Monthly Archive for February, 2009

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Matthew 21:23f

Published on February 17, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” 24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
 
There is a running question of Jesus’ authority in 21:23-46.
21:23
Now when He came into the temple,
The day after the cleansing of the temple Jesus returned to the temple. This was His third visit to the city in successive days.
the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching,
Religious authorities confronted Jesus while He taught propositional truth. They had grown increasingly disturbed by the events of the last three days.
and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
Jesus’ public teaching afforded leaders in Israel an opportunity to confront Him about His authority and the source of His authority for teaching, cleansing the temple, Triumphal Entry, and miracles. Jesus was never ordained by Jewish authorities. They had to admit that His authority was obviously supernatural, so they questioned whether His authority was from God or the devil. Their questions were not an attempt to gain information about Him but to challenge His authority and to undermine Him before the public.
21:24
But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:
Jesus did not directly answer their questions because He knew they sought to undermine Him. Jesus offered a counter-question to get at the heart of the issue.
21:25
The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
The “baptism of John” formally introduced the Messiahship of Jesus. Everyone baptized by John accepted Jesus as Messiah. Jesus’ counter-question had to do with the source of authority of John the Baptist. Was John’s authority from God or from some other source? There were only two mutually exclusive answers to that question. John introduced Jesus’ public ministry with the statement: “Behold the Lamb of God” (Jn 1:32-26).
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
If the leaders said, “From heaven,” then the message of John the Baptist would validate the Messiahship of Jesus. That would demand that they believe on Jesus as the Messiah. John plainly asserted Jesus as the Messiah.
21:26
But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.”
The general population believed John to be a true prophet and that would put the leaders on the defense. They gave more consideration to what the crowd thought than to the truth.
21:27
So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
The leaders ducked the question. They became evasive and noncommittal to Jesus’ question. They would not face the fallacy of their unbelief. They cared more for their tradition than for truth.
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
The answer as to whether Jesus’ authority was from God was not in doubt, but He was not about to fall for their set-up question. Jesus did not answer them because they were already in unbelief. They were not open to the idea that Jesus was the Messiah.
PRINCIPLE: God does not reveal truth to people who do not believe His revelation.
APPLICATION: Refusal to believe God may result in cessation of revelation. Once we reach a place of implacable resistance to God, the Holy Spirit will stop working in our lives. As Jesus told people who watched the Triumphal Entry, “You did not recognize the time of your visitation” (Lu 19:41-44).
Jn 7:17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
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Matthew 21:18f

Published on February 16, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?” 21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
 
The section running from 21:18 to 22:46 deals with rejection of the Messiah by the nation Israel. This paragraph is about the symbolic act of placing a curse on the nation Israel because she rejected Messianic claims. Jesus’ curse of the fig tree represents a nation deep in religion but negative toward the Messiah.
From Mark we know that the curse of the fig tree occurred over two successive days.
21:18
Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
After spending the night in the town of Bethany, Jesus returned to Jerusalem in the morning.
21:19
And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing [emphatic] on it but leaves,
Fig trees in Israel produced an edible fig before the leaves appeared; therefore, Jesus calculated this tree barren. This was not the “season for figs” (Mk 11:13); nevertheless, if the tree produced leaves, it should have produced figs.
and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
Leaves should have indicated the presence of fruit on a fig tree. Surprisingly, Jesus cursed the tree because it was barren. The curse of this fig tree had nothing to do with His hunger but was a symbol of curse on Israel for its rejection of Him as Messiah. Judgment came on Israel by the fall of Jerusalem under the Romans in A.D. 70.
The word “immediately” means that the tree died when Jesus made the pronouncement, but it did not wither until the next day (Mk 11:20).
21:20
And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon [emphatic]?”
The disciples were amazed at the quick withering away of the fig tree. They missed the point about the barrenness of Israel’s capacity to accept the Messiah.
21:21
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly [important statement], I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain [Mount of Olives], ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
Jesus responded to the disciples’ amazement at the quick withering of the fig tree by a statement on the importance of faith. By faith we can do what is otherwise impossible. However, Jesus did not recommend placing faith in faith itself, but in the object of faith. Jesus spoke figuratively here. All miracles relate to the will of God. God grants response to faith according to His will. Jesus never validated magical powers. This challenge to faith was His promise to give miraculous powers to the apostles in their work of presenting the credentials of the Messiah. The apostles of the church per se did not come till later. This crowd knew nothing of the church.
21:22
And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
This verse is not an unqualified promise to answer any prayer at any time. God always answers prayer according to His will. God never answers prayer that is selfish.
PRINCIPLE: Trust in God’s promises can have amazing consequences.
APPLICATION: Religion as a complete system is satanic. It is the main method whereby the devil deceives the masses. Religion without reality is deadly.
Genuine faith trusts in the extant promises of God. This kind of faith always honors God because it trusts God to do what He promises. Even little faith can accomplish great results. Doubt debilitates the Christian walk. If in payer we believe that God will do what He promised He would do, He will work through us.
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Matthew 21:14f

Published on February 14, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” 17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
 
Jesus demonstrated His authority by healing in the presence of religious leaders (21:14). This passage emphasizes the negative volition of religious leadership in Israel towards Jesus as the Messiah.
21:14
Then the blind and the lame [maimed] came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
Jesus made the temple, where profiteering and extortion ran rampant, into a place of healing. This was a demonstration of His authority.
21:15
But when the chief priests and scribes [experts in the law] saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children [literally boys] crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant
Religious leaders were indignant because children ascribed praise to Jesus for healing the blind and lame. The “Son of David” refers to Jesus as the Messianic king.
21:16
and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
This question by religious leaders implied that the praise children gave Jesus was not right. Their question implied that Jesus should have been upset about this, as they were: “You should be ashamed. These children are singing praises to you as the Messiah. This is blasphemy!” This claim by the children that Jesus was the Son of David, the Messianic king, threatened the leaders’ hold on the people. They had a closed-shop attitude about religion.
Many of these children had never been to Jerusalem or the temple. Many were there for their bar mitzvah to celebrate their first Passover as 12-year-olds.
And Jesus said to them, “Yes.
Jesus acknowledged that He both heard and agreed with the children singing His praise. It is ironic that children recognized Jesus as the Messiah while the religious leaders of Israel did not.
Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”
Jesus quoted Psalm 8:2 in reply to the religious leaders. This messianic Psalm says that children praised their Messiah and He is that Messiah. By quoting this verse, Jesus claimed the right of worship. This was a stinging rebuke to religious leaders.
21:17
Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
Jesus left the temple and went east two miles to the town of Bethany on the Mount of Olives. The home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus was there. The crowding of the Passover required that Jesus stay there.
PRINCIPLE: Praise acknowledges the need to worship.
APPLICATION: The greater we understand the implications of who and what Jesus was, the more we worship.
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Matthew 21:12f

Published on February 12, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
 
This passage deals with the second cleansing of the temple. The first cleansing (cf. Jn 2:13-17) occurred at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and this cleansing occurred at the end of His ministry. Israel was a theocracy and the temple was the center of that theocracy.
21:12
Then Jesus went into the temple of God
As Jesus entered the outer courts of the temple, there were thousands of worshipers. This was the time of Passover, when Jews from all over Israel would come to worship. The temple was the highest place of Jewish worship.
and drove out all those who bought and sold [both customers and merchants] in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
Many people profiteered by charging excessive fees for sacrificial animals. Money changers charged exorbitant rates to convert currencies. It was not the fact of selling in the temple but the corruption of selling methods that Jesus opposed. By cleansing the temple Jesus confronted degradation of worship at this time.
The driving out of the sellers and their buyers, and the overturning of the tables of the money changers displayed violence on Jesus’ part. This runs contrary to the popular view that Jesus was a wimp. In His Second Coming He will come with war and power.
21:13
And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house [the temple] shall be called a house of prayer,’
Jesus combined two quotes, from Isaiah and Jeremiah, to condemn commercialism of the temple. He quoted from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 to show prophecies about how the temple would degrade at the time Israel was to receive the Messiah. This event shows the failure of Israel to know God’s will about the Messiah. The temple itself was supposed to represent the Messiah.
This is a quote from Isaiah 56:7. God designed the temple as a place of prayer. 
but you [emphatic] have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
Instead of a place of prayer, people of Jesus’ day made the temple a “den of thieves.” The temple had become a place of extortion. This is the quote from Jeremiah 7:11. Jesus acted in accord with His kingly prerogative.
PRINCIPLE: Indignation is valid in some cases.
APPLICATION: People use gimmicks to make money in churches today. This is appalling to God. However, it is valid to raise money as Paul did for the churches.
We often have a distorted idea that Jesus was sweet and non-confrontational. This is error. Jesus was tough when He had to be tough. He called religious leaders snakes in the grass, whitewashed tombs, hypocrites, sons of the devil, and so on. He was not afraid to call a spade a spade. There is a place today for confronting apostasy, gross sin, and other abominations in the church.
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Matthew 21:8f

Published on February 11, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
 
Jesus now entered Jerusalem on the colt presenting Himself as the King of Israel. The people leading the way and following Jesus riding on the donkey caused a commotion.
21:8
And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road [in homage]; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road [in homage].
A “very great multitude” went before Jesus in a procession of praise, acknowledging Him as the King of Israel. This festivity was a deliberate manifestation of Himself as the Messiah.
21:9
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out,
Those coming before and after Jesus constituted a royal procession. The Greek indicates that they were constantly crying out in repeated fashion (imperfect tense). They approach the city from the east.
saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David [Messianic title]! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
The multitude sang a song taken from the Messianic Psalm 118:25-26. This was a psalm used at the Passover called “the great Hallel.” The word “hosanna” is the transliteration of the Greek word save now. This is a note of triumph regarding the coming King. This triumph will not be fulfilled until Jesus comes again riding on a white horse (Re 19).
Israel sang Psalm 118 twice a year, at the Passover and at the Feast of Tabernacles. The Passover represents the cross and Tabernacles represents the crown. There are two purposes of the two advents of Christ:
1.     In the first advent Jesus came to save us from our sins.
2.     The Second Advent is for the purpose of the restoration of the nation Israel, when Israel will crown Him King of Kings.
21:10
 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
The whole city was troubled about this event. However, the people of Jerusalem did not recognize Jesus as the King of Israel.
21:11
So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
The response that Jesus was a prophet from Nazareth indicated unbelief in His Messiahship.
PRINCIPLE: People want a religion of success rather than revelation of truth.
APPLICATION: Jesus came for His coronation as King Jesus, but Israel formally rejected Him as Messiah King. The populace of Jerusalem wanted a King to bring success and power. People today want a god to give them health and wealth. They will proclaim Jesus to be King as long as He meets their wants. They want an empty, hollow religion. The God of revelation is entirely different than this god of their own making.
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Matthew 21:1f

Published on February 10, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.
 
The events of Matthew 21-28 occur in six days (Jn 12:1-10). We have come to the last week of Jesus’ life. The troupe arrived near the Mount of Olives.
The triumphal entry was the formal presentation of Jesus as the nation’s Messiah, the Son of David.
21:1
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
Bethphage was on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. This village was close to Bethany. The prophetic passage of Zechariah 14:4 says that the Messiah will stand on the Mount of Olives. This is the site where He will return in His Second Coming.
21:2
saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.
Jesus sent the disciples probably to Bethany. This was fulfillment of prophecy (v. 5).
21:3
And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
This is the only passage where Jesus used the term “Lord” of Himself.
21:4
All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
The requisition of the donkey fulfilled two prophecies from Isaiah and Zechariah (Isa 62:11 and Zech 9:9).
21:5
“Tell the daughter of Zion [the population of Jerusalem],
This is an allusion to Isaiah 62:11.
‘Behold [marks sudden event], your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt [young male donkey], the foal of a donkey.’ ”
This is a quote from Zechariah 9:9. This passage speaks of the Messiah bringing the national salvation of Israel to Jerusalem. Matthew does not quote the part that refers to national salvation because Jesus would not do that at this time. He would accomplish it later at His Second Coming (Re 19:11).
21:6
So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.
The disciples found a colt as Jesus commanded them. The significance of the donkey colt is humility.
21:7
They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them [the clothes].
Jesus sat on the clothes spread upon the colt. The mother donkey walked beside Jesus and the colt because the young colt would not have left his mother. Riding on the younger, shorter donkey indicated something of the humility of this King. He did not come riding on a white stallion.
The Triumphal Entry was a deliberate presentation by Jesus of Himself as King Jesus, King of Israel. The people would either accept Him as King of Israel, the Messiah, or they would not.
PRINCIPLE: The Triumphal Entry was the direct fulfillment of prophecies from Daniel and Zechariah.
APPLICATION: It was a moment of historical and prophetical importance when Jesus mounted the donkey. The 69 weeks (years) of Daniel’s prophecy had come into fruition. The word “weeks” is literally sevens. After 483 years the “Messiah would be cut off” (Da 9:26). This date was the month of Nisan, A.D. 30. Daniel’s prophecy of 490 years indicated a break after 483 years with seven years remaining. The seven years remaining are the years of the Tribulation period yet to come. Jesus was “cut off” after 483 years of the decree of Artaxerxes:
Daniel 9: 24 “Seventy weeks [490 years] are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem [the decree of Artaxerxes] Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks [literally heptads, that is, years] and sixty-two weeks [62 years]; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off [crucified], but not for Himself; And the people of the prince [Romans] who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
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Matthew 20:29f

Published on February 9, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
 
 
Jesus and His disciples crossed over from the east side of the Jordan to the west side near Jericho. Jericho was the last major town before the showdown in Jerusalem.
20:29
Now as they went out of Jericho [an oasis], a great multitude followed Him.
 
As Jesus left Jericho a large crowd followed Him. There were two Jerichos. Jesus healed as He left one and approached the other.
 
20:30
 
And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David! [title of the Messiah]”
 
Two blind men asked Jesus to heal them (though Mark and Luke only mention the prominent blind man, named Bartimaeus). The men sitting by the road used the title “Son of David,” indicating they understood His Messiahship and coming kingdom.
 
20:31
 
Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”
 
The crowd tried to silence them, but they became more insistent. They were desperate. They had faith that the Messiah could heal them.
 
20:32
 
So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
 
Jesus drew attention to the coming miracle by asking the blind men to state specifically what they wanted.
 
20:33
 
They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”
 
The two blind men responded that they wanted Jesus to restore their sight. This drew attention to the authenticity of the miracle.
 
20:34
 
So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.
 
For the fourth time Jesus healed from compassion (9:36; 14:14; 15:32).
 
And immediately their eyes received sight,
 
Jesus immediately healed the blind men. They probably received at least 20/20 vision. This is the last public miracle of Jesus before His crucifixion.
 
and they followed Him.
 
The two blind men accompanied Jesus to Jerusalem.
 
PRINCIPLE: Positive volition always has openness to truth.
 
APPLICATION: Many people today are spiritually blind because they do not want to acknowledge the truth as set forth in God’s Word. They have a vested interest in not coming to the Savior; they love darkness rather than light because their deed are evil.
 
John 3: 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
Mt 6: 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
The devil binds eyes of those who do not believe.
 
2 Co 4: 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
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Matthew 20:24f

Published on February 8, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
 
20:24
And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.
When the other disciples heard about the manipulative request of James and John, they were indignant. Jesus talked to them about the nature of authentic leadership (20:25-28).
20:25
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them [dictator leadership], and those who are great exercise authority over them.
Pagan rulers relish power. They relish greatness and dominance. They exercise dictatorship as their style of leadership.
20:26
Yet it shall not be so among you;
Jesus’ disciples did not operate on the power lust of leaders of their time but on the basis of service towards others.
but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant [minister].
People in ministry should not strive for positions of power. Ministry in the kingdom is a ministry of service.
20:27
And whoever desires to be first [chief] among you, let him be your slave [lower than a servant—abject slave]—
Ministry is self-sacrifice, not something for prestige and power lust. The right kind of greatness is serving others. Jesus evaluates success by the number of people a leader serves. The world evaluates success by the number of people a leader controls or the number of people on his staff.
20:28
just as [Jesus is the ultimate example of leadership] the Son of Man [it was the humanity of Christ that paid for our sins] did not come to be served [although He deserved it],
Jesus is the outstanding example of service to others (Ph 2:7). We are to follow His example “just as” He served.
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom [payment] for many.”
Jesus gave Himself as a “ransom.” He gave Himself as a sacrifice for sin. A ransom is the price paid to redeem a slave. The price here is Christ’s own life. He paid with His life as a blood sacrifice.
The word “for” means in the place of. Jesus took our place. He took our hell that we might have His heaven. He personally paid for the penalty of our sins.
PRINCIPLE: Jesus paid the ransom to the Father so that He would satisfy payment for sin.
APPLICATION:  The doctrine of propitiation is the doctrine that God is satisfied with our sin issue because Christ fully paid the price for sin. That ransom is valid only for those who rest in Jesus’ cross to forgive and pay for their sins.
1 Co 6: 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Ga 3: 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”).
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Matthew 20:20f

Published on February 6, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” 22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
 
20:20
Then [Salome asked this question based on the resurrection predicted the previous verse] the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
The mother of Zebedee’s sons was Salome. She implored Jesus for special privileges for her sons James and John. We can see her faithfulness when she went to the foot of the cross (27:56), but she was manipulative here. James and John probably asked her to do this (Mk 10:35).
20:21
And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
“In your kingdom” refers to the Millennial kingdom of 1,000 years after the rapture of the church.
20:22
But Jesus answered and said [Jesus addressed James and John], “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup [suffering and death] that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”
James and John did not understand the extent of what they would face.
20:23
So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup [in full measure], and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with [plunged into suffering and death];
Jesus prophesied that the brothers would suffer in ministry. James was killed with the sword (Ac 12:2) and John exiled to the isle of Patmos (Re 1:9).
but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
The mother wanted her sons to sit at posts of greatest honor. It was not Jesus’ prerogative to grant them status in the kingdom. The Father will not place people in position based on ambition.
PRINCIPLE: Power lust violates kingdom leadership.
APPLICATION: Privilege, power, and prestige are not God’s end in leadership; rather, it is service to others. Those who use Christian ministry for power lust run in polar opposition to how Jesus led. This kind of leadership is self-seeking and self-centered. It imposes personal rights over the welfare of others. Self-glory is a major problem in evangelism today. Truly great leadership is giving oriented. The purpose of Christian leadership is to give, not take.
1 Pe 5:3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
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Matthew 20:17f

Published on February 5, 2009 in Matthew. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Matthew
17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”
 
We come to the third and last prediction of Jesus’ death and resurrection (16:21-28; 17:22-23).
20:17
Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,
Jesus heading south from the northeast side of the Jordan to Jerusalem told the twelve disciples that He would finish His earthly ministry there (20:17-19). He took the disciples aside privately to tell them some menacing news.
The idea of “going up” to Jerusalem is from any geographical location (north, south, east, west). Jesus and the twelve were actually heading south. This was the final journey to Jerusalem.
20:18
“Behold [climactic announcement], we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes [Jewish authorities]; and they will condemn Him to death,
This passage takes on an ominous tone. Jesus would be betrayed by Jewish authorities. Rejection by religious leadership of Israel is a central theme in Matthew. It is clear that Jesus took this course willingly. Jesus did not want this to be a surprise to the twelve.
Lu 18:31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.
Luke 25:25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”
 
20:19
and deliver Him to the Gentiles [Romans here] to mock and to scourge [with whip] and to crucify.
Jewish leaders handed Jesus over for crucifixion because it was not legal for them to execute the death penalty (Jn 18:31). This is the first time Jesus referred to His death as crucifixion. Crucifixion was capital punishment. God by capital punishment on the cross provided sacrifice for man’s sin. Jesus was the ultimate Passover Lamb.
And the third day He will rise again.”
Death was not the end for Jesus. Jesus always spoke of His death with the resurrection. Resurrection is entrance into eternal life.
PRINCPLE: It is important to understand that God’s plan of redemption was from eternity.
APPLICATION: The betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus was no miscalculation. Jesus voluntarily and deliberately went to the cross. God decreed His death from eternity. God understood from eternity that it would be necessary to provide a sacrifice for man’s sin.
John 10:18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
1 Peter 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
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