by Gary L. Evans
Matthew — Part 14
Mat 10:24-25 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
Jesus was persecuted, arrested, falsely accused, beaten, and crucified. And we are His servants, His Disciplined Ones. So Satan’s servants in this world will persecute us as they did Christ when He walked this earth.
Mat 10:26-27 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
We must not fear persecution. There is nothing secret that shall not be shouted from the housetops.
Mat 10:28-31 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
We are not to be afraid. Fear is not of God, and it is from a lack of Faith in Jesus and our Heavenly Father.
Mat 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Anyone who loses Faith and becomes afraid to the point the he denies Christ will not be in The First Resurrection.
Mat 10:34-36 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
Whenever new Converts repent and enter into The New Covenant, they receive The Holy Spirit and become driven to study God’s Word every day. Everything about them changes, their countenance and outlook on this world and the future. But The Word of God is The Sword of The Lord. So it often results in divisions in the home. If the wife receives The Holy Spirit but not the husband, then he will likely begin to resent his wife, which can cause contention. And similarly when the husband is converted but not the wife. Why? Because those who are part of this world and the servants of Satan will usually have animosity against true Christians.
Mat 10:37-39 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
We must prepare ourselves to endure persecution from our unsaved spouse and even some of our children and other family members. We must be willing to even lose our family if the persecution comes down to that, so that we can maintain our Faith in Christ and continue in our study of God’s Word.
Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
The Holy Spirit of Christ dwells in us, so anyone who accepts us also accepts Christ who dwells in us and guides us daily and sometimes even speaks through us.
Mat 10:41-42 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
If we accept a true preacher or a sincere person who is seeking The Righteousness of God into our home, then we will be rewarded appropriately. And even if we can only give a cup of cool water to a new convert, then we will not lose our reward.
Mat 11:1-6 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
John The Baptist was in prison. He sent two of his disciples to go to Jesus and ask Him if He was The Promised Messiah. Jesus told them to tell John about all of the teaching and miracles that Jesus had done to show John who He was.
Psa 146:8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
Isa 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Isa 35:4-6 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isa 42:6-7 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isa 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
Psa 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
Psa 72:12-14 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
Isa 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
John The Baptist was a Levitical Priest and certainly understood our Lord’s answer to his question, because he knew the Scriptures.
Mat 11:7-10 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Jesus quoted from Malachi.
Mal 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
John The Baptist was The Lord’s Messenger to prepare the minds of the people for the coming of The Promised Messiah, who would in turn be The Messenger of The New Covenant.
Mat 11:11-15 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
John The Baptist was the Last and Greatest of The Old Testament Prophets. Jesus said that John was also Elijah in The Spirit who was promised to come.
Mal 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The Lord declared that He would send Elijah before The Day of The Lord, The Millennium, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.
Mat 11:16-19 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
John The Baptist lived out in the wilderness. He did not eat a regular diet but instead survived eating locusts and wild honey, and he did not drink wine. But the hypocrites accused him of being possessed with a devil. Jesus Christ, The Son of Man, came eating and drinking like everyone else and the hypocrites accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of sinners.
Mat 11:20-22 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Smith’s Bible Dictionary gives us some information about Chorazin and Bethsaida:
Chora’zin. One of the cities in which our Lord’s mighty works were done, but named only in His denunciation. St. Jerome describes it as on the shore of the lake, two miles from Capernaum, but its modern site is uncertain.
Bethsa’ida. (house of fish). Bethsaida, of Galilee. A city which was the native place of Andrew, Peter and Philip, in the land of Gennesareth, and therefore on the west side of the lake. By comparing the narratives in Mar_6:31-53 and Luk_9:10-17, it appears certain that the Bethsaida, at which the five thousand were fed, must have been a second place of the same name, on the east of the lake.
Mat 11:23-24 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Smith’s Bible Dictionary gives us some information about Capernaum:
Caper’naum. (village of Nahum). Capernaum was on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was in the “land of Gennesaret,” It was of sufficient size to be always called a “city,” and had its own synagogue in which our Lord frequently taught, and there was also a customs station, where the dues were gathered both by stationary and by itinerant officers.
Mat 11:25-26 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Jesus thanked our Father for hiding all of these things that He had been teaching from people who esteem themselves wise and prudent like the Pharisees, and has only allowed them to be taught to humble, open minded, and disciplined Children of God, that is, to His Disciples.
Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Only The Father in Heaven knows The Son of God. And only The Son of God knows The Father and whoever The Son reveals Him. This is a dark saying, so who has The Son revealed The Father to be?
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Jesus Christ, The Only Begotten Son of God and The Father in Heaven are one and the same. How do we know? Because The Son, The Word of God, has revealed The Father to us, who are His Disciples today.
Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Matthew reported that the angel, Gabriel, in Isaiah had also declared who Jesus, The Eternal Savior, would be.
Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
May your eyes be opened and your ears unstopped, my friends. Listen to The Words in Matthew 11:28-30. Can you perceive now? And can you hear The Voice of The Father and Son Calling to you? “Come unto me. . .”
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew — Part 15
Mat 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Jesus and His Disciples were walking through a corn field and were hungry. So they plucked fresh ears of corn to eat as they went. It was perfectly lawful to eat some corn while they walked through the field.
Deu 23:24-25 When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.
The Lord said that it was lawful to pluck ears of corn to eat while walking through a neighbor’s field. And eating food on the Sabbath was not working. It was eating.
Mat 12:2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
But the Pharisees falsely accused them of transgressing The Law on the Sabbath. Well either the Pharisees did not know The Law about eating from a neighbor’s field or they were lying. And the Disciples were just walking, not working, not preparing food by cooking, just walking.
Mat 12:3-4 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Jesus then told about how David and his men were hungry and went into The House of God and ate the Shew Bread, which was reserved for the Priest on duty. But David was also The Lord’s Anointed just as the Priests were.
Mat 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Then Jesus explained how on the Sabbath Days the Priests work in The Temple therefore technically transgressing the ban on working on the Sabbath, but are considered blameless in doing so.
Mat 12:6-8 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Jesus was The Son of Man, and a Priest, therefore He could work on the Sabbath to teach and heal the people.
Jesus again says that the Pharisees still do not know what He was talking about, and again quotes from Hosea:
Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
The Lord always wanted our love for Him and for one another more than anything else.
Mat 12:9-14 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and there was a man with a withered hand. And the Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath? Jesus answered that if one of your animals falls into a pit, wouldn’t you pull it out even on the Sabbath?
Deu 22:4 Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.
Of course it was lawful, in fact The Lord commanded us to help the animal, and The Lord did not make an exception for the Sabbath. Then Jesus healed the man which was perfectly lawful. So the Pharisees began plotting how they might kill Him. Those hypocrites were cold blooded murderers.
Mat 12:15-16 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known:
Then Jesus left the synagogue and was followed by a multitude. And He healed them.
Mat 12:17-21 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
Matthew quoted from Isaiah:
Isa 42:1-4 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
The “isles” represent the “Isles of The Gentiles.”
Mat 12:22-23 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Jesus healed a man possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb.
Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
The Pharisees accused Jesus of being possessed by Satan, “Beelzebub”, the Prince of the Devils, and using Satan’s Power to cast out Devils and to heal people.
Mat 12:25-29 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Jesus already bound Satan, The Prince of the Devils. He accomplished that when Satan tested Him and tried to deceive Him into obeying him. But Satan failed and instead obeyed Jesus thereby becoming the servant of Jesus. And then Jesus had power over Satan and over all of his fallen angels.
Mat 12:30-32 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Jesus had The Holy Spirit from The Father in Heaven, and The Father dwelling in Jesus did all of the miraculous works that He did. And the Pharisees were Blaspheming The Holy Spirit of The Most High God dwelling in Christ by claiming that The Spirit in Jesus was Satan, which is The Unforgivable Sin.
Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
Either a tree is good and its fruit good or else the tree is rotten and its fruit worthless. Every tree is known by its fruit.
Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
The word “vipers” is from “ekh’-id-nah” and means “an adder or other poisonous snake (literally or figuratively).” Jesus was referring to the Kenites, the offspring of That Old Serpent, Satan, The Devil.
Mat 12:35-37 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Whatever is in our heart is what comes out of our mouth. Good things come from a good heart, and evil things come from an evil heart. All of us will give account of every word that comes out of our mouths.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.