Matthew 12: 1-29, Disputes about the Sabbath

In the previous chapter, Jesus's popularity has skyrocketed.  Everyone knows about him even though at times He has tried to keep the healings secret.  Now Jesus begins to get pushback from the religious leaders.  This begins with disputes about the Sabbath ... and quickly escalates.

Matt 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.

"Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.  If you had known what these words mean, `I desire mercy, not  sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

Jesus is making Messianic claims.  The "Son of Man" was often a phrase for the Jewish Messiah.

From the NIV footnotes: In verse 6 the phrase "one greater than ..." could also apparently be interpreted "something greater than the temple..."  (This is also true with the parallel phrases in verses 41 and 42.)

The Old Testament quote in verse 7 is from Hosea 6:6.

Matt 12: 9-14
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and  lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

With this healing, and Jesus's refusal to cower to their demands, the Pharisees decide that he is a threat.

Matt 12: 15-21
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was. 

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will  proclaim justice to the nations.  He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope."

The quote in verse 21 is from Isaiah 42:1-4.  Matthew makes it clear that this man is indeed the Jewish Messiah, meeting the Old Testament prophecies.

Matt 12: 22-29
Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.  All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then can his kingdom stand?  And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 

"Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house."

The Pharisees dismiss Jesus's power as demonic.  (There seems to be no attempt to dismiss these healings as fakery.)

The disputes with the Pharisees will grow sharper in the next passage of Matthew.

Matthew 11, The Messiah and John the Baptizer

Jesus has been training his followers for their upcoming ministry.

Matt 11:1-6
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have  leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

John is beginning to have doubts, since this Messiah has not met John's political and earthly expectations.

Matt 11:7-15, John's role described
As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert  to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine  clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces.

"Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is the one about whom it is written: "`I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'

"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.  For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.  He who has ears, let him hear.

Jesus defends John, despite John's doubts and questions, for John was the very human "Elijah" who came right before the Messiah.

The quote in verse 10 is from Malachi 3:1.

Matt 11:16-19
"To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

John did not meet the expectations of the people; indeed, no one can.  We humans vacillate between legalism and debauchery, wanting all rules and none.

Matt 11:20-24
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and  Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and  ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon  on the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.   If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

The people, attracted by Jesus's miraculous works, begin to turn away when he does not meet their expectations.

The phrase "down to the depth" in verse 23 is literally "down to Hades."

Matt 11:25-30
At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will  give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The Messiah's yoke is not legalistic, but offers a freedom that no one else can!

In the next chapter, Jesus's conflict with the religious leaders deepens, as he challenges their view of the Sabbath.

Matthew 10, Jesus Trains the Disciples

Jesus has been completing a series of ministries and healings in Galilee.  Now Matthew will describe a second set of teachings by Jesus on the kingdom of heaven.  These teachings seem to be more private and personal, aimed at a small collection of disciples.

Matt 10:1-4, Twelve called to follow Jesus
He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.  These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

The Twelve are chosen and named.  The number twelve has spiritual significance, presumably reflecting the twelve tribes of Israel.

According the footnotes to the NIV translation, the Greek phrase translated "evil spirits" could also be translated "unclean spirits".

Matt 10:5-15, Instructions to the Twelve

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions:  "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.  Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.'

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received,  freely give.

"Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.

"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it  is not, let your peace return to you.  If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.  I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

The Twelve are now to focus on the Jews, the children of Israel, and to travel simply, with a simple message.

Matt 10:16-20, Sheeps among Wolves
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Here the follower of Jesus is warned that there will be serious opposition.  At some point in this lecture, Jesus may no longer be talking about this upcoming trip, but may be speaking about more general times, instructions for all those attempting to follow Him.

Matt 10:21-23, Persecution for the followers of Jesus
"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

Is this event, when "the Son of Man comes", referring to the "first coming" of the Son of Man, that is, the first century revealing of Jesus as the Messiah?  Or is this speaking of the so-called "second coming", a future event?

Matt 10:24-28
"A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!

So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Now a more general thread, for good versus evil, honesty and transparency versus deception.  And (again) an emphasis on longterm priorities.

Matt 10:29-33
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before  my Father in heaven.

These are hard sayings.  There is beauty and encouragement... and warnings

Matt 10:34-39, More hard sayings
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn "`a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

The quote in verse 36 is from Micah 7:6.

Matt 10:40-42, Identification with the Messiah
"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.  Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a  righteous man's reward.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth,  he will certainly not lose his reward."

In the next chapter, Jesus answers a question of John the Baptist and describes both the role of the Messiah and that of John.

Matthew 9, New wine (a woman, a little girl, two blind men)

Jesus has crossed over the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) to the eastern side (the modern Golan Heights) and is now preparing to return to Galilee.

Matt 9:1-8
Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?

Which is easier: to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Get up and walk'?  But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic,  "Get up, take your mat and go home." And the man got up and went home.

When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

This is a stunning story.  It is elaborated in Mark's gospel, with the men lowering the man down through a roof.  The story displays Jesus's interest in the man's heart, not just the physical ailments.  I like the part where Jesus responds to the thoughts of others around him and says, "Oh, by the way.... Get up...."

Matt 9:9-13
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.  While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his  disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?"

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: `I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

The quote in verse 13 is from Hosea 6:6.  Jesus emphasizes the appearance of a new covenant, one for sinners, for the depressed, the downtrodden.  The tainted Roman collaborator, Matthew, falls into this group.

Matt 9:14-17
Then John's disciples came and asked him, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment,  for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.  Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

New wine, which must sit and mature, goes into new wineskins which, by their very newness, have the flexibility required to last through the fermentation process.  With these "word pictures", these active metaphors, Jesus insists that there are things appropriate for their times.  The time of Jesus's ministry is a time of new wine, of a new covenant with God.

I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, on the appropriate seasons, and the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by Pete Seeger (made popular by The Byrds) which has a very similar interpretation.

Matt 9:18-26
While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him  and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live."

Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.  Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his  cloak.  She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.

After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.  News of this spread through all that region.

A series of short miracles occur here, very rapidly.  This is the golden time of Jesus's ministry, when he has "gone viral" and everyone is talking about him.  But these miracles are motivated by compassion and Jesus is quick to respond to these requests.

Here, just after Jesus had called Matthew (the writer of this gospel), he is approached by a "ruler", presumably one with wealth and power, whose daughter has died.  The ruler believes that maybe Jesus can do something, even after death. And Jesus responds.  But as he travels, another event occurs; a woman reaches out and touches Jesus cloak, hoping to somehow get some of this power that he has.  Again, Jesus responds.  Then, calmly, Jesus explains to the weeping family that the girl is "just sleeping" and proceeds to "wake her up." This event is recorded in the Gospel of Mark also (Mark 5:41) where Mark (via Peter) recalls Jesus's brief words, "Little girl, get up!"

Matt 9:27-31
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"  

"Yes, Lord," they replied.

Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this."

But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

Once again (following almost every miracle) there are instructions "Tell no one."  Why are these people not to speak?  It seems to be an issue of timing – Jesus is trying to avoid the overwhelming crowds this will bring.

Matt 9:32-24
While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus.  And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."

But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."

The Pharisees are not happy.

Matt 9:35-38
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Jesus is overwhelmed with work and needs the disciples to see the opportunities around them.

Matthew is now about to move to a new portion of Jesus's ministry, another series of discourses on the kingdom of God.  That part begins in the next chapter.

Matthew 8, Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee

After the sermon on the mountainside, Jesus begins to travel throughout Galilee.

Matt 8:1-4

When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds  followed him.

A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.

Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Jesus not only heals the man, but gives very interesting instructions: "Follow the Law of Moses on this ... and keep quiet!"

(In verse 2 the Greek word translated here "leprosy" was used for a variety of skin diseases.  This is true for any of the "leprosy" cases that appear in the New Testament account.)

Matt 8:5-9
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."

Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."

The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, `Go,' and he goes; and that one, `Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, `Do this,' and he does it."

The centurion is a Roman enemy ... but this enemy is one who seems to recognize Jesus as divine. Or maybe he is just desperate for help, turning to Jesus since he has run out of other options? Regardless, Jesus responds with compassion and healing.

Matt 8:10-13
When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at  that very hour.

Jesus interrupts this miracle with a brief sermonette on the promises of God to even the Gentiles.

Matt 8:14-17
When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.  He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."

These three miracles (in the mind of Matthew) meet the prophetic statements of Isaiah (from Isaiah 53.)  These miracles makes Jesus very popular and he is suddenly in demand.

In Mark 1 this episode is described as occurring on the Sabbath, which may explain why people bring their sick to Jesus in the evening, after sunset.  Jewish practice of that day viewed such actions as "work" and thus unacceptable on the sabbath, which ended at sunset.

From verse 14 we learn a little piece of trivia: Peter is married.  

Matt 8:18-20
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

Although Jesus is now very popular, he is not eager to get a following and he will not make it easy for people to follow him.

Matt 8:21-22
Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

A strange short dialogue.  Jesus sees the man's statement about his father as an excuse.

Matt 8:23-27
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us!  We're going to drown!"

He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"  Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this?  Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

I would agree with the disciples in this last verse.  One who can control the wind and waves is indeed a frightening individual!

Matt 8:28-34
When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.

"What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"

Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."

He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.  Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.

Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

How strange and ancient this episode!  Did it really occur like this?  Some have pointed out that the townspeople may have been motivated by greed -- they were pig farmers, unlike good Jews....  (From the NIV Footnotes: in verse 28 some Greek manuscripts say, in place of Gadarenes, either Gergesenes or Gerasenes.  It seems the exact name is unclear.)

In the next chapter, Jesus continues his traveling in the northern part of Israel and nearby Syria.

Matthew 7, The Sermon on the Mount, Part 5 (Kingdom Wisdom)

Jesus concludes his sermon on "the mount" (or hillside), laying out the actions of citizenship in his kingdom. This section is a series of short statements and proverbs, much in keeping with Old Testament wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes.)

Matt 7:1-5
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Jesus routinely uses vivid metaphors, colorful "word pictures" to make his point.  Here he takes the common experience of a painful dusty speck in one's eye and suggests that the judgmental individual is concentrating on a speck ignoring an large log embedded in their own eye!  We laugh at the image and each of us can quickly imagine other people with this problem!

Matt 7:6
"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

This proverb is rarely quoted, rarely used, but really quite straightforward.  It seems to me we often ignore it?

Matt 7:7-11
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in  heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

A strong statement about God's eagerness to grant answers!

Matt 7:12
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

This has come down to us as the "golden rule".

Matt 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Following God is not automatic or natural. It requires serious contemplation.

Matt7:15-20
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

This reflects a general Old Testament test for evaluating prophetic voices.  Of course, like all fruit, it takes time....

Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  

Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'

Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Especially the "religious" need to be held to these tests!  Jesus was critical of the religious leaders and this takes aim at them.

Matt 7:24-27
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

As we seek wisdom, we need a good foundation.  Jesus claims that his words are a place to start.

Matt 7:28-29
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

And so the word continues to spread about this new prophet.

Online aids to studying the Gospel of Matthew

We celebrate the second Sunday of the new year by NOT moving on to new material but instead doing a little bit of review. If you have missed a day in reading through the Gospel of Matthew, this is a time to catch up.

Meanwhile, I'll describe some nice web sources I have found on the Gospel of Matthew.

The Overview Bible project also has a nice summary of the Gospel of Matthew.

There is a free audio of the Gospel of Matthew available here at librivox.
Here is the Gospel of Matthew read in the King James Version on Youtube.  (Personally, I'm not a fan of the ancient King James Version – too many associations with church traditionalism and legalism for me – but you may enjoy it.)

The Bible Gateway is a good place to begin a study.  Pick a chapter in which you are interested (such as Matthew 1) and then along the right side of the page, click on "Study This".  A variety of commentary options will appear, some old, some new, some free, some not.

Among the published commentaries one might purchase are these five recommended by Ligonier Ministries.  If English is not your first language – or even if it is! – there is a nice "EasyEnglish" commentary on Matthew here.

But, frankly, one should spend most of one's time on the original source, the Scriptures themselves.  The commentaries are for the curious, after reading a bit in the original Bible chapters ... which we will try to do tomorrow!