Day 288: Matthew 16-18

(The previous post showed Jesus adjusted His teaching method by telling stories. Also, Jesus continued to do spiritual warfare and his fame grew.)

Matthew 16
¹ And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

(Again, the religious leaders of that time initiated an interaction with Jesus. The Pharisees and Sadducees tempted (tried/tested) Jesus by asking for a sign. They wanted a miracle as a cause. We have seen throughout the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus did miracles as an effect, that is, in response to a need. Doing a sign as a cause would be a false sign.)

² But he answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the heaven is red.
³ And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.

(Jesus said to them that they could discern the signs of the weather but not of the times. The question that was implied was: how could they understand physical things, yet not understand spiritual things? Spiritual things are supernatural, they are based on the natural and something more. If a person can't understand the natural, they cannot understand the spiritual.)

⁴ An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed.

(Again, Jesus stated they would only be given the sign of Jonah as He did in Matthew 12:40.)

⁵ And the disciples came to the other side and forgot to take bread.
⁶ And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(Jesus told the Disciples that they ought to beware of the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees.)

⁷ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread.

(The Disciples thought Jesus was talking about bread. Jesus had just asked the religious leaders how they could understand the physical and not the spiritual. It appeared the disciples were also focused only on the physical and were unable to understand the spiritual.)

⁸ And Jesus perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread?

(Jesus stated the Disciples had little faith. Faith is proven by actions. The Disciples were focused on and worrying about the physical. Faith is built by understanding and experience. Jesus asked them first about understanding: why did you reason among yourselves about physical bread? Notice, Jesus was not saying they should not reason. Jesus showed them they reasoned about the wrong thing.)

⁹ Do ye not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
¹⁰ Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

(Jesus then asked them about experience: why did you not remember that I've fed five thousand and four thousand? Shouldn't I be able to feed twelve if you've experienced me, on more than one occasion, feeding thousands? Notice, Jesus used the feeding of the five thousand to see if they learned the lesson when it came to the four thousand. We saw (Matthew 15:32-39) that the Disciples didn't learn the lesson and Jesus had to facilitate the feeding of the four thousand. Did the Disciples learn the lesson from the feeding of the four thousand. Apparently not. Jesus had to teach this lesson for the third time.)

¹¹ How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(Jesus explained that He was not talking about the physical, He was speaking about the spiritual. However, Jesus used this moment to teach the Disciples (and us) about faith.)

¹² Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(This caused the Disciples to understand that the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees Jesus spoke of was their doctrine. The Pharisees and Sadducees held to man-made doctrine. Doctrine consists of words and definitions, and words and definitions are spiritual.)

¹³ Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is?

(Jesus asked the Disciples "who do men say that" Jesus was.)

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

(Jesus first asked about what others said about Him so that He could get an answer to the next question...)

¹⁵ He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am?

(Even today, when most people are asked their belief, they will respond with what others believe. Jesus did not allow that to happen here by asking what others thought first.)

¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

(Peter (the oldest and boldest Disciple) answered that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter plainly stated Jesus was the Son of God. How did Jesus respond?)

¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
¹⁸ And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

(Jesus accepted this statement as factual! Jesus said that Peter was blessed and that "upon this rock," meaning Peter's confession of Christ, Jesus would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

The Greek word for "rock" in verse 18 was translated as a very large rock, like the Rock of Gibraltar. In verse 18, "Peter" was translated as "little rock"...Rocky. Jesus renamed Simon "Rocky" in honor of his revelatory confession which was the very large rock that Jesus would build His Church on...just like the man in the parable at the end of Matthew 7 built his house upon the rock.)

¹⁹ I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

(The literal translation of this verse was: "we ought to bind on earth what is already bound in heaven; and we ought to loose on earth what is already loose in heaven"...just like Peter confessed on earth what was already confessed in heaven.)

²⁰ Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ.
²¹ From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

(From that day on Jesus began telling His Disciples about how He would suffer and be killed and rise again the third day. This verse began the third period of His Ministry: Rejection of the Messiah. Matthew recorded four more pronouncements by Jesus of His coming death. Each pronouncement revealed more information. This pronouncement stated the religious leaders would abuse Jesus in Jerusalem, He would be killed, and He would raise again on the third day.)

²² And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee.

(Peter rebuked Jesus. Peter had told Jesus he believed He was the Son of God. Then Peter told Jesus He was wrong, to His face. How could Jesus be the Son of God and be wrong? He cannot. Peter was definitely the boldest Disciple. How did Jesus respond?)

²³ But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.

(Jesus called Peter Satan! Is there any name worse to be called than Satan?...especially by the physical embodiment of Right and Just? Notice, Jesus was toughest on the one He expected the most from. Peter was the leader of the Disciples and Jesus did not take it easy on Peter. We have seen that Jesus did not take it easy on the religious leaders of His time because He also expected more from them than from the rest of the people.)

²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
²⁵ For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.
²⁶ For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?

(Jesus asked what a man will profit if he gained the whole world and lost his soul. Gaining the physical things of this world is temporal; gaining eternal life is eternal. Again, Jesus contrasted the physical with the spiritual, like He did from the beginning of this chapter.)

²⁷ For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds.

(Every man will be rewarded (recompensed both good and bad) according to his works. God is Just.)

²⁸ Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

(Jesus concluded this chapter with a statement that combined the physical and the spiritual.)




Matthew 17
¹ And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:
² and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.

(Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountain and was transfigured (to change into another form, to transform - Christ's appearance was changed and was shining with divine brightness) before them. Notice, Jesus brought His "inner circle": the Disciples with which He was in the most agreement. In the Bible, the Glory of God only appeared when there was agreement. Jesus' Spiritual Glory/Power became physically apparent. He came into His Kingdom. Peter referenced this event in 2 Peter 1:17-18.)

³ And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.

(Jesus had a conversation with Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets. Notice, Jesus wasn't teaching Moses and Elijah anything: what would be gained from that? This meeting was for Jesus' benefit. Jesus was learning everything He could to prepare for His return to Jerusalem and fulfillment of the Law and prophecy with His crucifixion.)

⁴ And Peter answered, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, I will make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
⁵ While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

(A Voice (God the Father) out of a cloud said "this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." God testified that Jesus was His Son. Jesus Himself could not blatantly state, "I am the Son of God" because that would not be humble. Jesus would have been facilitating His own purpose and progress. There are people who try to say Jesus was not the Son of God because He never plainly said it Himself. Actually, if He had said it, it would prove He was not the Son of God. More importantly, GOD stated Jesus was the Son of God. Are these people stating that GOD's testimony was not good enough?)

⁶ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

(This caused Peter, James, and John to fall on their faces and become very afraid.)

⁷ And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
⁸ And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, save Jesus only.

(Jesus told them not to be afraid and touched them. They lifted their heads and saw only Jesus.)

⁹ And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead.

(Jesus told them to tell no man of the vision and He reiterated to these three that He would rise from the dead.)

¹⁰ And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come?
¹¹ And he answered and said, Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things:
¹² but I say into you, that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.

(Jesus explained that Elijah had already spiritually come.)

¹³ Then understood the disciples that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

(The Disciples understood that Jesus meant John the Baptist.)

¹⁴ And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a man, kneeling to him, saying,
¹⁵ Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is epileptic, and suffereth grievously; for oft-times he falleth into the fire, and off-times into the water.
¹⁶ And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him hither to me.

(Jesus stated that generation was faithless because His Disciples (other than the three that accompanied Him during the Transfiguration) could not heal the son. Remember, faith is proven in actions.)

¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked him; and the demon went out of him: and the boy was cured from that hour.
¹⁹ Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out?
²⁰ And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

(The Disciples couldn't heal a lunatic because of their unbelief.)

²¹ But this kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting.

(However, this kind of spirit only goes out by prayer and fasting. All demons are not equal.)

²² And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be delivered up into the hands of men;
²³ and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised up. And they were exceeding sorry.

(Again, Jesus told them of His betrayal, death, and resurrection, adding that He would be delivered into the hands of men who would kill Him.)

²⁴ And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the half-shekel came to Peter, and said, Doth not your teacher pay the half-shekel?
²⁵ He saith, Yea. And when he came into the house, Jesus spake first to him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? the kings of the earth, from whom do they receive toll or tribute? from their sons, or from strangers?
²⁶ And when he said, From strangers, Jesus said unto him, Therefore the sons are free.
²⁷ But, lest we cause them to stumble, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a shekel: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

(Jesus had Peter go and take the first fish that came up and take a piece of money out of its mouth to pay taxes for only Jesus and Peter. This was a supernatural event. Look at the natural things Peter had to do: catch a fish, open its mouth, take out the money, and take it to the temple. The tax was only required for men twenty years old and older according to Exodus 30:13-14. The reason Peter only got enough for Christ and himself was that the rest of the Disciples were younger than twenty years old at this time (around seventeen years old) and would not have had to pay the temple tax.)




Matthew 18
¹ In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

(The Disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. After Jesus had spoken to them of His death, burial, and resurrection, the Disciples' focus was on themselves and who would be the greatest. This sounded a lot like a group of teenage boys.)

² And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them,
³ and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

(In verse 2, "little child" was translated from the word meaning baby. Some people misquote these verses as Jesus saying, "Unless you have the faith of a little child..." The verse stated the attribute was humility. Those who are humble as a child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Humble meant being willing to consider any perspective, including that you could be wrong. Grace (the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life) only leads to Salvation in those who are humble. The opposite of humility is pride. James 4:6 stated God resisted the proud, but gave grace to the humble.)

⁵ And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me:
⁶ But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.
⁷ Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!

(Notice, Jesus stated that those who put a stumbling-block in front of others were cursed.)

⁸ And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.
⁹ And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire.
¹⁰ See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.

(Verses 8 and 9 showed Jesus' continued emphasis on the spiritual over the physical. "Little ones" have angels in heaven.)

¹¹ For the Son of man came to save that which was lost.
¹² How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?
¹³ And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray.

(Jesus came to save the lost. When one of His sheep goes astray and is found, He rejoices greatly.)

¹⁴ Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

(God's Will is that all are saved.)

¹⁵ And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
¹⁶ But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established.
¹⁷ And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.

(Verses 15-17 covered the process of how to deal with a believer who trespasses against you. The first step a believer is supposed to take after being trespassed against is different depending on if the person was a believer or an unbeliever. Christians are taught, by Jesus, to confront believers and forgive non-believers. The measure for when the confrontation of a believer is complete is when they hear (understand) you. Agreement is not the measure. If the believer will not hear you, even when the church is present, then the person has ceased to be a believer. At that point, the church ought to physically do what already spiritually exists: physically put the person out of the church as an unbeliever.)

¹⁸ Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

(This was the second time we have seen this verse. The literal translation we shared earlier also perfectly fit this context: "we ought to bind on earth what is already bound in heaven; and we ought to loose on earth what is already loosed in heaven." Jesus had just stated the church ought to physically treat on earth the person as an unbeliever because the person was already spiritually (in the kingdom of heaven) an unbeliever.)

¹⁹ Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven.
²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

(Where two or more are gathered in Christ's name, He will be there "in the midst of them." Three people make a community. Church and Marriage are the God-given communities. Jesus will make Himself present to complete the community when two believers are gathered together.)

²¹ Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?
²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.

(Peter specifically asked how many times ought he to forgive a believer (brother). Jesus just stated to confront a believer when they sin against you and if they hear (understand) you are done with the confrontation. Peter appeared to wonder how many times a believer could sin against him and hear (understand) before that became grounds for being declared an unbeliever and dismissal from the church.)

(Verses 23-35: the parable of the Unmerciful Servant.)

²³ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.
²⁴ And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents.
²⁵ But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
²⁶ The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
²⁷ And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

(A man owed ten thousand talents. When he begged for forgiveness and worshipped his Lord, he was forgiven this great debt.)

²⁸ But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.
²⁹ So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
³⁰ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.

(However, when this forgiven man was owed a far less sum from a servant, he did not have mercy on the servant, but put him in prison.)

³¹ So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
³² Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me:
³³ shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?
³⁴ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.

(The Lord found out, removed his mercy, and executed Justice.)

³⁵ So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

(Jesus stated that God would do the same thing to us. God has forgiven our huge debt by grace through faith. However, this grace ought to lead to loving others and extending mercy. If we forgive men, God the Father will forgive us because we have proof God is directing our actions through grace. If we do not forgive men, God the Father will not forgive us because we are proving we are not being directed by God through grace.)

(This post covered Jesus' transition into the third phase of His Ministry: the rejection of the Messiah.)

Day 289