Matthew 25: 1-30, Waiting for the Bridegroom & Master

Jesus continues teaching on the coming of the final age and the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 25:1-13
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

"At midnight the cry rang out: `Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.

"The foolish ones said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

"`No,' they replied, `there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the  bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. `Sir! Sir!' they said. `Open the door for us!' But he replied, `I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

This is a warning, not especially about timing, but about preparation and the unexpected.  Notice what it says about the culture of the time, waiting for a party traveling at night.

Matt 25:14-18
"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a  hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

A simplistic story has been set up -- 8 talents are distributed unevenly among three servants.  They respond in different ways.

In verse 15, the NIV footnotes says, "A talent was worth more than a thousand dollars."

Matt 25:19-30
"After a long time the master of those servants returned and  settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other  five. `Master,' he said, `you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

"His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"The man with the two talents also came. `Master,' he said, `you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

"His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

"Then the man who had received the one talent came. `Master,' he said, `I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

"His master replied, `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

 "`Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

This is a strange and rather scary parable.  It includes a message about being serious about the gospel, working hard in the role given you, with the abilities and skills learned or inherited.  But I still find it strange.

Matthew 22: 23-46, Tests by the Religious Leaders, II

The religious teachers continue to challenge Jesus.  They have their favorite nuggets to throw at him.  "Can God make a stone so big He can't move it?"  No, that is not one of the questions... but the questions are on that simplistic level.

Matt 22:23-33
That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"

Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

"But about the resurrection of the dead--have you not read what God said to you.  `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of  Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

The Sadducees also attempt a direct line of questioning, hitting Jesus with one of their conundrums intended to show that the resurrection is a foolish idea.  Jesus's response is more direct here and he confronts the foolishness of the Sadducees by confronting their underlying assumptions.

(This reminds me of some of the silly things I see on Facebook, ideas that only make sense to those who have already bought into them....)

The quote in verse 32 is from  Exodus 3:6.  This quote is significant, I think, to one's view of the afterlife and the "restoration" mentioned in an earlier passage.  The afterlife is not going to be like the popular church description, sitting high above the clouds, looking down on the earth.  It will be on the earth, in a new, restored earth and universe.

Matt 22:34-40
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Jesus quickly summarizes the Law in a way that shows he has thought deeply about it.

The quote in verse 37 is from Deut. 6:5. The quote in verse 39 is from Lev. 19:18.

Matt 22:41-45
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked  them, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"  

"The son of David," they replied.

He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him `Lord'? For he says `The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I  put your enemies under your feet."' If then David calls him `Lord,' how can he be his son?"

Jesus has saved up a question for the Pharisees: why did David call his chosen descendant, "Lord"? The quote in verse 44 is from Psalm 110:1 and hits at the Pharisees' narrow view of the coming Messiah.

Matt 22:46
No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Jesus seems to know the entire Old Testament by heart, and to have thought deeply about it.  The Pharisees' trick questions (over the last two chapters of Matthew) have been futile and Jesus has ended the session with a question that has caught them out.

Matthew 17, The Transfiguration (NASB)

Matthew has told us that there is to be a future "revealing" of the Son of Man.  In this chapter, we turn a corner.  Jesus's preaching ministry is near an end and he will soon make one last trip to Jerusalem, there to die.

Matt 17:1-3

Six days later, Jesus *took with Him Peter and James, and his brother John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 

This occurs just after Jesus has promised the disciples that they will see the Son of Man coming in glory.

I wonder what Moses, Elijah and Jesus talk about....

Matt 17:4-8

Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You want, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And raising their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

Peter always speaks his mind.  He is eager to create a place the three heroes can rest.  But he needs to be listening.

Matt 17:9-13

When they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

So part of the Old Testament prophecy, to their understanding, has been fulfilled by John the Baptist.

Matt 17:14-18

When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 

And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was healed [h]at once.

Was it a demon?  Or something else?  How would our medical profession view this?

Jesus is clearly frustrated with his disciples.  They apparently still have a long way to go in their training.

Matt 17:19-20

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 

And He said to them, “Because of your meager faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Verse 21 (in old texts) is questionable (not appearing in early Greek copies of Matthew) and has been removed by the NIV.  A translation of it would be "But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," which was likely copied from a parallel passage in Mark 9:29.

Matt 17:22-23

And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved.

This is a depressing statement to the disciples. There is lots of evil in the world and it often seems to be winning.

Matt 17:24-27

Now when they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?” 

He said, “Yes.” 

And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” 

When Peter said, “From strangers,” 

Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”

The "temple tax" (NIV) is a translation of Greek for "the two drachmas". Jesus clearly does not seek confrontation with the political system, although he continues to confront religious hypocrisy.

Matthew 5: 27-48, The Sermon on the Mount, Part 2 (Morality From the Heart)

Jesus continues to contrast the behavior of citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and the accepted religious teachings of his day.

Matt 5:27-32
"You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.'  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body  than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your  body than for your whole body to go into hell.

"It has been said, `Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

The quote in verse 27 is from Exodus 20:14; the quote in verse 31 is from  Deuteronomy 24:1.

We humans rationalize our thoughts and actions by drawing artificial lines that we claim not to cross. But if we fantasize about sex with someone, but we don't act it out, we may indeed avoid external consequences, but we are making decisions that effect who we are and what desires we cater to.

Matt 5:33-37
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long  ago, `Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for  it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem,  for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one  hair white or black.

Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No';  anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

"You have heard it said" is an introduction to an past instruction that has now been defeated by human legalism and rationalization.  In this case, Jesus speaks of promises and oaths and returns to a simple principle, Be Honest.  If you mean Yes then just say it; don't say it if you don't mean it.  (The very emphasis on an oath indicates that there are times when one is dishonest....)

Matt 5:38-42
"You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth  for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone  strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him  have your cloak as well. 

If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

The quotes in verse 38 are from Exodus 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21.

I struggle this submissiveness, but I understand that in most cases we humans love to escalate conflict instead of de-escalate it.  If that Roman soldier says, "You!  Carry my load for a mile!" what response would there be if we smiled and said, "Sure!  Indeed, may I carry it for two miles?"  How strange.  How unworldly.

Matt 5:43-47
"You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans 

do that?

The quote in verse 43 is from Leviticus 19:18.

Jesus removes the calculations from "love".  Most of us practice a basic computation: "I love those who reward my love; I punish those who don't."  But the citizens of Heaven have a different view....

From the NIV Footnotes:  in verse 44 some late manuscripts add "bless those who curse you,  do good to those who hate you", making clear the break from the standard earthly calculus.

Matt 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This is a rather strong, demanding finish to these passages on living righteously!  These instruction are indeed unworldly, distinct from the culture in which we are immersed.

Acts 7: 1-36, Stephen's Sermon, Part 1

Stephen has been called to account before the religious leaders of Jerusalem. 

Acts 7:1
Then the high priest asked him, "Are these charges true?"

The priests will let Stephen speak.

Acts 7:2-8
To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. `Leave your country and your people,' God said, `and go to the land I will show you.' So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. God spoke to him in this way: `Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,' God said, `and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.'  

Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

Stephen has the audacity to explain the basics of Jewish history to the priests.  He attempts to show them that Jesus is the continuation of God's work in the people of Israel.

The call to Abraham, quoted in verse 3 is from Genesis 12:1. The promise to Abraham, quoted in verse 7, is from Genesis 15:13-14.

Acts 7:9-17
"Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace. Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family. After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. 

"Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died. Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money. As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.

All of this is history that Stephen's listeners know well.  Presumably Stephen is both reminding them of God's covenant with Abraham and also proving that he, Stephen, is a bona fide Jew, one who respects and follows that covenant.

Acts 7:18-22
"Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

NIV footnotes on verse 20: "No ordinary child" is also translated "fair in the sight of God".

Acts 7:23-29
"When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian.  Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.

"The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, `Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?'

 "But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, `Who made you ruler and judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'  

"When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons."

Stephen points out that Moses was a savior to the Jewish people but he was not recognized by them at that time!  Just like Jesus.

The quote in verse 28 is from  Exodus 2:14.

Acts 7:30-36
"After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord's voice: `I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.'  Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

 "Then the Lord said to him, `Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground.  I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.' 

"This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, `Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in  the desert.

Stephen is making his Jewish credentials clear, before he moves on to telling the story of the Messiah, who (like Moses in his day) is a savior to the people of Israel.

The quote in verse 32 is from Exodus 3:6. The quote in verse 34 is from, the same passage, covering parts of Exodus 3:5-10.

The last half of chapter 7 will describe the priests' reaction to Stephen's speech.

Passover Week, Holy Week

The Passover Week in Jerusalem, somewhere between 30 and 33 C.E., is the week in which Jesus enters Jerusalem in glory, adored by the crowds, riding on a donkey, spends time with his disciples in and around the temple, and then is crucified on Friday, just before the Jewish sabbath.  Then, on the first day of the week, Jesus is seen alive in parts of Jerusalem, his tomb now empty.

The week begins in Matthew 21 and includes numerous teachings by Jesus about the coming kingdom of heaven and the end times.

Historically, Christians celebrate the Friday crucifixion as "Good Friday" and the Sunday resurrection as Easter Sunday.  The celebrations of these days date back to probably the third century, if not earlier.

The last supper was apparently on Thursday, now celebrated as Maundy Thursday. Matthew 26:17 has the last supper occurring on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

I've found a variety of interesting internet resources on the Passover Week.   As always, Wikipedia is a good source.  There is a Wikipedia article on the "Holy Week".

The Passover feast dates back to Exodus 12, when the tribe of Israel was expelled from Egypt.  On that night (the 14th day of the month Nisan) the Jews sacrificed a lamb and spread its blood over their doorposts so that the Angel of Death would "pass over" their homes and spare them, while killing the first born son of the Egyptians.

A Catholic view of Passover is here.  Another Christian view is here.  A Jewish explanation can be found here and a Messianic Judaism view here or here.

Was Jesus, in the Last Supper, really celebrating the Passover Seder? A fairly detailed analysis of this question appears in this Biblical Archealogy article.

Tomorrow we return to Matthew's account of the Passover Week.

Matthew 24: 32-51, More on the "Second Coming"

Jesus is speaking to his disciples regarding a future "coming of the Son of Man."

Matt 24:32-34
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

A significant question about all of this passage: is Jesus speaking of a close upcoming event (for example, the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD) or a far off event, millennia away?  Or some combination of these?  At the beginning of this conversation, he is appears to be speaking of the generation of his listeners.

From the NIV footnotes: in verse 33, "it" could also be "he" as in "He is near".  And the word "generation" in verse 34 could also be translated "race", so this might not be describing the time frame of a "generation".

Matt 24:35-39
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

In verse 36 some manuscripts do not include the phrase translated here "nor the Son."

Jesus makes it clear that the "end" will come quickly, will be a surprise.

Matt 24:40-44
"Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

"Like a thief in the night," a favorite phrase for people discussing the endtimes....  I have to say that I am a bit immune to this phrase now and it is hard to go back to the first century and view this from their perspective.  (My college days included listening to Larry Norman's "I wish we'd all been ready.")

Matt 24:45-51
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

"But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, `My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This appearance of the "owner" or "master", the Creator of the house, will apparently be a complete surprise.  Of course, for most of us, it is Death that comes first, sometimes as a surprise.

Matthew 14, the Death of John & Feeding of the 5000

Jesus has just finished his collections of parables on living as a member of the Kingdom of Heaven. Now we have a number of incidents and events that describe the climax of Jesus's ministry.

Matt 14:1-11
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him." Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet. On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.

Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."

The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.

Herod is trapped by his promises and his decadence.  And, of course, John pays the price for being the prophet who denounced Herod.

Matt 14:12-14
John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.  When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

The death of John distresses Jesus.  He withdraws from the populous but continues to minister.

Matt 14:15-21
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said,  "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."

Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.

"Bring them here to me," he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

This is a strange miracle.  It reflects the manna that the Israelites got in the wilderness.
(The feeding of 4000, not 5000, occurs in the next chapter, Matthew 15:32-38.)

Matt 14:22-33
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 

Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying,  "Truly you are the Son of God."

A strange incident.  Why did Jesus allow Peter to step out of the boat?  What is the point?  Of all the miracles in Matthew, this one sounds the most mythical to me; unlike other miracles it does not seem to have a particular purpose.

From the NIV footnotes, the phrase in verse 24 translated "considerable distance" is literally, in Greek, "many stadia".  (A stadia was apparently 600 foot lengths, under 200 yards, probably about an tenth of a mile?)

Matt 14:34-36
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Wherever he lands, people are ready to come out and greet Jesus.  At this stage in his ministry, Jesus is "viral"; he is popular and wields considerable influence with his teachings.  But the death of John the Baptist signals a change; soon Jesus will have numerous political opponents, the religious teachers who will be out to destroy him.

Matthew 12:30-50, Sharp Conflict with the Pharisees

Jesus has met increasing hostility from the Pharisees.  He responds. These words are harsh. There is indeed a conflict here, for Jesus is a reformer and the Pharisees are resistant.

Matt 12:30-37
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 

"And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven  men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be  forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by  its fruit.  You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

The followers of Jesus do indeed need to make a decision.  Will they stay with Jesus?  Will they press on in the upcoming conflict?  Or be intimidated by the religious leaders?

Matt 12:38-45
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."

He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the  preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

"The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.' When it  arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.  Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the  final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation."

The Pharisees and teachers of the Law have been seeing Jesus's works yet challenge Him to do a miracle in their presence.  He refuses, saying that only one miracle is necessary, that of three days of burial and then a resurrection.

From the NIV footnotes: in verses 41 and 42, it is not clear whether "one greater than Jonah/Solomon" is a person or a concept.  Apparently the Greek would allow either interpretation. Presumably since the contrast is with a person (Jonah in one verse, Solomon in another), the translaters use "one" instead of "thing".

Matt 12:30-37
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.  Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."

He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my  brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and  my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

In the confrontations, Jesus points out the importance of deliberately, consciously, deciding to follow Him.

NIV footnotes: some ancient manuscripts do not have the sentence (verse 47) about Jesus's mother and brothers standing outside but give Jesus's question, "Who is my mother...?" without context or transition.  Regardless of Matthew's original text, that context is given in Mark 3:31-35 and in Luke 8: 20-21.

In the next chapter, Jesus begins a third set of teachings, parables about the kingdom of heaven.

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.