PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 1-8 AND 16-18

A. Matthew 5 describes the characteristics of God's new people and God's view of true righteousness. Matthew 6 relates to the Jews'traditional view of what constituted righteousness (i.e., almsgiving, prayer, fasting).

B. These are not so much specific rules, but an attitude check for believers. For a true definition of righteousness, see Matt 5:20, 48. This can only be ours as a gift of God in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21). However, our gratitude moves us toward Christlikeness.

C. The radical commitment that is required for disciples is clearly presented, not in concrete rules but in spiritual principles.

D. There is both a positive and negative purpose of the Sermon on the Mount.

1. to show us the kind of life God has a right to expect His people to live, the pattern for a Spirit-filled life

2. to show man's inability to keep God's commandments.

It shows us our sinfulness, much like the Ten Commandments (cf. Gal. 3:15-29). No one can stand in its searchlight.

E. It is possible that Matt. 6:5, 6 address Jewish problems in prayer, while 6:7, 8 address pagan problems in prayer.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 6:1-4
 ¹"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. ²So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

6:1

NASB, NRSV"Beware of practicing"
NKJV"take heed that you do not do"
TEV"Be careful not to perform"
NJB"Be careful not to parade"

"Beware" is a present active imperative. This is literally "think constantly." God looks at the heart (motive) before the hand (action)!

▣ "your righteousness" This passage deals with three aspects of first century Jewish religious practices which were thought to make one right with YHWH: (1) almsgiving (Matt. 6:2-4); (2) prayer (Matt. 6:5-15); and (3) fasting (Matt. 6:16-18). Beware of religious exhibitionism (cf. Matt. 5:20). Many things can be good or evil depending on our attitude, motive, and purpose!

"Righteousness" stood for almsgiving in Jesus' day. Almsgiving was a weekly Jewish system of free will offerings to help the poor and needy.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ALMSGIVING

▣ "before men" There are some things that believers should do "before men."

1. let your light shine, Matt. 5:16

2. confess Christ, Matt. 10:32

▣ "to be noticed by them" The English term " theatrical" is derived from this Greek word (theamai), which meant "to behold attentively." The term "hypocrites" in Matt. 6:2 also has a theatrical etymology. The Pharisees were play-acting religion (cf. Matt. 5:20).

▣ "reward" This term is found in Matt. 6:1,2,5,16 and means "to receive a full payment" (cf. Phil. 4:18). The Bible teaches rewards, but on the basis of believers'attitude, not their actions alone (i.e., Matt. 7:21-23). A similar phrase in Matt. 6:2 was an idiom for "a signed and received receipt." See Special Topic at Matt. 5:12.

6:2 "give to the poor" Almsgiving was a means of helping the poor on a weekly basis. The rabbis even thought of it as having saving qualities (cf. Tobit 12:8-9; Ecclesiasticus 3:30; 29:11-12).

▣ "do not sound a trumpet before you" This has often been interpreted as alluding to the thirteen metal, trumpet-shaped receptacles in the Temple where money was placed (cf. Luke 21:2). Each container had a different designated purpose. However, no clear historical evidence has been found in Jewish literature for these receptacles. Therefore, it is probably a figure of speech of someone calling attention to their religious acts.

▣ "hypocrites" See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HYPOCRITES

NASB"that they may be honored by men"
NKJV"that they may have glory from men"
NRSV"so that they may be praised by others"
TEV"so that people will praise them"
NJB"to win human admiration"

God looks at the heart (cf. 1 Sam. 16:7; Pro. 21:2; Luke 16:15; John. 12:43; Acts 1:24; 15:8; Rom. 8:27; Rev. 2:23).

NASB"Truly I say to you,"
NKJV"Assuredly, I say to you"
NRSV"Truly, I tell you"
TEV"remember this"
JB"I tell you solemnly"
NJB"In truth I tell you"

Literally "amen, amen" (cf. Matt. 6:2, 5, 16), this was used exclusively by Jesus to introduce significant statements. The OT root of " amen" is faithfulness, loyalty, or dependability. This had the connotation of, " I am making a faithful statement, listen clearly." See Special Topic at Matt. 5:18.

▣ "they have their reward in full" This word " reward" found in the Egyptian papyri (see James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 413) denoted a wage or earnings. This word occurs in Matt. 5:12,46; 6:1,2,5,16.

6:3 This was an idiom for secrecy. It was not meant to be taken literally. It was a reaction to and guard against religious exhibitionism.

6:4 "your Father who sees what is done in secret" The significance of private personal faith is found in the believer's personal trust in God. Believers show their personal relationship to God in unobserved activity more than any other way (cf. Matt. 6:6, 18). Attitude, not secrecy, is the key (cf. Matt. 5:16). Often monetary stewardship can be a great witness, e.g., J. C. Penney and R. G. Letourneau.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS A HUMAN (Anthropomorphic Language)

▣ "will reward you" The Greek term "openly" is found in the NKJV in Matt. 6:4,6, and 18. The early Greek uncial manuscripts K, L, & W, and the Greek text used by Chrysostom add "openly" here and in Matt. 6:6 and 18. This word does not occur in the major ancient Greek manuscripts א, B, D, Z; nor the Greek texts used by Origen, Cyprian, Jerome, or Augustine. The UBS⁴ gives the shorter text a "B" rating (almost certain).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 6:5-15
 ⁵"When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ⁶But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. ⁷And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. ⁹Pray, then, in this way:
 'Our Father who is in heaven,
 Hallowed be Your name.
 ¹⁰Your kingdom come.
 Your will be done,
 On earth as it is in heaven.
 ¹¹Give us this day our daily bread.
 ¹²And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 ¹³And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
 [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]'
 ¹⁴For if you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

6:5 "for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues" The common posture for Jewish prayer was standing with arms and face lifted to heaven with the eyes open. The issue is not the position of the body, but the exhibitionist attitude of the heart.

▣ "and on the street corners" The Jews in Jerusalem during Jesus' time prayed at three specific times during the day. Two of these times were 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. when certain sacrifices (the continual) were being offered in the Temple; to these times they added high noon. Some self-righteous leaders would arrange to find themselves in public, crowded places at these set times, so that all could see their piety.

▣ "so that they may be seen by men" This is literally " to shine before men." Believers are admonished to let their lights shine before people, but the purpose is that God, not themselves, be glorified (cf. Matt. 6:2; 5:16 and John. 12:43; Phil 2:15). See SPECIAL TOPIC: HYPOCRITES at Matt. 6:2.

▣ "Truly" See Special Topic at Matt. 5:18.

6:6

NASB"go into your inner room"
NKJV, NRSV"go into your room"
TEV"go to your room"
NJB"go to your private room"

This referred to a storeroom (cf. Luke 12:24). This was from a Greek term that etymologically meant "to cut," which implied a separate or partitioned room (cf. Matt. 24:26; Luke 12:3). This would have been the only room with a door.

SPECIAL TOPIC: USE OF THE WORD "DOOR" IN THE NT

6:7

NASB"meaningless repetition"
NKJV"vain repetitions"
NRSV"heap up empty phrases"
TEV"a lot of meaningless words"
NJB"babble"

This word is used only here in the NT. Its meaning is uncertain. Notice the variety with which English versions translate this term! Jesus and Paul repeated prayers (cf. Matt. 26:44; 2 Cor. 12:8). Possibly the translation "meaningless phrases" is best. For possible biblical examples of the use of liturgical prayers, see 1 Kgs. 8:26 and Acts 19:34. The issue is not the number of times a person repeats a phrase, but the faithful/trusting/believing heart of the speaker.

6:8 "you" In context this emphatic pronoun is in contrast to two groups: (1) the pagans of Matt. 6:7 or (2) the legalistic Pharisees of Matt. 6:5.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 9-15

A. This sample prayer was first entitled "The Lord's Prayer" by Cyprian, a.d. 250. However, the prayer was for Jesus' disciples; the title, "The Model Prayer," is a better characterization.

B. The Model Prayer is made up of seven phrases. The first three relate to God. The last four relate to a person's need.

C. This prayer was possibly Jesus' reapplication of the Ten Commandments to His day. The Beatitudes also possibly relate to the Ten Commandments (Decalog). Matthew depicted Jesus as the second Moses. Paul used the same type of OT analogy by referring to Jesus as the second Adam (cf. Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15; Phil. 2:6-11).

D. The Model Prayer is stated in imperatives. They are examples of entreaty imperatives of request. We do not command God.

E. Luke's version is much shorter. It is found in Matt. 11:2-4 and not in the Sermon on the Plain, Matthew 6, which is the parallel to Matthew 5-7. The textually-controversial doxology of Matt. 6:13b is also missing from Luke's version.

6:9

NASB, NRSV"Pray, then, in this way"
NKJV"in this manner, therefore, pray"
TEV"This, then, is how you should pray"
NJB"So you should pray like this"

"Pray" is a present imperative which is a lifestyle command that denotes continuous, habitual action. This prayer was meant to be an example, not necessarily a set form. The scope and attitude of the prayer are far more important than the specific words. This can be illustrated by the fact that Luke's version in Matt. 11:2-4 is different. Jesus may have taught this prayer often but in slightly different forms.

▣ "our" This prayer is for the gathered community, as well as private prayer. We are a family with one Abba, Father! In light of this, Matt. 6:14-15 make much more sense.

▣ " Father" Father does not refer to sexual generation or chronological sequence, but the intimate personal relationships within a Jewish home. The OT background is Deut. 32:6, Ps. 103:13, Isa. 63:16, Mal. 2:10, and 3:17. This concept of God as Father was not a major theme in the OT nor in the rabbinical writings. It is astonishing that believers can call YHWH "Father" (cf. Rom. 8:15) through their faith relationship with Jesus! See Special Topic at Matt. 5:16.

6:9-10 "hallowed. . .come. . .done" These are all aorist imperatives. Also they are all placed first in the Greek sentence for emphasis. The placement, the tense, and the mood all speak of urgency and emphasis. This is how believers should reverence God. The phrase "on earth as it is in heaven" refers to all three of these verbs.

▣ "Hallowed" This term is from the root "holy" (cf. Heb. 10:29) and meant "honored," " respected," or "held in high esteem." The verb comes first in the Greek sentence for emphasis. This verb is found in the Synoptic Gospels only four times (cf. Matt. 6:9; 23:17,19; Luke 11:2).

6:9 "name" This stood for the character and personality of God (cf. Ezek. 36:22; Joel 2:32). His name is to be made known in this fallen world by the obedience of His children (cf. Isa. 29:23).

6:10 "Your kingdom come" God was invoked in His capacity as King. This was a prayer for God's control of earth as He has of heaven. God's kingdom was expressed in the NT as both (1) present reality (cf. Matt. 4:17; 12:28; Luke 17:21) and (2) a future consummation (cf. Matt. 6:10; 13:2ff.; Luke 11:2; John. 18:36). This statement expresses the paradox of God's rule which will be consummated with the Second Coming, but present now in the lives of true disciples. See Special Topic at Matt. 4:17.

6:11 "Give us" As the first three petitions dealt with how believers are to respect God, the next four deal with how they want God to treat them.

▣ "this day" God wants His children to live by faith in Him daily. One OT example was that the manna was given daily (cf. Exod. 16:13-21). In the Middle East bread is baked early every day and either eaten or dried hard by nightfall. Today's bread will not do for tomorrow.

▣ "daily" This was a rare Greek word. It was used

1. in the Egyptian papyri of a master giving a slave enough food to accomplish an assigned task

2. possibly a Greek idiom "for necessary food for today" (" bread of our necessity")

3. the Tyndale Commentary on Matthew has "Give us the necessary strength so that life's trials do not become for us occasions of spiritual temptations," p. 74.

 Tertullian translated it "daily." The word was used in the NT only here and in the parallel in Luke 11:3.

▣ "bread" Several possibilities of how "bread" should be understood.

1. literal bread

2. the Lord's Supper (cf. Acts 2:46)

3. the Word of God, the Bible (cf. Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4)

4. the Living Word, Jesus (cf. John 6:41,48,51,55)

5. the Messianic banquet (cf. Luke 14:15)

Option one fits the context best. However, metaphorically it represented God's provision for all of life's needs.

6:12

NASB, NRSV,
NJB"have forgiven"
NKJV, TEV"forgive"

There is a Greek manuscript variation at this point related to the tense of the second use of the verb, "forgive." The aorist is found in MSS א*, B, Z, the Vulgate, and Peshitta. All other Greek MSS and ancient versions have the present. The term meant "to send away" or "to wipe away," both of which express OT metaphors relating to forgiveness.

▣ "debts" The parallel in Luke 11:4 has "sins." First century Judaism used "debts" (opheilēmata) as an idiom for "sins" (hamartias). In Matt. 6:14-15 another term is used, "trespasses" (paraptōmata). All of these refer to rebellion against God. Sin puts us in rebellion against the God of righteousness and holiness. There is a price to be paid for rebellion!

▣ "as we also have forgiven our debtors" This is an aorist active indicative. As God forgives believers they are able to forgive others (cf. Matt. 18:35)! One sign of our personal relationship with God through Christ is that we begin to emulate His actions.

6:13

NASB, NKJV"do not lead us into temptation"
NRSV"do not bring us to the time of trial"
TEV"do not bring us to hard testing"
NJB"do not put us to the test"

This is a negative aorist active subjunctive. This grammatical construction meant "do not ever begin an action." There has been much discussion about this verse as compared with James 1:13, concerning God's agency in testing. There is a play on the connotation of two Greek words translated "test" or "try." The one here and in James 1:13 has the connotation of testing for the purpose of destroying [peirasmo]; the other has a connotation of testing for the purpose of strengthening [dokimazo]. God does not test believers so as to destroy, but to strengthen. See Special Topic at Matt. 4:1.

Possibly this referred to the intense governmental and legal trials of that day (cf. Matt. 26:41; Mark 13:8). C. C. Torrey in The Four Gospels, pp. 12, 143. translates it as "keep us from failing under trial" (cf. Luke 22:40).

NASB"from evil"
NKJV, NRSV,
JB"from the evil one"
TEV, NJ"from the Evil One"

It is impossible grammatically to determine whether this term was masculine (see Special Topic at Matt. 4:5) or neuter. This same form referred to Satan in Matt. 5:37, 13:38, and John. 17:15. This same ambiguous form appears in Matt. 5:37; 6:13; 13:19,38; John. 17:15; 2 Thess. 3:3; 1 John. 2:13,14; 3:12; 5:18-19.

▣ The Doxology of verse 13b is not found in (1) the parallel of Luke 11:2-4; (2) the ancient Greek uncial manuscripts א , B, D, or (3) the commentaries of Origen, Cyprian, Jerome, or Augustine. There are several forms of this doxology in the different Greek manuscripts of Matthew. It probably was added from 1 Chr. 29:11-13 as the Lord's prayer began to be used in liturgical ways by the early Church. It was not original. Roman Catholic liturgy omits it because it is not in the Vulgate. A. T. Robertson commented on this text in his Word Pictures in the New Testament, "The Doxology is placed in the margin of the Revised Version. It is wanting in the oldest and best Greek manuscripts. The earliest forms vary much, some shorter, some longer than the one in the Authorized Version. The use of a doxology arose when this prayer began to be used as a liturgy to be recited or to be chanted in public worship. It was not an original part of the Model Prayer as given by Jesus," p. 55. The UBS⁴ rates the omission as "A" (certain).

6:14-15 Verses 14-15 are the conclusion to the Model Prayer. They do not assert that our actions earn our salvation, but they should give evidence of our salvation (two third class conditional sentences). They are not the basis, but the results (cf. Matt. 5:7; 18:35; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:36-37; James 2:13; 5:9). As we pray this prayer, "our Father," we must live out this familial truth in our dealings with covenant brothers.

6:14 "transgressions" This is literally "to fall to one side." This meant, as do most of the words for sin in Hebrew and in Greek, a deviation from a standard, which is the character of God. It implied a conscious act of crossing a set boundary.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 6:16-18
 ¹⁶Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ¹⁷But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face ¹⁸so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

6:16-18 These are additional examples of religious exhibitionism. See SPECIAL TOPIC: HYPOCRITES at Matt. 6:2.

6:16 "fast" There was only one fast specifically mentioned in the OT, the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16), which was observed in the seventh month. The Jewish leaders appointed additional fast days to remember specific times of stress in Israel's national history (cf. Zech. 7:3-5; 8:19).

In addition, the rabbis increased the times of fasting to twice a week, on Monday and Thursday (Luke 18:12); Thursday because that was the day when they said Moses went up on Mt. Sinai and Monday because that was the day when he came down. They used these fasts as a means to flaunt their spirituality.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FASTING

▣ "gloomy face" This term occurs only here and Luke 24:17.

▣ "Truly" See Special Topic at Matt. 5:18.

6:17 This is the same truth as verse 6. The context is religious exhibitionism. Our spiritual lives are to be seen primarily by God! We seek His approval, not the approval of men.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did Jesus choose these three areas of abuse (almsgiving, prayer, and fasting) to condemn?

2. What areas do we use in our day in the same way?

3. Why is one's attitude more important than one's actions?

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 19-24

A. The truths of this section are repeated in the Gospel of Luke, but in different settings.

1. humans must store up treasure in heaven (Luke 12:33-34)

2. the eye is the lamp of the body (Luke 11:34-36)

3. humans cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13)

4. God's provision for nature serves as an example of God's provision for people (Luke 12:22-31)

Jesus repeated His teachings for different groups and used the same analogies in different settings.

B. Jesus used nature to teach about God: (1) all things belong to God and (2) humans are more important than things or animals.

C. This section must be understood not in literal terms, but in contrasts. Earthly possessions are not evil, but the misplaced priority of material things can be evil (cf. 1 Tim. 6:10). Mankind's undue anxiety about the normal needs of life shows a lack of faith in the care and provision of God (cf. Phil. 4:6). Trust is the key issue.

D. This section of Scripture can be broken into three related contexts: (1) Matt. 6:19-21; (2) Matt. 6:22-24; and (3) Matt. 6:25-34. This is similar to what the rabbis call "pearls on a string," which meant several unrelated subjects are dealt with in close proximity.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 6:19-23
 ¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; ²¹for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²²The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. ²³But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"

6:19 "do not store up" This is literally "stop treasuring up treasures." This same word play is also found in Matt. 6:20. This is a present imperative with a negative particle, which usually means to stop an act that is already in progress. The desire of fallen humanity is to try to provide, by means of their own resources, all that is needed for a happy life. The grammatical construction here shows that this is also a temptation for redeemed humanity. True happiness and success are found only in dependence on God and contentment in what He has provided (cf. Ecclesiastes 1-2; 2:24-25; 3:12,22; 5:18; 8:15; 9:7-9; Phil. 4:11-12).

▣ "treasures" In the ancient world wealth emanated from three sources: (1) clothing, (2) food stuffs, and (3) precious metals or jewels. Each of these items may either be destroyed or stolen. Moths will attack clothing. Rust is from the root "to eat" or metaphorically "eat away" or " corrode" and was used of vermin eating food. Stealing referred to robbery of precious metals, jewels or the other two items. Basically this means that all of our worldly possessions are vulnerable. If one's happiness depends on possessions, one could lose them at any moment. The false concept that contentment and happiness are found in physical things is stated in Luke 12:15.

▣ "destroy" The term meant "disfigure" (Matt. 6:16), "to cause to disappear" (cf. Matt. 6:20, Acts 13:41; James 4:14).

▣ "thieves break in and steal" The term "break in" literally was "dig through." Many homes of this period had mud walls. In the Greek language, the word for "robber" was from the compound term "mud digger."

6:20 "but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven" This is a present active imperative, essentially referring to spiritual attitudes and actions. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 beautifully expresses the same concept. God Himself protects our heavenly treasure (cf. 1 Pet. 1:4-5).

 The verb in verse 20 is from the same root as the noun (cognate accusative). Literally this word play would have been "treasure up for yourselves treasure in heaven."

6:21 "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" It is significant that the plural pronoun which has been used in the previous verses now changes to the singular. This section teaches the transitoriness of earthly things and the eternality of spiritual things. It also emphasizes that where one puts one's interest, resources, and energy truly reveals one's priorities. The heart (a Hebrew idiom) is the center of the person. It expresses the totality of one's self.

6:22 "The eye is the lamp of the body" The background of this statement was the Jewish concept of the eye being the window of the soul. What one allows into his thought-life determines who he is. Thought produces desire, desire produces action, action reveals the person.

6:22-23 These two verses are obviously antithetical. The antithesis was expressed in the terms: "good" versus "bad" ; "singular" versus " double" ; "generous" versus "stingy" ; or "healthy" versus "diseased." The eye was used because of the singleness that healthy vision provides versus the double or blurred vision which disease causes.

These verses contain three conditional sentences (" ifs"). The first two are third class conditional which speak of probable action. There are those who clearly see spiritual truths and there are those who are spiritually blind.

The last "if" is a first class conditional sentence which characterizes the blind who think they see!

SPECIAL TOPIC: GENEROUS/SINCERE (HAPLOTES)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 6:24
 ²⁴"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

6:24 "No one can serve two masters" This puts the world in stark reality. This is the reduction of true life to one simple choice. Humans are not really free. They serve one of two masters (cf. 1 John. 2:15-17).

▣ "he will hate the one and love the other, or" These are in a parallel relationship. The Hebrew terms "hate" and "love" were idioms of comparison (cf. Gen. 29:30, 31, 33; Mal. 1:2-3; Matt. 21:15; Luke 14:26; John. 12:25, and Rom. 9:13). It does not refer to hate in the traditional sense, but one's priority.

NASB, NRSV"You cannot serve God and wealth"
NKJV"You cannot serve God and mammon"
TEV"You cannot serve both God and money"
NJB"You cannot be the slave both of God and of money"

The term "wealth" was from the Hebrew root "to store up" or "to entrust." It was used originally to denote a person putting his trust in another by investing money with him. It came to mean "that in which one trusted." It seems to emphasize the object on which one bases his security. A. T. Robertson asserted that this term was used by the Syrians for the name of a money god. Although this has been denied by more recent scholarship, it would seem to be a logical analogy. William Barclay, in his Daily Study Bible, on Matthew, vol. 1 p. 252, asserts that in the ancient Mediterranean world mammon came to be spelled with a capital "M," a way to designate deity.

Money itself is not the problem, but the priority of money (cf. 1 Tim. 6:10). The tragedy of money is that we never have enough and soon it possesses us instead of us possessing it. The more we have, the more we are worried about losing it, and thereby, we are consumed with protecting it. See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WEALTH

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 6:25-33
 ²⁵"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor do they reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? ²⁷And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? ²⁸And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, ²⁹yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! ³¹Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?'or 'What will we drink?'or 'What will we wear for clothing?'³²For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

6:25 "For this reason I say to you" This shows the logical connection with Matt. 6:19-24.

▣ "do not be worried about your life'" This is another present imperative with a negative particle, which meant to stop an act that is already in progress. For a parallel passage, see Phil. 4:6. Verse 25 states a general principle in light of the previous verses. The KJV translation, "take no thought for," is unfortunate because it implies, in our day, that any planning about the future is inappropriate. This is surely not the case (cf. 1 Tim. 5:8). The key thought is "worry" (cf. Matt. 6:25, 27, 28, 31, and 34).

▣ "Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing" Physical life is important but it is not ultimate. This world is simply the training ground for a fuller and more intimate fellowship with God. The biblical truth is that God does care for His children and that He will provide for their basic needs.

6:26,28 "the birds of the air. . .the lilies of the field" The translation "wild birds" and "wild flowers" is appropriate because the text does not specify a particular kind of bird or flower but simply common ones. Because the setting was the Sermon on the Mount, perhaps Jesus pointed to a flock of wild birds or to the wild flowers nearby. This was a rabbinical hermeneutical argument from the lesser to the greater.

6:26 "Are you not worth much more than they" This is a rabbinical-type comparison of the lesser to the greater. The Bible is clear that God created and loves animals. But animals cannot fellowship with God as humans made in His image can. Be careful of making the lives of animals more valuable than the lives of humans. Animals were given for food and service after the Fall. They are not eternal, humans are! Evangelism is more important than " animal rights" ! Most of the animal life which was created has gone out of existence. Some groups care more for animals than people! What a warped worldview. Animal rights groups care more for insects than unborn humans!

Just one more word, cruelty to animals says a lot about an uncaring, unfeeling person. God created animals with pain sensors just like us. Animals were part of the original creation of Genesis 1 and will be part of the new creation (cf. Isa. 11:6-9).

6:27

NASB"can add a single hour to his life"
NKJV"can add one cubit to his stature"
NRSV"add a single hour to your span of life"
TEV"live a bit longer"
NJB"add a single cubit to his span of life"

This is literally the Hebrew term "cubit." Cubit referred to the length between a man's elbow and his longest finger. It was an OT measurement used in construction and was normally about eighteen inches. However, there was a royal cubit used in the Temple which measured twenty-one inches. In the New Testament it was used either for height or time: of height in Luke 19:3 (also LXX of Ezek. 13:18) and of time in John. 9:21,23 and Heb. 11:11. Because it is ridiculous for a person to be able to physically grow over a foot taller, it is either (1) a metaphor for aging or (2) an oriental overstatement (hyperbole).

6:30 "But if God" This is a first class conditional sentence, which is assumed to be true from the perspective of the speaker or for his literary purposes. God does provide for His creation.

▣ "which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace" A common use for dry grass was to start the fire in small ovens used for baking bread. This was a metaphor for the transience of life, not an eschatological judgment. Believers are worth much more than beautiful wild grasses.

▣ "You of little faith" This phrase occurs several times in the Gospel of Matthew (cf. Matt. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8). Jesus' teaching was designed to increase believers'faith.

6:31 "Do not worry then" This is a negative aorist subjunctive, which meant "do not begin worrying" (cf. Phil. 4:6). An unhealthy emphasis on how one will provide for his basic needs shows a lack of trust in the God who has promised to provide for believers.

6:32

NASB"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things"
NKJV"For after all these things the Gentiles seek"
NRSV"For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things"
TEV"These are the things the pagans are always concerned about"
NJB"It is the gentiles who set their hearts on all these things"

One of the characteristics of fallen mankind is their insatiable desire for things. God knows believers need the things of this world to live. He will provide their needs, not always their wants.

6:33

NASB, NKJV"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness"
NRSV"But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness"
TEV"Be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God"
NJB"Set your heart on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice"

This is a present imperative which speaks of a habitual command. The truth is that God must be the priority in believers'lives. The phrase "His righteousness" was used here in an ethical sense, not in a legal (forensic) sense as in Paul's writings. This ethical sense can be seen in Matt. 5:6,10,20, 6:1, Deut. 6:25, Isa. 1:27-28, and Dan. 4:27. This is not a call to works righteousness; rather, it suggests that once one knows Him, his life will be characterized by good works (cf. Eph. 2:10). Positional, imputed righteousness should be reflected in Christlike living. See Special Topics: Kingdom of God at Matt. 4:17 and Righteousness at Matt. 5:6.

 The phrase "His Kingdom" was the concept of God's current reign in human hearts that will one day be consummated over all the earth (cf. Matt. 6:10). It was the central focus of Jesus' preaching. This kingdom ethic must be the highest priority. The early Greek manuscripts (א & B) do not have the genitive phrase "of God" (cf. NRSV and TEV).

The term "first" is used by Jesus several times to illustrate the radical newness of the "new age" of the Spirit, which He inaugurated.

1. Matt. 5:24, be reconciled to your brother before worship

2. Matt. 6:33, seek the kingdom of God before personal needs/desires

3. Matt. 7:5, before judging others evaluate your own faults

4. Matt. 23:26, clean the whole life, inner and outer

▣ "and all these things will be added to you" This referred to the physical and normal needs of life. God will not leave believers stranded. This is a general principle, which cannot always answer the specific questions of why this individual or that individual suffers loss or is in need. Sometimes God will provide a time of need in order for believers to trust Him, turn to Him, or to improve their character. This statement is much like the book of Proverbs in the sense that it states general principles. They are not meant to explain every individual, particular occurrence.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 6:34
 ³⁴So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

6:34 This verse breaks the train of thought. The Christian life is a daily walk in a fallen world. Bad things that happen to the unbelieving person often happen to the believing person. This does not mean that God does not care. It simply means that believers are caught in a fallen world system. Do not let the problems of life trick you into thinking God does not care. See Hannah Whithall Smith, The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How do verses 19-34 relate to the over all presentation of the Sermon on the Mount?

2. Were the people who were listening to Jesus storing up riches on earth? How does this relate to our modern emphasis on savings accounts, insurance, or planning for retirement?

3. How does one store up riches in heaven? What do these heavenly riches comprise?

4. Explain the spiritual truths of Matt. 6:22-24 in your own words and from your own experience.

5. Is money evil?

6. Is worry a sin (Matt. 6:31)?

7. Does verse 33 teach works righteousness?

8. Explain why Christians suffer.

Copyright © 2013 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

BACKGROUND TO MATTHEW 8:1-34

A. Matthew 8 and 9 form a literary unit of ten miracles describing Jesus' power and authority not only over human beings, but over disease and nature. It is not by accident that these power miracles follow the Sermon on the Mount. Miracles are meant to (1) confirm Christ's message, (2) show the reality of the eschatological setting, and (3) show Deity's compassion.

B. In this chapter several groups depreciated by Jewish society are ministered to by Jesus.

1. leper - Matt. 8:2,4 (Matt. 10:8; 11:5; 26:6; Luke 5:12-14; 17:11-14)

2. Gentile (i.e., Roman army officer) - Matt. 8:5-13 (cf. Mark 7:26-30,31-37)

3. woman - Matt. 8:14-15 (cf. Luke 8:2,43-48; 7:36-50; 13:10-12)

4. demon-possessed, Matt. 8:16,28

This list could be easily expanded.

1. children - 18:2 (in context a metaphor for new believers); Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17

2. the poor -

3. Samaritans - Luke 10:30-37; 17:15-19; John 4:1-54

4. tax collectors - Mark 2:15-17; Luke 5:27-32; 15:1ff; 19:1-10

5. sinners (those who did not keep the oral traditions) - Matt. 9:10-11; 11:19; Luke 15:2; 18:13; John 9:16,24,25,31

Jesus' attention to and healing of these people was fulfillment of OT prophecy (cf. Matt. 11:5, which quotes Isa. 35:5-6; and 61:1, also note the parallel in Luke 7:22).

C. There are discrepancies related to the time, place, and other details involved in these accounts as recorded in the Synoptic Gospels. The difference speaks of (1) each Gospel writer's ability under inspiration to structure his evangelistic/catechistic presentation of Jesus to specific audiences and (2) the authenticity of the eyewitness accounts. We cannot explain the "why" and the " how" of Synoptic Gospel composition, but we can affirm their truthfulness, inspiration, and authority for our lives!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 8:1-4
 ¹When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. ²And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." ³Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

8:1 "When Jesus came down from the mountain" This statement and 5:1 form a literary frame. Matthew was obviously referring to the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. Some interpret this as Jesus the second law giver, descending a mountain as Moses did. Here, Jesus gave the new Law, not received it!

▣ "large crowds followed Him" The purpose of the miracles was to give validity to the message. Fallen mankind is always attracted to the immediate, the self-centered, the material instead of the eternal, the corporate, and the spiritual!

8:2 "a leper came to Him" Our English term " leper" comes from the Greek word "scales." The ancient term covered many more skin diseases than our modern nomenclature. Leviticus 13 and 14 deal with the Old Testament examples of leprosy. The fact that a leper approached Jesus was socially and theologically inappropriate because leprosy was viewed as a disease given as a judgment by God. The OT and theological bases for this was King Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26:16-23.

▣ "Lord" This is the term kurios. It can be used as a polite designation such as "Sir" or as a theological designation of the Divine Messiahship of Jesus. Context determines which use is intended. Often it is uncertain, as in this context.

▣ "if You are willing" This is a third class conditional sentence, which meant possible future action. This man had heard of Jesus' miracles and believed He could perform a cure if He would.

8:3 "Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him" Touching a leper went against the culture of that day based on the command of the OT (cf. Lev. 13:45-46). This showed Jesus' compassion, lack of fear, and willingness to break with Jewish tradition (cf. Matt. 5:21-48).

▣ "I am willing" The man had faith in Jesus' ability based on what he had heard, but he was not sure of Jesus' willingness!

8:4 "see that you tell no one" This type of statement is often called the Messianic secret of the Synoptics (cf. Matt. 8:4; 9:30; 12:16; 16:20; 17:9; Mark 1:44; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30; 9:9; Luke 4:41; 5:14; 8:56; 9:21). It is related to Jesus' unwillingness to be known simply as a healer. The gospel message was not yet complete (cf. Matt. 17:9; Mark 9:9). He knew that humans would respond to Him for the wrong reasons.

▣ "but go, and show yourself to the priest. . .as testimony to them" This was an attempt by Jesus to affirm the Mosaic law of Leviticus 13-14. It was also an attempt to show His power to the priests in Jerusalem (cf. Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14; 17:14). Early in Acts many thousands of them accepted Jesus and His message (cf. Acts 6:7).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 8:5-13
 ⁵And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, ⁶and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented." ⁷Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." ⁸But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!'and he goes, and to another, 'Come!'and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!'and he does it." ¹⁰Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. ¹¹I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; ¹²but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." ¹³And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go, it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that very moment.

8:5 "Capernaum" This city became Jesus' Galilean headquarters after His rejection in Nazareth (cf. Matt. 4:13). It was a central location. Peter and Andrew owned a home there.

▣ "a Centurion" There were no more ostracized people in Jewish society than lepers (Matt. 8:2) and Roman military officers. This concept demonstrated Jesus' love for all mankind, as His dealings with the men of Gadara, Matt. 8:28, 34; and the Syro-Phoenician woman (Matt. 15:21-28). This same account is paralleled in Luke 7:1-10, but in a different setting.

8:6 "my servant" The account in Luke records that this man had great love for the Jewish people (as did Cornelius of Acts 10). The account in Matthew shows that he had great love for his servant boy. Centurions throughout the NT are usually presented in a positive light.

8:7 "I will come and heal him" This is an emphatic use of "I," which is explained in Matt. 8:8 by the unheard of action of Jesus being willing to enter a Gentile home, which was a major cultural/religious taboo.

8:8 "I am not worthy" this term is used in the statements of

1. John the Baptist - 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16

2. Roman Centurion - 8:8; Luke 7:6

In a theological sense it expresses the sinfulness of all humans as well as God's amazing love and mercy. Humans must recognize their spiritual need (cf. Matt. 5:3-6) before they can receive God's forgiveness and acceptance.

▣ "just say the word, and my servant will be healed" This man, being a military person, understood authority and did not demand a ritual, or magical formula, or even Jesus' physical presence for the healing. In Luke the centurion did not come to Jesus personally, but sent representatives: (1) Jewish elders (cf. Luke 7:3-5) and (2) his friends (cf. Luke 7:6). This is a good example of how the Gospels record the same event in different ways. The question is not which account is true but why the authors recorded it in the way they did. See Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, pp. 127-148.

Jewish and Greek healers healed by means of chants, magic, and special rituals, but Jesus healed by the spoken word. This was a way to show

1. His connection with creation (i.e., Genesis 1)

2. His personal authority (cf. Matt. 8:16)

3. His difference from the other healers of His day

This is why the title logos (word) is so appropriate in John 1:1! Jesus could heal with a touch (cf. Matt. 8:3) or speak a word (cf. Matt. 8:8), as well as exorcize demons (cf. Matt. 8:16). He spoke with authority (cf. Matt. 7:28-29); He healed with authority!

It is also interesting in Matthew how he uses the formula "what was spoken. . .was fulfilled" (cf. Matt. 1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 22:31; 24:15; 27:9) as a way to assert the trustworthiness of Scripture and its fulfillment in Jesus and the new age He inaugurated.

8:10

NASB"Truly I say to you"
NKJV"Assuredly I say to you"
NRSV"Truly I tell you"
TEV"I tell you"
JB" I tell you solemnly"
NJB"In truth I tell you"

This was Jesus' distinctive way of showing emphasis. There are no other examples in Greek literature. The single or double use of "amen" to start a sentence accentuated the importance of the statement, as well as Jesus' personal authority. See Special Topic at Matt. 5:18.

8:11 "many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" This was an allusion to the inclusion of Gentiles into the family of God (cf. Isa. 25:6-9; Mal. 1:11; Luke 13:22-30). The faith of this Roman military man was greater than any Jesus had encountered among the Jewish people. These kinds of encounters with Gentiles (i.e., Matt. 15:28; 21:32; Mark 7:24-30; Luke 10:30-37; 17:11-19), combined with Jesus' strong statements concerning their faith is evidence of the universal nature and evangelistic goal of the gospel (cf. Matt. 15:28; 22:2-14; 28:18-20; Luke 7:9; 24:47; Acts 1:8). The phraseology was taken from the concept of the Messianic banquet at the end of time (cf. Isa. 25:6-9; Luke 14:15; Rev. 19:9). Jesus speaks of these Patriarchs as alive in the kingdom of heaven (i.e., the new age). They will fully participate in the eschatological events, as well as other believers. This is surely a strong witness to the reality of life after death, as well as the promise of fellowship with God and other believers.

8:12 "but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out" Many Jews knew nothing of a personal relationship with God but only of a racial, legalistic, and ritualistic religion handed down to them (cf. Isa. 6:9-10; 29:13; Matt. 15:14). They were prideful and self-righteous based on their race and performance of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Matt. 3:9). Jesus affirms in Matt. 8:12 that many who were not historically part of the people of God will be included, and many who thought they were part of the people of God will be excluded (cf. Matt. 21:43; Luke 13:28).

▣ "into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" These metaphors were also used in Matt.13:42,50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30 to describe the horrors of separation from God in hell (Gehenna, see Special Topic at Matt. 5:22). What men and women do with Jesus Christ now will determine their ultimate destiny (cf. Matt. 25:31-46). Jesus Himself is the One who shows us the grim alternative facing those who refuse to trust Him.

In the OT "gnashing of teeth" signified "rage" (cf. Job 16:9; Ps. 35:16; 37:12; 112:10; Lam. 2:16), as it does in Acts 7:54, but here it denotes the sorrow and pain of eschatological judgment (i.e., separation from God in Gehenna).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 8:14-17
 ¹⁴When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. ¹⁵ He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. ¹⁶When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. ¹⁷This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases."

8:14 "Peter. . .his mother-in-law" Peter was married (cf. 1 Cor. 9:5). This speaks of the normalcy of marriage among the Jews. The rabbis said that marriage was an obligation because of the command in Gen. 2:24. We never hear of his wife; maybe she had died. The Gospels were not written to satisfy our curiosity.

8:16 "when evening came" The end of the Sabbath had come (Mark 1:32) and the Jews who were taught that healing was not allowed on the Sabbath were now coming to Peter's front door. The Sabbath began at twilight on Friday and ended at twilight on Saturday. This follows the order of the days of creation in Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31.

▣ "many who were demon-possessed. . .healed all who were ill" There was always a distinction made between demon possession and physical disease in the NT. Sometimes demons cause physical problems, but certainly not always. Physical ailments, injuries, and diseases do not necessarily have demonic causes. See Special Topic: The Demonic (Unclean Spirits) at Matt. 10:1.

8:17 This is a quote from Isa. 53:4, but not from the Masoretic Text (Hebrew) nor the Septuagint (Greek translation). This is the only place in the NT this verse is quoted. This is used by many modern groups to affirm that physical healing is inherent in the Atonement. God is a supernatural God who acts in the lives of people for good. There is not enough Scriptural evidence based on this verse to affirm that all diseases on all occasions are out of the will of God and will be cured if we just respond with enough faith or prayer (cf. 2 Cor. 12:8-10; 2 Tim. 4:20).

Psalm 103:3b is also often quoted in connection with this subject. There is a Hebrew poetic parallel relationship between 103:3a and 3b. They both refer to spiritual forgiveness. In the OT physical ailments were used as a symbol for spiritual problems (i.e., Isa. 1:5-6). The rabbis saw sin and sickness as related (cf. James 5:14-16). See F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, pp. 44-45.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 8:18-22
 ¹⁸Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. ¹⁹Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." ²⁰Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." ²¹Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." ²²But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."

8:19 "scribe" This was an expert in the oral law (the Talmud) and written traditions (the Scriptures) of the Jews. They took the place of the local Levite of the OT in interpreting Scripture. They were consulted about how to apply the Law of Moses to everyday matters. See Special Topic: Scribes at Matt. 12:38. In Jesus' day most of them were Pharisees (see Special Topic at Matt. 22:15).

▣ "Teacher" This is the vocative form (didaskale) of the term "teacher" (didaskalos). It translates the Hebrew term for "teacher" (lit. "great one," cf. John 1:38; 20:16) and refers to one who knew the Law of Moses (i.e., an honorific title). It is used in the NT of

1. Jewish teachers - Luke 2:46

2. John the Baptist - Luke 3:12

3. Jesus - Matt. 8:19; 9:11; 17:24; 26:25,49; Mark 9:5,17,38; 11:21; Luke 10:25; John 1:49

4. Nicodemus - John 3:10

5. Paul - 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11

6. Christian teachers - Acts 13:1; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11; James 3:1

Jesus restricts the usage of this term/title to Himself (cf. Matt. 23:7-12; Mark 14:14; John 3:2; 11:27-28; 13:13-14). There is only "one" Father; there is only " one" teacher! He and only He is the true "Great One" !

8:20 "Jesus said to him" Two persons are involved in this context. One was willing to go anywhere; Jesus told him to stop and count the cost (cf. Matt. 8:20). The other one was reluctant to follow; Jesus told him, follow at any cost because of the priority of the call of God on a human's life (cf. Matt. 8:21). Truth often cuts two ways!

▣ "the Son of Man" This was Jesus' self-chosen designation. It was an Hebraic phrase referring to a human being (cf. Ps. 8:4; Ezek. 2:1). But because of its use in Dan. 7:13, it took on divine qualities. Therefore, this term combines the humanity and Deity of Jesus. This designation was not used by the rabbis; therefore, it had no nationalistic or militaristic overtones.

Here is a quote from my commentary on Daniel 7:13.

" a son of man was coming" The Aramaic phrase (" ben enosh," construct BDB 1085 and 1081) "son of man" is different from the similar Hebrew phrase ("ben adam") found in Psalms and Ezekiel. Both phrases are used in parallel in Job 25:6; Ps. 8:4; 90:3; 144:3; Isa. 13:12. This obviously refers to the Messiah and it links his humanity (cf. Dan. 8:17; Job 25:6; Ps. 8:4; Ezek. 2:1), which is the meaning of the Aramaic and Hebrew phrases, "son of man" with his deity because the clouds are the transportation of Deity (cf. Matt. 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Rev. 1:7; 14:14).

Jesus uses the phrase to refer to Himself in the NT. It was not used of the Messiah in rabbinical Judaism. It had no exclusivistic, nationalistic, militaristic connotations. It uniquely describes the Messiah as fully human and fully God (cf. 1 John 4:1-3). Daniel's usage is the first which focuses on its divine aspect!

Jesus used the phrase for Himself in three senses.

1.His suffering and death (e.g., Mark 8:31; 10:45; 14:21; Luke 9:22,44)

2.His coming as Judge (e.g., Matt. 16:27; 25:31; John 5:27)

3.His coming in glory to set up His kingdom (e.g., Matt. 16:28; 19:28; Mark 13:26-27; 14:62)

From The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1657 (also see George E. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, pp. 136-139), the later Jewish tradition about this text are listed.

1.This context is Messianic (cf. I Enoch 46:1; 48:10; 4 Ezra [2 Esdras] chapter 13; b. Sanh. 98a)

2.All predictions in this context are already fulfilled (cf. b. Sanh. 97b)

3.This context does not refer to the end-time (cf. Gen. Rab. 98:2)

4.This context represents Israel (cf. Ibn Ezra and Rashi)

SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE

8:21 "permit me first to go and bury my father" On the surface this seems like a reasonable request. However, this was a cultural idiom for staying home and taking care of one's parents as long as they lived. It was a social obligation (cf. 1 Kgs. 19:20).

8:22 "allow the dead to bury their own dead" This was a play on the word "dead." It can be used of spiritual lifelessness as in Matt. 10:39. What Jesus was saying was that spiritual life and obedience to the heavenly Father are more important than social obligations to one's earthly family.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 8:23-27
 ²³When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. ²⁴And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. ²⁵And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" ²⁶He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. ²⁷The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

8:24

NASB"And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea"
NKJV" And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea"
NRSV" A windstorm arose on the sea"
TEV"Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake"
NJB"Without warning a storm broke over the lake"

The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills and affected by its proximity to Mt. Hermon and the Mediterranean Sea. The strong winds descending on this body of water were often sudden, unexpected, and violent. Even these professional fishermen were afraid.

The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 557, has an interesting comment about the term seismos (" storm").

"The other eleven occurrences of seismos in the NT all refer to earthquakes, and always as divine interventions: at the moment of Jesus' death (Matt. 27:54); at the resurrection, where it is linked with the rolling back of the stone; and at Philippi, as Paul and Silas sing God's praises in prison (Acts 16:26). Earthquakes are one of the eschatological signs (Matt. 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11; Rev. 6:12; 8:5; 11:13,19; 16:18)."

This sudden storm was not a coincidence, but a God-sent opportunity to

1. reveal Jesus

2. build the disciples'faith

8:25 "Save us, Lord" This was the OT use of the term " save" meaning physical deliverance (cf. Matt. 14:30; John 12:27; Acts 23:24; 27:20,31,34,43,44; 28:1,4; James 5:15).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION (OLD TESTAMENT TERM)

8:26-27 "it became perfectly calm" They were absolutely astonished at Jesus' power even over nature. Because of Ps. 89:8,9 this was an allusion to Jesus' deity . Only the creator can control nature (cf. Ps. 107:23-32).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 8:28-34
 ²⁸When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. ²⁹And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" ³⁰Now there was a herd of swine feeding at a distance from them. ³¹The demons began to entreat Him, saying "If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine." ³²And He said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. ³³The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. ³⁴And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

8:28

NASB, NRSV,
JB" into the country of the Gadarenes"
NKJV"to the country of the Gergesenes"
TEV"to the territory of Gadara on the other side of the lake"

There has been much discussion over this geographical location. This place was spelled three different ways in differeing Greek manuscripts of Matthew, as well as in three different Synoptic Gospels. Apparently it was close to the city of Khersa, but the city of Gadara owned some land near the lake and it was often called the district of Gadara, even though this city was six miles away.

▣ "two men" Matthew usually has two people involved in an account where Mark and Luke only have one (cf. Mk 5:1; Luke 8:26). Another example would be the blind man/men of Jericho (cf. Matt. 20:29; Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35). Some have supposed that two were mentioned because the OT required two witnesses in court (Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; Matt. 18:16).

▣ "who were demon-possessed. . .coming out of the tombs" They had been ostracized by the community and this was the only place where they could find shelter. During this period small manmade or natural caves were used as burial places. Whether this location was connected with their demon possession is uncertain. There are many specific questions about demons and angels which cannot be answered because there is not enough biblical information. Our world is permeated by a personal force of evil with his servants, the fallen angels, who are out to thwart the will of God and to destroy mankind, God's ultimate creation and focus of His love and attention. See Special Topics: Personal Evil at Matt. 4:5 and the Demonic at Matt. 10:1.

▣ "that no one could pass by that way" See Mark 5:2-6 and Luke 8:27.

8:29 "Son of God" These demons recognized who Jesus was (cf. James 2:19). The title "Son of God" was used several times in Matt. 4:3; 14:33; 16:16; 27:43,54. It was a play on the term "son" (cf. Matt. 2:15); the nation of Israel is called "son" ; Israel's king is called "son" ; and Israel's Messiah is called "son." Several times in the Gospels the demons recognize Jesus (cf. Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34). Jesus does not acknowledge their testimony. They were not saying this to help Him. Later Jesus will be accused of utilizing Satan's power (12:24). The demons'witnessing to Him would have given credence to this charge. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF GOD at Matt. 27:54.

NASB, NKJV,
NRSV, JB" Have You come here to torment us before the time"
TEV"Have you come to punish us before the right time"

The spiritual realm knows that a time has been set for God to judge the living and the dead, humans, and angels (cf. Phil. 2:10-11; Rev. 11:15).

8:30 "a herd of many swine" It was a Gentile area shown by the presence of these hogs. Exactly why the demons wanted to go into the hogs is simply a matter of conjecture. There is not enough information. The destruction of this group of hogs does show the ultimate purpose of the demonic-death to their host. Also, the herd's destruction would have caused the townspeople to ask Jesus to leave!

▣ "the demons" See Special Topic at Matt. 10:1.

▣ "if" This is a first class conditional sentence. Jesus was going to drive out the demons!

8:34 "they implored Him to leave their region" This is one of the saddest verses in all of the Bible. In the presence of the greatest man of history, these villagers were more concerned about the death of a few hogs than they were over the redemption and reclamation of two demonized persons and the spiritual potential of the gospel for their area.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why do the Synoptic Gospels differ in their recording of the words and acts of Jesus?

2. Why was the healing of a leper such a significant event (cf. Matt. 11:5)?

3. Why did Jesus want those who had been healed to go and show themselves to the priests?

4. What is so unusual about Jesus working with a Roman military officer?

5. What is the significance of verses 11 and 12?

6. Who or what are demons? What is their purpose in our world?

7. Does verse 17 teach that physical healing is a part of the atonement?

8. What is the significance of the terms "Son of Man" and "Son of God" (cf. Ezek. 2:1; Dan. 7:13)?

Copyright © 2013 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

BACKGROUND TO MATTHEW 10:1-42

A. The newly chosen disciples are sent out on a mission trip which was foreshadowed in Matt. 9:37-38. Jesus also sent, at a later time, a larger group of seventy disciples (cf. Luke 10:1ff).

B. This passage is paralleled in Mark 3:14-16; 6:7-13; and Luke 9:1-6. There may have been several of these kinds of mission trips.

C. Jesus' message to the Twelve has three divisions marked off by the recurrent phrase "Truly, I say to you" Matt. 10:15,23,42.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:1
 ¹Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

10:1 "twelve" This is the first time this number is stated, possibly corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel. See Special Topic: The Number Twelve at Matt. 14:20.

▣ "disciples" This is literally "learners." The New Testament emphasizes disciples, not just decisions (cf. Matt. 28:19; Acts 14:21)! The Special Topic below addresses this theological distinction.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION (GREEK VERB TENSES)

▣ "gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out" Jesus empowered these followers with His power. They became His official representatives (i.e., Apostles). The physical miracles were a way of confirming Jesus' new message.

SPECIAL TOPIC: EXORCISM

▣ "unclean spirits. . .heal every kind of disease" Notice a distinction is made between demon possession and disease. Demons can cause diseases, but not always.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DEMONIC (UNCLEAN SPIRITS)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:2-15
 ²Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; ⁴Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. ⁵These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; ⁶but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷As you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, freely you received, freely give. ⁹Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, ¹⁰or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. ¹¹ And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. ¹²As you enter the house, give it your greeting. ¹³If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. ¹⁴Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. ¹⁵Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city."

10:2 "the names of the twelve apostles" The term " apostle" (see note at Matt. 10:5) is used only in Matthew (here) and Mark (3:14) in connection with the list of the apostles'names, also once more in Mark 6:30. It is much more common in Luke and Acts.

1. Luke 6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10

2. Acts

a. the Twelve, Acts 1:2,26; 2:37,42,43; 4:33,35,36,37; 5:2,12,18,29,40; 6:6; 8:1,14,18; 9:27; 11:1; 15:2,4,6,22,23; 16:4

b. other apostles (later use of the term)

(1) Paul, Acts 14:4,14 (equal authority with the Twelve)

(2) Barnabas Acts 14:14 (lesson authority)

The lists of the Apostles are found in Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:12-16, and Acts 1:13-14. The names and order change slightly. However, they are always in three groups of four. Peter is always first and Judas Iscariot is always last. The groupings stay the same. These groupings were possibly a rotating system whereby certain disciples could go home for short periods to check on their families.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE CHART OF APOSTLES'NAMES

10:3 "Bartholomew" He was also called Nathaniel (cf. John. 1:45-51).

▣ "Matthew" He was also called Levi (cf. Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27).

▣ "Thaddeus" He was also called Judas, the son or brother of James (cf. Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13) or Lebbaeus (Greek MSS C², L, and W).

10:4

NASB, NJB" Simon the Zealot"
NKJV"Simon the Canaanite"
NRSV"Simon the Canaanean"
TEV"Simon the Patriot"

He was also called "the Canaanean," which could refer to one from Cana (cf. Mark 3:18). However, the Greek reflects a Hebrew term "zealous." He was a Jewish patriot and separatist (cf. Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). For Matthew and Simon to be in the same group shows the radical change that Jesus accomplished in these men's lives.

▣ "Iscariot" This term can mean a man from a city in Judah, Kerioth (from the Hebrew), or an assassin's knife (from the Greek). If he was from Judah, he was the only Apostle from the south.

▣ "the one who betrayed him" There is an interesting book that attempts to interpret Judas in a new, a more positive way, Judas, Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? by William Klassen, published by Fortress Press, 1996. However, to do so it completely ignores John's Gospel.

10:5 "sent" This was from the same Greek root as " apostle" (apostello, used in the LXX for God sending the prophets to speak for Him), which came to mean within rabbinical circles "sent one" with the implication of official authority. Mark 6:7 tells us Jesus sent the Apostles out in pairs.

▣ "do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans" This is probably the source of Paul's "Jew first and also the Greeks" (cf. Rom 1:16). This was not exclusivism, but limiting His emphasis so as to give Abraham's descendants every chance to respond.

The Jews hated the Samaritans because they were considered half-breeds. This referred to the Assyrian exile of the Northern Ten Tribes of Israel in 722 b.c. Thousands of Jews were deported to Media and thousands of Gentiles were exiled to take their place in Israel. Over the years an amalgamation of religion and social customs had occurred (cf. Ezra and Neh.). At this early stage of Jesus' ministry the inclusion of either of these groups would have negatively affected His ability to reach Jews!

10:6 "the lost sheep" This was an unusual combination of terms; "sheep" often referred to God's people (cf. John. 10), while " lost" implied their spiritual helplessness and vulnerability (cf. Matt. 9:36), especially if there is no shepherd (cf. Num. 27:17; 1 Kgs. 22:17; Ps. 119:176; Isa. 53:6; Zech. 13:7).

▣ "of the house of Israel" This was an idiomatic way of referring to the descendants of the Patriarchs. They are also known as

1. the house of Jacob (i.e., Luke 1:33, cf. Matt. 15:24; Acts 2:36; Heb. 8:8)

2. the house of Judah (i.e., Heb. 8:8)

3. children of Abraham (i.e., Matt. 3:9; John 8:33,39)

SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (THE NAME)

10:7 "as you go" This is a present active participle used as an imperative (cf. Matt. 28:19).

▣ "preach" This was a present imperative. This is a foreshadowing of (1) the mission trips of the Twelve and seventy and (2) the Great Commission of Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8.

▣ "kingdom. . .is at hand" This was to be the content that they were to preach (cf. Matt. 3:2; 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 10:9,11; 11:20; 21:31). The kingdom is the reign of God in human's hearts now which will one day be consummated over all the earth (cf. Matt. 6:10). Although the disciples did not understand it yet (i.e., Luke 24:16,31), it began with the Incarnation of Christ (the Messiah) and will be consummated at the Second Coming of Christ. Initially Jesus and the disciples preached a message similar to John the Baptist's message. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD at Matt. 4:17.

10:8 "heal. . .raise. . .cleanse. . .cast out" These are all present imperatives (cf. Matt. 10:1). They went and ministered as Jesus ministered. His power and authority were flowing through them. These signs confirmed their message about Him.

The Greek manuscripts contain several variations of the phrase "raise the dead." This may be because (1) biblical records are lacking that the twelve Apostles did this, (2) it is metaphorical of the spiritually dead, and (3) Matthew used the other three verbs often without mentioning "raising the dead." See Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary On the Greek New Testament, pp. 27-28. The phrase is included in the uncial MSS א, B, C, D, N, and many versions.

▣ "lepers" In the OT the disease of leprosy was a sign of God's disfavor (cf. 2 Chr. 26:16-23).

▣ "cast out demons" Jesus' power is greater than Satan and the demonic (cf. 1 John. 4:4). The demons are designated by the terms " spirits," (cf. Matt. 8:16) and "unclean spirits," (cf. Matt. 10:1). The origin of demons is not disclosed in Scripture. The rabbis attribute the origin of evil in the world to Genesis 6 (Paul says it was Genesis 3, cf. Rom. 5:12-21). They assert that the "sons of God" (see Special Topic on Genesis 1-11 commentary online at www.freebiblecommentary.org) mentioned in Genesis 6 became disembodied at their death by the flood of Noah and became the demons of the NT period seeking another body.

▣ "freely you received, freely give" This is not a passage against salaries for missionaries, but rather encouraging believers to trust in God while doing Kingdom work in (1) His power, (2) His provisions, and (3) His purposes to be accomplished. These verses are not universal principles, but guidelines for this particular mission trip (cf. Luke 22:35-36). They are the practical application of Matt. 6:25-34 to the present situation.

10:9 "your money belts" This was how first century Jews carried their coinage.

10:10 "bag" This kind of bag functioned as a suitcase. The disciples were not to carry with them every thing they might need, but trust God's daily provision.

▣ "or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff" Comparisons with Mark 6:8-9 have caused great controversy. The theories are

1. " staff" could be used in two different senses: a walking stick or a defensive club

2. the two shirts of Matt. 10:10 imply "do not take extras of these items"

3. Luke 22:35-36 shows one harmonization

The Gospels were not written for us to compare the details. The key to this text is that believers are to trust in God for His provisions; rely on His resources!

▣ "for the worker is worthy of his support" Jesus is probably alluding to the truth of Deut. 25:4 (cf. 1 Cor. 9:6-7,14; 1 Tim. 5:18), which goes back to Deut. 24:14-15 (cf. Lev. 19:13). Gospel preachers are to be supported by their hearers! The NT guidelines for giving are not OT tithing, but voluntary, sacrificial, joyful, according to the ability (cf. 2 Corinthians 8-9). See SPECIAL TOPIC: TITHING at Matt. 23:23.

10:11

NASB"inquire who is worthy in it; and stay at this house until you leave that city"
NKJV"inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out"
NRSV"find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave"
TEV"Go in and look for someone who is willing to welcome you, and stay with him until you leave that place"
NJB"Seek out someone worthy and stay with him until you leave"

When they came to a village (1) they were to seek out a godly home which desired the blessing of their presence, and (2) they were not to move again and again seeking better accommodations. It is possible that the godly home would be one of the first that responded to their preaching.

10:12 "give it your greeting" This referred to the traditional Jewish blessing of peace, shalom.

10:13 "if. . .if" There are two third class conditional sentences which meant potential future action.

10:14 "shake the dust off your feet" This was a Jewish symbol of rejection (cf. Acts 13:51; 18:6).

10:15 This is one passage that implies degrees of judgment based on the amount of light that has been rejected (cf. Matt. 11:22-24). Also notice the same book which reveals God's matchless love also reveals God's wrath and judgment. See SPECIAL TOPIC: DEGREES OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTs at Matt. 5:12.

▣ "Truly" See Special Topic at Matt. 5:18.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:16-20
 ¹⁶Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; ¹⁸and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. ²⁰For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

10:16 "I send you out as sheep" Sheep were a metaphor for the new faith community which was fragile, helpless, and in need of constant care and protection, see Luke 10:3 and John. 10. This the first of four metaphors from the animal kingdom that characterize humanity.

▣ "in the midst of wolves" Wolves represented those who prey on the new community of faith, see Matt. 7:15-27; Luke 10:3; John. 10:12; Acts 20:29; 2 Peter 2.

▣ "shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves" Believers must be wise but innocent (cf. Rom. 16:19). They were to avoid conflict when possible, but remain bold proclaimers of the gospel.

10:17 "Because of. . ." This is a present active imperative (cf. Matt. 7:15; 16:6,11). Even with the dawn of the new age (Romans 5-6), the old age remains (Romans 7)! This is the tension of " the already" and the "not yet" of the overlapping (i.e., two comings of Christ) of the two ages. See Special Topic at Matt. 12:31.

▣ "the courts" This referred to local Jewish synagogue courts (cf. Matt. 23:34). It is interesting to note that some of Mark's eschatological discourse (cf. Mark 13:9-13) of Jesus is repeated here instead of Matthew 24. Therefore, this mission assignment of the Disciples takes on eschatological implications (as does Matt. 10:23).

▣ "scourge" This referred to Jewish flogging (cf. Deut. 25:3), which consisted of one less than forty lashes, one-third on the front of the body and two-thirds on the back (cf. 2 Cor. 11:24).

▣ "in their synagogues" See parallel at Matt. 23:34. This was the local place of worship, education, and welfare relief.

10:18 "you will even be brought before governors and kings" This referred to the future universal spread of the gospel (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8). It is important that the narrow exclusiveness of Matt. 10:5 be balanced by this verse. Gordon Fee (How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth, p. 133) makes the assertion that Matt. 10:5-12 relate to the sending out of the Twelve new apostles, but Matt. 10:10-20 are instructions for a much later time (i.e., governors, kings, Gentiles) because at first Jesus came only to the lost sheep of Israel. This illustrates how the Gospel writers "selected, rearranged, and adapted" Jesus' teachings to meet the needs of the early church.

Another example of this is Matt. 10:23 "until the Son of Man comes" (see note at Matt. 10:23). Obviously this could have several meanings depending on the historical period.

▣ "governors and kings" If this refers to (1) Jesus' day, then Pontius Pilate or (2) Paul's mission activities then

1. " governors" could be the Roman governors of Felix (Acts 23:24) or Festus (Acts 24:27)

2. " kings" could be Agrippa I (Acts 12:1) or Agrippa II (Acts 25:13)

They basically stand for governmental authority of any kind.

10:19 This speaks of special illumination and grace during persecution (cf. Mark 13:11; Luke 21:12). This is not a proof-text for preachers and teachers not studying before proclaiming! This verse and verse 26 are aorist subjunctives with the negative particle which meant never start an action. Verses 28 and 31, which also deal with fear, are present imperatives with the negative particle which usually meant stop an act in process.

10:20 "it is the Spirit of your Father" Here the Holy Spirit is linked to the Father (cf. Rom. 8:11,14). In Rom. 8:9; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 4:6; and 1 Pet. 1:11 the Spirit is linked to the Son. There is a fluidity between the persons of the Trinity. They all participate in the acts of redemption. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Matt. 3:17.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:21-22
 ²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against his parents and cause them to be put to death. ²²You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

10:21 This speaks of the radical commitment necessary for discipleship which supersedes even family love and often caused confrontation within families (cf. Matt. 10:34-39).

10:22 "you will be hated by all because of My name" Persecution was expected for disciples of Jesus (cf. Matt. 5:10-12; John 15:18-21; 16:1-3; 17:14; Acts 14:22; Rom. 5:3-4; 8:17; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 6:3-10; 11:23-30; Phil. 1:29; 1 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 3:12; James 1:2-4; and all of 1 Peter.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WHY DO CHRISTIANS SUFFER?

▣ "it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved" The doctrine of the "perseverance" (see Special Topic below) is as biblical as "the security of the believers!" (cf. Matt. 24:13; Gal. 6:9; Rev. 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12; 21:7). We must affirm both truths, even though they cause doctrinal tension! Doctrines are given in tension-filled relationship to other doctrines, not isolated truths. The best illustration is that biblical truth is revealed as constellations of stars, not as single stars. We must focus on the patterns of the whole of biblical revelation.

"End" (telos) refers to the end of this age (cf. Matt. 24:6,13,14). "Saved" can be understood in its OT sense of physical deliverance or its NT sense of spiritual salvation.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PERSEVERANCE

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:23
 ²³"But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes."

10:23 "But, whenever they persecute you" This is missing in Luke, but has a parallel in Mark 9:1. See note and Special Topic at Matt. 10:22.

▣ "flee to the next" Believers must avoid conflict and confrontation when possible. Evangelism must be the constant goal!

▣ "Truly" See Special Topic at Matt. 5:18.

▣ "you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes" This was probably initially understood as

1. Jesus will rejoin the Twelve after their mission

2. Jesus asserts His authority in Jerusalem

3. inauguration of the church (i.e., Pentecost)

4. Jesus fulfilling His promises to them (i.e., upper room event of John 20:19-23)

5. the judgment on Jerusalem in a.d. 70 (NASB Study Bible, p. 1382)

6. Jesus' Second coming in power as Judge (i.e., Dan. 7:13-14), inaugurating the eternal kingdom

See Special Topic: the Any-Moment Return of Jesus vs. the Not-Yet (NT paradox) at Matt. 24:27.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:24-25
 ²⁴"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. ²⁵It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!"

10:25 "if" This is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes.

▣ "Beelzebul" This was a compound term from Ba'al and Zebub. This was the local Ba'al of Ekron (cf. 2 Kgs. 1:16). The Jews changed the names of pagan rulers and pagan gods by changing the vowels, to make fun of them. The term can be translated as "Lord of the house," " Lord of the flies," or "Lord of the dung."

The second term was often spelled Zebul, the chief demon in Jewish folklore (cf. Matt. 12:24; Luke 11:15). This explains why NASB and NRSV have Beelzebul, while NKJV and NIV have Beelzebub.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:26-27
 ²⁶Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

10:26 "do not fear them" This is a negative aorist passive (deponent) subjunctive like Matt. 10:19 functioning as an aorist active imperative like Matt. 10:28 and 31. This construction meant "do not even start an action." This verse states that the motives and purposes of the human hearts, both positive and negative, will be known on Judgment Day.

It is difficult to relate the truth of this verse with the biblical promises that when God forgives, God forgets (cf. Ps. 103:11-14; Isa. 1:18; 38:17; 43:25; 44:22; Micah 7:19). Possibly unconfessed (believers, cf. 1 John 1:7-9) sin or unforgiven (unbelievers) sin is being referred to. I so rejoice in the "forgetfulness of God" ! Jesus' blood cleanses from all sin (cf. Hebrew 9)!

Believers are not to fear humans, but respect/fear God (cf. Matt. 10:28; Heb. 10:31).

Overall I think this verse refers to the motives and actions of

1. unworthy houses, Matt. 10:13

2. wolves, Matt. 10:16

3. evil men, Matt. 10:17

4. governors and kings, Matt. 10:18

5. brother, Matt. 10:21

6. child, Matt. 10:21

7. "they" of Matt. 10:23

8. "them" of Matt. 10:26

9. "those" of Matt. 10:28

10:27 "housetops" The flat rooftops common in Palestine were places of social activity; therefore, what was told would become public knowledge. Jesus wants His message known by all mankind!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:28-31
 ²⁸Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰But the very hairs of your head are numbered. ³¹So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

10:28 "Do not fear" See notes at Matt. 10:26.

▣ "to destroy" See Special Topic: Apollumi at Matt. 2:13.

▣ "soul and body" This verse does not refer to a sharp dichotomy between body, soul, and spirit, but is an expression of the possibility of physical death, but not eternal death for believers.

SPECIAL TOPIC: BODY AND SPIRIT

▣ "in hell" This was the Hebrew term "Gehenna." It was a compound of "valley" and "(sons of) Hinnom." This was a valley outside Jerusalem where a Canaanite fertility and fire god (cf. Lev. 18:21) was worshiped by sacrificing children (called molech). The Jews turned it into the garbage dump for Jerusalem. Jesus' metaphors of eternal punishment were taken from this burning, stinking, worm-infested dump. See Special Topic: Where Are the Dead? at Matt. 5:22.

10:29-30 "sparrows. . .hairs" God cares and knows about every aspect of believers'lives (cf. Luke 12:6; 21:18; 1 Pet. 5:7). This is a promise of individual (not corporate) concern.

▣ "a cent" This is literally "assarion," which was a Roman copper coin. One assarion could buy several sparrows.

10:31 "So do not fear" See note at Matt. 10:19 and 26.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:32-33
 ³²"Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. ³³But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is heaven."

10:32 "who confesses Me before men" This meant " publicly acknowledge" (cf. Mark 8:38; Luke 12:8-9). Verses 32 and 33 are contrasting parallel statements. Christianity is a God-offered covenant that must be personally, publicly received, obeyed and maintained.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CONFESSION

▣ "My Father in heaven" There are several different pronouns used with Father.

1. your - Matt. 5:16,45; 6:1; 7:11

2. our - Matt. 6:9

3. My - Matt. 7:21; 10:32,33; 12:50

I think 12:50 is crucial, one who does the Father's will, as Jesus does, is part of the family. One who refuses is not part of the family. It must have been particularly irritating to the Jewish leaders of Jesus' day to hear Him, an unofficial rabbi and Galilean upstate, to use "Father" to refer to YHWH, the Holy One of Israel. Even more so to allow the outcast to be included in God's family!

10:33 The antonym of "confess" (homologeō, cf. Matt. 10:32 [twice]) is "deny" (arneomai, cf. Matt. 10:33 [twice]; Matt. 26:70,72 [aparneomai in Matt. 26:35,75]). See SPECIAL TOPIC: CONFESSION at Matt. 10:32 above.

This is a shocking verse, as is 2 Tim. 2:12. It must be remembered that public acknowledgment in word (cf. Rom. 10:9-13) and deed (cf. Matt. 13:1-23; 25:36-46) is crucial. The decisions made now relate to eternity (cf. Matt. 25:46).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:34-36
 ³⁴"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶and a man's enemies will be the members of his household."

10:34 "Do not think" According to the Analytical Greek New Testament by Barbara and Timothy Friberg, this verb is an aorist active subjunctive used as an aorist active imperative.

Jesus was probably speaking these words against the backdrop of the Jewish expectations concerning the Messiah, who was called the "Prince of Peace" (cf. Isa. 9:6). The Jews expected the Messiah to usher in a military order and a nationalistic peace on the Jews'behalf (cf. Luke 12:49-53).

▣ "peace" This term's etymology was "to bring together that which was broken" (cf. John. 14:24).

▣ "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" Jesus did not come to bring war or strife, but the fact that He has come forces humans to make a radical decision between "followship" or rejection (cf. John. 3:17; Luke 12:51-53).

10:35 "for I came to set a man against his father" See Matt. 10:21. The parallel in Luke 14:26 has the Hebrew idiom, "hate father," which was an idiom of comparison. We must recognize this as a Hebrew idiom instead of interpreting it literally (cf. Gen. 29:31, 33; Deuteronomy. 15; Mal. 1:2-3; John. 12:25). This speaks of a radical priority commitment to Jesus which supercedes all earthly ties.

10:35-36 This is a quote from Micah 7:6. This passage was often quoted in eschatological settings (cf. Mark 13:12 and Luke 12:53).

10:36 "a man's enemies will be the members of his household" A good example of this type of familial pressure can be seen in Peter's response to Jesus' claim to Messiahship (cf. Matt. 16:22).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:37-39
 ³⁷"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it."

10:37 "He who loves. . .more than Me" The key here is radical priority commitment. Discipleship, unlike decision, is a life-long commitment of followship and obedience!

▣ "is not worthy of Me" See Luke 9:62.

10:38 "take his cross and follow after Me" This is a graphic metaphorical summons to total commitment to Christ for life. Jesus is demanding that possible followers count the cost (cf. Luke 14:25-35).

The cross was a Phoenician method of execution that was taken over by the Romans and developed into an ordeal involving several days of excruciating pain before death. Its purpose was to discourage non-Romans from criminal activity. There was a historical precedent of its use in Palestine:

1. Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" crucified eight hundred Pharisees

2. Varus, a Roman general, put down a revolt and crucified two thousand Jews along the highways of Palestine (cf. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 17:10:10)

3. Herod planned on crucifying many Pharisees at his death so that people would grieve

This metaphor does not refer to some particular problem in your life. It refers to death-death to self (cf. 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Gal. 2:20; 1 John. 3:16).

10:39 "life. . .life" This was the Greek term psuche. This term was often synonymous with "spirit" [pneuma]. In this context, however, it seems to refer to an individual person or self. This statement involved a radical crucifixion of self interest in light of Jesus' interest (cf. Matt. 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John. 12:25). Salvation involves far more than a decision or prayer. It demands one's all (possessions, family, reputation, time, and energy)! Nothing less will do!

▣ "lose" See Special Topic: Apollumi at Matt. 2:13.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 10:40-42
 ⁴⁰"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ⁴¹He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. ⁴²And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."

10:40,41 "He who receives you receives Me. . .a prophet. . .a righteous man" The context seems to imply that Jesus is referred to personally by all three of these terms. The term "prophet" alludes to Deut. 18:15 and 18. The term "righteous man" equals "the Righteous One" of Acts 7:52 and possibly the Dead Sea Scrolls phrase "teacher of righteousness."

Jesus' radical new message was directed to those who would trust Him and His words. One must first repent and receive Him as their savior and hope. In so doing they become identified with the new spiritual kingdom of God. The disciple represents Jesus Himself and His message, therefore, whoever receives them and their message, receives Jesus and to receive Jesus is to receive the Father (cf. John 8:19; 16:3; 17:3; 1 John 2:23; 4:15; 5:1,10-12; 2 John 9). One cannot know or fellowship with the Father except through the Son (cf. John 14:6-7,8-11).

▣ "sent" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SEND (APOSTELLŌ)

10:42 "gives to one of these little ones" Loving help by one Christian should be given to another simply because they are both related to Jesus Christ. "Little ones" are not children, but new believers (cf. Matt. 18:6).

▣ "Truly" See Special Topic at Matt. 5:18.

▣ "reward" The Bible is replete with statements concerning the Christian's reward. These rewards are based on the Spirit's activity in believers and their yieldedness to His activity. However, in the bountiful grace of God believers will be rewarded for their Christ-like yieldedness and the effective operation of the Spirit working through their spiritual giftedness! See Special Topic at Matt. 5:12.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did Jesus limit Himself mostly to the Jews? Can you list the exceptions?

2. Why do Matthew, Mark, and Luke differ in their accounts of Jesus' life?

3. Are there degrees of reward and punishment? Based on what?

4. What is verse 23 referring to?

5. Why is public acknowledgment of faith in Jesus so important?

6. Why does Jesus cause such controversy?

7. What does it mean to take up one's cross and follow Him?

Copyright © 2013 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

BACKGROUND TO MATTHEW 12:1-50

A. Matthew 12 describes the growing opposition (cf. Matt. 11:12) by the Jewish religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees, to Jesus because of His violation of the oral tradition (i.e., the "Talmud"). There is both a Babylonian and a Palestinian Talmud. The Palestinian was never finished, so the Babylonian became the more authoritative of the two.

B. Matthew 12 relates to 11:28-30 which describes the oral tradition in terms of a "burden" and a "yoke." Jesus' yoke is easy and light and brings rest, but not so the elaborate ceremonial and legal rules of the Pharisees.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:1-8
 ¹At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. ²But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, " Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath." ³But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, ⁴how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? ⁵Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? ⁶But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. ⁷But if you had known what this means, "I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,'you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

12:1 "At that time" Often the Gospel writers used this (and other) time designations as a way to move to a new topic or event, not a pure temporal indicator (cf. Matt. 11:25; 12:1; Luke 10:21; 13:1; Acts 7:20; 12:1; 19:23).

▣ "Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath" The Talmud taught that any journey over 2,000 paces on the Sabbath was considered work and therefore not permitted. It is interesting that the crowds, along with the Pharisees and the Scribes, were following Jesus on the Sabbath; therefore, they also were guilty of breaking this Sabbath law. For a full discussion of the origin and theology of the Pharisees, see note at Matt. 22:15.

The Gospel writers had to choose certain events and teachings from all that Jesus said and did (cf. John 20:30-31) to reveal the new covenant and His Messianic person and work. It almost seems that these writers chose these Sabbath encounters to illustrate how Jesus confronted and dealt with the religious leaders, sects, and traditions of the Talmud. Jesus' good news was different from the legalism and ritualism of Jewish traditions (cf. Matt. 5:21-48).

▣ "Sabbath"

SPECIAL TOPIC: SABBATH

▣ "began to pick the heads of grain and eat" Normally this was legally allowed (cf. Deut. 23:25). The problem was that it occurred on the Sabbath (cf. Exod. 34:21). From the other Synoptic Gospels we learn that the disciples were hungry. Technically according to the rabbis, they were guilty of several offenses: (1) harvesting, (2) processing, (3) preparing food on the Sabbath and (4) all of this with ceremonially unclean hands.

12:3 "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry" Jesus' phrasing affirms the inspiration of the OT (cf. Matt. 5;17-19). For the historical event see 1 Samuel 21:1ff.

12:4 "the house of God" Verse 4 is a historical allusion to the tabernacle (cf. Exodus 25-30) of David's younger days. But it must also refer to the late temple built by Solomon (cf. Matt. 12:6). YHWH symbolically dwelt between the wings of the cherubim over the ark of the covenant. Genesis 1 may be YHWH's cosmic temple (see John L. Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One).

NASB"the consecrated bread"
NKJV"the showbread"
NRSV"the bread of the promise"
TEV"the bread offered to God"
NJB"the loaves of the offering"

This referred to "the Showbread" or "the Bread of the Presence" which was placed on the table in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle and later the temple (each weighing over 12 pounds). This seems to have symbolized YHWH's provision and care for His people, not food for YHWH! It was unleavened which linked back to the Exodus (cf. Gen. 15:12-21). They became weekly nourishment exclusively for the priests (cf. Lev. 24:5-9; Exod. 25:30). These twelve loaves were replaced every week. However, under the special conditions of 1 Samuel 21, David was allowed to eat them.

12:5 "the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent" The Sabbath was a work day for the priests (cf. Num. 28:9-10). The verb "break" is literally "treat as common." It is found only here and Acts 24:6. The pronominal form is in 1 Tim. 1:9.

12:6 "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here" Some manuscripts have the masculine " someone" (cf. NKJV), but the most attested ancient reading is neuter, "some thing" (cf. NASB, NRSV, TEV, JB). This seems to refer to the Kingdom of God, a veiled Messianic reference (cf. Matt. 12:28, 41-42). This must have been a shocking statement to these Jews.

Jesus is greater than:

1. the temple, Matt. 12:6

2. Jonah, Matt. 12:41

3. Solomon, Matt. 12:42

4. Jacob, John 4:12

5. John the Baptist, John 5:36

6. Abraham, John 8:53

7. Scripture, Matt. 5:21-48; Mark 7:18-19

12: 7 "if you had known what this means" This is a second class conditional sentence called "contrary to fact." Its inference is "If you had known (but you did not), then you would not have condemned the innocent (but you did)."

▣ "I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice"This is a quote from Hosea 6:6. It was an example of the preaching of the eighth century prophets, which emphasized attitude over ritual (cf. Mic. 6:6-8).

To clarify this theological issue I have included my comments from Hosea 6:6.

" I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice" God looks at the heart! Motive is the key (cf. Jer. 9:24)! This is one of the key theological passages in the book (cf. Hos. 8:7; 11:12). "Loyalty" is the same as Hos. 6:4, but here it is true covenant love/loyalty. Jesus used this concept in His discussion with the Pharisees in Matt. 9:13; 12:7. This does not imply that God wanted them to stop sacrificing, but to be careful to have the right motive (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22; Isa. 1:11-13; Jer. 7:21-23; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8). For a good discussion see Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 207-208, 294-295). The sacrificial system was a way to show the seriousness of the sin and the willingness of God to accept sinners into fellowship with Himself. However, when it was turned into ritual without repentance and faith, it became a farce, a barrier to a true interpersonal relationship with God."

12:8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" This must have been a great shock to the Jews who had made circumcision and Sabbath keeping almost ultimate (cf. Mark 2:27). Jesus illustrates this truth in His reinterpretations of Moses (cf. Matt. 5:20-48). When people raise anything or anyone to the place of ultimate allegiance instead of God Himself (or His Messiah), they become idolaters. For the title "Son of Man" see note at Matt. 8:20.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:9-14
 ⁹Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. ¹⁰And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" -so that they might accuse Him. ¹¹And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹²How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." ¹³Then He said to the man, " Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. ¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

12:10 "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath" This question is never dealt with in the OT, but the ultimacy of the Sabbath had become part of the Oral Tradition by which the rabbis of old interpreted the OT texts (i.e., healing on the Sabbath only to save a life). The focus was on human rules (cf. Isa. 29:13), not human need!

▣ "And a man was there whose hand was withered" From the apocryphal "Gospel of Hebrews" we learn the tradition that the man was a mason and that it was his right hand that was withered. Therefore he was unable to work.

12:11 "sheep" This is one of many examples of where the Oral Tradition had become a burden instead of a joy. Sheep had become worth more than humans (cf. Matt. 12:12).

▣ "if" This is a third class conditional sentence which denoted potential action.

12:12 Jesus uses the question/answer format to dialog with his challengers (cf. Matt. 9:5; 12:12; 21:25; even disciples, Mark 8:17-18).

12:14 "the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him" From Mark 3:6 we learn that the consultation was held between the Herodians and the Pharisees, who were traditional enemies (politics and religion).

▣ "as to how they might destroy Him" These leaders saw themselves as YHWH's defenders! It is amazing that the religious leaders saw no conflict in their premeditated murder compared to Jesus' supposed ritual and Sabbath breaking (cf. Matt. 26:4; Luke 6:11; John. 11:53).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:15-21
 ¹⁵But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, ¹⁶and warned them not to tell who He was. ¹⁷This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
¹⁸"Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen;
 My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased;
  I will put My Spirit upon Him,
  And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
  ¹⁹He will not quarrel, nor cry out;
  Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
  ²⁰A battered reed He will not break off,
  And a smoldering wick He will not put out,
  Until He leads justice to victory.
  ²¹And in His name the Gentiles will hope."

12:15 "aware of this" It is difficult to ascertain the source of Jesus' knowledge.

1. over heard

2. knew the human heart

3. informed by the Spirit

This question cannot be answered because of Jesus' unique combination of the human and the divine (i.e., incarnation).

▣ "and He healed them all" There is such power, compassion, and fulfilled OT prophecy expressed in this phrase. Jesus cared for people, all people. It must be remembered that physical healing, even exorcism, did not automatically involve spiritual restoration or salvation.

The verses that speak of Jesus' healing ministry express the extent of it in different ways.

1. sometimes they say "all," (cf. Matt. 8:16; 12:15; Luke 4:40; Acts 10:38)

2. sometimes they say every "kind," not every "one" (cf. Matt. 4:23; 9:23)

3. sometimes they say "many" not "all" (cf. Mark 1:34; 3:10; Luke 7:21)

4. often they imply that He healed all (cf. Matt. 14:14; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14)

12:16 "and warned them not to tell who He was" This is related to the Messianic secret (esp. of Mark's ospel). Jesus implored people not to share His miracles, but to share His message which was still in process. The gospel was not yet finished. This Messianic secret was a common theme of the Synoptics (cf. Matt. 8:4; 9:30; 17:9; Mark 1:44; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30; 9:9; Luke 4:41; 8:56; 9:21). Jesus did not want to be known as just another itinerant healer!

12:17 "Isaiah the prophet" Verses 18-21 are a quote from Isa. 42:1ff. It does not exactly follow the Masoretic Hebrew text or the Greek Septuagint. It clearly showed Jesus' Messianic consciousness.

12:18-21 This is a quote from Isa. 42:1-4 (but not the LXX), which is the first of the "Servant Songs" of Isaiah.

Notice the characteristics of the Coming One which are being displayed in Jesus.

1. called

a. My (YHWH) Servant

b. whom I have chosen

c. My Beloved

d. in whom My (YHWH) Soul id well-pleased

2. YHWH's Spirit upon Him 

3. proclaim justice to the Gentiles

4. personal characteristics

a. will not quarrel

b. will not cry out

c. will not hear His voice in the streets

5. personal actions

a. will not break the battered reed

b. will not put out the smoldering wick

c. will lead justice to victory

d. in His name Gentiles will hope

12:18 "My Servant"This was a special honorific title (cf. Acts 3:13) used of Moses, Joshua, and David in the OT. Because of the special poems in Isa. 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-11; 52:13- 53:12, called "the Servant Songs," it took on Messianic connotations. This Messianic element climaxes in Isa. 52:13-53:12, the "Suffering Servant." The Jews of Jesus' day did not expect a suffering Messiah but a supernaturally empowered military Messiah. This explains why the Jewish leaders did not accept Jesus' message (even John the Baptist did not understand, cf. Matt. 11:3).

The Jews have always understood these Servant Songs to refer to the nation of Israel and this is surely true (cf. Isa. 41:8; 42:1,19; 43:10; 49:3-6). However these songs are individualized into one ideal righteous Israelite (cf. Isa. 52:14 (LXX), 15 (LXX); 53:1-12). Israel had failed (cf. Isa. 42:19; 53:8) in her world mission task (cf. Gen. 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6) because of continued violations of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Lev. 26; Deut. 27-28). Therefore, instead of blessing, all the world saw was the judgment of God. Therefore, YHWH Himself had to enact a new covenant focusing on His actions and faithfulness (cf. Ezek. 36:22-38).

▣ "My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased" This phrase was also used at the baptism and the Transfiguration of Jesus (cf. Matt. 3:17; 17:5). The Father was pleased with the ministry of the Son. This title combines the royal emphasis of Psalm 2 and the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 40-53.

The use of "soul" to describe God is a metaphor to express that He is a living being (cf. Heb. 10:38). This description of God in human terms is called anthropomorphism. See Special Topic at Matt. 6:4.

▣ "I will put My Spirit upon Him" Do you see the three persons of the Trinity (see Special Topic at Matt. 3:17) in the quote from Isa. 42:1?

Jesus and the Spirit have a combined theological relationship. See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT

12:18,21 "He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. . .in His name the Gentiles will hope" The statement that the Kingdom was open to the Gentile believers was shocking to the Jews (cf. Isa. 2:1-4; 45:22; 49:6; 60:3; 66:18,23; see Paul's statement at Eph. 2:11-3:13).

12:19 "He will not quarrel, nor cry out" This described the manner of Jesus' ministry before the governmental leaders of Palestine (cf. Isa. 53:7) like Pilate and Herod.

12:20 "A battered reed He will not break off,

And a smoldering wick He will not put out,

Until He leads justice to victory" This could mean (1) Jesus treated sinners with gentleness or (2) Jesus' kingdom looked so weak and small, yet it would fill the earth with joy (cf. Matt. 13:31-32).

12:21 "in His name" See Special Topic at Matt. 18:20.

▣ "hope" This is surprisingly the only occurrence of the word "hope" in Matthew and even here it is in an OT quote from Isa. 42:4. It does appear three times in Luke (cf. Luke 6:34; 23:8; 24:21). The word becomes an eschatological pointer in Paul's writings, who uses it nineteen times.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HOPE

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:22-24
 ²²Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. ²³All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?" ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."

12:22 This was one of the Messianic signs (cf. Isa. 29:18; 35:5; 42:7,16; Matt. 9:27-31; 12:22; 15:30; 21:14). Israel herself needed this healing ministry (cf. Isa. 6:9-10 and 42:18-22). It was a sign they refused to see!

12:23 "This man cannot be the Son of David, can He" In Greek, this question expected a "no" answer, but with the possibility that maybe it might be true. The term "the Son of David" was a Messianic title from 2 Samuel 7. It was used often by Matthew (cf. Matt. 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:42; also note Rev. 3:7; 5:5; 22:16).

12:24 "the Pharisees heard this, they said" This is the essence of the unpardonable sin, attributing God's work to Satan and calling that which is true, false and that which is light, darkness. The Pharisees could not deny the marvelous powers of Jesus so they attributed them to the supernatural power of the evil one (cf. Matt. 9:32-34; Mark 3:22-30, Luke 11:14-26).

▣ "Beelzebul" This referred to the Ba'al (male Canaanite fertility god) of the City of Zebub (cf. 2 Kgs. 1). The Jews slightly changed the name to Ba'al of Zebul which meant " lord of the dung" or "lord of the flies." This word is spelled differently in the ancient texts. Zebul is in the Latin Vulgate and the Peshitta translations, while the term Zebub is in all the Greek manuscripts. It was a title for Satan. In later Judaism, Zebul was the chief of demons.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:25-30
 ²⁵And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁸But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God. then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. ³⁰He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

12:25-32 Jesus used a logical, analytical argument to show the ridiculousness of the Pharisees'claim (cf. Mark 3:23-27; Luke 11:17-22). There were four examples used: (1) Matt. 12:25; (2) Matt. 12:27; (3) Matt. 12:28; and (4) Matt. 12:29. There is a series of first class conditional sentences, which are usually assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes, but here they are false (Matt. 12:26 and 27). However, the first class conditional sentence in Matt. 12:28 is true to reality! Context, context, context!

12:25 "And knowing their thoughts" It is uncertain whether Jesus was using His supernatural ability to read men's thoughts or whether he saw them talking and overheard their comments (cf. Matt. 9:4). See note at Matt. 12:1.

▣ "Jesus" The oldest Greek manuscripts omit the name (i.e., P²¹, א, B, D, and some Old Latin, Syrian, and Coptic manuscripts).

12:27

NASB, NKJV"by whom do your sons cast them out"
NRSV"by whom do your own exorcists cast them out"
TEV"who gives your followers the power to drive them out"
NJB"through whom do your own experts drive them out"

The Jews (i.e., "your sons") practiced exorcism by magical formulas and oaths (cf. Mark 9:38; Acts 19:13). The unusual account in Matt. 12:43-45 seems to relate to this Jewish exorcism which cast out the demons, but did not replace it with faith in God, leaving a spiritual vacuum.

12:28 "If. . .then the kingdom of God has come upon you" This is a first class conditional sentence, assumed to be true by the author for his literary purposes. This is another veiled Messianic reference. It is also highly unusual for Matthew to use the phrase "the kingdom of God," which is usually found in Mark and Luke. Matthew usually used the phrase " kingdom of heaven." There are only four exceptions: (1) this passage; (2) Matt. 19:24; (3) Matt. 21:31; and (4) Matt. 21:43. Jesus asserted that His exorcisms demonstrated that His Messianic power proved the arrival of the new age of the Spirit! See a good brief discussion of "realized eschatology" in F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 198. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD at Matt. 4:17.

12:29 This verse is often used to support the modern practice of casting Satan out of worship services. But in context this is not a " promise" text to be used for corporate exorcisms. Believers are not given the authority to bind Satan (i.e., "the strong man"). Even Michael the Archangel of Israel does not speak judgment against Satan (cf. Jude 9). The Apostles and the Seventy were given the power of exorcism over the demonic (cf. Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:17-20). However this is never listed among the gifts of the Spirit given to the Church. This parable is paralleled in Mark 3:22-27 and Luke 11:21-23.

12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me" A clear, radical choice must be made (cf. Mark 9:40; Luke 9:49, 50; 11:23). Jesus brings the New Age, mankind must respond to Him. Not to respond is to choose!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:31-32
 ³¹"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. ³² Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come."

12:31-32 This reference to blasphemy against the Spirit is often called "the unpardonable sin." From the parallel in Mark 3:28 it is obvious that "Son of Man" was not a title for Jesus in this context but a generic use of the Hebrew idiom "sons of men" or "mankind." This is supported by the parallelism of Matt. 12:31 and 32. The sin discussed was not the sin of ignorance but of willful rejection of God and His truth in the presence of great light. Many people worry about whether they have committed this sin. People who desire to know God or are afraid that they have committed this sin have not! This sin is the continuing rejection of Jesus in the presence of great light, to the point of spiritual callousness. This is similar to Heb. 6:4-6 and 10:26-31.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT

▣ "either in this age or in the age to come"

SPECIAL TOPIC: THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:33-37
 ³³"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. ³⁵The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. ³⁶But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. ³⁷For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

12:33 "for the tree is known by its fruit" What one does, like what one says, reveals the true self. See note at Matt. 7:16.

12:34 "You brood of vipers" Jesus used His harshest language for the religious leaders of His day. In this regard He followed the preaching of John the Baptist (cf. Matt. 3:7). The Serpent of Genesis 3 could be the original source of this metaphor (cf. Rev. 12:9; 20:2).

▣ "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart" It is not what goes into a person, but what comes out, that defiles (cf. Mark 7:17-23). Humans reveal themselves by what they say. Speech is part of the image of God. Speech reveals the heart (cf. Matt. 7:116,20; Luke 6:44; James 3:12). See SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH at Matt. 15:19.

12:35 The "treasure" refers to a person's inner self (cf. Luke 6:45).

12:36 "they shall give an account for it in the day of judgment" Jesus repeatedly spoke about judgment and its eternal consequences (cf. Matthew 7; 25). This relates to those who have rejected Jesus. Their lives, priorities, and words reflect their spiritual choices (cf. Matt. 12:37).

12:37 See SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH at Matt. 15:19.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:38-42
 ³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." ³⁹But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; ⁴⁰for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴²The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here."

12:38 "scribes"

SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES

▣ "we want to see a sign from You" They had heard Jesus' teachings and had seen the healings and exorcisms performed by Him, but they wanted some ultimate sign to convince them to believe on Him. This is exactly the temptation of Matt. 4:5-7 to which Jesus would not succumb. However, in reality, He had given them sign after sign but they would not or could not see (i.e., Isa. 6:9-10)!

12:39 "adulterous" Adultery became a metaphor for spiritual unfaithfulness (cf. Lev. 20:5; Num. 25:1; Hos. 1:2; 4:10,18; 5:3; Matt. 16:4; mark 8:38; James 4:4).

▣ "the sign of Jonah the prophet" As Jonah was in the great fish three days, Jesus was three days in the grave (Hades). We must remember that this is three days by Jewish reckoning, not three twenty-four hour periods. Any part of a day, which for them was evening to evening (cf. Genesis 1), was reckoned as a full day.

Jesus' allusion to Jonah confirms strongly the historicity of the book of Jonah. It is precisely the experience in the great fish that was used as an analogy (cf. Matt. 16:4).

12:40 "three nights" See note at Matt. 16:21.

▣ "in the heart of the earth" This referred to descending into Hades (cf. Matt. 11:23), the realm of the dead, the grave, or the metaphorical place of unborn children (cf. Ps. 139:15-16). This is phenomenological language: the language of observation and of common human description. The Jews, like us, buried their dead; therefore, they "lived" in the ground. See SPECIAL TOPIC: Where Are the Dead? at Matt. 5:22.

Jesus' words would not have been understood by His contemporary hearers until after His resurrection. Matthew has structured the sayings of Jesus for theological purposes, not chronological sequence (cf. Matt. 7:21-23, also could not have had meaning until a much later date).

12:41 "the men of Nineveh" This also relates to Matt. 11:20-24, as does Matt. 12:42. Nineveh repented due to Jonah's preaching and consequently was spared the wrath of God's judgment. This also implies that the Ninevites of Jonah's day were alive in an afterlife.

▣ "repented" See SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT at Matt. 3:2 and see note at Matt. 4:17.

12:42 "The Queen of the south" This was a way of referring to the Queen of Sheba (cf. 1 Kings 10:1-15), who is still alive and will appear to testify in the eschaton.

▣ "something greater than Solomon is here" This is another clear Messianic claim. It reveals Jesus' self-understanding. He saw Himself as greater than the wisest man of the ancient East (cf. 1 Kgs. 3:12; 4:19-34). See full note at Matt. 12:6.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:43-45
 ⁴³"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. ⁴⁴Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."

12:43 "the unclean spirit" See the two Special Topics: Demonic (Unclean Spirits) at Matt. 10:1.

▣ "waterless places" In the OT the desert was the haunt of the demonic (i.e., Azazel in Leviticus 16 and desert animals in Isa. 13:21; 34:14).

12:44-45 This passage has three possible meanings.

1. the Jewish exorcists performed exorcisms without personal faith, and the demonic spirit returned

2. it is an allusion to national Israel in the sense of their rejection of idol worship, but without replacing it with a faith relationship to YHWH

3. it referred to the preaching of John the Baptist, whom they accepted as being from God, while rejecting Jesus

The last condition was far worse than the immediate problem (cf. 2 Pet. 2:20-22).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:46-50
 ⁴⁶While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. ⁴⁷Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You." ⁴⁸But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" ⁴⁹And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

12:46 "His mother and brothers were standing outside" Apparently they thought Jesus was working too hard or was becoming too untraditional (cf. Mark 3:20-21).

12:47 This verse is not included in the Greek manuscripts א, B, and L or in some Old Latin, Syrian, and Coptic manuscripts. It is included in the manuscripts א^c, C, and D and the Vulgate and the Diatessaron. It is also found in Mark 3:32 and Luke 8:20. It seems that scribes added it to this verse to make the three parallel. It is included in NASB, NKJV, NRSV, and TEV translations. The United Bible Societies Fourth Edition Greek New Testament translation committee believes that it was inadvertently left out of the text because of a slip of the eye (homoloteleuton) between two similar words (" speak") in the Greek text at the end of Matt. 12:46 and 47. The verse is required to make sense of the paragraph.

12:50 "For whoever does the will of My Father" The will of God is to repent and to believe on Him whom He has sent (cf. John. 6:39-40). Once one is saved, God also has a will of Christlikeness for every believer, (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19). See Special Topic: The Will of God at Matt. 7:21.

The NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 488, has such a good statement about Jesus' call to be a disciple.

1. the unconditional sacrifice of one's whole life (cf. Matt. 10:37; Luke 9:59-62; 14:26-27)

2. the unconditional sacrifice of one's life for the whole life (cf. Matt. 16:24-25; John 11:16)

3. bound to Jesus and to do God's will (cf. Matt. 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35)

Jesus' call to follow Him is a radical call to selflessness which demonstrates that the effects of the Fall are reversed! This is a life-long, life-inclusive call!

▣ "who is in heaven" This is a recurrent theme in Matthew (cf. Matt. 5:16,45; 6:1,9; 7:11,21; 10:32-33; 12:50).

▣ "He is my brother and sister and mother" Faith in Christ supercedes earthly family ties (parallel in Mark 3:31-35). Christianity is a family based on the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Jesus (cf. Rom. 8:15-17).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why does Jesus make such an affirmation of Old Testament Law in Matthew 5:17-21 and yet reject so vehemently the Oral Tradition of the Jews?

2. Does Jesus claim to be the Messiah in Matthew 12?

3. Did Jesus perform these miracles in confrontation or in reaction to the Pharisees?

4. How does Isaiah 42:1-4 describe the ministry of the Messiah?

5. Define/explain the Pharisees'calling Jesus Beelzebub.

6. What and where is Hades?

7. Explain the parable in verses 43-45.

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