Transfiguration of Christ, Healing the Lunatic His Disciples Could Not Heal

Continuing a Bible study of the gospels:

(Matthew 17:1) And after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain alone.

In the last chapter, Peter had confessed his knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.  Jesus had then told the disciples more about what He was to endure during His time on earth.  He discussed with them His church, His kingdom on earth.  Six days after that, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into a mountain to be alone.

(2) And was transfigured before them, and His face did shine as the sun, and His clothing was white as the light.

Jesus was transformed before Peter, James, and John.  The indwelling Deity of Jesus Christ darted out its rays of light, and His face shone like the sun.  His body so radiated light that His clothing shone a bright white light.  

(3) And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Him.

Moses and Elijah appeared before the three disciples, talking with Jesus.  Moses had been God's law giver and Elijah one of the chief prophets.  Now they appeared with Jesus, in whom the prophecies and law were fulfilled.  They were having a conversation with Jesus; the account in Luke says they discussed "His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem."  

(4) Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "It is good for us to be here; if You want, let us make here three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

Much more can be learned about this incident from reading the same account in the other gospels.  Luke informed us that the disciples had fallen asleep on the mountain and awoke to see this glorious transfiguration of Christ.  It seems they woke up well into the event with Moses and Elijah in conversation with Jesus.  Luke tells us it was as the two men were leaving Jesus, that Peter spoke out.  Mark tells us that Peter didn't know what to say for the disciples were afraid.  But being the impetuous person he was, Peter had to say something!  He said it was good for he and the other disciples to be there.  It's hard to know exactly what he meant, and perhaps even he didn't know exactly, as Mark said he didn't know what to say, and Luke would later report he didn't know what he was saying.  You can be sure he was very excited and in awe of what he was witnessing, and seeing it was about to end, probably wanted to continue it.  His idea, if Christ was willing, was to set up three tabernacles or tents, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.  As usual, in his zeal, he was missing the point and purpose of this transfiguration.  It is also interesting to note that he knew who the other two men were, as it's not like they had photographs with which to compare.  Either it was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit, or by deduction from the conversation they were having.  

(5) While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"

As Peter was proposing his tent idea, Father God interrupted, His voice coming from a bright cloud that overshadowed the three transfigured men.  Luke's account tells us it was at first over those three, but as the disciples entered under it, they were afraid.  God's voice came out of the cloud and confirmed that Jesus was His beloved Son, not merely a servant as were Moses and Elijah.  He added that He was well pleased in Him, meaning His mission and service there on earth were acceptable and well pleasing to God.  The entirety of the Mosaic Law and the Old Testament prophets, represented by Moses and Elijah, was a precursor to the plan for the ultimate perfect sacrifice and atonement in Jesus Christ.  God commanded that they listen to and really hear His Son.  His teaching was superior to those of Moses and Elijah.  In Him alone was the fulfillment of all that came before; in Him alone was salvation and eternal life.

(6) And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.

When the disciples heard the voice of God, they were understandably afraid, and fell on their faces, partly out of reverence for the Lord, but probably more of real fear of the Lord, for no man could see God and live.

(7) And Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."

Jesus came and touched the disciples, reassuring them that they need not be afraid.  That was not the voice of an angry God, but the voice of His Father, their Father God, confirming that Jesus was their much anticipated Messiah, and that they should continue to follow and listen to Him.  God was well pleased with Jesus, and they should be encouraged and confident that they could have full faith and trust in Him as Divine God in human form on earth.

(8) And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

When the disciples raised their faces from the ground after Jesus had come and touched them, they saw no one there except for Jesus only.

(9) And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one, until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."

Jesus and the disciples then went down from the mountain, and Jesus commanded the three not to tell anyone about what they had seen,  That is, not until He had risen from the dead, at which time it would be confirmed and more readily believed and accepted.  The account in Mark says that they did indeed keep it to themselves.  That is, of course, until Christ rose from the dead, and then Peter wrote of it, as well as the gospel authors.

(10) And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

Those three disciples were surely satisfied that He was the Messiah, but they had been taught by the scriptures to expect Elijah to come first before the Messiah (Malachi 4:5).  They did not recollect that Elijah had come again before that time, so they understandably were confused about their understanding of that prophecy.

(11) And Jesus answered and said to them, "Elijah truly shall come first and restore all things."

Jesus answered by saying that it was true that Elijah was to come first, and he would restore or complete all things that were prophesied of him.

(12) "But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him, but have done to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of man shall also suffer by them."

Jesus told them that Elijah had already come, but no one recognized him.  As Jesus had said in Matthew 11:14, Elijah had come in the form of John the Baptist.  It occurs to me that the life of John the Baptist was a sort of parable as Jesus used frequently.  He had said in Matthew 13:11 that that was because it had been given to His disciples to know the mysteries of heaven, but it had not been given to everyone.  The truth was only revealed to those who could accept it and understand it; it seemed to be gibberish to those unwilling to understand.  The fact that John the Baptist was actually the expected Elijah could only be understood by those to whom it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit of God.  Jesus told the disciples that the people did not understand that John the Baptist was the coming of Elijah, and they did not believe what he said about repentance and preparation for the coming Christ, but did to him whatever they wished.  Of course, that wound up being his imprisonment and ultimate beheading.  Jesus said that He Himself would likewise suffer at the hands of such people.

(13) Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

The disciples then understood that Elijah who came before Him was John the Baptist who had indeed suffered at the hands of King Herod and his people.

(14) And when they had come to the multitude, there came to Him a man kneeling down to Him, and saying, (15) "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic and severely vexed, for oftentimes he falls into the fire, and often into the water."

Luke tells us this was the next day when they had come down from the mountain and joined the other nine disciples where a multitude of people had congregated.  A man came out of the crowd to Jesus and knelt before Him.  He asked Jesus to have mercy on his son who suffered a form of lunacy.  Actually, the meaning often meant epileptic, and clearly from the man's description of his son's seizures that would send him into a fire or into water, it indeed sounds like the son had epilepsy.  In Biblical times, people did not know about epilepsy, but as "lunatic" referred to insanity that was affected by the phases of the moon, it seemed epileptic seizures were somewhat affected by the moon, as well.

(16) "And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him."

The man went on to tell Jesus that he had brought his son to Jesus's disciples, but they were not able to cure him.

(17) Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him here to Me."

Jesus then spoke, Mark says answering the man, but it is apparent the message was for all who were there.  He called them a faithless and perverse generation.  However, the "faithless" was the multitude, as Jesus usually referred to His disciples as having little faith, not no faith.  The original word for "perverse" was "diastrepho," and it meant "distorted, misinterpreted" or "turned away, corrupt."  At the very least, the people had a distorted view of the truth, and in many cases, as with the scribes and Pharisees and the like, it was even corrupt and completely averse to the truth.  Jesus lamented about how long it would be before people could see the truth.  It was because of their faithlessness that they could not obtain the blessings from God that they otherwise might have had.  Likewise the disciples had too little faith and a limited view of what God could do.  Jesus then told the man to bring the child to Him.

(18) And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

The description of this event is greatly expanded in the other gospels.  Matthew, being a numbers man as a tax collector, wasn't always very prolific.  We understand from Mark that the disease was demon-caused.  Also a discourse took place between Jesus and the father of the child regarding the father's faith which was the most important aspect of this incident.  Jesus did ultimately rebuke the demon and cast it out, and the child was cured.

(19) Then the disciples came to Jesus apart, and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, apart from the crowd, and asked why it was that they were unable to cast out the demon and heal the child.

(20) And Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief, for verily I say to you if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to over there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

Jesus replied that it was because of their unbelief.  It wasn't that they had no belief that they could heal by the power of Jesus, but they surely faltered when it became difficult.  Even though Matthew didn't tell us this, we learned from the other gospels that the father's faith, or lack thereof, came into play, also.  The disciples should have had faith enough to know they could heal the boy by the authority of Jesus, and convince the father of his unbelief.  It is because of our unbelief that we bring so little to pass in our churches.  They say that often in more primitive lands when the gospel is brought to the people, that they are able to perform mighty miracles because they believe what they are taught, and put no limits on the word, as so many of us "more civilized" people do.  

Jesus indeed said that if the disciples had faith the size of a grain of mustard seed, they could move mountains!  Nothing would be impossible for them.  Jesus had given His disciples the power to work miracles in His name for confirmation of the gospel they taught.  Jesus gave them the power...period.  They had the power, but they had to have faith in that power.  It is very likely the nine disciples may have had doubts about their power in their Master's absence, especially when a first attempt failed.  Jesus told them it was all because of their lack of faith that they had been unable to heal the boy.  I think it is important to note that the disciples had the power to move mountains because Jesus had given it to them.  I feel like the Word of Faith movement takes this too far, and believes one can do anything if he just believes he can.  The faith is not in one's self to have faith enough; the faith is in God to do what He has purposed or led us to do.  We must be led by the Holy Spirit to move a mountain if God says it must be moved.

I have come to love a certain scripture that has long been difficult for me to completely understand.  Today it all clicked and it is very relevant here.  I have long loved Romans 8:28, but it was the verses before it that were hard to understand.  Romans 8:26-28 follows:

"Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

We don't always know the proper way to pray.  We often pray for tangible things, but the Holy Spirit helps us and makes intercession for what is really needed according to the will of God.  We pray to help ourselves or some loved one out of trouble when the Holy Spirit knows that God's will is that person be saved, and He knows what it takes to get him there.  God searches the heart and He knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit is making intercession for us according to God's will.  They are on the same plane, if you will.  And God works all things together for good to those who love God and have the Holy Spirit directing them along the path of His purpose.  God doesn't necessarily work everything out for what we consider to be good at the time, but for the ultimate good according to His always perfect purpose.

(21) "However, this kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting."

It seems Jesus was saying that some demons were harder to cast out than others.  Was it because this one also caused epilepsy, a serious neurological disorder in the brain?  Whatever the case, Jesus said that sometimes it took diligent earnest prayer and fasting to cast out certain demons.  I believe the idea is that we must stay anchored to God for our strength.  While Jesus was on the mountain with the three disciples, He had been in prayer long enough that the three disciples had fallen into deep sleep.  Jesus often took time to be alone and pray and fast for hours.  Being in complete undistracted communion with God gives us strength and the faith to move mountains.  While Jesus and the three were on the mountain, the other nine disciples had perhaps been feasting and indulging themselves with the people, and therefore not with the proper sobriety of mind to perform such an extraordinary miracle.  Although Jesus had given the disciples the power needed to perform miracles, and He has given us the Holy Spirit which gives us power, He shows us our need to stay anchored and in constant communion with God.

(22) And while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, (23) And they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again." And they were exceedingly sorry.

While Jesus and the disciples were in Galilee, passing through, according to Mark's account, He once again foretold His death and resurrection.  Luke went into a little more detail quoting Jesus as saying He would be delivered into the hands of sinful men and crucified.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, wrote that Jesus was intimating that He would be betrayed by the Jews into the hands of the Gentiles, which to the Jews was the most vile crime, as their law stated:

"It is forbidden to betray an Israelite into the hands of the Gentiles, whether in his body or in his substance; and though he may be a wicked man, and a ringleader in sin, and though he may have oppressed and afflicted him; and everyone that betrays an Israelite into the hands of the Gentiles, whether in his body, or in his substance, has no part in the world to come.''

Jesus went on to tell His disciples that He would be raised again on the third day after His death.  They were exceedingly sorrowful to hear of His coming death. 

(24) And when they had come to Capernaum, those who received tribute money came to Peter and said, "Does your Master not pay tribute?"

When Jesus and His disciples had come to Capernaum, those who collected voluntary tribute money, also called a temple tax because it was collected for the service of the temple, came to Peter and asked if his Master, Jesus, paid tribute money for the temple.

(25) He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus spoke before him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? From their own children or from strangers?"

Peter answered that Jesus did pay temple tax.  When he went into the house where Jesus already was, Jesus spoke before Peter had the chance to tell Him about the temple tax being collected.  Jesus asked Peter whether he thought the kings of the earth collected taxes or tribute from their own natural children of from strangers, meaning those other than his own immediate family.

(26) Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the children are free."

Peter answered that they would collect from strangers, not those of the kings' own families.  Jesus answered with the natural conclusion that the children would be free.  Of course, the sense of what He was saying was that since He was the Son of God, He should not be asked to pay tribute.

(27) "Nevertheless, lest we should offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the fish that comes up first; and when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money. Take that and give to them for Me and you."

Even though Jesus could have maintained His right of exemption from payment, He chose to forego it rather than offend anyone.  I love this law of love demonstrated by Jesus.  Had Jesus been legalistic adhering strictly to law, He could have rightfully denied paying tribute, but rather than offend others, He agreed to pay it.  In 1 Corinthians 8:13, Paul would also say that if eating meat would offend his brother, then he would not do it, even if lawful to do so.  Acting in love is more important than strict adherence to the law.  This is perfectly aligned with Jesus's teaching of the true spirit of the law, rather than man's strict legalistic adherence to laws of man which have no regard for God's law of love for one another.  Jesus instructed Peter to go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish that came up, and in its mouth he would find money to pay tribute for Jesus and for him, also.  It was a loving courtesy to Peter that Jesus also paid for him.  Jesus was not bound by any obligation to pay tribute for Peter, but once again Jesus teaches us that it is good to be loving and kind when in our power to do so.  What is having all the money in the world really good for other than enabling one to do more good in the world?  Imagine the good that could be done if we all lived by this example?

Jesus Revealed as the Messiah Discusses His Church with His Disciples

Continuing a study of the Gospels:

(Matthew 16:1) The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and testing desired that He would show them a sign from heaven.

At the end of the last chapter and post, Jesus had just miraculously fed the 4000, and had removed by ship to the coasts of Magdala, which is apparently where this chapter began.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees were two different religious sects, and even though they had opposing views on some things, they were united in their hatred against Christ.  They came to Jesus testing Him, to see if He would show them a sign from heaven.

(2) He answered and said to them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather for the sky is red.' (3) And in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.' O you hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky, but can you not discern the signs of the times?"

Jesus answered the Pharisees and Sadducees by telling them how they discerned the signs in the skies to determine a weather forecast.  A red sky in the evening was almost universally considered to mean fair weather.  However, a red sky in the morning, the suns' rays shining through lowering clouds, meant foul weather was coming.  Jesus called them hypocrites for they were so learned as to determine a weather forecast by the signs in the sky, but they failed to see the signs before them on earth, the signs that their anticipated Messiah was here in the person of Jesus. 

(4) "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall be no sign given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.

Jesus declared that a wicked and adulterous generation sought a sign.  He called them adulterous because the Jewish people were the chosen bride of Christ but they instead loved the world.  Jesus had already said this same thing to the Pharisees earlier (Matthew 12:30), but it seems they brought the Sadducees along this time to test Him again.  Or perhaps there were Sadducees who had not heard His answer before, and themselves sought a sign.  This account in Mark said that Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit (Mark 8:12) before answering them.  He was apparently greatly affected by their obstinance and spiritual blindness.  It is a sad thing for one to be lost and facing an eternity without God.  Jesus had already in His miracles and preaching shown signs more than sufficient to demonstrate His divine mission and His divinity.  There was only one sign left that had not been shown, and Jesus said He would not show them any more signs, at least not in response to them, until the sign of Jonah.  That, as we learned in Matthew 12:40, was that as Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish, so Jesus would be three days in His grave, but would then rise again.  He didn't bother further explaining what He meant by the sign of Jonah, as He knew no sign or explanation would suffice for them.  He left them and departed from the coasts of Magdala.

(5) And when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

When Jesus's disciples had come to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, having departed Magdala, it was realized they had forgotten to take bread with them.

(6) Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."

Whether Jesus took that opportunity to teach His disciples because they had forgotten bread, or because it was still fresh on all their minds what had just been said to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, Jesus gave His disciples that advice.  They were to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(7) And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."

The disciples reasoned among themselves that Jesus was talking about physical bread and the leaven that it might have, because they had forgotten bread.  Up to this point, "leaven" was not a word used to describe doctrine, so the disciples did not immediately understand what Jesus meant.  There were laws about eating bread made by Gentiles, so the disciples may have supposed that Jesus meant they should not get bread from the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

(8) When Jesus perceived it, He said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves, because you have brought no bread?"

Jesus, of course, knew their thoughts or heard them discussing bread, and calling them of little faith, asked why they talked among themselves about having no bread.  Once again, Jesus called them "of little faith," not "no faith;" they certainly had a seed of great faith, but they did not yet understand the limits they had placed on their faith by having just a small amount.

(9) "Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many loaves you took up?"

Jesus asked His disciples if they didn't yet understand what He was talking about.  Did they not remember what He had just done with feeding more than 5000 with only five loaves of bread?  So then how could they possibly concern themselves with bread they left behind?

(10) "Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?"

Jesus asked if they also remembered when He had fed thousands a second time with only seven loaves, and how much had been left over.

(11) "How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But you should beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Because they had witnessed both those miracles of feeding thousands with very little, Jesus asked His disciples how it was that they thought He was talking about physical bread.  Why should He be at all concerned about bread, and of course neither should they.  He again told them they should beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  How could they think that He meant leaven in a literal sense?

(12) Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Indeed, at that point, the disciples understood that Jesus could not have meant literal leaven of bread that they were to beware of, but that it was the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees they were to beware.  Like leaven affects an entire loaf over time, so would the false doctrines of the Pharisees and Sadducees gradually pervade the soul.  That, of course, is why the disciples were to take heed and beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and they had come to understand that.

(13) When Jesus came to the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?"

There were two places called Caesarea, the original on the northeast coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and Caesarea Philippi, named by Herod's son Philip.  This Caesarea Philippi was actually well inland at the foot of Lebanon at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon.  The word that was translated as "coasts" also means "borders."  Jesus had come to the outer borders or region of Caesarea Philippi when He asked His disciples who men said that He was.

(14) And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

The disciples answered that some thought He was John the Baptist risen from the dead, as Herod thought.  They said some thought He was Elijah, and that was because Malachi had prophesied in Malachi 4:5 that an extraordinary person under the name of Elijah was to come before the Messiah; but that was actually John the Baptist as Jesus said in Matthew 11:14.  Some others thought He was Jeremiah or one of the other prophets because of the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15 that the Lord would raise up a prophet like unto Himself.

(15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Without any reflection on what they had just told Jesus, He immediately asked His disciples who they thought He was.

(16) And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Very emphatically, Peter answered that He was the Christ, the much anticipated Messiah; the Son of the living God, the one true God, not one of the dead lifeless idols.

(17) And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father who is in heaven."

Jesus called Peter, Simon Bar-Jonah, that is Simon, the son of Jonah.  He told him he was blessed because no man could have told him that, but it could have only been revealed to him by His Father in heaven.

(18) "And I say also to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Jesus at that point said that he was to be Peter, not Simon Peter, not Simon Bar-Jonah, but "Peter," the original word "petros" meaning rock.  Jesus said that on that rock He would build His church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  When Jesus first called Peter to be a disciple, the account in John said that He called him Cephas from the beginning which also meant rock.  This is not to say that Peter alone was the foundation of Jesus's church.  He said on that rock He would build His church.  Jesus was called the foundation stone or the cornerstone in other scriptures, including prophetic ones (Psalm 118:22, Matthew 21:42, et al.).  Jesus was the cornerstone of the church, but that confession of Peter's would be the foundation of believers.  The disciples could be considered foundation stones for the church, as stated in Ephesians 2:20, "having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone."  But again, that same verse stated that Jesus was the cornerstone.  Peter himself in his writings spoke of "lively stones (who) built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood" (1 Peter 2:5), but the next verse speaks of Jesus being the chief corner stone.  The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's church.  Although the workers of spiritual darkness may seem to rule the world, they can never prevail against Christ's church.  Christ conquered death and Satan, and those of His church will also conquer eternal death because of Him.

(19) "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Although Jesus may have been talking to just Peter at the time, it in no way means that Peter alone had the keys to the kingdom of heaven and he alone was the rock upon which the church was founded.  This the Catholics use as their basis for making Peter their first pope and founder of the church.  Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom, and with these keys, his understanding of the Messiah and His kingdom of heaven on earth, he would open the door of faith to the Jews and even the Gentiles.  The phrases "to bind" and "to loose" were often used by the Jews regarding prohibiting and permitting.  Note Jesus said "whatever" not "whoever;" whatever the apostles taught with regard to laws of the church would be accepted by God in heaven, as they were led by Christ and the Holy Spirit.  Some of the customs of man they would forbid or bind, and some things they would loose or permit, as they, as Jesus did, would be teaching the spirit of the law, not what had become hypocritical legalistic adherence to it.  Once again, these keys were not given to Peter alone, as in a future statement, Jesus would give all His disciples the power to bind and loose (Matthew 18:18).  

(20) Then He charged His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

Jesus commanded His disciples not to tell anyone He was the Messiah, as it was not yet time for His death and resurrection, and the fact would be all the more proven after His resurrection.

(21) From that time forth Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and raised again the third day.

From the time that Peter had confessed that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, and Jesus told His disciples He would build His church, He began sharing to them more about what He was to go through.  He said that He must go to Jerusalem, the chief city of Israel, where the sanhedrin sat, and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes.  It would not be mere dismissing of Him as before, but with formal, although false, charges, and physical suffering.  He told them He would be killed, but He would rise from the dead on the third day afterward.

(22) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to you."

Peter, who was of an impetuous spirit, often said and did things on impulse.  He wasn't rebuking Jesus out of any disrespect, but out of deep love and concern, that what Jesus had told them certainly couldn't be allowed to happen.

(23) But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but those of man."

I am sure it was much to Peter's surprise that the Lord turned to him and cried out for Satan to get behind or away from Him.  Christ was not calling Peter, Satan, but was talking to the spirit that had taken advantage of Peter's impetuousness to dissuade Him from His purpose.  "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against...spiritual wickedness..." (Ephesians 6:12)  Jesus may have been speaking to Satan, but certainly Peter's words were an offense to Him, because they were not of God, but of carnal man's desire to save himself, or in this case, to save his loved one.  Peter did not take the time to learn from the Lord that this was His divine purpose, but he rashly asserted himself and sought to interfere with it.

(24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Jesus then went on to tell all His disciples that in order to really follow Him, they would have to deny themselves and be willing to bear any affliction or suffering that might come as a result of it.  Note that the Lord said "If any man will..."  He does not force anyone to go through suffering to follow Him, but if they are willing, they must be willing to do whatever is necessary to persevere.

(25) "For whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

Jesus told them that whoever fought to save his own life by denying his cross, those afflictions and persecutions that might come his way if he followed Christ, would ultimately lose his eternal life, but whoever denied himself and his own mortal life for Christ's sake would find eternal life.

(26) "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Jesus posed the question to His disciples about what a man really profited even if he gained power over the entire world, if it meant he would ultimately lose his eternal soul.  What was it that a man was willing to give in exchange for his soul?  That is the very real life question every one of us must ask himself.  And we should have great pity for those who choose the world over Jesus, for we understand the end they have chosen.

(27) "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward every man according to his works."

The reason a person may save or lose his soul is because Jesus will most assuredly return to judge all people.  He will return in glory with His angels and with full authority of His Father to recompense every man according to his works on earth.

(28) "Verily, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom."

Jesus said that there were some with Him there who would not die until they saw the fruition of Jesus's kingdom on earth, His Christian church.  All except Judas would live to see the Day of Pentecost when His Holy Spirit was poured down in an extraordinary manner, and the Gospel began to be spread throughout the world.  John lived to see the destruction of the temple and the Jewish nation, and the Christian church and its gospel message established throughout the known world.  At the point Jesus was speaking, the "church" was very small and feeble, and not much more than a message, albeit the essential and most important gospel message; but some of His disciples would live to see that all important message grow into a huge religious movement, the Christian church, Christ's kingdom on earth.

In this chapter, we see Jesus's Kingdom on earth expanding.  The disciples had come to realize that Jesus was indeed their anticipated Messiah, and He revealed to them the truth about His coming death and resurrection.  He told them He would build a church against which the gates of hell could not prevail, and that He would give them the keys to that kingdom on earth.  At least some of them would live to see that church grow throughout the known world.  Although Jesus told them that discipleship was costly, they surely were encouraged to know that their employment in the establishment of Christ's kingdom on earth would be successful.

Jesus Condemns Vain Traditions of Man and Heals a Gentile

Continuing a study of the Gospels:

(Matthew 15:1) Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, who were of Jerusalem, saying, (2) "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus and His disciples had gone to Gennesaret in Galilee.  According to the same account in Mark, scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem had seen Jesus's disciples eating with unwashed hands, and that is when they came to Him.  They asked Jesus why it was that His disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders, handed down by their ancestors, by not washing their hands before they ate bread.  

(3) But He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"

Jesus turned the question back to the scribes and Pharisees and asked why they transgressed the commandments of God with their traditions of man.

(4) "For God commanded, saying, 'Honor thy father and mother,' and 'He who curses father or mother, let him die the death.'"

Jesus then went on to quote one of the Ten Commandments of the Lord, to honor one's father and mother; and the punishment for breaking that commandment as stated in Exodus 21:17, that whoever cursed his father or mother should be put to death.

(5) "But you say, 'Whoever shall say to his father or mother, "It is a gift by whatever you might have been profited by me."'"

Jesus said that the scribes and Pharisees rather said to their parents that it was a gift to the temple what the parents might have otherwise gotten from them.

(6) "'And honor not his father or his mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition."

Jesus went on to explain that they used that as an excuse not to honor their fathers and mothers, and had thereby nullified the commandment of God by their tradition.  Of course giving to the Lord was good and laudable, but was not intended to be done at the expense of duty to their parents.

(7) "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, (8) 'This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.'"

Jesus called them hypocrites because they pretended to be so religious and holy, but had no qualms about setting aside commandments of God when it suited them.  He then quoted Isaiah in Isaiah 29:13.  What God had said through Isaiah at the time about their forefathers was perfectly applicable at His present time, and a prophetic statement, at that.  The people outwardly worshipped the Lord with their mouths and their words, but their hearts were actually far from Him.  They had no true love for Him, no real faith in Him, and certainly no reverential fear of Him, or else they would not have made a mockery of His commandments.

(9) "'But in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

Jesus finished quoting Isaiah, saying that the people vainly worshipped the Lord, teaching the people to observe the traditions of the elders as if they were doctrines delivered by God.

(10) And He called the multitude and said to them, "Hear and understand."

Jesus then turned His attention back to the multitude of people with Him, and exhorted them to hear Him and try to fully understand what He was about to tell them.

(11) "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."

Obviously referring to what the scribes and Pharisees had questioned with regard to the disciples eating with unwashed hands, Jesus told the people that it was not what went into the mouth that defiled a man.  Eating with unwashed hands did not defile a man.  Rather it was what came out of the mouth that defiled him.  As Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, "...out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."  What was in a man's heart and came forth in words or deeds was what actually defiled a man, that is, polluted or corrupted him.

(12) Then came His disciples and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?"

The account in Mark states that Jesus's disciples came to Him after He had dismissed the multitude and had gone into a house.  It was then that the disciples asked Him about this saying, and told Him the Pharisees had been offended by it.  I had to chuckle at this, that Jesus would care about the Pharisees being offended at what He said, but the disciples obviously wanted to understand what He had said and meant that was offensive to the religious leaders.

(13) But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up."

Jesus answered them saying that every plant, or doctrine, that was not planted in the heart by God, would be uprooted, turned on its head, by God's truth in His time.

(14) "Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch."

Jesus told His disciples not to concern themselves with the Pharisees.  Jesus called them blind leaders leading the blind.  If they refused to see the truth, they were spiritually blind, and those who followed them who refused to see and understand the truth were also blind.  And if the blind led the blind, both would fall into every ditch that was in the way.  Blind teachers not only destroy their own souls, but those souls that follow them.

(15) Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain to us this parable."

Peter asked Jesus to better explain the analogies He had just given them.

(16) And Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?"

Jesus was grieved by the fact that His own disciples seemed slow to grasp the spiritual meanings in His parables, because, unlike the scribes and Pharisees, they had been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:11), and yet they still didn't understand.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible put forth food for thought:  "Is it not strange to hear the disciples asking for the explanation of such a parable as this! The true knowledge of the spirit of the Gospel is a thing more uncommon than we imagine, among the generality of Christians, and even of the learned."  How truly blessed we are when we are given to understand these mysteries of heaven!  

(17) "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly and is cast out in the draught?"

Jesus rather rhetorically asked if the disciples did not understand that whatever went into the mouth went down to the belly and out into the privy, or some such sort of outhouse or place where such waste was dumped.  It was at this point that John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, observed "How fair and candid are the sacred historians? Never concealing or excusing their own blemishes."  It's one of the ways that scripture is validated as true.  Someone making up a story probably wouldn't include so many embarrassing details, but the apostles told it like it truly was!

(18) "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile a man."

Jesus meant the words that came out of a mouth, obviously not spittle or vomit or any such thing that might physically spew out of the mouth.  The words a man spoke came from what he believed in his heart, and that is what truly corrupted a man, not what he ate.

(19) "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."

Jesus went on to name the types of things that proceeded out of the heart.  Evil thoughts precede evil actions, thoughts of hatred and murder, thoughts of sexual immorality, thoughts of covetousness and theft, and thoughts of lies and blasphemies.

(20) "These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

Those things Jesus listed as thoughts that came from the heart, He said were the things that defiled a man.  Eating with unwashed hands did not defile or corrupt a man.

(21) Then Jesus went from there and departed to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

Jesus then went from the land of Gennesaret to the coasts at Tyre and Sidon.

(22) And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil."

As Jesus came to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, a woman came from that region to Him.  The point was made that she was a Canaanite woman.  That region including Tyre and Sidon was part of Canaan in ancient times, and she was so called because she was a descendant of the Canaanites.  I believe the point is that she was a Gentile, not a Jew.  Even so, she had heard the fame of Jesus, and that He was the Son of David, the much anticipated Messiah of the Jews.  She obviously had faith in Him as such, as she cried humbly to Him to have mercy on her.  She told Him her daughter had been sorely possessed by a demon, obviously hoping to have Him heal her.

(23) But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries after us."

Jesus did not answer the woman.  It's not that He didn't hear her, or chose to ignore her, but as always, it was to teach his disciples further, and possibly to test the woman's faith.  Whatever His motive, you can be sure it was for the benefit of His disciples and for those witnesses, including all future readers of this text.  Jesus's disciples came to Him and asked that He send the woman away because she cried after them and was obviously bothersome to them.  Why they would say that, after witnessing Jesus's mercy in healing so many, can only be assumed to be because she was a Gentile.

(24) But He answered and said, "I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

This statement appears to be made to the woman after the disciples asked Him to send her away.  He told her that He had been sent to the Jews, those lost sheep of the house of Israel.  He was their expected Messiah, and He had come to preach the gospel to them.  We know that the gospel would ultimately be shared with all, but that would be basically after He was rejected by His own.

(25) Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, "Lord, help me."

The woman pressed on.  She came and worshipped Jesus as Lord God, and begged Him to help her.

(26) But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs."

The Lord's salvation was provided for the children of Israel, God's special people.  His answer meant that it was not proper for Him to take Israel's salvation from her, Israel, and give it to the Gentiles, who were viewed as little more than dogs to the Jewish people.  If His words seem harsh and heartless, I believe the purpose was to show Israel what a wonderful gift He had brought to them, His chosen people, and when it was rejected, it was then offered to the "dogs".

(27) And she said, "Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table."

The woman persevered.  She answered that indeed what the Lord said was true.  He had come for the Jews, but even the dogs were able to eat the crumbs from their master's table; obviously what was meant was might there be some crumbs of grace and mercy for her?  

(28) Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith; let it be to you as you will." And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Jesus then answered the woman that she obviously had great faith.  She had persisted through all the obstacles Jesus had set before her.  She sought Him with all her heart and soul and she found Him (Deuteronomy 4:29) receptive to her request.  Besides being a lesson for the Jews, Jesus was perhaps testing the faith of the woman to see how real it was.  Even during the Old Testament times, God welcomed the stranger into Israel if he assimilated and conformed to the beliefs and customs of the Jews.  The woman showed her great faith in Jesus and He granted the desire of her heart, and made her daughter well and whole. 

(29) And Jesus departed from there and came near to the Sea of Galilee, and went up into a mountain and sat down there.

Jesus departed from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and went near the Sea of Galilee where He went up into a mountain and sat down.

(30) And great multitudes came to Him, having with them those who were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus's feet, and He healed them.

Great multitudes of people came to Jesus, bringing all their people who were lame, blind, mute, or maimed in any manner, and laid them at Jesus's feet.  Jesus healed them all.  How good, merciful, and patient was Jesus in that multitudes of people would come to Him and just cast their debilitated members before Him, and He healed them all.

(31) Insomuch as the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb speak, the maimed whole, the lame walk, and the blind see; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Even though it looked as if people just cast their outcasts before Jesus, as if He were a genie who would grant their wishes, God's purpose was fulfilled in that the people marveled over those healings and glorified the God of Israel.

(32) Then Jesus called His disciples and said, "I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I will not send them away fasting, unless they faint on the way."

Apparently this multitude of people had stayed with Jesus for three days, at which time Jesus called His disciples to Him.  He expressed His compassion for the multitude who had remained with Him all this time, watching His miracles and most likely hearing Him teach.  He said the people had been there all that time with nothing to eat.  They may have had food that they had had on their persons, but Jesus and His disciples had not furnished them with any additional food; and Jesus would not send them away hungry, as they might would faint along their way.

(33) And His disciples said to Him, "Where could we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?"

Having witnessed so recently how Jesus fed the 5000, how is it the disciples would have no idea how to feed the present multitude?  But that is what they asked Him; how could they find the bread to fill the multitude?

(34) And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."

They answered Jesus that they had just seven loaves of bread and a few little fish.

(35) And He commanded the multitude to sit on the ground.

Just as Jesus had done before when He fed the 5000, He instructed this current group to sit down on the ground.

(36) And He took the seven loaves and the fish, and gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitude.

Jesus took the seven loaves and the fish from the disciples and gave thanks to God for the provision.  He then broke bread, which was the custom of the master of a family to do, and then gave the food to the disciples, who in turn, gave to the multitude of people.

(37) And they all ate and were filled, and they took up of the broken meal that was left seven baskets full.

As before, the entire multitude ate and were filled, and seven full baskets of scraps were taken up afterward, more than they started with, as surely one loaf and a small fish would not have filled a basket.  It is interesting to note that there were seven baskets, seven, that number that represented completeness and perfection.  How completely and perfectly had Jesus fed the multitude!  It could also be said that the disciples had the perfect number of loaves to feed the multitude in the beginning.  Jesus alone is sufficient for all needs and He will provide for us perfectly!

(38) And they who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

This time Jesus had miraculously fed 4000 men, besides women and children.  It is very interesting that Jesus performed almost the exact same miracle twice before His disciples.  Remembering that a thing is established at the mouth of two or three witnesses, I believe this was a lesson for the disciples to have faith in God's provision for all their needs, preparing them to go out into the world, teaching and spreading the gospel.  In Christ, there would be bread enough, and even to spare.

(39) And He sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came to the coasts of Magdala.

Jesus then sent the multitude away fully fed, and He took a ship from where He was near the coast of the Sea of Galilee, and went to the coast of Magdala.  Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, explained that Magdala was a few miles north of Tiberias, "in the land of Gennesaret, on the western side of the Sea of Tiberias, and directly east of Cana of Galilee." 

The lessons in this chapter are many.  Much can be learned about the traditions of men which are usually contradictive to the commands of God.  Man's vain worship rituals are not pleasing to God, but He searches the heart.  That is one of the reasons why Jesus healed a Gentile in what may be the first instance of Him healing anyone outside of the Jewish faith.  In her heart, the woman knew her daughter's healing would only come from Jesus and she persistently sought Jesus's help until she found it; "seek and you will find."  Finally, we have recorded the second miraculous feeding of thousands demonstrating His care of His poor and needy followers, and that Christ is all we ever need.  

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.