Insights into the Gospel of Matthew Part 1 Lesson 6

Matthew Part 1 Lesson 6

Review Matthew is written to Jews; hence, Kingdom of Heaven and not God Matt. 1 Jesus is Messiah; genealogy and birth Matt. 2 Magi, Herod, 2 years after chapter 1; Egypt and Nazareth Matt. 3 John the Baptist preaches repentance; Jesus baptized Matt. 4 Jesus tempted; preached repentance; 4 disciples called Matt. 5 Blessed, righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees; you have heard, but I say Matt. 6 Jesus taught about: giving, praying, fasting, treasure and worry Matt. 7 Judging, hypocrisy, false prophets 7:28 ends first segment Matt. 8 Power over: diseases, demons, men and nature Matt. 9 Paralytic, woman with hemorrhage, centurion s servant, 2 blind men, mute-demon possessed man healed. Sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew 11:1-2 Matt. 10 Jesus gave authority to 12 disciples, sent out. Do not fear . Following Christ has a cost 11:1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His 12 disciples When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were amazed. 7:28. End of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warned about opposition beginning in 10:16 Opposition begins in the events of chapters 11-12 John the Baptist was in prison because he condemned Herod s marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip s wife. Philip is still alive, Herod is part Jew. Herodias divorced Philip in order to marry Herod. John preached repentance, even to Herod.

Matthew 11:3-6 John sends his disciples to ask Jesus, Are You the Expected One? Matt. 3:1-2 Jesus came after John and was to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. This had not happened, and John is facing death. Jesus answer: Go and report all that you see and hear: blind, lame, lepers, deaf are healed and dead raised. Gospel preached to the poor: 5:3 First blessed . Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me. 5:11 says, Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you BECAUSE OF ME. (context is king) Jesus reassured John that He WAS the coming one.

Matthew 11:7-14 Jesus speaks of John John s disciples leave and Jesus speaks to the crowd about John Matt. 3:5 says they went out to see John in the wilderness Jesus says he was His messenger, a prophet, but even more than that He fulfilled prophecy. Mal. 3:1 and Is. 61 Yet, he who is least in the kingdom is greater than John, who is born of women. Which is NOT saying Old Testament believers are less . John was of the Old Covenant. Jesus brought in the New. Jesus marks time by John the Baptist 11:12-13 11:12 Violent men were those opposing Jesus ministry; unrepentant He would have literally fulfilled prophecy about Elijah, had the Jews accepted his message and repented, but they did not. Mal. 4:5 John fulfilled this scripture spiritually

Matthew 11:15-19 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. This generation didn t have ears to hear. They took offense at Him and were like children. They accused John, who came neither eating nor drinking, of having a demon. They accused Jesus, who came BOTH eating and drinking, of being a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. They openly and verbally opposed the truth. Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. They were not wise. They took offense at Him. The leaders were childish, stubborn, and pouting because they couldn t have their way. Wiersbe

Matthew 11:20 - 26 Jesus denounced their cities. Woe to the cities in Israel Miracles done in Bethsaida: walked on water (Matt. 14), healed a blind man (Mark 8:22-26), fed the 5,000 (Luke 9:16). Corazin was closeby Tyre and Sidon are in current Lebanon, NOT is Israel and they did NOT see His miracles. Yet, they would have repented if they had. Matt. 11:22, 24 speak of judgment because of lack of repentance Sodom will be better off in the day of judgment than Capernaum, His home base where He did MANY miracles. Healed centurion s servant, Peter s mother-in-law, paralytic, etc. Matt. 11:25-26 Then Jesus stops and prays thanking His Father, who art in heaven, for who He has revealed these things to and who He has not. Jesus knew it was well-pleasing to His Father in heaven

Matthew 11:27-30 All things have been handed over to the Son . Authority given to Jesus by God the Father Only who Jesus wills to reveal His Father, can know the Father. Authority to reveal deity. Jesus called the weary and heavy-laden to come to Him for rest. To take a yoke meant to become a disciple. This yoke, however, was well-fitted for each individual. He has just the yoke that is tailor made for our lives and needs. Wiersbe The Pharisees tried to make the people follow Moses AND the traditions. Wiersbe Burdened is exactly how the people felt under the yoke of pharisaical legalism. Wiersbe Theme: John imprisoned; Cities denounced, Jesus speaks of John, Rest, for My burden is light

Matthew 12:1-8 At that time : After Jesus denounced their cities and gives instructions to His disciples and speaks of His rest. Sabat , Sabbath meant repose or rest. (11:28-30) Disciples are supposedly breaking Jewish law by eating grain Have you not read : they were experts in the Torah, the Scriptures Jesus gave examples of David and the priests who did NOT break the law by working on the Sabbath. I Sam. 21:1; Num. 28:9-10 Something greater than the temple is here . Jesus is greater than priests/temple. Jesus - Priest If you had known Hosea 6:6, you would not have condemned the innocent. The disciples, David and his companions and priests. He is Lord, has authority over, the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:9-16 Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, IN the temple, ON the Sabbath which He was Lord over. He demonstrated compassion/mercy to one under the Pharisees influence. The ones they were to be shepherding. Mark 3:6 says they left to conspire with the Herodians to destroy Him Jesus did GOOD on the Sabbath because the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27 Jesus, aware of this= omniscient Many followed Him and He healed them ALL! But warned them not to tell who He was. His time has not yet come.

Matthew 12:17-24 Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in Is. 42:1-4 He WAS God s servant whom God put His Spirit on He proclaimed justice He withdrew when the Pharisees conspired to destroy Him He didn t quarrel with them, cry out against them He healed the needy ones the battered/bruised reeds, smoldering wicks He healed the mute, blind, demon-possessed man and the crowd asks the same question John the Baptist asked. The Pharisees accused Him of being of Satan/Beelzebul (9:34;10:25) They are speaking against the Holy Spirit, ascribing the miracles Jesus did to the devil, which is blasphemy.

Matthew 12:25-30 Knowing their thoughts omniscience Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself Satan HAS a kingdom: 4:8-9 kingdom of this world and he is the ruler of this world, the god of this age. John 12:31 Acts 19:13-16 says some of the Jewish exorcists attempted to name over those who had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, but the evil spirit said, I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you? Since, if, Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God had come upon them.!!! Vs. 29 Satan is the strong man and Jesus carries off his property Either you are for Him or against Him. Man must choose; there is NO compromise. Wiersbe

Matthew 12:31- 37 Blasphemy: verbal abuse or verbal attack; worst type of slander possible. Blasphemy against the Son forgiven I John 1:9 Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit unbelief - NOT ABLE to be forgiven Ex. Paul and Peter (who denied Him THREE times) Good tree/bad tree but both are known by their fruit The Pharisees spoke from their hearts as evil men who were to face judgment for their words. They were the bad fruit. The unrepentant ones, not forgiven, condemned by their own words. (vs. 34-36) Good treasure/ bad treasure 6:19, 20, 33 Vs. 36 It appears that this situation existed only while Christ was ministering on earth. Wiersbe Vs. 37 Our words, our confession, will determine our eternal destiny

Matthew 12:38-42 We want to see a sign : this is evidence of their unbelief. Jesus calls this generation evil and adulterous. Why adulterous? Israel is His bride, He is the bridegroom. They have committed adultery by worshiping anything other than the true God. No sign but Jonah the prophet, but someone greater than he is here. Judgment: men of Nineveh, Gentiles, will judge them. They repented Queen of the South, Sheba, a Gentile,will also judge them Someone greater than Solomon is here. Jesus: greater than a prophet, priest and king.

Matthew 12:43-45 Unclean spirit passes through waterless places seeking rest A waterless place was not a pleasant place to dwell, so it returns to the body of the person it once possessed. The demon can only do that because the person has not believed in Christ as Savior. He has swept and put his life in order, except his soul is unoccupied . The body of the possessed man is Satan s house . He doesn t just bring himself, but he gathers 7 more demons with him, who are more wicked than he is! The first state of the man, possessed by only one demon, is worse than his last: he is possessed by 8 demons now! And 7 more wicked! This evil generation saw and heard the gospel, but did not repent.

Matthew 12:46-50 Who is Jesus family? Physical, biological family was His mother, brother and sisters. Spiritual family is whoever does the will of His Father in heaven. 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES the will of My Father. The only ones who have rest, are those who DO the will of the Father. Theme: Sabbath, Jesus greater than Prophet Jonah, priests and King Solomon. Unforgivable sin.

Application Have I committed the unforgivable sin? Can I, if I am a believer in Christ Jesus and am following Him? Do I share with others what Christ has done for me? Am I willing to give the gospel of repentance to ANYONE? May I never forget what Jesus did for me, what He saved me from and how others need His message of salvation and rest.