Matthew
What the Kingdom of Heaven is Like
Jesusās fifth and sixth parables are linked (vv. 44-46). In the fifth parable the kingdom of heaven is compared to a treasure hidden in a field & in the sixth parable it is compared to a pearl of great value. In both parables the one who found the treasure and the pearl went and sold all that they …
Jesus Enters Jerusalem on a Donkey
Since it was Passover, there were probably about 2 million people in and around Jerusalem. This crowd was composed of Jews who lived in Jerusalem and those from Galilee and the surrounding countryside. Jesus and the disciples were approaching Jerusalem from the east as they came up the …
Love Your Enemies
The Lord addresses the matter of oath making (vv. 33-36). Donāt make a promise unless you are going to keep it. The basis for Old Testament oathtaking is found in Leviticus 19:12, Deuteronomy 23:21, and Numbers 30:2. Oaths taken in the name of the Lord were binding. By Old Testament …
A Rich Manās Question
Jesus encountered a rich, young ruler. Possibly the ruler of a synagogue. He asked Jesus what “good thing” he must do to get eternal life (v. 16)? It implies that he wanted to perform some work that might gain him salvation. Jesus replied, “there is only one who is good,” namely, God, and …
The Sabbath Law
Sabbath observance was a binding ceremonial obligation for Israel and most Jews had no idea of the original purpose of the Sabbath. Jesus and His disciples were going through the grainĀ¬ fields on the Sabbath, when His disciples began to pick the grain and eat it (v. 1). The pharisees immediately …
Pray to Your Father in Private
The Gentiles in Jesus day made prayers not to God but to false gods. These prayers consisted of long repetitive phrases (v. 7). The principal here is that a believer should not make a show of prayer or pray in such a way that it draws unnecessary attention to himself. God is not impressed …
Blinded to God’s Truth
Jesus had great sorrow for the Pharisees because they were blinded to God’s truth and their sins. In today’s and tomorrow’s passage we see eight woes that we might contrast to the eight beatitudes in (Matt. 5:1-12). The beatitudes described true righteousness and here He describe …
Steps to Problem Solving
When Jesus heard the news of John’s murder He quickly withdrew from that area and went by ship to a lonely place (v. 13). The people watched where Jesus and His disciples were going, and a great crowd walked along the shore and met Him when He landed (v. 14). Although Jesus …
The Sermon on the Mount
Jesusā disciples gathered around Him, and he taught them (vv. 1-2). This passage of Scripture is known as the Sermon on the Mount. It is one of the most misunderstood messages that Jesus ever gave. It does not tell a person how to be saved as some people say but instead it tells us what it is …
Three Characteristics of Jesus
In this passage three characteristics of Jesus are clear: We see the realism of Jesus (vv. 31-32). He foresaw what would inevitably happen and yet he went on.We see the confidence of Jesus (v. 32). “After I have been raised,Ć¢ā¬Ā he says, “I will go before you into Gal …