Imagine Two People Crossing A Bridge
Matthew 17:14-23
14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection
22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.
Imagine two people crossing a bridge over a chasm. It’s a long way down to the river below, and a fall would be fatal. One person has a great deal of faith that the bridge will hold him up; the other person is terrified that the bridge will collapse.
Question: which person’s faith will matter more?
Answer: it’s a trick question! It is irrelevant how much faith in the bridge each person has. All that matters is the reality of the structural integrity of the bridge, and if the two people actually step out on it and try to cross.
What matters is not the amount of faith a person has—what matters is the object of that faith and whether that object is trustworthy or not.
If I have complete faith in a rickety bridge that collapses as soon as I step on it, then my faith is misplaced. If I have a tiny amount of faith in a bridge that can support my weight, then my faith is validated. But in either case, the amount of faith I have doesn’t matter at all.
Jesus makes the above point to the disciples in the episode of the boy with the demon. He tells them that even a little bit of faith in him is enough, because he’s the one they need to trust, not themselves. Trusting in themselves will not be effective.
Where are you placing your trust today?
P.S. We see again in 17:22-23 that Jesus is defining what faithfulness to his mission will entail: perfect obedience to the will of God, even to the point of humiliation, suffering, and death, obedience that will then be vindicated by the resurrection. And the disciples refuse to accept what he’s telling them!
The Transfiguration
Matthew 17:1-13
1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
The spiritual world is very near—even now at hand—and all around, and yet it is also inaccessible to us by normal human senses. The spiritual world is invisible, but it is there. From time to time, God permits us to experience the spiritual world, but those times are rare this side of the grave, like seeing a snow leopard or Halley's Comet.
Peter, James, and John are given one of those rare glimpses of the spiritual world on the Mount of Transfiguration.
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. [17:1-3]
They see Jesus as he is in the spiritual world—glorious and radiant. When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, he humbled himself and became as we are, but on the Mount of Transfiguration, his glory was unmasked.
Peter has just been telling Jesus that he won’t have to go to the cross, but here the Father tells the disciples that they need to pay attention to what Jesus has been saying:
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” [17:5]
Why does Jesus tell them not to tell anyone else about what they saw on the mountain until after the Resurrection? Because Jesus’s identity as the Son of God can only be understood after the Crucifixion and Resurrection, and the problem Jesus faces is that everyone—even his disciples—misunderstands the nature of his mission. Peter has correctly identified Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God [16:16], but now Jesus needs to show his disciples what it means that he is the Christ and the Son of God.
As we read along, we need to let the words and actions of Jesus define “Christ” and “Son of God” for us. Keep your eyes open!
One Sentence Summary of The Entire Plot of Matthew's Gospel
Today we being the third and final section of Matthew’s Gospel. We begin with Jesus explaining what will have to happen, and we’ll close on Friday, December 22 with Jesus’s final instructions to his disciples, after the Resurrection. This final section is powerful, and if we read through it with open minds, it will change us.
Let’s GO.
Matthew 16:21-28
21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
This third and final section of Matthew’s Gospel begins with a one-sentence summary from Jesus of all that will happen:
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. [16:21]
This verse is a thesis statement and a prediction of all that will follow. But when Jesus begins to tell the disciples that he is going to Jerusalem to suffer and die, Peter pulls him aside and rebukes him.
Why?
Because Peter wants to believe that salvation is possible without suffering and he misunderstands that for Jesus to be faithful to his mission he will have to suffer and die.
Jesus knows that suffering is inevitable, and I think the reason he reacts so strongly to Peter—“Get behind me, Satan!"—is precisely because the main temptation Jesus faces is the temptation to seek the crown without the cross. (Remember the testing in the wilderness in chapter 4.) Jesus doesn't need Peter speaking the devil's words into his ear—the way of the cross is difficult enough.
Things haven't changed. Suffering is part of life, and the faithful will suffer. The Cross comes before the Crown. Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday.
But of course, if suffering is part of life—and I'm certain that it is— that means that you will suffer if you choose faithfulness, and you will suffer if you don't choose faithfulness: both the faithful and the unfaithful suffer. The question is, will we suffer because we are walking the Way of Jesus, or because we are trying to seek our own way? Both ways are difficult, but only one way leads to life.
The sacrifice is worth it.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” [16:24-25]
Which way are you going to choose today?
One Of The Most Important Sentences In History
Matthew 16:13-20
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremi- ah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
The overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17- 16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel, and today we reach the climactic and final scene of this section: Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ.
Jesus declares that knowing and confessing Jesus as the Christ is knowledge that comes from God’s revelation of that knowledge, and that those who confess Jesus as the Christ will flourish.
The church is not a charity. The church is not a social service agency. The church is not a fraternal club. The church is a group of people called and centered around Peter's confessional claim at Caesarea Phillipi: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." - Matthew 16:16
Now, the church indeed does charitable things, serves the community, and draws people together. But each of those things derives from its identity; none of those things constitutes its identity. It is Jesus himself who gives the church its identity.
As long as we hold onto Peter's claim, the forces of evil and death itself will never prevail over Christ's church.
The church’s ROCK is its unwavering commitment to the proclamation of the true identity of Jesus the Christ.
Herod is dead. Caesar is dead. Pilate is dead.
But Jesus is alive, and his church will never be defeated. Amen.
SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES
The English word "church" is a translation of a Greek word which means "called out" or “the assembled ones.” It was originally a political term that the early church co-opted. We are the "assembled ones" around Jesus the Christ.
"Peter" is really just "Rock." Peter's given name was Simon—the traditional Jewish name “Simeon"--but in this passage Jesus gives him his nickname and explains its significance—Peter’s confession about the identity of Jesus will be the "rock" on which Jesus builds his church. (By the way, the Aramaic word for "rock" is "cephas," which is why Peter is sometimes called "Cephas" in the New Testament. It seems clear that Aramaic and not Greek was the first language of Jesus and the disciples--Greek was the language of commerce and politics.)
Jesus's words to Peter are a bit confusing there at the end:
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [16:19 NIV]
What does that stuff about the binding and loosing mean? I like how David Bauer puts it:
“Jesus will give to the entire church the authority to declare what is required and what is not required for entrance into the kingdom, and God himself will validate and act on these decisions. Manifestly, the authority to declare what is required and not required does not include the possibility of contradicting the teaching of Jesus. The law continues in force and Jesus is its true interpreter (5:17-48). The judicial decisions of the church may involve adapting and applying the commands of Jesus to new situations which the church will continually encounter in the period between the resurrection and the Parousia (28:19-20), with the assurance that such ecclesial decisions will be binding.”
—David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God
What this means is that Jesus has given the church the responsibility— and it is a heavy and sacred responsibility—of teaching what he has taught us.
P.S. Why does Jesus tell the Twelve not to tell anyone that he’s the Messiah? Because the popular understanding of the Messianic role is not at all what the role will turn out to be, and this misunderstanding will be an impediment to Jesus’s ministry. This is why, e.g., Jesus never calls himself “Messiah,” but prefers the term “Son of Man” [see commentary on Monday, September 25]—he knows that the Jews will misunderstand if he uses the loaded term Messiah.
The *Real* Reason Why So Many People Claim Not To Believe
Matthew 16:1-12
16 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Just as in 12:38-40, the religious leaders come to Jesus and ask for a sign—they want proof, in other words. But what has Jesus been doing except giving sign after sign after sign? That’s his point about the red sky—“Folks, you can easily discern when a storm is coming—are you really unable to discern who I am?”
Here’s the truth: they don’t want to understand what’s happening, because that would require them to respond. So, they would rather keep Jesus at arms' length and pretend they don’t know who he is than have to repent and listen to him.
This is exactly the reason why so many people today claim not to believe—because if they actually admitted that Jesus is who he says he is, then they would have to live differently.
And the sign of Jonah? The early Church saw Jonah as a symbol for Christ:
Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days; Jesus was in the belly of the earth for 3 days. Jonah was vomited up from death to life; Jesus was vomited up from death to life. Etc.
So, the Resurrection is the ultimate sign of the identity of Jesus. If we can’t see the empty tomb for what it is, then God help us.
P.S. The “leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees” is the false teaching that leads many people astray into unbelief.
What's The Point Of The Feeding Of The 4,000?
Matthew 15:29-39
29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
Matthew has already told us about the Feeding of the Five Thousand (14:13-21). And here in the very next chapter we are told of Jesus Feeding the Four Thousand. Why?
Remember, context is king. Between the two stories Matthew has given us accounts of Jesus being rejected by Israel—his arguments with the Pharisees—and then bringing healing to a Canaanite woman’s daughter. If you read carefully, the Feeding of the Four Thousand is taking place on the Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee. So, here we see Jesus bringing the abundance of the Kingdom to the nations.
The gospel is for everyone.
Is Jesus A Jerk?
Matthew 15:21-28
21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Here's the first question to ask of this difficult story: what is Matthew trying to tell us? The Gospels are not an exhaustive transcript of the events of the life of Jesus. Rather, they have been arranged selectively to make a theological point.
CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT
Where does the story take place? Not in Israel proper, but in "the region of Tyre and Sidon." These are cities of Israel's traditional enemies, and to make sure we don't miss the point, Matthew makes it clear that it is a "Canaanite" woman who is pestering Jesus. The Canaanites were the violent idol-worshippers the Children of Israel fought when they entered the Promised Land. In other words, she is DEFINITELY NOT an Israelite.
This story takes place immediately after Jesus has had an argument with the Pharisees about what real faithfulness looks like. The Pharisees DEFINITELY ARE Israelites, but their hard-heartedness ultimately leads them to reject and crucify Jesus.
Contrast the Pharisees’ dismissal of Jesus with the Canaanite woman's persistent pursuit of Jesus. The chosen people REJECT the Messiah, whereas the nations are eager to receive him.
"TO THE JEW FIRST, THEN TO THE GREEK"
Since Genesis 12, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before the time of Jesus, the Lord's plan has been clear: to use the family of Abraham as the means by which he would save the entire world. The Apostle Paul explains this plan in Romans 1:16:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. - Romans 1:16 NIV
Jesus is therefore explaining the rescue plan accurately when he says, "“I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). His ministry takes place in Israel, and is directed toward Israelites. But because the Jews reject him as Messiah, the gospel is then taken by Paul and others to the non-Jews, i.e., the nations (also called "Greeks" or Gentiles).
The Jews traditionally viewed the Gentiles as unclean sinners, and no devout Jew would have anything to do with them. The Jews also called the Gentiles "dogs." Jesus is therefore using traditional Jewish ways of referring to Gentiles in this passage. He seems like a jerk, but I think he's setting up the disciples (and by extension, us) with the language he's using.
YOU KNOW THE TREE BY ITS FRUIT
His language seems harsh, but look at what Jesus does: he heals this pagan woman's daughter. Jesus has been telling us over and over again: you know the tree by its fruit. It's not words that matter, but actions. Though his words might seem harsh at first, he does in fact heal the little girl, just as he has previously healed the Centurion's slave. The ministry of Jesus is to the Jews, but here and with the Centurion there is foreshadowing: soon the gospel will be taken to the ends of the earth.
THE CANAANITE WOMAN IS A MODEL FOR FAITH
I think Matthew includes this story because he wants us to see the woman as a model for faith. She is persistent and single-minded: she needs what Jesus has, and she's not going to stop until she gets it.
How can you imitate this unnamed woman today?
Religious Money-Washing
The Matthew Part 3 books are here! When I turned in my final draft I was pretty discouraged and thought, “The commentary I’ve written isn’t very good.” But, after I made the final edits with my designer, I totally changed my opinion: I think these Part 3 books are the best ones yet! I’m really looking forward to jumping in with everyone on Monday, 10/30. Here’s how to get your copy:
Pick one up at Asbury;
Email Sandie Tomlinson and she’ll mail you a copy;
If you live in Dallas, you can pick one up for yourself. Email Sandie and she’ll give you the info;
The pdf file is available here.
Let’s GO.
Matthew 15:1-20
15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 “ ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
The Pharisees followed oral teaching and equated it with the written Bible. Here, they complain that the disciples of Jesus don’t wash their hands in the correct ritual manner. Jesus, who never backs down, gives it right back to them and cites an example that shows their hypocrisy. See, there was a practice whereby you could declare your possessions “given to God” and meant to be dedicated as Temple offerings. Here's the catch, though: some people would declare the lion's share of their resources “given to God” but not actually donate them until later, perhaps upon their death. So, one way of avoiding the financial responsibility of caring for aging parents was to declare your resources “given to God” and then say to your parents, "Sorry, folks: I just can't afford it—I've given everything away to God."
See what’s happening? They are using the letter of the Law as a way of avoiding the spirit of the Law. This is why Jesus is so concerned about the disposition of the heart in his disciples.
Why Do We Need To Know About Jesus Walking On Water?
The Matthew Part 3 books are here! When I turned in my final draft I was pretty discouraged and thought, “The commentary I’ve written isn’t very good.” But, after I made the final edits with my designer, I totally changed my opinion: I think these Part 3 books are the best ones yet! I’m really looking forward to jumping in with everyone on Monday, 10/30. Here’s how to get your copy:
Pick one up at Asbury starting this Sunday;
Email Sandie Tomlinson and she’ll mail you a copy;
If you live in Dallas, you can pick one up for yourself. Email Sandie and she’ll give you the info;
The pdf file is available here.
Let’s GO.
Matthew 14:22-36
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” "
34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Remember our 2 keys to understanding Matthew:
The first key to understanding Matthew is to see everything about Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel as connected to and fulfilling the Old Testament story. In every passage, ask, “How does this information about Jesus relate to the Old Testament story?”
The second key is to see Matthew as an instruction manual for discipleship. It is meant to give readers what they need to know to become a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth.
In every passage ask, “Of all the things Matthew could have told us, why did he think that we needed to know this to be apprentices of Jesus?
How does the account of Jesus walking on water relate to the Old Testament?
In the Old Testament, the Lord has power over the waters of chaos. For example, Isaiah says:
Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters
—Isaiah 43:16
Here Jesus displays that same power. He is God!
And Matthew tells us about Peter walking and then falling on the water in order to teach us a central lesson of discipleship: the importance of keeping our eyes on the Lord.
Two Contrasting Banquets
Matthew 14:13-21
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
CONTEXT IS KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPELS
One of the keys to understanding the Gospels is to pay attention to context:
Where specifically is this story taking place?
What happened beforehand? What happens after?
Why did Matthew place this story in this specific place?
TWO CONTRASTING BANQUETS
Today's story of the feeding of the 5,000 is a great example of the importance of context, because it occurs immediately after Herod's beheading of John the Baptist at a drunken banquet. After a banquet that culminates with a scene of horror --John's severed head is brought in on a platter--Matthew tells us the story of a very different kind of banquet on the green hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The crowds are gathered to see Jesus, and he has compassion on them. In addition to healing their diseases, Jesus presides over a remarkable miracle: everyone there is given plenty to eat.
HOW TO TELL A GOOD MAN FROM A BAD MAN
Jesus has been telling us throughout the Gospel of Matthew: you know a tree by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit, a bad tree produces bad fruit.
It's not what someone says that matters, it's what someone does. We know all we need to know about the difference between Herod and Jesus by comparing what happens at the two quite different banquets.
You know how to tell the difference between a good man and a bad man? Watch his actions, not his words.
P.S. I find v. 13 to be heartbreaking—Jesus has just heard of John’s murder, and “when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.”
John Goes First To Death
Matthew 14:1-12
14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.
Matthew has made it clear so far that John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus, and here unfortunately we see that John went first to death.
Jesus will follow shortly, but he won’t stay dead, and will raise all the people of God with him.
Jesus Was Too Ordinary For Them
Matthew 13:53-58
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
The people in Nazareth take offense at Jesus because he’s not spectacular enough for them.
Once again, we see that Jesus is rejected because the people expected something different—they think he’s too ordinary and is putting on airs.
How are your expectations of God affecting your trust in him today?
Three More Parables Explained
Matthew 13:44-52
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Matthew has gathered many of the parables of Jesus together in chapter 13. Let’s continue to take each one in turn:
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure is about how the Kingdom is the kind of thing that is absolutely worth going all-in for.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is about how the Kingdom is worth whatever it costs.
The Parable of the Dragnet is about how the Kingdom is meant for everyone and everyone is invited—but the church contains true disciples and false disciples—and at the Last Judgment there will be a sorting of the faithful from the unfaithful.
P.S. The “treasure old and new” refers to the fulfillment of Israel’s story in Jesus—Jesus is not doing something entirely new since he is the embodiment of Israel, but he is taking the old thing and showing God’s purposes for humanity in a new way.
Three Parables Explained
Matthew 13:24-43
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the
foundation of the world.”36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Let’s take each parable in turn.
The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds is about the presence of evil in the world—the world contains evil. God will permit this right up until the Last Judgment. Why? Because rooting the “weeds” out of the world would end up hurting the wheat. Ponder on that one for a while.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed is about how the Kingdom looks small and insignificant, but looks are deceiving—it will grow!
The Parable of the Leaven is about how the Kingdom will end up affecting the whole world.
Of those 3 parables, which did you need to hear today? Why?
The Most Difficult Parable of All
Matthew 13:1-23
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
The Parable of the Sower is not in itself particularly difficult, particularly because Jesus interprets it for his disciples (13:18-23):
The seed is “the word of the Kingdom;”
The seed on the path applies to people who hear and don’t
understand because they have already decided that the news
about Jesus makes no sense to them;The seed on the rocky soil applies to people who are not
committed to learning from Jesus as disciples, but rather have a superficial commitment, and so when difficulty comes, they have no strength or perseverance;The seed among the thorns applies to people who allow the worries and concerns of the world to keep them from learning from Jesus;
The seed on the good soil applies to people who hear and respond to the message of Jesus, and cool stuff happens as a result!
It’s not the parable that is difficult, but what Jesus says subsequently when the disciples question him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He quotes from the prophet Isaiah, and it almost seems as if he is trying to be obscure and confusing. But in fact, he’s merely explaining why it seems some people respond and others don’t.
“When people responded to the message of the parables by joining themselves to Jesus and seeking further understanding, further revelation and explanation about the kingdom were given; to those whose hearing remained at a superficial level no further revelation was given. They were left with parables which did not achieve their goal of enlightening. The lack of receptivity prevented further progress.” -Klyne Snodgrass, Stories With Intent
The more you ask, the more you know, and by speaking in parables, Jesus is tricking people to listen harder and desire more.
What are you doing with what you’ve been given today?
Why Won't Jesus Give Them A Sign?
BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT | 6:30 PM | SANCTUARY LIVESTREAM: asburytulsa.online.church
Matthew 12:38-50
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
The overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17-16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel. Unfortunately, we see that Israel refuses to accept Jesus as Messiah.
Here (and later, see 16:1-4), the Pharisees want a sign. Why won’t Jesus give them one? Aside from the fact that he has already been giving them sign after sign after sign (see 11:4-6), the reason he refuses here is because he knows that what they want is to have the Kingdom on their own terms, not God’s. In other words, they reject the Kingship of God altogether, since they want to put themselves at the center and use God, like a cosmic vending machine—to get what they want.
Jesus says that their rejection of him will leave them in a worse state, spiritually, than the darkness they walked in before he came. It’s terrifying.
But then Jesus shows us the way forward—obedience. “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Where do you need to be obedient today?
How To Tell A Good Person From A Bad Person
Churchwide Bible Study TOMORROW, Wednesday (10/11), 6:30-8:00 PM. I love these Bible study nights and hope you’ll make every effort to be there. Livestream available if you live out of town—but why not move to Tulsa so you can attend in person? —AF
Matthew 12:33-37
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Another reason that the Pharisees reject Jesus is because their hearts are evil, and Jesus makes the point that you can tell the truth about someone by what that person does.
What fruit does your life produce?
What Is The Unforgivable Sin?
Matthew 12:15-32
15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil. After pointing out the absurdity of the accusation—why would Satan cast out Satan?—Jesus calls this attitude the unforgivable sin. Why? The one sin God can't forgive is the sin of refusing to acknowledge the grace of God, the refusing to acknowledge the good, and instead calling it bad. And this makes sense: God won't force anyone to accept his grace. If you insist that God is bad and refuse his grace, God can't help you.
Why Do The Pharisees Hate Him So Much?
MATTHEW 12:1-14
1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
Remember, the overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17-16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel. And one of the things we see over and over again is how Israel misses the point and rejects Jesus. Why?
Well, here we see, in these disagreements over the Sabbath, that the reason the Jews reject Jesus is because they totally misunderstand the Old Testament and fail to see that God was instructing them that mercy—a disposition of the heart—was more important than outward observance of ritual.
Let’s not miss this lesson—to whom can you show mercy today?
Is the Way You Think Getting In Your Way?
Note: in the printed version of the Matthew Part 2 reading guide, we somehow had some errors in the readings for yesterday (10/4) and we omitted today’s reading! The errors are fixed here.
—Andrew
Matthew 11:20-30
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The Proclamation of Jesus as Messiah to Israel has occurred with words and deeds and yet still Israel rejects him. Jesus points out that pagan nations from the Old Testament would have repented if they had seen the kind of things he was doing.
“Those who depend on human wit and understanding, which reflects the thinking and values of culture unaffected by God’s revelation, will never understand the saving mysteries of the kingdom. But those who, like babes, have no illusion regarding the ultimacy of their own patterns of thinking will find that God reveals to them these mysteries in the proclamation of the gospel.”
—David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God
The surest way to make sure your thinking isn’t getting in your way is to read the Bible until it begins to shape how you think.
But the Jesus way is not about information, but about learning to live in light of God’s love. And so he invites everyone to come and take his “yoke”—a Jewish rabbinical term about submitting to teaching—and find that the Jesus way, when we trust him, is actually easy and life-giving.