Jesus Feeds the 5000 and Walks on Water; Beheading of John the Baptist

Continuing a study of the gospel accounts:

(Matthew 13:53) And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there.

In most of chapter 13, Matthew told of Jesus teaching in parables, mostly about the kingdom of heaven.  After He had finished those parables, He departed from there, that is, from the house in which He was, and the city of Capernaum, where He had been spending some time.

(54) And when He had come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where has this man gotten this wisdom and these mighty works?"

When Jesus came to His own country, that is Nazareth, where He had grown up and was educated, He taught in the synagogue there.  The same account in Mark 6:2 tells us that it was on the Sabbath that he taught them in their synagogue.  The people there were astonished at His teaching for they had seen Him grow up there, and would have known about His lack of formal education from whom they would have considered great learned teachers.  They couldn't imagine how "this man" came to have such wisdom.

(55) "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?"

Still wondering how "this man" could have such wisdom, the people discussed how he was only the carpenter's son.  His mother was Mary and His brothers were James, Joses, Simon, and Judas.  They knew exactly who He was, so how could He possibly have such wisdom?  I have to note again how the Catholics have to disregard yet another verse that implies Mary was not the eternal virgin.  Why is that even so important?  I believe in worshipping Mary as completely holy, it somewhat diminishes Christ.  There was no human on earth born to man who was holy and perfect, except for Jesus Christ, and that is because He was God incarnate.  Mary was a blessed woman because God chose her to be the vessel to bring forth the Messiah, but that is where it ends.  She was probably a good woman and a follower of Christ, but not holy and perfect; just like everyone else, her righteousness came from the sacrifice of Christ for her sins, as she surely had, just like every other human on earth.  

Yes, it is true that many times in scripture the term brother indicates a close relation, and not necessarily a brother.  However, in this case, the people were identifying "this man" as the son of Joseph, the carpenter, and Mary, and identifying His brothers.  It seems quite reasonable to believe these were the half-brothers of Jesus, the sons of Mary and Joseph.  The people would not have realized they were only half-brothers because at this point they assumed Jesus was the son of Joseph.  There is no reason not to take this scripture at face value, as there is no other scripture that backs up the claim that Mary remained a virgin all her life.  That is the way one can identify truths in the Bible, and not follow misinterpretations.  The word of God will always be confirmed by two or three scriptures.  "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Corinthians 13:1); and even that passage is repeated several times in scripture.  If there is some obscure passage that can be interpreted different ways, if the one obscure way is not confirmed elsewhere in the Bible, then that is not the right interpretation.

(56) "And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then has this man gotten all these things?"

Apparently, the people also knew Jesus's sisters.  They knew where He came from and all His family, so they just couldn't imagine how He had gotten all His wisdom.

(57) And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."

The people were offended by Jesus.  How could "this man" of humble birth and family's lowly means teach them, the proud and arrogant?  Jesus replied to them that a prophet was honored everywhere except in his own country and his own house.  His own countrymen and family had the additional stumbling block of knowing his origins and that prejudiced them against Him.  I can see the truth in this.  If my first cousin whom I grew up with suddenly professed such wisdom and miracles, I'd be wondering about that.  It is only through the Holy Spirit of God that we can know such truths, and have faith in those truths.  "No man can come to Me, except the Father who has sent Me draws him..." (John 6:44).  When Jesus would later ask His disciples who they thought He was, and Peter answered that He was "the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus told him he could have only known that through His Father in Heaven and that no mere human could know that (Matthew 16:17).  That is not to say that there is an elect few and that not everyone will be drawn; the Lord is not willing for any of us to perish, but wants all to come to Him (2 Peter 3:9).  He desires and calls us all, but some refuse to listen.

(58) And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Jesus did not do many miracles there because of the people's unbelief and unwillingness to even try to believe.  We will see that He did a few, but not many.

(Matthew 14:1) At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus.

At that time King Herod heard of the fame of Jesus.  This was not the same Herod who ruled at the time of Jesus's birth, but Herod Antipater or Antipas, the son of Herod the First or Great.  He was called a tetrarch because his father had divided his kingdom into four parts, and had bequeathed them to his sons.  Herod Antipater was the ruler of this fourth part, Galilee and Perea.

(2) And said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works show themselves in him."

King Herod said to his servants that this must have been John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded, added Mark in Mark 6:16.  His guilty conscience convinced him that Jesus must have been John the Baptist risen again possibly to torment him; and because he had risen from the dead, he was also able to perform miracles.

(3) For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias's sake, his brother Philip's wife. (4) For John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

Matthew then told about how Herod had come to behead John.  Herod had imprisoned John for Herodias's sake, the wife of his brother Philip, and with whom he had taken and lived with in adultery.  John had told Herod that is was not lawful for him to have Herodias, strong words to say to a king; and this angered Herod and he put John in prison.

(5) And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude because they counted him as a prophet.

Herod would have put John to death, but because the people considered John a prophet, he was afraid to go against the people and do so.

(6) But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. (7) Whereupon, he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask.

Matthew continued telling how it was that John came to be beheaded by Herod.  It had been at Herod's birthday celebration, and Herodias's daughter had danced for Herod and the guests.  Herod had been pleased with her dancing and had sworn to give her whatever she asked in return for her so pleasing him.

(8) And she, being before instructed by her mother, said, "Give me here John the Baptist's head on a charger."

Herodias's daughter, having been before instructed by her mother, asked for John the Baptist's head on a platter right then, not giving Herod any time to think it over.  Her mother had been greatly angered by John's words against her adulterous relationship with Herod.

(9) And the king was sorry; nevertheless for the oath's sake, and those who sat with him at the meal, he commanded it to be given to her.

The king felt sorrow, perhaps because he realized John was a good man, and he knew him to be highly regarded by the people as a prophet.  However, because he had rashly and foolishly sworn an oath to Herodias's daughter before all his guests who witnessed his oath, he commanded that John's head be given to her.

(10) And he sent and had John beheaded in prison. (11) And his head was brought on a charger and given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother.

Herod sent an executioner, so said Mark in his account in Mark 6:27, who beheaded him in the prison.  Then his head was brought to Herodias's daughter, and she gave it to her mother.

(12) And his disciples came and took up the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

John's disciples came and took his body and buried it.  They then went and told Jesus about it.  

(13) When Jesus heard it, He departed by ship to a deserted place away; and when the people had heard of it, they followed Him on foot out of the cities.

When Jesus heard the news about Herod thinking He was John the Baptist risen from the dead, He departed by ship to a deserted place to avoid Herod.  This was not because He feared Herod, but because the time for His death had not yet come.  When the people heard where He had gone, they followed Him on foot out of the cities to the deserted place to which He had gone.

(14) And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.

Jesus "went forth," either out of his ship, or from a secluded place within the deserted place to which He had gone, and saw the great multitude of people, which was about 5000 men, besides women and children, as we are told later.  Jesus was moved with compassion for them, probably seeing that they had traveled so far on foot to come to Him, and knowing their infirmities and that they were lost sheep in need of a good shepherd.  He healed the sick among the multitude.

(15) And when it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."

When it was evening, Jesus's disciples came to Him and encouraged Him to send the multitude away, because they were in a deserted place and the time for the evening meal had past, and the people needed time to go into the villages and buy themselves food.

(16) But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to depart; you give them something to eat."

Jesus told them that there was no need for the people to be sent away, and He instructed them to feed the people themselves.  I love Adam Clarke's commentary on this verse, in his Commentary on the Bible:

"Should we say, Lord, how shall thy poor, feeble ministering servants feed so many hungry souls as attend thy word! Begin at the command of Jesus - make the attempt - divide what you have - and the bread of God shall be multiplied in your hands, and all shall eat and be satisfied."

(17) And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."

The disciples told Jesus that they only had five loaves of bread and two fish, demonstrating the impossibility of feeding so large a crowd.

(18) He said, "Bring them here to Me."

Jesus instructed His disciples to bring the fish and the loaves to Him.

(19) And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitude.

Jesus instructed the multitude of people to sit down on the grass.  He then proceeded to take the loaves and fish and looked up to heaven, probably raising the loaves and fishes up so that the people could see what He did.  He said a blessing over the food.  He could have performed a miracle without first blessing, but I believe He was teaching the people to be ever thankful of what they had, and to bring their attention to what was about to happen to that food.  After He blessed, He broke the bread, and gave the loaves to His disciples who in turn, gave them to the people, and we can naturally assume that they gave out the fish, as well.

(20) And they all ate and were filled, and they took up the fragments that remained, twelve baskets full. (21) And they who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Miraculously, 5000 men, besides women and children with them, and Jesus and His disciples, all ate and were fully satisfied.  When they took up the scraps that were left, they filled twelve baskets, more than when they began!  Again Adam Clarke had an interesting observation.  It was customary at that time for the Jews to carry a basket with them at all times.  By the number given here, it seems reasonable to assume that each disciple filled his basket with the scraps that remained.  What a beautiful physical reminder that what they gave would be given back with even more!  

(22) And immediately Jesus compelled his disciples to get into a ship and to go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

After all the people had eaten and the scraps were gathered, Jesus instructed His disciples to board a ship and go to the other side of the sea while He stayed and sent the multitude of people away.

(23) And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up in a mountain apart to pray, and when the evening was come He was there alone.

According to John's account of this event, it took the people some time to finally leave, even after Jesus had instructed them to leave.  At least some of the people were still there the next day, apparently waiting for Jesus's return.  Jesus had gone up in a mountain away from where He had fed the people, to be alone and pray.  It was the next evening that He was still there alone, which might refer to the fact that all the people had finally gone.  

(24) But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary.

The next evening when Jesus was alone in the mountain, the ship that held His disciples was in the midst of a stormy sea being tossed about by waves caused by the wind.

(25) And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

The night was divided into four periods or watches of three hours each.  The first watch began about sunset at 6:00 and went till 9:00; the second watch was from 9:00 to midnight; the third from midnight to 3:00 a.m., and the fourth from 3:00 till 6:00 in the morning.  It was sometime after 3:00 in the morning when Jesus walked out on the stormy sea to His disciples' ship.

(26) And when His disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a spirit," and they cried out for fear.

When Jesus's disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were afraid, thinking He must be a ghost or some such apparition, and they cried out in fear.

(27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer; it is I; do not be afraid."

Jesus spoke immediately to His disciples to calm and reassure them that it was He coming to them, and they should not be afraid.

(28) And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, bid me to come to You on the water."

Peter answered Jesus, saying if it was really Him, to bid him to come to Him on the water.  There are different ways to look at this.  Was Peter doubting the Lord's word, and looking for solid proof?  That is what it appears to be at first glance.  However, digging deeper, observe what it was Peter asked of Jesus.  "If it be Your will, let me walk on the water to you."  He didn't ask Jesus to prove who He was out on the water.  Peter wanted to go to Him on the water, but asked first if He could call him.  We should never rashly and presumptuously rush into dangerous circumstances, but we should be willing to if we are called.  Peter wished to be called to Jesus on the water.

(29) And He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

Jesus, in fact, did call Peter to come to Him on the water.  Peter came down out of the ship and indeed, walked on water to go to Jesus.

(30) But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, "Lord, save me!"

Peter's faith in the word of Jesus bidding him allowed him to walk on water.  However, when he took his focus off Jesus and onto his surroundings, namely the mighty wind, he faltered and began to sink.  He cried out to Jesus to save him.

(31) And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

I love the fact that even though Jesus claimed Peter to have little faith, as soon as Peter called on Jesus to save him, He did!  Jesus immediately stretched out His hand and caught Peter before he sank.  First, He saved him; then He rebuked him.  Note He called him of little faith, not of no faith.  Peter indeed had faith enough to walk on water, but he let his surroundings make him doubt.  That is why Jesus rebuked him; why did he doubt that Jesus would continue to hold him above the water even when the winds got rough?  What a perfect illustration of how we should trust Jesus.  So often, we only have faith just so far; then when things look really bad, we give up on the faith.  Jesus says do not doubt Him!

(32) And when they had come into the ship, the wind ceased.

When Jesus and Peter got back into the ship, the wind ceased, which was undoubtedly by the power of Jesus to calm the wind.  However, He did not calm it until He had gotten back into the ship, as He used it for a lesson in faith for Peter and His disciples who witnessed it.

(33) Then they who were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

They who were in the ship were not only the other disciples, but most likely the ship's captain and any servants or workers aboard the ship.  This incident surely confirmed to the disciples that Jesus was truly the Son of God, their long awaited Messiah.  However, because the verse said "they who were in the ship" and not "the disciples," I believe it might have meant that the men on the ship other than the disciples came to the realization that Jesus was surely the Son of God.

(34) And when they had gone over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.

When the ship with Jesus and the disciples had crossed over the sea, they came to Gennesaret.

(35) And when the men of that place had knowledge of Him, they sent word out into all that surrounding country, and brought to Him all who were diseased.

When the men of Gennesaret had knowledge of who Jesus was and that He was in their country, they sent that word out to all the region, and they brought to Him all who were sick and diseased.

(36) And besought Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

The people who were brought to Jesus asked only that they be allowed to touch the hem of His garment, as the woman with the issue of blood did in Matthew 9:20.  This demonstrated their great faith that they would be healed by that touch, but also signified their unworthiness to be in His presence.  Indeed, Jesus perfectly healed all who touched His hem.  He not only granted their request, but made them all perfectly whole; He didn't merely partly cure them, He made them perfectly whole.

This chapter covered the beheading of John the Baptist in retrospect, as when Herod heard of Jesus, he assumed He was John the Baptist risen from the dead.  That was his conscience dealing with him because he had killed an innocent man--a man ever faithful to the word of God, even when it meant his life, a man revered by the people; and Herod had him killed because of a rash foolish oath he made to a silly dancing girl, and his pride would not allow him to renege on his word.  It is no wonder his conscience haunted him!  Although many lessons can be learned from the events surrounding John's death, this chapter covers two of the more memorable miracles that Jesus performed--the feeding of the 5000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and Jesus walking on water.  Just as Jesus healed perfectly, He fed the multitude more than enough to fill them all with food left over, demonstrating once again that Christ is all we need (2 Corinthians 12:9) and He supplies us with more than we need (Ephesians 3:20):  "'...My grace is sufficient for you...'" (said Jesus) "...who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think..."

This chapter contains what is probably Jesus's most famous miracle, that is walking on water.  He demonstrated that we also have the power to do miracles if He asks us, and if we keep our eyes only on Him, and not our surroundings, which is the world governed by Satan and he will always seek to distract us from Jesus.  Jesus is all we need to persevere, and with Him, in His will, we can do miraculous things (Philippians 4:13).

Jesus Teaches the Kingdom of Heaven in Parables

 Continuing a study of the Gospels:

(Matthew 13:1) The same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea side.

In the last chapter Jesus appears to have gone into a house to continue His teaching.  Although we had not been specifically told that in scripture, the last chapter ended with His mother and brothers standing outside wishing to talk to Him.  This verse confirms that He had indeed been inside a house at that point.  He now left the house, probably spoke to His mother and brothers, and then went and sat by the seaside.  This would have been the Sea of Galilee, or the Sea of Tiberias, as it was sometimes called.  Galilee was the name of that particular region in Israel, and Tiberias was a city on the coast, as was Capernaum, which is where we had been told Jesus had gone (Matthew 9:1).

(2) And great multitudes were gathered to Him, so that He went into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

A great multitude of people gathered around Him, so that He boarded a boat to escape the crowd and so that He could be easily heard when He spoke by all the people who stood on the shore.

(3) And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, a sower went out to sow."

Jesus began to speak in parables to the people.  He began with a parable about a man, a sower, going out to sow.

(4) "And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them."

Jesus continued the parable.  While the man sowed his seeds, some of them fell by the wayside, outside the plowed ground prepared for them, likely onto a hard beaten path.  There the birds came and easily devoured them.

(5) "Some fell on stony places where they did not have much earth, and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth."

Other seeds fell on stony places that did not have much dirt, and they immediately sprang up, sooner than others because they had little ground covering them.

(6) "And when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away."

Those seeds that sprang up in the stony places were scorched by the sun, and withered and died because they had no roots.

(7) "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them."

Still other seeds fell among thorns where the thorns grew and choked out the little plants.

(8) "But others fell on good ground and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold."

Other seeds fell into the good plowed and prepared fertile ground where they brought forth fruit, sometimes as much as a hundred times as much grain as planted.

(9) "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Jesus ended the parable by exhorting those "with ears" to really hear, contemplate, and understand the parable.  Jesus would later explain it.

(10) And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"

His disciples came to Jesus and asked Him why he spoke to the people in parables.

(11) He answered and said to them, "Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."

Jesus began His answer by confirming to them that they had been given the spirit to know and understand at least some of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but it had not yet been revealed to those people in the multitude.

(12) "For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he will have more abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him."

Jesus said that to those who had knowledge of the mysteries of heaven, more would be given to them; but to those who had none, even what they had would be taken away, which I believe must mean what was perhaps attempted to be given and was not truly accepted by the person, or perhaps only a showy pretense of following Christ, that shallow insincere knowledge would be taken away.  How true this fact is!  I don't believe as some commentators did that this was because the will of the Father was to give to some and not to others.  I believe it is a natural order of things.  When I was a baby Christian, I could read the Bible and only understand superficial things, but as I grew as a Christian, I could read the same passages and be shown more and more.  To this day, the exact same passage studied before will reveal even more mysteries!  To those who do not care to be in closer communion with God, those superficial things will soon disappear because they have no roots, so to speak.

(13) "Therefore I speak to them in parables because seeing, they do not see, and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand."

I believe what Jesus meant by this was that these people had already been given much by His presence and His miracles and teaching thus far, and they did not use or take to heart what had been given them at that point.  They saw Him, they heard Him, and they didn't understand a thing.

(14) "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'By hearing, you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing, you shall see, and shall not perceive.'"

Jesus said that in those people, prophecy was fulfilled, and He quoted Isaiah 6:9.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote that the proper meaning of the original Greek word "anapleroo" was actually "again fulfilled."  This prophecy was fulfilled in the Jews in the time of Isaiah, but was at this time being fulfilled again in their posterity.  Jesus Christ was sent to them, they heard Him and saw His miracles, but they would not understand because they preferred the darkness of the world to the light of Jesus Christ.  God would not force them to accept the salvation that was offered.

(15) "'For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.'"

Jesus continued quoting Isaiah 6:10.  The people's hearts had grown fat and foolish.  Their ears were inattentive and half-asleep.  They themselves had stubbornly closed their eyes to the truth of God.  Had they not been so stubborn and wise in their own eyes, they might would have seen and heard the truth of Jesus Christ, understood their sinful condition, and turned to Jesus and be converted and healed by Him.  

(16) "But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear."

Jesus told His disciples that they were blessed to understand what they saw and heard.  They and we, are truly blessed to have had Jesus in our lives, much more blessed than our forefathers who had only the law.

(17) "For verily, I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see, and have not seen them; and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."

In confirmation that they were truly blessed by having Christ in their midst, Jesus told them that many prophets and righteous men before them had more than desired, but actually coveted, to see the time of the Messiah.  Abraham rejoiced to see the day of the Messiah (John 8:56), Jacob longed and waited for God's salvation (Genesis 49:18), and David wrote psalms about the Lord's salvation of Israel.  In Hebrews' chapter on the faith heroes, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Rahab, and many others, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13).

(18) "Therefore hear the parable of the sower."

With the added details of this account from Mark and Luke, we found the disciples asked for the meaning of the parable, and Jesus almost rebuked them for not knowing the meaning of it, and asking how they would then know the meaning of any parable.  He made it sound as if this were one of the simplest parables to understand.  Since it was given to them to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, Jesus called upon them to really hear and understand the spiritual meaning of the parable of the sower.  By truly understanding this parable, they would most likely have the foundation that would help them understand more difficult parables.

(19) "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside."

Jesus began to explain the parable of the sower.  This first comparison seems quite apropos for the situation at that moment.  Jesus exhorted His disciples to listen and understand so that they not be as those seeds thrown by the wayside.  He explained that when one heard the word of the kingdom of God and did not understand it, Satan, represented by the birds, came and quickly snatched away what was meant to be sown in the heart.  Because he did not understand, that truth could not take root, and he could easily be dissuaded from the truth.

(20) "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (21) Yet he has no root in himself and endures only for awhile; for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles."

Jesus explained the seed that was sown on stony places.  That was the person who received the word and immediately sprang up with joy.  He endured for awhile, but as soon as things got hot, persecution represented by the sun, because the truth was not deeply rooted in him, he withered away.  

(22) "He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, chokes the word, and he becomes unfruitful."

Likewise he who received seed among the thorns was not fruitful; not because of persecution or tribulation, but because he let the sinful pleasures of the world choke out the word.

(23) "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, which bears fruit and produces some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

Finally, Jesus explained, the good seed that fell into good ground was he who heard the word, understood it, and let it take root within his heart.  This well-rooted seed would produce much fruit, living according to the word and doing good work for the kingdom of heaven.  Note that the good seed doesn't always produce the same amount.  Among fruitful Christians, some are more fruitful than others.  This might be because of where they have been placed with regard to time or station, but all should be aiming to produce as much as possible.

(24) Another parable He put forth to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, (25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."

Jesus began another parable to his disciples.  He likened the kingdom of heaven to a man sowing good seed in his field.  Indeed, the word of God is the best seed!  However, while the caretakers of the field slept, the spiritual sleep that often overtakes Christians who are not diligent, Satan, the enemy, sowed tares, grass resembling wheat but unfruitful weeds, among the good wheat, the Christians.  This is certainly representative of Satan's half-truths that slip into a society and even into churches.  He sows the half-truths, these things that look like wheat or that sound good to the lukewarm sleeping Christians, and then moves on to another target. 

(26) "But when the crop sprouted up and brought forth fruit, the tares also appeared."

Those weeds were not truly known until the crop sprouted and brought forth fruit, and then the tares were discovered as well.

(27) "So the servants of the household came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'"

Those servants who knew that the owner had sown only good seed asked him why there were tares also.  What a perfect example of people who want to reject Christ because of what they see Christians do!  God indeed sowed perfect seed, but so-called Christians planted by the enemy are within the Christian community.  

(28) "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' (29) But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares, you also root up the wheat with them.'"

The owner told them an enemy had planted the tares.  A simple answer to the age-old question about the origin of evil--the enemy, Satan, did it!  The servants asked if they should go out and gather up the tares, but the owner said no, because they might also accidentally root up some wheat with them, or at the very least, trod upon and greatly disturb the good wheat.

(30) "'Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

The owner of the field said to let both grow together until harvest time.  It would be at that time that the owner would instruct all the tares to be bound together and burned, and the wheat to be gathered into his barn.  In this, Christ teaches us that we should expect evil in the world and in the church.  However, it is not for us to try to weed out all the evil.  That is not to say that there aren't to be laws governing a civil society; certainly lawbreakers are to be held accountable in the world.  This parable speaks more to the church, those calling themselves Christians, but who are not.  As only God knows the heart of man, He is to be the ultimate judge at His harvest time at the end of the world.  Attempts for man to gather all the tares would surely injure good Christianity as man is not able to discern the true hearts of men.  Mistakes would be made and discord created among Christians.  Is this not what will happen in the end when the world is forced to accept a doctrine that is anti-Christ?  Is that not what is beginning to happen now in our world?  Mere men are trying to judge the hearts and motives of a person just because of the person they support for president, just because they choose to be patriotic, or because they choose to live by Biblical rules.  God, in due time, will be the one to separate the tares from the wheat and throw them into the fire, and then gather His wheat into His kingdom.

This also explains why good things are allowed to happen to bad people, and why bad things happen to good people.  God lets them grow together in this world.  That's not to say that God doesn't act in this world to achieve His purposes.  He is continually working things for good according to His will (Romans 8:28), but He also sends rain on the just and the unjust alike (Matthew 5:45); and we were instructed in that passage to love our enemies, do good to them, bless them, and pray for them.  In our doing that, we are planting seeds, or fertilizing them, seeds that might have been taken with the tares prematurely.  God will do the weeding at His proper harvest time.

(31) Another parable He put forth to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. (32) Which indeed is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches."

Jesus put forth another parable, likening the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed a tiny mustard seed in his field.  Called the least of seeds because it was so small, yet when it was grown was the greatest among herbs.  That may not be absolute in all cases of herbs, but in relation to its tiny size, it did indeed grow great in their warm climate at that time.  It grew into a tree and was so large as to have birds nesting in it.  The kingdom of heaven on earth began as a small seed, but would grow universally in the world; a small seed planted in the heart of a man can likewise grow great in the soul of the Christian.

(33) Another parable He spoke to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened."

Like the previous parable, this one demonstrated how from a small beginning the kingdom of heaven on earth would grow to ultimate universality.  A woman hid small measures of leaven or yeast into one place, yet it fermented and allowed the dough to be inflated by the gas yeast produces.  

In studying old commentaries on this verse, at first I fell into the trap of believing that it took the woman representing the church to knead the dough to make it grow, as some of the commentators wrote.  I purposely study old commentaries because I know that too many in this modern age follow false doctrines, and I wanted to know what the scholars of old thought about the scriptures.  However, in this case, some actually believed it took the church to make the kingdom of heaven grow.  While I am sure that it does grow with the church, and that that is God's purpose in the church, there is no person necessary for the gospel to grow.  Verse 33 above says nothing about the woman kneading the dough; it states she simply hid it in the meal and eventually the whole was leavened.  I had to look up an article on yeast to see if it could indeed leaven an entire loaf by itself, and indeed it can.  It takes 12 hours or more, but letting the dough just sit and ferment will allow enzymes in the flour and the gas yeast produces to create a sort of slow-motion process of self-kneading.  Again, I don't want to minimize the church and God's purpose in it, but it simply isn't necessary for the gospel to grow.  God and His Holy Spirit in the hearts of men will make it grow just as yeast can "magically" make a lump of dough grow.

(34) All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them, (35) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world."

At last we had read that the disciples had come to Jesus to ask about why He taught in parables.  Then we were told of other parables He told, so either He turned from His disciples to continue speaking to the multitude in other parables, or else the previous verses tell us all the other parables Jesus had told the multitude before the disciples came to Him to ask for an explanation.  On this particular occasion, Jesus had only spoken to the multitude in parables; He spoke to them in no other way, fulfilling a prophecy.  Then Jesus paraphrased the prophecy by Asaph in Psalm 78:2, "I will open My mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old."  Although that particular psalm seems to contain only a history of the Jews, the psalmist began by calling it a parable, and that he would utter dark sayings of old, which Jesus here called things that had been kept secret since the foundation of the world.  Underneath the history, since the foundation of the world, there have been truths for all time which were not fully revealed and understood until the Messiah came, died, and rose again.

(36) Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house; and His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."

After He told all these parables, Jesus sent the multitude away, left the boat, and returned to the house from which he had left in verse 1.  His disciples came to Him and asked that He explain the parable of the wheat and tares.  They didn't ask about the parables of the mustard seed or the leaven; perhaps they understood those, but it seems the tares may have been a mystery to them.

(37) He answered and said to them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man."

Jesus began by explaining that the sower of the good seed was He Himself, whom He called the Son of man.  In the same account in Luke, Luke said Jesus further explained that the seed was the word of God.

(38) "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one."

The field where the sower sowed his good seed was the world.  The good seed was the word of God growing into the children of the kingdom of heaven.  The tares were the children of Satan.

(39) "The enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels."

Satan was the enemy who sowed the tares.  The harvest was the end of the world, and the reapers at the harvest were the angels.

(40) "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world."

Jesus said that just as it was with the tares that were gathered and burned at harvest time, so it would be at the end of this world.

(41) "The Son of man will send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do iniquity, (42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

Just as the sower sent out his reapers to gather the tares, the Lord Jesus would send out His angels to gather out of His Gospel church "all things that offend," which is the way the KJV translators translated the original Greek words "pas skandalon."  Indeed "pas" can mean "all things" or "everything," but it also means "everyone."  The meaning of "skandalon" is obvious when you see the word; Jesus's angels will gather out of His church everyone who was a scandal to Him and His gospel, and His church, and by their evil actions offended God and His law, and lay stumbling blocks in the way of the children of God.  Also gathered as tares would be those who "do iniquity," which of course, means "lawlessness" and "wickedness."  They would all be gathered together and cast into a furnace of fire representing hell fire.  

There is much discussion among scholars as to whether or not there is actually a place with eternal fire, or if it was a metaphor for the eternal wrath of God upon the wicked; but you can be sure, there will be "wailing and gnashing of teeth."  Wailing, of course, represents the cries of anguish and despair, and the gnashing of teeth representing inexpressible pain (like that of being burned alive eternally) and tortures of mind.  How awful to think about it!  To those who would say that a loving God would never throw His people into such eternal torment, I would say rather that God separated those who rejected Him from His own, His children that He saved from an eternity without Him.  A perfect and righteous God cannot be in the presence of such wickedness, but He loved His creation, and provided a way for them to be with Him even though they were so sinful.  That was by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and He Himself covered their sins with His precious blood that He sacrificed for their sins, so that God did not see the wickedness, but only that precious atonement for their sins.  Rather than so much a throwing into the fire, I would suggest that it is a throwing down to stay where you are, eternally separated from God and those who followed Him.  Imagine a world only led by Satan, with no love or moral laws; it could only result in eternal destruction, desolation, and hell fire!

(43) "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

"The righteous," not righteous in their own right, but because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, will then, after the tares have been taken away, be able to shine forth in the robe of Christ's righteousness in their Father's kingdom.  No longer will they be oppressed or reproached for their beliefs, no longer will they live among immorality and wickedness, no longer will they be afflicted by afflictions and persecutions, but will shine as Christ Himself.  What an awesome thought!  We horrid humans can shine like Christ?!  Only because of what He did for us.  How on earth can such a magnificent and loving act be rejected?  Jesus exhorted those who heard Him, to seriously consider and take to heart what He had told them.

(44) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man has found and hidden, and for the joy of it, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Jesus gave another illustration of the kingdom of heaven on earth, that glorious gospel of Christ.  He likened it to a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and hid in his heart, contemplating the glory of it and counting the cost of purchase.  He was overjoyed with it and gave all he had to have that treasure, just as a person overjoyed with salvation for the soul readily renounces his sins, abandons his evil companions, and relinquishes hope of salvation through his own righteousness, giving up all to have salvation in Christ.

(45) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man seeking beautiful pearls; (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

This parable is much like the previous one, except that this man was actively seeking a beautiful pearl, representing a person searching for happiness, truth, and salvation.  When he found it, he was happy to give up all for it.

(47) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered some of every kind; (48) Which, when it was full, they drew to shore and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away."

This parable is more like the one about the wheat and tares.  Just as the wheat and tares grew together, so the net gathered all kinds.  Then when it was full, representing the full end for the world, the sailors drew to shore and sat down and judged the good from the bad, just as God's judgment will do in the end.  The sailors gathered the good into vessels, and cast the bad away, just as God will do in the judgment.

(49) "So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just; (50) And shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

Indeed, Jesus said that would be the way it would be at the end of the world.  The angels, represented by the sailors, would come forth and cut the wicked away from the just, and would cast them into the furnace of fire, what we would call hell.  Again Jesus used the term "wailing and gnashing of teeth" to describe how awful it would be for the wicked to be separated from God's children.  Jesus would not have kept talking about a furnace of fire if there weren't such a place.  It's true that it probably isn't what we imagine, a place in the middle of the earth with fire and a devil with a pitchfork, but you can be sure there is a hell of some sort.  If there isn't a continual material fire, you can be sure Jesus meant to teach that this would be a proper representation of the sufferings of the lost.  Jesus would not deceive us or use words only to torment us. He would not talk of hell-fire which had no existence, nor would He hold out frightful images merely to terrify mankind.  Because Jesus spoke of hell, you can be sure there is a hell.  He said that the wicked shall suffer terribly, so you may be sure they will suffer.  If Jesus did not mean to deceive mankind, then there is certainly a hell, and the wicked will be punished.  The lost should certainly take note and be alarmed!

(51) Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."

Indeed, Jesus wanted to make sure His disciples understood the things He had taught them about the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus's question showed His disciples just how important what He had taught them was, and that He would have furthered explained if it was necessary.  They told Him that they had understood.

(52) Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed on the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old."

In this case, the scribe Jesus spoke about was one who had been instructed on the kingdom of heaven, just as His disciples had been instructed and said they understood.  Every Christian teacher or minister of Christ who understood the gospel of the kingdom of heaven was like a householder who stored up all kinds of treasures, new and old, and brought them out as needed.  His treasure was his store of divine truth, out of which he could bring forth the old truths in new ways, with newer illustrations.  The householder in this illustration was not a miser who kept his treasures to himself, but stored up all treasures, old and new, to bring out and use to benefit others.

I will end this post just short of the end of this very long chapter, because it has been so long, and because it neatly ends Jesus's teaching of the kingdom of heaven at that time.  He used many examples to describe the kingdom of heaven to make sure His disciples thoroughly understood it.  Understanding this New Testament teaching would help them better understand the Old Testament teachings and the law.  Likewise, understanding the Old Testament law helped them better understand men's need for the New Testament covenant.  By their knowledge of sin and their conviction of it, they could better understand their need for the Gospel of Christ, their only salvation from sin.   

Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees and Acknowledges His True Brothers and Sisters

Continuing a Bible study of the gospel accounts:

(Matthew 12:22) Then was brought to Him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb; and He healed him so that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw.

Chapter 12 of Matthew is rather long, so I divided it into two posts.  In the first part of Matthew 12, Jesus continued teaching and healing.  He had withdrawn from the city to avoid the evil schemes of the Pharisees as it was not yet time for His suffering and death.  The account in Mark stated that He withdrew to the sea of Galilee.  It was there people brought to Him a person that was demon-possessed and blind and unable to speak.  Jesus healed the man and he could both see and speak.

(23) And all the people were amazed and said, "Is this not the Son of David?"

The people were amazed at this healing, and began to ask among themselves if Jesus was the Son of David, meaning their long-awaited Messiah, the Son of David.

(24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man does not cast out devils except by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."

Leave it to the judgmental and probably envious Pharisees, when they heard of the incident, to say that Jesus could only cast out devils by the power of Satan, the prince of the devils.  Why the one who possessed people with demons would want to remove them seems a paradox.  The Pharisees could not deny that Jesus did, in fact, perform miracles, but they felt they had to explain it away somehow, and this was the best they could do.

(25) And Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand."

Although the Pharisees obviously did not say it to Jesus, He knew their thoughts.  He told them that every kingdom divided against itself would be destroyed (from within); every city or house divided against itself would not stand.  I can't help but think about the situation with our country at this present time.  We are a divided country, and unfortunately, it seems our very leaders are stoking the flames of division so that we will indeed fall.

(26) "And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?"

Jesus's point, of course, was that if Satan cast himself out, he was certainly divided, and his kingdom would not be able to stand.

(27) "And if I, by Beelzebub, cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges."

Jesus went on to ask them, that if it were true that He cast out devils by Beelzebub, then by whom did their children, their disciples, exorcise demons?  He asserted they would be the judges of this issue.  The point was, of course, that if He worked for Satan, then so would the disciples of the Pharisees who also cast out devils.  Those disciples would tell them by whom it was that they could cast out demons; in that the Pharisees' absurd accusation would be judged.

(28) "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you."

However, Jesus continued, if He cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then no doubt, the kingdom of God had come to them, as both He and John the Baptist had declared was at hand.  If God expelled Satan from his dominion over people, then His reign had indeed come. 

(29) "Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house."

In this, Jesus was speaking of Himself coming into the strong man's house, that world where the prince of darkness ruled, and plundering his goods, his possessed souls.  He could only take those souls if He had bound Satan, the strong man.  By His casting out of demons and healing, He proved that He had bound Satan who had possessed the demon-possessed, and therefore, He must be from God.

(30) "He who is not with Me is against Me, and He who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."

In this, Jesus was saying that there was no neutral territory, no riding of the fence.  One must be fully with Christ, or he is against Him.  Christ is the good shepherd who gathers His sheep, souls, to Him.  Satan is the wolf who scatters the sheep.  Those who do not work with Christ to do His work and gather souls, is in league with Satan and helping to scatter souls.  

(31) "Therefore I say to you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven men."

Jesus told them that all manner of sin and even blasphemy would be forgiven men, that is, of course, if they repented, but blaspheming the Holy Spirit would not be forgiven.  In this case, that was attributing those miracles to the power of the devil, those things they consciously knew were the works of the Holy Spirit.

(32) "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."

Jesus said that even speaking against Him, Christ Jesus, it could be forgiven if the perpetrator repented, but speaking against the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven.  I think it's amazing that one could blaspheme Jesus and be forgiven, but not the Holy Spirit.  I believe that is because to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, one has to know Him.  An unsaved person might blaspheme the person of Jesus, but the Holy Spirit comes after that person has received salvation in Jesus.  To blaspheme the Holy Spirit once a person knows that Spirit of God, would be to reject that Spirit that has once inhabited that soul; that seems to be the unpardonable sin, according to Jesus.  The Holy Spirit wouldn't have actually dwelt in these Pharisees yet; He would come after Jesus's death and resurrection.  However, these men knew in their hearts that Jesus's miracles were by the Holy Spirit of God, yet they attributed them to Satan.  Additionally, Jesus knew the hearts of men, and knew whether they would have blasphemed the Holy Spirit had He dwelt in them; and they most assuredly would have because they were trying to accuse Jesus.

(33) "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt, for a tree is known by its fruit."

The original word "poieo" that was translated as "make" actually has more of the sense of "agree".  Rather than actually actively making a tree and its fruit good or bad, the sense is that they should agree that either both the tree and its fruit are good, or they both are bad.  If the fruit is good, then so is the tree; if the fruit is bad, then the tree is said to be bad.  Therefore one can tell whether or not a tree is good by its fruit.  They should know Jesus by His fruits; by converting sinners to God, they must know that He is good and was sent by God.

(34) "O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Jesus called the Pharisees vipers--deceitful, hurtful, poisonous creatures.  Therefore, how could they, being evil, possibly say good things?  While they might sometimes speak things that sounded good, it wouldn't take long for their speech to betray them.  That is because they could not help but speak what was within their hearts.  They might try to deceive, but hypocrites at length will betray themselves with their own mouths.

(35) "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."

The original word "ekballo" which was translated as "brings forth" actually has a more forceful meaning, "eject".  A good man with a good heart can't help but spontaneously speak the good things of his heart, which obviously come from the Spirit of God.  Likewise, an evil man with an evil heart will undoubtedly spew out evil things.

(36) "But I say to you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account of it in the day of judgment."

Wow!  Jesus said, not only profane and blasphemous words, but idle words, vain unprofitable talk, thoughtless and useless and not edifying, would have to be explained in the day of judgment.  This seems to encompass the commandments against taking the Lord's name in vain and bearing false witness against one's neighbor, as well as gossip, about which the Bible has a lot to say.

(37) "For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned."

Words indicate the state of the heart, and we know that God judges the hearts of men; therefore it becomes obvious that by a man's words, he will be judged by God.

(38) Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, "Master, we want to see a sign from you."

According to this same account in Luke, these were not the same Pharisees, but others who asked Jesus for a sign from heaven to prove that He truly was from God.  They called Him "Master," but the word more usually meant "Teacher."

(39) But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall be no sign given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah."

Jesus called them an adulterous generation, meaning their hearts wandered away from God and to the lusts of the world.  They didn't need another sign!  They had already seen enough to know He was from God.  Had their hearts not been estranged from God, they would have had no doubts and would not have desired another sign.  There would be no other sign given to them personally at this time; He did not mean that He would do no more miracles, but that He would do none to prove Himself to them.  There was one sign already given by the prophet Jonah, and when Jesus fulfilled the act of which Jonah's was a symbol, they would have the ultimate sign; not that He wished to prove Himself to them, but they would then be condemned for their unbelief.  Jesus went on to explain how Jonah had been a sign:

(40) "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

Jonah was three days in the whale's belly and came out again, and so would Jesus be three days in the earth and would then rise again.  "Three days and three nights" is not to be taken literally as three full days and three full nights; that was just the way the Jews described a day.

(41) "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the teaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonah is here."

The men of Nineveh would rise before the judgment seat of God, along with the present generation of men.  Those Pharisees would be condemned by the example of the men of Nineveh who repented at the teaching of Jonah, because they refused to repent when they were in the presence of one greater than Jonah.

(42) "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here."

The queen of Sheba, as she was called in Kings 10:1, would also stand in judgment with that present generation, and her actions would also condemn them.  She came from the farthest coast of Arabia at the mouth of the Arabian Sea to hear the wisdom of Solomon.  These Pharisees had one greater than Solomon right in the midst of them, but they refused to believe.

(43) "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none."

Jesus went on to tell of an unclean spirit, a demonic spirit, that had been driven out of a man, and how it walked in dry places looking for rest.  A demonic spirit cannot find rest in the company of Christians with the Holy Spirit.

(44) "Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished."

The unclean spirit decided to return to the soul of the man he had been driven out of, and when he returned he found it empty; there was no spirit there, no Holy Spirit of God.  Oh, it was clean and in order, with the disorder driven away with the unclean spirit, but there was none in its place.  Oh, it was decorated with showy trifles of morality, perhaps observance of some external rites and ceremonies, and a few hypocritical performances of fasting and prayer; but that was all it was--decorations for show.

(45) Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation."

The unclean spirit brings seven more spirits more wicked than himself into the soul of the man.  Seven is a number that meant perfection, or in this case, fullness.  It is not to be taken literally, but just means many more were brought in to bring that man to a worse state than he was in before.  Jesus said it was so for that present generation.  Here they had Jesus, God Himself, in their midst, and He drove away their evil spirits, but they would not totally embrace Him.  So great was their love for the world that they quickly returned to a wickedness much greater than before.  Their vain outward displays of religion were like the house built on sand that Jesus spoke of back in Matthew 7:26-27; it was easily demolished by the floods of the world.  "And great was its fall" (Matthew 7:27b).

(46) While He still talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brothers stood outside, desiring to speak with Him.

At this time, Jesus's mother Mary and His brothers stood outside, either outside a house that He had gone into, or outside the multitudes that had crowded around Him.  They wanted to speak to Him.  The Catholic teaching is that these were not actually Jesus's "brothers" but were just kinsmen.  It is true that often "brother" is used to denote a family relationship, but not necessarily a brother.  However, there are several other verses that speak of Jesus's brothers, and even sisters.  The Catholics go to great lengths to make Mary holy and untouched by man, but there is no clear evidence of this, nor is it necessary.  Jesus was the firstborn son, and He was not actually the son of Joseph, but was the Son of God by immaculate conception of Mary.  It is quite reasonable to believe that Joseph and Mary went on to have more children, who would have been half-siblings to Jesus, because they all had the same mother, but Jesus's biological father was not Joseph.  Jesus having half-siblings, in no way diminishes who He is.  It can only diminish Mary in the eyes of the Catholics who have to read into scripture things that are simply not there.  There is no reason not to take scripture at face value here.

(47) Then one said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers stand outside, desiring to speak with You."

Someone within the group of people informed Jesus that His mother and brothers were standing outside wishing to speak with Him.

(48) But He answered and said to him who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"

Obviously, Jesus knew who His mother and brothers were, but He posed this question to the people.

(49) And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples and said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! (50) For whoever shall do the will of My Father Who is in heaven, the same is My brother, sister, and mother."

Jesus then stretched His hands out motioning to His disciples, which might have meant more than just the twelve, and declared that they were His closest kin, His mother, brothers, and sisters.  Those who truly follow God are His children and therefore brothers and sisters to Christ Jesus.  We are not told about Him meeting with His mother and brothers, and what their conversation was about.  The fact that He did not immediately run to them is not to be seen as disrespectful.  There are too many other passages that show His deep respect for His mother.  Jesus, knowing the thoughts of man, already knew what it was that they wanted, and He chose to make a point rather than interrupt His teaching.  After all, it only took a minute or two to finish His point.  And that was that the business of God was more important than even the closest biological family.  Jesus had said that before in Matthew 10:37, that whoever loved his father or mother or son or daughter more than Him was not worthy of Him.  This was also great encouragement to the followers of Christ that they were as dear to Him, even dearer, than His own biological family.

Most of this post dealt with the wicked ways of the Pharisees and scribes--their blasphemy in accusing Jesus of working for Satan, their unwarranted request for more signs, how they may be known by the fruits of their actions, and how those who accepted God's truth when they didn't even have the advantage of Christ in their midst, would stand in judgment against them.  However, this chapter has a happy ending; those who follow Jesus are very dear to Him, and He loves them more than He loves even His very own mother!  Of course, His mother was His follower, too, but for others who may have family who reject Christ, He told us that we are His dear family if we look first to Him above family.

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

Continuing a study of the gospels:

(Matthew 12:1) At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were hungry and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.

In the last post, the disciples of John the Baptist had come to Jesus inquiring if He was the expected Messiah.  Jesus took that time to give a tribute to John, and then went on to call the weary and heavily burdened to Him, saying His yoke was easy and His burden was light.  It was during this time of His preaching and teaching that He and His disciples walked through cornfields on the Sabbath.  His disciples were hungry and began to pluck and eat ears of corn.

(2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Behold, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the sabbath day."

The Pharisees, who seemed to be following and watching, saw Jesus's disciples pluck and eat the corn, and told Jesus they were doing what was unlawful to do on the Sabbath.  I always knew that Jesus taught the spirit of the law rather than the strict legalistic adherence to it, but as it turns out, the old commentaries that I study point out that this act was indeed lawful.  It was not lawful for a man to tend to or even visit to inspect his own fields on the Sabbath.  However, in Deuteronomy 23:25, it was stated that when a man came to the cornfield of a neighbor, he was allowed to take what he could by hand, meaning only what sufficed for the present necessity.  That was not considered work, whereas a man inspecting and plucking his own corn was viewed as working or tending his fields.

(3) But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him?"

Jesus turned a recrimination back to the Pharisees asking if they had ever read the scripture about David and those with him at a time when they were hungry...

(4) "How he entered into the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them who were with him, but only for the priests?"

Jesus went on to tell that David had entered the tabernacle, for the temple was not yet built, and he and those with him ate the showbread that was on the golden table before the Lord, that was only to be eaten by the priests.  No example could be more relevant than David, a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), of whom the Jews boasted, when suffering in God's cause and in need of provisions, ate the showbread that was illegal for anyone but priests to eat.

(5) "Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless?"

Jesus asked the Pharisees if they had read in the law that on sabbath days the priests in the temple did servile work doing God's service in the temple, but they were blameless.

(6) "But I say to you, that in this place there is one greater than the temple."

Jesus told the Pharisees that in that particular place and time, there was something greater than the temple, of course, meaning Himself who was Lord of the temple, and the temple had actually been a sort of symbol of Him.

(7) "But if you had known what this means, 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless."

Jesus again quoted the scripture in Hosea 6:6, which He had once in Matthew 9:13 told the Pharisees to go and learn.  The meaning is that when the two interfered with each other, God always preferred mercy to legalistic ceremonial acts.  The law was merely a means of religion, whereas love was the ultimate goal of it.  If the Pharisees had learned the meaning of that scripture in Hosea, they would not have condemned His disciples.

(8) "For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day."

Jesus was Lord of all, even the Sabbath.  After all, the sabbath day was a symbol of the sabbath rest in Him, stated in Hebrews 4:10, "For he who has entered into His rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His."

(9) And when He was departed from there, He went into their synagogue.

When Jesus departed from the cornfields and His conversation with the Pharisees, He went into their synagogue.  He may have gone immediately from the cornfields to the synagogue on that same day, but Luke stated in his account that the following took place on another sabbath day.

(10) And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days?"--that they might accuse Him.

There was a man there with a withered hand.  The Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, but their intentions were not to learn, but to trap Him.

(11) And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the sabbath day, would not lay hold of it and lift it out?"

Jesus then asked the Pharisees a question about a situation that might easily happen to any of them.  Was there any of them who, if he had a sheep, and it fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would not lift it out of the pit.

(12) "How much then is a man more valuable than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath days."

Jesus pointed out that a man was of much more value than a sheep, so it was definitely lawful to do for man what one would do for his sheep.  Once again, Jesus taught the spirit of the law.  It was not to be taken so literally and strictly that by observing it, one would actually do harm, as to destroy a life or allow it to be destroyed, when he had it within his power to save it.

(13) Then He said to the man, "Stretch forth your hand." And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole as the other.

Jesus told the man with the withered hand to stretch it out, and when he did, it was restored and just like his other hand.  The act of stretching forth his hand might have been just to show that his hand was healed, but I believe there might have been a little more to it.  In this case, we don't have evidence of the man's faith in Jesus; from what was written, we don't see that the man sought out Jesus to heal him.  Jesus and the Pharisees just saw the man and the Pharisees used him to test Jesus.  Jesus had the man stretch forth his hand.  I believe that was to show faith in Jesus that He might heal him.  He could just as easily have kept his hand to himself if he believed the Pharisees and thought he would be engaging in an unlawful act.

(14) Then the Pharisees went out and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him.

The Pharisees then went out and held a meeting to plot against Jesus, how they might destroy Him.  Imagine that!  There was no regard for the life that was healed, but only judgment and perhaps envy in their hard wicked hearts to destroy the one who did only good on the Sabbath.  

(15) But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from there; and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.

Jesus knew the hearts of men and their thoughts, so when He realized what the Pharisees were doing, He withdrew from the synagogue and the city to the sea of Galilee, so says Mark in his account.  Jesus did not withdraw because of fear, but because it was not yet time for Him to suffer and die.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, explained how this was a good example for Christians.  We don't retreat in fear, but if by withdrawing, we take away the occasion for the other party to sin, that is a good thing.  There is no reason to purposely provoke.  We are not to fear persecution, but as our aim should be only to do good, if we can prevent sin and go on to do more good, then we should.  However, if there comes a time when we must choose God or evil, we of course, choose God, even if it means persecution and death.  Withdrawing from such situations is often humbling; we must not let our pride get the best of us and cause sin and persecution, when peacefully withdrawing would do good.  When Jesus left, multitudes of people followed after Him, and He healed them all.  

(16) And charged them that they should not make Him known.

Once again, Jesus warned those He healed not to tell of their miraculous healing, or at least not reveal Him as the healer.  Again, it is not because He feared what would happen to Him if they told, but it was not yet time for His suffering and death.

(17) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, (18) "Behold, My servant whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon Him and He will show judgment to the Gentiles."

That charge to not make Him yet known was to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 42:1 that He would share the entire Christian system of truth and judgment to the Gentiles, not just the Jews.  Matthew, in quoting this prophecy, showed the reason why Jesus withdrew.  The Jews had been expecting their Messiah to be a conqueror, but instead of being a brave warrior, He was withdrawing.

(19) "He shall not strive, nor cry; neither will any man hear His voice in the streets. (20) A bruised reed He shall not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth judgment to victory; (21) And in His name shall the Gentiles trust."

Matthew went on to quote the rest of Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 42:2-4.  The Messiah would not come fighting and shouting for battle.  He would not come oppressing the poor and feeble.  Whereas one rough touch might break a bruised reed or quench a flickering smoking flax, His touch would be tender and loving to lift up the meek.  He would not further oppress those who had little strength; He would not quench the hope and life when it seemed to be almost extinct.  He would not be like the Pharisees, proud and overbearing, and trampling down the poor.  He would not treat them harshly, but would cherish the feeble flame, and kindle it into a blaze, a victory.  The Gentiles would trust in His name.  The original prophecy was that the isles would wait for His law, meaning His gospel would be preached to the Gentiles, those beyond the sea in distant lands. 

This is an especially long chapter, so I will end this post, and finish the chapter in the next one.  The main points in this first half were to show that Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath, and that He fulfilled prophecy.  The entire Old Testament was a foreshadowing of things to come.  The Pharisees took the law so literally, and adhered to it so strictly (most likely when it suited them), that they had lost the original intent of it, which was to bring people closer to the Lord, and to have them love one another.  The Pharisees would not hear Jesus's teaching, but God would have it preached to the Gentile world.  Hallelujah for that!

Jesus's Tribute to John the Baptist and His Invitation for the Weary to Come to Him

Continuing a study of the gospels:

(Matthew 11:1) And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had just instructed His twelve disciples and sent them out to preach His gospel.  Now that He had sent them out, He Himself went forth to teach and preach in the cities of the Jews.

(2) Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples.

At this time John the Baptist was in prison, but he had been hearing of the works of Jesus, so he sent out two of his disciples.

(3) And said to Him, "Are you He who is coming, or do we look for another?"

John's disciples went to Jesus and asked if He was the coming Messiah they had expected, or if they should be looking to the future for another.

(4) Jesus answered and said to them, "Go back and show John those things which you hear and see: (5) The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

Rather than confirm outright that He was the Messiah, Jesus told John's disciples to go back to him, telling what they had seen and heard about Him.  He quoted prophecies that had been spoken about Him by the prophet Isaiah.  The blind received their sight (Isaiah 35:5); the lame walked (Isaiah 35:6); the lepers were cleansed; the deaf could hear (Isaiah 35:5); the dead were raised up (Isaiah 26:19); and the poor had the gospel preached to them (Isaiah 61:1-3).

(6) "And blessed is he who shall not be offended in Me."

Jesus ended His answer to John's disciples by stating that whoever was not offended by Him would be blessed.  This was another prophecy by Isaiah (Isaiah 8:14).  The Jews were offended at much concerning Jesus.  They were offended by His parentage, by His poverty, by the lowly place of His birth, by His lack of education, by His occupation, by His followers and audiences being usually of a poorer ignorant and scandalous sort, and by the doctrines that He preached.  However, blessed would be those who did not stumble because of these things, "stumble" being the literal definition of the word "skandalizo" that was translated as "offend".  The similarity to our word "scandal" is obvious.

(7) And as they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?"

As the disciples of John left Jesus, He began to talk to the people gathered around Him concerning John.  Back in Matthew 3:5 we learned that multitudes of people from Jerusalem, Judaea, and all the region around the Jordan went out into the wilderness to see John the Baptist.  He asked them what they had gone into the wilderness to see at that time.  Did they expect to see one easily swayed by every breath of wind, unsteady and constantly changing?

(8) "But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses."

He asked if they had expected to see one finely dressed out in the wilderness, for those dressed that way were more likely found in palaces.

(9) "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet."

Jesus's point was that they obviously wouldn't have gone out in the wilderness to see one swaying with every different wind of the day, and they wouldn't have gone out to see a grand man splendidly dressed, so was it a prophet they had gone out to see?  Yes, Jesus affirmed, John was a prophet and much more than that.

(10) "For this is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send My messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before you.'"

John was not just a prophet, but Jesus said he was the one prophesied in Malachi 3:1, that would be God's messenger and the forerunner of the Messiah who prepared the way for Him, and prepared the people to receive Him.

(11) "Verily, I say to you, among those who are born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding, he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

Jesus told the people that among all who had been born on earth in the traditional manner, there was none greater than John the Baptist.  That was saying a lot, when you consider Moses and others before him.  John had had the benefit of being the prophet prophesied about in scripture, and he had the privilege of showing the fulfillment of scripture that other prophets could only foretell; John had seen it come to pass, had the honor to baptize the Messiah, and could enjoy the salvation the others could only foretell.  However, Jesus said that the very least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than John.  That is because the fullness of the kingdom of heaven on earth with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was not known until after Jesus had been crucified and risen from the dead.  The least of these would have the benefit of the Holy Spirit in them.

(12) "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."

Since the time John the Baptist started preaching until the time Jesus was then speaking, He said the kingdom of heaven was suffering violence.  The original word "biazo" that was translated as "violence" is more accurately "force, press or crowd into".  The "violent", the "biastes", the "strong, forceful, energetic" take it by force.  This is a description of people rushing into the kingdom of heaven with a violence or force or earnestness like those taking a city by storm.  It's hard to know whether the kingdom of heaven was the one suffering from the force or it was the one doing the forcing, as that word "biazo" can mean either.  Therefore, this could also be seen as the present time Jesus was speaking, never had the kingdom of heaven come upon earth with such force, with the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power.  Additionally, this rush of the kingdom of heaven on earth would cause its enemies to fight more violently against it.  So this was a spiritual war, and it would take a strong, purposeful, and forceful act to push through all the hazards and obstacles to salvation.

(13) "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."

The Old Testament prophets and the law were only able to tell of things to come.  With John the Baptist, the prophecies were now present and real-time.

(14) "And if you will receive it, this is Elijah, who was to come."

Jesus told them that if they would accept it as truth, this John the Baptist was the one prophesied in Malachi 4:5 who would be sent before the coming of the Lord.  In the prophecy he was called Elijah.  In the same account in Luke, it was expressed that John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah.  The Jews took the prophecy literally, and were looking for Elijah to return in person and usher in the Messiah.  That is probably why Jesus said "if" they would receive that truth.

(15) "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Jesus used a proverbial expression that whoever heard His words should pay the highest attention to what He said.  What He had said about John the Baptist was of great importance; John was Elijah who had been prophesied to usher in the Messiah.

(16) "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets and calling to their friends, (17) And saying, 'We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned to you, and you have not lamented.'"

Jesus posed the question to what He should liken that present generation of Jews.  He said they were like children being called by their friends in the marketplaces, but as their friends complained, they would not be pleased with dance music nor would they respond to laments.  It seemed nothing pleased them.

(18) "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a devil.'"

Jesus said that John the Baptist came in an austere way, not participating in celebratory feasts; and the people accused him of having a demon.

(19) "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.' But wisdom is justified by her children."

In contrast to John the Baptist, Jesus came eating and drinking freely and socially, and the same people complained He was a glutton and a drunk and a friend of those considered wicked.  They could be satisfied neither way.  However, Jesus said, wisdom would be shown to be true by its results.  The wise children would hear and understand that what He said was true.

(20) Then He began to upbraid the cities in which most of His mighty works were done, because they did not repent.

Then Jesus began to rebuke the cities where He had performed most of His mighty works, because they did not respond to His message and repent.  The more God does to draw men to Himself, the less excusable they are if they continue in their sin.  "For to whom much is given, of him much will be required" (Luke 12:48).

(21) "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."

Jesus made a solemn declaration to the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, cities in Galilee, of the misery they were bringing upon themselves by rejecting the gospel of Christ.  Knowing the hearts of all, He remarked that if He had performed the same mighty works in the heathen cities of Tyre and Sidon, and they had received the same advantages as Chorazin and Bethsaida, they would have repented long ago, signified by sackcloth and ashes.  

(22) "But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you."

Once again, that is because to whom much is given, much is required.  Tyre and Sidon, not having had the advantage of having Jesus teaching in their midst, would be judged less harshly than Chorazin and Bethsaida.

(23) "And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell, for if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."

Jesus turned His attention to Capernaum which He called exalted to heaven.  That may have been because it was indeed a very high and lofty city, but certainly because of the privileges that it had enjoyed with Jesus spending most of His time dwelling there.  He said that high and mighty city would be brought down to everlasting destruction because it rejected Jesus.  He remarked that if Sodom had had the advantages that Capernaum had had, it would have never been destroyed because it would have accepted the truth.

(24) "But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you."

And again, Sodom would be judged less harshly than the cities that enjoyed much more privilege and advantage by having the presence of Jesus and His teaching and miracles.

(25) At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes."

In reference to the high and mighty city of Capernaum, as well as the privileged Chorazin and Bethsaida, Jesus thanked God the Father for revealing His gospel to the poor and ignorant He called babes.  You can be sure that God was not purposely hiding the truth from those who considered themselves wise and prudent, but because those learned and self-righteous men could not see the truth, He thanked the Lord for revealing it to others.  So often knowledge can stand in the way of simple truth; the well-educated look for complicated and scientific explanations for what they deem to be fairy tale fantasies of the ignorant.  They are wise in their own eyes, but are fools (Proverbs 12:15, Romans 1:22).

(26) "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight."

The will of the Father, right and good, was that His message that was despised and rejected by the scribes and Pharisees should be offered to the simple people.

(27) "All things are delivered to Me by My Father; and no man knows the Son but the Father; neither does any man know the Father except the Son and to whomever the Son will reveal Him."

All the things of God the Father are given to God the Son in human form on earth.  No man can know the mind of Jesus Christ but God the Father.  Neither does any man know the mind of God, nor understand fully His attributes, except God the Son, and anyone to whom the Son reveals those things.  That is why men wise in worldly things cannot know the things of God by natural reason.  It has to be revealed to them by God, and they have to be willing to receive it.

(28) "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Jesus, having signified that God's truth can only be revealed by Him to those He chooses to reveal it to, called to Himself those who were weary and heavy laden with sin and guilt.  He said He (and He alone) was able to give them rest, that was spiritual rest and peace of conscience and mind through His pardoning grace.

(29) "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. (30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

Jesus encouraged those He called to believe in Him, for He was meek toward all men, and lowly and in subjection to God the Father; only in Him would they find rest for their souls.  Believing in Him and following Him was easy.  There was a heavy burden imposed by the law, but those who accepted Christ's sacrifice for their sins had a very light burden.  As Jesus would later sum up the whole of His commandments in Matthew 22:37-40, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...and...you shall love your neighbor as yourself."  How easy is that?!

Jesus Sends Out His Twelve Disciples

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Matthew 10:1) And when He had called to Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

At the end of the last chapter and post, Jesus had remarked that the harvest of souls was plentiful, but the laborers were few.  He had now appointed His twelve disciples and had equipped them for that work.  He gave them the spiritual power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all manner of sickness and disease.  It is noteworthy that Jesus chose twelve disciples to be His inner circle, twelve being the number of the tribes of Israel.

(2) Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: the first, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother.

Here begins the list of the twelve disciples, or apostles, as the inner circle of twelve were now called.  Peter and Andrew were called the first because they were the first called by Jesus.  James and John, the sons of Zebedee, make four.

(3) Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the publican, James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddaeus.

The names of the next four disciples were Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew, the tax collector and author of this gospel account.  Next was James, the son of Alphaeus, who was named to distinguish him from the son of Zebedee.  The tenth apostle named was Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus, and that is the name used in the list made by Mark in his gospel account.

(4) Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

Rounding out the twelve were Simon, the Canaanite, distinguishing him from Simon Peter, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.  This Simon was also called Simon the Zealot.

(5) These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them, saying, "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans. (6) But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Jesus sent out His twelve disciples on a mission with His instructions.  First they were commanded not to go among the Gentiles or into any city of the Samaritans.  They were to preach the gospel first to the lost souls in Israel, the original chosen people of God, the people among whom the Messiah was born, the people who had long looked forward to His coming.  It was only fitting that they should receive His message first.

(7) "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

As the disciples went through the cities of Judea, they were to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, proclaiming the same words used by Jesus's forerunner, John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2).

(8) "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely you have received, freely give."

Jesus instructed His apostles, with the power He had given them, to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons.  They had been freely given the spiritual gifts to do all these things, and they were instructed to perform those gifts freely to those in need.

(9) "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, (10) Nor bag for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor staffs, for the workman is worthy of his food."

Jesus told them not to carry money in their purses, nor prepare any bag for their journey.  They weren't to carry a change of clothes, nor extra shoes or staffs.  Workmen were worthy of their necessities, meaning the work they would be doing would make them worthy of receiving provisions and support from those they ministered to, and God would surely provide.  They were not to concern themselves with stuff, but were to depend on God for their provisions and put all their effort into His work.

(11) "And into whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and abide there till you go out."

When the apostles came into a town or city, they were to inquire and seek out the place best suited to receive them as guests and allow them to stay there until they left that town.

(12) "And when you come into a house, salute it."

When the apostles first entered a house, they were to show the family of the house all the customary tokens of respect and civility, regardless of whether or not they would stay there.

(13) "And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you."

If the household proved to be courteous and welcoming, and ready to receive them, then the peace the apostles wished for in their salutation to the house, should come and rest on the house.  However, if the house proved to be unwelcoming, then those blessings of peace and goodwill would be upon the apostles themselves as they sought another house.

(14) "And whoever will not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."

If a house rejected them, or if no hospitable house was found in an entire city, the apostles were to depart the house or city, shaking its dust off their feet, indicating they no longer had any connection with it, or any responsibility for its guilt in rejecting them and their message.

(15) "Verily, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."

The sins and punishment of Sodom and Gomorrha were well known by all inhabitants of the region.  Jesus said that those who rejected the gospel would be judged more harshly than the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrha.  That was because Sodom and Gomorrha had not been so highly favored with so much light and instruction as the Jews at the time of Jesus, for to whomever much is given, from him much will be required (Luke 12:48).

(16) "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

Jesus told the apostles that He was sending them as defenseless sheep into a cruel and ravenous world.  Therefore, He advised them to be wise and even cunning as serpents were said to be, but in their cunning, they should be harmless as doves.  Their cunning ways were not to bring any harm.  

(17) "But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues."

Jesus warned them to be on guard against men, their own countrymen with whom they may have once felt comfort, for they now might want to oppress and persecute them, and turn them over to the courts for punishment.

(18) "And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles."

The reason they would be persecuted was for Jesus's sake, purely for their profession of faith in Him and for preaching His gospel.  Jesus told them they would even be brought before governors and kings to testify the truth before them, a testimony that would appear to be in opposition to all they thought they knew with their legalistic laws of men.  It was called a testimony against the Gentiles, too, which might be so said because they would be brought before heathen kings, but it might also be a hint that the apostles' message would soon be spread to the Gentiles, as well as the Jews.

(19) "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak. (20) For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

Jesus told them not to worry or be anxious about what they might say or how they might behave when they were brought before the courts or rulers, for the Holy Spirit of God would speak through them.  What a wonderful promise and such a beautiful thing that no surprise attack, no deficiency of talent, nor ignorance itself, would hurt the purpose of God!  The apostles would be willing instruments of the Holy Spirit of God!

(21) "And the brother will deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child; and the children will rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death."

This is a harsh and hard fact to understand presented by Jesus, that members of family would turn against one another, that parents could actually turn aside their natural affection for their children and deliver them up to wicked magistrates to be put to death, just because they professed a different faith.  This shows an astonishing enmity in the soul of man against the gospel of Christ!  Whenever there seemed to be no plausible explanation for something, my husband always explained it was spiritual.  It is a sad corruption of human nature resulting from spiritual warfare led by Satan himself that people could have such pure hatred for the gospel of Christ that they could put aside natural affections and kill because of it!

(22) "And you shall be hated by all for My name's sake, but he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Jesus warned the apostles would be hated by all kinds of men all over because of their attachment to Jesus Himself.  However, He encouraged them with the fact that if they endured in their faith till the end, they would indeed be saved.  It also seems to suggest that if they did not hold fast to their faith till death, they would not be saved.  Is this an argument against "once saved, always saved," or perhaps a passing reference to Judas Iscariot, who would obviously not endure to the end, but would betray Christ?  

(23) "But when they persecute you in this city, flee to another, for verily I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, before the Son of Man comes."

Jesus told the apostles if they were persecuted in one city, flee to another, for time was short.  They would not have finished their work of preaching the gospel of Christ before His kingdom would indeed be come to earth in that He would be resurrected and His Holy Spirit poured out on earth.

(24) "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord."

Jesus told them that a disciple was not better than his teacher, nor a servant better than his master.  They should expect no better treatment as merely His disciples than He, the Lord Himself, would receive.  

(25) "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call them of his household?"

A disciple should think himself well off if he received the same treatment as his master, and be happy if he received no worse treatment than his master.  If men have called the master of the house Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies, or a name for Satan himself, are they really going to treat the members of his household much better?  

(26) "Fear them not therefore, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known."

Jesus told His disciples to therefore not fear men for all would be revealed.  They could be assured that God saw everything and that they would not receive any worse treatment than would Jesus, and soon all would be known.  Even though we know Jesus would suffer unimaginably, He overcame that death and arose, and therefore His followers could expect to overcome it all, as well.

(27) "What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops."

Jesus told His disciples that what He then told them in secret, they were to declare openly and publicly.  

(28) "And do not fear them who can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

He told them not to fear anything they might suffer when proclaiming these truths.  Men could indeed kill the body, but that is all they could do.  They could not kill the soul, and the body's temporal life is nothing compared to the eternal life of the soul.  Likewise, mere men who would themselves soon die, were nothing to fear against the Lord God who held their souls and could destroy both body and soul in an eternal hell.  The disciples who would be working for God should have a reverential fear for the One who held their souls in His hand, and therefore fear not mere men.

(29) "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father."

A farthing was a coin of very little value.  I'm not sure of its exact worth in Biblical times, but a British farthing was equal to one fourth of a penny.  Jesus's point to His disciples was that even though the sparrows were of such little value in the eyes of the world, not one fell to the ground or died without His knowledge and will.

(30) "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

Sparrows of such little value were of concern to the Father, but concerning His disciples, the Father knew the exact number of hairs on their heads, indicating even more care and attention to the smallest details of their lives.

(31) "Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Indeed, Jesus told His disciples, they were more valuable to God than many sparrows, so they had no reason to fear men; they had God on their side.

(32) "Whoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father who is in heaven."

Jesus told them that whoever publicly confessed Him to be the promised Messiah, He would acknowledge that person before God in heaven that he was His own. 

(33) "But whoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

However, whoever denied Christ before men would likewise be denied as one of His own before God in heaven.  Christ was Mediator between God and man, Savior to all men who could never be good enough on their own to approach God.  Therefore, to deny Christ, was to forbid themselves access to the kingdom of God.

(34) "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace but a sword."

How could it be that the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) did not come to bring peace, but a sword?  I believe the meaning is that His purpose was not to get along solely for the sake of peaceful getting along.  What He brought with Him to earth would produce much strife and contention, but He would never back down from the truth.  He would be proactive, and not merely reactive.  The sword is a symbol of that, and is often used to represent the Word of God.  

(35) "For I have come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Jesus quoted Micah 7:6 in this, meaning that His coming would create disagreement and strife within families.  A father, while unconverted, would oppose a godly child, and vice versa.  It is the spirit that is in those who sin against God that is opposed to that spirit which is in the followers of Christ.  Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that it is the spirits that are in opposition, and not the persons, "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against...rulers of darkness..."

(36) "And a man's foes will be those of his own household."

Jesus told His disciples that a man's foes would those of his own family.  Those are the people who knew him best, and vice versa.  There would be the most intense debates over religion, so there would the most hostilities and strife erupt.

(37) "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

Jesus was not contradicting the commandment to honor father and mother, but one must not drop the confession of Christ or neglect His commands in order to please a family member.  We must love God and Christ above all others, or we are not worthy to be called by His name.  This is where the sword divides families.

(38) "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."

The meaning of this is that one must be ready to endure all the punishment and afflictions that would come when following Christ.  More than that, what a prophetic statement it was!  Taking up one's cross is more than bearing trials in general, but is a preparedness to go forth following after Jesus even unto crucifixion.  This was a more remarkable statement by Jesus when you realize that crucifixion was not a Jewish method of capital punishment.  Jesus's followers must be willing to follow Him wherever it leads or they are not worthy of Him.  

(39) "He who finds his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it."

Finding one's life is a way of saying preserving or saving his life.  One who preserves his life by denying Christ and living according to worldly lusts will lose eternal life.  However, one who dies to selfish lusts, and gives his life to Christ, will find everlasting life.

(40) "He who receives you, receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent me."

After so much warning about persecution, it must have been an encouragement to the disciples to know that some people would receive them and their message favorably.  And those who received them were in actuality receiving the message of Him who sent them, and in receiving Jesus, they received God the Father.

(41) "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward."

Whoever received a prophet, or minister of the gospel in this case, as a prophet or the messenger of the gospel as he was, would share in that prophet's reward.  Likewise, receiving a righteous man as he was, would give him a share in the righteous man's reward.  Those who graciously received the disciples would be blessed, obviously by the message itself, but even more so because they had been so gracious to God's workers.

(42) "And whoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily, I say to you, he shall in no way lose his reward."

Jesus said that whoever gave so little as a cup of cold water to those little ones, the disciples, regarded by the world as lowly, and perhaps regarded by themselves as little unlearned followers of Christ, would be rewarded for that act of kindness.  As Jesus said elsewhere, in Matthew 25:40, whenever one gave a drink to the least of these, His brethren, so he gave it to Him.

In this chapter and post, Jesus prepared His disciples to go out into the world preaching the Gospel.  By His instructions we can learn many things that direct how we should go forth in the world today.  The gift of God's salvation through Jesus Christ is as free as all other gifts of God, including air, water, and sunlight; all are welcome to receive it, regardless of their stations in life.  Because it is a free gift, ministers of the gospel should depend on God for their provision.  We should treat messengers of the gospel kindly; they are sent to benefit the world and it is proper that they should be kindly received and have their needs supplied.  It is no small matter to reject Christ and the gospel, and judgment will be forthcoming.  We should take proper care of our lives and not endanger them by foolish unwarranted actions.  We should flee from danger when we can do it without denying God.  Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, wrote, "He that throws away his life when it might have been, and ought to have been preserved, is a self-murderer. He that exposes himself when duty does not require it, and whose life pays the forfeit, goes before God 'rushing unbidden into his Maker’s presence,' nor can he be held guiltless."  We are to persevere through all trials till the end, and know that God watches over us.  We have a duty to confess Christ before men and never be ashamed of Him and His gospel.  How easy it is to receive the rewards of heaven!  What is easier than giving a cup of water to a stranger?!  Of course, it's the motive of the heart that determines God's reward; love heightens the smallest act.  Even the poorest person can be hospitable.  I will end this post with a message I just received this week.  My new neighbor helped pull me out of the mud and went over and beyond what was necessary to help.  He then proceeded to tell me his philosophy on life and obedience to the Holy Spirit.  He said that hospitality originated with the Holy Spirit and that the word "hospitality" itself was short for "Holy Spirituality".  Although I don't necessarily believe that is true, I thought it was a beautiful thought.  Indeed we love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19-21).