Daily Bible Commentary (May 13-17th)

Matthew 24 deals with end time prophesy. There are many differing views on these prophetic scriptures and the commentator provides his personal viewpoint 

Monday – 13th May
Topic: The King’s Return Part 1
Read: Matthew 24:1-14 

The Olivet Discourse grew out of some questions the disciples asked when Jesus told them that the temple would one day be destroyed. First, they wanted to know when. This answer is not recorded in Matthew but is given in Luke 21:20-24. Secondly, they asked about the sign of Christ's return. This is answered in Matthew 24:29-44. In their final question, they asked about the sign of the end of the age. Christ's reply is in Matthew 24:4-28.

We must keep in mind that the "atmosphere" of this discourse is Jewish. Jesus talked about Judea (Matt. 24:16), the Sabbath (Matt. 24:20), and the prophecies of Daniel concerning the Jewish people (Matt. 24:15). The full truth about the rapture of the church (1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51ff) had not yet been revealed, for it was a mystery (Eph. 3:1-12).

Matthew 24:1-44 indicates that our Lord was discussing events that will take place on earth during the time of Tribulation. (See Matt. 24:8, where "birth-pangs" is a symbol of Tribulation; and see also Matt. 24:21, 29.) After the church has been suddenly taken out of the world, there will be a period of "peace and safety" (I Thes. 5:1-4) followed by a time of terrible suffering. Many Bible scholars believe this period will last seven years (Dan. 9:24-27). It is this period of "tribulation that Jesus described in the Olivet Discourse. At the end of that period, Jesus will return to the earth, defeat His foes, and establish the promised kingdom.

In the section before us, Jesus explained three different periods in the time of Tribulation.

The Beginning of the Tribulation (Matt. 24:4-14)
The events described in this section are "the beginning of birth-pangs" (Matt. 24:8). The image of a woman in travail is a picture of the Tribulation period (1 Thes. 5:5; Isa. 13:6-11). Let's consider some of the significant events that will occur at the beginning of this period.

Religious deception (Matt. 24:4-5). The Jews have often been led astray by false prophets and false Christs. The rider on the white horse in Revela­tion 6:1-2 is the Antichrist, that final world dictator who will lead the nations astray. He will begin his career as a peacemaker, signing a covenant with Israel to protect her from her enemies (Dan. 9:27). Israel will welcome this man as their great benefactor (John 5:43).

Wars (Matt. 24:6). Note that wars are not a sign of the end. There have always been war in the world, and will be until the very end. Wars of themselves do not announce the end of the age or the coming of the Lord.

Famines (Matt. 24:7). War and famine usually go together. Revelation 6:6 suggests terribly high prices for staple foods, for a "penny" was a day's wages.

Death (Matt. 24:7-8). Earthquakes help to create famines, and both help to cause epidemics that take many lives.

Martyrs (Matt. 24:9). Christians have always been hated by the world, but here we have an acceleration of persecutions and murders. All nations will be involved. This certainly was not true in the history of the early church.

Worldwide chaos (Matt. 24:10-13). Those who once were true to each other will betray each other. This suggests that marriages, homes, and nations will be torn asunder because of lack of loyalty. Lawlessness will abound (Matt. 24:12), for even the law enforcement agencies will not be able to keep the peace.

Matt. 24:13 has nothing to do with personal salvation in this present age of grace. "The end" does not mean the end of this life; it refers to the end of the age (Matt. 24:14). Those believers on earth during this terrible period, who endure in their faith, will be saved when the Lord comes at the end and delivers them.

Worldwide preaching (Matt. 24:14), Revelation 7:1-8 teaches that God will choose and seal 144,000 Jewish evangelists who will carry the kingdom message to the ends of the earth. This verse does not teach that the Gospel of God's grace must be spread to every nation today before Jesus can return for His church. It is the Lord's return at the end of the age that is in view here.


Tuesday – 14th May
Topic: The King’s Return Part 1
Read: Matthew 24:15-22 

The Middle of the Tribulation (Matt. 24:15-22)
The midpoint of the Tribulation period is most important, for at that time an event will take place that was prophesied centuries ago by Daniel (9:24-27). Please notice that this prophecy concerns only the Jews and the city of Jerusalem ("thy people and ... thy holy city," Matt. 24:24). To apply it to the church or to any other people or place is to misinterpret God's Word.

The prophecy involves seventy weeks and the Hebrew word "week" means "a week of years," or seven years. Seventy sevens would equal 490 years. But this period of 490 years is broken up into three parts:

(1) During seven weeks (49 years) the city of Jerusalem would be rebuilt and the worship reestablished.

(2) After 62 weeks (434 years) Messiah would come to Jerusalem and die for the sins of the world.

(3) The prince will make an agreement with the Jews for one week (seven years) to protect them from their enemies.

The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given in 445 B.C. by Cyrus (2 Chron. 36:22-23; Ezra 1). The city was rebuilt in troubled times. Sir Robert Anderson in his classic book The Coming Prince (Kregel, 1975) has proved that there were exactly 482 prophetic years (of 360 days each) between the giving of the decree and the day that Jesus rode into Jeru­salem as the King.

But we must account for the remaining" week" of seven years. Where does it fit in? Note that the same city that was rebuilt will also be destroyed "by the people of the prince that shall come" (Dan. 9:26), that is, the Romans. ("The prince that shall come" is a name for the Anti­christ.) This event took place in A.D. 70. But the Jewish nation would be spared and the city restored again. For at some future date, the prince that shall come (Antichrist) will make a covenant with the Jews for seven years. This is where the missing"week" fits in. He will agree to protect them from their enemies and permit them to rebuild their temple. (Daniel 9:27 talks about a restoration of the sacrifices, and this would demand a temple.)

The logical place for this seven-year period is after the Rapture of the church. "The time of Jacob's trouble," the Tribulation period, will be seven years long. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 indicates that the Anti­christ cannot be revealed until the restrainer is taken out of the midst. That restrainer is the Holy Spirit in the church. Once the church is out of the world, then Satan can produce his masterpiece, the Antichrist.

He will make the agreement for seven years, but after three and one ­half years ("in the midst of the week") he will break that agreement. He will then move into the Jewish temple himself and proclaim that he is God (2 Thes. 2:3-4; Rev. 13):

The Antichrist will cause a living statue of himself to be put into the temple, and his associate (the false prophet, Rev. 20:10) will cause the whole earth to worship i.t Satan has always wanted the world's worship, and in the middle of the Tribulation he will begin to receive it (Matt. 4:8-11). Jesus called this statue "the abomination of desolation" (Matt. 24:15; Dan. 9:27).

An interesting parenthesis occurs at the end of Matthew 24:15ff "who so readeth, let him understand.” This statement indicates that what Jesus was teaching would have greater significance for people reading Matthew's Gospel in the latter days. By reading the Prophet Daniel and the words of Jesus, these believers will understand the events and know what to do. This is another evidence that the Olivet Discourse applies to people during the Tribulation period.


Wednesday – 15th May
Topic: The King’s Return Part 1
Read: Matthew 24:23-30

Prophetic scholars have speculated as to why the Antichrist would break his covenant with the Jews after three-and-one-half years. It has been suggested that the invasion of Israel by Russia, prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39, would occur at that point. Certainly Israel will be at ease and dwelling in safety at that time, for she will be protected by the Antichrist (Ezek, 38:11). At that time, he will be the ruler of a l0-nation alliance, "The United States of Europe" (Rev. 17:12-13). Russia, of course, will be soundly beaten, not by Israel, but by Almighty God. When the Antichrist sees that his great enemy, Russia, has been beaten, he will take advantage of the opportunity and move into Israel, breaking his covenant and taking over the temple.

The readers of this prophecy in the latter days will know what to do:

Get out of Judea! These instructions are similar to those given in Luke 21:20ff, but they refer to a different time period. Luke's instructions apply to the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and the "sign" was the gathering of the armies around the city. Matthew's instructions apply to Jewish believers in the middle of the Tribulation, and the "sign" is the desecration of the temple by the image of the Antichrist. Those who have confused those two "sign events" have ended up believing that Jesus Christ returned in A.D. 70!

This entire paragraph relates only to Jews, for no Christian believer would worry about breaking a Sabbath law, This event ushers in "the Great Tribulation," the last half of Daniel's 70th week, when the judgments of God will be hurled upon the earth. During the first three and a half years of the Tribulation, the judgments were natural: wars, famines, earthquakes, etc. But during the last half, the judgments will be supernatural and devastating.

During this period, God will care for His elect (Matt. 24:22), referring to Jews and Gentiles who believe and are converted. "The elect" here does not refer to the church since the church will have been raptured at least three-and-one-half years previously.

The End of the Tribulation (Matt. 24:23-44)
World conditions will be so terrible that men will wonder if any relief will come, and this will give false christs opportunities to deceive many. Satan is capable of performing "lying wonders" (2 Thes. 2:9-12; Rev. 13:13-14). The fact that a religious leader performs miracles is no assurance that he has come from God. Many Jews will be deceived, for "the Jews require a sign" (1 Cor. 1:22). Jesus performed true signs in His Father's name, and the nation rejected Him (John 12:37ff), Satan's miracles they will accept.

Verse 27 indicates that the return of Jesus to the earth will be sudden, like a stroke of lightning. The event that precedes His return is the gathering of the gentile nations at Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:11ff). The eagles flying around the carcass picture the awful carnage that will result from this great battle (Rev. 19:17-19). The cosmic changes mentioned in Matthew 24:29 precede the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.

We are not told what "the sign of the Son of man in heaven" is, but the people on earth at that time will recognize it. When Jesus comes for the church, He will come in the air and His people will be caught up to meet Him in the air (1 Thes. 4:17). But our Lord's second coming at the end of the Tribulation will be a great public event, with every eye seeing Him (Rev. 1:7).

This event will have special meaning for Israel. Jesus will return at that hour when Israel is about to be defeated by the Gentile armies (Zech. 12). He will rescue His people, and they will see Him and recognize that He is their Messiah (Zech. 12:9-14). There will be a national repentance, national cleansing, and national restoration under the gracious leadership of their Messiah.

Thursday – 16th May
Topic: The King’s Return Part 1
Read: Matthew 24:31-35 

We must not confuse the trumpet of Matthew 24:31 with the "trump of God" mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. "His elect" in Matthew 24:31 refers to people on earth, Jews and Gentiles, who have trusted Christ and been saved. In the Old Testament, Israel's movements were announced by trumpet signals (Num. 10; Joel 2:1ff). Israel has been a scattered people for many centuries. The angels will gather Israel with trumpets just as the priests did in Old Testament times (Lev. 23:23-25).

Scholars of prophecy do not agree on all the details of future events. But the following summary is a fair representation of what many pro­phetic scholars believe as to the order of events:

1. The rapture of the church (1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-58). This 'can occur at any time.

2. The leader of the 10 European nations makes a 7-year agreement with Israel (Dan. 9:26-27).

3. After three-and-one-half years, he breaks the agreement (Dan. 9:27).

4. He moves to Jerusalem and sets up his image in the temple (2 Thes. 2:3-4; Rev. 13).

5. The Antichrist begins to control the world and forces all people to worship and obey him. At this time God sends great tribulation upon the earth (Matt. 24:21).

6. The nations gather at Armageddon to fight the Antichrist and Israel, but see the sign of Christ's coming and unite to fight Him (Zech, 12; Rev. 16:16; 19:11ff).

7. Jesus returns to the earth, defeats His enemies, is received by the Jews, and establishes His kingdom on earth (Rev. 19:11ff; Zech. 12:7-13:1). He will reign on earth for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-5).

The purpose of prophecy is not to entertain the curious, but to encour­age the consecrated. Jesus closed this section of His, discourse with three practical admonitions, built around three illustrations: a fig tree, Noah, and a thief in the night. Verse 36 makes it clear that no one will know the day or the hour of the Lord's coming. But they can be aware of the movements of events and not be caught by surprise,

The fig tree (Matt. 24:32-35). Luke 21:29 reads, "Behold the fig tree and all the trees" (NASB). The fig tree in the Bible is often a picture of Israel (Luke 13:6-10; Hosea 9:10); and the other trees would picture the nations of the world. Perhaps our Lord was suggesting that increased nationalism will be one of the signs of the end times. Certainly future events cast their shadows before them. ,. And when these things begin to come to pass ... " (Luke 21:28a, italics mine) suggests that a sign need not be full-blown before it is important to God's people.

The budding of the trees indicates that summer is near. The beginning of these signs indicates that the Lord's coming is near. The generation alive on earth at that time will see these events take place. Our generation sees a foreshadowing of these signs. We do not look for signs as such; we look for the Saviour (Phil. 3:20). Jesus can come for His church at any time.


Friday – 17th May
Topic: The King’s Return Part 1
Read: Matthew 24:36-44 

The days of Noah (Matt. 24:36-42). Here the emphasis is on the fact that the people did not know the day when judgment would strike. Noah and his family in the ark are a picture of God's miraculous preservation of Israel during the awful time of the Tribulation. (Enoch is a picture of the church which is raptured before the Tribulation. (Gen. 5:21-24; Heb. 11:5; 1 Thess. 5:1-10; 1:10).

What kept the people from listening to Noah's message and obeying? The common interests of life-eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage. They lost the best by living for the good. It is a dangerous thing to get so absorbed in the pursuits of life that we forget Jesus is coming.

The verb "taken" in verses Matt. 24:39-41 means "taken away in judgment."

Do not apply these verses to the Rapture of the church when believers are caught up in the air to meet the Lord. During the Tribulation, a division will take place: Some people will perish in judgment (be taken away), while others will remain to enter into the kingdom. The use of' 'took them all away" in Matt. 24:39 makes this clear.

The thief in the night (Matt. 24:42-44): Jesus used Noah to warn that men will not know the day, and He used the picture of the burglar to warn that they will not know the hour. After the Rapture of the church, there will be a time of peace and safety on earth (1 Thess 5:1ff). Then suddenly God's judgments will fall (Peter 3:10ff).

People alive on earth during the Tribulation period will be able, from the Scriptures, to tell the drift of events; but they will not be able to calculate the exact day or hour of Christ's return. Added to this is the fact that the days will be "shortened ... for the elect's sake" (Matt. 24:22). This may mean fewer days of tribulation, or it may mean fewer hours so that the people on earth suffer a bit less (Rev. 8:12).

When we combine the exhortations found in these three pictures, we end up with: "Know that He is near! Watch therefore! Be ye also ready!" Believers alive during that period of history will certainly find great comfort in the promises of the Word of God.

While the interpretation of this section relates to Israel during the Tribulation, we may apply the Word to our own hearts. We do not know when our Lord will return for His church. Therefore, we must be alert, watchful, and faithful. Jesus dealt with this in detail in the next section of the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:45-25:30).

How grateful we ought to be that God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation when Jesus Christ appears. He has saved us from the wrath to come (l Thess. 1:10; 5:9-10). As the people of God, we will certainly go through tribulation (John 16:33, Acts 14:22), but not the Great Tribulation.

Daily Bible Commentary (6-11th May)

Monday – 6th May
Topic: The King’s Denunciation
Read: Matthew 23:1-4 

This was our Lord's last public message. It is a scathing denunciation of false religion that paraded under the guise of truth. Some of the common people no doubt were shocked at His words, for they considered the Pharisees to be righteous.

Perhaps we should remind ourselves that not all of the Pharisees were hypocrites. There were about 6,000 Pharisees in that day, with many more who were "followers" but not full members of the group. Most of the Pharisees were middle-class businessmen and no doubt they were sincere in their quest for truth and holiness. The name "Pharisees" came from a word that means "to separate." The Pharisees were separated from the Gentiles, the "unclean" Jews who did not practice the Law ("publicans and sinners," Luke 15:1-2), and from any who opposed the tradition that governed their lives.

Among the Pharisees were a few members who sought for true spiritual religion.· Nicodemus (John 3; 7:50-53), Joseph of Arimathaea (John 19:38ff), and the unnamed man mentioned in Mark 12:32-34, come to mind. Even Gamaliel showed a great deal of tolerance toward the newly ­formed church (Acts 5:34ff). But for the most part, the Pharisees used their religion to promote themselves and their material gain. No wonder Jesus denounced them. Note the three divisions in this message.

Explanation to the Crowd (Matt. 23:1-12)
In this section, Jesus explained the basic flaws of Pharisaical religion.
They had a false concept of righteousness (Matt. 23:2-3). To begin with, they had assumed an authority not their own. "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses' seat " is the literal translation. There is no record in the Scriptures that God assigned any authority to this group. Their only authority was the Word of God. Therefore, the people were to obey whatever the Pharisees taught from the Word. But the people were not to obey the traditions and the man-made rules of the Pharisees.

To the Pharisee, righteousness meant outward conformity to the Law of God. They ignored the inward condition of the heart. Religion consisted in obeying numerous rules that governed every detail of life, including what you did with the spices in your cupboard (Matt. 23:23-24). The Pharisees were careful to say the right words and follow the right cere­monies, but they did not inwardly obey the Law. God desired truth in the inward parts (Ps. 51:6). To preach one thing and practice another is only 'hypocrisy.

They had a false concept of ministry (Matt. 23:4). To them, ministry meant handing down laws to the people and adding to their burdens. In other words, the Pharisees were harder on others than they were on themselves. Jesus came to lighten men's burdens (Matt. 11:28-30), but legalistic religion always seeks to make burdens heavier. Jesus never asks us to do anything that He has not first done. The Pharisees commanded, but they did not participate. They were hypocritical religious dictators, not spir­itual leaders.

Tuesday – 7th May
Topic: The King’s Denunciation
Read: Matthew 23:5-12 

They had a false concept of greatness (Matt. 23:5-12). To them, success meant recognition by men and praise from men. They were not concerned about the approval of God. They used their religion to attract attention, not to glorify God (Matt. 5:16). This even meant using religious orna­ments to display their piety.” Phylacteries" were small leather boxes into which the Pharisees placed portions of the Scriptures. They wore these boxes on their foreheads and arms, in literal obedience to Deuteronomy 6:8 and Deut. 11:18. They also increased the size of their "tassels" on the hems of their garments (Num. 15:38; see Matt. 9:20).

The Pharisees also thought that position was a mark of greatness, so they sought the best seats in the synagogue and at the public dinners. Where a man sits bears no relationship to what a man is. Albert Einstein wrote, "Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value."

They also thought that titles of honor were a mark of greatness. The title "rabbi" means "my great one" and was coveted by the religious leaders. Jesus forbade His disciples to use the title rabbi because all of them were brothers, and Jesus alone was their Teacher ("Master" in Matt. 23:8). There is a spiritual equality among the children of God, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Jesus also forbade them to use the title father with reference to spiritual things. Certainly it is not wrong to call one's biological father by that name, but it is wrong to use it when addressing a spiritual leader. Paul referred to himself as a "spiritual father" because he had begotten people through the Gospel (1 Cor. 4:15). But he did not ask them to use that term when' addressing him.

A third title that was forbidden was master (Matt. 23:10); which means "guide, instructor, leader" This is not the same word that is translated "master" in Matt. 23:8 in the King James Version. That word means "teacher," while this one means "one who goes before and guides ". Perhaps a modern equivalent would be "authority." God has placed spiritual leaders in the church, but they must not replace God in our lives. A true spiritual leader directs his people into freedom 'and a closer' fellowship with Christ, not into bondage to his ideas and beliefs.

True greatness is found in serving others, not in forcing others to serve us (John 3:30; 13:12-17). True greatness is not manufactured; it can only come from God as we obey Him. If we exalt ourselves, God will humble us, but if we humble ourselves, in due time God will exalt us (1 Peter 5:6).


Wednesday – 8th May
Topic: The King’s Denunciation
Read: Matthew 23:13-36 

Denunciation' of the Pharisees (Matt. 23:13-36)
We must not read this series of denunciations with the idea that Jesus lost His temper and was bitterly angry. Certainly He was angry at their sins, and what those sins were doing to the people. But His attitude was one of painful sorrow that the Pharisees were blinded to God's truth and to their own sins.

Perhaps the best way to deal with these eight "woes" is to contrast them with the eight beatitudes found in Matthew 5:1-12. In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord described true righteousness; here He described a false righteousness.

Entering the kingdom-shutting up the kingdom (Matt. 23:13; 5:3). The poor in spirit enter the kingdom, but the proud in spirit keep themselves out and even keep others out. The Greek verb indicates people trying to get in who cannot. It is bad enough to keep yourself out of the kingdom, but worse when you stand in the way of others. By teaching man-made traditions instead of God's truth, they "took away the key of knowledge" and closed the door to salvation (Luke 11:52).

Mourners comforted-destroyers condemned (Matt. 23:14; 5:4). While this verse is not in some manuscripts of Matthew, it is found in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47. Instead of mourning over their own sins, and mourning with needy widows, the Pharisees took advantage of people in order to rob them. They used their religion as a "cloak of covetousness" (l Thes. 2:5).

Meek inherit the earth-proud send souls to hell (Matt. 23:15; 5:5). A proselyte is a convert to a cause. The Pharisees were out to win others to their legalistic system, yet they could not introduce these people to the living God. Instead of saving souls, the Pharisees were condemning souls!

A "child of hell" is the equivalent of "child of the devil," which is what Jesus called the Pharisees (John 8:44: Matt. 12:34; 23:33). A "child of the devil" is a person who has rejected God's way of salvation (righteousness through faith in Christ). This person parades his own self-righteousness through whatever religious system he belongs to. The convert usually shows more zeal than his leader, and this "double devotion" only produces double condemnation. How tragic that people can think they are going to heaven, when actually they are going to hell!

Hungering for holiness-greedy for gain (Matt. 23:16-22; 5:6). "Blind guides" is a perfect description, one that must have brought a smile to the lips of the listeners. Jesus had used it before (Matt. 15:14). The Pharisees were blind to the true values of life. Their priorities were confused. They would take an oath and use some sacred object to substantiate that oath-the gold in the temple, for example, or the gift on the altar. But they would not swear by the temple itself or the altar. It was the temple that sanctified the gold and the altar that sanctified the gift. They were leaving God out of their priorities.

Jesus knew that the Pharisees wanted both the gold and the gifts on, the altar. This is why the Pharisees practiced "Corban"-anything dedi­cated to God could not be used for others (Mark 7:10-13; Matt. 15:1-9). These men were not seeking for the righteousness of God; they were greedy for gain. They worked out a "religious system" that permitted them to rob God and others and still maintain their reputations.

Thursday – 9th May
Topic: The King’s Denunciation
Read: Matthew 23:23- 28 

Obtaining mercy-rejecting mercy (Matt. 23:23-24; 5:7). The Pharisees majored on minors. They had rules for every minute area of life, while at the same time they forgot about the important things. It is usually the case that legalists are sticklers for details, but blind to great principles. This crowd thought nothing of condemning an innocent man, yet they were afraid to enter Pilate's judgment hall lest they be defiled (John 18:28).

There is no question that the Old Testament Law required tithing (Lev. 27:30; Deut. 14:22ff). Abraham had practiced tithing long before the Law was given (Gen. 14:20), and Jacob 'followed-his grandfather's example (Gen. 28:20-22). The principles of Christian giving under grace are given in 2 Cor. 8-9. We are not content simply to give a tithe (10%), but we also want to bring offerings to the Lord out of hearts filled with love.

Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the important qualities God is seeking. Obeying the rules is no substitute. While it is good to pay attention to details, we must never lose our sense of priorities in spiritual matters. Jesus did not condemn the practice of tithing. But He did condemn those who allowed their legalistic scruples to keep them from developing true Christian character.

Pure in heart - defiled in heart (Matt. 23:25-28; 5:8). Jesus used two illustrations  the cup and platter, and the sepulcher  They both stated the same truth: it is possible to be clean on the outside and at the same time defiled on the inside. Imagine using dishes that were defiled! Whatever you put into the dish or cup would also become defiled. The Pharisees were careful to keep the outside very clean, because that was the part that men would see; and they wanted the praise of men. But God sees the heart (l Sam. 16:7). When God looked within, He saw "greed and self-­indulgence" (Matt. 23:25, NIV).

Jewish people were careful not to touch dead bodies or anything relating to the dead, because this would make them ceremonially unclean (Num. 19:11ff). They would whitewash the tombs lest someone accidentally get defiled, and this was done especially at Passover season. What a graphic picture of the hypocrite: white on the outside, but filled with defilement and death on the inside!

"Blessed are the pure in heart," was our Lord's promise. "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life" (Prov. 4:23, NASB). D. L. Moody used to say, "If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself ". The Pharisees lived for reputation, not character.

Friday – 10th May
Topic: The King’s Denunciation
Read: Matthew 23:29-33 

Peacemakers and persecuted are God's children-persecutors are the devil's children (Matt. 23:29-33; 5:9-l2). When Jesus called the Pharisees "serpents ... generation of vipers," He was identifying them with Satan who is the serpent (Gen. 3:1ff). In His parable of the tares, Jesus made it clear that Satan has a family (Matt. 13:38). Satan was a murderer and a liar (John 8:44), and his children follow his example. The Pharisees were liars (Matt. 23:30) and murderers (Matt. 23:34).

It was traditional for the Pharisees to build, improve, and embellish the tombs of the martyrs. But it was "their fathers" who killed the martyrs! Not their biological fathers, of course, but their "spiritual fathers' '-the hypocrites of the past ages.

There have always been counterfeit believers in the world, starting with Cain (Gen. 4:1-15; 1 John 3: 10-15). The Pharisees and their kind are guilty of all the righteous bloodshed in the name of "religion." The first martyr recorded in Old Testament Scripture was Abel (Gen. 4), and the last one recorded was the prophet Zechariah (2 Chr. 24:20-22-the Hebrew Bible ends with 2 Chronicles, not Malachi).

What will be the result, of this long history of murders? Terrible judgment! "This generation" (the "generation of vipers," Matt 23:33) would taste the wrath of God when the cup of iniquity was full (Matt 23:32; Gen. 15:16). Some of this judgment came when Jerusalem was destroyed, and the rest will be meted out in eternity.

As we review these tragic woes from the lips of our Lord, we can see why the Pharisees were His enemies. He emphasized the inner man; they were concerned with externals. He taught a spiritual life based on principles  while the Pharisees majored on rules and regulations. Jesus measured spirituality in terms of character, while the Pharisees measured it in terms of religious activities and conformity to external laws. Jesus taught humility and sacrificial-service; but the Pharisees were proud and used people to accomplish their own purposes. The holy life of Jesus exposed their artificial piety and shallow religion. Instead of coming out of the darkness, the Pharisees tried to put out the Light; and they failed.


Saturday – 11th May
Topic: The King’s Denunciation
Read: Matthew 23:37-39 

Lamentation over Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37-39) 
Jesus spoke these words of lamentation as a sincere expression of His love for Jerusalem, and His grief over the many opportunities for salvation that they had passed by. "Jerusalem" refers to the entire nation of Israel. The nation's leaders had been guilty of repeated crimes as they rejected God's messengers; and even killed some of them. But in His grace, Jesus came to gather the people and save them.

"1 would have ... ye would not" summarizes the tragedy of final rejection of the truth. There is no argument here about divine sovereignty and human responsibility for both are included. God could not force His salvation on the people; neither could He change the consequences of their stubborn rejection. You will not come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:40).

The image of the mother bird gathering and covering her brood is a familiar one. Moses used it in his farewell sermon (Deut 32:11), and it is found in other places in the Old Testament (Ruth 2:12; Ps. 17:8; 36:7; 91:4). It is a picture of love, tender care, and a willingness to die to protect others. Jesus did die for the sins of the world, including the nation of Israel; but "His own received Him not" (John 1:11).

"Your house" probably means both the temple and the city, both of which would be destroyed in A.D. 70 by invading Roman armies. The temple was "My house" in Matthew 21:13, but now it has been aban­doned and left empty. Jesus left both the temple and the city and went out to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 24:1-3).

Yet, Jesus left the nation with a promise: He would one day return, the nation would see Him and say 'Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!" This is a quotation from Psalm 118:26, that great messianic psalm that was quoted so many times in His last week of ministry. The crowds had used those words on Palm Sunday (Matt. 21:9).

When would this promise be fulfilled? At the end of the age-when Jesus Christ returns to earth to deliver Israel and defeat their enemies (Rom. 11:25-27; Zech. 12). The fact that Israel rejected the King would not hinder God's great plan of redemption. Instead of establishing His glorious kingdom on earth, Jesus would build His church (Matt 16:18; Eph. 2:11-22). When that work is finished, He will return and take His church to heaven (1 Thes. 4:13-18). Then there will be a time of judgment on earth ("the day of the Lord," "the time of Jacob's trouble"), at the end of which He will return to deliver Israel.

We cannot read this severe denunciation without marveling at the patience and goodness of the Lord. No nation has been blessed like Israel, and yet no nation has sinned against God's goodness as has Israel. They have been the channel of God's blessing to the world, for "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). Yet they have suffered greatly in this world.

Jesus was born a Jew, and He loved His nation. We who are Gentiles ought to thank God for the Jews, for they gave us the witness of the one true God, they gave us the Bible, and they gave us Jesus Christ the Saviour. Like Jesus, we ought to love the Jews, seek to win them, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and encourage them every way we can.

Sunday Sermon (28th April 2013)

Living Without Regrets 
by Dr. Angelina Boots

To listen to this timely sermon, please click here.

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Daily Bible Commentary (29th April-3rd May 2013)

Monday – 29th April
Topic: The King’s Defense
Read: Matthew 22:15-22 

On Tuesday of Passover week, our Lord's enemies tried to trap Him by using a series of' 'loaded" questions. These men were still smarting from the treatment they had received in the series of parables He had given. He had exposed their evil intentions and warned them that they were, only asking for judgment. The religious leaders did not enjoy being humiliated before the crowds. They were wholeheartedly bent on destroying Jesus, and they hoped to trap Him into saying something that would permit them to arrest Him.

But there was another reason for the questions, one that' His enemies did not realize. Jesus was going to die as the Lamb of God, and it was necessary for the lamb to be examined before Passover (Ex. 12:3-6). If any blemish whatsoever was found on the Lamb, it could not be sacrificed. Jesus was examined publicly by His enemies, and they could find no fault in Him.

Of course, this personal interchange between our Lord and the reli­gious leaders was also an opportunity for them to believe and be saved. In fact, one Pharisee came very close to the kingdom (Mark 12:32-34). Even at the last minute, there is hope for the lost sinner, if he will receive the truth, repent and believe.

There are four questions involved in this public discussion, three of them from the enemy, and one from Jesus Christ.

A Political Question about Taxes (Matt. 22:15-22)
The Pharisees and the Herodians were enemies; but their common foe brought them together. The Pharisees opposed the Roman poll tax for several reasons: (I) They did not want to submit to a Gentile power; (2) Caesar was revered as a god; and (3) they had better uses for the money than to give it to Rome. Since the Herodians were the party supporting Herod, they were in favor of the tax. After all, Herod's authority was given to him by Caesar; and Herod would have had a difficult time staying in power without Rome's support.

Palestine was an occupied nation, and the Jews had no special love for their conquerors. Every tax the poor people had to pay was another reminder that they were not free. The Zealots, an "underground" organi­zation of fanatical Jews, often staged protests against Rome. They would oppose any Roman tax.

It is easy to see why the Pharisees and Herodians chose the poll tax as the bait for their trap. It appeared that no matter which side Jesus took, He would create problems for Himself and His ministry. If He opposed the tax, He would be in trouble with Rome. If He approved the tax, He would be in trouble with the' Jews.

Jesus immediately saw through their scheme. He knew that their real purpose was not to get an answer to a question, but to try to trap Him. They were only acting a part, and this made them hypocrites. On this basis alone, He could have refused to answer them. But He knew the people around Him would not understand. Here was an opportunity for Him to silence His enemies and, at the same time, teach the people an important spiritual truth.

Each ruler minted his own coins and put his own image on them. The "penny" (denarius) had Caesar's image on it, so it belonged to Caesar. "Give hack to Caesar what belongs to Caesar," was His reply. "And give back to God what belongs to God." In this simple, but profound reply, Jesus taught several important truths.


Tuesday – 30th April
Topic: The King’s Defense
Read: Matthew 22:23-33 

Christians must honor and obey rulers. This is taught elsewhere in the New Testament (Rom. 13:1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Tim. 2: 1ff). Christians have a dual citizenship, in heaven (Phil. 3:20) and on earth. We must respect our earthly rulers (or elected leaders), obey the law, pay taxes and pray for all who are in authority.

Christians must honor and obey God. Caesar was not God. While governments cannot enforce religion (Acts 5:29), neither should they restrict freedom of worship. The best citizen honors his country because he worships God.

Man bears God's image and owes God his all. Caesar's image was on the coin; God's image is on man (Gen. 1:26-27). Sin has marred that image, but through Jesus Christ, it can be restored (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3: 10).

The relationship between religion and government is personal and individual. It is right for the people of God to serve in government (remember Daniel and Joseph). But it is wrong for government to control the church, or for the church to control government.

A Doctrinal Question about the Resurrection (Matt. 22:23-33)
In spite of the fact that the Pharisees and Herodians had been worsted, the Sadducees entered the field and tried their attack. Keep in mind that this group accepted only the authority of the five Books of Moses. The Sadducees did not believe in a spirit world or in the doctrine of the resurrection (Acts 23:8). They had often challenged the Pharisees to prove the doctrine of the resurrection from Moses, but the Pharisees were not too successful with their arguments.

The Sadducees' hypothetical illustration was based on the Jewish law of "levirate marriage" from Deuteronomy 25:5-10. (The word levirate comes from the Latin word levir which means "a husband's brother." It has nothing to do with the tribe of Levi.) The purpose of this custom was to preserve a man's name should he die without a male heir. In a nation like Israel, where family inheritance was a major thing, it was important that each family have a male heir. It was considered a disgrace for a man to refuse to raise up a family for his dead brother.

The Sadducees based their disbelief of the resurrection on the fact that no woman could have seven husbands in the future life. Like many people today, they conceived of the future life as an extension of their present life-only better.

But Jesus told them that they were ignorant. They did not know the Scriptures, nor did they know the power of God, which inferred that they really did not know God. There will be no need for marriage in the next life because there will be no death. Therefore it will not be necessary to bear children to replace those who die.

Jesus did not say that we would be angels when we are glorified in heaven. He said we would be "as the angels" in that we would be sexless and not married or given in marriage. The foolish stories we hear and the cartoons we see about people dying and becoming angels are certainly unbiblical.


Wednesday – 1st May
Topic: The King’s Defense
Read: Matthew 22:34-40 

OUR Lord was not content to refute the Sadducees' foolish views about the future life. He also wanted to answer their claim that there was no resurrection; and He did it by referring to Moses! He knew that Moses was the only authority they would accept. He reminded them of Exodus 3:6 where God said to Moses, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." He did not say, "I was the God of Abraham . . ." for that would mean that Abraham was no more. By saying" I am," the Lord made it clear that these three men of faith were at that time alive. And by repeating "the God of," the Lord was saying that He knew them and loved them personally and individually.

It is a dangerous thing to speculate about the future life. We must rest upon the authority of the Word of God, for only there do we have truth that answers man's questions about the future. The Bible does not tell us everything about the future life, but is does encourage and enlighten us. Jesus answered the foolish, ignorant Sadducees so completely that they were "muzzled" (the word silence in Matt. 22: 34). Even the crowds were astonished and amazed at His answer.

An Ethical Question about the Law (Matt. 22:34-40)
The Pharisees probably enjoyed the embarrassment of their enemies, the Sadducees. One of their number showed respect for the Lord and His answer (Mark 12:28) and asked a question of his own: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" (Matt. 22:36, NASB). We have every reason to believe that he asked the question in sincerity and with a humble attitude.

This was not a new question, for the scribes had been debating it for centuries. They had documented 613 commandments in the Law, 248 positive and 365 negative. No person could ever hope to know and fully obey all of these commandments. So, to make it easier, the experts' divided the commandments into "heavy" (important) and "light" (un­important). A person could major on the "heavy comandments" and not worry about the trivial ones.

The fallacy behind this approach is obvious: You need only break: one law, heavy or light, to be guilty before God. "For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10).

Jesus quoted the "Shema" (Deut. 6:4), a statement of faith that was recited daily by every orthodox Jew. (The word "Shema" comes from the Hebrew word which means "to hear." The confession of faith begins with, "Hear, 0 Israel!") The greatest commandment is to love God with all that we are and have-heart, soul, mind, strength, possessions, service. To love God is not to "have good feelings about Him." for true love involves the will as well as the heart. Where there is love, there will be service and obedience.

But love for God cannot be divorced from love for one's neighbor; so Jesus also quoted Leviticus 19: 18 and put it on the same level as the Shema, All of the Law and the Prophets hang on both of these command­ments. We might add that the teachings of the Epistles in the New Testament agree with this statement. If a man really loves God, he must also love his brother and his neighbor (1 John 3:10-18; 4:7-21).


Thursday – 2nd May
Topic: The King’s Defense
Read: Matthew 22:41-46 

If we have a right relationship with God, we will have no problems with His commandments. Love is the basis for obedience. In fact, all of the Law is summed up by the command to love (Rom.1 3:8-10). If we love God, we will love our neighbor; and if we love our neighbor, we will not want to do anything to harm him.

But Jesus had a deeper meaning to convey in this marvelous answer.

The Jews were afraid of idolatry. When Jesus claimed to be God, they opposed Him because they could not believe it was right to worship a creature. Jesus received worship and did not rebuke those who honored Him. Was this idolatry? No, because He was God! But if the Law commands us to love God and our neighbor then it would not be wrong for the Jews to love Jesus. Instead, they were plotting to kill Him. He had said to them one day, "If God were your Father, you would love Me “ (John 8:42). They accepted the authority of the Law, yet they refused to obey it in their lives.

The scribe who had asked the original question seemed to be an honest and sincere man. Not all of the Pharisees were hypocrites. He publicly agreed with Jesus (Mark 12:32-33). This must have given his fellow Pharisees a fright. Jesus discerned that the man's heart was sincere, and He commended him for his intelligence and honesty. Did the man ever get all the way into the kingdom, when he was so very near? We trust so.

Jesus had now answered three difficult questions. He had dealt with the relationship between religion and government, between this life and the next life, and between God and our neighbors. These are fundamental relationships; and we cannot ignore our Lord's teachings. But there is a question more fundamental than these, and Jesus asked it of His enemies.

A Personal Question about the Messiah (Matt. 22:41-46)
Jesus did not phrase this question as He had when He asked His disciples, "Whom say you that I am?" (Matt. 16:15) These men who had been arguing with Him were not sympathetic with His cause, nor were they honest in their assessment of His credentials. Jesus had to take an indirect approach with His enemies. He made this sound like another theological question, when in reality it was the most important personal question they would ever face.

"Whose Son is the Messiah?" He asked them. As trained experts in the Law, they knew the answer: "He is the Son of David. " Had they been asked, they could have referred to numbers of Old Testament Scriptures, including 2 Samuel 7:12-13, Psalm 78:68-72, and Micah 5:2. Once they had given this answer, Jesus asked a second question, this time quoting from Psalm 110:1ff"The LORD [Jehovah] said unto my Lord [Hebrew "Adonai"], 'Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.' "

Every orthodox Jewish scholar interpreted this to refer to the Messiah. Only the Messiah could sit at the right hand of Jehovah God. Jesus believed in the inspiration and accuracy of the Old Testament Scriptures, for He said that David spoke these words "in the Spirit" (v. 43, NASB). Nobody dared to question the accuracy or the authority of the text. .

"If Messiah is David's Son," Jesus asked, "then how could Messiah also be David's Lord?" There is only one answer to this question. As God, Messiah is David's Lord; as man, He is David's Son. He is both "the root and the offspring of David" (Rev. 22:16). Psalm 110:1 teaches the deity and the humanity of Messiah. He is David's Lord and He is David's Son.

Friday – 3rd May
Topic: The King’s Defense
Read: Matthew 22:15-22 

When He was ministering on earth, Jesus often accepted the messianic title "Son of David" (see Matt. 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9, 15), The rulers had heard the multitudes proclaim Him as "Son of David" when He rode into Jerusalem. The fact that He accepted this title is evidence that Jesus knew Himself to be the Messiah, the Son of God. As God, He was David's Lord; but as man, He was David's Son, for He was born into the family of David (Matt. 1:1, 20).

The scholars in that day were confused about the Messiah. They saw two pictures of Messiah in the Old Testament and could not reconcile them. One picture showed a suffering servant, the other a conquering and reigning monarch. Were there two Messiahs? How could God's servant suffer and die? (See 1 Peter 1:10-12.)

Had they listened to what Jesus said, they would have learned that there was only one Messiah, bur that He would be both human and divine. He would suffer and die as a sacrifice for sins. He would then rise from the dead in triumph, and one day return to defeat His enemies. However, these religious leaders had their own ideas, and they did not want to change. If they had accepted His teaching, then they would also have to accept Him as the Messiah; and this they were unwilling to do.

The result of this day of dialogue was silence on the part of His enemies, They dared not ask Jesus any more questions, not because they had believed the truth, but because they were afraid to face the truth. "For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything". (Luke 20:40,NASB). But neither did they have courage to face the truth and act upon it.,

Making a decision about Jesus Christ is a matter of life or death. The evidence is there for all to examine. We can examine it defensively and miss the truth. Or we can examine it honestly and humbly, and discover the truth, believe, and be saved. The religious leaders were so blinded by tradition, position, and selfish pride that they could not-and would not-see the truth and receive it.

We dare not make the same mistake today.

Saturday – 4th May 

PRAY FOR MALAYSIA 

GET ON YOUR KNEES AND FIGHT LIKE REAL MEN & WOMEN! 

Sunday Sermon 14th April 2013

Click here to listen

Sunday Sermon 7 April 2013

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Daily Bible Commentary (22-27th Apr 2013)

Monday – 22nd April
Topic: The King’s Judgments
Read: Matthew 21:1-11 

We now enter the fourth major section of Matthew's Gospel, "The Rejection of the King." In this section (Matt. 21:1-22:14), the Lord Jesus revealed the sins of Israel and explained why the religious leaders rejected Him and His message.

Spiritual Blindness (Matt 21:1-11)
Since it was Passover, there were probably about 2 million people in and around Jerusalem. This was the only time in His ministry that Jesus actually planned and promoted a public demonstration. Up to this time, He had cautioned people not to tell who He was, and He had deliberately avoided public scenes.

Why did Jesus plan this demonstration? For one thing, He was obeying the Word and fulfilling the prophecy recorded in Zechariah 9:9. 'This prophecy could apply only to Jesus Christ, for He is the only one with credentials that prove He is Israel's King. We usually do not associate the lowly donkey with kingship, but this was the royal animal of Jewish monarchs (1 Kings 2:32ff). There were actually two animals involved, the mother and the colt (foal). Jesus sat upon the colt with the mother walking beside.

By comparing Matthew's quotation with the original prophecy in Zechariah, we discover some interesting facts. Zechariah's prophecy opens with, "Rejoice greatly" but Matthew omitted this phrase. When Jesus approached the city, He wept! How could He (or the people) rejoice when judgment was coming? Matthew also omitted "He is just, and having salvation." Our Lord's coming to Jerusalem was an act of mercy and grace, not an act of justice or judgment. He did have salvation for them, but they refused to accept it (John 1:11). The next time Israel sees the King, He will ride in great power and glory (Rev. 19:11ff).

This colt had never been ridden (Mark 11:2), yet he meekly bore his burden. The presence of the mother helped, of course. But keep in mind that his rider was the King who has "dominion over ... all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field'" (Ps. 8:6-7). The fact that Jesus rode this beast and kept him in control is another evidence of His Kingship.

There was a second reason for this public presentation: It forced the Jewish leaders to act. When they saw the spontaneous demonstration of the people, they concluded that Jesus had to be destroyed (see John 12:19). The prophetic Scriptures required that the Lamb of God be crucified on Passover. This demonstration of Christ's popularity incited the rulers to act.

The people acclaimed Jesus as their King both by their words and their deeds. They shouted Hosanna which means, "Save now!" They were quoting from Psalm 118:25-26, and this Psalm is definitely messianic in character. Later that week, Jesus Himself would refer to this Psalm and apply it to Himself (Matt. 21:42; Ps. 118:22-23).

Keep in mind that this Passover crowd was composed of at Ieast three groups: the Jews who lived in Jerusalem, the crowd from Galilee, and the people who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead (John 12:17-18). Sharing the news of this miracle undoubtedly helped to draw such a large crowd. The people wanted to see this miracle-worker for themselves.

But the Jews still did not recognize Jesus as their King. What caused Israel's spiritual blindness? For one thing, their religious leaders had robbed them of the truth of their own Word and had substituted man-made traditions (Luke 11:52). The leaders were not interested in truth; they were concerned only with protecting their own interests (John 11:47-53). "We have no king but Caesar!" was their confession of willful blindness. Even our Lord's miracles did not convince them. And the longer they resisted the truth, the blinder they became (John 12:35ff) .


Tuesday – 23rd April
Topic: The King’s Judgments
Read: Matthew 21:12-22 

Hypocrisy (Matt 21:12-22)
Jesus performed two acts of judgment: He cleansed the temple, and He cursed a fig tree. Both acts were contrary to His usual manner of ministry, for He did not come to earth to judge, but to save (John 3:17). Both of these acts revealed the hypocrisy of Israel: The temple was a den of thieves, and the nation (symbolized by the fig tree) was without fruit. Inward corruption and outward fruitlessness were evidences of their hypocrisy.

Cleansing the temple (Matt. 21:12-16). Jesus had opened His ministry with a similar act (John 2:13-25). Now, three years later, the temple was defiled again by the "religious business" of the leaders. They had turned the Court of the Gentiles into a place where foreign Jews could exchange money and purchase sacrifices. What had begun as a service and convenience for visitors from other lands soon turned into a lucrative business. The dealers charged exorbitant prices and no one could compete with them or oppose them. Historians tell us that Annas, the former high priest, was the manager of this enterprise, assisted by his sons.

The purpose of the Court of the Gentiles in the temple was to give the "outcasts" an opportunity to enter the temple and learn from Israel about the true God. But the presence of this "religious market" turned many sensitive Gentiles away from the witness of Israel. The Court of the Gentiles was used for mercenary business, not missionary business.

When Jesus called the temple "My house," He was affirming that He was God. When He called it "My house of prayer," He was quoting Isaiah 56:7. The entire Is. 56 chapter of Isaiah denounces the unfaithful leaders of Israel. The phrase “den of robbers" comes from Jeremiah 7:11 and is part of a long sermon that Jeremiah delivered in the gate of the temple, rebuking the people for the same sins that Jesus saw and judged in His day.

Why did Jesus call the temple "a den of thieves."? Because the place where thieves hide is called a den. The religious leaders, and some of the people, were using the temple and the Jewish religion to cover up their sins.

What does God want in His house? God wants prayer among His people (1 Tim. 2:1ff), for true prayer is an evidence of our dependence on God and our faith in His Word. He also wants people being helped (Matt 21:14). The needy should feel welcome and should find the kind of help they need. There should be power in God's house, the power of God working to change people. Praise is another feature of God's house (Matt 21:15-16).

Here Jesus quoted from Psalm 8:2.


Wednesday – 24th April
Topic: The King’s Judgments
Read: Matthew 21:17-22:14 

Cursing the tree (Matt. 21:17-22). That Jesus would curse a tree may surprise us. The same power that killed the tree could also have given it new life and fruit. Jesus certainly would not hold a tree morally responsible for being fruitless.

When we consider the time and place of this event, we understand it better. Jesus was near Jerusalem in the last week of His public ministry to His people. The fig tree symbolized the nation of Israel (Luke 13:6-9; Jer. 8:13; Hosea 9:10,16). Just as this tree had leaves but no fruit, so Israel had a show of religion hut no practical experience of faith resulting in godly living. Jesus was not angry at the tree. Rather, He used this tree to teach several lessons to His disciples.

God wants to produce fruit in the lives of His people. Fruit is the product of life. The presence of leaves usually indicates the presence of fruit, but this was not the case. In the parable of the fig tree (Luke 13:6-9), the gardener was given more time to care for the tree; but now the time was up. This tree was taking up space and doing no good.

While we can make a useful personal application of this event, the main interpretation has to do with Israel. The time of judgment had come. The sentence was pronounced by the Judge, but it would not be executed for about 40 years. Then Rome would come and destroy the city and temple and scatter the people.

Jesus used this event to teach His disciples a practical lesson about faith and prayer. The temple was supposed to be a "house of prayer," and the nation was to be a believing people. But both of these essentials were missing. We, too, must beware of the peril of fruitlessness.

Disobedience to the Word (Matt. 21:23-22:14)
This series of three parables grew out of the demand of the chief priests and elders for Jesus to explain what authority He had for cleansing the temple. As the custodians of the spiritual life of the nation, they had the right to ask this question. But we are amazed at their ignorance. Jesus had given them three years of ministry, and they still would not face the facts. They wanted more evidence.

In taking them back to the ministry of John, Jesus was not trying to avoid the issue. John had prepared the way for Jesus. Had the rulers received John's ministry, they would have received Jesus. Instead, the leaders permitted Herod to arrest John and then to kill him. If they would not accept the authority of John, they would not accept the authority of Jesus; for both John and Jesus were sent by God.

It is a basic principle of Christian living that we cannot learn new truth if we disobey what God has already told us, “If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God." (John 7:17, NASB). The religious rulers had rejected the truth preached by John, and therefore Jesus could not impart new truth. Both He and John were under the same authority.


Thursday – 25th April
Topic: The King’s Judgments
Read: Matthew 21:23-22:14 

They rejected God the Father (Matt. 21:23-32). The vineyard, of course, speaks of the nation of Israel (Isa. 5; Ps. 80:8-16). The two sons represent the two classes of people in that nation: the self-righteous religious people and the publicans and sinners. When John came ministering, the religious crowd showed great interest in his work, but they would not repent and humble themselves and be baptized (Matt. 3:7-12; John 1:19-28). The nonreligious crowd, however, confessed their sins and obeyed John's words and were baptized.

The leaders committed two sins: They would not believe John's mes­sage and they would not repent of their sins. Of course, they felt that they had no need to repent (Luke 18:9-14). But when they saw what repentance did for the publicans and sinners, they should have been convinced that John's message was true and salvation was real, Again and again, the religious rulers rejected the clear evidence God gave them.

Their rejection of John was actually a rejection of the Father who had sent him. But God is gracious, and instead of sending judgment, He sent His Son. This leads to the next parable.

They rejected the Son! (Matt. 21:33-46). We are still at the vineyard. This parable is based on Isaiah 5:1-7, and in it Jesus reminded the Jews of God's goodness to them as a nation. God delivered them from Egypt and planted them in a rich land of milk and honey. He gave them material and spiritual blessings and asked only that they bear fruit for His glory. From time to time, God sent His servants (the prophets) to the people to receive the fruit. But the people mistreated the servants, and even killed some of them.

What should the householder do? He could have sent his armies to destroy these wicked men. But instead he sent his own son to them, the reference, of course, is to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is "the Heir" (Heb. 1:2). Instead of receiving and honoring the son, the men cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Jesus was crucified" outside the gate" (Heb. 13:12-13, NASB), rejected by His own nation.

The people listening to the parable were caught up in the drama and did not realize that they passed sentence on themselves. Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23 to explain that He was that Son and the religious leaders were the husbandmen (Matt 21:45). The crowds had quoted from Psalm 118:26 when they had welcomed Jesus into the city, so this Scripture was fresh in the minds of the rulers.

Often in the Old Testament, God is referred to as a rock or a stone (Deut 32:4,18, Deut 32:30-31; Ps. 18:2, Ps. 18:31-46). The stone is also a messianic title. To Israel, Jesus was a stumbling stone (Isa. 8:14-15; Rom. 9:32-33; 1 Cor. 1 :23). Israel rejected the Messiah, but in His death and resurrection He created the church. To the church, Jesus is the foundation stone, the head of the corner (Eph. 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5). At the end of the age, Jesus will come as the smiting stone (Dan. 2:34), destroy Gentile kingdoms, and establish His own glorious kingdom.


Friday – 26th April
Topic: The King’s Judgments
Read: Matthew 22:1-14 

Of course, the Jewish leaders knew the messianic import of the Scrip­ture Jesus quoted. They were the builders who rejected the stone (Acts 4:11). What were the consequences? For one thing, the kingdom would be taken from Israel and given to another nation, the church (1 Peter 2:9), and note the context, 1 Pet 2:6-10). Those who would attack this stone would be "pulverized"; those whom Christ judges will be crushed to bits.

They rejected the Holy Spirit (Matt. 22:1-14). This parable must not be confused with the parable of the great supper (Luke 14:16-24) even though they have elements in common. Again we meet the Father and the Son; and the Son is alive (in spite of what the husbandmen did) and has a bride. The suggestion is that the Lord Jesus and His church are depicted (Eph. 5:22-33). The period described in this parable must be after His resurrection and ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Father is still inviting the people of Israel to come, in spite of what they did to His Son. When we study the first seven chapters of Acts, we discover that the message is going out to none but Jews (Acts 2:5, 10, 14, 22,36; 3:25; 6:7). "To the Jew first" was God's plan (Rom. 1:16; Acts 3:26). How did the nation's leaders respond to the ministry of the Holy

Spirit through the apostles? They rejected the Word and persecuted the church. The same rulers who permitted John to be killed, and who asked for Jesus to be killed, themselves killed Stephen! Later, Herod killed James (Acts 12:1ff).

How did the king in the parable respond to the way the people treated his servants? He became angry and sent his armies to destroy them and their city. He then turned to other people and invited them to come to the feast. This is a picture of God's dealing with Israel. They rejected the Father when they refused to obey John the Baptist's preaching. Israel rejected the Son when they arrested Him and crucified Him. In His grace and patience, God sent other witnesses. The Holy Spirit came upon the early believers and they witnessed with great power that Jesus was alive and the nation could be saved (Acts 2:32-36; 3:19-26). The miracles they did were proof that God was at work in and through them.

But Israel also rejected the Holy Spirit! This was Stephen's indictment against the nation: "You do always resist the Holy Ghost" (Acts 7:51). With the stoning of Stephen, God's patience with Israel began to end, although He delayed the judgment for almost 40 years. In Acts 8 we read that the message went ·to the Samaritans, and in Acts 10 we read that it even went to the Gentiles.


Saturday – 27th April
Topic: The King’s Judgments
Read: Matthew 21:17-22:14 

This final rejection is, to me, the awful "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 12:22-32. This was a national sin, committed by Israel. When they rejected John, they rejected the Father who sent him; but there remained the ministry of the Son. When they rejected the Son, they were forgiven because of their ignorance (Luke 23:34; Acts 3:17). No sinner today can be forgiven for rejecting Christ, for this rejection is what condemns the soul (John 3:16-22).

But there remained the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came upon the church at Pentecost, and the apostles performed great signs and wonders (Acts 2:43; Heb. 2:1-4). The rulers rejected the witness of the Spirit, and this brought final judgment. They had rejected the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and there were no more opportunities left.

This "sin against the Holy Spirit" cannot be committed today in the same way as Israel committed it, because the situation is different. The Spirit of God is bearing witness through the Word to the Person and work of Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit who convinces the world of sin (John 16:7-11). The Spirit can be resisted by unbelievers (Acts 7:51), but nobody knows that crisis hour (if there is one) when the Spirit stops dealing with a lost sinner.

Matt.21:11-14 seem like an appendix to the parable, but they are vitally important. The wedding garment was provided by the host so that everybody was properly attired and the poor did not feel conspicuous. Salvation is personal and individual. We must accept what God gives to us-the righteousness of Christ - and not try to make it on our own. Since these parables had a definite national emphasis, this personal emphasis at the end was most important.

The nation's leaders were guilty of spiritual blindness, hypocrisy, and deliberate disobedience to the Word. Instead of accepting this indictment from Jesus and repenting" they decided to attack Him and argue with Him. The result: judgment. We should be careful not to follow their example of disobedience.

Daily Bible Commentary (15 April-20 April 2013)

Monday – 15^th April

Topic: The King’s Demands

Read: Matthew 19:16–19
We Must Love Christ Supremely (19:16-26).
We cannot follow the King without paying a price. After all, He went to the cross for us! Have we the right to escape sacrifice and suffering? In this section, our Lord explains the rightful demands that He makes upon those who want to trust Him and be His disciples.

Each of the first three Gospels records this event. When we combine the facts, we learn that this man was rich, young, and probably the ruler of a synagogue. We can certainly commend this young man for coming publicly to Christ and asking about eternal matters. He seemed to have no ulterior motive and was willing to listen and learn. Sadly, he made the wrong decision.

The event seems to develop around several important questions .

'What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" (19:16-17) The man was obviously sincere, although his approach to salvation was centered on works and not faith. But this was to be expected among the Jews of that day. However, in spite of his position in society, his morality, and his religion, he felt a definite need for something more.

But our Lord's reply did not focus on salvation. He forced the young man to think seriously about the word good that he had used in addressing Jesus. "Only God is good," Jesus said. "Do you believe that I am good and therefore that I am God?" If Jesus is only one of many religious teachers in history, then His words carry no more weight than the pronouncements of any other religious leader. But if Jesus is good, then He is God, and we had better heed what He says.

Why did Jesus bring up the commandments? Did He actually teach that people receive eternal life by obeying God's Law? If anyone could keep the commandments, he certainly would enter into life. But no one can keep God's Law perfectly, "Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). Jesus did not introduce the Law to show the young man how to be saved, but to show him that he needed to be saved. The Law is a mirror that reveals what we are (James 1:22ft).

"Which  commandments?" (19:18-19) Was the young man being eva­sive? I don't think so. But he was making a mistake, for one part of God's Law cannot be separated from another part. To classify God's laws into "lesser" and" greater" is to miss the whole purpose of the Law. "For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). The Law represents the authority of God, and to disobey what we may think: is a minor law is still to rebel against His authority.

Of course, the young man thought only of external obedience. He forgot about the attitudes of the heart. Jesus had taught in the Sermon on the Mount that hatred was the moral equivalent of murder, and that lust was the equivalent of adultery. We rejoice that this young man had such good manners and morals. But we regret that he did not see his sin, repent, and trust Christ.

Tuesday – 16^th April

Topic: The King’s Demands

Read: Matthew 19:20 - 26

The one commandment that especially applied to him, Jesus did not quote: "Thou shalt not covet" (Ex. 20:17). The young man should have pondered all of the Commandments and not just the ones that Jesus quoted. Was he looking for easy discipleship? Was he being dishonest with himself? I believe that his testimony was sincere, as far as he knew. But he did not permit the light of the Word to penetrate deeply enough. Jesus felt a sudden love for this young man (Mark 10:21), so He con­tinued to try to help him.

"What lack I yet?' (19:20-22). No where in the Bible are we taught that a sinner is saved by selling his goods and giving the money away. Jesus never told Nicodemus to do this or any other sinner whose story is recorded in the Gospels. Jesus knew that this man was covetous; he loved material wealth. By asking him to sell his goods, Jesus was forcing him to examine his own heart and determine his priorities. With all of his commendable qualities, the young man still did not truly love God with all of his heart. Possessions were his god. He was unable to obey the command, "Go and sell. . . come and follow . . ."

The young man went away grieved, but he could have gone away in great joy and peace. We cannot love and serve two masters (Matt. 6:24ff). We can be sure that, apart from Christ, even the material possessions of life give no lasting joy or pleasure. It is good to have the things money can buy provided we do not lose the things 'that money cannot buy’. Unless this rich ruler eventually turned to Christ, he died without salvation, one of the "richest" men in the cemetery.

"Who then can be saved?" (19:23-26). The Jewish people of that day believed that riches were an evidence of God's blessing. They based this on the promises God gave the Jewish nation at the beginning of their history. It is true that God did promise material blessing if they obeyed, and material loss if they disobeyed (see Deut. 26-28). But in the infancy of the race, the only way God could teach them was through rewards and punishments. We teach young children in the same manner.

However, the highest kind of obedience is not based on a desire for reward or the fear of punishment. It is motivated by love. In His life and His teaching, Jesus tried to show the people that the inner spiritual blessings are far more important than the material gains. God sees the heart, and God wants to build character. Salvation is the gift of God in response to man's faith. Material riches are not a guarantee that God is pleased with a man.

The disciples, being good Jews, were amazed at the Lord's statement about riches. Their question reflected their theology: "If a rich man cannot be saved, what hope is there for the rest of us?" Of course, Jesus did not say that the possessing of wealth kept a man from the kingdom. Some manuscripts of Mark 10:24 read, "How hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God." This is certainly the import of our Lord's teaching. Abraham was a very wealthy man, yet he was a man of great faith. It is good to possess wealth if wealth does not possess you.

We cannot follow the King and live for worldly wealth. We cannot serve God and money, The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:6-10), Jesus Christ demands of all who will follow Him that they love Him supremely.

Wednesday – 17^th April

Topic: The King’s Demands

Read: Matthew 19:27 – 20:16

We Must Obey Him Unreservedly (19:27-20:16)

Peter was quick to sec the contrast between the wealthy ruler and the poor disciples. "We have forsaken all, and followed Thee; what shall we have therefore?" Jesus gave them a marvelous promise of rewards in this life and in the next. They would even share thrones when HE established His kingdom. Whatever good things they had forsaken for His sake would be returned to them a hundredfold. In other words, they were not making sacrifices-they were making investments. But not all of the dividends would be received in this life.

However, Jesus detected in Peter's question the possibility of a wrong motive for service, This was why He added the warning that some who were first in their own eyes would be last in the judgment, and some who were last would end up first. This truth was amplified in the parable of the workers in the vineyard.

This parable has nothing to do with salvation. The penny (a day's wages in that time) does not represent salvation, 'for nobody works for his salvation. Nor is the parable talking about rewards, for we are not all going to receive the same reward. "And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor" (1 Cor. 3:8).

The parable is emphasizing a right attitude in service. It is important to note that there were actually two kinds of workers hired that day: those who wanted a contract and agreed to work for a penny a day, and those who had no contract and agreed to take whatever the owner thought was right. The first laborers that he hired insisted on a contract.         

This explains why the householder paid the workers as he did: He wanted those who were hired first (who insisted on a contract) to see how much he paid the workers who were, hired later. It was one way the owner could show those workers how really generous he was.

Put yourself in the place of those workers who were hired first but paid last. They each expected to get a penny, because that was 'what they agreed to accept. But imagine their surprise when they saw the laborers who were hired last each receiving a penny! This meant their own wages should have been 12 pennies each!         .

But the three o'clock workers also received a penny-for only three hours of work. The men last in line quickly recalculated their wages: four pennies for the day's work. When the men hired at noon also were paid a penny, this cui the salary of the contract workers considerably, for now they would earn only two pennies.

But the Owner gave them one penny each. Of course, they complained! But they had no argument, because they had agreed to work for a penny. They received what they asked for. Had they trusted the goodness of the owner, they would have received far more. But they insisted on a contract.

Thursday – 18^th April

Topic: The King’s Demands

Read: Matthew 20:1-16

The lesson for Christ's disciples is obvious. We should not serve Him because we want to receive an expected reward, and we should not insist on knowing what we will get. God is infinitely generous and gracious and will always give us better than we deserve.

Now we can understand the perils that were hidden in Peter's question in verse 27. For one thing, we must not "Suppose" (20:10) that we will get something more if we really do not deserve it. It is possible to do the Father's work and yet not do HIS will from the heart (Eph. 6:6). If we serve Him only for the benefits (temporal and eternal), then we will miss the best blessings He has for us. We must trust Him unreservedly and believe that He will always give what is best.

There is the danger of pride. “What shall we have?" asked Peter. This parable warned him, "How do you know you will have anything?" Beware of overconfidence when it comes to the rewards God will give, for those first in their own eyes (and in the eyes of others) may end up last! Likewise, do not get discouraged; for those who consider themselves "unprofitable servants" may end up first.

Beware of the danger of watching 'other workers and measuring your­self by them. "Judge nothing before the time," Paul warns in I Corin­thians 4:5. We see the worker and the work, but God sees the heart.

Finally, we must beware of criticizing God and feeling that we have been left out. Had the early morning workers trusted the owner and not asked for an agreement, the owner would have given them much more. He was generous, but they would not trust him. They did not rejoice that others received more; instead, they were jealous and complained. The goodness of the Owner did not lead them to repentance (Rom. 2:4). It revealed the true character of their hearts: They were selfish! Whenever we find a complaining servant, we know he has not fully yielded to the master's will.

Friday – 8^th April

Topic: The King’s Demands

Read: Matthew 20:17-34

We Must Glorify Him Completely (20:17-34)

For the third time, Jesus announced His arrest, crucifixion, and resurrec­tion (see 16:21; 17:22). In the previous announcements, He had not specified how He would die. But now He clearly mentioned the cross. He also clearly mentioned His resurrection, but the message did not penetrate the disciples' hearts.

In contrast to this announcement of suffering and death we have the request of James and John and their mother, Salome. Jesus spoke about a cross, but they were interested in a crown. They wanted reserved seats on special thrones! We get the impression that the mother, Salome, was the real inspiration behind this request, and that she was interested in promot­ing her sons.

Before we criticize what they did, let's notice some commendable features in this event. For one thing, they did believe in prayer; and they dared to believe the promise Jesus had given about sitting on thrones (19:28). The word "regeneration" in that verse means "new birth," and refers to the new world over which Jesus and His followers will reign when He returns to earth. It must have taken faith on their part to believe He would establish these thrones, because He had just told them that He was going to die.

But there were several things wrong with their request. To begin with, it was born in ignorance. "Ye know not what ye ask," Jesus replied. Little did Salome realize that the path to the throne is a difficult one. James was the first of the disciples to be matyred , and John had to endure hard days on the Isle of Patmos. These three believers wanted their win, not God's will, and they wanted it their way.

Another factor was their lack of heavenly direction. They were think­ing like the world: James and John wanted to "lord it over" the other disciples the way the unsaved Gentile rulers lorded it over their subjects. Their request was fleshly (sensual), because they were selfishly asking for glory for themselves, not for the Lord. No doubt they felt relieved that they had gotten to Jesus with this request before Peter did!  

Finally, the request was not only of the world and the flesh, but it was of the devil. It was motivated by pride. Satan had sought a throne (Isa. 14:12-15) and had been cast down. Satan had offered Jesus a throne and had been refused (Matt. 4:8-11). Satan magnifies the end (a throne) but not the means to that end. Jesus warned Salome and her sons that the special thrones were available to those who were worthy of them. There are no shortcuts in the kingdom of God:

The result of this request was "indignation" on the part of the other disciples-probably because they had not thought of it first! The wisdom from above always leads to peace; the wisdom of this world leads to war (James 3: 13-4:3). Selfishness will only result in dissention and divi­sion.

Saturday – 20^th April

Topic: The King’s Demands

Read: Matthew 20:1-34

This disagreement gave Jesus the opportunity to teach a practical lesson of leadership. In His kingdom, we must not follow the examples of the world. Our example is Jesus, not some corporation president or wealthy celebrity. Jesus came as a servant; therefore, we should serve one another. He came to give His life; therefore, we should give our lives in service to Him and others.

The word minister in verse 26 simply means "a servant." Our English word "deacon" comes from it. The word Servant in verse 27 means "a slave." Not every servant was a slave, but every slave was a servant. It is sad to note in the church today that we have many celebrities, but very few servants. There are many who want to "exercise authority" (v. 25), but few who want to take the towel and basin and wash feet.

The key to greatness is not found in position or power, but in character.

We get a throne by paying with our lives, not by praying with our lips. We must identify with Jesus Christ in His service and suffering, for even He could not reach the throne except by way of the cross. The best commen­tary on this is Philippians 2:1-18.

To improve our praying we must improve our serving. If we are serving Him and others, then we will not be praying selfishly. If we honestly can say, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth, then He will say to us, "Speak, servant, for thy Lord heareth." If our prayers do not make us better servants, then there is something wrong with them.

Do our prayers make us easier to live with? The two disciples prayed selfishly and threw the whole fellowship into an uproar! Do our prayers make us more like Jesus Christ?

Do our prayers cost us anything? Prayer in the will of God does not mean escape; it means involvement. If our prayers do not bring us nearer to the cross, then they are out of God's will.

Salome learned her lesson. When Jesus was crucified, she was stand­ing near the cross (John 19:25, "his mother's sister' ') and sharing in His sorrow and pain. She did not see two thrones on either side of her Lord-she saw two thieves on two crosses. And she heard Jesus give her son, John, to His mother Mary. Salome's selfishness was rebuked, and she meekly accepted it.

The closing event of Matthew 20 is the healing of Bartimaeus and his friend, both of whom were blind (see Mark 10:46-52). Here Jesus put into practice what He had just taught the disciples. He became a servant to two rejected blind beggars. The crowds around Jesus tried to silence the two men. After all, what claim did they have on the great Teacher? But Jesus had compassion on them and healed them. He was the servant even of beggars.

This chapter contains some hard things for us to receive and practice. If we love the things of this world, we cannot love God supremely. If we are not yielded completely to His will, we cannot obey Him unreservedly. If we seek glory for ourselves, or if we compare ourselves with other believers, then we cannot glorify Him.

We cannot acknowledge Jesus as our King unless we love Him su­premely, obey Him unreservedly, and glorify Him completely. But if we do these things, we will share in His life and joy, and one day reign with Him!