derived from the root mak, which means “large” or “lengthy,” and means “fortunate” or “happy.” The Greek word was used in Greek literature, in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT), and in the NT to describe the kind of happiness that comes from receiving divine favor. The word can be rendered happy. In the NT it is usually passive; God is the One who is blessing or favoring the person.

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In Hebrew, sometimes the smallest stroke or mark distinguished a letter from a similar one. Matthew uses the Greek word that literally means “horn,” or one hook of a letter, to refer to this stroke. The rabbis had defended the importance of retaining even the slightest stroke and the smallest letter—yodh in Hebrew and iota in Greek—in the Law of Moses. Jesus made it clear that He heartily concurred with the rabbis’ respect for the Law. Not even the smallest dot over an “i” would disappear until the Law was fulfilled.

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1522 | Matthew 5:22

whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that a who ever is angry with his brother 5 without a cause shall be in danger of the judg ment. And whoever says to his brother, b ‘Raca!’ 6 shall be in danger of the coun cil. But whoever says, 7 ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of 8 hell fire. 23 Therefore c if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 d leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 e Agree with your adversary quickly, f while you are on the way with him, lest your adver sary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. Adultery 27 “You have heard that it was said 9 to those of old, g ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoev er h looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 i If your right eye causes you to 1 sin, j pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to 2 sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your mem bers perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Divorce 31 “Furthermore it has been said, k ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give

22 a [1 John 3:15] b [James 2:20; 3:6] 5 NU omits without a cause 6 Lit., in Aram., Empty head 7 Gr. More 8 Gr. Gehenna 23 c Matt. 8:4 24 d [Job 42:8; 1 Tim. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:7] 25 e [Prov. 25:8]; Luke 12:58, 59 f [Ps. 32:6; Is. 55:6] 27 g Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18 9 NU, M omit to those of old 28 h 2 Sam. 11:2-5; Job 31:1; Prov. 6:25; [Matt. 15:19; James 1:14, 15] 29 i Mark 9:43 j [Col. 3:5] 1 Lit. stumble or offend 30 2 Lit. stumble or offend 31 k Deut. 24:1; [Jer. 3:1]; Mark 10:2 32 l [Matt. 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18; Rom. 7:3]; 1 Cor. 7:11 3 Or fornication 33 m Matt. 23:16 n [Ex. 20:7]; Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2 o Deut. 23:23 4 ancient times 34 p Matt. 23:16; James 5:12 q Is. 66:1 35 r Ps. 48:2; [Matt. 5:2, 19; 6:10] 37 s [Col. 4:6]; James 5:12 5 Lit. your word be yes yes 38 t Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21 39 u [Prov. 20:22]; Luke 6:29; [Rom. 12:17; 1 Cor. 6:7; 1 Pet. 3:9] v Is. 50:6; Lam. 3:30 41 w Matt. 27:32 42 x Deut. 15:7-11; Luke 6:30-34;

5:22 The scribes and Pharisees said that a person who referred to another as Raca, meaning “empty head,” was in danger of being sued for libel before the council (or the Sanhedrin). On the other hand, Jesus said that whoever calls another a fool will have to answer to God. That is not to say that calling someone a fool will condemn a believer to eternal punishment in hell. Rather Jesus was saying that to utter such words is to place oneself in a worse condition at the time of judgment (see 1 Cor. 3:12–15). 5:25 It is wise not to have enemies. One should make peace as soon as possible because enemies are capable of doing great damage. 5:28 to lust for her: A man who gazes at a woman with the purpose of wanting her sexually has mentally committed adultery. 5:29, 30 The hyperbole (exaggerated saying) about tearing out one’s eye is similar to the phrase in Prov. 23:2, “Put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.” In striking overstatement, Jesus advises removing every temptation to evil, no matter what the cost. The warning of hell (v. 22) indicates that those whose lifestyle is characterized by uncontrolled immorality are not heirs of the kingdom (see 1 Cor. 6:9, 10). 5:31, 32 Sexual immorality is a general term that includes premarital sex, extramarital infidelity, homosexuality, and bestiality (19:3–12). 5:33, 34 Do not swear at all: This does not forbid solemn, official

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her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that l whoever divorces his wife for any reason except 3 sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and who ever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Oaths 33 “Again you have heard that m it was said to those of 4 old, n ‘You shall not swear falsely, but o shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, p do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is q God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of r the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 s But let 5 your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Retaliation 38 “You have heard that it was said, t ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 u But I tell you not to resist an evil person. v But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever w compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and x from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. Love Luke 6:27, 32 43 “You

y ‘You

have heard that it was said, shall love your neighbor z and hate

1 Tim. 6:18 43 y Lev. 19:18 z Deut. 23:3-6; Ps. 41:10

oaths (see Gen. 22:16; Ps. 110:4; 2 Cor. 1:23), but only oaths made in common speech. Such oath-taking suggests that a person’s normal words cannot be trusted. God’s law says, “Do not lie under oath” (see Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2); Jesus was telling His followers not to lie under any circumstances. The phrase to the Lord could be used as a cover-up for falsehood. Any oath with God’s name in it was legally binding; however, an oath without God’s name was not legally binding. This explains the emphasis of vv. 34–37. 5:38 This important OT law (see Ex. 21:24, 25; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21), known as the lex talionis (the law of retaliation), covered what type of punishment should be meted out to transgressors. It limited the retribution that an offender would have to endure. 5:39–42 The Lord seems to be speaking in hyperbolic terms to teach the lesson of non-retaliation. Generally He commands us to have a generous and compassionate attitude toward the needy. He makes this application in four areas: physical attacks (v. 39), legal suits (v. 40), government demands (v. 41), and financial requests (v. 42). 5:41 Compels is a technical term that refers to the law of impressment. The Roman government could press anyone into its service to carry a load as far as one mile. Matthew records a Roman officer doing this to Simon of Cyrene in 27:32. 5:43 Hate your enemy is not found in Moses’ writings. This was a principle drawn by the scribes and Pharisees from Lev. 19:18.

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Matthew 6:18 | 1523 44 6 But

a love

I say to you, your enemy.’ your enemies, bless those who curse you, b do good to those who hate you, and pray c for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for d He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 e For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your 7 brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the 8 tax collectors do so? 48 f Therefore you shall be perfect, just g as your Father in heaven is perfect. Charitable Deeds “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, a when you do a charita ble deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret b will Himself reward you 1 openly.

Prayer Luke 11:2-4 5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the 2 hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, c go into your room, and when

44 a Luke 6:27; Rom. 12:14 b [Rom. 12:20] c Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor. 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:23 6 NU But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you 45 d Job 25:3; Ps. 65:9-13; Luke 12:16, 17; Acts 14:17 46 e Luke 6:32 47 7 M friends 8 NU Gentiles 48 f Gen. 17:1; Lev. 11:44; 19:2; Luke 6:36; [Col. 1:28; 4:12]; James 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:15 g Eph. 5:1 CHAPTER 6 2 a Rom. 12:8 4 b Luke 14:12-14 1 NU omits openly 5 2 pretenders 6 c 2 Kin. 4:33 3 NU omits openly 7 d Eccl. 5:2 e 1 Kin. 18:26 8 f [Rom. 8:26, 27] 9 g Matt. 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4; [John 16:24; Eph. 6:18; Jude 20] h [Matt. 5:9, 16] i Mal. 1:11 10 j Matt. 26:42; Luke 22:42; Acts 21:14 k Ps. 103:20 11 l [Job 23:12]; Prov. 30:8; Is. 33:16; Luke 11:3 12 m [Matt. 18:21, 22] 13 n [Matt. 26:41; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 3:10] o John 17:15; [2 Thess. 3:3]; 2 Tim. 4:18; [1 John 5:18] 4 NU omits the rest of v. 13. 14 p [Matt. 7:2]; Mark 11:25; [Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13] 15 q Matt. 18:35; James 2:13 16 r Is. 58:3-7;

5:45 To be a “son of” was to be like someone or something. That you may be sons of your Father in heaven means “that you may be like the Heavenly Father who displays His love without discrimination.” 5:48 This verse, which comes from Deut. 18:13, refers to completeness. In the context of 5:43–48, it seems to mean that Jesus’ followers are to be as perfect as God in the ways that they love. God does not lower the standard to accommodate our sinfulness. He gives us the power to keep His righteous standard. 6:2 they have their reward: The verb translated have was used in receipts and is similar to “paid in full.” The only reward the hypocrites will ever receive is glory from men (vv. 5, 16). Contrast that with the heavenly rewards of Christ given to His followers (see 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12). 6:5–8 Those who pray with improper motives have their reward— like those who do charitable deeds with improper motives (v. 2). 6:7 From the motives for praying (vv. 1–6), Jesus turned to methods of praying. Why one prays determines how one prays. Nothing is wrong with repeating prayers (26:39, 42, 44). Here Jesus was referring to the empty recitation of words.

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you have shut your door, pray to your Fa ther who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you 3 openly. 7 And when you pray, d do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. e For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “There fore do not be like them. For your Father f knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this g manner, therefore, pray:

h Our

Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your i name. 10 Your kingdom come. j Your will be done On earth k as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our l daily bread. 12 And m forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 n And do not lead us into temptation, But o deliver us from the evil one. 4 For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 14 p “For if you forgive men their tres passes, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But q if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting 16 “Moreover, r when you fast, do not be like the 5 hypocrites, with a sad coun tenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fast ing. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, s anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be Luke 18:12 5 pretenders 17 s Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 12:20; Dan. 10:3

6:9 In this manner does not mean to pray using only these words, but to pray in this way. People often reduce this prayer to empty recitation—exactly what the Lord said not to do (v. 7). The prayer is composed of six requests. The first three ask for the kingdom to come (vv. 9, 10) and the last three are for God to meet the needs of His people until the kingdom arrives (vv. 11–13). Hallowed be Your name is not an ascription of praise to the Father. The verb is an imperative and means “May Your name be hallowed.” This recalls Ezekiel’s prophecy in Ezek. 36:25–32, where the prophet says Israel has profaned God’s name among the nations. One day God will gather His people from the nations, cleanse them, and by this means vindicate the holiness of His great name. The hallowing of the Father’s name means the arrival of God’s kingdom. 6:11 Daily bread is a reminder of God’s daily supply of manna to Israel in the wilderness. 6:13 The doxology at the end of the prayer is from 1 Chr. 29:11. Some ancient manuscripts of the Scriptures omit this doxology.

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1524 | Matthew 6:19

fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you 6 openly. Wealth Luke 11:34-36; 12:22-34 19 t “Do not lay up for yourselves trea sures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 u but lay up for yourselves trea sures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your trea sure is, there your heart will be also. 22 v “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is 7 good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is 8 bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 w “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. x You cannot serve God and 9 mammon. 25 “There fore I say to you, y do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 z Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gath er into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one 1 cubit to his 2 stature? 28 “So why do you worry about cloth ing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not 3 arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

18 6 NU, M omit openly 19 t Prov. 23:4; [1 Tim. 6:17; Heb. 13:5]; James 5:1 20 u Matt. 19:21; Luke 12:33; 18:22; 1 Tim. 6:19; 1 Pet. 1:4 22 v Luke 11:34, 35 7 Clear, or healthy 23 8 Evil, or unhealthy 24 w Luke 16:9, 11, 13 x [Gal. 1:10; 1 Tim. 6:17; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15] 9 Lit., in Aram., riches 25 y [Ps. 55:22]; Luke 12:22; [Phil. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:7] 26 z Job 38:41; Ps. 147:9; Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:24 27 1 About 18 inches 2 height 29 3 dressed

33 a 1 Kin. 3:13; Luke 12:31; [1 Tim. 4:8] CHAPTER 7 1 a Matt. 7:1-5; Luke 6:37; Rom. 14:3; [1 Cor. 4:3, 4] 1 Condemn 2 b Mark 4:24; Luke 6:38 2 Condemnation 3 c Luke 6:41 6 d Prov. 9:7, 8; Acts 13:45 7 e [Matt. 21:22; Mark 11:24]; Luke 11:9-13; 18:1-8; [John 15:7; James 1:5, 6; 1 John 3:22] 8 f Prov. 8:17; Jer. 29:12 9 g Luke 11:11 11 h Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Ps. 84:11; Is. 63:7; [Rom. 8:32; James 1:17]; 1 John 3:1

6:19, 20 Do not lay up . . . but lay up may be rephrased as “Do not give priority to this, but give priority to that.” This passage does not mean that it is sinful to have such assets as insurance, retirement plans, and savings accounts. After all, parents are to save for their children (see Prov. 13:22; 2 Cor. 12:14). 6:24 Mammon refers to wealth, money, or property. No one can serve two masters because a time will come when they make opposing demands. Jesus advises us to invest in our future with Him by giving of ourselves; mammon encourages us to collect material objects for our present enjoyment. 6:27 Stature here probably means “length of life,” or age. Cubit then means a “length” of time, not a distance. 6:32 Gentiles refers to non-Jews or to the heathen—those who do not know God (see 3 John 7). The Jewish people, because of God’s revelation to them, were supposed to think differently than the Gentiles.

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31 “There fore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But a seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 There fore do not worry about tomor row, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Judging Luke 6:37-42

“Judge 1 a not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what 2 judgment you judge, you will be judged; b and with the mea sure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 c And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consid er the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me re move the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to re move the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 d “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. “Ask, and It Will Be Given” Luke 11:9-13 7 e “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For f everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 g Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, h be ing evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your

6:33 To seek . . . the kingdom of God and His righteousness means to desire God’s righteous rule on this earth (vv. 9, 10). 7:1 This restriction does not mean that a disciple never judges. After all, some kind of judgment is required in order to obey the command in v. 6. The point of this verse is that a Christian should not have a spirit of carping criticism and fault-finding. 7:2 Every judgment that a person makes becomes a basis for his or her own judgment (see James 3:1, 2). 7:6 Dogs and swine refer to people who are enemies of the gospel, as opposed to those who are merely unbelievers. Such enemies are to be left alone (see 15:14; 2 Cor. 6:14–18). One example of such a person was Herod Antipas, who heard John gladly (see Mark 6:20), but then beheaded him (see 14:1–12; Mark 6:14–28; Luke 9:7–9). Later when Christ stood before Herod, He said nothing (see Luke 23:8, 9). In the context of this verse, Herod had become a “dog” or a “pig.”

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Matthew 8:4 | 1525

Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Golden Rule Luke 6:31 12 Therefore, i whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for j this is the Law and the Prophets.

Two Ways of Life 13 k “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 3 Because narrow is the gate and 4 difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. False and True Teaching Luke 6:43-45 15 l “Be ware of false prophets, m who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but in wardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 n You will know them by their fruits. o Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, p every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 q Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

True Way into the Kingdom Luke 6:46 21 “Not

everyone who says to Me, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who s does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we t not prophesied in Your name, cast out r ‘Lord,

12 i Luke 6:31 j Matt. 22:40; Rom. 13:8; Gal. 5:14; [1 Tim. 1:5] 13 k Luke 13:24 14 3 NU, M How narrow . . . ! 4 confined 15 l Deut. 13:3; Jer. 23:16; Ezek. 22:28; Mark 13:22; [Luke 6:26]; Rom. 16:17; Eph. 5:6; [Col. 2:8; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 4:1-3] m Mic. 3:5 16 n Matt. 7:20; 12:33; Luke 6:44; James 3:12 o Luke 6:43 17 p Jer. 11:19; Matt. 12:33 19 q Matt. 3:10; Luke 3:9; [John 15:2, 6] 21 r Hos. 8:2; Matt. 25:11; Luke 6:46; Acts 19:13 s Rom. 2:13; James 1:22 22 t Num. 24:4

23 u Matt. 25:12; Luke 13:25; [2 Tim. 2:19] v Ps. 5:5; 6:8 ; [Matt. 25:41]; Luke 13:27 24 w Matt. 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49 28 x Matt. 13:54; Mark 1:22; 6:2; Luke 4:32; John 7:46 29 y [John 7:46] CHAPTER 8 2 a Matt. 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-14 b Matt. 2:11; 9:18; 15:25; John 9:38; Acts 10:25 3 c Matt. 11:5; Luke 4:27 4 d Matt. 9:30; Mark 5:43; Luke 4:41; 8:56; 9:21

7:12 The phrase the Law and the Prophets echoes 5:17. This socalled “Golden Rule” is the practical application of Lev. 19:18: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 7:15–20 Beware of false prophets: Deuteronomy 13:1–11; 18:20–22 provide information on discerning and responding to false prophets. The way to tell false teachers from teachers of truth is by their fruits. Fruits here refers to more than their deeds; it includes their doctrine (see 16:12; 1 John 4:1–3). A person speaking in the name of God is to be tested by the doctrines of Scripture. The same principle still holds true today. Speakers and teachers should be tested against the truths in God’s Word (see Jude 3; Rev. 22:18, 19). 7:21–23 Because so many people teach the wrong way, there is a tendency to ask how so many people could be wrong. Such doubts are especially strong when false teachers prophesy, cast out demons, and perform wonders in Jesus’ name. However, it is impor tant to remember that the Word of God is superior to any miracle. 7:24–27 The key difference in the two houses is not their external appearance. Pharisees and scribes may seem to be as righteous as the heirs of the kingdom. The key in the story is the foundations. The house on the rock pictures a life founded on a proper relationship to Christ (16:18; 1 Cor. 10:4; 1 Pet. 2:4–8). It will stand the

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demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And u then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; v depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Parable of the Two Builders Luke 6:47-49 24 “Theref ore w who ever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain de scended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these say ings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Response to the Sermon 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that x the people were as tonished at His teaching, 29 y for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. The Leper Is Cleansed Mark 1:40-44; Luke 5:12-14

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 a And behold, a leper came and b wor shiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Then Je sus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy c was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, d “See that you

test of Christ’s judgment, but the house on the sand will fail the test (see 1 Cor. 3:12–15). 7:29 not as the scribes: Scribes would often cite authorities in order to lend credence to their statements. Jesus’ words were self-authenticating. Note His phrase “I say to you” in 5:20, 22, 26, 28, 32. 8:2, 3 Before this miracle, the only record of an Israelite being healed of leprosy was the case of Miriam in Num. 12:10–15. The phrase if You are willing is important because it indicates genuine faith. It does not necessarily mean that if one simply believes, God will do something, but that He can do it (see Dan. 3:17, 18). Normally, touching a leper would result in ceremonial defilement (see Lev. 14:45, 46; Num. 5:2, 3; Deut. 24:8). In this case, Jesus touched the leper, and the leper became clean. 8:4 See that you tell no one: Perhaps Jesus gave this command so that the healed person would first obey the Law before he became preoccupied with telling others about his healing. Jesus’ command to show yourself to the priest involved no small undertaking for the cleansed leper. He would need to make the journey from near the Sea of Galilee to Jerusalem, and there offer the sacrifice required by Moses (see Lev. 14:4–32). The purpose of Christ’s command was

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1526 | Matthew 8:5

tell no one; but go your way, show your self to the priest, and offer the gift that e Moses f com manded, as a testimony to them.” The Centurion’s Servant Is Healed Luke 7:1-10 5 g Now when Je sus had entered Ca pernaum, a h centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dread fully tormented.” 7 And Je sus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, i I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only j speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Je sus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “As suredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that k many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abra ham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But l the sons of the kingdom m will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centu rion, “Go your way; and as you have be lieved, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Peter’s Mother-in-Law Is Healed Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41 14 n Now when Jesus had come into Pe ter’s house, He saw o his wife’s mother

4 e Lev. 14:3, 4, 10; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14 f Lev. 14:4-32; Deut. 24:8 5 g Luke 7:1-3 h Matt. 27:54; Acts 10:1 8 i Luke 15:19, 21 j Ps. 107:20 11 k [Gen. 12:3; Is. 2:2, 3; 11:10]; Mal. 1:11 ; Luke 13:29; [Acts 10:45; 11:18; 14:27; Rom. 15:9-13; Eph. 3:6] 12 l [Matt. 21:43] m Matt. 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28; 2 Pet. 2:17; Jude 13 14 n Matt. 8:14-16; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38, 39 o 1 Cor. 9:5

lying sick with a fever. 15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served 1 them. 16 p When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demonpossessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: q“ He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.” Demands of Discipleship Luke 9:57-62 18 And when Je sus saw great multi tudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19 r Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Je sus 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 s Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, t let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Je sus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

The Sea Is Stilled Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25 15 1 NU, M Him 16 p Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:40, 41 17 q Is. 53:4; 1 Pet. 2:24  19 r Matt. 8:19-22; Luke 9:57, 58 21 s Luke 9:59, 60 t 1 Kin. 19:20 24 u Mark 4:37; Luke 8:23-25 26 v Ps. 65:7; 89:9; 107:29

not only to obey the Law of Moses, but also to be a testimony to the religious authorities in Jerusalem that the Messiah had arrived. Jesus also commanded the man to keep quiet because He did not want the Jewish people to act too hastily on preconceived, erroneous ideas of the Messiah and His kingdom (see John 6:14, 15). 8:5–9 In the NT, centurions (officers in charge of one hundred soldiers) are consistently looked upon in a favorable light. These soldiers were the equivalent of a present-day sergeant. The centurion’s response to Jesus indicated his clear understanding of authority. 8:10 He marveled: Only one other time does Scripture say Jesus marveled: when His own townspeople rejected Him (Mark 6:6). I have not found . . . not even in Israel: This commendation of the faith of the Gentile centurion was a strong rebuke of the Jewish people. The Israelites thought that they would have priority in the coming kingdom (see Is. 45:14; Zech. 8:23; Rom. 9:3–5; Eph. 2:11, 12). Jesus made it clear that just being a physical descendant of Abraham did not guarantee entrance into His kingdom. 8:11 Sit down literally means “recline,” as at a banquet table. The coming kingdom is commonly portrayed in terms of a feast, particularly a wedding feast (see 22:1–14; Is. 25:6; Rev. 19:7–10). 8:12 Sons of the kingdom refers to the Jews who had the cov-

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23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 u And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then v He arose and rebuked the winds and the

enants and the promises, and who should have been heirs of the kingdom. The idea that Gentiles would take their place in the coming kingdom was unthinkable to the Jews. Outer darkness, meaning “the darkness outside,” speaks of the experience of those who do not endure and so will not reign in the kingdom (see 22:13; Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12, 13; 2 John 8; Rev. 3:11). 8:17 This verse quotes Is. 53:4. took our infirmities . . . bore our sicknesses: Jesus healed because He had compassion on the people (see 9:36; 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:41; 5:19; Luke 7:13). Our physical infirmities are ultimately the result of the Fall with its impact on our lives through the Curse. Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses by suffering and dying for our sins on the Cross. 8:20 Son of Man: Jesus used this messianic title (drawn from Dan. 7:13, 14) over 80 times to refer to Himself. 8:21, 22 This passage most likely describes a follower whose father was still alive, because by Levitical law the man would not be out in public if his father had just died. His father was aged, so the man wanted to go to his home, wait for his father to die, and then follow Christ. Jesus’ answer means that we must never make excuses for refusing to follow Him. There is no better time than the present.

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Matthew 9:9 | 1527 27 So

the sea, and there was a great calm. men marveled, saying, 2 “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Demons Are Cast into Swine Mark 5:1-17; Luke 8:26-37 28 w When He had come to the other side, to the country of the 3 Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-pos sessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceed ingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, 4 permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. 33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And be hold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, x they begged Him to depart from their region.

The Paralytic Is Forgiven Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26

So He got into a boat, crossed over, a and came to His own city. 2 b Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. c When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” 3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” 4 But Jesus, d know ing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your

Bible Times & Culture Notes

Tax Collectors In Jesus’ day, the Roman government collected several different taxes from the people of Palestine. Tolls for transporting goods by land or sea were collected by private tax collectors, who paid a fee to the Roman government for the right to assess these levies. The tax collectors made their profits by charging a higher toll than the law required. The licensed collectors often hired minor officials called publicans to do the actual work of collecting the tolls. A Roman relief of a tax collector The publicans extracted their own wages by charging CM Dixon/Glow Images a fraction more than their employer required. The disciple Matthew was a publican who collected tolls on the road between Damascus and Acco; his booth was located just outside the city of Capernaum. Matthew also collected taxes from fishermen who worked along the Sea of Galilee and boatmen who brought their goods from cities on the other side of the lake.

27 2 Lit. What sort of man is this 28 w Mark 5:1-4; Luke 8:26-33 3 NU Gadarenes 31 4 NU send us into 34 x Deut. 5:25; 1 Kin. 17:18; Amos 7:12; Luke 5:8; Acts 16:39 CHAPTER 9 1 a Matt. 4:13; 11:23; Mark 5:21 2 b Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26 c Matt. 8:10 4 d Ps. 139:2; Matt. 12:25; Mark 12:15; Luke 5:22; 6:8; 9:47; 11:17 8 e Matt. 8:27; John 7:15 1 NU were afraid

8:28 The country of the Gergesenes may refer to (1) the village of Khersa, near the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee; (2) Gerasa, about 30 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee; or (3) Gadara, about six miles away. This was Gentile territory. 8:29 We learn several things about demons in this passage: (1) they recognize the deity of Christ; (2) they are limited in their knowledge; (3) they know they will ultimately be judged by Christ (see 25:41; James 2:19; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7–12); (4) they cannot act without the permission of a higher authority—Christ. 9:2 Their faith refers to the faith of the paralytic as well as that of the men who were carrying him. 9:5, 6 Jesus’ tactic caught the leaders off guard. Though these leaders might deny His ability, or right, to forgive sins, the outward

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sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the para lytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house. 8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they e marveled 1 and glorified God, who had given such power to men. Matthew Is Called Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27, 28 9 f As Je sus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. 9 f Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27

physical healing could not be denied. It was far easier to say Your sins are forgiven you because there would be no visible proof that the sins were forgiven. The healing of the paralytic, however, was proof that forgiveness of sins had occurred as well. Neither physical nor spiritual healing pose any difficulty for God’s Son. 9:9 Matthew is called Levi in Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27. The tax office was a toll booth set up alongside a highway to levy taxes on merchandise transported on that road. Matthew probably worked for Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. Tax collectors were considered traitors by the Jews. They were despised because they generally collected more than necessary and pocketed the difference, vastly enriching themselves.

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1528 | Matthew 9:10

The Disciples Eat with Sinners Mark 2:15-17; Luke 5:29-32 10 g Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His dis ciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with h tax collectors and i sinners?” 12 When Je sus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: j ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, k but sin ners, 2 to repentance.”

The Disciples Do Not Fast Mark 2:18-22; Luke 5:33-39 14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, l “Why do we and the Phari sees fast 3 often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Je sus said to them, “Can m the 4 friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and n then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of un shrunk cloth on an old garment; for 5 the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins 6 break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Life Is Restored Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56 18 o While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and fol lowed him, and so did His p disciples. 20 q And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and r touched the hem of His gar ment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made

10 g Mark 2:15; Luke 5:29 11 h Matt. 11:19; Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30; 15:2 i [Gal. 2:15] 13 j Hos. 6:6; [Mic. 6:6-8]; Matt. 12:7 k Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32; 1 Tim. 1:15 2 NU omits to repentance 14 l Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33-35; 18:12 3 NU brackets often as disputed. 15 m John 3:29 n Acts 13:2, 3; 14:23 4 Lit. sons of the bridechamber 16 5 Lit. that which is put on 17 6 burst 18 o Mark 5:22-43; Luke 8:41-56 19 p Matt. 10:2-4 20 q Mark 5:25; Luke 8:43 r Num. 15:38; Deut. 22:12; Matt. 14:36; 23:5; Mark 6:56

22 s Matt. 9:29; 15:28; Mark 5:34; 10:52; Luke 7:50; 8:48; 17:19; 18:42 23 t Mark 5:38; Luke 8:51 u 2 Chr. 35:25; Jer. 9:17; 16:6; Ezek. 24:17 24 v John 11:3; Acts 20:10 25 w Matt. 8:3, 15; Mark 1:31 26 x Matt. 4:24; Mark 1:28, 45; Luke 4:14, 37; 5:15; 7:17 27 y Matt. 20:2934 z Matt. 15:22; Mark 10:47; Luke 18:38, 39 30 a Matt. 8:4; Luke 5:14 31 b Mark 7:36 7 Lit. made Him known 8 Lit. land 32 c Matt. 12:22, 24; Luke 11:14 34 d Matt. 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15; John 7:20 35 e Matt. 4:23 9 NU omits among the people 36 f Mark 6:34 1 NU, M harassed

9:13 Jesus quoted Hos. 6:6 (and again in 12:7) to make the point that God is more interested in a person’s loyal love than in the observance of external rituals. Jesus refers ironically to the Pharisees as the righteous. They were not righteous; that was only how they perceived themselves because of their pious and scrupulous law-keeping (see Phil. 3:6). But Jesus explained, quoting from the familiar words of an OT prophet, that God had already judged sacrifices without mercy as worthless. 9:15 Jesus used the picture of marriage to illustrate God’s relationship with Israel (see Is. 54:1–8; Jer. 3:1–20; Hos. 2:1—3:5). In referring

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well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; s your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. 23 t When Je sus came into the ruler’s house, and saw u the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, v “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and w took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the x report of this went out into all that land. Sight Is Restored 27 When Je sus departed from there, y two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, z “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 And when He had come into 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 let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, a “See that no one knows it.” 31 b But when they had departed, they 7 spread the news about Him in all that 8 country. Speech Is Restored 32 c As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demonpossessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the mul titudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” 34 But the Phari sees said, d “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” The Need for Delegation of Power 35 Then Je sus went about all the cit ies and villages, e teaching in their syn agogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease 9 among the people. 36 f But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, be cause they were 1 weary and scattered,

to Himself as a bridegroom, Jesus was describing Himself as the Messiah. Will be taken away from them anticipates the violent death the Lord would experience. 9:30 See that no one knows it: Jesus wanted to discourage the masses from coming to Him for physical healing alone, because His primary purpose was spiritual healing. Physical healing simply served to authenticate His claim to be the promised Messiah. 9:34 The Pharisees could not deny the reality of the miracles, so they attributed them to the ruler of the demons. The same rationalization is found in 12:24.

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Matthew 10:25 | 1529 g like

37 Then

sheep having no shepherd. He said to His disciples, h “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 i Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” The Twelve Apostles Are Sent Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1

And a when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Si mon, b who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bar tholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and 1 Leb baeus, whose surname was Thad daeus; 4 c Simon the 2 Cananite, and Judas d Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. The Twelve Apostles Are Instructed Mark 6:8-13; Luke 9:2-6, 12:2-10 5 These twelve Je sus sent out and commanded them, saying: e “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of f the Samaritans. 6 g But go rather to the h lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 i And as you go, preach, saying, j ‘The kingdom of heaven 3 is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, 4 cleanse the lepers, 5 raise the dead, cast out demons. k Freely you have received, freely give. 9 l Provide nei ther gold nor silver nor m copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; n for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 o “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 p If the household is worthy, let your peace

36 g Num. 27:17; 1 Kin. 22:17; Ezek. 34:5; Zech. 10:2; Mark 6:34 37 h Luke 10:2; John 4:35 38 i [Matt. 28:19, 20; Eph. 4:11, 12]; 2 Thess. 3:1 CHAPTER 10 1 a Mark 3:13; Luke 6:13 2 b John 1:42 3 1 NU omits Lebbaeus, whose surname was 4 c Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13 d Matt. 26:14; Luke 22:3; John 13:2, 26 2 NU Cananaean 5 e Matt. 4:15 f 2 Kin. 17:24; Luke 9:52; 10:33; 17:16; John 4:9 6 g Matt. 15:24; Acts 13:46 h Is. 53:6; Jer. 50:6 7 i Luke 9:2 j Matt. 3:2; Luke 10:9 3 has drawn near 8 k [Acts 8:18] 4 NU raise the dead, cleanse the lepers 5 M omits raise the dead 9 l 1 Sam. 9:7; Mark 6:8 m Mark 6:8 10 n Luke 10:7; [1 Cor. 9:4-14]; 1 Tim. 5:18 11 o Luke 10:8 13 p Luke 10:5 q Ps. 35:13 14 r Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5 s Neh. 5:13; Luke 10:10, 11; Acts 13:51 15 t Matt. 11:22, 24 16 u Luke 10:3 v 2 Cor. 12:16; Eph. 5:15; Col. 4:5 w [Phil. 2:14-16] 6 innocent 17 x Matt. 23:34; Mark 13:9; Luke 12:11 y Acts 5:40; 22:19; 26:11 18 z Acts 12:1;

9:37, 38 The harvest will mark the beginning of the kingdom age. For the lost it will mean doom; for the saved it will mean blessing. 10:2 The twelve are called “disciples” in v. 1; here they are called apostles. The word apostle emphasizes delegated authority (see 1 Thess. 2:6); the term disciple emphasizes learning and following. Because the disciples had been given authority, they were now called apostles. 10:2–4 The disciples are named in pairs and probably were sent out that way (see Mark 6:7). 10:5, 6 While He was on earth, Jesus focused His ministry on the Jews. After His resurrection, He commanded His disciples to take the Good News to all the world. Paul used the same strategy. In every city he visited, he preached first to Jews and then to the Gentiles (see Rom. 1:16). 10:9, 10 The disciples’ mission was short-term. In essence, they were to do a national religious survey to determine the people’s response to Jesus as Messiah. For the Twelve to cover an area that is at most 75 miles by 125 miles would not take very long. Thus they did not need extensive provisions.

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q But

come upon it. if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 r And who ever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, s shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, t it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Go morrah in the day of judgment than for that city! 16 u “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. v Therefore be wise as serpents and w harmless 6 as doves. 17 But beware of men, for x they will de liver you up to councils and y scourge you in their synagogues. 18 z You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 a But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For b it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 c for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 d “Now brother will deliver up broth er to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And e you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. f But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 g When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have h gone through the cities of Israel i before the Son of Man comes. 24 j “A disciple is not above his teach er, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If k they have called the master of the house 2 Tim. 4:16 19 a Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11, 12; 21:14, 15 b Ex. 4:12; Jer. 1:7 20 c 2 Sam. 23:2; [2 Tim. 4:17] 21 d Mic. 7:6; Luke 21:16 22 e Matt. 24:9; Luke 21:17; John 15:18 f [Dan. 12:12]; Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:13 23 g Matt. 2:13; Acts 8:1 h [Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10] i Matt. 16:28 24 j Luke 6:40; John 15:20 25 k Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15, 18, 19; John 8:48, 52

10:11 Because the testimony of the apostles was at stake, they were to seek out homes with good reputations. Furthermore, they were not to be constantly trying to find a more desirable residence. 10:12, 13 To greet a household was to pronounce a blessing on it, “Peace to you.” These messengers were to assume the best of their hosts when they arrived; however, if the home proved to be unworthy (the occupants rejected the message of the apostles), the apostles were to remove the pronouncement of blessing. 10:15 This verse, together with 11:22, 24, implies that there will be degrees of judgment and torment for the lost. 10:16 Snakes are commonly thought of as wise, perhaps because they are silent and dangerous, or because of the way they move (see also Gen. 3:1). In the midst of wolves meant that the apostles would be exposed to hatred and violence from men. Harmless literally means “unmixed,” which may also indicate purity and innocence. 10:18 God would use Jewish rejection and persecution of the messengers to bring the gospel message to Gentiles. This occurred with Paul in Acts 21:26–36; 24:1–21; 25:13—26:32.

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1530 | Matthew 10:26 7 Be elzebub,

how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. l For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 “What ever I tell you in the dark, m speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 n And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather o fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in 8 hell. 29 Are not two p sparrows sold for a 9 copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 q But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear there fore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 r “There fore whoever confesses Me before men, s him I will also confess be fore My Father who is in heaven. 33 t But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 u “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to v ‘set 1 a man against his father, a daugh ter against her mother, and a daughterin-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and w ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 x He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.

25 7 NU, M Beelzebul; a Philistine deity, 2 Kin. 1:2, 3 26 l Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; 12:2, 3; [1 Cor. 4:5] 27 m Luke 12:3; Acts 5:20 28 n Luke 12:4; [1 Pet. 3:14] o Is. 8:13; Matt. 5:22; Luke 12:5 8 Gr. Gehenna 29 p Luke 12:6, 7 9 Gr. assarion, a coin worth about 1/16 of a denarius 30 q 1 Sam. 14:45; 2 Sam. 14:11; 1 Kin. 1:52; Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34 32 r Ps. 119:46; Luke 12:8; [Rom. 10:9] s [Rev. 3:5] 33 t [Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26]; 2 Tim. 2:12 34 u [Luke 12:49] 35 v Mic. 7:6 ; Matt. 10:21; Luke 12:53 1 alienate a man from 36 w Ps. 41:9; 55:13; John 13:18  37 x Deut. 33:9; Luke 14:26 38 y [Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; 14:27] 39 z Matt. 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John 12:25

10:28 Fear Him refers not to Satan, but to God. Destroy does not indicate annihilation, but ruination. The same verb is used in 9:17 of wineskins being ruined. 10:32, 33 Every act of our lives will be evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:10). To refuse to speak up for Christ because of intimidation or persecution will result in the believer’s loss of reward and consequent loss of glory in the kingdom (see Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12). 10:34–36 To the disappointment of many Christians throughout the ages, it has often been those closest to them who have rejected them and their message, even to the point of betrayal. The Lord Himself experienced these feelings with the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter.

And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 y And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 z He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. 40 a “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 b He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 c And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold wa ter in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to a teach and to preach in their cities.

Rejection of John the Baptist Luke 7:19-30 2 b And when John had heard c in prison about the works of Christ, he 1 sent two 40 a Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48; John 12:44; Gal. 4:14 41 b 1 Kin. 17:10; 2 Kin. 4:8 42 c [Matt. 25:40]; Mark 9:41; Heb. 6:10 CHAPTER 11 1 a Matt. 9:35; Luke 23:5 2 b Luke 7:18-35 c Matt. 4:12; 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 9:7 1 NU sent by his

10:37 not worthy of Me: Those who will be glorified with Christ in His kingdom reign are those who have suffered for Him (see Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12). Those who refuse that kind of discipleship will experience great loss (see 1 Cor. 3:15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 3:11, 12). 10:38 Taking up a cross here stands for commitment to the extent of being willing to die for something. 10:42 These little ones refers to the disciples. reward: Jesus does not want His disciples to lose the joys of the next life by focusing on the pleasures of this world. 11:2 John probably expected the Messiah immediately to judge Israel and establish His kingdom (3:2–12). Christ’s failure to do what John anticipated may have planted seeds of doubt in John’s mind about whether Jesus was the Messiah.

Beelzebub

Christ

(Gk. Beelzeboul) (10:25; 12:24–27; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15–19) Strong’s #954

(Gk. Christos) (11:2; 16:16; John 1:41; Acts 2:36; 2 Cor. 1:21) Strong’s #5547

Most of the Greek manuscripts read Beelzeboul, which is probably the right form of this word. The other reading probably came from the OT word Baal- Zebub—an idol, the god of Ekron (see 2 Kin. 1:2). All idolatry was regarded as devil worship (Lev. 17:7; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37; 1 Cor. 10:20), so there seems to have been something peculiarly satanic about the worship of this hateful god, which caused his name to be a synonym of Satan. Though we nowhere read that Jesus was actually called Beelzebub, He was charged with being in league with Satan under that hateful name (12:24, 26), and more than once was charged with being possessed by “an unclean spirit” or “demon” (Mark 3:30; John 7:20; 8:48).

Many speak of Jesus Christ, but do not realize that the title Christ is in essence a confession of faith. The word literally means “the Anointed One.” In the OT, forms of its Hebrew equivalent messiah were applied to prophets (1 Kin. 19:16), priests (Lev. 4:5, 16), and kings (1 Sam. 24:6, 10), in the sense that all of them were anointed with oil, the symbol that God had set them aside for their respective offices. But the preeminent Anointed One would be the promised Messiah, for He would be anointed by God’s Spirit to be the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King (Is. 61:1; John 3:34). With his dramatic confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:16), Peter plainly identified Jesus as the promised Messiah.

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of his disciples said to Him, “Are You d the Coming One, or do we look for another?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 e The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and f the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not g offended be cause of Me.” 7 h As they departed, Je sus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilder ness to see? i A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, j and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written: 3 and

3 d Gen. 49:10; Num. 24:17; Deut. 18:15, 18; Dan. 9:24; John 6:14 5 e Is. 29:18; 35:4-6; John 2:23 f Ps. 22:26; Is. 61:1; Luke 4:18; James 2:5 6 g Is. 8:14, 15; [Rom. 9:32]; 1 Pet. 2:8 7 h Luke 7:24 i [Eph. 4:14] 9 j Matt. 14:5; 21:26; Luke 1:76; 20:6 10 k Mal. 3:1 ; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:76 12 l Luke 16:16 13 m Mal. 4:4-6 14 n Mal. 4:5; Matt. 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17; John 1:21 15 o Matt. 13:9; Luke 8:8; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13 16 p Luke 7:31

k‘ Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 l And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the vio lent take it by force. 13 m For all the proph ets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is n E lijah who is to come. 15 o He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Rejection by Jesus’ Generation Luke 7:31-35 16 p “But to what shall I liken this gen eration? It is like children sitting in the

17 2 Lit. beat your breast 19 q Matt. 9:10 r Luke 7:35; John 2:1-11 3 wine drinker 4 NU works 20 s Luke 10:1315, 18 21 t Jon. 3:6-8 22 u Matt. 10:15; 11:24 23 v Is. 14:13; Lam. 2:1; Ezek. 26:20; 31:14; 32:18, 24 5 NU will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be 24 w Matt. 10:15 25 x Luke 10:21, 22 y Ps. 8:2; 1 Cor. 1:19; [2 Cor. 3:14] z Matt. 16:17

11:3 The Coming One is a title for the Messiah (see Ps. 118:26; Mark 11:9; Luke 13:35; 19:38; Heb. 10:37). 11:7–15 In the light of John’s question, some may have questioned his commitment to the Messiah. This may have prompted Jesus’ supportive statements about John. 11:9, 10 John was more than a prophet in that he alone was the forerunner who announced the coming and presence of the Messiah. In doing so, he fulfilled Mal. 3:1. 11:11 Born of women means that John had a human mother. A very similar expression is used of the Lord Jesus in Gal. 4:4. The least in the kingdom refers to those who will be living in the coming kingdom. As great as John was during Jesus’ day, his position as forerunner was inferior to that of the least person in the kingdom of heaven, because that person will have seen and understood the finished work of Christ on the Cross and through His resurrection—events that John would not live to see. Little wonder that Jesus gave such strong exhortations in 10:32–42 not to miss out on His future reign.

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marketplaces and calling to their com panions, 17 and saying: ‘ We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not 2 lament.’ 18 For

John came nei ther eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drink ing, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a 3 winebibber, q a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ r But wisdom is justified by her 4 children.” Rejection of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum Luke 10:12-15 20 s Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Cho razin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago t in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, u it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judg ment than for you. 23 And you, Caperna um, v who 5 are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you w that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

Invitation to Come to Jesus 25 x At that time Je sus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heav en and earth, that y You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent z and have revealed them to babes. 26 Even

11:12 The violent take it by force in this context probably means that violent people forcibly oppose the kingdom with their hostility (23:13). As Christ’s kingdom advances, so do the attacks against it. 11:13 The prophets and the law refers to the OT, which anticipated the coming of the Messiah. Because John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ, the OT anticipated John’s ministry as well. 11:16–19 Because of their hardness of heart, Israel failed to accept either the ministry of John the Baptist or that of the Lord Jesus Christ. 11:21 Woe: Jesus pronounced a direct judgment on Israel. Chorazin was a village about two and a half miles north of Capernaum; Bethsaida was about three miles east. Both of these cities were in Galilee and both had witnessed Jesus’ ministry firsthand. They would be judged for seeing the Messiah and then rejecting Him. 11:23 Capernaum, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, was the base of operations for Christ’s ministry. In 9:1, Capernaum is called “His own city.”

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1532 | Matthew 11:27

so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 a All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. b Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to re veal Him. 28 Come to c Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you d and learn from Me, for I am 6 gentle and e lowly in heart, f and you will find rest for your souls. 30 g For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Controversy over Sabbath-Labor Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5

At that time a Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to b pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” 3 But He said to them, “Have you not read c what David did when he was hun gry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate d the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, e but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the f law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple 1 pro fane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is g One greater than the temple. 7 But if you had known what this means, h ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord 2 even of the Sabbath.” Controversy over Sabbath-Healing Mark 3:1-5; Luke 6:6-10 9 i Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him,

27 a Matt. 28:18; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 13:3; 1 Cor. 15:27 b John 1:18; 6:46; 10:15 28 c [John 6:35-37] 29 d [John 13:15]; Eph. 4:2; [Phil. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 2:6] e Zech. 9:9; [Phil. 2:7, 8] f Jer. 6:16 6 meek 30 g [1 John 5:3] CHAPTER 12 1 a Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1-5 b Deut. 23:25 3 c Ex. 31:15; 35:2; 1 Sam. 21:6 4 d Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5 e Ex. 29:32; Lev. 8:31; 24:9 5 f Num. 28:9; [John 7:22] 1 desecrate 6 g [2 Chr. 6:18; Is. 66:1, 2; Mal. 3:1]; Matt. 12:41, 42 7 h [1 Sam. 15:22; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:68]; Matt. 9:13 8 2 NU, M omit even 9 i Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11

saying, j “Is it lawful to heal on the Sab bath?”—that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Pharisees Plan to Destroy Christ Mark 3:6-12; Luke 6:11 14 Then k the

Pharisees went out and plot ted against Him, how they might destroy Him. 15 But when Je sus knew it, l He with drew from there. m And great 3 multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He n warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 18 “ Behold! o

10 j Luke 13:14; 14:3; John 9:16 14 k Ps. 2:2; Matt. 27:1; Mark 3:6; [Luke 6:11]; John 5:18; 10:39; 11:53 15 l Matt. 10:23; Mark 3:7 m Matt. 19:2 3 NU brackets multitudes as disputed. 16 n Matt. 8:4; 9:30; 17:9 18 o Is. 42:1-4; 49:3 p Matt. 3:17; 17:5 22 q Matt. 9:32; [Mark 3:11]; Luke 11:14, 15

11:28 You who labor and are heavy laden describes the Jews as suffering under a load of religious responsibilities laid on them by priests, rabbis, scribes, and Pharisees (see 23:4; Acts 15:10). Rest is relief from this burden. 12:2 The way Jesus observed the Sabbath was a primary point of contention between Himself and the religious authorities. The Pharisees and scribes recognized that the Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic covenant. Therefore, to desecrate the Sabbath was to flaunt disobedience to the entire Law of Moses (see Num. 15:30–36). While reaping was forbidden on the Sabbath (Ex. 34:21), the disciples were picking grain to eat, not for profit. They were not breaking God’s law. The Pharisees had established 39 categories of actions to be forbidden on the Sabbath, and according to them, the disciples were “harvesting” and therefore breaking the Sabbath. The Pharisees were trying to make Jesus into a lawbreaker and accuse Him of wrongdoing.

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My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved p in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.” Pharisees Blaspheme the Holy Spirit Mark 3:22-27; Luke 11:17-23 22 q Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute;

12:5 profane the Sabbath: On the Sabbath the priests carried out their work of ministry, showing that their official service had priority over the normal Sabbath observance. 12:7 For a similar use of Hos. 6:6, see 9:13. 12:14 Because of Jesus’ view of the Sabbath, the Pharisees concluded that He was trying to overthrow the entire Mosaic system, and therefore had to be destroyed. Their antagonism toward Jesus was growing. 12:15 withdrew: From this point on, the Lord’s ministry was characterized by opposition, withdrawal from that opposition, and continued ministry to His followers. 12:18–21 This quotation of Is. 42:1–4 shows that the Messiah’s quiet withdrawal was in keeping with the prophet’s portrayal of Him. The most significant aspect of this prophecy is that Jesus’ reserve in the face of Jewish opposition would lead to blessings on the Gentiles.

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Matthew 12:45 | 1533

and He healed him, so that the and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the r Son of David?” 24 s Now when the Phari sees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by 5 Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 25 But Jesus t knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, u surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 v Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 4 blind

Pharisees Commit the Unpardonable Sin Mark 3:28, 29 31 “There fore I say to you, w every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, x but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who y speaks a word against the Son of Man, z it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Ei ther make the tree good and a its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 b Brood 6 of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? c For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth

22 4 NU omits blind and 23 r Matt. 9:27; 21:9 24 s Matt. 9:34; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15 5 NU, M Beelzebul, a Philistine deity 25 t Matt. 9:4; John 2:25; Rev. 2:23 28 u [Dan. 2:44; 7:14; Luke 1:33]; 11:20; [17:20, 21; 1 John 3:8] 29 v Is. 49:24; [Luke 11:21-23] 31 w Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12:10; [Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26, 29; 1 John 5:16] x Acts 7:51 32 y Matt. 11:19; 13:55; John 7:12, 52 z 1 Tim. 1:13 33 a Matt. 7:16-18; Luke 6:43, 44; [John 15:4-7] 34 b Matt. 3:7; 23:33; Luke 3:7 c 1 Sam. 24:13; Is. 32:6; [Matt. 15:18]; Luke 6:45; Eph. 4:29; [James 3:2-12] 6 Offspring 35 7 NU, M omit of his heart 38 d Matt. 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; John 2:18; 1 Cor. 1:22 39 e Is. 57:3; Matt. 16:4; Mark 8:38; [Luke 11:29-32]; John 4:48 40 f Jon. 1:17 ; Luke 24:46; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor. 15:4 41 g Jon. 3:5; Luke 11:32 h Jer. 3:11; Ezek. 16:51; [Rom. 2:27] i Jon. 3:5 42 j 1 Kin. 10:1-13; 2 Chr. 9:1; Luke 11:31 43 k Luke 11:24-26 l [Job 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:8] 45 m Mark 5:9; Luke 11:26; [Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26; 2 Pet. 2:20-22]

12:23 Could this be the Son of David may also be translated “This one can’t be the Son of David, can he?” The question expected a negative answer. 12:25–28 Jesus’ defense was in three parts. First, a kingdom, city, or even a family cannot continue to exist if it is divided against itself. Second, when the followers of the Pharisees exorcised demons, the Pharisees claimed it was accomplished by the power of God. Third, the casting out of demons by the Messiah indicated the nearness of the kingdom. 12:29 This verse shows how Jesus the King was confronting the kingdom of Satan. In His exorcisms, Jesus was binding Satan bit by bit; when He comes suddenly to establish His kingdom, He will bind Satan quickly and completely (see Rev. 20:1–10). 12:31, 32 The sin which will not be forgiven is the stubborn refusal to heed the Holy Spirit’s conviction and accept the forgiveness that Christ offers. Particularly in reference to the leaders of Israel, Jesus had offered them all the proof that could be expected—the ministry of John, the testimony of the Father, the prophecies of the

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35 A

speaks. good man out of the good treasure 7 of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Pharisees Demand a Sign Luke 11:24-26, 29-32 38 d Then some of the scribes and Phari sees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and e adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the proph et Jonah. 40 f For 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 g The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and h condemn it, i because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 j The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 43 k “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, l he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; m and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

OT, His own testimony, and the substantiation of the Holy Spirit. Because the leaders rejected all proofs regarding Jesus as Messiah, nothing else would be given. 12:39 The demand for signs is evidence of unbelief rather than faith. The sign of the prophet Jonah is explained in v. 40 as the Resurrection. 12:40 Three days and three nights does not necessarily indicate three full days. In ancient Israel, a part of a day was considered a whole day (see Esth. 4:16; 5:1); so a period of 26 hours could be called “three days.” 12:41, 42 The men of Nineveh and the queen of the South represent Gentiles who came to faith because of the words of God’s prophets and kings, lesser people than Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. 12:43–45 This difficult analogy most likely describes the moral reformation that took place in Israel as a result of the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus. The reformation, however, was not genuine (3:7–10); therefore, Israel’s unbelief and hardness of heart were worse than before.

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1534 | Matthew 12:46

Jesus and the True Brethren Mark 3:31-35 46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, n be hold, His mother and o brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, p Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” 48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disci ples and said, “Here are My mother and My q brothers! 50 For r whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My broth er and sister and mother.”

Parable of the Soils Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15

On the same day Jesus went out of the house a and sat by the sea. 2 b And great multitudes were gathered to gether to Him, so that c He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: d “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some e a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 f He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered and said to them, “Be cause g it has been given to you to know

46 n Mark 3:3135; Luke 8:19-21 o Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3; John 2:12; 7:3, 5; Acts 1:14; 1 Cor. 9:5; Gal. 1:19 47 p Matt. 13:55, 56; John 2:12; Acts 1:14 49 q John 20:17; [Rom. 8:29] 50 r John 15:14; [Gal. 5:6; 6:15; Col. 3:11; Heb. 2:11] CHAPTER 13 1 a Matt. 13:1-15; Mark 4:1-12; Luke 8:4-10 2 b Luke 8:4 c Luke 5:3 3 d Luke 8:5 8 e Gen. 26:12; Matt. 13:23 9 f Matt. 11:15; Mark 4:9; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22 11 g [Matt. 11:25; 16:17]; Mark 4:10, 11; [John 6:65; 1 Cor. 2:10; Col. 1:27; 1 John 2:20, 27] 1 secret or hidden truths 12 h Matt. 25:29; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26 14 i Is. 6:9, 10 ; Ezek. 12:2; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40; Acts 28:26, 27; Rom. 11:8; [2 Cor. 3:14, 15] j [John 3:36] 15 k Ps. 119:70; Zech. 7:11; 2 Tim. 4:4; Heb. 5:11 l Luke 19:42 m Acts 28:26, 27 2 NU, M would 16 n [Prov. 20:12; Matt. 16:17]; Luke 10:23, 24; [John 20:29] 17 o John 8:56; Heb. 11:13; 1 Pet. 1:10, 11 18 p Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15 19 q Matt. 4:23 20 r Is. 58:2; Ezek. 33:31, 32; John 5:35 21 s [Acts 14:22] t Matt. 11:6; 2 Tim. 1:15 22 u Matt. 19:23; Mark 10:23;

13:3 He spoke many things to them in parables: This teaching method, often used by the rabbis, utilized common scenes from everyday life to teach new truths about the kingdom. 13:4 Some seed fell by the wayside speaks of soil hardened by much human and animal traffic, that failed to allow penetration of the seed, leaving it fair game for the birds. 13:5 Stony places refers to shallow soil resting on a shelf of rock. The thin layer of dust or dirt accelerated the seed’s growth under the hot sun, but the plant could only live a short time because of the shallow soil. 13:7 Among thorns suggests good soil occupied with wild growth. 13:8 Good ground refers to prepared or tilled soil that allows prosperous growth. 13:11–15 It has been given to you: The purpose of this parable was both to reveal (v. 11) and to conceal the truth (v. 13). This hiding

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the 1 mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 h For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: i‘ Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not j perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears k are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have l closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I 2 should m heal them.’ 16 But n blessed

are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assur edly, I say to you o that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 18 p “There fore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word q of the kingdom, and does not under stand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately r receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when s tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately t he stumbles. 22 Now u he who received seed v among the Luke 18:24; 1 Tim. 6:9; 2 Tim. 4:10 v Jer. 4:3

of the truth was a judgment for unbelief, as happened during Isaiah’s ministry (see Is. 6:9, 10). 13:11 The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven refers to new truths about the promised kingdom. 13:12 whoever has, to him more will be given: Just as the failure to respond to truth brings blindness, so a positive response is rewarded with further understanding (see Luke 8:16–18). This principle is applied to the leaders of Israel in fulfillment of many OT prophecies—especially Is. 6:9, 10. The leaders’ rejection of the message of Jesus further blinded them to the spiritual nature of Christ’s kingdom. Parables then became Jesus’ effective tools for both revealing truth to the faithful and concealing it from those who would reject it. As emphasized by Mark 4:11, 12, Jesus’ parables revealed the truths of His kingdom as well as the unbelief of many.

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Matthew 13:42 | 1535

thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceit fulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who re ceived seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears w fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Parable of the Wheat and Tares 24 An other parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather togeth er the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but x gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” Parable of the Mustard Seed Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18, 19 31 An other parable He put forth to them, saying: y “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and

23 w [John 15:5]; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:6 30 x Matt. 3:12 31 y [Is. 2:2, 3; Mic. 4:1]; Mark 4:30; Luke 13:18, 19

becomes a so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Parable of the Leaven Luke 13:20, 21 33 a Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leav en, which a woman took and hid in three 3 measures of meal till b it was all leavened.” 34 c All these things Je sus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a par able He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

d“ I will open My mouth in parables; e I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.” 32 z Ps. 104:12; Ezek. 17:22-24; 31:3-9; Dan. 4:12 33 a Luke 13:20, 21 b [1 Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9] 3 Gr. sata, same as a Heb. seah; approximately 2 pecks in all 34 c Mark 4:33, 34; John 10:6; 16:25 35 d Ps. 78:2  e Rom. 16:25, 26; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:26 38 f Matt. 24:14; 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:6 g Gen. 3:15; John 8:44; Acts 13:10 39 h Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:15 41 i Matt. 18:7; 2 Pet. 2:1, 2 42 j Matt. 3:12; Rev. 19:20; 20:10 k Matt. 8:12; 13:50

13:24 The kingdom of heaven is like: This phrase introduces new truth regarding God’s coming kingdom. The introductory formula does not mean that the kingdom is to be exactly identified with a man, or a mustard seed (v. 31), or leaven (v. 33). It simply means that some truth regarding the kingdom is found in the story. A parable was primarily intended to teach one point, not to be picked apart to find meaning in all of its details. 13:25 his enemy came and sowed tares: Tares closely resemble wheat, but are poisonous to human beings. They are indistinguishable from wheat until the final fruit appears. Farmers would weed out tares just before the wheat harvest. Until Christ returns, both genuine believers and counterfeits will be allowed to remain together. 13:31, 32 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed: The parable of the wheat and tares (vv. 24–30) reveals that the kingdom of heaven will be preceded by an age in which good and evil coexist. The parable of the mustard seed affirms that during that time period, the number of people who will inherit the kingdom will be very small at first. But though it begins like the smallest of seeds, the nucleus will enjoy growth completely out of proportion to its initial size. The birds of the air do not represent evil as they do in the parable of the soils (vv. 4, 19). In the OT, a tree large enough to support nesting birds was considered prosperous and healthy

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z tree,

Parable of the Tares Explained 36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disci ples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 f The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are g the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, h the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 There fore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, i and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 j and will cast them into the furnace of fire. k There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

(see Ps. 104:12; Ezek. 17:23; 31:6; Dan. 4:12, 21). The kingdom, though having only a small number of people at the beginning of the age, will ultimately be large and prosperous. 13:33 The kingdom of heaven is like leaven: Although leaven sometimes symbolizes evil, here the kingdom of heaven is being compared to the dynamic character of yeast. When yeast is kneaded into the dough, it expands by itself. Rather than being powered by outward armies or organizations, the kingdom of God will grow by an internal dynamic, the Holy Spirit, overcoming all opposition. As the parable of the mustard seed (vv. 31, 32) addresses the extent of the kingdom’s growth, this parable concerns the power and process of its growth. 13:35 The quotation of Asaph in Ps. 78:2 serves as a prophecy of Jesus’ use of parables. 13:36 Jesus sent the multitude away: The parables of vv. 1–35 were addressed to the multitude. The phrase went into the house indicates that the parables of vv. 44–52 were for the disciples only. During this “private instruction,” Jesus explained His previous stories and added four more. 13:38 Sons of the kingdom refers to heirs of the kingdom. 13:39 The end of the age speaks of the time when the Son of Man will come to set up His righteous kingdom.

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1536 | Matthew 13:43

Bible Times & Culture Notes

The World of the Fishermen Fishing on the Sea of Galilee was big business. This body of water, eight miles wide and 13 miles long, lay beside a fertile plain renowned for its agriculture. In Jesus’ day, nine cities crowded its shorelines, each with no less than fifteen thousand citizens, possibly making the region’s total population greater than Jerusalem’s. The names of the towns reflect the importance of fishing to the life and economy of the area. For example, Bethsaida—from which at least four fishermen left their nets to follow Jesus (Matt. 4:18–22; John 1:44)—means “fish town”; most of the town was employed in the fishing industry. Shoals just offshore were a fisherman’s paradise. In Jesus’ day, hundreds of fishing boats trawled the lake. Galileans ate little meat besides fish. It came highly salted because there was no other way to preserve the “catch of the day.” A reconstruction of a first-century fishing boat © 2013 by Zondervan

43 l Then

the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. m He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Parable of the Hidden Treasure 44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and n sells all that he has and o buys that field. Parable of the Pearl of Great Price 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found p one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Parable of the Dragnet 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the

43 l [Dan. 12:3; 1 Cor. 15:42, 43, 58] m Matt. 13:9 44 n Phil. 3:7, 8 o [Is. 55:1; Rev. 3:18] 46 p Prov. 2:4; 3:14, 15; 8:10, 19

47 q Matt. 22:9, 10 49 r Matt. 25:32 51 4 NU omits Jesus said to them 5 NU omits Lord 52 s Song 7:13 6 A scholar of the Old Testament 7 Or for

13:44 the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field: The parables of vv. 44–52 concern kingdom values and responsibilities. They are especially directed at believers. The first two are recorded by Matthew alone and appear to belong together. Stripped of their grand dreams of an immediate, powerful kingdom of David and facing the prospect of much opposition on all sides, the disciples were forced to count the cost. In the first story a man stumbles on a treasure trove, which he makes every effort to obtain. The central truth being taught is the immense value of the kingdom, which far outweighs any sacrifice or inconvenience one might encounter on earth. 13:45, 46 the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls: This second parable on kingdom values was evidently given to further underscore Jesus’ optimism for the despondent disciples. His double encouragement indicates their great need at that time. This parable has a slightly different emphasis. Though the first individual found his treasure by accident, the sec-

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sea and q gathered some of every kind, 48 which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, r separate the wicked from among the just, 50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Parable of the Householder 51 4 Je sus said to them, “Have you un derstood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, 5 Lord.” 52 Then He said to them, “There fore every 6 scribe instructed 7 concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure s things new and old.” 53 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.

ond found his by diligent search. No matter how a person is led to Christ’s kingdom, its values and delights will be beyond estimation. 13:47–50 the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet: The last two parables speak of kingdom responsibilities for disciples. First, Jesus describes a large seine net, which would encircle a large area and drag the bottom of a lake. Such a net gathers fish of every kind, without discrimination. Similarly, the responsibility of disciples would be to catch as many “fish”—of every kind—as possible. The work of judging or ferreting out the false catch, however, is a job that disciples are neither called nor equipped to do. That work is assigned to angels at Christ’s return. 13:51, 52 Things new and old refers to truths about the kingdom that were found in the OT and those that were freshly revealed in these parables. This parable calls for action on the part of the disciples in view of what they had learned. They were to be responsible stewards and dispensers of these kingdom treasures.

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Matthew 14:23 | 1537

Rejection at Nazareth Mark 6:1-6 54 t When

He had come to His own coun try, 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 u Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And v His brothers w James, 8 Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sis ters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” 57 So they x were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, y “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” 58 Now z He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

54 t Ps. 22:22 ; Matt. 2:23; Mark 6:1; Luke 4:16; John 7:15 55 u Is. 49:7; Mark 6:3; [Luke 3:23]; John 6:42 v Matt. 12:46 w Mark 15:40 8 NU Joseph 57 x Matt. 11:6; Mark 6:3, 4 y Luke 4:24; John 4:44 58 z Mark 6:5, 6; John 5:44, 46, 47 CHAPTER 14 1 a Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9 3 b Matt. 4:12; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19, 20 4 c Lev. 18:16; 20:21 5 d Matt. 21:26; Luke 20:6

Present Response to Jesus Mark 6:14-16; Luke 9:7-9

At that time a Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” Recount of the Murder of John the Baptist

Mark 6:17-29 3 b For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 Because John had said to him, c “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, d because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday was cele brated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7 There fore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those

13 e Matt. 10:23; 12:15; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1, 2 14 f Matt. 9:36; Mark 6:34 15 g Mark 6:35; Luke 9:12 19 h 1 Sam. 9:13; Matt. 15:36; 26:26; Mark 6:41; 8:7; 14:22; Luke 24:30; Acts 27:35; [Rom. 14:6] 22 1 invited, strongly urged 23 i Mark 6:46; Luke 9:28; John 6:15

13:55 carpenter’s son: Carpenter basically means skilled worker. Joseph may have been a stonemason or some other type of craftsman. 13:57, 58 A prophet is not without honor except in his own country: In this second mission of Jesus to Nazareth, His hometown, He found that the people’s unbelief had not abated (see Luke 4:16–30). Because of their familiarity with Jesus, the people failed to recognize Him for who He is; their eyes were blinded by unbelief. 14:1, 2 John the Baptist had already been beheaded (how that happened is recorded in the following verses). According to Herod, the miracles of Christ were so wonderful that they could only be explained as the work of a resurrected prophet, perhaps John the Baptist.

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who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. 10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus. Jesus Feeds 5,000 Mark 6:31-44; Luke 9:11-17; John 6:1-13 13 e When Je sus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He f was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15 g When it was eve ning, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” 16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them some thing to eat.” 17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and look ing up to heaven, h He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. 20 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. 21 Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, be sides women and children.

Jesus Walks on Water Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21 22 Immediately Jesus 1 made His dis ciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 i And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on

14:3, 4 Herod had gone to Rome where he met Herodias, the wife of his half brother Philip. After seducing Herodias, Herod divorced his own wife and married her. John had rebuked the king for his moral transgression. 14:20 Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the crowd indicates a number of things: (1) He fulfills the expectations of those looking forward to a new Moses, based on Deut. 18:15 (see John 1:21; Acts 3:22; 7:37); (2) He can supply the daily bread requested in 6:11; and (3) He is the Messiah who will provide the messianic banquet (see 22:1–14; 26:29; Ps. 132:15; Is. 25:6). This miracle is so significant that it is the only pre-crucifixion sign recorded in all four Gospels.

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1538 | Matthew 14:24

the mountain by Himself to pray. j Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now 2 in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him k walk ing on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Je s us spoke to them, saying, 3 “Be of good l cheer! 4 It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Pe ter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Pe ter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw 5 that the wind was boister ous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Je sus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of m little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat 6 came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly n You are the Son of God.” Jesus Heals Many Mark 6:53-56 34 o When they had crossed over, they came 7 to the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surround ing region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36 and begged Him that they might only p touch the hem of His garment. And q as many as touched it were made per fectly well.

Debate over Tradition Mark 7:1-23

Then a the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to

23 j John 6:16 24 2 NU many furlongs away from the land 26 k Job 9:8 27 l Acts 23:11; 27:22, 25, 36 3 Take courage 4 Lit. I am 30 5 NU brackets that and boisterous as disputed. 31 m Matt. 6:30; 8:26 33 n Ps. 2:7; Matt. 16:16; 26:63; Mark 1:1; Luke 4:41; John 1:49; 6:69; 11:27; Acts 8:37; Rom. 1:4 6 NU omits came and 34 o Mark 6:53; Luke 5:1 7 NU to land at 36 p [Mark 5:24-34] q Matt. 9:20; Mark 3:10; [Luke 6:19]; Acts 19:12 CHAPTER 15 1 a Mark 7:1; John 1:19; Acts 25:7 2 b Mark 7:5 4 c Ex. 20:1, 12; Lev. 19:3; [Deut. 5:16]; Prov. 23:22; [Eph. 6:2, 3] d Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9; Deut. 27:16; Prov. 20:20; 30:17 5 e Mark 7:11, 12 6 1 NU omits or mother 2 NU word 7 f Mark 7:6 8 g Ps. 78:36; Is. 29:13; Ezek. 33:31 3 NU omits draw near to Me with their mouth, And 9 h Is. 29:13; [Col. 2:18-22]; Titus 1:14 10 i Mark 7:14 11 j [Acts 10:15; Rom. 14:14, 17, 20; 1 Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:15] 13 k [Is. 60:21; 61:3; John 15:2; 1 Cor. 3:12, 13] 14 l Is. 9:16; Mal. 2:8; Matt. 23:16, 24; Luke 6:39;

14:25 The fourth watch would be between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m. 14:27 It is I may also be translated “I am.” Some interpret this as a claim to deity (see Ex. 3:14). 14:28–31 Only the Gospel of Matthew records the miracle of Peter walking on the water. This was a valuable lesson for the disciples to learn: They could do the impossible with the power of Christ. 15:1 The fact that the scribes and Pharisees had traveled from Jerusalem to Galilee to see Jesus indicates that Jesus’ reputation was becoming widespread. 15:2 The tradition of the elders was not the Law of Moses, it was the oral tradition based on interpretations of the law. They washed their hands ceremonially to remove defilement, not for hygienic purposes (see Mark 7:2–4). 15:3 In typical rabbinical style, Jesus answered the accusations of the scribes and Pharisees with a question. Whereas they challenged Jesus for His disciples’ violation of the teachings of former rabbis, Jesus challenged them for violating the commandment of God.

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Jesus, saying, 2 b “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, c ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, d ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, e “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father 1 or mother.’ Thus you have made the 2 commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 f Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

‘ These g people 3 draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, h Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” 8

10 i When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 j Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Phari sees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But He answered and said, k “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. l They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” 15 m Then Pe ter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” Rom. 2:19 15 m Mark 7:17

The scribes and Pharisees were placing their own views above the revelation of God, and yet claimed to be following Him. 15:4–6 Jesus was referring to a practice whereby people would dedicate their possessions to God so that they could use their finances for themselves and not for others. For example, if parents needed money, the children could excuse themselves from helping because their resources were already “dedicated” to God. This ruse kept people from honoring their parents by taking care of them in their old age. 15:10, 11 In vv. 3–9, Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for being so obsessed with traditions that they failed to observe basic commandments. Here He chided them for being so concerned with external ceremonial washings and dietary regulations that they failed to deal with character. Both of these charges were an outgrowth of the accusations of the scribes and Pharisees recorded in v. 2.

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Matthew 16:3 | 1539 16 So

n “Are

Jesus said, you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that o whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But p those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 q For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, mur ders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” Jesus Heals the Gentile Woman’s Daughter Mark 7:24-30 21 r Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, s Son of Da vid! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” 24 But He answered and said, t “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little u dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, v great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Jesus Heals Many Mark 7:31-37 29 w Jesus departed from there, x skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 y Then

16 n Matt. 16:9; Mark 7:18 17 o [1 Cor. 6:13] 18 p [Matt. 12:34]; Mark 7:20; [James 3:6] 19 q Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Prov. 6:14; Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21; [Rom. 1:29-32; Gal. 5:19-21] 21 r Mark 7:24-30 22 s Matt. 1:1; 22:41, 42 24 t Matt. 10:5, 6; [Rom. 15:8] 26 u Matt. 7:6; Phil. 3:2 28 v Luke 7:9 29 w Matt. 15:2931; Mark 7:31-37 x Matt. 4:18 30 y Is. 35:5, 6; Matt. 11:5; Luke 7:22

z Mark 7:25; Luke 7:38; 8:41; 10:39 4 crippled 31 a Luke 5:25, 26; 19:37, 38 5 crippled 32 b Mark 8:1-10 33 c 2 Kin. 4:43 36 d Matt. 14:19; 26:27; Luke 22:17, 19; John 6:11, 23; Acts 27:35; [Rom. 14:6] e 1 Sam. 9:13; Luke 22:19 39 f Mark 8:10 6 NU Magadan

CHAPTER 16 1 a Matt. 12:38; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; 12:54-56; 1 Cor. 1:22

15:16–20 As a person thinks in his heart, so is he. How do thoughts get into the heart, the seat of reflection? Through the eyes, ears, and other senses. The raw material of our actions is what we take into our mind and allow to settle in our heart. David put it this way: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11). The other side is seen in Ps 101:3: “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.” Paul pictured the believer as “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (see 2 Cor. 10:5). 15:22 The woman was a Gentile who would have had no natural claims on a Jewish Messiah. 15:24 This verse demonstrates Christ’s commitment to Israel, whom He called lost sheep. Jesus would always give the Jews the first opportunity to accept Him as their Messiah. 15:26 The “children” that Jesus referred to were the people of Israel. The little dogs refer to Gentiles.

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great multitudes came to Him, hav ing with them the lame, blind, mute, 4 maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ z feet, and He healed them. 31 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the 5 maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they a glorified the God of Israel. Jesus Feeds 4,000 Mark 8:1-10 32 b Now Je sus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 c Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?” 34 Je sus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.” 35 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And d He took the seven loaves and the fish and e gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. 37 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large bas kets full of the fragments that were left. 38 Now those who ate were four thou sand men, besides women and children. 39 f And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of 6 Magdala.

Debate over a Sign from Heaven Mark 8:11, 12

Then the a Pharisees and Saddu cees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and

15:29–31 The scene changes from the region of Tyre and Sidon to a mountain near the Sea of Galilee but still in Gentile territory. Mark 7:31 identifies this region as the Decapolis. they glorified the God of Israel: The Gentiles believed and glorified Israel’s God, while many in Israel remained blind to their Messiah. 15:32–38 This is not the same miracle recorded in 14:14–21. Jesus Himself identified two distinct feedings of multitudes (16:9, 10). This was a supernatural supply of food for Gentiles. The seven baskets of leftovers here contrasts with the 12 baskets that were gathered in ch. 14. Further, the word for large baskets in v. 37 is different from the word for “baskets” in 14:20. 16:1 sign from heaven: Perhaps the scribes and Pharisees were thinking of signs such as the fire from heaven that answered Elijah’s prayer (see 1 Kin. 18:36–38), the plagues on Egypt (see Ex. 7–12), or the sun standing still (see Josh. 10:12–14).

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1540 | Matthew 16:4

in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ 1 Hyp ocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 b A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of 2 the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed. Withdrawal of Jesus Mark 8:13-21 5 Now c when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, d “Take heed and beware of the 3 leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” 7 And they reasoned among them selves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.” 8 But Je sus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you 4 have brought no bread? 9 e Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many bas kets you took up? 10 f Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the 5 leaven of the Pharisees and Saddu

3 1 NU omits Hypocrites 4 b Prov. 30:12; Matt. 12:39; Luke 11:29; 24:46 2 NU omits the prophet 5 c Mark 8:14 6 d Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1 3 yeast 8 4 NU have no bread 9 e Matt. 14:15-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14 10 f Matt. 15:32-38; Mark 8:1-9 11 5 yeast 12 6 teaching 13 g Mark 8:27; Luke 9:18 14 h Matt. 14:2; Luke 9:7-9 i Matt. 21:11 15 j John 6:67 16 k Matt. 14:33; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20; John 6:69; 11:27; Acts 8:37; 9:20; Heb. 1:2, 5; 1 John 4:15 17 l [Eph. 2:8] m [Matt. 11:27; 1 Cor. 2:10]; Gal. 1:16 18 n John 1:42 o Acts 2:41 ; [Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:14] p Job 33:17; Ps. 9:13; 107:18; Is. 38:10 7 be victorious 19 q Matt. 18:18;

16:4 And He left them: Previously Jesus had withdrawn in the face of opposition (12:15; 14:13; 15:21); here He left the Pharisees and Sadducees, meaning that He abandoned or forsook them. Jesus deserted these religious leaders as reprobates. 16:5 The other side refers to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, where the Gentiles lived. 16:11, 12 In Scripture, leaven is often used as a symbol of evil. The doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees was hypocrisy, legalism, political opportunism, and spiritual hardness. Jesus’ warning here was a result of the Pharisees’ request for a sign in vv. 1–4. 16:13 Caesarea Philippi was located north of the Sea of Galilee,

Peter (Gk. petros) (16:18; John 1:42) Strong’s #4074

rock (Gk. petra) (16:18; Rom. 9:33; 1 Cor. 10:4; 1 Pet. 2:8) Strong’s #4073 As Peter and rock are one word in the language spoken by Jesus (Aramaic), the wordplay in this verse can be duplicated only in languages that also have one word for both. In Greek, the word for Peter is petros (meaning “stone”); the word for rock is petra. Some commentators have indicated that, though the two words are nearly synonymous, Jesus intended a distinction—Peter is but a fragment of the whole, while Christ Himself is the entire rock. Thus it could be said that the church would be built on Christ, the Rock. Be that as it may, at least it can be said that the context allows that the rock upon which the church is built is Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Son of God.

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cees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leav en of bread, but of the 6 doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Revelation of the Person of the King Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-21 13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, g “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, h “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or i one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do j you say that I am?” 16 Si mon Pe ter answered and said, k “You are the Christ, the Son of the liv ing God.” 17 Je sus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, l for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but m My Father who is in heaven.

Revelation of the Church 18 And I also say to you that n you are Peter, and o on this rock I will build My church, and p the gates of Hades shall not 7 prevail against it. 19 q And I will give John 20:23

at the base of the southwest slope of Mt. Hermon. The place had long been associated with idol worship. The site for pagan worship centered on a massive stone facade, which Jesus referred to in His play on words concerning “rock” in v. 18. Who do men say that I . . . am: In the face of the surrounding idols, Christ led His disciples into a proclamation of His deity by first soliciting from them what other people said. In the end, however, what mattered was the apostles’ own beliefs concerning Jesus. 16:16 The Spirit of grace revealed to Peter the true identity of the Lord Jesus. Son of the living God refers to Jesus’ deity. Several factors point to this conclusion: (1) He was born of a virgin (1:18–20); (2) He was called Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (1:23); (3) the title in Greek is emphatic: “the Son of the God, the living One”; and (4) later passages describe Christ as God (see John 20:27–29). 16:17 has not revealed: People do not come to faith in Jesus Christ by scrutiny or searching, but by the Father’s revelation of the Son to them (see John 6:65). 16:18 The words I will build My church indicate that the church had not yet been started. Obviously the disciples did not at this point understand the doctrine of the NT church with its equality of Jew and Gentile (see Eph. 2:11—3:7). They simply understood it to be the Lord’s followers. the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it: Jesus may have been saying simply that death would not vanquish the church. One day, by the power of Christ’s resurrection, the church and all the redeemed will be resurrected. Others suggest that the phrase means that the forces of evil will not be able to conquer the people of God. 16:19 You in this passage is singular. The keys of the kingdom may refer to Peter’s opening the kingdom to various groups of people (Jews in Acts 2; 3; Samaritans in Acts 8:14–17; Gentiles in Acts 10). The keys would open doors to lost people. However, this term may have further significance. The keys seem to be explained by the binding and loosing discussed in the last part of the verse. In rabbinical literature, binding and loosing refers to what was

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Matthew 17:10 | 1541

you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth 8 will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 r Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. Revelation of Jesus’ Death Mark 8:31-33; Luke 9:22 21 From that time Jesus began s to show to His disciples that He must go to Jeru salem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 9 “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, t Satan! u You are 1 an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Revelation of Jesus’ Reward Mark 8:34-37; Luke 9:23-25 24 v Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and w follow Me. 25 For x who ever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what y profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or z what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

The Prophecy of the Second Coming Mark 8:38–9:1; Luke 9:26, 27 27 For a the

Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father b with His angels,

19 8 Or will have been bound . . . will have been loosed 20 r Matt. 17:9; Mark 8:30; Luke 9:21 21 s Matt. 20:17; Mark 8:31; 9:31; Luke 9:22; 18:31; 24:46; John 2:19 22 9 Lit. Merciful to You (May God be merciful) 23 t Matt. 4:10 u [Rom. 8:7] 1 a stumbling block 24 v Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; [Acts 14:22; 2 Cor. 4:10, 11; 1 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 3:12] w [1 Pet. 2:21] 25 x Luke 17:33; John 12:25 26 y Luke 12:20, 21 z Ps. 49:7, 8 27 a Matt. 26:64; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26 b [Dan. 7:10]; Zech. 14:5 c Job 34:11; Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Rom. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 2:23 28 d Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27; Acts 7:55, 56; Rev. 19:11 CHAPTER 17 1 a Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36 4 1 NU I will make 5 b 2 Pet. 1:17  c Ps. 2:7; Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 1:35; 3:22; [John 12:28-30] d Is. 42:1; Matt. 3:17; 12:18; 2 Pet. 1:17 e [Deut. 18:15, 19; Acts 3:22, 23] 6 f 2 Pet. 1:18

ermitted or not permitted. So this passage may refer to judgp ments that Peter would make about what would be permitted or forbidden in the church, the body of believers. 16:20 Because the public did not understand the concept of the suffering Messiah, they were not to be told that He was Jesus the Christ. Furthermore, the nation had already turned away from Christ. They had crossed the point of no return (12:31, 32). 16:21 The phrase from that time marks a new direction in Jesus’ ministry. The expression occurs twice in the Book of Matthew, here and in 4:17. In 4:17, it introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in announcing the nearness of the kingdom. Here it introduces the Cross and the ultimate rejection of the Messiah. Elders and chief priests and scribes refer to the makeup of the Jewish council, also called the Sanhedrin. Together with the mention of Jerusalem, this indicates that Jesus’ rejection would be an official one. Be killed is the first of three predictions in Matthew concerning Christ’s death (see 17:22, 23; 20:18, 19). 16:22 rebuke Him: Peter had confessed Jesus’ deity earlier (v. 16). Now he was attempting to correct Jesus. 16:23 To call Peter Satan was a very serious thing. But Peter was standing in the way of the plan of God, and so he was speaking for Satan. 16:28 coming in His kingdom: This verse anticipates the Transfiguration in ch. 17. Several reasons point to this conclusion: (1) It is

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c and

then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, d there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” The Transfiguration Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36; 2 Pet. 1:17, 18

Now a after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his broth er, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Eli jah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, 1 let us make here three taberna cles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 b While he was still speaking, be hold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, c “This is My be loved Son, d in whom I am well pleased. e Hear Him!” 6 f And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and g tou ched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, say ing, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” 10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, 7 g Dan. 8:18

Peter’s interpretation in 2 Pet. 1:16–18; (2) the three synoptic Gospels (John omits the account of the Transfiguration) all place the Trans figuration immediately after this prediction; and (3) some—not all—of the apostles saw the Transfiguration (19:27–30). In the Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John saw a preview of the kingdom. 17:1 The high mountain was probably a spur of Mt. Hermon, which rises to about 9,400 feet above sea level. 17:3 Moses and Elijah represented the OT, personifying the Law and the Prophets. Their presence indicated that the OT Scriptures had been looking forward to the Messiah and His kingdom. 17:5 This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased were the identical words spoken at Jesus’ baptism in 3:17 (see Ps. 2:7; Is. 42:1). Hear Him seems to refer to Deut. 18:15. 17:9 Tell the vision to no one: The command for silence was due to the fact that the masses of Israel had an incorrect concept of the Messiah (8:4; 12:16). They expected a conquering king, not a Suffering Servant. 17:10 The three disciples evidently did not comprehend the reference to Christ’s death in v. 9. The problem they raised concerned the Transfiguration. They had just seen Elijah on the mountain. If the scribes were correct that Elijah must come before the kingdom would arrive, why should the disciples not inform everyone that Elijah had appeared on the mountain?

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1542 | Matthew 17:11 h “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Je sus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming 2 first and will i re store all things. 12 j But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they k did not know him but did to him what ever they wished. Likewise l the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 m Then the disciples under stood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

Instruction About Faith Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-42 14 n And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is 3 an epilep tic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” 17 Then Je s us answered and said, “O 4 faithless and o perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus p rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus pri vately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 So Je sus said to them, “Because of your 5 unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, q if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and noth ing will be impossible for you. 21 6 How ever, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

10 h Mal. 4:5; Matt. 11:14; 16:14; Mark 9:11 11 i [Mal. 4:6]; Luke 1:17 2 NU omits first 12 j Matt. 11:14; Mark 9:12, 13 k Matt. 14:3, 10 l Matt. 16:21 13 m Matt. 11:14 14 n Matt. 17:14-19; Mark 9:14-28; Luke 9:37-42 15 3 Lit. moonstruck 17 o Deut. 32:5; Phil. 2:15 4 unbelieving 18 p Luke 4:41 20 q Matt. 21:21; Mark 11:23; Luke 17:6; [1 Cor. 12:9] 5 NU little faith 21 6 NU omits v. 21. 22 r Matt. 16:21; 26:57; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22, 44; John 18:12 7 NU gathering together 23 s Matt. 26:22; 27:50; Luke 23:46; 24:46; John 16:6; 19:30; Acts 10:40  24 t Mark 9:33 8 NU Capharnaum, here and elsewhere 9 Lit. double drachma 25 u [Is. 60:10-17] 27 1 Gr. stater, the exact temple tax for two CHAPTER 18 1 a Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48; 22:24-27 2 b Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:14-17 3 c Ps. 131:2; Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:16; [1 Cor. 14:20; 1 Pet. 2:2] 4 d [Matt. 20:27; 23:11]

17:11 The Lord informed His three apostles that the scribes were right in their interpretation of Mal. 3:1; 4:5, 6. The fact that Christ used the phrase will restore all things indicates that the prophecy still has a future fulfillment. 17:12, 13 Jesus indicates that the prophecies concerning Elijah had their fulfillment in John the Baptist. Yet because the restoration is not complete, some conclude that the role of Elijah will be taken up by one of the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3–6. 17:15 In this case, the epilepsy was caused by a demon (v. 18). 17:20 The disciples could not exorcise the demon because they failed in faith. The power was there, but they had failed to appropriate it. 17:22, 23 Jesus and the disciples began what would be Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem. Once again Jesus predicted His death and resurrection (see also 16:21; 20:18, 19). Once again the disciples failed to understand the Resurrection; they seemed to have heard only His words about His coming death, because they became exceedingly sorrowful. 17:24 The temple tax was a tax given annually by every adult Jewish male over 20 years of age for maintaining the temple. This tax was based on Ex. 30:13, and amounted to two day’s wages for a common laborer. Evidently Jesus had not yet paid the tax, and the temple tax collector was following up on it.

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Instruction About Jesus’ Death Mark 9:30-32; Luke 9:43-45 22 r Now while they were 7 staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly s sorrowful.

Instruction About Taxes 24 t When they had come to 8 Caperna um, those who received the 9 temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teach er not pay the temple tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from u strangers?” 26 Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a 1 piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” Instruction About Humility Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48

At a that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is great est in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Je sus called a little b child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, c unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 d Therefore who

17:25 Peter, desiring to maintain the best reputation and also assuming the best of his Master, replied to the tax collector (v. 24) that Jesus had paid the temple tax. Anticipated implies that Peter was about to speak, evidently about the matter of Christ paying the temple tax, when Jesus spoke first. Their sons may refer to citizens of a country as opposed to conquered peoples or strangers. However, citizens often pay customs and taxes. More likely the contrast is between the imperial family and the common people. 17:26 In this verse, Jesus demonstrates that, as God’s Son, He was free from the obligation to pay the temple tax. In fact, the temple belonged to Him (see Mal. 3:1). The fact that He used the plural sons implies that Peter and the other disciples were also free from that obligation. 18:1 Matthew 18 contains the fourth of five discourses in Matthew’s Gospel (compare 5:1—7:27; 10:1–42; 13:1–53; 24:1—25:46). The theme of this discourse is humility. Jesus outlines five reasons that humility is essential: (1) for entrance into the kingdom (vv. 2, 3); (2) for greatness in the kingdom (v. 4); (3) to prevent offenses (vv. 5–11); (4) to carry on proper discipline in the church (vv. 5–20); and (5) for forgiving one another (vv. 21–35). Greatest in the kingdom implies rank, a concept implied by Jesus Himself in 5:19. 18:3, 4 Converted means to turn around (see Luke 22:32).

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ever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 e Who ever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. Punishment of Offenders Mark 9:42-48 6 f “Who ever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of 1 offenses! For g offenses must come, but h woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 8 i “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is bet ter for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into 2 hell fire. 10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven j their angels always k see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 l For 3 the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

Parable of the Lost Sheep Luke 15:4-7 12 m “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find

5 e [Matt. 10:42]; Luke 9:48 6 f Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2; [1 Cor. 8:12] 7 g Luke 17:1; [1 Cor. 11:19]; 1 Tim. 4:1 h Matt. 26:24; 27:4, 5 1 enticements to sin 8 i Matt. 5:29, 30; Mark 9:43, 45 9 2 Gr. Gehenna 10 j [Ps. 34:7]; Zech. 13:7; [Heb. 1:14] k Esth. 1:14; Luke 1:19; Acts 12:15; [Rev. 8:2] 11 l Luke 9:56; John 3:17 3 NU omits v. 11. 12 m Matt. 18:12-14; Luke 15:4-7

14 n [1 Tim. 2:4] 15 o Lev. 19:17; [Luke 17:3, 4; Gal. 6:1]; 2 Thess. 3:15; [James 5:19] p [James 5:20]; 1 Pet. 3:1 16 q Deut. 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19; Heb. 10:28 17 r Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:9; [2 Thess. 3:6, 14; 2 John 10] 18 s Matt. 16:19; [John 20:22, 23; 1 Cor. 5:4] 19 t [1 Cor. 1:10] u [1 John 3:22; 5:14] 4 NU, M Again, assuredly, I say 20 v Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 14:26 21 w Luke 17:4 22 x [Matt. 6:14; Mark 11:25]; Col. 3:13

18:6 Causes . . . to sin literally means to put a snare, trap, or stumbling block in someone’s way. A millstone was a heavy grinding stone so large that it had to be turned by a donkey. 18:8, 9 This same basic statement is found in reverse order in 5:29, 30. One of the keys to understanding this assertion is to recognize the present tense of causes you to sin. Although the warning was addressed to the disciples, it describes a person who has a lifestyle of sinning and needs drastic measures in order to change it (see 1 John 3:7–10). 18:10 One of these little ones describes either a little child or a believer. Verses 12–14 seem to indicate a believer. Here Jesus implies that angels watch over and serve His followers on earth (see Heb. 1:14). 18:14 These little ones probably refers back to those who believe (v. 6). The Father watches over each of His little ones. 18:15–17 Jesus teaches His disciples about the process of restoring an erring believer. First, there should be a loving personal confrontation. The second step outlined in v. 16 is not as clear. The principle of witnesses is taken from Deut. 19:15, but what is it the witnesses attest? Evidently they witness that the offended brother is acting in good faith and the right spirit in attempting to work out a reconciliation. They also would be witnesses to any agreement. If this does not bring peace, the offended brother is to report it to the assembly. The church then is to do everything possible to convince the believer who has sinned to be reconciled or to right the wrong. If the erring

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it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninetynine that did not go astray. 14 Even so it is not the n will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. The Offended Brother 15 “Moreover o if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault be tween you and him alone. If he hears you, p you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that q ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be estab lished.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a r heathen and a tax collector. 18 “As suredly, I say to you, s whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heav en, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 t “Again 4 I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, u it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered v together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Instruction About Forgiveness 21 Then Pe ter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? w Up to seven times?” 22 Je sus said to him, “I do not say to you, x up to seven times, but up to sev enty times seven. 23 Therefore the king dom of heaven is like a certain king who

one will not respond, that person is to be disciplined by being cut off from the fellowship. Such a loss would be extremely painful to the offender (1 Cor. 5:11; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14, 15). 18:18 bind: Binding refers to things that are not permitted; loosing refers to things that are permitted (16:19). As in 16:19, the tenses imply that what is loosed or bound on earth will have been determined already in heaven. In other words, this is a promise of divine direction for each local church. 18:19, 20 This passage specifically refers to church discipline. It is a promise for guidance for the two or three who confront, and a promise for the church to claim wisdom and restoration for the erring brother. 18:21 Peter’s question was a logical outgrowth of the teachings of vv. 15–20. Actually Peter was being very generous in his willingness to forgive up to seven times. The traditional limit was three times, possibly because of the refrain in Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6. 18:22 Seventy times seven may also mean “seventy-seven times.” The point is not to keep count at all, but to always be willing to forgive. 18:23–31 Ten thousand talents was an enormous sum. A denarius was one day’s wage for a laborer (20:2). A talent was worth about six thousand denarii. Ten thousand talents would be sixty million day’s wages, a sum that would be impossible to repay. Thus Jesus graphically portrayed this man’s hopeless predicament.

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anted to settle accounts with his ser w vants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master com manded y that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant there fore fell down before him, saying, ‘Mas ter, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, re leased him, and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down 5 at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you 6 all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you z all that debt be cause you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 a “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother 7 his trespasses.”

25 y Ex. 21:2; Lev. 25:39; 2 Kin. 4:1; Neh. 5:5, 8 29 5 NU omits at his feet 6 NU, M omit all 32 z Luke 7:41-43 35 a Prov. 21:13; Matt. 6:12; Mark 11:26; James 2:13 7 NU omits his trespasses

CHAPTER 19 1 a Matt. 19:1-9; Mark 10:1-12; John 10:40 2 b Matt. 12:15 4 c Gen. 1:27; 5:2; [Mal. 2:15] 1 NU created 5 d Gen. 2:24; Mark 10:5-9; Eph. 5:31 e [1 Cor. 6:16; 7:2] 7 f Deut. 24:1-4; Matt. 5:31 8 g Heb. 3:15 h Mal. 2:16 9 i [Matt. 5:32]; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10 2 Or fornication 10 j [Prov. 21:19] 11 k [1 Cor. 7:2, 7, 9, 17]

18:32, 33 This parable reiterates the principle that we should forgive others because God forgives us (see the Lord’s Prayer in 6:12). 18:35 This verse is a warning about the penalty for not forgiving others (see 1 Cor. 11:30–32; Heb. 12:5–11). All of a Christian’s sins are forgiven and forgotten forever (see Ps. 103:12; Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12). But this parable illustrates the Christian duty to forgive others (see 6:12, 14, 15; 2 Cor. 2:10; Eph. 4:32). If our forgiveness should be in direct proportion to the incredible amount that we have been forgiven (v. 22), then we must always be willing to forgive. 19:3 The Pharisees’ question about divorce was dangerous. John the Baptist’s answer had resulted in imprisonment and ultimately execution (14:3–11). The use of the word testing indicates the malicious intent of the query. The rabbis had been arguing about when it was permissible according to the Law to divorce. Specifically, they wanted to know the meaning of the expression “uncleanness” in Deut. 24:1, which evidently referred to some kind of indecency. One rabbinical school held that the only grounds for divorce was immorality. Another school believed that anything that displeased the husband was sufficient to obtain a divorce. These Pharisees wanted Jesus to take one side on this controversy, thus giving them evidence to use against Him. 19:4–6 Jesus avoided the controversy over divorce (v. 3) by giving three reasons for why married people should remain married: (1) God made one male and one female. If God had intended more than one wife for Adam, He would have created more. The same would be true of husbands for Eve. He who made them is literally

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Instruction About Divorce Mark 10:1-12

Now it came to pass, a when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the re gion of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 b And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there. 3 The Pharisees also came to Him, test ing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” 4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who 1 made them at the beginning c ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, d ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and e the two shall become one flesh’ ? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. There fore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to Him, f “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Mo ses, because of the g hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your h wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 i And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for 2 sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” 10 His disciples said to Him, j “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But He said to them, k “All can not accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 12 For there are

“the One who created” or “the Creator.” The implication is that the Creator is Lord and is the One who determines what is the ideal in marriage. (2) God ordained marriage as the strongest bond in all human relationships. A man leaves his parents and is joined to his wife. The language is very strong here. Leave means “to abandon”; joined to means “to be glued to.” The most permanent relationship in society is not between parent and child, but between husband and wife. (3) The two become one flesh. The basic element in marriage is a contract or covenant (see Mal. 2:14); part of that covenant is physical intimacy. 19:8 Jesus pointed out that Moses never commanded divorce, he only permitted it. God’s original ideal was that married couples would not divorce. 19:9 Defining the term wife is vital to understanding the principle of this verse. Some believe that the divorce decree was valid only during the engagement period, as with Mary and Joseph in ch. 1. There the wife is the woman to whom a man is engaged. However, Deut. 24:1 indicates that the couple is living together, suggesting an actual marriage. Immorality may refer to any kind of sexual immorality—premarital sex, extramarital sex, prostitution, homosexuality, and even bestiality. Whoever marries her who is divorced probably refers to a man who marries a woman who has been divorced because of her immorality. 19:11 Jesus indicates that remaining unmarried is only for a few people. 19:12 Some people do not marry because they were born with no

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who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and l there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made them selves eunuchs for the kingdom of heav en’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.” 13 m Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little chil dren come to Me, and do not forbid them; for n of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. Rich Young Ruler Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-27 16 o Now behold, one came and said to Him, p “Good 4 Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” 17 So He said to him, 5 “Why do you call Me good? 6 No one is q good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, r keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, s “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 t ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, u ‘You shall love your neigh bor as yourself.’ ” 20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have v kept 7 from my youth. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, w go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “As suredly, I say to you that x it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

12 l [1 Cor. 7:32] 3 Emasculated men 13 m Matt. 20:31; Mark 10:13; Luke 18:15 14 n Matt. 18:3, 4; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17; [1 Cor. 14:20; 1 Pet. 2:2] 16 o Matt. 19:16-29; Mark 10:17-30; Luke 18:18-30 p Luke 10:25 4 NU omits Good 17 q Ps. 25:8; 34:8; Nah. 1:7; [Rom. 2:4] r Lev. 18:5; Deut. 4:40; 6:17; 7:11; 11:22; 28:9; Neh. 9:29; Ezek. 20:21; [Gal. 3:10] 5 NU Why do you ask Me about what is good? 6 NU There is One who is good. But 18 s Ex. 20:13-16; Deut. 5:17-20 19 t Ex. 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20; Matt. 15:4 u Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; [Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8] 20 v [Phil. 3:6, 7] 7 NU omits from my youth 21 w Matt. 6:20; Luke 12:33; Acts 2:45; 4:34, 35; 1 Tim. 6:18, 19 23 x [Matt. 13:22]; Mark 10:24; 1 Cor. 1:26; [1 Tim. 6:9] 26 y Gen. 18:14; Num. 11:23; Job 42:2; Is. 59:1; Jer. 32:17; Zech. 8:6; Luke 1:37 27 z Deut. 33:9; Matt. 4:20; Luke 5:11 28 a Matt. 20:21; Luke 22:28-30; [1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 2:26] 29 b [Matt. 6:33]; Mark 10:29, 30; Luke 18:29, 30 8 NU omits or wife 9 Lit. fields

sex drive. Others do not marry because they are castrated. Still others forgo marriage for the sake of serving God. Some have been given the spiritual gift of celibacy in order to do this (see 1 Cor. 7:7). 19:17 Why do you call Me good may be rephrased as “Why are you asking me concerning what is good?” The only One who can ultimately answer the question about goodness is God. The fact that Jesus went on to answer the question is a quiet claim to deity. 19:21 This verse does not teach salvation by works (see Rom. 3:23, 24; Eph. 2:8, 9). Rather Jesus was proving the error of the man’s claim to have fulfilled God’s law (v. 20). If the young man loved his neighbor to the extent required by the Law of Moses (v. 19; Lev. 19:18), he would have had no difficulty in giving away his wealth to needy people. 19:23, 24 Jesus’ comment about a rich man’s salvation would have been difficult for some Jewish people in this period to accept because they held to a form of “prosperity theology.” If people prospered, it was evidence of God’s blessing on them. Whereas v. 23 says it is hard for a rich man to become saved, v. 24 implies that it is as

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24 And

again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but y with God all things are possible.” The Apostles’ Reward Mark 10:28-30; Luke 18:28-30 27 Then Pe ter answered and said to Him, “See, z we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” 28 So Je sus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, a you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 b And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother 8 or wife or children or 9 lands, for My name’s sake, shall re ceive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 c But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Parable of the Laborers Mark 10:31

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went 30 c [Matt. 20:16; 21:31, 32]; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30

impossible as passing a camel through the eye of a needle (see Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25). 19:27 we have left all: The instruction Jesus gave to the rich man was precisely what Peter and the other disciples had done (4:18–22). The natural question then was what shall we have? Rather than upbraid Peter for what may seem like a selfish request, Jesus assured him that the life investment he and the other disciples had made (16:24–28) would have dividends “a hundredfold” (v. 29). 19:28 The apostles never forgot Jesus’ promise about their place in His kingdom; it was still in their minds in Acts 1:15–26. In the regeneration looks ahead to the coming kingdom promised in Dan. 7:13, 14. throne of His glory: Christ is today seated at the right hand of the eternal throne of the Father. In the future kingdom, He will occupy the Davidic throne (see Rev. 3:21). In that kingdom, the twelve apostles will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 20:3 The third hour was about 9:00 a.m. 20:5 The sixth hour was about noon. The ninth hour was 3:00 p.m.

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out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the elev enth hour he went out and found others standing 1 idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, 2 and whatever is right you will receive.’ 8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his stew ard, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they 3 complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 a Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or b is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 c So the last will be first, and the first last. d For 4 many are called, but few chosen.” Instruction About Jesus’ Death Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34 17 e Now Je sus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 f “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 g and deliver Him to the Gentiles to h mock and to i scourge and to j crucify. And the third day He will k rise again.”

CHAPTER 20 6 1 NU omits idle 7 2 NU omits the rest of v. 7. 11 3 grumbled 15 a [Rom. 9:20, 21] b Deut. 15:9; Prov. 23:6; [Matt. 6:23]; Mark 7:22 16 c Matt. 19:30; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30 d Matt. 22:14 4 NU omits the rest of v. 16. 17 e Matt. 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-33; John 12:12 18 f Matt. 16:21; 26:47-57 ; Mark 14:42, 64; John 18:5; 19:7 19 g Matt. 27:2; Mark 15:1, 16; Luke 23:1; John 18:28; Acts 3:13 h Matt. 26:67, 68; 27:29, 41; Mark 15:20, 31 i Matt. 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1 j Matt. 27:35; Luke 23:33; Acts 3:13-15 k Matt. 28:5, 6; Mark 16:6, 9; Luke 24:58, 46; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor. 15:4 20 l Mark 10:35-45 m Matt. 4:21; 10:2 21 n [Matt. 19:28] 22 o Is. 51:17, 22; Jer. 49:12; Matt. 26:39, 42; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 18:11 p Luke 12:50 5 NU omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with 23 q [Acts 12:2; Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 1:7; Rev. 1:9] 6 NU omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with 24 r Mark 10:41; Luke 22:24, 25 26 s [1 Pet. 5:3] t Matt. 23:11; Mark 9:35; 10:43; Luke 22:26 27 u [Matt. 18:4] 28 v John 13:4 w [Matt. 26:28; John 13:13; 2 Cor. 8:9;

20:6 The eleventh hour was about 5:00 p.m. There would have been only one hour left in the working day. 20:13–15 The first workers complained that their wages were the same as those who had been hired late in the day. However, the owner had not cheated them; everyone received the agreed-upon sum for his work. The early workers grumbled because they were evil in their outlook; their master, however, was sovereignly generous. 20:16 In the context of Matthew, the workers with the contract represent Israel; they had the promises and the covenants (see Rom. 3:1, 2; 9:4; Eph. 2:11, 12). Those without an agreement represent the Gentiles, who would be made equal with the Jewish people when salvation became available to all through faith in Jesus Christ (see Rom. 11:16, 17; Eph 2:13–15; 3:6). 20:17–19 Once again the Lord Jesus anticipated His death and res-

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Instruction About Ambition Mark 10:35-45 20 l Then the mother of m Zebed ee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneel ing down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine n may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” 22 But Je sus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink o the cup that I am about to drink, 5 and be baptized with p the bap tism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 So He said to them, q “You will in deed drink My cup, 6 and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” 24 r And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two sus called them to brothers. 25 But Je Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise author ity over them. 26 Yet s it shall not be so among you; but t whoever desires to be come great among you, let him be your servant. 27 u And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 v just as the w Son of Man did not come to be served, x but to serve, and y to give His life a ransom z for many.”

The Blind Men Recognize the King Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 29 a Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And be Phil. 2:6, 7; 1 Tim. 2:5, 6; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:28; Rev. 1:5] x Luke 22:27; John 13:14 y [Is. 53:10, 11 ; Dan. 9:24, 26; John 11:51, 52; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19] z [Rom. 5:15, 19; Heb. 9:28] 29 a Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43

urrection (see 16:21; 17:9, 22, 23). For the first time He referred to the way He would die—crucifixion. 20:24 The indignation of the other ten apostles was probably due to their own desire for these lofty positions. Jesus’ response was addressed to all of them (vv. 25–28). 20:26, 27 The measure of greatness is not position, power, or prestige; it is service. 20:30 Only Matthew mentions two blind men; Mark and Luke refer to one, probably the one who spoke. The fact that Matthew records that there were actually two men especially suits his Gospel, which was written primarily for Jews who would have desired two witnesses (see Deut. 17:6). Son of David, a messianic title (see 2 Sam. 7:12–16), identifies Jesus as the heir to David’s throne. This cry, repeated in v. 31, shows the spiritual insight of these blind men.

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Matthew 21:16 | 1547 b two

hold, blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, c Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude d warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 32 So Je sus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had e compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. The Triumphal Entry

30 b Matt. 9:27 c [2 Sam. 7:14-17; Ps. 89:3-5, 19-37; Is. 11:10-12; Ezek. 37:21-25]; Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:31, 32; [Acts 15:14-17] 31 d Matt. 19:13 34 e Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 18:27 CHAPTER 21 1 a Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38 b [Zech. 14:4] 1 M Bethsphage 4 2 NU omits All 5 c Is. 62:11; Zech. 9:9 ; John 12:15 6 d Mark 11:4 7 e 2 Kin. 9:13 3 NU and He sat

very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; f others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “ Hosanna to the Son of David! g‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 10 h And when He had come into Je rusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, i the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38; John 12:12-15

The Cleansing of the Temple

Now a when they drew near Jeru salem, and came to 1 Bethphage, at b the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immedi ately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 2 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the proph et, saying:

Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45, 46

5 “ Tell c

the daughter of Zion, ‘ Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

6 d So the disciples went and did as J esus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, e laid their clothes on them, 3 and set Him on them. 8 And a

12 j Then Je sus went into 4 of God and drove out all

8 f Lev. 23:40; John 12:13 9 g Ps. 118:26 ; Matt. 23:39 10 h John 2:13, 15 11 i [Deut. 18:15, 18]; Matt. 2:23; 16:14; Luke 4:16-29; John 6:14; 7:40; 9:17; [Acts 3:22, 23] 12 j Mal. 3:1 ; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-47; John 2:1316 k Deut. 14:25 4 NU omits of God 13 l Is. 56:7 m Jer. 7:11 15 n Matt. 1:1; John 7:42 5 angry 16 o Ps. 8:2 ; Matt. 11:25

21:1 The Mount of Olives was directly east of Jerusalem, across the deep ravine of the Kidron valley. Bethphage was on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. 21:3 The Lord is Jesus. The owner of the animals was likely a follower, or at least an admirer, of Jesus. 21:4, 5 These actions fulfill Is. 62:11; Zech. 9:9. The emphasis in these prophecies and Jesus’ actions is on Jesus’ humility. 21:7 The disciples laid their clothes on both animals so that Christ could ride either one. Perhaps the mother donkey walked in front, followed by the colt on which Jesus was seated. 21:8 This great multitude refers not to the inhabitants of Jerusalem (v. 10), but to the large crowd that had accompanied Jesus from Jericho (20:29). The scene was a royal procession (see 2 Kin. 9:13). Prior to this time, the Lord Jesus had steadfastly avoided such a display (8:4; 9:30; 12:16; 17:9). Now He was publicly presenting Himself to Israel as the nation’s Messiah and King. 21:9 Hosanna literally means “save now” (as in Ps. 118:25), but it was used as an exclamation of joyous praise. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord is a quotation of Ps. 118:26. 21:10 The city was moved is literally “the city was shaken.” The

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the temple those who bought and sold in the temple, and over turned the tables of the k money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, l ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a m ‘den of thieves.’ ” 14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the tem ple and saying, “Hosanna to the n Son of David!” they were 5 indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, o‘ Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”

same verb is used in 2:3 of Herod’s reaction to the wise men who were asking about the birth of Israel’s King. 21:12 Two cleansings of the temple are recorded in the Gospels— one in John 2:14–17 at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and one in the synoptic Gospels at the end of His ministry (see Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45, 46). bought and sold: Financial corruption ran rampant in the outer courts of the temple. Some of the gains that were realized from this profiteering probably went to the family of the high priest. The money changers exchanged coins with pagan symbols on them for acceptable coins to be used in the temple. They charged a premium for this “service.” Those who sold doves sold them at top prices. 21:13 My house shall be called a house of prayer is quoted from Is. 56:7. den of thieves: The temple had become a garrison for bandits. Jeremiah 7:9, 10 says that the Jewish people, after committing all sorts of sins, would plead deliverance from the consequences of those sins based simply on the fact that they came to the temple. Thus in Jeremiah’s day, it became a den for robbers—just as it was in Jesus’ day. 21:16 In Ps. 8:2, which is quoted here, the infants expressed praise in the face of enemies.

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1548 | Matthew 21:17 17 Then He left them and p went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Cursing of the Fig Tree Mark 11:11-14, 20-24 18 q Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 r And see ing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away. 20 s And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?” 21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, t if you have faith and u do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, v but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And w what ever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

17 p Matt. 26:6; Mark 11:1, 11, 12; 14:3; Luke 19:29; 24:50; John 11:1, 18; 12:1 18 q Mark 11:12-14, 20-24 19 r Mark 11:13 20 s Mark 11:20 21 t Matt. 17:20 u James 1:6 v 1 Cor. 13:2 22 w Matt. 7:7-11; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9; [John 15:7; James 5:16; 1 John 3:22; 5:14] 23 x Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8 y Ex. 2:14; Acts 4:7; 7:27 25 z [John 1:29-34] a John 1:15-28

Question of Jesus’ Authority Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-18 23 x Now when He came into the tem ple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teach ing, and y said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” 24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The z baptism of a John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”

26 b Matt. 14:5; 21:46; Luke 20:6 c Matt. 14:5; Mark 6:20 28 d Matt. 20:1; 21:33 31 e Luke 7:29, 37-50 32 f Luke 3:1-12; 7:29 g Luke 3:12, 13 6 regret it 33 h Ps. 80:9; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:919 i Matt. 25:14

21:17 The idea here is that Jesus abandoned the chief priests and scribes, the temple, and the city of Jerusalem. Instead of welcoming their Messiah, the religious authorities had rejected and opposed Him. 21:18, 19 He was hungry: Jesus desired to eat of the fruit of the fig tree one more time before He died, but could not. Fig trees do not bear their fruit in the spring, during Passover, but in the fall of the year. However, fig trees do have a small, edible fruit that appears in the spring before the sprouting of the leaves. This tree was full of leaves, but had no fruit. It looked full of promise, but was empty— just like the city of Jerusalem and its beautiful temple. Immediately does not necessarily mean instantly; it may have the idea of “very soon” as in Luke 19:11 (see Mark 11:12–14, 20–24). This miracle—the only recorded miracle of Jesus that involved judgment—illustrates God’s judgment on the Israelites, who professed adherence to God but produced no fruit or spiritual reality. 21:20–22 The withering of the fig tree illustrates God’s judgment on unbelieving Israel, but it also became a means for Jesus to teach His disciples that faith works miracles and is the basis for answered prayer. 21:23 The mention of these things refers to the Triumphal Entry, the cleansing of the temple, and the accepting of the praise of children. The fact that the chief priests and the elders opposed the Lord Jesus illustrates the unified antagonism of the Sanhedrin. Priests, elders, and scribes were the three representative groups in that body.

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And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we b fear the multitude, c for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. Parable of the Two Sons 28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my d vine yard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, e “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For f John came to you in the way of righ teousness, and you did not believe him; g but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward 6 relent and believe him. Parable of the Landowner Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19 33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner h who planted a vine yard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and i went into

21:24 It was a common rabbinic method to answer a question with a question. 21:27 We do not know: The religious leaders’ response not only released the Lord from having to answer their question, it also disqualified them as spiritual leaders. 21:31, 32 Tax collectors and harlots is a proverbial phrase for moral reprobates. Jesus’ phrase enter . . . before you not only established that these repentant sinners would enter the future kingdom, it also left the door open for the religious leaders to repent. But even though the self-righteous leaders saw the example of repentant tax collectors and prostitutes, they refused to believe. This parable condemned the leaders’ conduct. Clearly God delights in the brokenness of sinners but also in the humble faith of the morally upright. 21:33–40 The beginning of the parable of the wicked vinedressers is presented in the language of Is. 5:1, 2. However, there is a difference. In Is. 5, the vineyard and its provisions represented Israel; here the vineyard illustrates God’s kingdom (compare v. 43 with Is. 5:7). The detailed description of the vineyard indicates that the landowner provided for its well-being with the utmost care. The owner of that vineyard was God; the vinedressers were the nation of Israel. As God’s people, Israel was to bring forth fruits in anticipation of God’s coming kingdom. The servants represent God’s messengers, the prophets, who were so shamefully treated by the Jewish leaders (see 1 Kin. 18:4; 19:10; 22:24; 2 Chr. 24:20, 21; Neh. 9:26; Jer. 2:30; 20:1, 2; 26:20–23; 37:15; 38:6). The son is Jesus, the Messiah.

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Matthew 22:10 | 1549 34 Now

when vintage-time a far country. drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 j And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his k son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, l ‘This is the heir. m Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 n So they took him and cast him out of the vine yard and killed him. 40 “There fore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” 41 o They said to Him, p “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, q and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will 7 render to him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: r‘ The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ? 43 “There fore

s the

I say to you, king dom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And t who ever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, u it will grind him to powder.”

35 j 2 Chr. 24:21; 36:16; [Matt. 23:34, 37; Acts 7:52; 1 Thess. 2:15]; Heb. 11:36, 37 37 k [John 3:16] 38 l [Ps. 2:8; Heb. 1:2] m [Ps. 2:2]; John 11:53; Acts 4:27 39 n [Matt. 26:50]; Mark 14:46; Luke 22:54; John 18:12; [Acts 2:23] 41 o Luke 20:16 p [Luke 21:24] q [Matt. 8:11; Acts 13:46; Rom. 9; 10] 7 give 42 r Ps. 118:22, 23 ; Is. 28:16; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; [Rom. 9:33]; Eph. 2:20; [1 Pet. 2:6, 7] 43 s [Matt. 8:12]; Acts 13:46 44 t Is. 8:14, 15 ; Zech. 12:3; Luke 20:18; [Rom. 9:33]; 1 Pet. 2:8 u [Is. 60:12; Dan. 2:44] 45 8 knew 46 v Matt. 21:26; Mark 11:18, 32 w Matt. 21:11; Luke 7:16; John 7:40 CHAPTER 22 1 a Luke 14:16; [Rev. 19:7-9] 4 b Prov. 9:2 6 1 insolently 7 c [Dan. 9:26] 8 d Matt. 10:11 10 e Matt. 13:38, 47, 48; [Acts 28:28]

21:42 This verse explains that the rejection of the son (vv. 38, 39) was predicted in Ps. 118:22, 23. The rejected stone is the Messiah, who became the chief cornerstone (see Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:7). 21:43 In our time, nation refers to the church (see Rom. 10:19; 1 Pet. 2:9). This does not mean, however, that the kingdom has been forever removed from Israel (see Rom. 11:26, 27). 21:44 This paradoxical saying indicates that people can give two responses to Christ, the stone. A person may be broken with repentance as a result of falling on Christ. If however a person refuses to repent, the result is judgment. The reference to powder seems to look back to Dan. 2:35, 44, 45. 22:1 The plural parables refers to the parable of the two sons (21:28–32), the wicked vinedressers (21:33–44), and the wedding feast (vv. 1–14). This story is not the same one related in Luke 14:15– 24. The occasion is different in Luke and some details vary. 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like indicates that the story contains principles or truths that relate to the kingdom of God. Marriage refers to a wedding feast (see Rev. 19:6–10). Jewish weddings in biblical times involved a number of steps. First, the couple made a marriage contract, which was the basis of the marriage (see Mal. 2:14). About a year later, the groom went to the bride’s house, where the bride was presented to him. This was followed by a nighttime wedding procession to the groom’s home (25:1–13), where a festive wedding banquet was held (see John 2:1–11). The banquet could last up to a week, depending on the resources of the groom’s family. A feast, especially a wedding feast, is often used in Scripture to portray God’s kingdom on earth (see 8:11; 25:10; Is. 25:6; Luke 14:15–24; John

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45 Now

when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they 8 per ceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they v feared the multitudes, be cause w they took Him for a prophet. Parable of the Marriage Feast And Jesus answered a and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wed ding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; b my oxen and fat ted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his busi ness. 6 And the rest seized his servants, f ully, and killed treated them 1 spite them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out c his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not d wor thy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and e gathered togeth er all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

2:1–11; Rev. 19:7–9). In this parable, the king is God the Father and the son is Jesus. 22:3 Two invitations were sent out. The first was sent long before the celebration so that people would have plenty of time to prepare themselves for the banquet. Those who were invited had received this original announcement. A second invitation was sent to them to announce that the banquet was ready and they should come right away. 22:4 The plea of this verse undoubtedly portrays the ministry of John the Baptist (3:1–12), Jesus (4:17), and the disciples (10:5–42). 22:5 They made light of it means “they did not care about it.” They were so preoccupied with the here and now that they had no concern for God’s kingdom. 22:6 The indifferent response in v. 5 describes Israel at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry; the actions in this verse may be attributed to the religious authorities. These leaders approved John the Baptist’s death at the hands of Herod Antipas (21:25); they instigated Jesus’ crucifixion (26:3–5, 14–16; 27:1, 2); and they initiated the persecution of the early church (see Acts 4:1–22; 5:17–40; 6:12–15). 22:7 The burning of the city refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 under Titus. A parallel prediction of the same event is found in 21:41. 22:10 Both bad and good probably refers to Jews and Gentiles. Both groups include some who are morally evil and others who are morally good. Whatever their condition, people need to respond to the gospel. The important point to recognize is that this group responded to the invitation, while those who had received special invitations had spurned the king’s bidding.

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1550 | Matthew 22:11

Bible Times & Culture Notes

The Sadducees Because their writings have not survived through the ages, little is known about the Sadducees today except what rival groups said about them. They were an aristocratic group in Israel that dominated the higher echelons of the priesthood. As landowners, they achieved their power and status from their class and their position as priests, while the Pharisees derived their status mostly from their learning. The Sadducees based their beliefs solely on the Pentateuch, the first five books of the OT. They did not accept the authority of any other OT books and did not find a basis in the Pentateuch for a belief in angels, demons, or an afterlife (see Acts 23:8). Many of their beliefs may have been derived from a concern over their power and status. With no afterlife and no resurrection, there was no need to worry about rewards or punishment in the life to come.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there f who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was g speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, 2 take him away, and cast him h into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

11 f [2 Cor. 5:3; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10, 12; Rev. 3:4; 16:15; 19:8] 12 g [Rom. 3:19] 13 h Matt. 8:12; 25:30; Luke 13:28 2 NU omits take him away, and

14 i Matt. 20:16 15 j Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26 16 k Mark 3:6; 8:15; 12:13 3 Lit. look at the face of 18 4 knew 21 l Matt. 17:25 m [Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-15] n [1 Cor. 3:23; 6:19, 20; 12:27] 5 Pay 23 o Mark 12:1827; Luke 20:27-40 p Acts 23:8

22:11 did not have on a wedding garment: Like the others, this visitor had been invited to the wedding, but he failed to prepare himself for it (see Rev. 3:18). In Revelation, the garment of fine linen worn by the bride of the Lamb is said to be the righteous deeds of the saints (Rev. 19:8). The man had ignored a basic obligation placed on him when he accepted the king’s gracious invitation to the feast—he was supposed to wear clean clothes. To come to a wedding banquet unprepared or in soiled clothing would have been insulting. In this parable, the garment may refer to the righteousness of Christ graciously provided for us through His death. To refuse to put it on would mean a refusal of Christ’s sacrifice or arrogance in believing that the “garment” was somehow not needed. If we want to enter Christ’s banquet, we must “put on” the righteousness He gives us (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). Because this man was unprepared, the king declared him unworthy. His refusal resulted in the man being sent out of the banquet hall. 22:13 Bind him hand and foot is a vivid picture of the man’s inability to participate in Christ’s kingdom. Someone claiming to belong at the wedding while refusing to wear the correct garments was similar to the Israelites who claimed to be God’s people while refusing to obey Him. This man was an impostor, and when he was discovered (as all impostors will be), he was cast . . . into outer darkness, referring to the judgment (8:12; 25:30). 22:14 many are called, but few are chosen: The word called in this instance refers to being “invited,” not to the call of God as Paul used the word (Rom. 8:28, 29). All Israel had been invited, but only a few would accept and follow Jesus. Not all those invited will be among the chosen of God, for not all will believe. 22:15 Entangle means “to snare,” like a trapper catching his prey. 22:16 Nothing is known of the Herodians outside of the Gospels. Judging from their name, they were supporters of the Herodian

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14 i “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Conflict with Pharisees and Herodians Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26 15 j Then the Phari sees went and plot ted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disci ples with the k Herodians, saying, “Teach er, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not 3 regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus 4 per ceived their wicked ness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, l “Render 5 there fore to Caesar the things that are m Cae sar’s, and to God the things that are n God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

Conflict with Sadducees Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40 23 o The same day the Sadducees, p who say there is no resurrection, came to

dynasty in its collaboration with the Roman government. This would put them at the opposite end of the political spectrum from the Pharisees. Yet their common hatred of Christ was great enough that the Pharisees and Herodians joined forces against Him. we know that You . . . teach the way of God in truth: In a way, the Herodians and Pharisees were saying, “You truly teach God’s word, no matter what people think of you.” 22:17 The dilemma is obvious: to side with the Pharisees and risk being accused of insurrection against the Roman government, or to side with the Herodians and lose the favor of the masses. Taxes included an annual tax paid by every Jewish adult to the Roman government. The Jews despised paying this tax to their hated oppressors. 22:18 Test here means “to solicit to evil.” The Lord called the Herodians and Pharisees hypocrites because they falsely pretended to have good intentions. 22:19, 20 The tax money was a denarius, a silver coin with an image of the emperor and the inscription calling him “divine.” The image and inscription were repugnant to the Jews because they hated their Roman overlords and worshiped only the God of Israel. 22:21 In responding to His opponents, the Lord changed the verb they used from “pay” (v. 17) to render, which literally means “to pay back.” Christ’s followers have an obligation to earthly governments and to God. Believers today are citizens of a heavenly kingdom and strangers and sojourners on the earth (see 1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11). It is the believers’ responsibility to obey the law of the land until it becomes sinful to do so (see Rom. 13:1–7; 1 Pet. 2:13–17). When the two realms are in conflict, Christians are to follow God (see Acts 4:18–20; 5:29). 22:23 Some of the beliefs of the Sadducees are explained in Acts 23:8. These men looked on the first five books of Moses as their authoritative Scripture. To them, any religious argument had to come from the Pentateuch.

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Him and asked Him, “Teach er, q Moses said that if a man dies, hav ing no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27 Last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.” 29 Je sus answered and said to them, “You are 6 mistaken, r not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but s are like angels 7 of God in heaven. 31 But concern ing the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 t ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the multitudes heard this, u they were astonished at His teaching. 24 saying:

24 q Deut. 25:5 29 r John 20:9 6 deceived 30 s [1 John 3:2] 7 NU omits of God 32 t Gen. 17:7; 26:24; 28:21; Ex. 3:6, 15; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 7:32; [Heb. 11:16] 33 u Matt. 7:28

34 v Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-37 35 w Luke 7:30; 10:25; 11:45, 46, 52; 14:3; Titus 3:13 37 x Deut. 6:5; 10:12; 30:6 39 y Lev. 19:18; Matt. 19:19; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; [Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8] 40 z [Matt. 7:12; Rom. 13:10; 1 Tim. 1:5] 41 a Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44 42 b Matt. 1:1; 21:9

22:24 The law that is the basis of the Sadducees’ question is found in Deut. 25:5, 6. It is known as the law of the levirate marriage (see Gen. 38:1–26). 22:25–28 This theological riddle had probably been used by the Sadducees to confound the Pharisees on more than one occasion. 22:29 Mistaken: Christ rebuked the Sadducees for denying the resurrection. 22:32 Jesus quoted from the Pentateuch, Ex. 3:6, 15, to prove the doctrine of the resurrection. The Lord is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, a title that recalls that God is the One who gave the promises to the patriarchs. In particular, God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the land of Canaan (see Gen. 13:14–17; 15:7–21; 17:8; 26:2–5; 28:13–15; Deut. 30:1–5). Of course, the patriarchs did not receive the land in their lifetimes. They must be resurrected in order to receive God’s promises in full. That God is called the God . . . of the living indicates that there is a present spirit world over which God presides and that will one day be revealed. 22:33 Jesus taught something that no one had seen clearly be-

mind (Gk. dianoia, nous) (22:37; Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23) Strong’s #1271; 3563 Four separate Greek words account for nearly all instances of “mind” in the NT. They all mean much the same thing: understanding, thought, mind, reason. While today we think of a person’s mind in a morally neutral way, in the NT the mind was clearly thought of as either good or evil. Negatively, the mind may be “blinded” (2 Cor. 3:14; 4:4), “corrupt” (2 Tim. 3:8), and “debased” (Rom. 1:28). On the positive side, humans may have minds that are renewed (Rom. 12:2) and pure (2 Pet. 3:1). They may love God with all their minds (22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27) and have God’s laws implanted in their minds (Heb. 8:10). Since Christians have “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16), they are instructed to be united in mind (Rom. 12:16; 1 Pet. 3:8).

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The Greatest Commandment Mark 12:28-34 34 v But when the Phari sees heard that He had silenced the Saddu cees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, w a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Je sus said to him, x “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great com mandment. 39 And the second is like it: y ‘You shall love your neighbor as your self.’ 40 z On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

The Son of David Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44 41 a While the Phari sees were gathered sus asked them, 42 saying, together, Je “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The b Son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

fore—that the patriarchs are still living. The crowds were astonished, and may also have been surprised that Jesus did not teach like the scribes and Pharisees, who appealed to rabbinic authority or prefaced their teachings with “Thus saith the Lord.” Jesus appealed to His own authority when He taught them. 22:34 Undoubtedly the Pharisees were delighted to see their theological rivals muzzled; yet they were still intent on snaring Christ in some way (v. 15). 22:35, 36 The lawyer was a student of the Law of Moses. He put the Lord to a test with a question designed to reveal how much Christ knew about the Law. 22:37 To answer the lawyer’s question, Jesus quoted from the great Jewish confession of faith called the Shema. The confession is called this because it begins with the Hebrew word shema meaning “hear:” “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (see Deut. 6:4, 5; 11:13–21). The heart, soul, and mind represent the whole person. 22:39 This command from Lev. 19:18 is not an imperative to love one’s self. People naturally love themselves and are at least somewhat self-centered. Because we love ourselves, we want the best for ourselves; likewise, we should be concerned for the welfare of others. 22:40 The Ten Commandments can be divided into two categories: those dealing with love for God (the first four Commandments) and those dealing with responsibilities toward other people (the last six Commandments). The same may be said for all the Law and the Prophets. 22:41–45 After answering three questions posed by Israel’s religious leaders (vv. 15–22, 23–33, 34–40), Jesus turned to the Pharisees with a question of His own. The question had two parts, a first about the identity of the Messiah and a second about the interpretation of Ps. 110. 22:42 The answer to Jesus’ question about the identity of the Messiah was in a number of OT passages (see 2 Sam. 7:12–16; Ps. 89:3, 4, 34–36; Is. 9:7; 16:5; 55:3, 4). The Messiah would come from David’s royal line. 22:43 This verse affirms that David wrote Ps. 110. Furthermore, it declares that David wrote the psalm under the inspiration of the Spirit.

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answer Him a word, e nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore. Bible Times & Culture Notes

Jesus Characterizes the Pharisees Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47

Outer Garment Hebrew men wore an “outer garment” (John 21:7) consisting of a square or oblong strip of cloth, six to ten feet wide. It was wrapped around the body as a protective covering, with two corners of the material being in front. The outer garment was drawn in close to the body by a girdle. The rich often had a finely woven linen outer garment, while the poor had a coarsely woven garment of goat’s hair. Jewish men wore fringes with blue ribbons on the “border” of this outer garment to remind them of the constant presence of the Lord’s commandments. Jesus referred to these “borders” of the garments in Matt. 23:5; apparently, the scribes and Pharisees made these fringes very large so that people could see how faithful they were in following the Lord’s commandments.

44 ‘ The c

LORD said to my Lord, “ Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’ ? 45 If Da vid then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46 d And no one was able to

Then Jesus spoke to the multi tudes and to His disciples, 2 say ing: a “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you 1 to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for b they say, and do not do. 4 c For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fin gers. 5 But all their works they do to d be seen by men. They make their phylacter ies broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 e They love the 2 best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 f But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your 3 Teacher, 4 the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; g for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But h he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 i And who ever exalts himself will be 5 humbled, and he who humbles himself will be 6 exalted.

44 c Ps. 110:1; [Matt. 26:64]; Mark 16:19; Acts 2:34; 1 Cor. 15:25; Heb. 1:13; 10:13 46 d Luke 14:6 e Mark 12:34; Luke 20:40 CHAPTER 23 2 a Deut. 33:3; Ezra 7:6, 25; Neh. 8:4, 8; [Mal. 2:7]; Mark 12:38; Luke 20:45 3 b [Rom. 2:19] 1 NU omits to observe 4 c [Matt. 11:29, 30]; Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10; Rom. 2:17-24; [Gal. 5:1; 6:13; Col. 2:16, 17] 5 d [Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18] 6 e Mark 12:38, 39; Luke 11:43; 20:46; 3 John 9 2 Or place of honor 8 f [2 Cor. 1:24; James 3:1; 1 Pet. 5:3] 3 Leader 4 NU omits the Christ 9 g [Mal. 1:6]; Matt. 5:16, 48; 6:1, 9, 14, 26, 32; 7:11 11 h Matt. 20:26, 27 12 i Job 22:29; Prov. 15:33; 29:23; Luke 14:11; 18:14; James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5 5 put down 6 lifted up

22:44 This verse, which quotes Ps. 110:1, describes Christ’s presence in heaven until He comes to reign on earth (see Heb. 10:11–13; Rev. 3:21). Other messianic psalms are built on the experiences of the psalmist (see Ps. 2; 16; 22; 45), but Ps. 110 seems to be completely prophetic and messianic. 22:44, 45 Psalm 110:1 uses two different Hebrew words for God. The first, translated Lord, is the name Yahweh, the proper name of Israel’s God. The second Lord means “Master.” David, the great king of Israel, calls one of his offspring “Lord” or “Master,” a title for deity. The implication is that Jesus, the Son of David, is God. He is a descendant of David and therefore human, but He is also divine. 23:2 The synagogues had an official chair called Moses’ seat (see Luke 4:20). The scribes were official copiers of the OT Scriptures and were also teachers of the Law (7:29; 8:19). 23:3 The Pharisees and scribes took the Scriptures at face value, so their instructions were to be followed. However, Jesus warned the people of the Pharisees’ legalism, their tendency to value their own rules and regulations over the Scriptures. They followed their external laws meticulously and appeared to be righteous. Yet the people were not to imitate their actions, for although they appeared righteous, their hearts were filled with all kinds of envy, hatred, and malice. 23:4 Contrast the Pharisees’ actions with Jesus’ call to the people in 11:28–30. 23:5 One key aspect of hypocrisy is doing good deeds to attract applause from those who see them (6:1–18). Phylacteries were small boxes containing Bible passages that were worn on the forehead

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or arm. This custom was based on Ex. 13:9, 16; Deut. 6:8; 11:18. But from such passages as Prov. 3:3; 6:21; 7:3, the scribes should have known that the Lord intended more than merely outward adornment. Borders, translated hem in 9:20, refers to the tassels that were worn on the corners of garments in order to remind the Israelites of God’s laws (see Num. 15:38; Deut. 22:12). In order to be seen as especially righteous, some hypocrites would make their phylacteries conspicuously large and their tassels unusually long. 23:6 The best places were the positions of honor at banquets. The best seats or “first seats” were a row of seats in the front of the synagogue, facing the congregation. 23:7 Greetings in this context meant more than a passing “hello”; it was a respectful salutation given to a superior. Rabbi means “teacher.” 23:8–10 This principle is not to be applied universally because these titles are used elsewhere in Scripture with no qualification or admonishment (see 15:4–6; 19:5, 29; 2 Kin. 2:12; 1 Cor. 4:15; Gal. 4:2; Heb. 12:9). The hypocrites sought these titles for the prestige and power that went with them, and not for the purpose of using the positions to serve others. Teachers may also mean “leaders.” 23:11 Hierarchies of authority are not to be done away with in this world (see 1 Thess. 5:12, 13; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:17); however, all leadership is to be carried out humbly in a spirit of servanthood. 23:12 Exaltation will be carried out in the future reign of Christ (see Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12).

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Jesus Condemns the Pharisees 13 “But j woe to you, scribes and Phari sees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 7 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! k For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 “Woe to you, scribes and Phari sees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of 8 hell as yourselves. 16 “Woe to you, l blind guides, who say, m ‘Who ever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold n or the temple that 9 sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift o or the altar that sancti fies the gift? 20 Therefore he who 1 swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by p Him who 2 dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by q the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Phari sees, hypocrites! r For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and s have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

13 j Luke 11:52 14 k Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; [2 Tim. 3:6; Titus 1:10, 11] 7 NU omits v. 14. 15 8 Gr. Gehenna 16 l Matt. 15:14; 23:24 m [Matt. 5:33, 34] 17 n Ex. 30:29 9 NU sanctified 19 o Ex. 29:37 20 1 Swears an oath 21 p 1 Kin. 8:13; 2 Chr. 6:2; Ps. 26:8; 132:14 2 M dwelt 22 q Ps. 11:4; Is. 66:1; Matt. 5:34; Acts 7:49 23 r Matt. 23:13; Luke 11:42; 18:12 s [1 Sam. 15:22; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:8]; Matt. 9:13; 12:7

25 t Mark 7:4; Luke 11:39 3 M unrighteousness 27 u Luke 11:44; Acts 23:3 29 v Luke 11:47, 48 4 decorate 31 w Matt. 23:34, 37; [Acts 7:51, 52]; 1 Thess. 2:15 32 x Gen. 15:16; [1 Thess. 2:16] 33 y Matt. 3:7; 12:34; Luke 3:7 5 offspring 34 z Matt. 21:34, 35; Luke 11:49 a John 16:2; Acts 7:54-60; 22:19 b Matt. 10:17; Acts 5:40; 2 Cor. 11:24, 25 35 c Rev. 18:24 d Gen. 4:8; Heb. 11:4; 1 John 3:12 e 2 Chr. 24:20, 21

23:13 Jesus proclaimed woe on the scribes and Pharisees because of their outright opposition to the truth. 23:15 you travel land and sea: The Pharisees and scribes could never fairly be accused of being lazy, but they were clearly misdirected and dangerous to the cause of God. 23:16–22 The religious authorities taught that oaths based on the temple, the altar, and heaven were not binding; however, oaths sworn by the gold of the temple, the gift on the altar, or God were binding. Jesus pointed out the absurdity of such teaching, and called the leaders blind guides. 23:23 Mint and anise were spices. Cummin was a tiny fruit. The scribes and Pharisees were meticulous about tithing tiny seeds, but they failed to be obedient in more significant matters such as ensuring that all their actions were governed by justice and mercy and faith (see Mic. 6:8). Jesus was not saying that tithing is unimportant; He was pointing out that the scribes and Pharisees were emphasizing one area at the expense of another. Similarly, we can become so preoccupied with external rules and regulations in the church that we forget the principles behind them. 23:24 Leviticus 11:41–43 contains a prohibition against eating anything that swarms, crawls on its belly, walks on all fours, or has many feet. The Pharisees would meticulously strain out the smallest unclean insect—the gnat—with a cloth filter before drinking liquids, especially wine. However, Jesus said they would easily swallow a

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25 “Woe

to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! t For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and 3 self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Phari sees, hypocrites! u For you are like white washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 v “Woe to you, scribes and Phari sees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and 4 adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ 31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that w you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 x Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. 33 Serp ents, y brood 5 of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 z Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: a some of them you will kill and crucify, and b some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 c that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, d from the blood of righteous Abel to e the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 As s uredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

large unclean animal—a camel. Jesus was exaggerating a point to illustrate how much the Pharisees had neglected justice, mercy, and faith (v. 23). He used a similar exaggeration in 19:24 to portray the difficulty a rich man has in obtaining salvation. 23:25, 26 The inside of the cup represents a person’s character. Sometimes those who most loudly protest the sins of others are secretly guilty of those or worse sins themselves. 23:31, 32 The generation of scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites living at the time of Jesus had inherited all the guilt of their forefathers. 23:34 The present tense I send refers to the prophets, wise men, and scribes sent by God to the apostolic church. The Book of Acts testifies to the accuracy of this prediction: the Israelites persecuted the early preachers and teachers of the Good News (see Acts 7:51–60). 23:35 Abel was the first person murdered in the OT (see Gen. 4:8); Zechariah was the last. Zechariah’s death is recorded in 2 Chr. 24:20–22, the last book in the Hebrew canon. Jesus was saying that from the beginning of the Bible until the end, true followers of God had often been treated in this manner. son of Berechiah: In 2 Chr. 24:20, Zechariah is called the son of Jehoiada. Zechariah the prophet is called the son of Berechiah in Zech. 1:1. It is possible that Jehoiada was the grandfather of the murdered Zechariah and Berechiah was his father. It is less probable, although possible, that Zechariah’s father had two names: Jehoiada and Berechiah.

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Jesus Laments over Jerusalem 37 f “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets g and stones those who are sent to her! How often h I want ed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks i under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, j ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ” The Temple to Be Destroyed Mark 13:1, 2; Luke 21:5, 6

Then a Jesus went out and depart ed from the temple, and His disci ples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assur edly, I say to you, b not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” The Disciples’ Two Questions Mark 13:3, 4; Luke 21:7 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, c the disciples came to Him privately, say

37 f Luke 13:34, 35 g 2 Chr. 24:20, 21; 36:15, 16; Neh. 9:26; Matt. 21:35, 36 h Deut. 32:11, 12; Matt. 11:28-30 i Ps. 17:8; 91:4; Is. 49:5  39 j Ps. 118:26; Matt. 21:9 CHAPTER 24 1 a Mark 13:1; Luke 21:5-36 2 b 1 Kin. 9:7; Mic. 3:12; Luke 19:44 3 c Mark 13:3 d [Matt. 24:27, 37, 39; Luke 17:20-37; 1 Thess. 5:1-3] 4 e Eph. 5:6; [Col. 2:8, 18; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 John 4:1-3] 5 f Jer. 14:14; John 5:43; Acts 5:36; [1 John 2:18; 4:3] g Matt. 24:11 6 h [Rev. 6:2-4] 1 NU omits all 7 i 2 Chr. 15:6; Is. 19:2; Hag. 2:22; Zech. 14:13 j Acts 11:28; Rev. 6:5, 6 2 NU omits pestilences 9 k Matt. 10:17;

23:37 Calling a name twice, as in Jerusalem, Jerusalem, indicates strong emotion (see 27:46; 2 Sam. 18:33; Acts 9:4). The phrases I wanted and you were not willing illustrate the opposition of Israel to Christ’s will (see Ps. 91:4 for another image of a mother hen). 23:38 Your house may refer to the temple, but more likely to the Davidic dynasty (see 2 Sam. 7:16). 24:1 The discourse of ch. 23 had evidently been given in the temple precincts. The first temple, built by Solomon, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 b.c. The second temple, built under the encouragement of Haggai and Zechariah and the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua (see Hag. 1:1), was completed after considerable delay in 516 b.c. This second temple was completely and lavishly renovated by Herod the Great. He began the work around 20 b.c., but the renovations were not completed during the lifetime of Christ (see John 2:20). The work was finally finished in a.d. 64, and the temple stood completed for only six years before it was reduced to rubble by the Romans. 24:2 The devastation of the temple by the Romans in a.d. 70 was so thorough that the precise location of the sanctuary is still unknown today.

hen (Gk. ornis) (23:37; Luke 13:34) Strong’s #3733 The Greek term simply means “bird.” The English word ornithology (the study of birds) is a derivative of it. Throughout the OT there are references to God exercising His care for His people in the same way a mother bird cares for her young (see Deut. 32:10–12; Ruth 2:12; Ps. 17:8; 36:7; 61:4; 63:7; 91:4; Is. 31:5; Mal. 4:2). Many of these references speak of God’s protective wings, under whose shelter the frightened could find refuge. The later rabbis had a beautiful expression for proselytes from the Gentiles—they had “come under the wings of the Shekinah” (see Ruth 2:12). Jesus came to His people wanting to give them the same kind of motherly care, but they rejected that care and tender affection again and again.

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ing, d “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your com ing, and of the end of the age?” The Tribulation Mark 13:5-23; Luke 21:5-24 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: e “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For f many will come in My name, say ing, ‘I am the Christ,’ g and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of h wars and

rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for 1 all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For i na tion will rise against nation, and king dom against kingdom. And there will be j famines, 2 pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the be ginning of sorrows. 9 k “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then l many false prophets Luke 21:12; [John 16:2]; Acts 4:2, 3; Rev. 2:10 11 l Acts 20:29; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 13:11; 19:20

24:3 Undoubtedly the disciples were immediately confounded by the Lord’s prophecy (v. 2); however, they held their tongues until they had crossed the Kidron valley and come to the Mount of Olives. When Jesus sat, as Jewish teachers did (5:1), the disciples finally questioned Him about His statement regarding the destruction of the temple. Some say that this verse contains two questions: (1) When will these things be? That is, “When will the temple be destroyed?” and (2) What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? Others believe that one basic question was in the disciples’ minds. To the disciples, the devastation of the city and the coming of the Messiah were part of one event. The disciple’s questions should probably be taken as one question, though the fulfillment would come in stages. 24:4 Jesus’ warning about being deceived was especially appropriate for the disciples. The destruction of Jerusalem did not necessarily mean the nearness of the end of the age. This principle was a point of confusion for them (see Luke 19:11–27; Acts 1:6, 7). 24:6 Three indicators of time are given in vv. 6–14. The first is found in v. 6, the end is not yet. The second is found in v. 8, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” The third is found in v. 14, “then the end will come.” Verses 4–6 may describe the first part of Daniel’s seventieth week (see Dan. 9:25–27), but possibly they present a general picture of the present age. False messiahs and wars and rumors of wars are characteristic of the fallen world in which we live. When the Lord said all these things must come to pass, He used a word for must that indicates a divine or logical necessity. Such activities are necessary because of the people’s sin. False messiahs had existed before (see Acts 5:36, 37; 21:38), and false preachers would come in the future (see Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Cor. 11:13–15). 24:7, 8 This passage describes characteristics of the end times. Nation . . . against nation, and kingdom against kingdom seems to indicate wars on a broad or worldwide scale. The famines, pestilences, and earthquakes are more fully described in Rev. 6:1–8; 8:5–13; 9:13–21; 16:2–21. Sorrows literally means “birth pangs.” The earth continually has birth pangs today (see Rom. 8:22); during the tribulation, these “sorrows” will increase in intensity and frequency until Jesus returns in glory (see 19:28; Acts 3:21).

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will rise up and many. because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow n cold. 13 o But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this p gospel of the kingdom q will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15 r “There f ore when you see the s ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” t (whoever reads, let him un derstand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But u woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For v then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And un less those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; w but for the 3 elect’s sake those days will be shortened. 23 x “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For y false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, z if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or m deceive

12 And

11 m [1 Tim. 4:1] 12 n [2 Thess. 2:3; 2 Tim. 3:1-3] 13 o Matt. 10:22; Mark 13:13 14 p Matt. 4:23 q Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:6, 23 15 r Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20; [John 11:48]; Acts 6:13; 21:28 s Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 t Dan. 9:23 19 u Luke 23:29 21 v Dan. 9:26 22 w Is. 65:8, 9; [Zech. 14:2] 3 chosen ones’ 23 x Mark 13:21; Luke 17:23 24 y Deut. 13:1; John 4:48; [2 Thess. 2:9]; Rev. 13:13 z [John 6:37; Rom. 8:28; 2 Tim. 2:19] 27 a Luke 17:24 28 b Job 39:30; Ezek. 39:17; Hab. 1:8; Luke 17:37 29 c [Dan. 7:11] d Is. 13:10; 24:23; Ezek. 32:7; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15; Amos 5:20; 8:9; Zeph. 1:15; Matt. 24:29-35; Acts 2:20; Rev. 6:1217; 8:12 30 e [Dan. 7:13, 14; Matt. 16:27; 24:3, 37, 39] f Zech. 12:12 31 g Ex. 19:16; Deut. 30:4; Is. 27:13; Zech. 9:14; [1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16]; Heb. 12:19; Rev. 8:2; 11:15 4 chosen ones 32 h Luke 21:29

24:13 End here refers to the “end of the age.” 24:14 this gospel of the kingdom: The final evidence of the end times will be the universal proclamation of the gospel. The antecedent of “this” must be v. 13. The good news is that the final battle of the tribulation known as Armageddon will not result in the destruction of all people. The Lord Jesus Christ will intervene, bringing an end to the destruction and preserving a people for His kingdom. 24:15 The abomination of desolation literally means “the abomination that makes desolate.” This prophecy comes from Daniel, specifically Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Daniel 11:31 refers to Antiochus IV, who desecrated the temple and set up an idol to Zeus in it. His actions were a prelude to what the ultimate “man of sin” will do. In a.d. 70, Titus destroyed Jerusalem, burned the temple, and set up an idol to mock the Jews. Significantly, Paul speaks of the Antichrist at the end times setting himself up as god also (see 2 Thess. 2:3, 4; Rev. 13:14, 15). 24:16 At the time of the war ending in the destruction of the temple in a.d. 70, many of the Christians did flee, hiding in the clefts of Petra. Some believe the final fulfillment of this prophecy will occur in the future desecration of the temple (see Dan. 9:27) and the subsequent setting up of an image of the “man of sin” in the Most Holy Place. When that occurs, everyone in Judea must flee to the mountains. 24:22 Those days will be shortened means that God will place a limit on the tribulation; Christians will not have to endure persecution forever. Note the meaning of the “good news” of the kingdom in vv. 13, 14 (see Zech. 14:2–4). Christ will intervene and prevent complete genocide. 24:24 Miracles by themselves do not prove that something is of

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‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. The Second Coming Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28 27 a For

as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 b For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. 29 c “Immediately after the tribulation of those days d the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 e Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, f and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 g And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His 4 elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Parable of the Fig Tree Mark 13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33 32 “Now learn h this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know i that 5 it 33 i [James 5:9; Rev. 3:20] 5 Or He

God (see 7:21–23; 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:13–15). The teaching of those who perform signs and wonders must be tested against correct doctrine (Deut. 13:1–5; 1 John 4:1–3), and by the witness of God’s Spirit (see John 10:3–5, 27). 24:26, 27 Christ’s return will not be confined to a desert or to some inner rooms. When Christ returns, His coming will be so spectacular that everyone will know He has arrived. 24:28 wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered: This sweeping statement conveys an image of the horrible carnage that will take place in the judgment at the coming of the Son of Man (see Luke 17:37). 24:29 Immediately after: This verse moves chronologically to the close of the tribulation, a period that will be marked by monumental cosmic disturbances (see Is. 13:10; 34:4; Ezek. 32:7, 8; Joel 2:30, 31; 3:15; Hag. 2:6; Zech. 14:6; Rev. 6:12–14). 24:30 The sign of the Son of Man probably refers to Christ Himself appearing in heaven (see 16:1; Acts 1:11). The tribes of the earth probably refers to Israel. The context here is the national repentance of Israel predicted in Zech. 12:10, 12. The Son of Man coming on the clouds will be a fulfillment of Dan. 7:13, 14. 24:31 Gather refers to the gathering of the elect (God’s people, both Jews and Gentiles) that will gloriously begin Christ’s reign (see Deut. 30:1–6; Is. 11:11, 12; 43:5, 6; 49:12; Jer. 16:14, 15; Ezek. 34:13; 36:24; 37:21–23). 24:32 The fig tree does not necessarily indicate Israel here (see 21:18–22; Luke 21:29). We can predict the coming of summer from certain signs: The branches of trees become tender and produce leaves. In the same way, we will know the end is coming when we see the signs Jesus described in this passage.

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is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, j this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 k Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Illustration of the Days of Noah Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34-36 36 l “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of 6 heaven, m but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 n For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in mar riage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 o Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 p Watch therefore, for you do not know what 7 hour your Lord is coming. 43 q But know this, that if the master of the house had known what 8 hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 r Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Illustration of the Two Servants Luke 12:41-48 45 s “Who

then is a faithful and wise

34 j [Matt. 10:23; 16:28; 23:36] 35 k Ps. 102:25, 26; Is. 51:6; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; [1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Pet. 3:10] 36 l Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10 m Zech. 14:7 6 NU adds nor the Son 38 n [Gen. 6:3-5]; Luke 17:26; [1 Pet. 3:20] 40 o Luke 17:34 42 p Matt. 25:13; Luke 21:36; 1 Thess. 5:6 7 NU day 43 q Luke 12:39; 1 Thess. 5:2; Rev. 3:3 8 Lit. watch of the night 44 r Luke 12:35-40; [1 Thess. 5:6] 45 s Luke 12:42-46; [Acts 20:28] 9 at the right time 46 t Rev. 16:15 47 u Matt. 25:21, 23; Luke 22:29 48 v [2 Pet. 3:4-9] 1 NU omits his coming 50 w Mark 13:32 51 x Matt. 8:12; 25:30 CHAPTER 25 1 a [Eph. 5:29, 30; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9] 2 b Matt. 13:47; 22:10 5 c 1 Thess. 5:6 6 d [Matt. 24:31; 1 Thess. 4:16] 1 NU omits is coming

24:34 Generation may mean “race,” indicating that Israel as a people will not cease to exist before God fulfills His promises to them. Another possibility is that the word describes a particular era in which people will see the end times. That is, the events will occur so rapidly that all will happen within one generation. Perhaps both interpretations are true. All these things includes the Antichrist, the tribulation, and most importantly the appearance of Christ in glory. 24:35 The words of Christ are more certain than the very existence of the universe. 24:36 Mark 13:32 indicates that even Jesus Himself did not know

the kingdom of heaven (Gk. hē basileia tōn ouranōn) (3:2; 4:17; 5:3, 10; 10:7; 25:1) Strong’s #932; 3772 This phrase, used almost exclusively in Matthew’s Gospel (33 times), is a Jewish way of saying “the kingdom of God.” The Jews avoided saying the name of God out of respect for Him. Therefore they often used the word heaven as an alternative way to refer to God. The word heaven also points to the heavenly nature of Jesus’ kingdom. His kingdom did not involve a political restoration of the nation of Israel as many Jews had hoped. Instead He brought a heavenly kingdom with a spiritual domain, the hearts of His people. Such a kingdom demanded internal repentance, not just external submission. It provided deliverance from sin rather than political deliverance.

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servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food 9 in due season? 46 t Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that u he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master v is delaying 1 his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fel low servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that ser vant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is w not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. x There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Parable of the Ten Virgins “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet a the bridegroom. 2 b Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, c they all slumbered and slept. 6 “And at midnight d a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom 1 is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and e trimmed their lamps. 8 And the

7 e Luke 12:35

the day and hour of His return. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He voluntarily limited His use of His divine attributes (see John 17:4, 5; Phil. 2:5–8). Therefore He became hungry, thirsty, and tired. Luke records that Jesus grew in knowledge and wisdom (see Luke 2:52). In this instance, Jesus surrendered the use of His divine omniscience. 24:37–39 as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be: Jesus was referring to the indifference of the people of that time to the coming disaster. There is nothing sinful about eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. However, the people of the end times will be doing these things without any thought of God or the coming judgment. 24:42 This is the application of vv. 36–41. As Noah was vigilant in preparing for the Flood, so should people living in the tribulation be alert. They should prepare for the return of Christ. 24:45–51 These two servants (see Luke 19:11–26) illustrate two attitudes people will have to Christ’s return. The faithful and wise servant will be given more responsibilities in the Lord’s kingdom. The evil servant will be cut . . . in two, a form of judgment used in the ancient world. Weeping and gnashing of teeth indicates the remorse of those who have suffered great loss. 25:1 The ten virgins in this parable were waiting for the wedding procession that went from the bride’s home to the home of her husband. This nighttime procession would use lamps to light the way because ancient cities did not have streetlights. 25:2 The good servant of 24:45 is described as “faithful and wise.” The parable of the ten virgins explains the need for wisdom (vv. 1–13); the following parable of the talents (vv. 14–29) shows the need for faithfulness. The word translated wise here and in 24:45 means “prudent.” 25:8 Possessing oil illustrates the concept of being prepared; a lack of oil represents being unprepared for Christ’s return.

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foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wed ding; and f the door was shut. 11 “Af terward the other virgins came also, saying, g ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, h I do not know you.’ 13 i “Watch therefore, for you j know neither the day nor the hour 2 in which the Son of Man is coming. Parable of the Talents 14 k “For the kingdom of heaven is l like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five tal ents, to another two, and to another one, m to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And like wise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five tal ents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more tal ents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were n faithful over a few things, o I will make you ruler over many things. Enter

10 f [Matt. 7:21]; Luke 13:25 11 g [Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 13:25-30] 12 h [Ps. 5:5; Hab. 1:13; John 9:31] 13 i Mark 13:35; [Luke 21:36]; 1 Thess. 5:6 j Matt. 24:36, 42 2 NU omits the rest of v. 13. 14 k Luke 19:12-27 l Matt. 21:33 15 m [Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 29; Eph. 4:11] 21 n [Luke 16:10; 1 Cor. 4:2; 2 Tim. 4:7, 8] o [Matt. 24:47; 25:34, 46; Luke 12:44; 22:29, 30; Rev. 3:21; 21:7]

p [2 Tim. 2:12; Heb. 12:2; 1 Pet. 1:8] 23 q Matt. 24:45, 47; 25:21 r [Ps. 16:11; John 15:10, 11] 26 s Matt. 18:32; Luke 19:22 29 t Matt. 13:12; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; [John 15:2] 30 u Matt. 8:12; 22:13; [Luke 13:28] v Matt. 7:23; 8:12; 24:51 w Ps. 112:10 31 x [Zech. 14:5]; Matt. 16:27; Mark 8:38; Acts 1:11; [1 Thess. 4:16]; 2 Thess. 1:7; [Jude 14]; Rev. 1:7 3 NU omits holy 32 y [Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:12] z Ezek. 20:38

25:10 The door was shut speaks of being shut out of the kingdom. The unwise virgins were not ready when Christ returned. Compare the wedding feast of 22:1–14 and Rev. 19:7, 8. 25:11 Lord, Lord is reminiscent of a similar cry in 7:21–23, where the same scene is portrayed. The repetition of Lord indicates strong emotion. 25:14 The parable of the talents illustrates the faithfulness required of God’s servants. The fact that the master traveled to a far country indicates that there would be ample time to test the faithfulness of the servants. 25:15 A talent was a large sum of money, about six thousand denarii. A denarius represented the day’s wage for a typical working man (20:2). 25:18 It was believed that money hidden in the ground was as secure as it could be. 25:23 The first two servants received the same reward, even though they had received different amounts of money. The reward was based on faithfulness, not on the size of their responsibilities. The smallest task in God’s work may receive a great reward if we are faithful in performing it (10:42). 25:26, 27 The wicked servant was lazy and unfaithful, because if he really had feared his master, he would at least have deposited the

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p the

into joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents be sides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, q ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into r the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You s wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 t ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant u into the outer darkness. v There will be weeping and w gnashing of teeth.’ Judgment of the Gentiles 31 x “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the 3 holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 y All the nations will be gath ered before Him, and z He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd

money with the bankers. Then the master would have received back the investment plus interest. 25:29 This proverb illustrates that a person must use what God has given or else lose it (see Heb. 5:11, 12). This includes abilities and spiritual gifts, as well as material possessions (see 1 Pet. 4:10). 25:30 The unprofitable servant is one who fails to be faithful to the tasks given by the master. This servant will not share in the rewards (8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13). 25:31 The final section of this discourse involves judgment. Matthew has been called “the Gospel of judgment” because the subject occurs so often (vv. 1–12, 14–46; 3:12; 6:2, 5, 16; 7:24–27; 13:30, 48, 49; 18:23–34; 20:1–16; 21:33–41; 22:1–14; 24:45–51). This is to be expected, since Matthew emphasizes the coming of the kingdom and thus the judgment that accompanies it. In the previous two parables, Jesus had been speaking of the judgment on those Israelites who were unprepared for the coming of the Messiah. In the last parable of this discourse, Jesus focuses His attention on all the nations of the earth. When the Son of Man comes in His glory recalls the words of Dan. 7:13, 14, 27 and anticipates the future reign of Christ (see Rev. 5:9, 10; 19:11–18; 20:4–6). 25:32 Nations here means Gentiles. Sheep and goats were both clean animals according to the Levitical law; however, their natures

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1558 | Matthew 25:33

divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the a sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, b inherit the kingdom c prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 d for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; e I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was f na ked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; g I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, h inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, i ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, j into the everlasting fire prepared for k the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer 4 Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hun gry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, l inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And m these will go away into everlasting punish ment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

33 a Ps. 79:13; 100:3; [John 10:11, 27, 28] 34 b [Rom. 8:17; 1 Pet. 1:4, 9; Rev. 21:7] c Matt. 20:23; Mark 10:40; 1 Cor. 2:9; Heb. 11:16 35 d Is. 58:7; Ezek. 18:7, 16; [James 1:27; 2:15, 16] e Job 31:32; [Heb. 13:2]; 3 John 5 36 f Is. 58:7; Ezek. 18:7, 16; [James 2:15, 16] g 2 Tim. 1:16 40 h Prov. 14:31; Matt. 10:42; Mark 9:41; Heb. 6:10 41 i Ps. 6:8; Matt. 7:23; Luke 13:27 j Matt. 13:40, 42 k [2 Pet. 2:4]; Jude 6 44 4 NU, M omit Him 45 l Prov. 14:31; Zech. 2:8; Acts 9:5 46 m [Dan. 12:2; John 5:29; Acts 24:15; Rom. 2:7] CHAPTER 26 2 a Matt. 27:35; Mark 14:1, 2; Luke 22:1, 2; John 13:1; 19:18 3 b Ps. 2:2; John 11:47; Acts 4:25 1 NU omits the scribes 4 c John 11:47; Acts 4:25-28 2 deception 5 d Matt. 21:26 6 e Matt. 8:2; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:3739; John 11:1, 2; 12:1-8 8 f John 12:4 11 g [Deut. 15:11; Mark 14:7]; John 12:8 h [Matt. 18:20; 28:20; John 13:33; 14:19; 16:5, 28; 17:11] 12 i Matt. 27:60; Luke 23:53;

are very different. Shepherds regularly herded their sheep and goats together, but there came a point when the two had to be separated. 25:34 The kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world indicates that this kingdom has always been God’s goal for humans. 25:40 Three groups are referred to in vv. 31–46: sheep, goats, and My brethren. At the very least, these “brethren” are believers in Jesus Christ. 25:46 Everlasting and eternal are used to describe both torment and life, indicating that one will last as long as the other. In fact, “everlasting” is used of God in Rom. 16:26. 26:1 As is his style, Matthew brings the discourse of the Lord to a conclusion with the words, Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished (see 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1). 26:3 The wicked Caiaphas was high priest from a.d. 18 to 37. However, Luke 3:2 says that both Annas (father-in-law of Caiaphas) and Caiaphas were high priests; Acts 4:6 calls Annas the high priest. Although Caiaphas was officially the high priest, Annas still had influence over that office. Annas was so despicable that the Roman government deposed him from office. However, he continued to work behind the scenes through his wicked son-in-law. 26:4 The religious leaders knew they could not take Christ by argu-

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The Religious Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus Mark 14:1, 2; Luke 22:1, 2

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2 a “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” 3 b Then the chief priests, 1 the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and c plotted to take Jesus by 2 trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the d people.” Mary Anoints Jesus for Burial Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8 6 And when Je sus was in e Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 f But when His disciples saw it, they were in dignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” 10 But when Je sus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 g For you have the poor with you always, but h Me you do not have al ways. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My i burial. 13 As suredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” John 19:38-42

ment or logic (22:46), and they did not dare take Him by force (21:46). Their only recourse was trickery. 26:5 This verse is to be compared with v. 2, which speaks of Christ’s full knowledge of what was coming and His acceptance that it was part of God’s plan (see John 10:18). Despite whatever people plot, God still sovereignly controls all events. 26:6 Apparently Jesus spent His nights in the village of Bethany, just a few miles outside Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. Simon was a leper who evidently had been cleansed by Jesus. He may have been the father of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha (see John 12:1, 2). 26:7 The costly fragrant oil (see Mark 14:3) was a perfume extracted from pure nard. The woman poured the costly perfume on both the head and feet of Jesus (see John 12:3). She could have opened the flask in such a way that it would have trickled out; instead, she broke the flask and poured out the oil to cover Jesus’ body (see Mark 14:3). 26:12 Jesus saw the pouring of the fragrant oil on His body as an anticipation of His death (see Mark 14:8). The perfumed ointment was placed on Jesus before His death; normally it would have been used after His death. The expensive oil points to (1) the value of Jesus’ death and (2) the high cost of devotion to Him.

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Matthew 26:34 | 1559

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus Mark 14:10, 11; Luke 22:3-6 14 j Then one of the twelve, called k Ju das Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, l “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportuni ty to betray Him.

The Passover Is Prepared Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13 17 m Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teach er says, n “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Je sus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Passover Is Celebrated Mark 14:17-21; Luke 22:14, 21-23; John 13:21, 22 20 o When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21 Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will p betray Me.” 22 And they were exceedingly sorrow ful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?” 23 He answered and said, q “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes just r as it is written of Him, but s woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is be

14 j Mark 14:10, 11; Luke 22:3-6; John 13:2, 30 k Matt. 10:4 15 l Ex. 21:32; Zech. 11:12; Matt. 27:3 17 m Ex. 12:6, 18-20 18 n Luke 9:51; John 12:23; 13:1; 17:1 20 o Mark 14:17-21; Luke 22:14; John 13:21 21 p Matt. 26:46; Mark 14:42; Luke 22:21-23; John 6:70, 71; 13:21 23 q Ps. 41:9 ; Luke 22:21; John 13:18 24 r Ps. 22; Dan. 9:26; Mark 9:12; Luke 24:25, 26, 46; Acts 17:2, 3; 26:22, 23; 1 Cor. 15:3 s Matt. 27:3-5; Luke 17:1; Acts 1:16-20 t John 17:12; Acts 1:25 26 u Mark 14:2225; Luke 22:17-20 v 1 Cor. 11:23-25 w [1 Pet. 2:24] 3 M gave thanks for 27 x Mark 14:23 28 y [Ex. 24:8; Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:20] z Jer. 31:31 a Matt. 20:28; [Rom. 5:15; Heb. 9:22] 4 NU omits new 5 forgiveness 29 b Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18 c Acts 10:41 30 d Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-34 31 e Matt. 26:56; Mark 14:27; John 16:32 f [Matt. 11:6] g Zech. 13:7  6 caused to take offense at Me 32 h Matt. 28:7, 10, 16 ; Mark 14:28; 16:7; John 21:1 33 7 caused to take offense at You

26:14 The enormity of Judas’s sin is seen in the words one of the twelve. Jesus was betrayed by one of His inner circle. Judas must have been considered a person of integrity or he would not have been trusted as treasurer. 26:15 Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave (see Ex. 21:32). Zechariah had foreshadowed this sum in his prophetic actions (in Zech. 11:12, 13). Note the contrast between the costly devotion of the woman (vv. 7–13) and the small price of Judas’s betrayal. 26:17 The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is also the day of the Passover (v. 18). The disciples were Peter and John (see Luke 22:8). 26:21 One of you will betray Me indicates the Lord’s omniscience. Repeatedly—in submission to the Father—Christ unveiled evidences of His deity to His disciples. 26:22 The disciples had already heard that Jesus was going to die in Jerusalem, but His revelation of betrayal was new (see v. 2; 16:21; 17:12, 22, 23; 20:18, 19). Is it I expects a negative response. The meaning is “I’m not the one, am I?” 26:23 The dish was a bowl of broth in which the guests dipped pieces of bread. 26:26 This is My body means “This symbolizes My body” (see 1 Cor 10:4).

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t It

trayed! would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” The Lord’s Supper Is Instituted Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19, 20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26 26 u And as they were eating, v Jesus took bread, 3 blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; w this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, x “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For y this is My blood z of the 4 new covenant, which is shed a for many for the 5 remission of sins. 29 But b I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on c un til that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Peter’s Denial Is Predicted Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:34, 39; John 13:37, 38 30 d And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, e “All of you will f be 6 made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:

g‘ I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, h I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Pe ter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are 7 made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” 34 Jesus said to him, i “Assuredly, I say 34 i Matt. 26:74, 75 ; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:34; John 13:38

26:28 This is My blood of the new covenant refers to the cov enant that had been promised in the OT (see Jer. 31:31–34; 32:37–44; Ezek. 34:25–31; 37:26–28). The Lord Jesus specifically said that His blood . . . is shed for many for the remission of sins. The word many looks back to 20:28 and anticipates the command to preach the Good News to all the world in 28:19, 20. 26:29 This verse anticipates God’s kingdom when Christ will reign on the throne of David. Today He is seated with the Father on His throne and intercedes for us. 26:31 All of you will . . . stumble: All the disciples, not just Peter, would fall away. I will strike the Shepherd . . . the flock will be scattered: This OT prophecy is found in Zech. 13:7 (see Ps. 118). 26:32 Several reasons may be offered as to why Christ went to Galilee to meet His disciples: (1) They were all from Galilee; (2) He wanted to be away from Jerusalem, the center of opposition; (3) He wanted to take up the work of shepherding His flock where He had ministered to them before; or (4) the most effective setting for the Great Commission given in 28:19, 20 would be Galilee (4:12–16). 26:34 The rooster crow is usually thought to refer to the third Roman watch, from midnight to 3 a.m.

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1560 | Matthew 26:35

to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples. Jesus’ Three Prayers Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40-46 36 j Then Je sus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and k the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply dis tressed. 38 Then He said to them, l “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and m prayed, saying, n “O My Father, if it is possible, o let this cup pass

36 j Mark 14:32-35; Luke 22:39, 40; John 18:1 37 k Matt. 4:21; 17:1; Mark 5:37 38 l John 12:27 39 m Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; [Heb. 5:7-9] n John 12:27 o Matt. 20:22

p Ps. 40:8; Is. 50:5; John 5:30; 6:38; Phil. 2:8 41 q Mark 13:33; 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46; [Eph. 6:18] r Ps. 103:14-16; [Rom. 7:15; 8:23; Gal. 5:17] 42 8 NU if this may not pass away unless 45 s Matt. 17:22, 23; 20:18, 19 9 has drawn near

26:36 Judas had already gone (see John 13:21–30), so the Lord left eight of His disciples at this spot. Gethsemane (which means “Oil Press”) was east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. In the place where olives were crushed and ground, the One anointed with oil was crushed and rent. 26:37 This was the third time that Jesus singled out Peter, James, and John to accompany Him for a specific purpose (see the Transfiguration in 17:1–13 and the raising of Jairus’s daughter in Luke 8:49–56). 26:38 My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death seems to look back to Ps. 42:5, 6, 11; 43:5. Watch literally means “stay awake.” 26:39 let this cup pass from Me: It was not the impending physical suffering, as terrible as it would be, that caused Jesus to pray this way; it was the reality of the sinless Son of God bearing the sins of the world and facing separation from His Father (see 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 12:2; 1 Pet. 2:24). Cup is a figure of speech for wrath in the OT (see Ps. 75:8; Is. 51:17). Jesus became a curse for us and took the brunt of God’s righteous wrath against sin (see Gal. 3:13). 26:40 Could you not watch with Me one hour: Although addressed to Peter, the question was meant for all three disciples. Ear-

from Me; nevertheless, p not as I will, but as You will.” 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 q Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. r The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, 8 if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour 9 is at hand, and the Son of Man is being s be trayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise,

lier Peter had claimed that he would never forsake Jesus and that he would even die for Him (v. 35); yet Peter could not stay awake to pray with Jesus at the time of His greatest need. 26:41 The disciples needed to stay awake and pray because they were about to be tested themselves. Here the word flesh emphasizes human weakness. The contrast between the weakness of the disciples and the strength of the Lord is startling. Because the flesh is weak, every child of God needs supernatural empowerment (see Rom. 8:3, 4). 26:42–44 The fact that Jesus prayed the same words indicates that there is nothing wrong with repetition from a devout heart. In the first prayer, Jesus made a positive request: “Let this cup pass from Me.” In the second and third prayers, His request was negative. In obedience to His Father, Jesus committed Himself to drink the cup, whatever the cost. 26:45 Are you still sleeping: The disciples were resting while Jesus was sweating in prayer to the point of exhaustion (see Luke 22:43, 44). 26:46 This verse shows Jesus’ active submission to the Father’s will, as He stated in v. 42. Jesus did not go reluctantly, but with determination to do the Father’s will.

The Lord’s Supper When we ask how the Lord’s Supper should be meaningful to the Christian today, three concepts—relating to the past, present, and future—can be helpful. First, the Lord’s Supper is a time of remembrance and Eucharist. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24, 25). This is not to be so much our dwelling on the agonies of the crucifixion as it is to be our remembering the marvelous life and ministry of our Savior. The Eucharist is to be an occasion for expressing our deepest praise and appreciation for all Jesus Christ has done for us. Just as one step in the Jewish Passover meal was to proclaim the Hebrews’ deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 12:26, 27), so in the Lord’s Supper Christians proclaim their deliverance from sin and misery through the death of “Christ, our Passover” (1 Cor. 5:7; 11:26). Second, the Supper is a time of refreshing and communion. As we participate in the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection life (Rom. 5:10; 1 Cor. 10:16), we are actually being nourished and empowered from the risen Christ through the Spirit. John Wesley knew of this strengthening. On the average, he received communion every four or five days throughout his long and fruitful ministerial career. It is not that God cannot empower us without the Lord’s Supper, but that He has instituted the Supper for us, even as He has designated prayer and the hearing of Scripture as means of communicating His grace. While the Bible does not tell us how often to observe the Eucharist, Wesley’s guideline—“as often as you can”—deserves our serious consideration. Third, the Supper is a time of recommitment and anticipation. We are to examine (literally “prove” or “test”) ourselves and partake in a worthy manner (1 Cor. 11:28, 29). In so doing we renew our dedication to Christ and His people, in hopeful anticipation “till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). After Christ’s return we shall partake with Him—in His physical presence—in the kingdom (Matt. 26:29).

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Matthew 26:64 | 1561

let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11 47 And t while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” u and kissed Him. 50 But Jesus said to him, v “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Je sus and took Him. 51 And sudden ly, w one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Je sus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, x for all who take the sword will 1 perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with y more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be ful filled, z that it must happen thus?” 55 In that hour Je sus said to the mul titudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the

47 t Mark 14:43-50; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:3-11; Acts 1:16 49 u 2 Sam. 20:9; [Prov. 27:6] 50 v Ps. 41:9; 55:13 51 w Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50; John 18:10 52 x Gen. 9:6; Rev. 13:10 1 M die 53 y 2 Kin. 6:17; Dan. 7:10 54 z Is. 50:6; 53:211; Luke 24:25-27, 44-46; John 19:28; Acts 13:29; 17:3; 26:23 56 a Lam. 4:20 b Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31; Mark 14:27; John 18:15 57 c Matt. 17:22; Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:54; John 18:12, 19-24 58 d John 18:15, 16 59 e Ex. 20:16; Ps. 35:11 2 NU omits the elders 60 f Ps. 27:12 ; 35:11; Mark 14:55; Acts 6:13 g Deut. 19:15 3 NU but found none, even though many false witnesses came forward. 4 NU omits false witnesses 61 h Matt. 27:40; Mark 14:58; 15:29; John 2:19; Acts 6:14 62 i Mark 14:60 63 j Ps. 38:13, 14; Is. 53:7 ; Matt. 27:12, 14; Acts 8:32

26:47 The fact that the multitude was armed with swords and clubs indicates that Judas did not really know the heart of Jesus. Christ went out to meet the multitude not to do battle, but to surrender. 26:49 The only person to address the Lord as Rabbi in the Book of Matthew was Judas (v. 25). Kissed means to kiss as a display of affection. The same verb form is used in the parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:20. 26:50 Friend: Even though He knew Judas’s wicked heart and actions, Jesus offered him friendship and an opportunity to change his mind. The words translated Why have you come may also mean “Do what you have come to do.” 26:51 John 18:10 informs us that the impetuous swordsman was Peter. This action was performed with one of the two swords that the disciples had (see Luke 22:38). 26:53 A legion in the Roman army was about six thousand men. When one considers the power of one angel, as seen in the OT (see Ex. 12:23; 2 Sam. 24:15–17; 2 Kings 19:35), the power of more than 72,000 angels is beyond comprehension. Jesus had all of heaven’s power at His disposal, yet He refused to use it. His Father’s will was for Him to go to the Cross. 26:54 If Jesus had called for angelic aid, the prophetic Scriptures foretelling His betrayal, His death, and His resurrection would not have been fulfilled. This point is so important that it is stated twice (v. 56). 26:56 all the disciples forsook Him and fled: Compare Peter’s claim in v. 35 with Jesus’ words in v. 41, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 26:57 The Lord Jesus was subjected to six trials—three Jewish trials and three Gentile trials. The first Jewish trial was before Annas, who was not the actual high priest, but was a powerful influence on the

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temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the a Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then b all the disciples forsook Him and fled. Two False Witnesses Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:54, 55, 63-65; John 18:12, 18, 24 57 c And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But d Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests, 2 the elders, and all the council sought e false testi mony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 3 but found none. Even though f many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last g two 4 false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, h ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ” 62 i And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But j Je sus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, k “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Je sus said to him, “It is as you said. k Lev. 5:1; 1 Sam. 14:24, 26; Luke 22:67-71

high priest’s office. This trial is mentioned only by John (see John 18:12–23). The second trial was before Caiaphas and the Jewish council. Clearly the council had been hastily called together in anticipation of passing judgment on Jesus. Matthew does not mention Jesus’ trial before Herod Antipas (see Luke 23:6–12); he also combines the two trials before Pilate into one (27:2, 11–26). Jesus’ opponents were trying desperately to find some legal basis for condemning Him to death. 26:58 John 18:15, 16 explains that Peter and John were both granted an entrance into the courtyard because John was known to the high priest. The servants were probably house servants, not members of the mob who arrested the Lord. Apparently, Peter had forgotten the words of Jesus concerning His resurrection. For Peter, this was the end. 26:61 This was a misquotation and misapplication of Christ’s words (see John 2:19–21). At any rate, to say that Jesus had spoken against the temple was an action for which they could condemn Him (see Acts 6:13, 14). 26:62 The high priest must have recognized that the accusers had no case against Jesus. His outburst was the result of frustration and desperation. In maintaining His silence, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Is. 53:7. 26:63 I put You under oath by the living God: The high priest thought he needed to put Christ under oath in order to get a truthful confession. Christ needed no such oath; He had indicated His divine nature and unity with the Father on several occasions (see John 8:58; 10:30–33). 26:64 Jesus answered the high priest’s request (v. 63) in the affirmative and then fortified His answer by applying two clearly messianic passages to Himself: Ps. 110:1 and Dan. 7:13.

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Nevertheless, I say to you, l hereafter you will see the Son of Man m sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 n Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blas phemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His o blasphemy! 66 What do you think?” They answered and said, p “He is de serving of death.” 67 q Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and r others struck Him with 5 the palms of their hands, 68 saying, s “Proph esy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?” Three Denials of Peter Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:55-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27 69 t Now

Peter sat outside in the court

64 l Dan. 7:13; Matt. 16:27; 24:30; 25:31; Luke 21:27; [John 1:51; Rom. 14:10; 1 Thess. 4:16]; Rev. 1:7 m Ps. 110:1; [Acts 7:55] 65 n 2 Kin. 18:37 o John 10:30-36 66 p Lev. 24:16; Matt. 20:18; John 19:7 67 q Job 16:10; Is. 50:6; 53:3 ; Lam. 3:30; Matt. 27:30 r Mic. 5:1; Luke 22:63-65; John 19:3 5 Or rods, 68 s Mark 14:65; Luke 22:64 69 t Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:55-62; John 18:16-18, 25-27 73 u Mark 14:70; Luke 22:59; John 18:26

26:65 Jesus’ claim of sitting at the right hand of God (v. 64) was an assertion of deity and was, to this unbelieving high priest, a clear case of blasphemy. 26:74 swear: Peter swore under oath that he did not know Jesus. immediately a rooster crowed: Some have detected a contradiction between this passage, where the rooster is said to crow

yard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” 71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” 73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your u speech be trays you.” 74 Then v he began to 6 curse and 7 swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” 74 v Matt. 26:34 ; Mark 14:71; Luke 22:34; John 13:38 6 call down curses 7 Swear oaths

(presumably once) after Peter denies Jesus three times, and the statement in Mark’s Gospel that the rooster would crow two times (see Mark 14:72). Others believe that to see a contradiction is simply a forced reading of the text. Matthew, Luke, and John make the simple statement that a rooster would crow (Luke 22:61; John 18:27) whereas Mark, which was based on Peter’s memories, emphasizes

The Meaning of Messiah Matthew wrote his Gospel to demonstrate to his Jewish audience that Jesus is indeed the long-awaited Messiah. Who is the Messiah and why were the Jews waiting for such a person? The Term

In Hebrew or Aramaic, the word Messiah means “anointed.” The Greek equivalent of the word is the title Christ.

Old Testament Background

In the Old Testament, prophets, priests and kings were literally anointed with oil to consecrate them for special service or to signify the endowment of the Spirit of God (Lev. 4:3; 8:12; 1 Sam. 10:1, 6; Ps. 105:15; Is. 61:1). These practices pointed to the promised arrival of God’s Anointed One, who would fulfill all three offices as the Prophet, the Priest, and the King.

Titles for the Messiah

Seed of Abraham (Ps. 105:6); Son of David (Matt. 1:1); Son of Man (Dan. 7:13); My Son (Ps. 2:7); My Servant (Matt. 12:18); My Elect One (Is. 42:1); The Branch (Zech. 3:8; 6:12); Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6)

Major Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah

Gen. 3:15; 9:27; 12:3; 22:18; 49:8, 10; Deut. 18:18; 2 Sam. 7:11–16; 23:5; Ps. 2; 16; 22; 40; 110; Is. 2; 7; 9; 11; 40; 42; 49; 52; 53; Jer. 23:5, 6; Dan. 7:27; Hag. 2:9; Zech. 12:10–14; Mal. 3:1; 4:5, 6

Jewish Expectations for the Messiah

In the first century, the Jews looked for a Messiah who would deliver the nation from Roman domination, become their King, and rebuild the nation of Israel to its former glory. By looking for a military deliverer and a political Messiah, the Jews minimized the messianic roles of prophet and priest. Thus many Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah because He came as a humble spiritual Savior and not a conquering political ruler.

The Messiah’s Rule

Jesus indicated that He was the King for whom the Jews were looking. However, His kingdom was not an earthly kingdom but a heavenly kingdom. In Matthew there are 32 references to the “kingdom of heaven.” This phrase, found in the New Testament only in Matthew’s Gospel, is probably derived from the description of the kingdom of the Son of Man in Dan. 7:13–18. The phrase indicates the rule of heaven over all of the earth (Matt. 6:10).

Jesus’ Claim

When asked specifically if He was the Christ, Jesus answered in the affirmative, incurring the wrath of the Jews (Matt. 26:63–65). In addition, Jesus praised Peter for recognizing Him as the Anointed One of God (Matt. 16:15–20).

Significance

The title Messiah implies the idea of deity. The great prophet Moses, the priest Melchizedek, and even the glorious King David pale in comparison to the messianic Prophet-Priest-King. In the words of Heb. 1, Jesus Christ is the “brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person” (v. 3). In short, He is God (v. 8).

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Matthew 27:21 | 1563 75 And

Immediately a rooster crowed. Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, w “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly. Jesus Is Delivered to Pilate Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66; 23:1; John 18:28

When morning came, a all the chief priests and elders of the peo ple plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and b delivered Him to 1 Pontius Pilate the governor. Judas Repents

75 w Matt. 26:34; Luke 22:61; John 13:38 CHAPTER 27 1 a Ps. 2:2; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66; 23:1; John 18:28 2 b Matt. 20:19; Luke 18:32; Acts 3:13  1 NU omits Pontius 3 c Matt. 26:14 d Matt. 26:15 5 e 2 Sam. 17:23; Matt. 18:7; 26:24 ; John 17:12; Acts 1:18 8 f Acts 1:19 9 g Zech. 11:12 

Acts 1:18, 19 3 c Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorse ful and brought back the thirty d pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 say ing, “I have sinned by betraying in nocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and e departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they con sulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called f the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, g “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they

Jesus Is Examined Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:2-5; John 18:29-38 11 Now

Jesus stood before the governor. the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, j “It is as you say.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, k He an swered nothing. 13 Then Pi late said to Him, l “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor mar veled greatly. i And

Barabbas Is Freed Mark 15:6-14; Luke 23:17-23; John 18:39, 40

10 h Jer. 32:6-9; Zech. 11:12, 13  11 i Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:2, 3; John 18:29-38 j John 18:37; 1 Tim. 6:13 12 k Ps. 38:13, 14; Matt. 26:63; John 19:9 13 l Matt. 26:62; John 19:10 15 m Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:17-25; John 18:39–19:16 16 2 NU Jesus Barabbas 18 n Matt. 21:38; [John 15:22-25] 20 o Mark 15:11; Luke 23:18; John 18:40; Acts 3:14

the exact number of times the rooster would crow. The number of times would be sharp in Peter’s memory and interest. The other Gospel writers were concerned only with the sign in general. 26:75 He went out and wept bitterly indicates Peter’s genuine repentance. In His grace, the Lord later forgave Peter. 27:1 This was the third Jewish trial. The first two were illegal because they were held at night. This third meeting was held when morning came and was simply a “rubber stamp” of the one described in 26:57–68. 27:2 Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea from a.d. 26–36. Because the Jews did not have authority to execute Jesus (see John 18:31), they brought Him to Pilate. 27:3 Judas felt remorse because he had not planned for this to happen; he may have betrayed Jesus in order to force Him to take action against His enemies and inaugurate His kingdom. But that was not God’s timing and plan. 27:5 Acts 1:18 says that the death of Judas was due to a headlong fall. The likely explanation is that Judas hanged himself on a tree, only to have the rope or branch break. If the tree was over a rocky precipice, the account in Acts can be correlated with this account. 27:6 The religious leaders, who had no problem condemning an innocent person to death, suddenly became very scrupulous about the Law. Because of Deut. 23:18, it was felt that blood money should not be used for religious purposes.

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of the children of Israel priced, 10 and h gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”

15 m Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prison er called 2 Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of n envy. 19 While he was sitting on the judg ment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” 20 o But the chief priests and elders per suaded the multitudes that they should ask for Ba rabbas and destroy Je sus. 21 The governor answered and said to

27:7 Originally this plot of ground was known as the potter’s field, a place where potters dug for clay. Consequently, it was full of holes, which would have made it easy to bury people who had no family tombs. It was purchased as a cemetery for strangers who died in Jerusalem. It is likely Gentiles were also buried there. 27:9, 10 This prophecy is found in Zech. 11:12, 13; however, Matthew states that the prophecy was made by Jeremiah. The best solution to the problem seems to be that the prophecy was spoken by Jeremiah and recorded by Zechariah. A second option is that the name Jeremiah stands for the collection of prophetic writings in which Zechariah is found. It may also be that in the days of Christ, the Book of Jeremiah headed the books of the prophets. The quotation is then identified with the name of the first book in the section and not the name of the specific book within the group. 27:11 The title King of the Jews has not been used in Matthew’s Gospel since 2:2. Clearly Pilate’s charge against the Lord Jesus was prompted by Jewish religious leaders. 27:16–18 Barabbas was notorious because he was an insurrectionist and a murderer (see Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19, 25). Evidently Pilate assumed the Jews would choose Jesus to be released over a murderer like Barabbas. Jesus had only gone about doing good. 27:19 Only Matthew records this incident concerning Pilate’s wife. It highlights Pilate’s sense of responsibility; he did not want to condemn an innocent man.

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1564 | Matthew 27:22

them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, p “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” 23 Then the governor said, q “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” 24 When Pi late saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a 3 tumult was rising, he r took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this 4 just Person. You see to it.” 25 And all the people answered and said, s “His blood be on us and on our children.” Jesus Is Scourged Mark 15:15-17; Luke 23:24, 25; John 19:16 26 Then he released Ba rabbas to them; and when t he had 5 scourged Jesus, he de livered Him to be crucified. 27 u Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the 6 Praetorium and gath ered the whole 7 garrison around Him. 28 And they v stripped Him and w put a scarlet robe on Him.

Jesus Is Led to Golgotha Mark 15:18-22; Luke 23:26-33; John 19:17 29 x When

they had 8 twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him,

21 p Acts 3:14 23 q Acts 3:13 24 r Deut. 21:6-8 3 an uproar 4 NU omits just 25 s Deut. 19:10; Josh. 2:19; 2 Sam. 1:16; 1 Kin. 2:32; Acts 5:28 26 t [Is. 50:6; 53:5] ; Matt. 20:19; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:16, 24, 25; John 19:1, 16 5 flogged with a Roman scourge 27 u Mark 15:1620; John 19:2 6 The governor’s headquarters 7 cohort 28 v Mark 15:17; John 19:2 w Luke 23:11 29 x Ps. 69:19; Is. 53:3 ; Matt. 20:19; Mark 10:34; Luke 18:32 8 Lit. woven 30 y Is. 50:6 ; 52:14; Mic. 5:1; Matt. 26:67; Mark 10:34; 14:65; 15:19 31 z Is. 53:7; Matt. 20:19 32 a 1 Kin. 21:13; Acts 7:58; Heb. 13:12 b Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26; John 19:17 33 c Mark 15:22-32; Luke 23:33-43; John 19:17 34 d Ps. 69:21 ; Matt. 27:48 9 NU omits sour 35 e Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:24 f Ps. 22:18  1 NU, M omit the rest of v. 35. 36 g Ps. 22:17; Matt.

27:24 The religious authorities, who wanted to avoid a riot earlier, here used a tumult (the same Greek noun as in 26:5) to accomplish their goal. The tenure of Pilate had been rocked by conflicts with the Jews from the very beginning. He could scarcely have afforded another one on his record. Once again, Pilate pronounced Jesus to be innocent. The washing of his hands is recorded only by Matthew. The governor vainly attempted to rid himself of the guilt of condemning an innocent man to death (see Deut. 21:1–9; Ps. 73:13). 27:25 His blood be on us and on our children: The destruction of Jerusalem was one of the results of this sin (23:32–39). 27:26 when he had scourged Jesus: Scourging was a life-threatening punishment. Evidently this was an attempt by Pilate to punish Jesus so severely that the people would have pity and say, “It is enough; release Him” (see John 19:4, 5). However, the mob cried out for Jesus to be crucified (John 19:6). 27:27 The Praetorium was the official residence of the governor when he was in Jerusalem. It was originally built as a palace for Herod the Great. 27:28–30 The soldiers mocked Jesus for claiming to be a king. Note the references to the robe, the crown, the scepter (reed), and the praise. 27:31 crucified: Crucifixion, a practice probably adopted from Persia, was considered by the Romans to be the cruelest form of execution. This punishment was reserved for the worst criminals; Roman citizens were not crucified. The victim usually died after two or three days of agonizing suffering, enduring thirst, exhaustion, and exposure. The victim’s arms were nailed to a beam, which was

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saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then y they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, z and led Him away to be crucified. 32 a Now as they came out, b they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33 c And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 d they gave Him 9 sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tast ed it, He would not drink. Jesus Is Crucified Mark 15:23-32; Luke 23:33-43; John 19:18-24 35 e Then they crucified Him, and di vided His garments, casting lots, 1 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

f“ They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” 36 g Sit ting

down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they h put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 i Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. 27:54  37 h Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19 38 i Is. 53:9, 12; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:32, 33; John 19:18

hoisted up and fixed to a post, to which the feet of the victim would be nailed. The body weight was supported by a peg on which the victim sat. 27:32 Compelled, the same verb used in 5:41, refers to the Roman government’s right of impressment, the right of the Roman army to demand labor from a person. The scourging undoubtedly left Jesus weak and unable to carry His cross, so a Roman guard ordered Simon to carry it. Simon must have been (or later became) a Christian; it is unlikely that he would be referred to by name if he were a stranger to the Christian community. This Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus (see Mark 15:21). Cyrene, located in North Africa, was home to a large number of Jews (see Acts 6:9). 27:33 The reason the site was called Place of a Skull is not known for certain; possibly the hill or mound looked something like a skull. 27:34 Sour wine mingled with gall would have dulled Jesus’ pain and consciousness. Jesus refused it; He wanted to drink His cup of suffering fully aware of all that was happening (see Ps. 69:21). 27:35 The executioners had the privilege of taking the victim’s clothes. In casting lots for Jesus’ garments, the soldiers fulfilled Ps. 22:18. 27:36 Perhaps the soldiers kept watch to prevent anyone from trying to rescue Jesus from the Cross. 27:37 Putting the Gospel accounts together, the accusation probably read “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (see Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). 27:38 two robbers were crucified with Him: This is in fulfillment of Is. 53:12, “He was numbered with the transgressors.” Luke record-

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who passed by blas phemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, k “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! l If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 Likewise the chief priests also, mock ing with the 2 scribes and elders, said, 42 “He m saved others; Himself He cannot save. 3 If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe 4 Him. 43 n He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 o Even the robbers who were cruci fied with Him reviled Him with the same thing. Jesus Dies Mark 15:33-37; Luke 23:44-46; John 19:28-30 45 p Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour q Je sus cried out with a loud voice, say ing, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, r “My God, My God, why have You for saken Me?” 47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, s filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

39 j Job 16:4; Ps. 22:7 ; 109:25; Lam. 2:15; Mark 15:29; Luke 23:35 40 k Matt. 26:61; John 2:19 l Matt. 26:63 41 2 M scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders 42 m [Matt. 18:11; John 3:14, 15] 3 NU omits If 4 NU, M in Him 43 n Ps. 22:8  44 o Mark 15:32; Luke 23:39-43 45 p Amos 8:9; Mark 15:33-41; Luke 23:44-49 46 q [Heb. 5:7] r Ps. 22:1  48 s Ps. 69:21; Mark 15:36; Luke 23:36; John 19:29 50 t Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30 u Dan. 9:26; Zech. 11:10, 11; Matt. 17:23; [John 10:18; 1 Cor. 15:3] 51 v Ex. 26:31; 2 Chr. 3:14; Zech. 11:10 ; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; Heb. 9:3 54 w Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47 x Matt. 14:33 55 y Mark 15:41; Luke 8:2, 3 56 z Matt. 28:1; Mark 15:40, 47; 16:9; Luke 8:2; John 19:25; 20:1, 18 5 NU Joseph 57 a Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42

ed that one of these robbers believed and was promised that he would join Jesus in paradise that very day (Luke 23:39–43). 27:39 Psalm 22:7 predicted the insults that would be directed at the Messiah. 27:40 For a similar falsehood at Jesus’ trial, see 26:61. Jesus’ actual words were: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). In three days, Jesus rose from the dead, thereby fulfilling this prophecy. 27:41–43 Jesus would not come down from the Cross because He was the Son of God and the King of Israel (see John 10:18). He was obediently following God’s plan for Him; His obedience would lead to His exaltation as King over all (Phil. 2:8–11). Compare the religious leaders’ taunts with Ps. 22:8. 27:45 The sixth hour was noon. The darkness was not due to an eclipse of the sun, since the Passover occurred at full moon. This was a supernatural occurrence. 27:46 The physical darkness was a demonstration of the agony of the Lord’s human soul. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me: The duplication of “My God, My God” indicates Jesus’ deep sorrow. The fact that Jesus spoke in Aramaic, the tongue of His birth, may be another sign of the extreme stress He was encountering. No human can understand the theological significance of this cry. It graphically parallels 2 Cor. 5:21. This was not a cry of defeat, however. Christ was quoting from Ps. 22 and may have been alluding to the great victory that the psalm describes. 27:48 Sour wine was the cheap wine used by soldiers and the lower class. Christ may have accepted this in order to give Himself enough moisture and strength to cry out again with a loud voice (v. 50). 27:50 The loud voice (v. 46) indicates that Jesus was still fairly strong when He yielded up His spirit. The cry referred to by Matthew was “It is finished” (see John 19:30). This was not a cry of exhaustion, but a cry of victory. The purpose for which Jesus

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49 The

rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” 50 And Jesus t cried out again with a loud voice, and u yielded up His spirit. Signs Accompanying Jesus’ Death Mark 15:38-41; Luke 23:45, 47-49 51 Then, behold, v the veil of the tem ple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fall en asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 w So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, x “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 And many women y who followed Je s us from Gal i l ee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 z among whom were Mary Magda lene, Mary the mother of James and 5 Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Jesus Is Buried Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-55; John 19:38-42 57 Now a when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a

came was fulfilled. Redemption for the sins of the world had been accomplished. Satan’s judgment was a fact. The verb translated yielded means “dismissed.” Even in dying the Lord demonstrated His royal authority. 27:51 the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom: The temple had two veils or curtains—one in front of the Holy Place and the other separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. It was the second of these that was torn, demonstrating that God had opened up access to Himself through His Son (see Heb. 6:19; 10:19–22). Only God could have torn the veil from the top. 27:52, 53 many bodies of the saints . . . were raised: Because the Lord Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (see Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5) and the firstfruits of those who are asleep (see 1 Cor. 15:20, 23), these people could not have received their resurrection bodies. They probably were raised, as Lazarus was, to ordinary physical life. The fact that the people who were raised appeared to many in the holy city implies that they had been contemporaries of the people who saw them. 27:54 The centurion and those with him may have heard the exchanges between Pilate and Jesus (v. 11); they certainly witnessed the taunts recorded in vv. 40, 43. The supernatural signs convinced them that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. Significantly, this confession of faith came from a Gentile. 27:55, 56 Three women who were faithful to the Lord Jesus to the end are named: Mary Magdalene; Mary the mother of James and Joses, the wife of Clopas (see John 19:25); and the mother of James and John, wife of Zebedee, named Salome (see Mark 15:40). 27:57 Arimathea was about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Mark 15:43 describes Joseph as “a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God.” Luke 23:50 describes him as “a good and just man.” But Matthew describes him as rich, a fulfillment of Is. 53:9.

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disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pi late and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and b laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting 6 opposite the tomb. 62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Phari sees gathered together to Pi late, 63 say ing, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, c ‘Af ter three days I will rise.’ 64 There fore command that the tomb be made se cure until the third day, lest His disciples come 7 by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pi late said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, d sealing the stone and setting the guard. The Empty Tomb Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-11

Now a after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene b and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for c an angel of the Lord descended from heav en, and came and rolled back the stone

60 b Is. 53:9 ; Matt. 26:12 61 6 in front of 63 c Matt. 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 26:61; Mark 8:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 13:33; 24:6, 7; John 2:19 64 7 NU omits by night 66 d Dan. 6:17 CHAPTER 28 1 a Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-10; John 20:1-8 b Matt. 27:56, 61 2 c Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12

1 NU omits from the door 3 d Dan. 7:9; 10:6; Mark 9:3; John 20:12; Acts 1:10 4 e Rev. 1:17 6 f Hos. 6:2; Ps. 16:10; 49:15; Matt. 12:40; 16:21 ; 17:23; 20:19 7 g Matt. 26:32; 28:10, 16; Mark 16:7 9 h Mark 16:9; John 20:14 2 NU omits as they went to tell His disciples 10 i Ps. 22:22; John 20:17; Rom. 8:29; [Heb. 2:11]

27:61 The two Marys are also mentioned in v. 56. These women were witnesses to the burial of Jesus. 27:62 The next day was the Sabbath. The chief priests were Sadducees. The Pharisees and the Sadducees’ common animosity toward Jesus united them. 27:63 The Sadducees and Pharisees described the Lord Jesus as that deceiver when, in reality, they were the deceivers (26:4) and hypocrites (23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29). 27:64 For emphasis, the verb secure is used three times in vv. 64–66. 27:65 The noun translated guard is a Latin word, since the soldiers were Romans and not part of the temple guard. 27:66 To emphasize the impossibility of anyone stealing the body of Jesus, Matthew stressed that the tomb was sealed (see Dan. 6:17). 28:1–15 Although Matthew is brief in his discussion of the resurrection of Christ, he defends it very carefully. The Resurrection was attested by several witnesses, including an angel, various soldiers, and the women at the tomb (vv. 1–8). The tomb with Jesus’ body in it was sealed (27:66), but later the body was not found there (vv. 6, 8). The excuse of the soldiers was illogical (vv. 11–15). No Roman soldier would admit sleeping on the job, as the punishment for this was death. Finally, Jesus Himself appeared to many of His disciples, providing even more witnesses to His resurrection from the dead (vv. 16–20). Matthew presents the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection with precision because the doctrine is essential to the Christian faith. The Resurrection is a sign that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (12:38, 39), and the Resurrection validates the Lord’s

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1 from the door, and sat on it. 3 d His coun tenance was like lightning, and his cloth ing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like e dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was cru cified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, f as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed g He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

The Appearance of Jesus to the Women 9 And 2 as they went to tell His disci ples, behold, h Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell i My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” The Bribery of the Soldiers 11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and con sulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and

own prophecies of it (16:21; 17:22, 23; 20:17–19). In 1 Cor. 15:12–19, Paul emphasizes the importance of the Resurrection by listing a series of consequences if the doctrine is denied. 28:1 after the Sabbath: The Sabbath ended at sundown on Saturday. The events of this verse took place at dawn on Sunday morning. The two Marys are those identified in 27:56, 61. 28:2 An earthquake marked the death of the Lord Jesus (27:51); here it evidenced His resurrection. The tomb was not opened to permit Christ to come out, but to allow others in so they could see that it was empty. 28:3 Brilliance is a characteristic of heavenly beings (see 17:2; Dan. 7:9; 10:5, 6; Acts 1:10; Rev. 3:4, 5; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13; 19:14). 28:6 He is risen, as He said: For Jesus’ predictions of His resurrection, see 12:40; 16:21; 17:9, 23; 26:32. 28:7 The Lord Jesus made post-resurrection appearances first in Jerusalem and Judea, then in Galilee, and then again in Jerusalem. Both ch. 28 and John 21 emphasize the appearances in Galilee. Christ’s command to “come, see” (v. 6) is followed here by go . . . tell. This is always the divine order: to tell others the Good News about our Lord. 28:10 Galilee was the appointed location for Jesus’ rendezvous with His disciples (v. 7; 26:32) and was also the setting of the Great Commission (vv. 18–20). Note that the Lord referred to His disciples as His brethren (see 12:48–50; Ps. 22:22; Heb. 2:11, 12). 28:11 The Roman guards reported to the chief priests because they had been assigned for duty to the religious authorities (27:65). 28:13 His disciples . . . stole Him away while we slept: Besides

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stole Him away while we slept.’ if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. 14 And

The Appearance of Jesus to the Disciples 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Gal i lee, to the mountain j which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some k doubted.

16 j Matt. 26:32; 28:7, 10; Mark 14:28; 15:41; 16:7 17 k John 20:24-29 18 l [Dan. 7:13, 14]; Matt. 11:27; Luke 1:32; 10:22; John 3:35; Acts 2:36; Rom. 14:9; 1 Cor. 15:27; [Eph. 1:10, 21]; Phil. 2:9, 10; [Heb. 1:2]; 1 Pet. 3:22 19 m Mark 16:15 n Is. 52:10; Luke 24:47; [Acts 2:38, 39]; Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:23 3 M omits

being a lie, this was a very weak explanation. If a guard was found sleeping at his post or if a prisoner escaped, the guard would be put to death (see Acts 12:19; 16:27, 28; 27:42). It may have been possible for one soldier to sleep, but it is highly improbable that all of them slept at the same time. Also, sleeping people do not make good witnesses: If they were asleep, how did they know what happened? 28:15 Until this day refers specifically to the time of the writing of Matthew’s Gospel; however, this explanation is current even today. 28:16, 17 When the eleven disciples went away into Galilee they were probably accompanied by many more people. This may be the appearance to more than five hundred people mentioned by Paul in 1 Cor. 15:6. This may explain why some doubted; after all, the Eleven were confirmed believers in the resurrected Christ by this time (see John 20:19–28). 28:18 All authority has been given to Jesus, although He is not yet exercising all of it (see Phil. 2:9–11; Heb. 2:5–9; 10:12, 13; Rev. 3:21). He will manifest this power when He returns in all His glory (see 19:28; 1 Cor. 15:27, 28; Eph. 1:10). The word authority normally

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The Great Commission 18 And Je sus came and spoke to them, saying, l “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 m Go 3 therefore and n make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 o teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am p with you always, even to the end of the age.” 4 Amen. therefore 20 o [Acts 2:42] p [Acts 4:31; 18:10; 23:11] 4 NU omits Amen.

refers to delegated authority (as in 8:9; 9:6, 8; 10:1; 21:23, 24, 27). The Father would give this authority to the Son (Phil. 2:9–11). Here the Lord Jesus may have been recalling the prophecy recorded in Dan. 7:13, 14. 28:19, 20 Therefore shows that the Great Commission rests on the authority of Christ. Because He has authority over all, everyone needs to hear His gospel. While vv. 18–20 are commonly known as the Great Commission, they should not be thought of as the first call for world evangelism. See Gen. 12:1–3 for God’s command that Abraham and his descendants should be a blessing to all nations. make disciples: Making disciples involves three steps: going, baptizing, and teaching. It was assumed that when a person trusted in the Lord Jesus, he or she would be baptized. The word name is singular, although it is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together. This verse is another indication that God is one in three Persons. I am with you always demonstrates that Jesus is the true Immanuel, “God with us” (see 1:23; Heb. 13:5, 6; Rev. 21:3).

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