Like the other Gospel writers, Matthew from the beginning portrays Jesus as a man both alone and misunderstood. After His baptism, Jesus faced Satan in the wilderness, with no one to help Him until He had overcome all temptations; only then did angels come to serve Him (Matthew 4:1-11). The Pharisees, scribes, and elders of the Jews entirely failed to understand Him or His mission. His family members tried to rescue Him from what they considered to be excessive zeal (12:46-47). When He dared to mention God’s concern for the Gentiles, His childhood friends and neighbors tried to kill Him (13:53-58). Even His chosen followers, the Twelve, could not comprehend either who He was or, even more distressing, what He had come to do. After declaring his belief that Jesus was the Christ, Peter tried to prohibit the Lord from going to the Cross (16:22-23). Still, Jesus did not give up trying to gain their companionship. On the night in which He was betrayed, He virtually begged three of His closest friends to keep Him company while He poured out His agony and dedication to the Father, and was deeply disappointed when they gave in to weariness and fell asleep (26:36-46). We can only imagine how He felt when they all deserted Him, much less how much Peter’s denial must have grieved Him. Even now, at His hour of extreme suffering, no one understands. They take His cry to God, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” as a call for help from Elijah the ancient prophet. One of them tries to quench His thirst with cheap wine, fulfilling the words of Psalm 69:21, which in context expresses the utter loneliness of David in the midst of murderous foes. But at this time, Jesus does not despair. His cry of distress not only gives utterance to His indescribable pain, but evokes the rest of Psalms 22 and 69, in which David comforts himself with the knowledge that God knows. He understands. He will come to help, vindicate His servant, and finally be praised for gaining a mighty victory (Psalm 22:21b-31; 69:29-36). When you rightly feel that no one really understands; when your heart knows a bitterness that no one can share (Proverbs 14:10); when there is no one around you to comfort you – remember Jesus, our faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:15-16). He knows! He has been there. He understands. He cares. “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8).
The Essence of Christianity
What is the Christian faith about? Rules and regulations? No, although there are plenty of rules – called commands – which Christians must obey. Rites and rituals? No, although Christians do engage in regular worship, both privately and together. Reason and rationality? No, although the Christian faith is eminently reasonable and can be defended with rational arguments based upon solid evidence and true logic. What, then, lies at the heart of Christianity? A new relationship: Through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s unique Son, we can become children of God the Father. Those who repent of their sins and trust fully in Christ as Savior are born again through the work of the Holy Spirit, and receive new life – the life of God. To use another metaphor, all those who put their faith in Jesus are adopted as sons of God, with full rights to a heavenly, eternal inheritance. As children of God, they are related to Jesus, the Son of God, as “brothers” and “sisters” and “mothers.” Though He alone possesses equal status with God as the eternal Son, believers in Him also belong to this new family of God. That means that true Christians are also related to each other as brothers and sisters. Receiving, nurturing, and enjoying this new “family” relationship is the core of Christianity.
Outside to Speak or Inside To Listen?
Notice the contrast: Jesus’ immediate family stood outside, seeking to speak to Him, while His disciples were inside, listening. This difference divides all of mankind. We are not divided primarily by blood, or language, or culture, but by our attitude towards Jesus Christ. There are those “outside,” who want to pass judgment on Christ. In this case, His family wanted to tell Him that He was working too hard. Then there are those “inside,” who want to listen to Jesus. They see Him as Teacher, Master, and Lord. They look to Him for wisdom and truth, light and life. In this case, His disciples eagerly waited upon His every word. Those on the “outside” live according to what they think right and best for themselves. Those on the “inside” take their values from God’s Word, especially the Word of God incarnate in the Man Christ Jesus. Where are you today?
Greater than Jonah
After rebuking the scribes and Pharisees for seeking some sign to authenticate Jesus’ authority, He refers them to the greatest “proof” of His person and work: His resurrection from the dead (12:40). Then Jesus both compares and contrasts Himself with the prophet Jonah: He is like Jonah in that He startled everyone by appearing alive after being presumed dead. Jonah came out of the belly of the great fish, and Jesus came out of His tomb. Jonah had preached a message of repentance to the people of the great pagan city of Nineveh, in Assyria. Jesus, likewise, began His ministry with a command to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). On the other hand, Jesus is unlike Jonah: - The Old Testament prophet was the son of Amittai (Jonah 1:1). Jesus called Himself “Son of Man,” referring not only to His human nature, which was like ours in every respect but sin (Hebrews 2:14; 4:15), but also to His divine nature, foretold by the great prophecy in Daniel 7:13-14). - Jonah didn’t really die, but was preserved alive in the stomach of the great fish. Jesus was truly killed on the cross. When He emerged from the tomb, it was a real resurrection from death (Matthew 16:21). - Jonah preached repentance to people of a limited locale, and the change in the Ninevites proved to be temporary, for their nation later turned and attacked both Israel and Judah. Jesus commanded his disciples to preach a message of “repentance and remission of sins in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:47). Their obedience produced a church in Nineveh itself that took the Good News even to China in the 7th century A.D. Though greatly reduced, the Syrian church remains to this day. Shall we not worship and obey this “greater than Jonah” Son of Man today?
The Hissing of Snakes
The Pharisees had accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan (12:24). In other words, they had labeled the good work of Christ, done by the power of the Holy Spirit, as evil. They should have known better, for Jesus had given them plenty of evidence that He was the Son of God, empowered by the Spirit of God. Their criticism of Him, therefore, demonstrated that they were allies of the Devil, “that ancient serpent” (Revelation 12:9). Jesus had heard the hissing of God’s inveterate enemy in the wilderness (Matthew 4:3-10), and recognized his voice in the words of the Pharisees. That’s why he called them, “offspring of vipers.” Then He went to the root of the matter: Since they were, like Satan, wicked to the core, how could they utter anything good? The condition of the heart determines the character of our speech. To put it another way, our words reflect our inner nature. This especially applies to what we say about others, and particularly about God and His Son, Jesus. Now is the time to examine our heart, using our tongue as a standard. Are we critical of others? Do we express unbelief in God’s goodness? Are our lips filled with praise and thanks to our heavenly Father for His grace to us and to others who believe in Christ? What is our “native tongue”? What kind of “abundance” fills our inner self? In other words, whose children are we?
Who Are the True Christians?
Much confusion surrounds the name “Christian.” Does it refer to those who go to a “Christian” church? Or to those who simply profess faith in Jesus Christ? Or does “Christian” describe those whose lives reflect, to a substantial degree, their faith in Christ? Jesus had warned against false prophets, saying, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). Immediately after that, He declared, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (7:21). In this passage, He continues His rebuke of the Pharisees, whom everyone considered to be very religious, and who considered themselves to be righteous. Jesus saw them differently. Both their works and their words proved them to be hypocrites. Likewise, today many people say they believe in Jesus Christ as Lord, but how many live accordingly? What “fruit” do they bear in daily life? A “good tree” – that is, a true believer – will sink its roots deep into God’s Word each day, and soak that reading with prayer. He or she will bear the “fruit” of humility, trust in God alone, and love towards others (John 15:1-10; Galatians 5:22-24). While working hard to complete the tasks set before him, a real Christian sets his hope on the next life, and does not live for success or satisfaction in this life. People will notice the relative absence of pride and passion, and the greater degree of unselfish service towards God and others in the life of one who sincerely trusts in Christ. What kind of “tree” are you?
What Sins Can Be Forgiven?
We must take both parts of this statement very seriously. Let’s start with the warning. There is a sin which cannot be forgiven. This “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” renders one incapable of salvation, now or in the age to come (32). The Pharisees obviously committed this unpardonable transgression when they said that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan, not God. Jesus countered by insisting that His exorcisms were worked by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees’ sin apparently consisted in their total rejection of the ministry Jesus came to do. What was in fact good. Thus, they placed themselves beyond the range of Jesus’ saving grace, for they rejected the essence of His ministry, which was salvation from sin and its effects. Those who, like Paul, at first did not believe in Jesus but later repented could be forgiven. On the other hand, those who did not even want the kind of deliverance Jesus came to bring, and who in fact considered it satanic, would not even ask forgiveness, for they did not consider themselves wrong before God. What about the promise? How wonderful and comprehensive it is! “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven”! Dishonoring parents, adultery, murder, stealing, lying, covetousness, not loving and serving God – all these can be covered with the blood of Jesus, who came to “save His people from their sins” (1:21). Traitors and prostitutes, adulterers and thieves, even Matthew the tax collector and Peter the coward, knew the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And so can we, as long as we truly repent and trust in Jesus each day.
Binding the Strong Man
Jesus had been casting out demons, when the Pharisees charged that Jesus did so by the power of Satan himself. After countering that accusation by showing its inconsistency and stating that the real reason for His victory over demons lay in His kingly power, Jesus now explains further: As the “stronger” man, He has bound the “strong man,” that is the devil. That is why Jesus can plunder the strong man’s house by expelling demons from tormented people. Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness (4:1-11). Afterwards, He began His ministry of teaching, preaching, healing, and deliverance with the words, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4:17). In other words, His power to heal and His proclamation of the truth, along with His casting out of evil spirits, demonstrate that He, the true and final King, has come, bringing with Him deliverance from evil of all sorts. When the Seventy disciples had returned from their triumphant tour of ministry, exclaiming that “even the demons are subject to us in Your name,” Jesus told them where that authority came from: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). John records that event in these words: “The great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9). The context makes clear that this took place after the birth of Christ. Thus, we do not need to “bind” Satan or any demons now. We may simply claim the power of the crucified and risen Christ as we preach and heal and resist evil in His name. In other words, we serve the really Strong Man, Jesus!
The Kingdom Has Come!
After Jesus delivered a man rendered blind and mute by demons, the Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus first exposed the silliness of this charge by showing the Satan would not attack his own kingdom. Then He highlights the true significance of His ministry of demon expulsion: By rescuing people from bondage to evil spirits, Jesus has inaugurated a new stage in the reign of God on earth. From then on, even the simplest believer can withstand the assaults of Satan, even to the point of driving a demon out of a poor, possessed soul. In fact, the Early Church Father Athanasius pointed to this fact as a demonstration of the deity of Christ, for only one who was truly God could exercise such power and then delegate it to His followers. What does that mean for us today? Just as Jesus defeated Satan by the power of the Holy Spirit, so can we. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Clothed in the mighty armor of God, we can be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10), not only to withstand Satan’s wiles, but to do all that God wills for us (Ephesians 6:11, 13). The kingdom has come, because the King has come. Trusting in Him, we can overcome all of the temptations the devil may throw at us, and even expel demons from those he has fully possessed. As citizens of this heavenly kingdom, we rejoice in His reign in and through us, even as we await the full revelation of His glory.
What Delights God?
Matthew applies this quotation from Isaiah to Jesus and His ministry. Notice: - God commands us to pay attention: “Behold!” He says. He wants us to turn our eyes to this Person in whom He especially delights. - Jesus is called God’s Servant. Before Him, this title was applied to the patriarchs; Moses; Joshua; David; the prophets; and even pagan kings whom God raised up to do His will. But now the word “Servant” finds its fulfillment in the person and work of God’s Son. - God has “chosen” this Servant for a special task – to “declare justice to the Gentiles” until “He sends forth justice to victory” (Matthew 8:18, 20). - Before being chosen as Servant, however, Christ was God’s eternal Son, His Beloved, in whom His soul delighted. (The Greek word translated “servant” also means “son.”) Consider the implications of this brief passage: - We are to focus our minds on Jesus more than on any other person, event, or thing in this world. - If the Father delights in Him, should we not also find our deepest joys in Christ? - And if God especially favors the title “Servant,” does that not imply that we, too, should assume the servant role in life?
Hidden Works
Jesus healed countless people, who were eager to let others know what He had done. Most in His position would love the publicity, but He avoided it. We want our good deeds to be widely known, but He did not. Why? For several decades, scholars have called this the “Messianic secret.” With varying interpretations, they have generally agreed that Jesus desired to keep His identity as Messiah a secret, lest the crowds misunderstand His real goal. They expected a savior to deliver them from the hated Romans, but He came to save them from their sins (1:21). While there may be some truth in this, it can’t be all that is going on here. After all, Jesus’ mighty works were done in public. There was no way to hide His miraculous cures. Word of His wondrous works spread like wildfire, attracting huge throngs. There was no “secret” about His supernatural powers. Could it be that Jesus was practicing what He preached in the Sermon on the Mount? “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them… But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know was your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:1, 3). Of course, Jesus’ works of mercy, done in the open, could not be hidden. But His essential humility, expressed in His Incarnation, life of service, and sacrificial death (Philippians 2:5-8), would explain also why He did not crave fame. He knew who He was. He did not need to gain favor with God or with man. He sought only to glorify the Father by His truthful speech and life of humble service. And He calls us to follow in His steps.
Day of Rest? (5)
Day of Rest? (4)
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for accusing His disciples of breaking the Sabbath law, because they misunderstood the Scriptures, the true purpose of the Sabbath, and His own unique person. Now He ends this exchange with an even more radical claim: As Son of Man, He is greater even than the Sabbath. “Son of Man” refers to the Daniel’s vision of a Being equal with God (Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus often applied this title to Himself, plainly declaring His divine identity. As Son of Man and Son of God, Jesus had authority even over the Law of God. He not only provided the proper interpretation of it (Matthew 5:21-48), but completely fulfilled it (5:17). If He allowed his disciples to do something on the Sabbath, they were guiltless. More than that: As Son of Man, Jesus has authority over all of time. He can determine what people do on the weekly holy day. He can also decide what we should do every other day! He is Lord of our moments and our days. Shall we love, trust, and obey Him as Lord of every moment of our lives? Or shall we join the Pharisees in rejecting Him and His people? Shall we seek every opportunity to draw closer to Him through worship, prayer, Bible study, and fellowship, or go our own way, do our own work, and neglect both Jesus and His people?
“LOVE” – And Other Dangerous Addictions
Romantic love, like other forms of mental illness, causes you to lose control over your mind. You abandon common sense and indulge in fantasy, ignoring warning signs which a reasonable person would heed. Brushing off suggestions from friends or perhaps your own conscience, you convince yourself that your case is different...
Day of Rest? (3)
Then Jesus stunned them with a stupendous claim: That He was greater than the Temple in which the priests worked. - He is purer than the Temple, which had become defiled by hypocritical worship and mercenary activities. - He is more permanent than the Temple, for it would be destroyed and He would rise to eternal glory. - He is holier than the Temple, for in Him the fullness of God dwelt in bodily form. - He is greater than the sacrifices, for they had to be offered daily, but He died only once. - He is greater than the priests, for they had to sacrifice for their own sins, but He only offered a sacrifice (Himself) for the sins of others. Moreover, they all died, but He lives forever to make intercession for us. Now, if Jesus is “greater than the Temple,” then He is greater than the covenant which established the entire sacrificial system. In that case, He has authority to regulate worship for His people. Not only so, but if He is greater than the Temple, then He must be the center and focus of all our worship and service. In that case, our attitude towards Him is far more important than our actions on any particular day. The Pharisees missed that point entirely. How about us?
Day of Rest? (2)
The Pharisees had criticized Jesus’ disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath as they walked through a field. Jesus first showed them that their definition of “work” was wrong. The Mosaic Law allowed the priest to “work” on the Sabbath. It also allowed people to pick a few grains of standing wheat if they were hungry. So, His disciples were blameless. By this statement, as well as His reminder that David had been given holy bread from the tabernacle when he and his men were hungry (12:3-4), Jesus challenged the man-made tradition of the Pharisees. He proved, from their own Bible, that two types of “work” – at least – were allowed on the Sabbath: What is necessary for worship, and what is necessary for life. At the same time, Jesus exposed their ignorance of Scripture; their critical, judgmental attitude; their selective moral standards. We may not hold to the same traditions as they did, but are we ever guilty of similar sins?
Day of Rest (1)
It seems that nowadays almost everyone is tired and weary much of the time. Is there any way out of the fast lane? Jesus promised “rest” to all who would come to Him. He offered relief from many of the stresses that sap our energy: Guilt, worry, striving to prove our worth, and legalistic religion. For centuries, Christians have believed that observing one day a week for rest and worship offers relief from the incessant labor and toil that wears us down. After all, after having made the world in six days, God “rested” on the seventh day. He blessed that day and set it apart as special (Genesis 2:2-3). Later, when He gave the moral law to His people Israel at Mount Sinai, the LORD commanded them to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work” (Exodus 20:8-10). After Jesus rose from the dead, His followers commemorated that great demonstration of His lordship by gathering on the first day of the week to worship God through faith in Him (Acts 20:7). They called it “the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10). Centuries later, they began to observe this day as a Sabbath, doing no work on it. Perhaps it would be good for us to re-consider this ancient practice to see whether we, too, might benefit from it. Maybe this is one way in which Jesus provides rest to us.
True Rest
These famous words of Jesus offer us the path to true rest of soul. Are you laden with guilt? Jesus provides full pardon and forgiveness. Are you weary of constantly doing what is wrong? Jesus offers progressive, and substantial, freedom. Are you tired of trying to justify yourself by your performance? Jesus gives instant justification to all who believe. Are you overwhelmed by the task of obeying God? Jesus sends the Spirit to transform all those who trust in Him. Are you worn out by constant rejection from those who do not know God? Jesus, who endured the murderous hatred of wicked enemies, will comfort and strength you. “Yoked” to Jesus, we can let Him carry the load for us. All we have to do is walk with Him by faith. For those who transfer their heavy burdens to Him, there is profound peace and real rest.
Sovereign Grace
To understand this saying, we must consider its context. Jesus told His disciples that they would be persecuted, even killed (10:16-39). Later, He referred to the way the crowds rejected both John the Baptist and Himself (11:18-19) and pronounced woes on cities that had refused to believe in Him (11:20-24). Now He explains why some believe in Him, and some do not. It all depends on God’s sovereign grace. That is to say, God reveals Himself to some, and not to others. We cannot know God as Father apart from faith in Jesus the Son. But we cannot know Jesus as the Son of God unless the Father opens our eyes. For Jesus personally, this meant that He and His message would be received by only a minority and despised by the majority, who would then subject Him to terrible suffering and death. Of course, it also meant that many would receive Him and find eternal life. Notice how He responded to this: “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.” He submitted, even though it would lead to unspeakable agony for Him. Shall we not also submit humbly to God’s plan for our lives, even if it includes pain?
Greater Responsibility
Jesus’ stinging denunciation of these small towns teaches us a great deal about the coming judgment of God: - It will be terrible and total. The ancient cities of Tyre were overthrown by fierce armies; Sodom and Gomorrah, to which Jesus refers in the next verse, were wiped out by fire from heaven (Genesis 19:24-25). Jesus Himself spoke of “hell fire” (5:22); “destruction” (7:13); and of “outer darkness,” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (8:12). - It will be according to the light which we have received. Those who have been exposed to more of God’s revelation will be judged more severely than those who have had less of an opportunity to know God and turn to Him (John 15:22; Hebrews 10:28-29). Thus, those people who heard Jesus’ preaching and saw His miracles, but rejected Him anyway, will receive a worse punishment than the citizens of pagan cities which knew only God’s general revelation and His warnings through the prophets of Israel (Romans 1:18-32; Isaiah 23). For those who have heard the Gospel of Christ, it will be based on our response. Did we repent of our sins and turn to Him in faith? If so, we shall be forgiven of all our sins and enter into everlasting life. If, on the other hand, we harden our hearts and seek to hide our sins, not admitting them and trusting in God’s grace to us through Christ, there is a “fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation” (Hebrews 10:27). Greater privilege carries greater responsibility.