A Study of
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am
with you always, even to the end of the age."
-Matthew 28:19,20
Fellowship of Christian University Students (FOCUS)
Wildwood Community Church
NOTE: Additional copies of this study may be obtained from “http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/R/
William.R.Reed-1/Bstudies/index.html”
INSTRUCTIONS
This study is formatted to be a daily study of Matthew
to be done over a period of 14 weeks. I have tried to design
questions that will require, on average, about 20 minutes a
day to answer. That being said, please remember that the
death of a good Bible study is a legalistic adherence to a
“list” or schedule. Godly discipline requires a sensitivity to
what the Holy Spirit wants to teach us. If you find yourself
being led in a direction different from where my questions
would take you, forget my questions, and listen to the
“higher authority.” Most of all, enjoy the Word of God.
There is no book like it in all of creation.
Note: I would very much appreciate any suggestions you might
have to improve this study. Feedback on whether the questions
are too vague, take too long to answer, are too academic, etc. is
very much appreciated. Feel free to email me any thoughts you
might have as they come up.
My email address is
breed@ou.edu. Thanks!
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WEEK ONE:
1:1-25.
Where Jesus fits in the "big picture."
2:1-23.
Two very different responses to Jesus' claim to kingship.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 1:1.
2.
BACKGROUND NOTE: “The Greek word Christos ("Christ") translates the Hebrew
mashiach ("Messiah") and means the "Anointed One" of God. In the OT the word is used
of anyone who was anointed with the holy oil, as, for example, the priests and kings of
Israel. The word carries with it the idea of being chosen by God, consecrated to His
service, and endued with His power to accomplish the task assigned. Toward the close of
the OT period, the word "anointed one" assumed a special meaning, denoting the ideal
king anointed and empowered by God to deliver His people and establish His righteous
kingdom (Daniel 9:25-26). Jewish literature between the Testaments spoke of the coming
rule as restoring David's kingdom to its former prosperity and greatness.” (SOURCE:
NIV Bible Commentary from the Zondervan NIV Bible Library software.)
3.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Isaiah 9:6,7:
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.”
4.
5.
Read Chapter 7 of 2 Samuel.
What significance can be associated with the fact that Matthew identifies Jesus as the
“son of David?”
In Chapter 7 of 2 Samuel, God tells David, `The LORD declares to you that the LORD
himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your
fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own
body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my
Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and
he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with
floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it
away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will
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endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever' (2 Samuel 7:11b16).” The first part of this passage clearly refers to Solomon. But the last part of the
promise refers to the never-ending rule of the House of David. In other words, God
tells David that David’s descendants will rule over Israel forever. The fact that Jesus is
identified as the “son of David” in Matthew 1:1 points to Jesus’ reestablishment of the
throne of David.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 1:1-17.
2.
Verse 17 divides the preceding genealogy into three parts as follows: “Therefore all the
generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the
deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the
time of Christ fourteen generations.” Ignoring the fact that it is very difficult to get 3 sets
of 14 generations from the given genealogy, what idea do you think Matthew was trying
to communicate by this division of generations? (NOTE: If you have no clue, don’t
sweat it, we’ll get back to this below.)
First time period: Abraham to David (ascent)
Second time period: David to deportation to Babylon (descent)
Third time period: Deportation to Babylon to the time of Christ (ascent)
3.
All good Bible studies should have at least one graph in them. Accordingly, plot in the
graph below the Spiritual Well-Being of the nation of Israel over the three time periods
identified by Matthew..
Spiritual Well-Being of the
Nation of Israel
Time
Abraham
David
Deportation to
Babylon
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Christ
4.
One more time, and now having the benefit of the graph above, what idea do you think
Matthew was trying to communicate by this division of the generations into three time
periods?
Jesus had come to reestablish and fulfill Israel’s calling as a nation. Jesus was going
to usher in a new kingdom that would rival, and maybe even surpass, the greatness of
Israel under David. In a very real sense this has been accomplished today, because the
extent and influence of Christendom in the centuries since Jesus has certainly
surpassed that of Israel, even during its Zenith under David and Solomon.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Mathew 1:18-25.
2.
BACKGROUND NOTE: "’Jesus’ is the Greek form of ‘Joshua,’ which means either
‘The LORD is salvation,’ or ‘The LORD saves.’ (SOURCE: NIV Bible Commentary
from the Zondervan NIV Bible Library software.)
3.
The Book of Isaiah was written around 700 B.C. Read Chapter 53 in the Old Testament
book of Isaiah.
4.
On a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is “not at all clear that this refers to Jesus” and 10 is “a
perfectly clear reference to Jesus,” how clear a prophecy is Chapter 53 of Isaiah? Explain
your answer.
As a backdrop for this verse, consider that the Old Testament contained clear
prohibitions against human sacrifice. For example, Deuteronomy 12:31 says, “You
must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods,
they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and
daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.” Thus, the idea of human sacrifice
would have been repugnant to the Israelites. Yet Isaiah 53 clearly teaches that God
would sacrifice a human for sins. Consider the following verses:
“…he was pierced through for our transgression, he was crushed for
our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by
his scourging we are healed…the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
to fall on him; …who considered that he was cut off out of the land of
the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was
due? …the Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief; by his
knowledge the righteous one, my servant, will justify the many, as he
will bear their iniquities.”
The fact that Chapter 53 of Isaiah seems to contradict the prohibition against human
sacrifice (made all the more poignant by the incident of Abraham and Isaac--cf.
Genesis 22), sets up a powerful tension in the Scriptures. The tension is resolved in
Jesus’ sacrifice for sins, since Jesus is God. What God would not allow man to do (cf.
the story of Abraham and Isaac in Chapter 22 of Genesis), He did Himself by allowing
His Son/God Himself to be sacrificed for sins. It is hard to imagine how else this
tension could be resolved except through the voluntary, sacrificial offering of a GodMan for sins. The prophecy is compelling because it is fulfilled in the life/death of
Jesus in a way that would have been virtually impossible to predict before the fact. It is
made even more powerful because it is difficulty to imagine how else the prophecy
could have been fulfilled, given the prohibition against human sacrifice.
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But there’s more. Not only does this passage predict the sacrificial death of
Jesus for sins, but it also predicts His resurrection. Consider the following verses: “
“…though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, HE WILL SEE
HIS OFFSPRING AND PROLONG HIS DAYS, and the will of the
LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, HE
WILL SEE THE LIGHT OF LIFE AND BE SATISFIED; by his
knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their
iniquities. Therefore I WILL GIVE HIM A PORTION AMONG THE
GREAT, AND HE WILL DIVIDE THE SPOILS WITH THE STRONG,
because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the
transgressors.”
These verses clearly prophecy that the Righteous Servant will live again after his life
has been sacrificed for sins.
Finally, we need to remember that most scholars date the book of Isaiah as
being written earlier than 650 B.C. The combination prophecy of (i) a voluntary,
sacrificial offering of a God-Man for sins, and (ii) a resurrection almost 700 years
before these events were fulfilled in the death and life of Jesus makes this a powerful
and compelling prophecy.
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 2:1-16.
2.
Verse 3 says, “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with
him.” Why do you think King Herod was “disturbed” by the news from the Magi?
King Herod was worried about his throne, for the Magi cam inquiring after “He who
has been born King of the Jews.”
3.
The king of Israel and the Magi represent two possible responses to the Lordship of
Jesus. Elaborate on these two responses below.
The king of Israel fought off the claims by Jesus to his throne. The Magi went out of
their way to worship Him. From a symbolic perspective, this foreshadows the rejection
of Jesus by the Jews and the acceptance of Jesus by the Gentiles.
4.
Just between you and God, is there an area(s) of your life that you resist submitting to the
Lordship of Jesus? Explain below why you think that is.
5.
What do you think it would take for you to submit that area to Christ’s rule?
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Friday:
1.
There are 5 specific references to the fulfillment of prophecy in the first two chapters of
Matthew. These are:
(1) Jesus’ virgin birth (Matthew 1:22,23; an apparent fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14).
(2) Jesus birthplace of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:4-6; an apparent fulfillment of Micah 5:2).
(3) Jesus’ flight to and return from Egypt (Matthew 2:15; an apparent fulfillment of
Hosea 11:1).
(4) The lament over the slaughter of infant boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:17,18: an
apparent fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15).
(5) Jesus being called a “Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23; not a fulfillment of any one specific
Old Testament verse).
The last two instances of prophetic fulfillment are difficult to understand. Here are two
explanations that may prove helpful (SOURCE: NIV Bible Commentary from the
Zondervan NIV Bible Library software):
1A.
With respect to Matthew 2:17,18: “To Matthew, the massacre fulfills Jeremiah 31:15.
This text probably refers to the deportation of Judah and Benjamin in 587-586 B.C.
Nebuzaradan, commander of Nebuchadnezzar's imperial guard, gathered the captives at
Ramah before taking them into exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 40:1-2)…Rachel's tomb was
at Zelzah in the same vicinity (1 Samuel 10:2). Jeremiah 31:15 depicts Rachel as crying
out from her tomb because her "children," her descendants, are being removed from the
land and are no longer a nation.
Why does Matthew refer to this OT passage?…If we look at the broader context
of both Jeremiah and Matthew, Jeremiah 31:9,20 refers to Israel as God's dear son and
goes on to introduce the new covenant (31:31-34) that the Lord will make with His
people. Therefore the tears associated with Exile (31:15) will end. Matthew has already
made the Exile a turning point in his thought (1:11-12), for at that time the Davidic line
was dethroned. The tears of the Exile are now being "fulfilled"--i.e., the tears begun in
Jeremiah's day are climaxed and ended by the tears of the mothers of Bethlehem. The heir
to David's throne has come, the Exile is over, the true Son of God has arrived, and he will
introduce the new covenant (26:28) that was promised by Jeremiah.”
1B.
With respect to Matthew 2:23: “[The best interpretation] sees Matthew using "Nazarene"
as an adjectival form meaning "from Nazareth," even though the Greek spelling is
unusual. Nazareth was a despised place (John 7:42, 52), even to other Galileans (cf. John
1:46). Jesus grew up not in Bethlehem, with its Davidic overtones, but in Nazareth, with
all the opprobrium of the sneer. When Christians were referred to in Acts as the
"Nazarene sect" (24:5), the expression was meant to hurt. Matthew is therefore not saying
that a particular OT prophet foretold that the Messiah would live in Nazareth; he is
saying that the OT prophets foretold that the Messiah would be despised (cf. Psalms
22:6-8, 13; 69:8, 20-21; Isaiah 11:1; 49:7; 53:2-3, 8; Daniel 9:26). The theme is
repeatedly picked up by Matthew (e.g., Matthew 8:20; 11:16-19; 15:7-8). In other words
Matthew gives us the substance of several OT passages, not a direct quotation.”
2.
Look up and write out the following verse:
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Hosea 11:1: “When Israel was a youth, I loved him. And out of Egypt I called My
son.”
3.
It is really interesting that Matthew uses Hosea 11:1 as applying to Jesus, when the verse
clearly states that it applies to the nation of Israel. It is obvious that Matthew wants his
readers to associate Jesus with the nation of Israel. What insight into Jesus’ ministry is
gained by seeing Him in this light?
Israel failed in its mission of being holy for God. As a result, Jesus’ life was
exchanged for Israel’s failures. Thus Jesus’ accomplishments and victories became
Israel’s accomplishments and victories. In this picture we have the image of believers
being placed in Christ (Romans 5:15-21; Romans 6:3). His victory becomes our
victory. The hope for the conquering of sin in my life becomes Jesus’ conquering of
sin in His life (cf. Hebrews 2:17,18).
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 1:1-2:23.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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WEEK TWO:
3:1-12.
Announcement of the coming kingdom of heaven.
3:13-17.
Jesus takes on the cloak of humanity.
4:1-11.
The tempting of Jesus.
4:12-25.
Jesus begins His ministry.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 3:1-12.
2.
According to John the Baptist, what did the coming of the “kingdom of heaven” portend
for the nation of Israel?
According to John the Baptist, the coming of the “kingdom of heaven” meant
judgment for the nation of Israel. In verse 7, John says, “You brood of vipers! Who
warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” In verse 10 he says, “The ax is already at
the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.” Concerning Jesus, John says in verse 12, “His winnowing
fork is in his hand, and He will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the
barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
3.
Did John the Baptist’s expected outcome occur?
No, at least not at that time.
4.
What explanation do you have for this discrepancy?
Jesus will return to bring a terrible judgment during His Second Coming (read
Chapter 19 of Revelation).
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 3:13-17.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Matthew 3:5,6: “People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole
region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan
River.”
Matthew 3:11a: “I baptize you with water for repentance.”
3.
Why were people coming to be baptized by John the Baptist?
The people were coming to publicly acknowledge their sin and give testimony of their
desire to be different.
4.
Why did Jesus feel the need to be baptized by John the Baptist? How did this “fulfill all
righteousness?”
Jesus is sinless, so He had no need to confess His sins. However, by being baptized He
took on the cloak of humanity, identifying Himself with sinful man. 2 Corinthians
5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.”
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Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 4:1-11.
2.
These verses identify three temptations with which Satan attempted to seduce Jesus.
Identify each one:
Temptation #1: Making bread out of stones.
Temptation #2: Throwing Himself down from the Temple so that God’s angels would
save Him.
Temptation #3: Worshipping Satan, and thus gaining the kingdoms of the world.
3.
Find an analog for each of these temptations in your own life.
Temptation #1: Wanting the hardships of this life to be replaced with comforts.
Temptation #2: Testing the limits of my freedom to see how far I can go before God
“saves” me.
Temptation #3: Selling out my faith to gain the things that I crave (sex, money, power).
4.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Hebrews 2:18: “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help
those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 4:15: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet
was without sin.”
5.
What insight can be gained about Jesus from this episode of Satan’s temptations?
I believe that Jesus is able to help me in my temptations.
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 4:12-22.
2.
What is significant about the fact that Jesus settled in Capernaum following His
temptation in the wilderness?
While Capernaum was part of the Roman province of Judea, it was on the fringes of
the Jewish nation. It was separated from Jerusalem by Samaria, and it was closer to
Damascus and Tyre than it was to Jerusalem. The significance of this is that Jesus
chose to headquarter His ministry where He could reach out to Gentiles.
3.
Write out the following verse:
Matthew 4:19: "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
4.
Do you think Jesus wants all of His followers to be “fishers of men?”
We are all intended to be about the business of building the “house” that God has
designed to glorify Himself. Since God has a heart to see men and women come to
Him and glorify Him, that should be our heart as well.
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Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 4:23-25. NOTE: These verses provide a forward-looking summary of
Jesus’ ministry.
2.
Write out the following verse:
Matthew 4:23: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness
among the people.”
3.
Matthew 4:23 says that Jesus went about Galilee “proclaiming the gospel [or “good
news”] of the kingdom?” What specifically do you think the “good news” was that Jesus
proclaimed?
The good news was that the “kingdom was at hand.” More specifically, and left
implied for the most part, is that Jesus Himself was the good news, and men were to
place their faith in Him.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 3:1-4:25.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
10
WEEK THREE:
5:1-16.
The rewards and testimony of righteousness.
5:17-48.
Perfection as the standard of righteousness.
6:1-34.
It is necessary to have more than external righteousness.
7:1-20.
Walking the narrow path.
7:21-29.
Be not hearers only, but doers of Jesus’ teaching.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 5:1-12.
2.
In verse 2, it says that Jesus “began to teach them.” Who are the “them” referred to here?
His disciples. It says, “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside
and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying…”
3.
Verses 3-12 contain the famous “Beatitudes.” What is the main point being made in
these verses?
The Beatitudes elaborate on Jesus’ “preaching the good news of the kingdom.” Note
that the main emphasis is not on doing, but on being. That is, the Beatitudes are not a
call to do something, but to be somebody. The implication is that to be the somebody
spoken of in the Beatitudes, one needs to be associated with Jesus (cf. Matthew
5:11,12).”
4.
5.
Read Matthew 5:13-16.
What charge does Jesus give His listeners in these verses?
God’s work in us is not only for own benefit, but is intended to reflect His glory to
others. We are intended to be articles for public display.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 5:17-48.
2.
These verses list a series of six pairs of statements, each beginning with a “you have
heard” statement, followed by a “but I say” statement. Fill in the appropriate statements
in the table below.
1
“YOU HAVE HEARD…”
“Do not murder, and anyone who murders
will be subject to judgment.”
2
“Do not commit adultery.”
3
“Anyone who divorces his wife must give
her a certificate of divorce.”
11
“BUT I SAY…”
…anyone who is angry with his brother
will be subject to judgment….anyone who
says to his brother, `Raca, ' is answerable
to the Sanhedrin….anyone who says, `You
fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
…anyone who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed adultery with her in
his heart.
…anyone who divorces his wife, except for
marital unfaithfulness, causes her to
become an adulteress, and anyone who
marries the divorced woman commits
adultery.
4
5
6
3.
“YOU HAVE HEARD…”
“Do not break your oath, but keep the
oaths you have made to the Lord.”
“Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.”
“BUT I SAY…”
Do not swear at all: … Simply let your
`Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No'…
Do not resist an evil person. If someone
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him
the other also.
Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you,
“Love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.”
It has been claimed by some that, in these verses, Jesus raises the standard of
righteousness from the standard established in the Old Testament. Would you agree or
disagree with this claim? Elaborate your answer.
I agree. This is made clear in Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly
Father is perfect.”
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 6:1-18.
2.
What is the main point being made in these verses?
God should be audience in living righteously, and God alone. If we are doing it to win
the approval of others, there is no value in good works.
3.
One way of looking at these verses is that they add to the standard of righteousness laid
out in Chapter 5. Accordingly, see if you can complete the following sentence: It’s not
enough that one must do the right things in order to be righteous, but one must also:
…have the right motivation.
4.
5.
Read Matthew 6:19-34.
What is the main point being made in these verses?
We should trust God to take care of our needs in this world while we live with our
attentions focused on God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
6.
One way of looking at Matthew 6:19-34 is that they raise the standard of righteousness
even higher. That is, not only should one direct their righteous deeds so as to please God
rather than men, but one should also (complete the sentence):
…trust God (note that one can do good deeds without relying on God).
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 7:1-20.
2.
These verses contain a number of apparently conflicting commands:
(i)
On the one hand, verses 1-5 say we shouldn’t judge others; but on the other hand,
verses 15-20 say we should carefully evaluate those who present themselves as
prophets.
(ii)
On the one hand, verse 6 says, “Do not throw your pearls before swine;” but on
the other hand, verse 12 says, “Do to others what you want them to do for you.”
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Further, we are told in verse 14 that the “gate is small, and the way is narrow that
leads to life.”
Given the difficulty in knowing the right things to do, what direction does Jesus give in
verses 7-11?
Ask, seek, knock (verse 7). We should ask God what we are to do. This emphasizes
that true righteous living isn’t a formula, but the outcome of being submissive to the
Spirit’s leading.
(iii)
.
3.
Note that one could also argue that Chapter 7 raises the standard of righteousness yet one
notch higher. That is, it is not enough to simply intend to do the right thing with the right
motives, but one must also (complete the sentence):
…depend on God’s direction and leading.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 7:21-29.
2.
According to these verses, what outcome awaits those who do not do the will of Jesus’
Father?
They will not enter the kingdom of heaven (verse 21). NOTE: “Kingdom of heaven”
in this instance seems to be synonymous with heaven itself (i.e., they will not enter
heaven).
3.
In verses 24-27, Jesus makes it clear that those who want to be righteous must (complete
the sentence):
…act upon the words of Jesus.
4.
Jesus seems to be teaching a righteousness based on works. Yet New Testament teaching
emphasizes righteousness by grace through faith. Do you see a contradiction here? If so,
how do you explain this?
Jesus is teaching that in order to enter kingdom, one must be perfect (Matthew 5:48).
Thus, He is elaborating on the law and the requirements of the law. Jesus’ teaching,
like the law, is intended to show us the hopelessness of trying to enter heaven by works.
5.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 5:17:29 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus. (HINT: Consider the impact of
Jesus’ teaching on His listeners as summarized in 7:29. How was their understanding of
Him affected by His teaching?)
The thing that would strike me most is that Jesus spoke as “one having authority.”
Righteousness depends on acting upon His words (no distinction between His words
and God’s words). It would also impact me that Jesus was taking the liberty of greatly
expanding upon Old Testament understanding of what it meant to be righteous. I
would find that surprising, and unsettling. Both things would cause me to wonder,
Who is this man?
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Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 5:1-7:29.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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WEEK FOUR:
8:1-17.
Jesus heals.
8:18-34.
Who does this man think He is?
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 8:1-4. NOTE: Here and subsequently we see instances of Jesus’
followers addressing Him as “Lord.” In Jesus’ day, this term was frequently used as a
synonym for “teacher” or “sir.” It is unlikely that Jesus’ followers recognized Him as
God at this point in His ministry.
2.
This is the first healing recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. Who was the recipient, and
why might that be significant?
A leper was the first recipient. Leprosy was a disease that externally represented the
condition of sin—so much so, that those who had it were considered spiritually
unclean. Jesus touched him (the untouchable) and made him clean, visually
representing Jesus’ ministry of taking away man’s sin.
3.
On whose authority did Jesus heal the leper? Why might that be significant?
Jesus said, “I am willing.” He was not the middle man between God and man. He was
taking on Himself the initiatives of God.
4.
Why do you think that Jesus told the leper “See that you tell no one?”
I do not know, but it certainly makes clear that Jesus’ intention was not to get the
maximum number of people to come to Him. In other words, He was not interested in
maximizing His ministry in terms of quantity of people.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 8:5-13.
2.
This is the second healing recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. Who was the recipient,
and why might that be significant?
The second recipient was a centurion, a Roman soldier. This is significant because the
recipient was not a Jew.
3.
Verses 11 and 12 make allusion to Old Testament passages that speak of the nations
coming to a banquet prepared by God. Look up and write out the following verses.
Isaiah 25:6-9.
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine-the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
15
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
4.
In verse 13, Jesus says, “Go your way, let it be done to you as you have believed.” This
emphasis on faith would have sounded strange to Jesus’ listeners. For example,
faith/belief is mentioned more times in the Gospel of Matthew than in the entire Old
Testament. What do you think the significance of this is?
Jesus is emphasizing that the bedrock of our relationship with God does not depend on
what we do, but on what we believe.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 8:14-17.
2.
Who was the recipient of the third healing recorded in the Gospel of Matthew? Why
might that be significant?
The third recipient was a woman. This is significant because women were regarded as
second-class citizens in Jewish society.
3.
How did Peter’s mother-in-law respond after being healed? What do you think the
significance of this is?
She waited on Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “And he died for all, that those who live
should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised
again.”
4.
Verse 16 says that the people brought “many who were demon-possessed” to Jesus, and
that “He cast out the spirits with a word.” What is significant about the fact that Jesus
healed the demon-possessed?
It demonstrates His authority over demons. More generally, it demonstrates His
authority in the spirit world.
5.
Among other things, the healings mentioned in Matthew 8:1-17 serve to advance the
understanding of Jesus’ “authority” (cf. Matthew 7:29). Suppose you had no prior
knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of Matthew for the first time in
order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 8:1-17 would contribute to your
understanding of Jesus.
First, I would be impressed by whom Jesus reached out to. He reached out to those
who were on the fringe of Jewish society. Second, in none of these miracles did Jesus
call upon God. Jesus performs these miracles in His own name, by His own authority.
16
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 8:18-27. NOTE: This section of Scripture features three interactions
between Jesus and His followers. The first interaction is with a scribe who is “too quick”
to follow Jesus. The second interaction is with a disciple who is “too slow” to follow
Jesus. And the third interaction is with His disciples, who are following Him (verse 23).
In these interactions, Jesus’ followers respectively underestimate the cost of following
Him, the supremacy of His call, and the extent of His power.
2.
Describe Jesus’ response to His followers in each of these three interactions.
Jesus’ response to “a certain scribe” (verses 19-20): There is no place for the Son of
Man to lay His head (the road is hard).
Jesus’ response to “another of the disciples” (verses 21-22): Let the dead alone (the
road ahead means leaving behind the society we know).
Jesus’ response to “His disciples” (verses 23-27): “Why are you timid, you men of little
faith.”
3.
Put yourself in Jesus’ shoes (sandals, whatever) and ask yourself how you would have
responded in each of these situations. Did Jesus respond differently than how you would
have responded? Did Jesus respond differently than how you would have thought He
would have responded? What do we learn about Jesus’ personality from His responses in
each of these situations?
In the case of a “certain scribe,” I would have emphasized the positives, not the
difficulties of the ministry. In the case of “another of the disciples,” I would have been
understanding of his personal difficulties (it was his father who died!). In the case of
the disciples in the boat, I would have comforted them and told them not to worry,
emphasizing my care of them. I learn from Jesus’ responses that Jesus is more
demanding than I would have thought He is.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 8:28-34. NOTE: In verse 34 it says, “Behold, the whole city came out to
meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they entreated Him to depart from their region.”
This is the first recorded “rejection” of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.
2.
In verse 29, it is interesting to note that the demons knew some things about Jesus and
His ministry. What did they know?
They knew He was the Son of God, and that He would torment them at the proper time.
3.
There are a number of weird things going on in this story. Maybe the weirdest is that
Jesus allowed the demons to possess and destroy the swine. This no doubt represented a
significant financial loss to the swine owner, a seemingly innocent party in all of this. Did
Jesus respond differently than how you would have responded? Did Jesus respond
differently than how you would have thought He would have responded? What do we
learn about Jesus’ personality from His response in this situation?
He cared a lot less about the financial well-being of the swine owner than I thought He
would. Apparently, He thought that He was providing something of far greater value
than the cost He was imposing on them.
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4.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 8:1834 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus.
Jesus did not try nearly as hard as I would have thought He would to win the support
of His followers.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 8:1-34.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
18
WEEK FIVE:
9:1-17.
Jesus claims the right to forgive sins and says there is something new and
special about Himself.
9:18-34.
The people marvel at Jesus’ miracles of faith, but the Pharisees speak against
Him.
9:35-11:1.
Jesus empowers His disciples for ministry. He tells them that their spiritual
destiny depends on their confession of Him.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 9:1-8.
2.
Well, what’s the answer? Is it easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise
and walk?” (HINT: It depends who you are.)
Both are equally easy—for God.
3.
What is the significance of Jesus stating publicly that the paralytic’s sins were forgiven?
Jesus is clearly claiming a prerogative of God.
4.
Is this the first time in the gospel of Matthew that Jesus has directly claimed a prerogative
of God?
It depends on how you interpret the healings in Chapter 8. Clearly, Jesus was claiming
the power to heal, not as derivative from God’s power to heal, but on the basis of His
own power and authority.
5.
6.
Read Matthew 9:9-17.
Look up and write out the following verse:
Hosea 6:6.
“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt
offerings.”
7.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Matthew 9:16.
"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull
away from the garment, making the tear worse.”
Matthew 9:17.
“Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the
wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new
wineskins, and both are preserved."
8.
In plain English, what is Jesus saying in verses 16 and 17?
Jesus is claiming that there is something new and special about Himself. The old rules
are out, something new is afoot.
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Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 9:18-31.
2.
These verses describe three miracles. See if you can find something of significance in
each of them:
Miracle #1. Raising to life the synagogue official’s daughter. Significance: This is the
first time someone from the Jewish religious mainstream asks for help.
Miracle #2. Healing of the hemorrhaging woman. Significance: Her faith made her
well.
Miracle #3. Giving of sight to the two blind men. Significance: Again, their faith
played an important role in their healing.
NOTE: In all three cases, the faith of the recipients is prominently noted.
3.
4.
Read Matthew 9:32-34. NOTE: The opposition to Jesus builds throughout Chapter 9.
By the end of the Chapter, the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being an agent of Satan. This
provides background for Jesus’ discussion of persecution in the next chapter.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 9:135 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus.
First, I would acknowledge that Jesus’ healing of sins goes a long way to establishing
His claim to be God. Second, I would be impressed by the fact that He wants me to
have faith in Him. Further, I would be struck by the fact that faith appears to be an
essential ingredient in Jesus’ miracles.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 9:35-10:15.
2.
According to these verses, what was Jesus’ motivation for sending out the twelve
disciples?
To save the lost sheep of Israel.
3.
What specifically were the Twelve instructed to preach? What do you think they talked
about?
They were told to preach that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” I think they talked
about Jesus.
4.
What do you think the connection is between the message the Twelve were instructed to
preach, and their activities of “healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers” and
“casting out demons?” (HINT: Check out Matthew 11:28-30.)
No doubt one purpose was to verify the truth of the gospel message (cf. Acts 14:3).
However, I also think that a purpose of these miracles was to show the heart of God.
God is a God who wants to give rest to the “weary and brokenhearted.”
5.
If healing was an effective way during Jesus’ time for Him to reach people, why don’t we
see more of God using that approach today?
At this time, I really don’t have a satisfying answer to this question.
20
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 10:16-33. NOTE: It is clear that Jesus is looking beyond the immediate
going out of the Twelve to a future time when Jesus’ followers will go through the cities
of Israel (do you see why?).
2.
Is this the first time in the gospel of Matthew that it has become clear that being a
follower of Jesus may entail significant persecution?
In the Beatitudes, Jesus made reference to persecution as a result of following Him
(Matthew 5:11: “Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all
kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me.”). However, this is the most
explicit discussion to date that being a follower of Jesus may entail significant
persecution.
3.
What is Jesus’ main admonition to those disciples who will find themselves in
persecution?
Do not be afraid of those who persecute you.
4.
Jesus says in verse 33 that “whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him
before My Father.” Are you surprised by this statement? Is this what you would have
expected Jesus to say in this situation? What do we learn about Jesus’ personality from
this?
I would have expected Jesus to be more comforting to His disciples. Instead, He is
pretty harsh, saying in effect, “Pick your sides, there is no room for sitting on the
fence.”
5.
OPTIONAL: What do you think it means when Jesus says He will deny before His
Father those who deny Him? Does that mean they will lose their salvation? (For those
who are familiar with Hebrews, you may find it helpful to compare these verses with
Hebrews 10:32-38.)
I do not believe it means that they will lose their salvation. Instead, I believe it means
that they will lose their reward (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15).
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 10:34-11:1.
2.
Are you surprised by the harshness of the statements in verses 34-38? Is this what you
would have expected Jesus to say in this situation? What do we learn about Jesus’
personality from this?
These passages reveal Jesus to be extremely demanding. “He who does not take his
cross, and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” is a very demanding statement.
3.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 9:3611:1 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus.
Jesus demands total and unconditional allegiance.
21
4.
OPTIONAL: Verses 40-42 are difficult to understand. A comparison of Matthew 10:42
with Mark 9:37 and 9:41 is helpful, but still leaves many questions. It seems reasonable
to presume that when it says “in the name of a prophet/righteous man/disciple,” that it
means a prophet of Christ, a righteous man of Christ, and a disciple of Christ. “Little
ones” may refer to the least followers of Jesus, or little children. The bottom line of these
verses is that those who embrace the followers of Jesus will (complete the sentence):
…receive a reward.
Saturday:
1.
Read 9:1-11:1.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
22
WEEK SIX:
11:2-15.
11:16-24.
11:25-30.
12:1-14.
12:15-45.
12:46-50.
John the Baptist has doubts.
Jesus reproaches those who reject Him.
Yet God enables "babes" to recognize Him.
Jesus claims that He is Lord of the Sabbath.
Reproaches and warnings against those who reject Jesus.
Jesus announces the “family of God.”
Monday:
1.
Read 11:2-15.
2.
In verse 3, John the Baptist expresses his confusion as to whether Jesus is the Messiah.
Why do you think he started to have doubts? (HINT: Recall from Matthew, Chapter 3
what kind of ministry John the Baptist expected Jesus to have.)
Things were not developing like John the Baptist had imagined. Rather than taking
Israel by storm (a lá The Second Coming), Jesus’ ministry appears much more
peripheral—teachings and healings, yes, but working on the fringes of the Jewish
establishment as opposed to overthrowing it.
3.
Jesus’ response quotes from two Old Testament passages. Look up and write out the
following verses:
Isaiah 35:4-6.
“…say to those with fearful hearts,
"Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you."
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.”
Isaiah 61:1,2.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn…”
23
4.
In light of the verses above, how did Jesus respond to John’s misgivings about His
ministry? (NOTE: Isaiah 61:1,2 was widely recognized as speaking of the coming
Messiah.)
He implicitly said that He was the Messiah, and that He was fulfilling Old Testament
prophecy about Himself. The verses He quoted are contained within the context of the
Day of Judgment. Thus, Jesus acknowledged John the Baptist’s concerns without
directly addressing them.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 11:16-30.
2.
What was the basis on which Chorazin (Korazin), Bethsaida, and Capernaum were
singled out for reproach?
They were singled out because they did not repent (cf. verses 20, 21).
3.
This passage implies that everybody does not receive equal revelation, but that some have
been privileged with greater opportunity to receive God than others. What is Jesus
saying to those who have been given greater opportunity?
They are held responsible for the greater privilege given to them.
4.
Would you classify yourself as one who has had greater or lesser opportunity to know
God? What implication, if any, does Jesus’ reproach of these cities have for you?
I have had wonderful opportunities to know God. I have been given much, thus much
is expected of me.
5.
Look and write out the following verse:
John 14:6.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me.”
6.
Compare John 14:6 with Matthew 11:27. What do these verses imply for those who say
that there are many ways by which a person can come to know God?
Matthew 11:27: “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows
the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to
whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Eternal life is channeled solely through Jesus.
7.
OPTIONAL: Consider verses 25-30. See if you can find clear allusions to both God’s
election of believers (cf. Romans 8:29,30) and the volitional role given to man’s free will.
Why do you think both of these themes are being emphasized here? HINT: What is the
context in which Jesus is saying these things?
It is interesting to note that Jesus is saying these things in the context of being rejected
by the nation of Israel. Yet even so, He seeks those who truly want to know God. This
suggests that an accurate picture of the advance of God’s kingdom is God calling a
relatively small number of individuals in a world in which most reject Him. In other
words, the context of rejection is not a reflection of the lack of God’s power. Rather, it
is a reflection of the way the world is, as allowed by God’s sovereignty.
24
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 12:1-14.
2.
Look up and write out the following verse:
Exodus 31:14.
"Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put
to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people.”
3.
Failure to keep the Sabbath was a serious offense. What is the main thought connecting
Jesus’ response to the Pharisees on this issue?
Jesus is bigger than the Sabbath.
4.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 11:212:14 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus.
Spiritual destinies center on the person of Jesus. He is making Himself the defining
issue that people need to deal with.
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 12:15-45.
2.
Verses 23 and 24 identify two different conclusions concerning the identity of Jesus.
What are they?
(1) Jesus is the Son of David (i.e., the Messiah). (2) Jesus receives His power from
Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.
3.
Why do you think Matthew inserted the Old Testament passage Isaiah 41:1-4 at this point
in his gospel?
The context in which this passage appears has Jesus withdrawing from the opposition
of the Jews and laying “low,” at least relatively. Matthew addresses the issue here of
why the Messiah doesn’t overpower his opposition. He says that, in fact, Jesus was
prophesied not to overcome His opponents with force, but to respond with
submissiveness (cf. Matthew 12:19,20: “He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will
hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he
will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.”).
4.
Jesus gives a number of arguments in verses 25-45 advancing His claim to authority (and
implicitly, by way of context, to be the “Son of David (cf. verse 23); i.e., the Messiah).
List as many as you can below.
1)
He is stronger than Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons (verses 27, 28).
2)
Speaking against Jesus, knowing His identity, amounts to “sin and blasphemy”
(verses 31, 32).
3)
He stands as moral judge over the scribes and Pharisees (verses 33-37).
4)
He predicts His resurrection (verse 40).
5)
He is greater than Jonah and greater than Solomon (verses 41, 42).
25
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 12:46-50.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Exodus 20:12.
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD
your God is giving you.”
Matthew 10:37.
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…”
3.
Explain why the statement by Jesus that “whoever shall do the will of My Father…, he is
my brother and sister and mother” is such a strong statement.
Matthew 10:37 is striking given the Old Testament command to honor one’s parents.
Jesus says devotion to Him supercedes the command to honor one’s biological family.
Further, He establishes a kinship among believers that supercedes biological kinship.
4.
What implication do these verses have for our lives?
These verses imply a community of believers that should be stronger than the
community of family. Our bond in Christ is stronger than our familial bonds.
5.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew
12:15-50 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus.
Jesus continues to advance the claims of His authority. Not only is He Lord of the
Sabbath, but He is more powerful than the ruler of the demons, He is the moral judge
of the religious leaders, and establishes a relationship among His disciples that is
stronger than biological family.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 11:2-12:50.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
26
WEEK SEVEN:
13:1-53.
Jesus speaks in parables (“the kingdom of heaven is like…”).
13:54-58.
Where there is no faith, there are no miracles.
14:1-12.
John the Baptist makes himself odious to Herod and is killed.
14:13-23.
Jesus tells the disciples, "You give them something to eat."
14:24-33.
Jesus teaches Peter that if he has sufficient faith, he can even walk on water.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 13:1-53. NOTE: “The Parables are the most striking feature in the
teaching of Jesus. Although he did not invent this form of teaching (parables are found
both in the OT and in the writings of the rabbis), he used it in a way and to a degree
unmatched before his time or since. Many parables are stories taken out of ordinary life,
used to drive home a spiritual or moral truth. But they are not always stories. Sometimes
they are brief similes, comparisons (e.g., Matthew 15:15), analogies, or even proverbial
sayings (e.g., Luke 4:23). The Greek word parabole includes all these meanings.”
(SOURCE: NIV Bible Commentary from the Zondervan NIV Bible Library software).
2.
In verse 10, the disciples ask Jesus, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Verse 11
gives Jesus’ response. (NOTE: Verse 11 may be translated “Because to you it has been
granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been
granted.”) In your own words, summarize Jesus’ answer.
Jesus states that the parables are intended to reveal truth to those “to whom it has been
granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,” and to veil truth to those to
whom it has not been granted.
3.
According to verse 15, do those “who do not hear” bear responsibility for their inability
to hear?
Yes, because their heart has become dull, and “they have closed their eyes.”
4.
Look up and write out the following verses.
Romans 11:5,6.
“So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it
is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
Matthew 13:11,12.
“He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to
you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.
Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”
5.
What kind of response should this evoke in believers (cf. verse 16)?
This should evoke a sense of humble gratitude among believers. God has given
something to us by grace, apart from our own works or worthiness. This should also
evoke a sense of responsibility to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us.
27
6.
Did the disciples immediately understand the meaning of the parables? How did they
come to understand what they meant? What implication does this have for believers
today?
They did not immediately understand. They came to understand by having hearts that
thirsted to know more, and by turning to Jesus for help in understanding. The same
applies to us today.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 13:3-8.
2.
What does this parable have to tell us about how people will respond to the gospel of
Jesus?
There will be differing degrees of response. We should not be surprised or discouraged
when many turn away from the gospel.
3.
4.
Read Matthew 13:24-30. NOTE: The “field” in this parable probably refers to the
kingdom that Jesus is building, and may have a direct application to Judas.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Acts 20:28-30.
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I
know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the
flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw
away disciples after them.”
5.
What does this parable have to tell us about the experiences that believers can expect
from within the church?
There will be many “tares” planted among the wheat, and we should not be surprised
by this.
6.
Read Matthew 13:31-33. NOTE: The parable of the mustard seed probably refers to the
size of the kingdom that Jesus is building. The parable of the leaven probably refers to
the transforming work of regeneration within a believer.
What do these two parables have to tell us about spiritual growth in the kingdom that
Jesus is building?
The spiritual kingdom Jesus is building will start off insignificant, but will end up
becoming a dominating presence. This parable could also describe the power of
sanctification in a believer’s life, leading to glorification (cf. Romans 8:29,30).
7.
8.
9.
Read Matthew 13:44-46.
What perspective do these two parables give us concerning our own following of Jesus?
It is well worth exchanging the treasures of this world for the gaining of a relationship
with Jesus.
10.
Read Matthew 13:47-50.
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11.
What does this parable have to say about the existence of a literal hell?
Matthew 13:47-50: "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down
into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up
on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the
bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and
separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Yes, there is a hell.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 13:54-58.
2.
Jesus says in verse 57 that those who are most familiar with “a prophet” are the least
likely to respect him. In your opinion, why is that? Do you think that this principle may
also apply to believers in the church who have “known” Jesus for a long time?
Maybe one reason why it’s hard for us to admit the greatness of someone we are
familiar with is because it reflects poorly on us. If the prophet really is great, and I
have known him for so long, then why am I not a better person than I am? It’s either
the prophet’s failing, or mine. A similar principle may be at work with respect to
believers who have “known” Jesus a long time. If Jesus is so great, and I have known
him for so long, then the fact that I am not more godly is either his fault or mine.
3.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Matthew 13:58.
“And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”
Mark 6:5-6.
“He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and
heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith…”
4.
What do these verses say about the role of faith?
Faith is a requirement for God to do His work in our lives.
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 14:1-12. NOTE: Among other things, John had become offensive to
Herod and his wife Herodias because he denounced their marriage as incest (cf. Leviticus
18:16, 20:21). The story of the execution of John the Baptist serves to prefigure both the
coming crucifixion of Jesus, and the intensity of the persecution that awaits Jesus’
followers.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
John 3:20.
“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that
his deeds will be exposed.”
2 Timothy 3:12.
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,…”
29
3.
Ultimately, what is the great “offense” of Christianity?
The great offense of Christianity is that it tells people that they are sinful and are so
unworthy on their own that they deserve punishment.
4.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Acts 24:16.
“So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”
1 Corinthians 10:32,33.
“Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God-- even as
I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good
of many, so that they may be saved.”
5.
Elaborate on the balance that Christians have in witnessing to unbelievers.
We are to be personally inoffensive, while communicating a message that is inherently
offensive.
6.
Explain why it is tempting to water down the message of Christianity in order not to
offend unbelievers.
Simply put, because I do not like having people disapprove of me.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 14:13-21.
2.
Do you think the disciples would have been surprised by Jesus’ statement in verse 16,
“…You give them something to eat!”? Elaborate.
I believe they were surprised. I think they saw Jesus as “the doer,” and they were
along for the ride. Jesus was asking them to take on more personal responsibility than
they were used to/comfortable with.
3.
It says in verse 19 that Jesus “gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the
disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” What do you think Jesus was
teaching His disciples through this miracle?
Jesus was teaching the disciples that He would supply them, and that they would take
what Jesus gave them and distribute it to the people in their ministry.
4.
5.
Read Matthew 14:22-33.
What do you think Jesus was teaching His disciples through this incident?
Jesus was teaching His disciples that they needed to believe in Him.
6.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 13:114:33 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus.
I would see Jesus as the “Master of Mysteries,” having knowledge far beyond my
ability to comprehend. I also see here a desire on His part to have me come to Him,
both in understanding and in action.
30
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 13:1-14:33.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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WEEK EIGHT:
14:34-15:20. The real source of what defiles a man.
15:21-28.
An example of great faith.
15:29-38.
Jesus uses His disciples to again feed a multitude.
15:39-16:12. Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
16:13-27.
The true identity of Jesus.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 14:34-15:20. NOTE: It is noteworthy that rather than comment on the
great works of healing that Jesus was doing, the Pharisees challenge the eating habits of
His disciples. This incongruity provides the background for Jesus’ response. (The NIV
Bible Commentary from the Zondervan NIV Bible Library software has this to say about
the “tradition of the elders” mentioned in Matthew 15:2: “[This] refers to the great
corpus of oral teaching that commented on the law and interpreted it in detailed rules of
conduct, often recording the diverse opinions of competing rabbis. This tradition in Jesus'
time was largely oral, but the Pharisees viewed it as having authority very nearly equal to
the canon. It was codified about A.D. 135-200 to form the Mishnah.”)
2.
In verses 3-9, Jesus attacks the Pharisees for placing the doctrines of men on equal
footing with the Word of God. Do you think this is something that we need to be
concerned about today? Elaborate.
To the extent we rely on people to tell us what is in the Word of God, and accept their
words as God’s, we come very close to doing what the Pharisees’ listeners did. As
teachers of the Word, it is very important that we encourage people to be in the Word
on their own.
3.
In Jesus’ address to the multitude (verses 10-11), He identifies two very different views
of the sinfulness of man. Identify and contrast these two views in the space below.
One view is that we are inherently good and become sinful by contact with our
environment. The other view is that we are inherently sinful and it is our own sin that
makes us sinful.
4.
If Jesus is right (and there’s good reason to think that He is!), how do you reconcile His
teaching here with all the Old Testament teaching on uncleanness (e.g., Leviticus,
Chapter 15)?
One purpose of the Old Testament teaching on uncleanness was to highlight the everpresence of sin in our lives. It was designed to give a visual picture of sin, so that man
would be more conscious of the presence and repulsive quality of sin.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 15:21-28.
2.
Does Jesus’ response to the Canaanite woman seem overly harsh to you? Explain.
Jesus implicitly calls her a “dog” when He says (verse 26), "It is not right to take the
children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
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3.
Describe the Canaanite woman’s response to Jesus in verse 27. In particular, what did
she not dispute in Jesus’ reply to her, and what was the basis for her plea for help?
She did not dispute her unworthiness. The basis for her plea was that “even dogs”
need to eat. In other words, she acknowledged that she was needy and needed what
Jesus had to offer.
4.
Why did Jesus commend the Canaanite woman for her “great faith?” How did she
exercise faith in this situation?
She exercised faith by accepting Jesus’ characterization of her as unworthy, and by
persisting in her belief that Jesus was able and willing to help her.
5.
Can you see a connection between Jesus’ teaching on the real source of what defiles a
man (verses 11f.) and the faith of the Canaanite woman?
While the Jews rebelled against the notion that they were inherently sinful, the
Canaanite woman accepted this evaluation of her by the Son of God.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 15:29-38.
2.
In verse 32, Jesus says, “I feel compassion for the multitude, because they have remained
with Me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not wish to send them away
hungry, lest they faint on the way.” It’s difficult to believe that the disciples didn’t
immediately respond by suggesting that Jesus miraculously provide bread for them as He
did in Chapter 14; however, verse 33 makes it clear that they didn’t. How could the
disciples have been so dense? (HINT: We do not know how much time passed between
the two miraculous feedings. The gospels generally are not arranged strictly
chronologically, so it is possible that many months, or even a year or more, passed
between the two feedings of Chapter 14 and Chapter 15. Further, it is possible that there
were intermittent times where Jesus did not miraculously provide food to the large
crowds that gathered around Him.)
It’s difficult to understand why the disciples didn’t immediately suggest that Jesus feed
these as He had done before. At some level, the disciples must have thought that the
previous miraculous feeding of the multitude was a one-shot event, so that they didn’t
really think Jesus would do this again. At the very least, this shows us that the
disciples never knew what Jesus would do. They couldn’t put Him in a box. And when
they tried to, He more often than not broke their box.
3.
Do you see anything significant in the way that Jesus distributes the food in verse 36?
What?
Jesus gave the food to the disciples, and the disciples turned around and gave it to the
people.
4.
What do you think Jesus was teaching His disciples through this incident? Why do you
think this was a difficult lesson (apparently) for them to learn?
Jesus was teaching them that they needed to be more than spectators. Jesus was
training them for the day when they would be the ones doing the work.
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Thursday:
1A.
Read Matthew 15:39-16:12. NOTE: It is helpful to know a little background about the
Pharisees and Sadducees. The following excerpts are taken from The Expository
Dictionary of the Zondervan NIV Bible Library software.
1B.
The Pharisees: “In Jesus' day, the Pharisees were the most respected and influential group
in Judaism. Having originated about 135 B.C., they were a committed fellowship of men,
determined to follow in exact detail everything required in the Mosaic Law. The
Pharisees would be called the theological conservatives of their day. They (1) believed in
the resurrection, in angels, and in Satan, (2) looked for the Messiah, and (3) rejected the
idea that force should be used to win freedom. Freedom must come through God's action
and in his time. But the Pharisees made a tragic mistake. It began with their scribes (the
experts in Bible interpretation) constantly interpreting and reinterpreting the Mosaic Law
to show how it might apply to every aspect of contemporary life. To the Pharisee, these
interpretations and additions were the oral Torah (law), which they placed beside the
written Torah as having equal authority. As the oral tradition focused on behavior,
prescribing in detail each acceptable and each forbidden action, the attention of the
Pharisees was drawn away from the great themes of the OT. Jesus faced the opposition of
these committed and orthodox men, and in many confrontations he pointed up their
errors…Tragically, in attempting to establish their own righteousness, the followers of
this approach to religion missed Scripture's great revelation of human need and divine
forgiveness.”
1C.
The Sadducees: “The Sadducees were a religious party in NT times. Unlike the Pharisees,
they rejected the idea of an oral law and accepted only the Pentateuch as authoritative.
But their orientation was this-worldly. They did not believe in the resurrection, personal
existence after death, or divine intervention in history. Thus, they denied the possibility
of rewards or punishments after death. Though naturally hostile to the Pharisees, with
whom they differed on nearly every theological issue, they joined with them to resist
Jesus and his teaching. This was in part because they were antagonistic to Jesus'
supernaturalism. But a more basic reason was that they feared Jesus would upset the
accommodation they had made with Rome to preserve their hold on priestly and ritual
offices, from which they gained many financial advantages.”
2.
Given this background, what do you think “the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees”
is that the disciples were being warned of in verse 12?
The Pharisees believed in the supernatural, but it was an intellectual belief that had
little practical impact. It was “theology,” not reality. In practice, their attention was
focused on establishing self-righteousness through living out the Law. In contrast, the
Sadducees denied the supernatural. Their teaching was based on accommodating this
world and being moral. In other words, they wanted religion without extremism.
3.
How does the “teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” manifest itself in our time and
circumstances?
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One can view the Pharisees as precursors of today’s evangelicals and
fundamentalists—giving lipservice to the supernatural, but primarily intent on
building an orthodoxy that stresses moral behavior. The Sadducees can be viewed as
precursors of today’s mainline Protestant religions such as Methodists and
Episcopalians—where there is the appearance of faith without believing in
supernatural power.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 16:13-27.
2.
Why do you think Jesus asks His disciples in verse 13, “Who do people say that the Son
of Man is?” In other words, why is Jesus forcing the issue of His identity now? (HINT:
See verse 21).
Jesus was training them for leadership in the church after His death. Step One in that
training was getting them to come to grips with who Jesus really was.
3.
How is the call given in verses 24-27 related to the identity of Jesus?
It is Jesus’ legitimate claim to authority via His identity that serves as His basis for
demanding that we follow Him.
4.
Do you see a connection between verse 19 and the two previous incidents of feeding the
multitudes?
Jesus was teaching the disciples that they would be “in charge” of God’s kingdom on
earth.
5.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew
14:34-16:27 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus.
This section of Scripture shows Jesus as intently preparing the disciples to “run” God’s
kingdom on earth after Jesus’ crucifixion and return to heaven. It makes me better
understand Jesus’ goals for my life. He is preparing us for leadership in God’s
kingdom.
Saturday:
1.
Matthew 14:34-16:27
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
35
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
36
WEEK NINE:
16:28-17:13. The Transfiguration.
17:14-23.
The disciples are rebuked for their littleness of faith.
17:24-27.
A lesson on accepting one’s “sentence.”
18:1-4.
You must become like little children if you want to enter the kingdom of
heaven.
18:5-35.
God’s passion for His children.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 16:28-17:13.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Deuteronomy 8:15. “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from
among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”
Malachi 4:5,6. "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful
day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the
hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a
curse."
3.
What was the significance of the presence of Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration?
Both men were great Old Testament figures who pointed to the Messiah.
4.
Why was it logical for the disciples to ask, in verse 10, about the coming of Elijah?
The disciples immediately made the connection to Malachi 4:5,6 and wondered, if
Jesus is the Messiah, where is Elijah?
5.
Jesus responds that “Elijah is coming” (verse 11) and “Elijah already came” (came 12).
What is the implication of these “two comings” of Elijah for the coming of Jesus?
The two comings of Elijah imply two comings of Jesus.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 17:14-23.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Matthew 8:26. “He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got
up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”
Matthew 14:31. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of
little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"”
Matthew 16:8. “Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are
you talking among yourselves about having no bread?”
Matthew 17:20. “He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if
you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from
here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "
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3.
Look up and write out the following verse:
Deuteronomy 32:20.
"I will hide my face from them," he said,
"and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
children who are unfaithful.”
4.
How would you characterize Jesus’ response in verse 17? Would you say He was
Irritated? Frustrated? In Matthew 17:17, Jesus says, "O unbelieving and perverse
generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?" I don’t
know if irritation and frustration are the right words, since these imply a lack of
patience, and we know that God cannot be impatient (since patience is one of the fruits
of the Spirit, cf. Galatians 5:22, and hence impatience would seem to be an ungodly
characteristic). And yet, the rhetorical questions, “How long shall I stay with you?
How long shall I put up with you?” imply that dealing with the unresponsive and
unbelieving disciples was trying and wearisome for Jesus.
5.
Why was Jesus feeling the way He was in verse 17? Matthew 17:20 indicates that one
reason was because of the disciples lack of faith. Matthew 10:1 says, “He called his
twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal
every disease and sickness.” However, His disciples had not exercised the authority
Jesus had given them, perhaps because they didn’t really believe they had it.
6.
Jesus once again tells His disciples in verses 22-23 that He will be killed and then rise
again. This is the third time in Chapters 16 and 17 that Jesus tells His disciples this.
Why do you think He had to say the same thing over and over again to His disciples?
Jesus was preparing them for His departure. They needed to be prepared, because
Jesus’ plan was for them to assume leadership of His church after He was gone.
7.
What do we learn about Jesus’ personality from this? Jesus is the master builder. He is
working in the lives of His disciples in order to grow them up as laborers for the
harvest.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 17:24-27. NOTE: The context of this story is probably best seen as Jesus
ministering to Peter following his “grieving” in verse 23.
2.
What is the point Jesus is making about Himself and Peter when He says in verse 26,
“…the sons are exempt”? (HINT: The implication in verse 27 is that they should be
exempt from paying the tax.) The disciples are family with the “kings of the earth”. In
fact, while Jesus doesn’t say it here, the day will come when Jesus’ followers will help
Him rule, literally fulfilling this statement as being sons of the “kings of the earth.”
Thus, even though it looks as if they are subject to the whims of the earthly rulers—
especially after Jesus reiterates the prophecy concerning His death—in fact their true
identity is that of royalty.
38
3.
The miracle referenced in verse 27 goes to extraordinary lengths to make a point. What
do you think the point is? Just as Jesus miraculously avoided the burden of the tax, so
He could have just as easily avoided His coming death—if He had chosen to do so.
4.
Despite clearly demonstrating that He had the supernatural resources that would have
enabled Him to avoid paying the tax, Jesus advocates submission to His tax “sentence.”
How does this relate to Jesus coming “sentence” of death on the cross? It emphasizes the
voluntary nature of Jesus’ acceptance of His death on the cross.
5.
Contrast Jesus’ ministering to Peter here with His earlier rebuke of His disciples’ lack of
faith. What do we learn about Jesus’ personality from this? Jesus knows how best to
minister to Peter’s soul. Peter is grieved, deeply grieved. Here Jesus chooses to gently
encourage him rather than rebuke him for not embracing “the program.”
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 18:1-4. NOTE: A child, especially in Jesus’ time, would have had no
rights or possessions or legal standing apart from his relationship to his father. This may
be helpful in understanding what Jesus means when He says in verse 3 that “unless you
change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
2.
How would you interpret what Jesus is saying in verses 1-4? It is not so much that we
need to have the “faith of a child.” Rather, we must give up our independence, and
become dependent upon our heavenly Father, as little children are on their earthly
father.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Read Matthew 18:5-10. NOTE: It is probably best to understand the “you” in verses 810 as the “man” of the “world” who would be a stumbling block to God’s children.
If you read verses 5-10 from the perspective of God’s anger when His children are
attacked by the world, what are these verses saying? God will severely punish those who
upset the faith of His children.
Read Matthew 18:11-20.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Acts 20:28. “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has
made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own
blood.”
Galatians 6:1. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should
restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”
7
How does Matthew 18:15-17 relate to God’s concern that His children not stumble? As
part of God’s family, we need to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of our
brothers and sisters in Christ.
39
8.
Do you see a connection between verses 18-19 and Jesus’ “training” of the disciples
during the miraculous feedings of the multitudes in Chapters 14 and 15? Verses 18-19
state, "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of
you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in
heaven.” Jesus is telling His disciples that He is putting them “in charge” of His
kingdom.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 18:21-35.
2.
The conclusion of this parable ends with a warning (verse 35): “So shall My heavenly
Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Do
you think this warning is directed to believers? Yes I do. I believe this speaks to the
judgment of believers mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, Romans 14:10-12, and 2
Corinthians 5:9,10.
3.
What does this warning reveal about God’s heart towards His children? God cares
greatly about His children, and wants us to care as well.
4.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew
16:28-18:35 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus. It would give me a sense
of how deeply and passionately Jesus cares about His children.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 16:28-18:35.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
40
WEEK TEN:
19:1-12.
The incredibly high standard of righteousness: Part I
19:13-15.
Grace contrasted: Part I
19:16-26.
The incredibly high standard of righteousness: Part II
19:27-30.
The rewards of righteousness.
20:1-16.
Grace contrasted: Part II
20:17-28.
Achieving greatness in the kingdom of heaven.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 19:1-12. NOTE: Jesus uses the question from the Pharisees to illustrate
God’s standard of righteousness.
2.
In verse 10, the disciples say, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is
better not to marry."
2A.
What “situation” are the disciples referring to? The situation where a man should not
divorce his wife except for “immorality.”
2B.
Why do you think the disciples conclude that “it is better not to marry?” The prospect of
having to go through life with the same wife with no “escape clause” seemed
overwhelmingly oppressive.
3.
The bottom line of Jesus’ response in verses 11 and 12 is that remaining single really
isn’t an option for most men. Where does that leave the man who wants to be righteous
but is unable to remain single? It means that a righteous man needs to earnestly
commit himself to his marriage in order to make it work.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 19:13-15.
2.
Immediately after emphasizing God’s incredibly high standard of righteousness, Jesus
uses the example of children as models of righteousness. Do you see the contrast here?
Explain why the picture of children as a model of righteousness provides such a sharp
contrast to the standard of righteousness Jesus gives in respect to marriage. High
standards evoke an image of men making superhuman efforts to please God. Children
are distinguished by their lack of concern over righteousness. Children just want to be
near their daddy. Bottom line: depend on your Daddy in heaven and God will make
you righteous.
3.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Romans 3:20-22. “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by
observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a
righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and
the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ
to all who believe. There is no difference…”
Romans 3:23,24. “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
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Galatians 2:16. “…know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith
in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified
by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one
will be justified.”
4.
In light of the verses above, explain how Jesus’ contrast of righteousness under the Law
versus the picture of children as models of righteousness illustrates the New Testament
emphasis of salvation by grace and not works. The picture of children as models of
righteousness emphasizes that the responsibility for producing righteousness belongs
to Jesus. Our responsibility consists of depending on Him to produce righteousness in
our lives.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 19:16-26.
2.
Explain why being “poor” can make it hard to live a holy life. One can be so consumed
with “getting by” and making ends meet that there isn’t time to think of heavenly
things.
3.
Explain why being “rich” can make it hard to live a holy life. One can become pretty
content with the way things are, leading to complacency and self-reliance.
4.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Romans 3:23. “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
1 Corinthians 1:30,31. “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has
become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Ephesians 2:8,9. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.”
5A.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Matthew 19:25,26. “When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and
asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible."
5B.
Explain how Jesus’ response in Matthew 19:26 is consistent with the teaching in Romans
3:23; 1 Corinthians 1:30,31; and Ephesians 2:8,9. Jesus’ statement that “With man this
is impossible” is consistent with Romans 3:23. Jesus’ statement that “…with God all
things are possible” is consistent with 1 Corinthians 1:30,31 and Ephesians 2:8,9.
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 19:27-30.
2.
What is the bottom line of what Peter is asking in verse 27? What reward can we look
forward to?
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3.
In a nutshell, how does Jesus answer Peter’s question? That which you receive will far
surpass that which you give up.
4.
5.
Read Matthew 20:1-16.
This parable is best seen as relating to the issue of rewards first raised in Matthew 19:2730. With this parable in mind, complete the following thought: “Yes, there are rewards
in heaven for those who live righteously, BUT… God gives on the basis of grace, based
on His righteousness, not our efforts. Yes, those who have “sacrificed” will receive far
in excess of what they have given up, but not on the basis of what they have given up,
but on the basis of grace.
6.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Hebrews 11:6. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who
comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek
him.”
Galatians 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives
in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave himself for me.”
Philippians 2:12,13. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only
in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act
according to his good purpose.”
7.
Explain how Jesus’ teaching on rewards is consistent with the teaching found in the
verses above. There are rewards. But the rewards are not for what we do, but for our
faith. In particular, we are rewarded for responding to/embracing God’s leading, by
faith. In Matthew 20:1-16, the laborers weren’t rewarded for the amount of work they
did, but for responding to God’s offer to work. Since each responded, each received an
equal reward.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 20:17-28. NOTE: The request by the mother of the sons of Zebedee
(who may have been Jesus’ aunt, cf. Matthew 27:56 and John 19:25) is probably best
seen as coming in light of Jesus’ reminder (again!) that He was soon to die and rise again.
Thus, the disciples are looking ahead to the establishment of the Messianic kingdom,
recalling Jesus’ earlier teaching that they would rule with Him (Matthew 19:28).
2.
Describe the characteristics of a “servant.” A servant is somebody who puts the agenda
of his master above his own agenda.
3.
Explain the difference between being a “servant” and being a “doormat”? Is there a
difference? A doormat is somebody who allows other people’s agendas to take
precedence because they don’t have the backbone to do what is right. A servant is
somebody who allows another person’s agenda to take precedence because it is the
right thing to do.
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4A.
Those who seem to be “great” in the church are often men and women who have strong
agendas, which they may sincerely view as being given to them by God. Describe the
tension between being “agenda-driven” and being a servant. A person who is agendadriven pushes to accomplish a specific set of goals. This oftentimes conflicts with
taking time for people, and allowing other people—and their agendas—to take
precedence over the agenda-driver’s goals.
4B.
Explain what an “agenda-driven” leader must do to be a servant. An agenda-driven
leader who wants to be a servant must be sure that the ultimate goal of his agenda is to
serve others. If those around me don’t believe that I have their best interest at heart,
then my agenda is probably not a godly one.
5.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 19:120:28 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus. Jesus emphasizes the
importance of depending upon Him. In these verses, Jesus presents Himself much
more as a daddy, encouraging me to approach Him as His child.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 19:1-20:28.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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WEEK ELEVEN:
20:29-21:11. The “Son of David” makes His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.
21:12-22:46. Jesus confronts and condemns the religious establishment.
23:1-33.
The Seven Woes.
23:34-39.
Jesus' last recorded public words to Israel.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 20:29-21:11.
2.
Jesus is twice referred to as the “Son of David” in these verses. What is the significance
of that? The significance of this is that despite Jesus’ overall rejection by Israel, there
are some who have come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Noteworthy is that it is the
blind (Matthew 20:30,31) and the children (Matthew 21:15) who recognize Jesus as the
Messiah.
3.
Look up and write out the following verse:
Zechariah 9:9.
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
NOTE: Zechariah 9:9, which was widely viewed as being Messianic, has the king riding
on a colt, the foal of a donkey. A king or ruler was expected to make his entrance on a
war-horse. While the image of humility is suggested here, the main image being
conveyed is probably that Jesus is coming to bring peace, not war. Those who expected
the Christ, the Messiah, to be a powerful, military leader who would lead the Jews to
nationalistic freedom were going to be disappointed.
4.
5.
Read Matthew 21:12-13.
This scene where Jesus clears out the temple area of tradesmen stands in stark contrast to
His entrance to Jerusalem emphasizing peace. Accordingly, complete the following
sentence: “While Jesus did not come to overthrow the secular leaders of Israel, He did
come to…overthrow the religious establishment of Israel.
6.
Jesus is frequently pictured, and correctly so, of being gentle and all-loving. Do you have
a hard time seeing Jesus being “violent” enough to completely take over the temple area
and, single-handedly, throw out the sacrilegious tradesmen? Where else in Scripture do
we see this side of Jesus presented? The Book of Revelation shows Jesus leading a
violent attack on the forces of earth and the dominion of Satan.
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Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 21:14-22. NOTE: “Jesus approached a fig tree in the hope of allaying his
hunger, but found only leaves. Fig leaves appear about the same time as the fruit or a
little after. That it was not the season for figs (cf. Mark 11:13) explains why Jesus went to
this particular tree, which stood out because it was in leaf. Its leaves advertised that it was
bearing, but the advertisement was false. Jesus, unable to satisfy his hunger, saw the
opportunity of teaching a memorable object lesson and cursed the tree, not because it was
not bearing fruit, but because it made a show of life that promised fruit, yet was bearing
none.” (SOURCE: NIV Bible Commentary from the Zondervan NIV Bible Library
software.)
2.
Explain the meaning of the “acted out” parable of the fig tree. The context of the
parable is Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Israel. Like the fig tree, Israel was
advertising that it was bearing fruit, but it was false advertising. And like the fig tree,
the nation of Israel would be cursed, culminating in the coming destruction of Israel.
3.
In verse 20, the disciples ask a question. What do they ask? They asked, “How did the
fig tree wither so quickly?"
4.
Do you find anything odd in Jesus’ response? The direct response would have been to
say, “Because I cursed it.” Instead, Jesus uses their question to focus their attention
on their faith.
5.
Why do you think Jesus uses this setting to emphasize the importance of faith? Jesus
was being met by the corporate unbelief of the Jewish nation. Against the backdrop of
this unbelief, Jesus exhorts His followers to have faith in Him, not the least because it
was probably difficult to believe in Him given the lack of worldly success His
movement was having.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 21:23-27.
2.
Why do you think Jesus didn’t answer the question of the chief priests and elders? First
note that He would have answered them if they had answered His question. The fact
that He told them that in advance suggests to me that Jesus wanted to point out to them
that they had no real interest in the answer. They did not care about the truth. They
only wanted to trap Him so they could kill Him.
3.
4.
Read Matthew 21:28-32.
What kind of response do you think Jesus was hoping to get from this parable? Jesus
wanted the religious leaders to respond by recognizing that the harlots and prostitutes
were coming closer to manifesting true religion than the religious leaders who gave lip
service to doing the will of God but didn’t actually do it.
5.
6.
Read Matthew 21:33-45.
Jesus makes a prophetic judgment here. What is it? The prophecy is that the
stewardship of God’s kingdom would be taken out of the hands of Israel’s religious
leaders and “given to a people who will produce its fruit.”
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7.
8.
Read Matthew 21:46-22:14. NOTE: This discourse is probably directed not just to the
religious leaders, but also to the large crowd that was gathered around them in the temple
(cf. Matthew 21:23). Also, note that the man without wedding clothes is “speechless”
when confronted about this (verse 12), suggesting that he knew better and had no excuse.
This parable has some unusual twists in it. It begins by emphasizing the response of the
king’s subjects, moves to drawing attention to the preparedness of the banquet attenders,
and then concludes by focusing on God’s election. See if you can summarize this
parable’s three parts by completing the following sentences:
(cf. verses 2-7) “Many will be invited and not COME”
(cf. verses 8-13) “Many will come and not BE CHOSEN”
(cf. verse 14) “ For GOD chooses only a few.”
9.
What is the significance in verses 11 and 12 of the “wedding clothes?” What are they
supposed to represent? The wedding clothes signify having relationship with Jesus.
10.
What do you think this parable is teaching? I think this parable teaches the story of the
church.
The church calls many.
There is much mistreatment for the
“slaves”/kingdom workers who are entrusted with the calling. Few actually come into
God’s kingdom. But God, knowing all that, is still sovereign and will choose His
children.
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 22:15-22.
2.
What does Jesus mean when He says, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what
is God's"? Doesn’t everything belong to God? Jesus doesn’t define what belongs to
God and what belongs to Caesar. He allows each man to come to his own conclusion
about what belongs to “Caesar.” Further, while everything belongs to God, God wants
us to honor our earthly obligations, including those to government.
3.
4.
5.
Read Matthew 22:23-33. NOTE: Jesus, somewhat uncharacteristically, gives a direct
answer that is easy to understand.
For what does Jesus rebuke the Sadducees? Just between you and God, do you think that
the same rebuke could be given to you? Explain. Jesus rebukes them because they “do
not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” I think I constantly need to be
reminded about the importance of knowing the Scriptures and the power of God. It is
easy to be lulled into complacency about both of these.
Read Matthew 22:34-40.
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6.
Do you think the Pharisee, an expert in the Mosaic Law, was surprised by the second
commandment? I think the Pharisee would have been surprised by the importance
Jesus gave to this command. After all, it is not part of the Ten Commandments.
7.
Do you think an observer of Wildwood Community Church would be surprised to learn
that this was our second-highest commandment? I think so. I don’t think that an
outside observer would be struck by how committed we are to each other.
8.
9.
Read Matthew 22:41-46.
Look up and write out the following verses which establish that the Messiah was to be
David’s son:
Isaiah 11:1.
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”
Isaiah 11:10.
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will
rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.”
Jeremiah 23:5.
"The days are coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.”
10.
Look up and write out the following verse:
Psalm 110:1.
“The LORD says to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."”
11.
Why was this verse so problematic for the Pharisees? The Jews couldn’t imagine a
greater human figure than David. For David to call him Lord suggests that the
Messiah was greater than David. Further, it would have been inconceivable to a Jew
that David would acknowledge an inferior position to a descendant of his. The
paradox is resolved when one understands that the Messiah is God.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 23:1-36.
2.
Central to this section of Scripture are the Seven Woes. These Seven Woes are as
follows:
(i)
First Woe (verse 13): You keep others from entering the kingdom of heaven.
NOTE: Most commentators believe that verse 14 does not belong to the original
text of Matthew.
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(ii)
Second Woe (verse 15): You make a big show of being zealous with little, or even
bad, results.
(iii)
Third Woe (verses 16-22): You think you understand Scripture, but you don’t.
(iv)
Fourth Woe (verses 23-24): You focus on the things of small value while omitting
the things that matter most to God.
(v)
Fifth Woe (verses 25-26): You concern yourself with looking righteous rather
than being righteous.
(vi)
Sixth Woe (verses 27-28): You have the appearance of righteousness without the
reality.
(vii) Seventh Woe (verses 29-32): You think you are on God’s side, but in reality you
belong to those who have opposed God.
Is there anything here that you find surprising, confusing, or otherwise noteworthy? The
thing that surprises me is Jesus’ harshness in addressing the scribes and Pharisees.
Surely there were some scribes and Pharisees who were being sincere, or at least
weren’t trying to be evil. One explanation for Jesus’ harshness is that while they may
not have been deliberately evil, these scribes and Pharisees were practicing a dead
faith, and knew that those around them were perverting that faith for self-gain. The
fact that they were willing to condone this behavior in their midst made them culpable
for their leaders’ sins.
3.
4.
Read Matthew 23:37-39. NOTE: This is Jesus’ last recorded public address.
Do you know that verse 38 was dramatically fulfilled in 70 A.D.? What event occurred
in that year? The complete, utter, and ruthless destruction of Jerusalem by the
Romans.
5.
What future event does verse 39 refer to? The Second Coming of Jesus.
6.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew
20:29-23:39 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus. I would be reminded that
religion is not a game. Jesus speaks harshly against those who treat it like it is.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 20:29-23:39.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
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3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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WEEK TWELVE:
24:1-14.
Summary of the coming/End Times.
24:15-22.
The coming/Great Tribulation.
24:23-35.
The Second Coming of Jesus.
24:36-25:30. Be on the alert for Jesus’ return.
25:31-46.
The judgment of “unbelievers.”
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 24:1-14. NOTE: There is much dispute concerning how much of this
prophecy concerns contemporary events that would eventually result in the destruction of
Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and how much refers to the End Times immediately preceding
Jesus’ return. It may be best to see both elements blended together, with an immediate
(partial) fulfillment in contemporary events, and an eventual (complete) fulfillment in the
End Times period culminating with physical establishment of Jesus’ kingdom on earth.
Recall that Jesus employed a similar prophetic “blending” in Chapter 10 of Matthew.
2.
What evidence do you find in verse 2 that Jesus’ prophecy refers to soon-to-come events
that will result in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (a period spanning
approximately 40 years)? In Matthew 24:2, Jesus says, "Do you see all these
things?…I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will
be thrown down." In fact, the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., consistent with this
prophecy.
3.
What evidence do you find in verses 3-14 that this prophecy refers to a period that
extends long beyond 70 A.D.? In verse 3, the disciples speak of “the end of the age.”
In verse 9 Jesus says, “…you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death,
and you will be hated by all nations because of me” (though “nations” here could
refer to the peoples of the Roman empire—recall Nero in the 60’s A.D.). In verse 14,
Jesus says, “…this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a
testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” This last verse would seem to be
a significant exaggeration of the spread of the gospel if “end of the age” referred to 70
A.D. Together, these verses seem to telescoping ahead in time beyond the destruction
of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
4.
What evidence do you find in verses 13 and 14 that different (not necessarily mutually
exclusive) “ends” are in mind here? Matthew 24:13 says, “he who stands firm to the
end will be saved.” The “end” here seems to refer to an event that one should aim to
survive. Matthew 24:14 says, “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole
world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” This “end” could
refer to an event, or it could refer to the end of the world, or the end of the age. The
point is, if two “ends” are being referred to here, then that lends support for the idea
that Jesus is blending different scenarios.
5.
What are the two reasons given in verses 4-10 for why believers will “turn away from the
faith”(NIV)/”fall away”(NASB)? Believers will “turn away/fall away” because they
will be misled by false prophets (cf. Matthew 24:5) and because they will be persecuted
(cf. Matthew 24:9). NOTE: Matthew 24:24 says that “false Christs and false prophets
will deceive even the elect--if that were possible,” suggesting that believers cannot be
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deceived. However, in Matthew 24:4 Jesus tells His disciples, "Watch out that no one
deceives you”, suggesting that the disciples can be deceived. A possible reconciliation
of these verses is that there are two kinds of deceptions being spoken of here. The first
kind of deception, to which believers are susceptible, is one that causes them to lose
hope. The second kind of deception refers to the deception to believe in the false
Christs and reject the true Christ. The “elect” are not susceptible to this deception.
(NOTE: The word translated “turn away from the faith”(NIV)/”fall away”(NASB) is the
same word (Greek=”skandalizö”) translated “cause to sin”(NIV)/”cause to
stumble”(NASB) in Chapter 18 of Matthew. This connects the events of verse 10 with
both Chapter 18 and the end of Chapter 25.)
6.
How do you interpret the Jesus’ statement in verse 13 that “the one who endures to the
end, it is he who shall be saved?” I have difficulty with the interpretation that only
those who persevere “shall be saved.” That suggests that salvation only comes after
demonstrating faith and enduring persecution. Believers are saved. They won’t be
saved later on. I think that this passage is teaching that there is light at the end of the
tunnel. Jesus will deliver those believers out of their tribulation. In other words, hold
on, help is on the way.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 24:15-22. NOTE: The “Abomination of Desolation” most likely has a
partial fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., but its complete fulfillment
most likely refers to the worship of the beast at the mid-point of the Great Tribulation,
and the subsequent persecution of the saints that follow.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Daniel 9:27. “He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.' In the middle of
the `seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he
will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is
poured out on him. "
Daniel 12:11. "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination
that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.”
3.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Revelation 11:3. “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for
1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."
Revelation 11:7. “Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes
up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.”
4.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Revelation 13:1. “And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast
coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his
horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.”
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Revelation 13:5. “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies
and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.”
(NOTE: 42 months=1260 days.)
Revelation 13:11,12. “Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two
horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first
beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast,
whose fatal wound had been healed.”
Revelation 13:14,15. “Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the
first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image
in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power
to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who
refused to worship the image to be killed.”
5.
Look up and write out the following verse:
Daniel 11:31. "His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will
abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes
desolation.”
NOTE: Most commentators see Daniel 11:31 having direct fulfillment in the desecration
of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, though with a view of the future desecration.
“Antiochus IV Epiphanes…led…a brutal suppression of Jewish worship at Jerusalem and
generally throughout Palestine. This suppression came to a head in December 168 B.C.,
when Antiochus returned in frustration from Alexandria (Egypt), where he had been
turned back by the Roman commander Popilius Laenas, and vented his exasperation on
the Jews. He sent his general, Apollonius, with twenty thousand troops under orders to
seize Jerusalem on a Sabbath. There he erected an idol of Zeus and desecrated the altar
by offering swine on it. This idol became known to the Jews as "the abomination of
desolation," a type of a future abomination to be set up in the Jerusalem sanctuary in the
last days (cf. Matthew 24:15).” (SOURCE: NIV Bible Commentary from the Zondervan
NIV Bible Library software.)
6.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: The “dragon” (“another beast”) in Revelation 13:11 is
Satan. The “beast” in Revelation 13:1 and 13:5 is the Anti-Christ. From Revelation
13:14,15, we learn that Satan sets up an image of the beast/Anti-Christ to be worshipped.
It seems reasonable to deduce that this image is set up in the Temple, thus fulfilling
Jesus’ prophecy of the “Abomination of Desolation” mentioned by Daniel. (We note that
Daniel references the “Abomination of Desolation” several times. While Daniel 11:31
refers to the desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes, Jesus’ words make clear that Daniel
9:27 and/or 12:11 refer to the events described in Revelation.). Intense persecution of the
saints follows the institution of “beast worship,” as well as a general time of great distress
upon the whole earth (cf. Revelation, Chapters 13f.). This discussion hopefully provides
some clarification of Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24:15-22.
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Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 24:23-35.
2.
According to verses 27-31, will Jesus’ return be easily discerned? Yes. Matthew 24:27
says, “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be
the coming of the Son of Man.”
3.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus has already returned, and is quietly establishing
His kingdom. What implication do these verses have for this belief? They are wrong.
Matthew 24:26 says, "So if anyone tells you, `There he is, out in the desert,' do not go
out; or, `Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.”
4.
Those who hold to an End Times interpretation known as “Post-millennialism” believe
that Jesus’ Second Coming is embodied in the establishment of the church. What
problems do you see with this interpretation? Verses 29 and 30 describe traumatic
events immediately prior to the Second Coming of Jesus (The Tribulation), followed by
explicit and wondrous signs of His coming. Matthew 24:30 says, "At that time the sign
of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.
They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great
glory.”
5.
Matthew 24:34 says that “all these things will take place” before “this generation” passes
away. From the context, it seems reasonable to presume that “all these things” refers to
the tribulation preceding Christ’s return (cf. verse 33). Do you think it’s reasonable to
interpret Jesus as saying that “this generation” would see the onset of the persecution of
the saints and the destruction of the Temple before they die, foreshadowing the later
complete fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy? This is the best interpretation that I have
found for this difficult verse.
Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 24:36-25:30.
2.
The following verses present a number of images emphasizing the need to be alert to
Jesus’ return. (Note that the images blend the judgment of believers and unbelievers.)
(24:37-39): It will be just like the days of Noah.
(24:40,41): It will be so sudden that there will be no time to stop what one is doing and
prepare for His return.
(24:43): The head of the house needs to be on the alert against the thief.
(24:45-51): The faithful slave will carry out His duties while his master is away.
(25:1-13): The prudent bridesmaids will prepare for the delayed return of the bridegroom.
(25:14-30): The good and faithful slaves will invest their master’s talents.
What lessons for your own life do you see in this variety of images concerning Jesus’
return? As believers, we are expected to be busy about the things of God, anticipating
His return.
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Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 25:31-46. NOTE: It is probably best to interpret the judgment of the
nations described here in light of the great persecution of the saints prophesied by Jesus
at the beginning of this discourse (cf. Matthew 24:4f.).
2A.
Read Joshua 2:1-11.
2B.
Read Joshua 6:23-25.
2C.
Read Matthew 1:5.
2D.
Read Hebrews 11:31.
NOTE: Given that Rahab is mentioned both in Jesus’ genealogy and in the “Hall of
Faith” of Hebrews 11, it seems reasonable to presume that she was saved.
3.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Matthew 10:40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the
one who sent me.”
Matthew 10:42. “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little
ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his
reward."
Matthew 18:4-6. “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name
welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it
would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be
drowned in the depths of the sea.”
4.
One interpretation of Matthew 25:31-46 is that Jesus is speaking of a Rahab-like
salvation. That is, those who do not see themselves as Christians will be saved because
they followed the example of Rahab, who, though not a Jew, sheltered the Jews because
she feared God. Do you think this is a reasonable interpretation of Matthew 25:31-46?
Do you have any problems with this interpretation? This seems like a reasonable
interpretation, however it stretches our evangelical understanding of what a person
must do to be saved.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 25:31-46.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
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3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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WEEK THIRTEEN:
26:1-75.
Jesus is delivered up for crucifixion.
27:1-66.
Jesus is crucified.
28:1-20.
Jesus rises again.
Monday:
1.
Read Matthew 26:1-13. NOTE: We know from John 12:1-3 that the woman appearing
in verses 6-13 was Mary, the sister of Martha.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Luke 10:40-42. “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be
made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to
do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" “Martha, Martha," the Lord answered,
"you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has
chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
3.
Are you surprised that Matthew would “interrupt” his account of Jesus’ Passion with this
seemingly irrelevant story? Are you surprised that Jesus would say concerning this
incident, “…wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has
done shall also be spoken in memory of her”? What lesson can we learn from this? It
tells us that Jesus gets an extreme amount of pleasure from us worshipping Him.
4.
5.
Read Matthew 26:14-30.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Exodus 24:8. “Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is
the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all
these words."”
Jeremiah 31:31,32.
"The time is coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them, "
declares the LORD.
Hebrews 8:6,7. “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the
covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better
promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place
would have been sought for another.”
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6.
Why do you think God felt the need to establish a New Covenant with man? Why
couldn’t He have just “done it right” the first time? The Old Covenant (the Mosaic
Covenant) was based upon a set of rules that man was to obey in the power of the flesh.
Man demonstrated his inability to be righteous under this regime. The New Covenant
is based upon grace—i.e., God doing it—to ensure that man can be righteous.
Tuesday:
1.
Read Matthew 26:31-45.
2.
Look up and write out the following verses:
Luke 22:41-44. “He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and
prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be
done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in
anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the
ground.”
3.
Are you surprised that Jesus was in such agony about His coming crucifixion? What
insight into Jesus’ personality do you get from this incident? It is easy to think of Jesus
as someone who marched through life somewhat effortlessly. However, in this
instance, Jesus struggles. While He does what God wants Him to do, He clearly dreads
what awaits Him. This idea that Jesus “dreads” doing God’s will breaks my box in a
number of ways. First, it blows away the idea that doing God’s will was effortless for
Jesus. Second, it blows away the idea that doing God’s will is easier for “righteous
people”. To some extent, Jesus had to fight an aversion to doing God’s will, just like
me (cf. Hebrews 2:17,18).
4.
5.
Read Matthew 26:46-56.
Twice in these verses, Jesus emphasizes to those around Him that His capture and
eventual crucifixion fulfill Old Testament prophecy. What Old Testament passages do
you know that speak to the issue of Jesus’ death? Isaiah 53:7-9 and Daniel 9:26 are two
such passages. In addition, Jesus’ death is pictured in Old Testament “typology,” such
as Jesus as the Passover Lamb.
6.
7.
Read Matthew 26:57-27:26.
What crime(s) was Jesus convicted of? The Jews found Him guilty of blasphemy. The
Roman governor sentenced Him to death on the charge of being “King of the Jews.”
That charge was tantamount to treason, since the Jews had only one king, namely
Caesar.
8.
Interwoven through the Passion story is the story of Peter’s desertion and denial of Jesus
(cf. Matthew 26:33,34; 26:51-56; 26:69-75). Why do you think the Holy Spirit saw fit to
have this story placed in the gospel account? It reminds us of the grace of God. Despite
Peter’s denials, God was still able to rehabilitate Peter and use him in a powerful way.
What I find confusing is how this seemingly contradicts Matthew 10:32,33: "Whoever
acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in
heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in
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heaven.” This experience of Peter clearly shows that this verse, whatever it means,
does not refer to salvation.
Wednesday:
1.
Read Matthew 27:27-66. NOTE: “Crucifixion was unspeakably painful and degrading.
Whether tied or nailed to the cross, the victim endured countless paroxysms as he pulled
with his arms and pushed with his legs to keep his chest cavity open for breathing and
then collapsed in exhaustion until the demand for oxygen demanded renewed paroxysms.
The scourging, the loss of blood, and the shock from the pain all produced agony that
could go on for days, ending at last by suffocation, cardiac arrest, or loss of blood. When
there was reason to hasten death, the execution squad would smash the victim's legs.
Death followed almost immediately, either from shock or from collapse that cut off
breath. Beyond the pain was the shame. In ancient sources crucifixion was universally
viewed with horror. In Roman law it was reserved only for the worst criminals and lowest
classes.” (SOURCE: NIV Bible Commentary from the Zondervan NIV Bible Library
software.)
2.
In verse 46, Jesus says, “My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken Me?” What does this
mean? One explanation is that God looked away from His son because “He became
sin for us”. When Jesus took on my (our) sins, He became odious in God’s sight.
3.
Following the death of Jesus, a number of events occurred. Explain the significance of
each of the following:
The splitting of the Temple veil (verse 51): The “barrier” between God and man was
rent. Hebrews 10:19,20 says, “…therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the
holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us
through the veil, that is, His flesh.”
Earthquake (verse 51): This emphasizes the fragility of this world. It is a reminder that
one day this world will be replaced with a new heaven and a new earth (cf. Revelation
21:1).
Resurrection of the saints (verses 52-53). This is a foreshadowing of the resurrection of
all the saints that will occur one day (cf. Revelation 20:4,5; Revelation 20:12-21:4).
4.
In verses 62-66, the chief priests and Pharisees, seemingly as an afterthought, are
concerned that the disciples will steal away Jesus’ body and fake a resurrection. To
prevent this possibility, they secure a guard to protect the grave. Explain how the very
act designed to prevent resurrection stories from starting served to powerfully
substantiate the truth of the resurrection. HINT: See Matthew 28:11-15. (This provides
a wonderful illustration of how God superintends the actions of men for His own
purposes, cf. Genesis 50:20.) Had the chief priests and Pharisees not called for a guard
to protect the tomb, it would have been much easier to discount the empty tomb and to
claim that the disciples had stolen the body.
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Thursday:
1.
Read Matthew 28:1-15. NOTE: Jesus’ statement in verse 10 that He would meet the
disciples in Galilee reiterates the plans He announced earlier in Matthew 26:32.
2.
If Jesus had wanted the maximum number of people to see Him after His resurrection He
surely would have stayed in Jerusalem. Why do you think He planned to meet His
disciples in the relative seclusion of Galilee? As we have seen elsewhere, Jesus’ top
priority was the preparation of the disciples for the future work of the kingdom.
Perhaps He wanted to meet His disciples in Galilee precisely because He didn’t want
the masses to come to Him. Rather, He wanted to impact His disciples and then have
them go forward and impact the world.
3.
Contrast the response of the disciples in verse (17) with the response of the women in
verse (9). Why does this provide strong confirmation of the authenticity of the gospel
accounts of Jesus’ resurrection? Of the men it says, “they worshipped him, but some
were doubtful (verse 17).” Of the women it says simply, “they took hold of his feet and
worshipped him.” This makes the men--the leaders of the church--look bad compared
to the women. If this were a propaganda sheet, it would make no sense to record this.
The fact that it is recorded is testimony of its truth.
Friday:
1.
Read Matthew 28:16-20.
2.
Matthew’s gospel could have ended differently. For example, it could have ended with a
plea to the reader to consider the claims of Jesus. Instead, it ends with a call for world
evangelization. Who is the audience for whom these last words are intended? The direct
audience is the eleven disciples (verse 16). However, it is fair to say that this call is
given to the church as a whole.
3.
What significance can be attached to the fact that these are the last recorded words of
Jesus? Somebody’s “last words” usually carry extra significance. Jesus wants to make
it clear what is the overall task of the church: the spread of the gospel.
4.
Suppose you had no prior knowledge of Jesus, and that you were reading the Gospel of
Matthew for the first time in order to understand who He is. Explain how Matthew 26:128:20 would contribute to your understanding of Jesus. This section of Scripture makes
clear how purpose-driven Jesus was. He knew that He came to earth to die, and He
lived His life accordingly. He also knew that He came to earth to establish His church.
And to do that, He invested in a few men to prepare them for leadership in His
kingdom. These objectives guided His life and death, and ordered how He spent His
time.
Saturday:
1.
Read Matthew 26:1-28:20.
2.
What did you learn about God this week that was either new or especially impacting for
you?
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3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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WEEK FOURTEEN:
Monday-Friday:
1.
Read through Matthew several times.
2.
Read through the outline below and see if you can find a succinct “heading” for each of
the indicated sections. Try and write your headings so that by reading them, one after the
other, you can “walk through” the main ideas in Matthew’s gospel. (Feel free to
rearrange sections, or come up with your own outline if you’d like.)
HEADING: ______________________
1:1-25.
Where Jesus fits in the "big picture."
HEADING:
2:1-23.
3:1-12.
3:13-17.
4:1-11.
4:12-25.
______________________
Two very different responses to Jesus' claim to kingship.
Announcement of the coming kingdom of heaven.
Jesus takes on the cloak of humanity.
The tempting of Jesus.
Jesus begins His ministry.
HEADING:
5:1-16.
5:17-48.
6:1-34.
7:1-20.
7:21-29.
______________________
The rewards and testimony of righteousness.
Perfection as the standard of righteousness.
It is necessary to have more than external righteousness.
Walking the narrow path.
Be not hearers only, but doers of Jesus’ teaching.
HEADING:
8:1-17.
8:18-34.
9:1-17.
______________________
Jesus heals.
Who does this man think He is?
Jesus claims the right to forgive sins and says there is something new and special
about Himself.
The people marvel at Jesus’ miracles of faith, but the Pharisees speak against
Him.
Jesus empowers His disciples for ministry. He tells them that their spiritual
destiny depends on their confession of Him.
9:18-34.
9:35-11:1.
HEADING:
11:2-15.
11:16-24.
11:25-30.
______________________
John the Baptist has doubts.
Jesus reproaches those who reject Him.
Yet God enables "babes" to recognize Him.
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HEADING:
12:1-14.
12:15-45.
12:46-50.
______________________
Jesus claims that He is Lord of the Sabbath.
Reproaches and warnings against those who reject Jesus.
Jesus announces the “family of God.”
HEADING:
13:1-53.
13:54-58.
14:1-12.
14:13-23.
14:24-33.
14:34-15:20.
15:21-28.
15:29-38.
15:39-16:12.
16:13-27.
16:28-17:13.
17:14-23.
17:24-27.
18:1-4.
18:5-35.
______________________
Jesus speaks in parables (“the kingdom of heaven is like…”).
Where there is no faith, there are no miracles.
John the Baptist makes himself odious to Herod and is killed.
Jesus tells the disciples, "You give them something to eat."
Jesus teaches Peter that if he has sufficient faith, he can even walk on water.
The real source of what defiles a man.
An example of great faith.
Jesus uses His disciples to again feed a multitude.
Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The true identity of Jesus.
The Transfiguration.
The disciples are rebuked for their littleness of faith.
A lesson on accepting one’s “sentence.”
You must become like little children if you want to enter the kingdom of heaven.
God’s passion for His children.
HEADING:
19:1-12.
19:13-15.
19:16-26.
19:27-30.
20:1-16.
20:17-28.
______________________
The incredibly high standard of righteousness: Part I
Grace contrasted: Part I
The incredibly high standard of righteousness: Part II
The rewards of righteousness.
Grace contrasted: Part II
Achieving greatness in the kingdom of heaven.
HEADING:
20:29-21:11.
21:12-22:46.
23:1-33.
23:34-39.
______________________
The “Son of David” makes His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.
Jesus confronts and condemns the religious establishment.
The Seven Woes.
Jesus' last recorded public words to Israel.
HEADING:
24:1-14.
24:15-22.
24:23-35.
24:36-25:30.
25:31-46.
______________________
Summary of the coming/End Times.
The coming/Great Tribulation.
The Second Coming of Jesus.
Be on the alert for Jesus’ return.
The judgment of “unbelievers.”
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HEADING:
26:1-75.
27:1-66.
28:1-20.
______________________
Jesus is delivered up for crucifixion.
Jesus is crucified.
Jesus rises again.
Saturday:
1.
As you review this wonderful book of the Bible, what would you say was the greatest
thing you learned from this study of Matthew?
3.
Can you think of some personal applications from what you learned this week?
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