Matthew

Stay Prepared…we do not know the exact time when Jesus will come again! The signs are pointing to soon…very soon.

The Book of Matthew

One way to organize the Gospel of Matthew is by the five major blocks of Jesus’ teaching. Each block ends with a phrase noting what happened when Jesus was finished speaking. These five blocks are: the Sermon on the Mount (5:1–7:29); the missionary discourse (9:35–10:42); Jesus’ parables (13:1–52); Jesus’ teaching on discipleship (ch. 18); and Jesus’ teaching about His return and the day of judgment (23:1–25:46). This five-part division could serve as an echo of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). Matthew is presenting Jesus as a new Moses. Like Moses, Jesus is leading God’s people in an exodus—this new exodus involves breaking the bonds of sin. And just as Moses delivered God’s law, Jesus fulfills it (5:17–20).

Another way to organize Matthew’s Gospel is to structure it around significant turning points in Jesus’ ministry. These turning points are marked by a transition in the aspect or location of Jesus’ ministry (4:17; 16:21). The first section describes the time before Jesus’ public ministry, including His family history and early childhood, His baptism, and His temptation by the devil (1:1–4:16). The second section, which details Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee, particularly focuses on His miracles, teachings, and conflicts with religious leaders (4:17–16:20). The last section tells of the rejection and suffering of Jesus in Jerusalem and concludes with His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension (16:21–28:20

Matthew 24:36–44 (NKJV)

³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. ³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴² Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Ezekiel 22:23-31

The world is in chaos. Our leaders seem to have lost their morality and common sense. Thank You Father that you are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Jesus fulfills the gap for man that no one else can!

My hope is in You alone!

More than all other religious officials, the priests were responsible to maintain the integrity of the divine law. Even common people are guilty of injustice and violating the principles of the covenant. Yahweh has no choice but to punish Israel. Faithlife Bible.

The priests were not examples of separation from worldly ways. Some at least were motivated by monetary gain. These prophets were involved in “whitewashing” the sins of the nation’s leaders. God could not find a spiritual leader to guide the people in godliness.

 As go the leaders so go the followers. NKJ Bible.

Ezekiel 22:23–31 (NKJV) Israel’s Wicked Leaders

²³ And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ²⁴ “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ ²⁵ The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. ²⁶ Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. ²⁷ Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. ²⁸ Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken. ²⁹ The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. ³⁰ So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. ³¹ Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.

Zephaniah 3:4 (NKJV)

⁴ Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people;

Her priests have polluted the sanctuary,

They have done violence to the law.

Micah 3:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ Her heads judge for a bribe,

Her priests teach for pay,

And her prophets divine for money.

Yet they lean on the Lord, and say,

“Is not the Lord among us?

No harm can come upon us.”

Zephaniah 3:3 (NKJV)

³ Her princes in her midst are roaring lions;

Her judges are evening wolves

That leave not a bone till morning.

Exodus 23:9 (NKJV)

⁹ “Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

1 Corinthians 2-3

The Body of Christ is the heart of the Father given to us in Christ Jesus. It consists of individual members who gather together to rejoice in their salvation and do good works. It matters little where you gather but matters greatly in whose name you gather!

 Jesus came with shouts of grace and peace to everyone who chooses to repent and accept the salvation provided in the birth, death and resurrection of our beloved Savior.

To God be all glory and honor!

The Greek word for Church used here, ekklēsia, refers to a gathering of people, not a building; here, it references the gathering of Christ followers in Corinth.

Corinth was a metropolitan city on the Mediterranean Sea with a population consisting of between 150,000 and 300,000 Roman citizens and approximately 460,000 slaves. Jewish people may have been some of the first settlers. The city contained many freed people who often became criminals because they were unable to work legitimate jobs; these may have represented the poor that Paul mentions. In the first century ad, when Paul wrote his letter, Corinth was known for its banking industry and incredible wealth. Shrines to deities of Greek, Roman, and even Egyptian gods have been discovered, and cult prostitution was common. The biannual Isthmian athletic games were held at Corinth, which made it a travel destination; these games also involved a celebration of the god Poseidon. Faithlife Bible.

A local church of God is a group of people who identify themselves with God and gather together to worship and serve Him.

The work of Jesus Christ makes a believer holy forever in God’s eyes. But in everyday living, sanctification involves small, daily changes. This is why Paul could call the Corinthian believers to become saints, even though the problems in their church testified that they were far from the goal of holiness. NKJ Bible.

1 Corinthians 1:2–3 (NKJV)

² To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:7 (NKJV)

⁷ To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:22 (NKJV)

²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

1 Corinthians 8:6 (NKJV)

⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

Acts 12:21-23

Be very careful who you make your god in this world…there is only one God to whom all glory belongs!

God hates pride and arrogance!

God, who will not share His glory with any other, acts without delay to judge Herod for accepting divine honor and praise for himself. The nature of this disease is uncertain, but its effect is to judge Herod (Agrippa I) for his pride and to prove that he was certainly no god.  

In contrast to the speech of Herod that brought on his destruction, the word of the true God—that is, the proclamation of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and new life in the Spirit—continues to grow and spread. Faithlife Bible.

The Jewish historian Josephus also provides an account of this display, informing us that in an attempted appeasement of the king the people confessed that he was “more than a mortal.” Herod, instead of rebuking the address of deity, enjoyed the adulation—until he discovered the consequence of such blasphemy. NKJ Bible.

Acts 12:21–24 (NKJV)

²¹ So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. ²² And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” ²³ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴ But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Psalm 115:1 (NKJV)

¹ Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,

But to Your name give glory,

Because of Your mercy,

Because of Your truth.

Luke 12:52

The letter of the Law kills whereas the redemptive grace and mercy of Jesus Christ heals, cleanses and restores life. At the cross we are given the key.

Jesus is the Key of Knowledge. 

Only through Him can we become children of the Living God, the Body of Christ.

Jesus charged the lawyers with doing the opposite of what they claimed their calling to be. Rather than bringing people nearer to God, they had removed the possibility of their entering into that knowledge, and had prevented others from understanding as well.

Luke 11:52 (NKJV)

⁵² “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

Matthew 23:13 (NKJV)

¹³ “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

Acts 8:18-23

Holy Spirit is the highest GIFT that the Son gives to those who accept Him as Savior!  Jesus gave up His life so that we could receive the indwelling of His Spirit… the One who raised Jesus from the dead will accomplish the same for all who believe. Jesus paid the ultimate price for redemption so that we could have life.

Without Christ within we are without hope!

Even as Peter condemns Simon, he still holds out hope to him if he will genuinely turn from his sin and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Faithlife Bible.

The text does not indicate what exactly Simon saw. The gift of tongues was a sign to the nation of Israel, so it is likely that the same sign was present at each step of the opening of the gospel—at Jerusalem, at Samaria, and at the home of Cornelius. NKJ Bible.

Acts 8:18–23 (NKJV)

¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

Acts 8:38-40

Nothing, literally, nothing is impossible for our God! We need to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit within believers to guide our actions in truth. In the end times even the elite can be deceived if they don’t.

All creation belongs to and is under His control to be used for honor or to teach mankind the hard learned lessons of life against His will.

Though this passage may say only that Philip went from the desert to Azotus, most likely the terminology indicates a miraculous transportation. NKJ BIble.

Acts 8:38–40 (NKJV)

³⁸ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. ³⁹ Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

Ezekiel 3:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

Acts 26:15-18

God wants no one to perish…no not one!

 God give different gifts to each individual  for the work of Christ here on earth.

Articulates the idea that those who do not belong to Christ are in many ways influenced by evil and as such opposed to God’s purposes. Faithlife Bible.

Acts 26:15–18 (NKJV)

¹⁵ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷ I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, ¹⁸ to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Isaiah 42:7 (NKJV)

⁷ To open blind eyes,

To bring out prisoners from the prison,

Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

Luke 1:79 (NKJV)

⁷⁹ To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Matthew 24:36-44

We must be prepared, in all seasons of our life, to meet our Lord. Be wise as a serpent about the times we are living in but as gentle as a dove in our thoughts and deeds. All things must pass through the love of God for His creation. He wants no one to perish.

Listen closely to the Words of of the Holy Spirit and believe in His power to guide us home!

Jesus teaches His disciples to be ready because no one knows exactly when the Parousia will occur. They should live in expectation, always prepared for His return. Faithlife Bible.

 Jesus was referring to the indifference of the people of that time to the coming disaster. There is nothing sinful about eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. However, the people of the end times will be doing these things without any thought of God or the coming judgment. As Noah was vigilant in preparing for the Flood, so should people living in the tribulation be alert. They should prepare for the return of Christ.

Matthew 24:36–44 (NKJV)

³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. ³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴² Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Genesis 6:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Romans 4:5-8

Oh how humbly I come before You… knowing that it is all about Your sacrifice and Your love and not about me. 

Thank You for loving me even when I am unlovable!

God’s interaction with Abraham establishes a pattern for interactions between Him and people. God initiates and provides; people trust and receive. Faithllife Bible.

the NT describes God as being merciful to, or making propitiation, for us. God provides a merciful expiation, or atonement, of the sins of believers through the death of Christ. But since Paul also speaks of God’s wrath, it must also speak of the conciliation of God’s anger by means of a sacrifice—namely, the sacrifice of His Son. John states that God demonstrated His love to us by sending His Son to become “the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Just as in the OT God met His people when the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled on the altar, so Christ’s death brings us into fellowship with God.

God gives righteousness to those who believe. The person who does not work, who comes to God by faith alone without having performed rituals or followed Jewish laws—that person will be counted righteous. Paul continues to build his case that righteousness is apart from works of the law. NKJ Bible.

Romans 4:5–8 (NKJV)

⁵ But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶ just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

And whose sins are covered;

⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Psalm 32:2 (NKJV)

² Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Galatians 2:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV)

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Romans 4:3 (NKJV)

³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Luke 11:42-44

Father keep me humble and filled with Your compassion, love and mercy toward those You have created. 

Help me to live a life without hypocrisy but based on Your Word, Jesus Christ, that I may know Your will and stand for those things that You stand for… the poor and marginalized of society and hate those things that You do…arrogance and pride!

Unmarked graves is a metaphor for the Pharisees’ pious appearances, which disguised their inner wickedness. When graves were not appropriately marked, people could walk over them and potentially become ritually unclean. Faithlife Bible.

The Law spoke of tithing all produce, but what constituted food was debated. Some Pharisees took the strictest interpretation and counted almost anything, including spices. However, they neglected two basic things that the prophets also had warned about: love and justice. Anyone or anything in the same room as the dead was considered in Jewish tradition to be impure. This is Jesus’ stronger condemnation. The Pharisees, the paragons of purity, were in fact the height of uncleanness. NKJ Bible.

Luke 11:42–44 (NKJV)

⁴² “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

Matthew 23:23 (NKJV)

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

Mark 4:35-41

Be fearless…trust God wholly with your life!

Jesus shows Himself to have power over both spiritual and elemental forces, demonstrating His divinity. Jesus has made clear that He is God’s chosen agent. He expects the disciples to recognize this and have faith in His ability to act with divine power. Jesus’ command of the raging sea demonstrates His unique authority and power. In the old testament, God alone is able to control the sea. Faithlife Bible.

Jesus’ command over the wind and the sea demonstrates His full and complete deity. Only God the Creator can calm wind and sea. NKJ Bible.

Mark 4:35–41 (NKJV)

³⁵ On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”