Matthew 9 - More About His Authority and Laborers for the Harvest

LINK: Matthew 9

BACKGROUND

39. Jesus heals a paralyzed man: Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26

Storytelling: Jesus Heals and Forgives Sins: audio and script

Jesus continues to demonstrate His authority. Apparently, the illness of the paralytic was a result of his sin. Only God could forgive sins (Mark 2:7; Luke 5:21). So, He was making a very bold statement about His divinity in this passage by forgiving the man's sin. I had always been confused about saying He has the power to forgive sins but then saying "Rise, take up your pallet and walk" instead until I read Luke 5:24 in the Message version:

Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both.…” He now spoke directly to the paraplegic: “Get up. Take your bedroll and go home. (Luke 5:24)  

Of course, this enraged the religious leaders and caused them to begin to oppose Jesus. Jesus knew their thoughts (another example of His divinity) and questioned them. The religious leaders may not have been impressed, but the crowd was filled with awe! 

40. Jesus eats with sinners at Matthew's house: Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17, Luke 5:27-32

This is the story of the calling of the author of the gospel of Matthew (also called Levi). He was a tax collector but left this occupation to follow Him. Jesus accepted people from every level of society, even tax collectors and sinners.

Jesus was not going to follow the tradition of the Pharisees, but He was going to go to those who KNEW they had need because they were sinners. The Pharisees followed tradition without any sort of compassion for those who were spiritually sick.

41. Religious leaders ask Jesus about fasting: Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22, Luke 5:33-39

John's disciples wanted to know why Jesus' disciples did not observe the tradition of the fast.  Pious Jews fasted regularly as a sign of repentance and in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.  Jesus was saying there was no need to fast because the Messiah had already come! It was a time for feasting and celebration rather than fasting. Jesus was inaugurating something new by leading them out of Judaism and into the kingdom based on a relationship with the King (Him) and pursuing His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). 

By the way, there was really only one prescribed fast in the Old Testament, and that was during the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23), but it was often practiced by the people (Remember Anna who served God by fasting and prayer in the temple from Luke 2?).

89. Jesus restores a girl to life and heals a bleeding woman: Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56

Try this recorded Imaginative Contemplation on this passage.

The story of Jairus' daughter is "sandwiched" around the story of the bleeding woman in all three gospel accounts.

Jairus asked Jesus to heal his dying daughter, but he had to wait for Jesus to heal the bleeding woman. It was a test of faith for him because his daughter died as he waited, but it was an opportunity for Jesus' power over death to be displayed!

Jesus told him to not be afraid (it might be wise to mark how many times Jesus said this in His ministry).  Essentially, He was saying, "Stop fearing in unbelief, and just keep believing." Mark records Jesus as speaking in Aramaic (a Jewish language related to Hebrew). He translated it into Greek, perhaps for his Greek-speaking, Gentile readers: "Little girl . . . get up." 

The bleeding woman had what might have been a menstrual disorder or a uterine hemorrhage. This would make her ritually "unclean" (Leviticus 15:25-27) and would exclude her from social relations. This was a double whammy of physical illness and socio-religious isolation!

Many touched Jesus, but He realized the touch of faith of this woman, and she was instantly healed. He called her "daughter," and this is the only recorded use of this term by Jesus in the gospel accounts. 

90. Jesus heals the blind and mute: Matthew 9:27-34

The two blind men addressed Him as the Son of David which showed they were aware that He was in the messianic line (Matthew 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31). This faith resulted in their healing. Even though Jesus warned them not to tell, they spread the news about Him throughout the region. 

This is also symbolic of His power over darkness. He made darkness into light before them. Blindness is also symbolic of spiritual unbelief and ignorance (Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 15:14; Romans 11:25). He would not only heal physical blindness but spiritual blindness as well.

Jesus delivered the dumb (mute), demon-possessed man. While this was caused by a demon, not all physical afflictions are caused by demonic influence (Matthew 10:8). This healing and deliverance caused the multitudes to marvel, but the religious leaders accused Him of casting out demons by the power of the devil. 

Jesus refutes this in Matthew 12:22-37 which is later in the Matthew chapters but already covered chronologically in Event #74. (Matthew's gospel is all broken up when you look at it chronologically!)

92. Jesus urges the disciples to pray for workers: Matthew 9:35-38 

Matthew 8:35 again reveals Jesus' threefold ministry already communicated in Matthew 4:23: 

1. Teaching in the synagogues (to the Jews who were His primary target because they knew the prophecies about Him and would be His agents to spread the news), 
2. Preaching the good news of the kingdom (which involved entrance by faith and not traditions), and 
3. Healing disease and sickness (to authenticate His divinity). The crowds formed, and He felt "deep sympathy" (splanchnizomai in Greek) for them because their current shepherds had not led them on a path to the kingdom. 

Jesus wanted additional workers so that He could delegate the task of reaching others with the good news of the kingdom after He went back to be with the Father. He asked the disciples to pray toward this end. 

REFLECTION/APPLICATION

I remember exactly the time (1979) and place (Aldersgate Conference Center) when Ron York, of the Navigators, challenged us to pray for laborers for the harvest! It was life-changing, and I have been doing it ever since. And after all these years, I have seen so many wonderful things happening!

There are people all over the world who have yet to hear the good news of the kingdom. Let's pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out workers into His harvest fields!

Operation World is a great place to start. 

PRAYER

Lord of the harvest, would You please send out people who will labor in the harvest fields of the world. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

Matthew 8 - Jesus' Authority and the Cost of Discipleship

LINK: Matthew 8

Matthew 8 is not chronological. Notice how the numbers from the 250 Events in the Life of Christ go back and forth!

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38. Jesus heals a man with leprosy: Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16

Jesus demonstrated His power over disease, demonic forces, and men. He healed the man with leprosy. It is interesting to note that there was no record of any Israelite being healed from leprosy other than Miriam (Numbers 12:10-15). Jesus instructed the man to go to the priest as a testimony. The priests were men of influence, and it was important for the man to go to a priest first (even though the Mark account records that he did not do so) so that he could be examined and the miracle eventually be known via influential channels.

68. A Roman officer demonstrates faith: Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10

At this point, Jesus' fame increases, and He begins to place a greater emphasis on repentance.  

This healing was significant because it was a Gentile Roman centurion (a commander of one hundred soldiers) who approached Jesus as Lord. He was a man of great faith and recognized Jesus' authority because He believed that Jesus had the power and authority to heal his servant from a distance. This story is important because it demonstrated the need for faith to enter the kingdom and that even a Gentile could enter if he had faith. This flew against conventional wisdom that said that you had to be a Jew to enter. Salvation is by faith alone. The Luke account records the sending of messengers.

35. Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law and many others: Matthew 8:14-17, Mark 1:29-34, Luke 4:38-41

Notice how out of order this event is in Matthew. This author points out that Jesus' healing is a fulfillment of prophecy in Isaiah 53:4 because he is writing for a Jewish audience. 

Both Mark and Luke indicate the miracle of Peter's mother-in-law occurred right after Jesus taught with authority and rebuked the unclean spirit. The news was spreading and at the end of the Sabbath day, when healing was permissible, people were bringing the sick to him, and demons knew who Jesus was even if the people did not yet. 

122. Jesus teaches about the cost of following him: Matthew 8:18-22, Luke 9:51-62  (note how far out of sync this is with the other numbers in the chronology) 

In the chronological account, Jesus had already predicted his death two times (Luke 9:21-27, 44-45). Jesus knew that His ministry days were numbered, and He needed to leave a band of followers 100% committed to His work. So, He taught them about the cost of following Him.

What does it take to be a disciple of Jesus? It involves being willing to give up everything. Jesus' response to the teacher of the Law revealed that the man wanted fame because he was following this "rising star" rabbi named Jesus. Jesus revealed it would not involve fame or prominence. His response to the second man demonstrated that discipleship was a full-time, full-life occupation, costing everything. 

87. Jesus calms the storm:  Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25

Try this Imaginative Contemplation of the passage in Mark.

Bible Storytelling: Jesus Commands Nature

Violent storms often arose on the small Sea of Galilee (thirteen miles long and eight miles wide). Jesus asserts His deity by causing the storm to cease with a mere word!  He rebuked His disciples for their "little faith." This is in contrast to the "great faith" of the Gentile centurion in Matthew 8:5-13. 

88. Jesus sends demons into a heard of pigs: Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39 

Storytelling: Jesus Casts Out Demons: audio and script

This event probably occurred in a small town called Gergesa which is now modern-day Khersa. It is located on the Sea of Galilee's eastern shore, and most of the people who lived there were Gentiles. We know this because farmers on the east side of the Sea of Galilee were raising pigs for the predominantly Gentile population since Jews considered pigs "unclean" (Leviticus 11:7). 

The man came out of the tombs which were sometimes places where demented people dwelt. Matthew mentioned two demoniacs, but Mark and Luke put their attention on just one who asked to become a disciple of the Lord. The demons possessing the men knew that Jesus was the "Son of the Most High God."  This title was often used in the Old Testament by Gentiles to refer to the God of Israel as above any of their pagan gods (Genesis 14:18-24; Numbers 24:16; Isaiah 14:14; Daniel 3:26; 4:2). 

The name of the demon was Legion. This was a Latin word denoting a Roman army of about 6,000 soldiers. These men were greatly oppressed by a host of demons! Jesus' authority was demonstrated because He gave the demons "permission" to go into the swine. 

The significance of Jesus delivering the Gerasene demoniacs is that they were obviously Gentiles. Jesus was showing that His ministry reach and care was not just to the Jews but to the Gentiles also. It was God's plan all along that Gentiles would be reached with the Good News. 

After one of the men was healed, he asked to accompany Jesus, but Jesus told him to go and tell his family all that the Lord had done. This spread the Good News among the Gentiles in the Decapolis (a league of 10 Greek cities with all but one east of the Jordan).   

REFLECTION/APPLICATION

Miracles and deliverance were a big part of Jesus' ministry to authenticate His authority.  Do you believe it should be a part of our ministry today? 

You can read about this issue in these short articles by John Piper (the audio is much longer, but the written articles are very succinct):

What Are We Up Against? 
How is the Kingdom Present?  
Are Signs and Wonders for Today? 
Gifts of Healings and Workings of Miracles

Also, it would be really valuable for you to gain insight into demonic oppression by reading this book by my good friend, Tom White:

You can buy it on Amazon HERE.

PRAYER

We believe in Your authority to heal disease, overcome evil forces, and change even the forces of nature. We praise You for Your power and authority, and we want to be men and women of faith as we walk as Your disciples. Help us to do so. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Matthew 7 - Part III: Kingdom Living Continued

LINK: Matthew 7

BACKGROUND

Jesus teaches about . . . 

63. Jesus teaches about judging others: Matthew 7:1-6, Luke 6:37-42

Jesus builds up what he said about loving our enemies by telling us that we always reap what we sow. If we judge and condemn others, we will be judged and condemned ourselves. When we pardon and give, it will lead to pardon and giving in return.

64. Asking, looking, knocking: Matthew 7:7-12

It is important to note that the Greek tense in these three verbs implies to "keep asking, keep seeking (looking), keep knocking." 

65. The way to heaven: Matthew 7:13-14

Luke 13:24 is a cross-reference for these verses even though it is not considered the same instance of Jesus saying this. Jesus' way is very narrow in that it comes one way, through belief in Jesus (John 10:7-9; John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5).

66. Jesus teaches about the fruit in people's lives: Matthew 7:15-20, Luke 6:43-45

Just as we can identify a tree by the fruit it bears, people will know what kind of person we really are by the fruit that we bear.  The fruit of our mouth will reveal what is in our hearts! 

67. Jesus teaches about building on a solid foundation: Matthew 7:21-29, Luke 6:46-49

Jesus gives an illustration of the house built on the rock versus the house built on the sand (Matthew 7:21-29) to illustrate that we must act upon what we believe. We cannot just give lip service to what we believe. We have to act on our beliefs. This is the first parable mentioned in the book of Luke.  See James 1:22-27.

Today concludes the first of six long discourses Jesus makes in the book of Matthew:

1) Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5-7) 

2) Charge to the Twelve Disciples (Chapter 10) 

3) Kingdom Parables (Chapter 13) 

4) Greatness teachings (Chapter 18) 

5) "Woes" to the Pharisees (Chapter 23) 

6) Discourse on Mount of Olives (Chapters 24-25)

REFLECTION

It is not enough to know God's will. We must obey it too.

Selective obedience isn't obedience at all; it's only convenience.

(The Daily Walk, October 2008, p. 7)

Many of us check Bible reading off our "To Do" list and go on with our day not responding to anything we have read. That is why we have emphasized application in our daily Bible reading here at the BBC. It does not have to be the specific application I make, but we need to pray through how God would have us respond by talking to Him about how the Holy Spirit is speaking to us in the passage. Then, we can respond. 

APPLICATION

I have shared this before, but some of you are new. So here is a handout I created about making specific, measurable, and attainable applications from Scripture.

Application is the Key to Meditation

Let us be like the wise man who built his house upon the rock and not the sand by applying what we learn from reading the Sermon on the Mount. Translate this spoken sermon into a living one today!

PRAYER

Lord, teach us to be doers of the Word rather than just hearers who delude themselves (James 1:22-25). We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Matthew 6 - Part II: Kingdom Living

LINK: Matthew 6

Jesus teaches about . . . 

58. Giving to the needy (6:1-4)
59. Prayer (6:5-15)
60. Fasting (6:16-18)
61. Money (6:19-24)
62. Worry (6:25-34)

BACKGROUND

In this part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus rejected the external righteousness of the Pharisees and encouraged inner righteousness that serves and seeks to please an audience of One (God). 

Having shown us true well-being and the goodness of the kingdom heart, Jesus now, in Matthew 6, alerts us to two main things that will block or hinder a life constantly interactive with God and healthy growth in the kingdom. These are the desire to have the approval of others, especially for being devout, and the desire to secure ourselves by means of material wealth. 

If we allow them to, these two desires will pull us out of the sway of the kingdom -- "the range of God's effective will," as we have described it -- and back into the barren "righteousness" of the scribe and the Pharisee. But as we keep these two things in their proper place, through a constant, disciplined, and clear-eyed reliance on God, we will grow rapidly in kingdom substance. We will progressively incorporate all aspects of our life into the kingdom, including, of course, the social and the financial. (The Divine Conspiracy, p. 188)

He speaks of giving secretly to the poor, prayer, forgiveness, fasting, devotion to God rather than wealth, and the true cure for anxiety being seeking God first above all else.

The prayer section (6:5-15) contains the "Lord's Prayer," and it is meant as a guide rather than the only way to pray. We can look at the Lord's Prayer as a model in this way:

"Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name" -- The prayer principle of adoration (praise for who God is) and thanksgiving (praise for what He has done).

"Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" -- The principle of affirmation, that is, agreeing with God's will and submitting to it. 

"Give us our daily bread" -- The principle of supplication, in which we make requests both for ourselves (petition) and for others (intercession). 

"And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors" -- The principle of confession in view of our need for forgiveness of sins. 

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" -- The necessity of renewal as we face the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil.

"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever" -- A closing prayer that honors the Lord and completes our thoughts.  

(from Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship by Kenneth Boa. This is a prayer guide for praying Scripture on a daily basis based around this structure. It is excellent for developing your prayer life in a way that does not make it legalistic! I have used it for years, and there are many used copies on Amazon.)

REFLECTION (written in 2010)

On the whole, I am not a big worrier. My mother worried about everything, and I was bound and determined to not be a worrier like her, but sometimes, I do worry. Last Sunday, it all came to a head as I lay on a heating pad in pain.

I worried about my six-and-a-half-week post-operative appointment with my orthopedic surgeon the next day. In early December, the pin immobilizing the first joint of my big toe had accidentally come out. Since the only way to put it back in was another surgery, the doctor gave me a boot and told me not to move my toe until my next appointment in four weeks because the stitches in my tendon might come out. If that happened, I would have to do the surgery all over again (I had a friend who had to do that). This would mean another six weeks of inactivity and walking unevenly in a boot that raised my already longer leg another three inches. My back could not take that. I had already been bedridden for the better part of the previous 2 1/2 weeks when my muscles gave way to the strain of walking unevenly. Worry and anxiety gripped me about that Monday appointment.

I was also anxious about some big changes that my eldest son was making. He decided on a new youth group late in his high school career because he wanted more depth and deeper relationships that he just was not getting in the fun and games youth group (and everyone looking at their cell phones the whole time) he had been attending for 2 1/2 years prior. On top of all that, he was starting two college courses on Tuesday. This mama bear was anxious about her cub!

Last Sunday, as my son left with his dad to attend the new youth group, and I lay on a heating pad flat in bed because of my back pain, I poured out my heart to the Lord about the worry and anxiety I was feeling about everything. I thought of Matthew 6:28-34. Through tears, I quoted Philippians 4:6-7:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I confessed my fears and anxieties, and He met me in that "sweet hour of prayer" and gave me a sense of great peace about the future.

Michael came home from the new youth group excited about a Youth Life Journal that his new Discipleship Group (D-Group) leader had given him. He immediately went downstairs to catch up because he was two days behind. He loves the challenge and is excited about the more relational way they organize things in this new group. People have been so welcoming. (Update: the next year he was on the leadership team in that youth group with an amazing group of young people. He loved every minute of it. What a great decision!)

Also, my fears were relieved the following Monday when the doctor told me to lift my toe. The surgery was successful! I walked out of there with my right shoe on for the first time in seven weeks!

The back quit spasming once I could walk more evenly without the boot. I am on the road to recovery, and I am staying away from drinking glasses that break and fall from the counter to the ground becoming guillotines for toe tendons (freak accident), AND I am wearing shoes in the kitchen while making my chai tea in the morning!

I am so thankful for that "sweet hour" when things came to a head, and I could release my worry to Him by seeking Him first!

2023 Update: My back going out set me on a whole course of action that has made my back super strong. As a result, I became a certified Power Pilates Instructor and NASM Certified Personal Trainer so I could teach others how to stay out of pain! This resulted in me combining this with spiritual direction and starting Body and Soul Companion! I learned so much as a result of that freak accident!

APPLICATION/PRAYER

Are you worried about anything right now? Meditate more closely on Matthew 6:25-34 of today's passage and talk to God about your worry. I love to talk to God about my worry through Immanuel Journaling.

I especially like the passage mentioned above in The Message translation:

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. 

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. 

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. 

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.  

Matthew 5: Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount

LINK: Matthew 5

BACKGROUND

49. Jesus gives the beatitudes: Matthew 5:1-12; Luke 6:17-26

When reading this chronologically using all four gospel accounts, Jesus has just chosen His twelve disciples (Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16). After this, Jesus began his training program for them and a "large crowd of His disciples and a great number of people from all over" (Luke 6:17). This is a time of teaching. Matthew 5-7 and the parallel passage in Luke 6:12-49 are most often referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew's account is much longer than Luke's. Matthew's audience was Jewish, so many parts interpret the Law.  Luke's audience was primarily Gentile. So, these parts were omitted. Some commentators see these two passages as two separate events, but we will not. 

The exact location is unknown, but it is believed to be somewhere between Capernaum and Gennesaret near the Sea of Galilee. In Luke, the sermon is said to take place on a level place while the Matthew account says that He went up on a mountainside. The most logical explanation is that He had gone up to pray and chose His disciples and came down to a lower, level place to give the Sermon on the Mount. 

Plato (423-347 BC) in Republic and Aristotle (384-322 BC) in Nicomachean Ethics attempted to answer the question about which life is the "good life."  Jesus came along in the context of the day and answered that question in the Beatitudes.  

What makes a person blessed, which means "favored" or "happy"? Some commentators see this sermon as an ethical code for God's people, a checklist of spiritual attainment. "If I am poor in Spirit (humble), then I will inherit the kingdom of God." Here is what these commentators say about this:

. . . a platform of important principles for the enlightenment and guidance of His kingdom forces. This sermon is not a mere ethical code but its sublime moral principles far surpass all human moral standards. Christ's idea of Righteousness as here set forth, became the kingdom's ideal of Righteousness which has never yet been approximately realized by humanity. In His universal eternal principles in this sermon, Jesus laid the basis for the kingdom work for all time. In one discourse, He superseded all previous standards and set up the new and final religious goal for the human race. He here uttered the final word about character and privilege, conduct and duty, religious ideals, the divine and human relations of men, and the supreme objective and goal in life and how to attain it.  (The Christ of the Gospels by J.W. Shepard, p. 176)

Other commentators believe that the Beatitudes "cannot be 'good news' if they are understood as a set of 'how-tos' for achieving blessedness." (The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, p. 106). Rather, they believe it is an announcement by Jesus to the great mass of humanity who was following Him that they did not have to have it all together or be part of the right ethnic group to be in the kingdom of God. Jesus had come to announce blessing to the "spiritual zeros"!

Standing around Jesus as he speaks are people with no spiritual qualifications or abilities at all. You would never call on them when "spiritual work" is to be done. There is nothing about them to suggest that the breath of God might move through their lives. They have no charisma, no religious glitter or clout. 

They "don't know their Bible." They "know not the law," as a later critic of Jesus' work said. They are "mere laypeople," who at best can fill a pew or perhaps an offering plate. No one calls them to lead a service or even to lead in prayer, and they might faint if anyone did. 

They are the first to tell you they "really can't make heads nor tails of religion." They walk by us in the hundreds or thousands every day. They would be the last to say they have any claim whatsoever on God. The pages of the Gospels are cluttered with such people. And yet: "He touched me." The rule of the heavens comes down upon their lives through their contact with Jesus. And then they too are blessed -- healed of body, mind, or spirit -- in the hand of God.

. . . precisely in spite of and in the midst of their ever so deplorable condition, the rule of the heavens has moved redemptively upon and through them by the grace of Christ. . . 

The Beatitudes, in particular, are not teachings on how to be blessed. They are not instructions to do anything. They do not indicate conditions that are especially pleasing to God or good for human beings . . . They are explanations and illustrations, drawn from the immediate setting, of the present availability of the kingdom through personal relationship with Jesus. They single out cases that provide proof that, in him, the rule of God from the heavens truly is available in life circumstances that are beyond all human hope.  (The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, p. 100-102, 106)

This second view seems to be in keeping with His announcement that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" prior to the beatitudes (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Mark 1:15).  They are a "clarification or development of his primary theme in this talk, and in his life: the availability of the kingdom of the heavens" (p.99). 

Christ came to found a Kingdom, not a School; to institute a fellowship, not to propound a system. To the first disciples all doctrinal teaching sprang out of fellowship with Him. They saw Him, and therefore believed . . . The seed of truth which fell on their hearts was carried thither from the flower of His Person and Life." (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah: Volume 1, p. 528-529)

In Matthew 5:1-12, Jesus taught of the blessed life for all the "spiritual zeros" who would enter the kingdom. He continues to answer the "good life" question when he teaches about . . . 

50. Salt and light: Matthew 5:13-16

The brilliance and profundity of Jesus stand out in the overall structure and outline of The Discourse on the Hill, as he forcefully conveys an understanding of human life that actually works. The talk as a whole is given, of course, under the assumption of the availability of the kingdom he proclaimed. Within that framework, the first part of the talk (on the "blesseds" and the light and salt of the earth) revise prevailing assumptions about human well-being by presenting unlikely kinds of people who in fact found and still find blessedness in the kingdom. (The Divine Conspiracy, p. 136)

Kingdom blessedness overflows into the world. Those blessed will be a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3) by infusing the world with the two purposes for salt: seasoning and purification. Overflow also brings light to dark places. We reflect the light of Christ to the world not because we "try harder" to make it shine but because Christ's life is infused in us, and it radiates (Psalm 36:9). 

51. The law: Matthew 5:17-20

The radical shift of perspective with regard to "the good life" and who has it led Jesus' hearers to begin suspecting that "the law" was irrelevant to their life in God's world. On the one hand, they were sure that their own lives fell short of the law, those "in charge" never let them forget it. But, on the other hand, Jesus had said that blessedness was still theirs in the kingdom. It sounded to them as if Jesus had set the law aside. 

However "the law" they had in mind and that they rubbed up against every day was not the law of God. It was a contemporary version of the religious respectability, very harsh and oppressive in application, that Jesus referred to as "the goodness of scribes and Pharisees" (5:20). Law as God intended it remains forever essential to the kingdom, and Jesus made it clear to his hearers that his aim is to bring those who follow him into fulfillment of the true law. The fulfillment he had in mind was not for the purpose of making them humanly acceptable. That is quite another matter. But fulfillment of God's law is important because the law is good. It is right for human life. And the presence of the kingdom brings us all that is right for human life. (The Divine Conspiracy, p. 136)

Here is an entire series on the kingdom of God by Dallas Willard:

Guidelines for Life in the Kingdom 

KINGDOM LIVING: PART I (Matthew 5:21-48)

There is a transition point in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:21-48 brings us to the second question Jesus deals with in this sermon: Who is truly a good person? "Who has the kind of goodness found in God himself, constituting the family likeness between God and his children?" (The Divine Conspiracy, p. 98). How do we fulfill the law in our daily life? How do we not just follow the ancient teaching from the Old Testament and live our life from a heart infused with Jesus' kingdom agape love and light and overflowing into relationships with others? In this section, Jesus takes six Old Testament laws and contrasts them with a kingdom mindset. Of course, Matthew deals with all these questions because he is talking to the Jews.

52. Anger: Matthew 5:21-26 versus Exodus 20:13

The sixth commandment said that murder was forbidden, but what about the heart behind why a person murders? All rash anger is considered "heart murder" as Jesus explained the full meaning behind this commandment.

53. Lust: Matthew 5:27-30 versus Exodus 20:14

The seventh commandment forbade adultery, but Jesus said you commit it even without the act if you lust in your heart. Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation here. He is advocating a change of heart. 

54. Divorce: Matthew 5:31-32 versus Deuteronomy 24:1-4

This is expanding on the seventh commandment. Jesus deals with this in greater detail in Matthew 19:1-12. So, we will leave it until then. 

55. Vows: Matthew 5:33-37 versus Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 19:12; Deuteronomy 23:21-23

Some commentators believe this relates to the third commandment. Pharisees made many oaths, but they used all kinds of tricks to give them an out by not swearing to the holy name of God but to Jerusalem, heaven, earth, or a part of their body. Quoting Isaiah 66:1 and Psalm 48:2, Jesus said that swearing by heaven (God's throne), earth (His footstool), and city (Jerusalem) is a binding agreement to God and profanes His name. 

So, our words should just be true because they come out of an honest heart. 

56. Revenge: Matthew 5:38-42 versus Leviticus 24:19-22

Jesus allowed that one should be willing to suffer a loss to avoid causing another to suffer. It means even going further by trying to help the person who injures you. 

57. Loving enemies: Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 6:27-38 versus Leviticus 19:17-18 and Exodus 23:4-5

The law did not allow for hatred of enemies, and Jesus reiterated that. 

REFLECTION

Read about the topic of "Salt and Light" based on one man's thoughts after reading The Divine Conspiracy. The blog post is HERE. 

Since my breakdown in 1983 (read about it in the Romans 8 Reflection), God has always confirmed to me that this life of grace is all about overflow. I am a very hard worker, and I try (or used to try) REALLY hard. So, I was predisposed to work REALLY hard at following God. The Sermon on the Mount is not a New Testament version of the "dos and don'ts" of the Ten Commandments. It transcends them. That is why I love what Dallas Willard has to say about them:

The Deeper "Beyond" from Which Actions Come 

But the question is, How can one keep the law? Jesus well knew the answer to this question, and that is why he told those who wanted to know how to work the works of God to put their confidence in the one God had sent (John 6:29). He knew that we cannot keep the law by trying to keep the law. To succeed in keeping the law one must aim at something other and something more. One must aim to become the kind of person from whom the deeds of the law naturally flow. The apple tree naturally and easily produces apples because of the inner nature. This is the most crucial thing to remember if we would understand Jesus' picture of the kingdom heart given in the Sermon on the Mount. 

And here also lies the fundamental mistake of the scribe and the Pharisee. They focus on the actions that the law requires and make elaborate specifications of exactly what those actions are and of the manner in which they are to be done. They also generate immense social pressure to force conformity of action to the law as they interpret it. They are intensely self-conscious about doing the right thing and about being thought to have done the right thing.

But the inner dimensions of their personality, their heart and character, are left to remain contrary to what God has required. That heart will, of course, ultimately triumph over their conscious intentions and arrangements, and they will in fact do what they know to be wrong. Their words, especially, will reveal the contents of their heart (Matt. 12:34). And their need to appear righteous "before men" (Luke 15:15) then forces them into hypocrisy. Hypocrisy becomes the spirit, or "yeast," that pervades and colors their entire existence (Luke 12:1). (p. 142)

So how do we get to the "deeper beyond"? "It is the inner life of the soul that we must aim to transform, and then the behavior will naturally and easily follow" (p. 144). We need to become "Jesus apples" by abiding in Him.

Heart transformation involves the transfusion of the very life of Christ in every pore of our being:

. . . seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-8) 

I emphasize "true knowledge of God" because many of us have a concept of God that is because of our cultural understanding of Him. Truly knowing God means getting to know Him through the daily infusion of His precious and magnificent promises. 

Christmas 2012 was amazing. I had wanted to really understand the whole of Handel's Messiah. So, I listened to a book about it and listened to it over and over again. I allowed myself to experience the joy of the music in my heart but also in my body! All of the lyrics (libretto) are God's Word, and I woke up singing it in my head every morning. Jesus was in my heart, and I did not respond to the world around me from a point of stress but love. I ended up writing a devotional to share what I learned with others. You can download it here or read it from the Bible Book Club blog here.

Let's allow Him to transform us from the inside out.

APPLICATION

Have a long and deep talk with God over this whole passage and listen to what He says to you.  Take the time to do it.

PRAYER

Infuse us Lord with Yourself, Amen. 

Matthew 4 - Temptation and Early Ministry

LINK: Matthew 4

By anonimus [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Temptation of Christ (mosaic in Basilica di San Marco)

BACKGROUND

18. Satan tempts Jesus in the Wilderness: Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13

After His baptism, Jesus was led immediately by the Spirit for a time of testing by Satan in the wilderness which has been traditionally believed to be near Jericho. 

This might be obvious for those of you who have been through the Old Testament portion of the Bible Book Club, but I wanted to point out the "40 days" motif of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Examples of this motif are seen in Genesis 7:4; Exodus 24:18; 1 Kings 19:8; and Jonah 3:4. Jesus' temptation of 40 days parallels Israel's wanderings and temptation in the wilderness for 40 years. Note He quotes from Deuteronomy which took place during Israel's wilderness wanderings. 

Also, note that Adam and Eve met Satan in a beautiful garden where all their needs were met, and they lost, allowing sin and death to enter into the world.  Jesus met Satan in a barren wilderness where he had nothing to eat for 40 days, and He won, ushering in eternal life for all who would believe (Colossians 2:15; Romans 5:12, 18)!  YAY!

To be tempted comes from the Greek word, peirazein, which in the positive sense means to "try or make proof of." Satan is described here as "the tempter" (Matthew 4:3), and brings out the bad sense of this Greek word, "to entice, solicit, or provoke to sin." This temptation had a dual purpose. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to have His faith tried, while Satan wanted to entice Him to disobey the Father. As our reading goes on, we will learn more about the ways of Satan.

The temptation closely resembles the temptation of Eve:

1) Appeal to the physical appetite 

Satan tempted Eve with the one thing she could not have, even though she had plenty of food from the garden (Genesis 3:1). 

Satan tempted Jesus to make stones into bread while Jesus was hungry (Matthew and Luke 4:3).   

Jesus resisted with Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:3 - God's Word is food for life!

2) Appeal to physical safety 

Satan tempted Eve by saying she would not die if she ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:4). 

Satan tempted Jesus by telling Him if He was the Son of God and Messiah, nothing could harm Him if He threw Himself from the highest part of the temple (Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:9).  Satan used the prophecy from Malachi 3:1. It was a common belief that the Messiah would come from the sky into the temple. He was tempting Jesus to display Himself in the way people expected. 

This misquoting of Scripture by Satan caused Jesus to counter with more Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:16 - don't test God!  God would display His Son in His way.

3) Appeal to an easy way to power and glory 

Satan tempted Eve by saying she would be "like God, knowing good and evil" and this was why God was withholding this good fruit from her (Genesis 3:5). 

Satan wanted to give Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:9; Luke 4:6, 7) that God had allowed him to rule (2 Corinthian 4:4, John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2). God had another way for Jesus to become King and that was via the cross. 

Again, Jesus responded with Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20 - God alone deserves to be worshiped and served.

The score is Satan 0, Jesus 1.  Stay tuned. The battle has just begun.

30. Jesus preaches in Galilee:

30a. Arrival in Galilee: John 4:43-45 

30b. Nature of the Galilean Ministry: Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:14-15, Luke 4:14-15

Yet not in Jerusalem and Judah will the light first dawn, but in the northernmost part of the land of Israel, a region which lay in darkness and death at the time Jesus came to fulfill the ancient prophecy, and which even John the Baptist had not been able to reach by his call to repentance. (The Gospel According to St. Matthew - An Introduction and Commentary by R.V.G. Tasker, page 56)

This part of the gospels is often called the "Great Galilean Ministry." The major cities included Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Nain, Cana, and Nazareth. Galilee is 60 miles long by 25 miles wide. It is mountainous with fertile valleys and an average temperature of 70 degrees. It was the most beautiful, productive, and populous district of Palestine with grain and olive groves. Flora and wildlife still thrive there.  There was a mixture of races from Jew and Gentile backgrounds. 

Galilee of the Gentiles was a choice cradle for the universal Gospel. Jesus liked to mingle in the crowd. He loved human beings and here He found a dense population made up of heterogeneous elements of all types and nationalities. (The Christ of the Gospels, p. 115)

One interesting thing: not one prophet had ever come out of Galilee.  

32. Jesus is rejected in Nazareth: Luke 4:16-30 

32b. Move to Capernaum: Matthew 4:12-16 (4:17 is before 4:12-16)

From Cana, Jesus went to his hometown of Nazareth. Luke is the only gospel writer who covers Jesus' rejection in His hometown of Nazareth. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power (dynamei, "spiritual ability") of the Spirit that descended on Him during John's baptism. While everyone praised Him, the news about Jesus spread. He proclaimed Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue of His hometown:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me

Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel [good news] to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set free those who are oppressed,

To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD. 

When Jesus said, "The Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing," He was stating that He was the Messiah ("anointed one"). The hometown people doubted, and Jesus used two instances of miracles of grace to Gentiles when Israel remained in unbelief: 

1) Elijah and the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-16)

2) Elisha and Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings 5:1-19)

The people became angry because he mentioned Gentiles as being blessed! Jesus always went to the Jews first, but He wanted to make it clear that Gentiles were part of God's plan of salvation too. We will see this in the book of Acts also. 

As a result of Jesus' rejection from Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30), he moved to Capernaum, the home of the official and his family who came to believe in John 4:46-54. This move fulfilled the prophecy quoted in Matthew 4:15-16 (Isaiah 9:1-2). This area was settled by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali after the conquest during Joshua's time. Capernaum became the "center of operations" for Jesus' ministry. 

33. Four Fishermen Follow Jesus: Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20

By Phillip Vere [FAL], via Wikimedia Commons

Tradition says that John the son of Zebedee, was one of the two unnamed disciples at Bethany in the account of John 1:35-51, three of the four fishermen in this present account had already temporarily followed Jesus for a time, but they returned to their jobs as fishermen This is the permanent call. Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately followed Him. 

36. Jesus preaches throughout Galilee:  Mark 1:35-39, Luke 4:42-44, Matthew 4:23-25

By this time, Jesus had a busy ministry schedule, yet he rose in the early morning to pray after His busy day and before another busy day of ministry.

While He performed healing to authenticate Himself, Jesus' primary mission was to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. He was the "anointed one" who would proclaim the favorable year of the LORD (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1-2)

REFLECTION

Satan is a bad dude. I do not think we take him seriously enough. He loves to get us when we are hungry for something to fill us (and I am not just talking about physical hunger here either). 

I met with a woman recently who works in a place where she encounters many people who probably have demonic influence in their life. She is also at a place of great hunger in her life, having a significant friend leave the area. As a result, she is seeing icky things. I encouraged her to "armor up" in the mornings by praying through the armor of Ephesians 6 and the verses for “Protection in Spiritual Warfare” below. She has started doing this before she meets with clients, and it has made a big difference.

Fighting Satan with Scripture is what I have learned from today's reading!

APPLICATION/PRAYER

I invite you to pray these "Morning Affirmations" daily:

Protection in Spiritual Warfare 

O Lord, guard my heart against the temptations of the world and renew my heart and spirit: 

Since I have been raised up with You, O Christ, I will keep seeking the things above, where You are at the right hand of God. I will set my mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2) 

I will be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving I will let my requests be made known to You, O God. And Your peace, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-8) 

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise, I will let my mind dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:9) 

O Lord, guard my heart against the weaknesses and temptations of the flesh so that I may reckon myself dead to sin: 

Father, I know that my old self was crucified with Christ, so that I am no longer a slave to sin, for he who has died is freed from sin. I will reckon myself as dead to sin, but alive to You in Christ Jesus. I will not present the parts of my body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but I will present myself to You, O God, as one alive from the dead, and the parts of my body as instruments of righteousness to You. (Romans 6:6-7, 12-13) 

O Lord, guard my heart against the attacks of the devil and give me the strength to resist him: 

As I submit myself to You, O God, and resist the devil, he will flee from me. (James 4:7) 

I will be of sober spirit and on the alert. My adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But I will resist him, firm in my faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9) 

I will take up Your full armor, O God, that I may be able to resist and stand firm. I put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness; I put on my feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; and I take up the shield of faith with which I will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. I take the helmet of salvation and the sword of Your Spirit, which is Your Word, O God. With all prayer and petition, I will pray at all times in Your Spirit and be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18)  (Reprinted by permission from Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship by Kenneth Boa, pp. 7-9)