MESSAGE STATEMENT:
WHEN JESUS WAS PRESENTED AND REJECTED AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH, HE
PREPARED HIS DISCIPLES TO FOLLOW HIS TEACHINGS IN HIS UPCOMING
ABSENCE AS THE CRUCIFIED, AND THEN RISEN, OBEDIENT
SERVANT/MESSIAH, WHILE ISRAEL SLIPPED TOWARD JUDGMENT
I. PROLOGUE: Through the genres of genealogy and narrative
Jesus is identified as the Messiah, chosen by God to fulfill
the Kingdom promises for Israel and the blessing promises
for the world, but he is only received by a remnant
(Joseph), He is rejected and persecuted by the nation
(Herod), He is worshiped by those outside of the nation (the
wisemen), and He is protected by God as the fulfillment of
Scripture (1:1--2:23)
A. Genealogy: Through the genre of genealogy, Jesus is
introduced as the one chosen by God to bring about the
Kingdom for which Israel is waiting, and as the one to
fulfill the Abrahamic promises to all nations (1:1-17)
1. Introductory statement: The genealogy traces
Jesus' lineage through the covenant lines of David
and Abraham1 (1:1)
2. The genealogy is unfolded around four characters:
Abraham, David, Jeconiah (and the Babylonian
deportation), and Joseph the husband of Mary who
gave birth to Jesus (1:2-16)
a. Jesus' lineage is traced through Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Perez, Hezron, Ram,
Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, Obed,
Jesse, to David the King (1:2-6a)
b. Jesus' lineage is traced through David,
Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat,
Joram, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah,
Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, to Jeconiah at the
deportation to Babylon (1:6b-11)
c. Jesus' lineage is traced through Jeconiah,
Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abuid, Eliakim, Azor,
Zadok, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob,
Joseph the husband of Mary through whom Jesus
was born (1:12-16)
3. Summary statement: There is a symmetry in this
genealogy to emphasize the periods of the coming
kingdom: fourteen generations from Abraham to
David (waiting), fourteen generations from David
to the deportation, (kingdom period), fourteen
generations from the deportation to Jesus (waiting
again) (1:17)
B. The responses to the birth and early life of Jesus
reveal a remnant (Joseph) who believe God's revelation
in faith, a nation (Israel-Herod) who reject and want
to destroy God's Messiah, and those from outside of
Israel who want to worship and honor Jesus as the
Messiah sent and protected by God (2:1-23)
1. The Birth of Jesus Christ is unfolded as a
miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit upon Mary
as well as through the recounting of a faithful
response by Joseph to the message of the angel
that Mary's child was from the Holy Spirit and to
be the fulfillment of the promise to the house of
David as He saves His people from their sins as
'God with us' (1:18-25)
a. Programmatic statement: The birth of Jesus
Christ was as follows: (1:18a)
b. Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, was found
to be with child by the Holy Spirit, before
she had relations with Joseph (1:18)
c. Joseph, though desiring to divorce Mary for
what appeared to be immorality on her behalf,
received a message from an angel of the Lord
that the Child is from the Lord and is to
fulfill the promises to the house of David;
whereupon, he responds in faith by marrying
Mary, keeping her pure, and naming the child
Jesus (1:19-25)
1) Joseph desired to privately divorce Mary
as a righteous and sensitive man (1:19)
2) When Joseph had considered divorcing
Mary, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream and exhorted him, as the
son of David, to not be afraid to take
Mary as his wife since the Child was (1)
conceived by the Holy Spirit, and (2)
since Joseph is to call the child Jesus
who will save His people from their sins
(1:20-21)
3) The narrator interrupts the dream to
note that this announcement to Joseph is
a fulfillment of the prophecy given by
Isaiah that Jesus is to be God with us"
(1:23)
4) Joseph responded in faith to the words
of the angel by marrying Mary, keeping
her pure, and naming the male child
Jesus (1:24-25)
2. After Jesus was Born, He is honored by those
outside of Israel (the wisemen), persecuted by
those within Israel (Herod), protected by God, and
safely brought back into the land of Israel in
fulfillment of Scripture (2:1-23)
a. After the birth of Jesus, wisemen arrive in
Jerusalem seeking the one who was born
Messiah, learn of the prophecies concerning
Bethlehem through Herod, and are deceptively
sent by Herod to find the Child (2:1-8)
1) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
Judea, during the reign of Herod the
king, wisemen from the east arrived in
Jerusalem inquiring as to the location
of the one who had been born King of the
Jews (2:1-2)
2) Herod becomes troubled at the words of
the wisemen, learns of Bethlehem as the
prophesied location of Messiah's birth,
and then deceptively sends the wisemen
to locate the Messiah and report back to
him (2:3-8)
a) When Herod heard of the questioning
of the wisemen, he was troubled and
learned from Israel's "wisemen"
that Messiah was to be born in
Bethlehem (2:3-6)
b) Herod secretly sent for the
wisemen, told them of the prophecy
of Bethlehem, and deceitfully sent
them to search and report back to
him the location of the child (2:7-
8)
b. As the wisemen left Herod, God led them to
the house of Jesus; they worshiped Him, and
went home a different way under God's
direction (2:9-12)
1) As the wisemen took leave of the King,
the star reappeared and led them to the
very house of the Child (2:9-10)
2) When the wisemen saw the Child with his
mother Mary, they worshiped him and gave
to him gifts symbolic of the Kingdom
(cf. Isa. 60:6) (2:11)
3) Having been warned by God in a dream not
to return to Herod, the wisemen went
home another way (2:12)
c. Under the instruction of an Angel of the
Lord, Joseph takes his family to Egypt in
order to protect Jesus from Herod and to
fulfill the prophecy of Hosea that God's Son
would be called out of Egypt (2:13-15)
1) After the wisemen left, an angel of the
Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and
told him to take the Child and his
mother to Egypt where they were to
remain until the they were told
otherwise because Herod sought to kill
the Child (2:13)
2) Joseph obeyed in faith as he took the
family by night for Egypt (2:14)
3) The family remained in Egypt until
Herod's death to fulfill the prophecy of
Hosea 11:1 that God had called His Son
out of Egypt (2:15)
d. Having been foiled by God, Herod attempts to
destroy the Child born Messiah, only to bring
sorrow upon the nation (2:16-18)
1) When Herod realized that he had been
tricked by the wisemen, he slew all of
the male children who were in Bethlehem
and its neighboring areas from the age
of two and under as he figured from the
words of the wisemen (2:16)
2) Herod's slaying of the children is a
fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15-20 in that
now there is sorrow for the nation,(but
hope is coming through God cf. 2:19-21)
(2:17-18)
e. After the death of Herod, Joseph is
instructed to return to the land of Israel
with the family and to go to Nazareth in
Galilee to fulfill the words of the prophets
that Jesus would be despised as the Servant
(2:19-23)
1) After the death of Herod, an angel of
the Lord instructs Joseph to take the
family back into the land of Israel
(2:19-20)
2) Joseph was fearful of returning to
Jerusalem when he heard that Herod
Archelaus was reigning over Judea
(2:22a)
3) Joseph is instructed in a dream to
return to Nazareth in Galilee in order
to fulfill the words of the prophets
that the Servant would be despised2
(2:22b-23)
II. JESUS IS INTRODUCED WITH FOUNDATIONS OF THE KINGDOM: Having
been identified with the prophetic message of John, Jesus is
demonstrated to be the true son of God who obeys his word,
who proclaims in word and miracles the gospel of the
Kingdom, and exhorts His disciples to submit to His rule for
enrichment, usefulness to God, greatness in the Kingdom, and
temporal life (3:1--7:29)
A. Jesus' identification: As John, the Elijah-figure,
came preaching repentance, baptizing those who were
confessing their sin, and warning of judgment for the
religious leaders who were externalists before God,
Jesus comes and is baptized by John to identify Him
with the eschatological aspects of John's message
whereupon He is confirmed to be the Servant of the Lord
and God's anointed King on earth (3:1-17)
1. John came preaching repentance in the wilderness
of Judea proclaiming from Isaiah 40:3 that God's
people should make themselves ready for His coming
to deliver them (3:1-3)
2. Appearing as the prophet Elijah, John baptized
those who repented of their sin in the Jordan
river and warned the religious leaders in their
self-righteousness and of their impending doom
through the One who was to follow him, if they
would not repent (3:4-12)
a. Appearing as the prophet Elijah, John
baptized in the Jordan those from Jerusalem,
Judea, and the district around the Jordan who
were confessing their sin (3:4-6)
b. John rebuked the religious leaders of Israel
who were coming for baptism because they were
trusting in their heritage for acceptance
before God rather than repenting of their
evil as he warned of coming judgment through
the one who will follow him (3:7-12)
3. As John agrees to baptize Jesus in order to
identify Him with the eschatological aspects of
John's message, Jesus is confirmed to be the
Servant who is God's anointed King on earth (3:13-
15)
a. Jesus came to John at the Jordan to be
baptized by him (3:13)
b. John attempted to prevent Jesus from being
baptized by him (3:14)
c. Jesus insists that John baptize Him in order
that they might conformed to the will of God
as Jesus identifies Himself with the
eschatological aspects of John's Message
("the One coming"), and not the elements of
sins (3:15)
d. As a confirmation, The Father proclaims Jesus
to be the Servant who is King3 (3:16-17)
B. Jesus' demonstration: After Jesus is led by the Spirit
to the desert and is weakened through fasting, he
demonstrates Himself to be the true Israel (son of the
Father) by not yielding, but obeying the word of God,
and thus being ministered unto by God's angels after
Satan departed (4:1-11)
1. The setting: Jesus is led by the Spirit (as the
true Israel) into the wilderness where he fasted
for forty days and forty nights (4:1)
2. The temptation: Jesus is presented as the true
Israel who obeys the will of His Father against
the temptations of the devil (4:2-10)
a. Setting: The tempter came and spoke to Jesus
(4:2)
b. The temptations: Through temptations for
Jesus to preempt the Father's will, He
demonstrates Himself to be the true Son of
the Father (Israel) who is obedient to the
word of God (4:3-10)
1) When the tempter attacks Jesus' person-
hood with a temptation to turn stones
into bread, Jesus refuses to act apart
from God's will (4:3-4)
a) The tempter attacks Jesus' person-
hood as proclaimed by the Father
(cf. 3:17) by appealing to his need
for food when he suggests that he
turn the stones into bread (4:3)
b) Unlike the nation Israel in the
wilderness (Deut.8:3; cf. Ex.
16:15), Jesus responds that He will
not provide for His hunger "alone"
from God's will (4:4)
2) In a temptation for Jesus to force God
to display his faithfulness to Him as
the King, Jesus refuses to
presumptuously test God's faithfulness
(4:5-7)
a) The tempter exhorts Jesus to seek
national recognition by jumping
from the pinnacle of the temple and
thus forcing God to faithfully keep
his promises (4:5-6)
b) Unlike the nation Israel in the
wilderness (Exodus 17:7), Jesus
refuses to presumptuously test the
faithfulness of God (4:7)
3) In a temptation for Jesus to receive
universal recognition outside of God's
design Jesus refuses to worship anyone
but the Lord God (4:8-10)
a) The tempter offers Jesus a
universal rule if he will worship
him (4:8-9)
b) Unlike the nation Israel (Deut.
6:13) Jesus chooses to only worship
the Lord God (4:10)
3. The conclusion: The devil left Jesus and angels
began to minister to Him (4:11)
C. Jesus' beginning ministry: Jesus began His ministry by
retreating from Jerusalem in light of John's
persecution, going to Galilee where he would be a light
to Israel and the Gentiles, calling disciples from
Galilee, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom
through word and deed, thus bringing many from all over
who followed Him (4:12-25)
1. When Jesus learned that John had been taken into
custody by Herod, He withdrew from Jerusalem to
Galilee, leaving Nazareth and settling in
Capernaum thus fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy that
the Gentiles in Zebulun and Naphtali would see a
great light (4:12-16)
2. Jesus began to preach the same message as John in
Galilee, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand" (4:17)
3. Jesus called the brothers "Simon and Andrew" and
"John and James" from their work as fishermen at
sea to follow him and they immediately followed
(4:18-22)
a. Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, called
Simon (Peter), and his brother Andrew to
follow him to be fishers of men, and they
left all and followed Him (4:18-20)
b. Jesus called James and his brother John
(Zebedee) to follow him and they left their
work and father and followed Him (4:21-22)
4. Jesus began to minister in all Galilee as He
preached the gospel of the kingdom and
demonstrated signs of the kingdom resulting in
multitudes following him from all around Israel:
Syria, Decapolis, Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea, and
from across the Jordan (4:23-25)
a. Jesus went around all of Galilee teaching in
the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the
kingdom, and healing among the people (4:23)
b. The news about Jesus spread into all Syria
and they brought their sick for Him to heal
(4:24)
c. Great multitudes followed Jesus from Galilee,
Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the
Jordan (4:25)
D. Jesus' Ruling Words: As Jesus saw the multitudes who
were following Him, He went up on the mountain and
taught, as King, His disciples who came to him that
obedience to the rule of Christ brings enrichment,
usefulness to God, greatness in the Kingdom of God and
temporal life to the believer (5:1--7:29) [Discourse]
1. The setting: When Jesus saw the multitudes who
were following Him he went upon the mountain, sat
down, and spoke to His disciples who came to Him
(5:1-2)
2. The message: Jesus taught His disciples that
obedience to the rule of Christ brings enrichment,
usefulness to God, greatness in the Kingdom of God
and temporal life to the believer (5:3--7:27)
a. Jesus proclaimed that enrichment would come
to believers and those who are in
relationship with them when they adopt the
attitudes of the King(dom) (5:3-16)
1) Christ describes the vulnerable
character of those who will be enriched
by God in His Kingdom (5:3-12)
a) Those who are aware of their need
are identified with the kingdom
(5:3)
b) Those who mourn will be encouraged
(5:4)
c) Those who are gentle will gain the
earth (5:5)
d) Those longing for uprightness will
receive it (5:6)
e) Those who show mercy will receive
it (5:7)
f) Those who are pure within will see
God (5:8)
g) Those who make peace are identified
with God (5:9)
h) Those who are persecuted for being
upright are being identified with
God's kingdom just as the prophets
of old were (5:10-12)
2) Being compared to both salt and light
which attract the senses of men, the
disciples are urged to not lose their
obedient attitude which draws people
unto God in His goodness (5:13-16)
b. Jesus explained the full meaning of the Law
in order that believers might do it and be
great in the Kingdom (5:17--7:12)4
1) The principle is stated: Christ came to
fulfill the Law so that whoever obeys
Him will be called great in the Kingdom
and whoever disobeys will be called
least in the Kingdom (5:17-20)
a) Christ identifies His instruction
as fulfilling rather than
abolishing the Old Testament whose
promises are certain (5:17-18)
b) Our handling of the commandments
not only will determine our
position in God's kingdom but must
exceed the religious leaders of the
day to ever hope to enter the
Kingdom (5:19-20)
2) The principle is applied (5:21--7:12)
a) One is not to murder in thought or
deed but to be reconciled to their
enemies to worship God (5:21-26)
(1) Murder is not just physical
destruction, but our attitudes
and critical attacks toward on
another (5:21-22)
(2) Since a murderer is liable to
the court, one should make the
resolution of disputes a high
priority or he will have to
pay for them (5:23-26)
b) One is not to commit adultery in
thought or deed but to take drastic
steps to guard oneself even in the
area of divorce (5:27-32)
c) One should always speak the truth
without mental reservation in vows
(5:33-37)
d) One should be gracious and generous
in their relationships and not
seeking excessive retribution5
(5:38-42)
e) One should love all men--good and
evil--as God does rather than as
the Gentiles do (5:43-48)
f) One must do sacrificial acts of
worship in secret before God to
receive His pleasure and reward
(6:1-18)
(1) One is warned against
practicing his uprightness
before men so as to be noticed
by them because God will not
reward such righteousness in
heaven (6:1)
(2) Whatever one's spiritual
ministry may be -- giving,
praying or fasting -- we
should not limit its
effectiveness by being
externalists, but capitalize
on what God has for us by
doing it as unto Him (6:2-18)
g) One should seek spiritual rather
than material riches trusting the
Father to provide for needs (6:19-
34)
(1) One should invest his life in
God and His things over
earthly things because the
former will endure, draw our
hearts toward Him, enlighten
us, and keep us from choosing
against Him (6:19-24)
(2) Knowing that life consists of
much more than things, and
that God in His care will
provide for our needs in life,
one should invest himself in
the Lord's desires as he deals
with the issues of life daily
(6:25-34)
h) One must be careful in personal
relationships examining himself
before correcting a brother, and
not being too open with the enemy
because of the vulnerability factor
(7:1-6)
(1) Rather than being externally
critical of others, one should
first examine himself so that
he is not found to be even
more guilty and so that he can
better help (7:1-5)
(2) In a discerning way, one
should not give that which is
valuable to those who may
discard it and turn upon him
(7:6)
i) One must ask God, who is more
willing than a father to give good
things, in order to receive things
(7:7-11)
j) The Law and the Prophets is
summarized as doing unto others as
you would have them do unto you6
(7:12)
c. Jesus exhorted believers to follow His
instruction so as to not be misled and
destroyed, but to be supported and live (7:13-
27)
1) Believers are exhorted to choose the
narrow way of Christ's instruction as a
direction for life rather than the
broader way leading to death (7:13-14)
a) One should enter by the narrow gate
because the wide gate and broad way
which many enter by leads to
destruction (7:13)
b) One should enter by the narrow gate
because the small gate and the
narrow path lead to life for those
who find it (7:14)
2) Believers are exhorted to watch for
false teachers who in their teaching
will destroy them (e.g.,the wide path)
(7:15-23)
a) One must be cautious of false
"spiritual leaders" who appear to
be harmless but actually desire to
consume them (7:15)
b) One can know the identity of false
"spiritual leaders" by examining
the quality of what they produce --
even if it is religious -- because
that which is against God's word is
bad (7:16-23)
(1) One will know false "spiritual
leaders" by what they produce
in affecting others (7:16a)
(2) Just as one can discern the
incorrect vine or tree from a
grape or fig, so also can one
discern the true kind of tree
by its fruit (7:16b-18)
(3) Every tree that produces bad
fruit is itself destroyed by
the orchard keeper (7:19)
(4) Due to the correlation of
fruit and trees we can know
false "spiritual leaders" by
the affects which they have
upon others (7:20)
(5) "Spiritual leaders" who are
active religiously for Christ
but practice lawlessness will
not be received by Him at the
judgment (7:21-23)
3) Believers are exhorted to build their
lives upon the supporting foundation of
Christ's word rather than foolishness
(7:24-27)
a) Those who hear Christ's words and
act upon them may be compared to a
wise man who built his house upon a
rock and did not lose it with the
storms of life -- they will survive
(7:24-25)
b) Those who hear Christ's words and
do not act upon them may be
compared to a foolish man who loses
his life in the storms of life
(7:26-27)
3. The response: The multitudes responded by being
amazed over the authority with which Christ taught-
-unlike the scribes (7:28-29)
III. JESUS MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN to Israel as Messiah through
miraculous works which are characteristic of Messiah and the
Kingdom, and through proclamation by Himself and His twelve
disciples that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand for Israel
if she will receive Him (8:1--11:1)
A. Jesus demonstrates Himself to be Israel's Messiah
through miracles of healing, power and restoration all
the while addressing those who would follow Him of
their need for commitment to Him and God's desire to
have those who will lead His people unto Him (8:1--
9:38)
1. Miracles of healing over the physically curable:
Jesus demonstrates Himself to be Messiah as he
heals the physically ill as the Servant of YHWH,
and corrects those who want to follow Him for the
sake of wealth or in convenience (8:1-23)
a. After coming down from the mount where he
preached his sermon of obedience, Jesus
demonstrates that He is messiah by healing a
leper who seeks Him out, and commanding that
he tell no one until he testifies to the
priest in Jerusalem (8:1-4)
1) Setting: When Jesus came down from the
mountain, after giving the sermon, great
multitudes followed Him (8:1)
2) Miracle--Leper: Jesus is willing and
heals a leperous man who seeks Him out,
and commands him to tell no one, but to
take the Mosaic sacrifice to the priest
as a testimony to them (8:2-4)
a) A leperous man asked Jesus to
cleanse him if he was willing (8:2)
b) Jesus was willing to cleanse the
leperous man and commanded him to
be cleansed whereupon he was
cleansed (8:3)
c) Jesus commanded him to tell no-one
but to go to the priest in
Jerusalem with the offering
commanded by Moses as a testimony
to the priests (8:4)
b. When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion
asked Him to heal his sick servant, and
expressed confidence in His authority,
whereupon Jesus demonstrated that He was
Messiah by telling those who were following
Him of the future participants in the
Kingdom, and by healing the centurion's
servant (8:5-13)
1) Setting: When Jesus entered Capernaum, a
centurion came to Him entreating Him
(8:5)
2) Miracle--Centurion: When the centurion
tells Jesus of the need of his ill
servant, and proclaims he confidence in
Jesus' authority, Jesus tells those
following Him of surprises to come in
the future Kingdom, and heals the
centurion's servant (8:6-13)
a) The centurion tells Jesus that his
servant is lying paralyzed at home
in great pain (8:6)
b) Although Jesus offered to come and
heal the servant, the centurion
honors Jesus and expresses faith by
recognizing Jesus' authority to
speak a command from afar (8:7-9)
c) Marveling at the centurion's
response, Jesus tells those
following him of how Gentiles will
participate in the future Kingdom,
while many Jews will be cast out;
then he heals from afar the
centurion's servant (8:10-13)
(1) Jesus marveled at the
centurion's response (8:10)
(2) Jesus tells those who are
following him that such great
faith has not been found in
Israel, and that many from
outside of Israel will
participate in the Kingdom
while many from within will be
forbidden from entering the
Kingdom (8:11-12)
(3) Jesus tells the centurion that
the healing will be done for
him just as he has believed it
would, and the servant was
healed (8:13)
c. When Jesus entered Peter's home he found his
mother-in-law ill, healed her with a touched
and was waited upon by her (8:14-15)
1) Setting: When Jesus had come to Peter's
home he saw his mother-in-law lying sick
in bed with a fever (8:14)
2) Miracle--Peter's mother-in-law: Jesus
touched Peter's mother-in-law's hand,
the fever left her and she waited on Him
(8:15)
d. Message to followers: After healing many who
are demonized, and sick as the Servant of
Israel, Jesus orders his disciples to go with
Him across the Sea of Galilee, and proclaims
Himself to be Messiah as he rebukes those who
are seeking to follow Him for the sake of
possessions or in convenience (8:16-23)
1) When evening came the people brought
many people who demonized, and Jesus
cast out spirits with a word, and healed
all who were ill (8:16)
2) The purpose behind Jesus' miracles with
the people was that he might be
demonstrated to be the fulfillment of
Isaiah's prophecy as the Servant of YHWH
who took away the infirmities and
diseases of Israel (8:17)
3) As Jesus orders his disciples to leave
the crowd by crossing the Sea of
Galilee, He proclaims who He is by
correcting two disciples who are seeking
to follow Him for possessions and
convenience whereupon he entered the
boat an is followed by His disciples
(8:18-23)
a) Jesus saw a crowd around Him and
ordered His disciples to depart to
the other side of the Sea of
Galilee (8:18)
b) One comes to Jesus and offers to
follow Him wherever he goes, to
which Jesus responds that there is
no one place on earth where the Son
of Man (who rules over earth as
"man") dwells (8:19-20)
c) One asks Jesus to be excused to
deal with earthly matters before he
follows him, to which Jesus
emphasizes the need to follow Him
as the priority when compared with
earthly matters (8:21-22)
d) Jesus entered the boat and his
disciples followed Him (8:23)
2. Miracles of power over all creation: Jesus
demonstrates Himself to be Messiah by displaying
His power over the storm, demons, and sin thus
receiving those who would follow Him, leaving and
correcting the religious who rejected Him, and
explaining the uniqueness of His message to that
of present Judaism to those who inquired of Him
(8:24--9:17)
a. When a great storm arose on the Sea
threatening the ship, Jesus was awakened by
the fearful disciples, accused the disciples
of having little faith, and calmed the storm,
causing the disciples to wonder at who He was
(8:24-27)
1) Setting: A great storm arose in the sea
which threatened the ship and those who
were aboard, but Jesus was asleep (8:24)
2) The miracle--calming the storm: After
the disciples awoke Jesus in fear for
salvation, He accused them of little
faith and stilled the storm (8:25-26)
a) The disciples came to Jesus and
awoke Him asking Him to save them
(8:25)
b) After accusing the disciples of
having little faith, Jesus rebuked
the storm and all became calm
(8:26)
(1) Jesus asked the disciples why
they were so timid and accused
them of having little faith
(8:26a)
(2) Jesus rebuked the winds and
the sea and it became
perfectly still (8:26b)
3) The disciples marveled at what had
occurred questioning what kind of man He
was since the winds and sea obeyed Him
(8:27)
b. When Jesus was met by two demonized men, he
cast their evil spirits into a herd of pigs
leading to the death of the animals, and thus
a rejection by the town's people who asked
Him to leave [being more concerned for their
pigs than the demonized men delivered by
Messiah] (8:28-34)
1) Setting: When Jesus had come to the
other side of the Sea of Galilee into
the country of the Gaderenes, two
demonized men, who in their strength
blocked the road, came out of the tombs
and met Him (8:28)
2) Miracle--the demonized, Gadarene men:
After the demons recognized Jesus and
asked that he send them into the swine,
He granted their request and they killed
the whole herd of pigs in the Sea (8:29-
32)
a) As the demons recognized Jesus as
Messiah, they questioned the timing
of His judgment of them and
requested that He send them to
nearby swine if He was going to
cast them out of the men (8:29-31)
(1) Recognizing Jesus as the
Messiah, the demons question
Jesus as to whether He has
come to judge them before the
set, future time (8:29)
(2) Seeing a herd of swine, the
demons entreated Jesus to cast
them into them if He was going
to cast them out of the men
(8:30-31)
b) Jesus cast the demons into the
swine and the whole herd rushed
into the sea and perished into the
water (8:32)
3) The response: When the people learned
of the entire event, they asked Jesus to
leave their region (8:33-34)
a) The herdsmen ran to the city and
reported all that occurred (8:33)
b) The whole city came out to meet
Jesus, and entreated Him to leave
their region (8:34)
c. Upon arriving in Capernaum, Jesus forgave a
believing paralytic of his sins, and then
physically healed him as evidence to the
doubting scribes of His authority, causing
the multitudes to marvel (9:1-8)
1) Setting: Jesus entered a boat at Gadara
and crossed the Sea of Galilee over to
His own city, Capernaum (9:1)
2) The miracle--paralytic: Upon arriving
in Capernaum, Jesus was confronted by
men of faith bringing a paralytic,
forgave the man of his sins, and then
physically healed the man as evidence to
the accusing scribes that He had
authority to forgive sins on earth (9:2-
7)
a) When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, He
saw men bringing a paralytic unto
Him (9:2a)
b) Jesus responded to the faith of the
men encouraged the paralytic by
forgiving his sins (9:2b)
c) Some of the scribes said to
themselves that Jesus was
blaspheming (9:3)
d) Jesus challenged the scribes' inner
thoughts and healed the paralytic
so that they might know that He,
the Son of Man, had authority to
forgive sins (9:4-7)
3) Response: The multitudes were filled
with awe, and glorified God who had
given such authority to men (9:8)
d. A message to followers: Jesus calls Matthew,
a tax-gather who follows Him, defends His
love for sinners as the very heart of God to
the Pharisees, and explains His Kingdom
ministry as being unique to the present
religion of Judaism (9:9-17)
1) Jesus called Matthew, a tax officer, to
follow Him and he rose and followed Him
(9:9)
2) As Jesus and His disciples partake of
dinner with many tax-gathers and
sinners, He answers the questioning
indictments of the Pharisees by
affirming that He, like God, has come to
help those who are aware of their
spiritual need rather than those who
consider themselves righteous in their
religious externalities (9:10-13)
a) As Jesus was about to eat dinner in
the house, many tax-gathers and
sinners joined Him and His
disciples for dinner (9:10)
b) The Pharisees saw Jesus eating with
these sinners and questioned His
disciples as to why He was eating
with them (9:11)
c) Jesus overheard their questioning
His disciples and answered that He,
like God, desires to help those who
are in need and not those who do
not recognize their need through
their formal religious
externalities (9:12-13)
3) When the disciples of John the Baptizer
come and question the absence of fasting
by Jesus' disciples, He explains their
actions in view of His presence with
them, and in view of the newness of His
Kingdom offer from Judaism of the day
(9:14-17)
a) The disciples of John the Baptizer
came to Jesus questioning why His
disciples do not fast like they and
the Pharisees do (9:14)
b) Jesus explains the absence of
fasting by His disciples as due to
the fact that He is present with
them at this moment, unlike in the
future when He will be taken away,
and because His offer of the
Kingdom is not a continuation of
Judaism as they know it, but is
completely new (9:15-17)
(1) Jesus answers John's disciples
(9:14a)
(2) Jesus explains that fasting is
not appropriate when the
bridegroom is with the
attendants of the bridegroom
(9:15a)
(3) There will be a future time of
fasting when the bridegroom
will be taken away from the
attendants (9:15b)
(4) That which Jesus represents
[the Kingdom] is not a
continuation of the old ["old
garment," "old wineskins"] but
must be received as something
completely new [new wine in
fresh wineskins] lest it
destroy both the old and new
(9:16-17)
3. Miracles of restoration: Jesus demonstrates
Himself to be the Messiah by restoring life to the
sick, dead, blind, and demonized, by proclaiming
the Kingdom of God all over Israel, and exhorting
His disciples to pray for leaders to gather God's
people unto to Him in the wake of the lack of
Jewish leadership (9:18-38)
a. After explaining the differences between
Judaism and His message of the Kingdom to
John's disciples, Jesus goes to heal the
daughter of a synagogue official who comes in
faith, announces healing upon a woman who
touched His garment in faith, and healed the
official's daughter in spite of the mockery
of the mourners, causing a report to go
throughout all of the land (9:18-31)
1) Setting: While Jesus was speaking to
John's disciples, a synagogue official
came, bowed down, and in faith sought
Jesus to come and heal his daughter who
had just died (9:18)
2) The miracle--healing the official's
daughter: On the way to healing the
daughter of the synagogue official,
Jesus announced healing for a woman of
faith who had been ill for twelve years,
and then went on to heal the official's
daughter against the mockery of the
mourners (9:19-26)
a) Jesus and His disciples arose and
began to follow the synagogue
official (9:19)
b) On the way to the official's home,
Jesus announces to a woman sick of
a hemorrhage for twelve years who
touched His garment that her faith
had made her well (9:20-22)
(1) A woman, suffering for twelve
years from a hemorrhage,
touched in faith the fringe of
Christ's garment to get well
(9:20-21)
(2) Jesus turned to the woman and
told her to take courage, that
her faith had made her well
(9:22)
c) When Jesus arrived at the
official's home, He commanded the
professional mourners to cease
since the girl had not died but was
asleep, but they laughed (9:23-24)
d) When the crowd had been put out,
Jesus entered, took the girl by the
hand, and she arose to life (9:25)
3) The Response: The news about the
healing of the official's daughter went
out into all the land (9:26)
b. As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the
official's house, he healed two blind men in
accordance with their faith, but they told
all of the miracle against his command 9:27-
31
1) Setting: As Jesus and his disciples were
going out from the official's house, two
blind men approached beseeching him as
the Son of David to have mercy on them
9:27
2) After Jesus entered the house (of the
blind men), he asked them if they
believed that he was able to heal them,
and they said, "Yes" 9:28
3) Jesus touched their eyes and healed
them7 in accordance with their faith
9:28-30a
4) Jesus warned the healed men to tell no
one about what he had done, but they
left and spread the news about him in
all the land8 9:30b-31
c. As Jesus and His disciples were going out of
the blind men's house, a demonized man was
brought to Him, whereupon He cast the demon
out to be praised by the multitudes as
working unique works of God, only to be
accused of evil by the pharisees (9:32-34)
1) Setting: As Jesus and His disciples
were going out of the officials house, a
dumb, demonized man was brought to Him
(9:32)
2) The miracle: The demon was cast out of
the man (9:33a)
3) The response: The multitudes marveled
affirming the uniqueness of Jesus' works
in Israel, but the Pharisees accused Him
of casting out demons by the ruler of
demons (9:33b-34)
d. Response: As Jesus was going all around the
land of Israel proclaiming the Kingdom and
authenticating His message with signs of the
Kingdom, He felt compassion on the lack of
leadership for the people and urged the
disciples to pray that God would send leaders
to gather His people together (9:35-38)
1) Summary: Jesus was going about in all
the cities and villages teaching the
gospel of the Kingdom, and
authenticating His message with healings
of every kind (9:35)
2) Jesus felt compassion for the multitudes
because they were distressed and
downcast like sheep without a shepherd
(9:36)
3) Jesus told his disciples that there were
many to reach, but there were few
workers, therefore, they should ask God
to send out workers among His people9
(9:37-38)
B. Jesus prepares and sends out His twelve disciples to
announce the coming of the Kingdom, and then follows
them to preach and teach in their cities (10:1--11:1)
[Discourse]
1. Jesus summoned His twelve disciples giving them
authority over unclean spirits and over disease
and sickness (10:1)
2. Matthew lists the names of the twelve apostles as
follows:10 Simon (who is called Peter), Andrew
(Simon's brother), James (the son of Zebedee) and
John (his brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas,
Matthew (the tax-gatherer), James (the son of
Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the Zealot), and
Judas Iscariot (the one who betrayed Him) (10:2-5)
3. Jesus sent His twelve disciples out after
instructing them concerning whom to go to, what to
expect concerning provisions, how to address those
within each city, what future dangers to expect,
concerning fear, and the effects they can expect
from their message (10:5-42)
a. Jesus sent these twelve out after instructing
them (10:5a)
b. Jesus instructed the twelve concerning whom
to go to, what to expect concerning
provisions, how to address those within each
city, what future dangers to expect,
concerning fear, and the effects they can
expect from their message (10:5b-42)
1) Jesus instructs the twelve to not go to
the Gentiles or the Samaratians, but to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel
only11 (10:5b-6)
2) Jesus instructs the disciples to preach
the Gospel that the Kingdom of God is at
hand,12 and to do authenticating works
of the Kingdom13 (10:7-8a)
3) Jesus instructs the disciples to not
accumulate wealth to live on during
their journeys, but to rely upon God to
provide for their needs through His
people (10:8b-10)
a) They are to give the message and
signs of the Kingdom freely because
they received them freely from God
(10:8b)
b) They are not to accumulate
provisions for their journey but to
be provided for by those to whom
they ministered (10:9-10)
4) Jesus instructs the disciples to seek
out those who will receive their gospel
message as they enter each city, and to
pronounce peace upon those who receive
them and of the judgment which will come
upon those who do not receive them
(10:11-15)
a) As the disciples enter a city, they
are to inquire to learn of those
who would respond favorably to the
message of the Kingdom, and to stay
with those people until they leave
the city14 (10:11)
b) When they enter a house they are to
give it their gospel greeting of
peace, to remain upon the house, if
the house responds appropriately,
and to return to them as they
leave, if the house does not
receive them (10:12-14)
c) Jesus proclaims that there will be
a worse judgment for the city who
rejects His messengers than for
Sodom and Gomorrah in the coming
day of judgment (10:15)
5) Jesus instructs His disciples concerning
future dangers in their mission of
proclaiming the Gospel until Messiah
comes in judgment as the Son of Man,
because the people will treat them as
they have treated Him (10:16-25)
a) Jesus warns the disciples of the
danger of their mission (10:16a)
b) Jesus instructs the disciples to be
shrewd, yet harmless in their
interaction with men, and to have
confidence in God's Spirit who will
give them the words to say when
they are falsely brought before the
tribunals of men (20:16b-20)
c. Jesus instructs the disciples to be shrewd,
yet innocent in their actions (10:16b)
d. Jesus warns of the evil works of men who will
seek to "legally" destroy them, but also of
the Spirit of God's provisions for them at
such times (10:17-20)
4. Jesus warns that families will turn agasint them
as they proclaim the gospel, but they are to
endure the truth for deliverance (10:21-22)
5. Jesus instructs the disciples to leave a city
which persecutes them for the next city since they
will not finish going through the cities of Israel
before the Son of Man comes15 (10:23)
6. Since a disciple is not greater than his master,
the disciples should not expect that they will be
treated differently than Jesus has been in His
rejection by the religious leaders (10:24-25)
C. Jesus instructs His disciples to not fear those who
will persecute them but to make His words known to all
because God holds all life in His hands, cares for
them, and reward them for faithfulness (10:26-
1. Jesus instructs His disciples to not fear those
who persecute them because God intends for these
private words to be made known to all (10:26-27)
2. Jesus exhorts the disciples to not be afraid of
those who will persecute them, but to fear God who
holds all of life, cares for their lives, and will
honor, or shame, them for their faithfulness
before all in heaven (10:28-33)
a. Jesus exhorts His disciples to not fear men
who can destroy the body more than God who
can destroy the soul and body in hell (10:28)
b. Jesus exhorts His disciples to not be afraid
because the Father is aware of the most
intimate details of their life and cares for
them (10:29-31)
c. Jesus exhorts His disciples to not be afraid
of men because God will reward those who
remain faithful to Him, and shame those who
do not before all in heaven (10:32-33)
D. Jesus instructs His disciples that even though their
message will divide many people, that those who receive
them will receive Christ, the Father and reward (10:34-
42)
1. Jesus instructs His disciples that He did not come
to bring peace upon the earth at this time but to
incite division as people choose concerning who He
is (10:34-39)
a. Statement: Jesus quotes Micah 7:6 to
describe the disunity which will come to
households which are faced with the choice of
Jesus (10:34-36)
b. The one who chooses to follow family over
Jesus is not worthy of Jesus (10:37)
c. The one who does not choose to submit to
Jesus over personal desires is not worthy of
Jesus, and will not find his life but loose
it (10:38-39)
d. Jesus instructs His disciples that those who
receive them will receive Christ, the Father,
and the disciples' reward (10:40-42)
1) Jesus instructs His disciples that those
who receive them receive Jesus and thus
the Father (10:40)
2) As with prophets and righteous men,
those who receive the disciples will
share in the disciples' reward (10:41-
42)
2. When Jesus had completed giving instructions to
His twelve disciples, He departed from there to
teach and preach in their cities (11:1)
IV. OPPOSITION TO THE KING: From an initial questioning of the
work of Jesus by John the Baptizer, to more intense
opposition which led to the rejection of Jesus by the
leaders of the nation, Jesus continued to minister as the
suffering servant by identifying the evil of the religious
leaders and by proclaiming the gospel message for those who
would hear in the form of parables about the interim form of
the Kingdom which must take place in view of Israel's
rejection of her King (11:2--13:53)
A. As John the Baptizer hears of Jesus' works, and yet
continues to be in prison, he questions whether or not
Jesus is the Messiah, but is reminded by Jesus that His
works fulfill the Scripture's expectations, and to not
stumble over Him as the nation will (11:2-6)
1. When John the Baptizer, who was in prison, heard
of the works of Christ, he sent His disciples to
inquire as to whether Jesus was the Messiah or if
they should look for someone else16 (11:2-3)
2. Jesus replied to John's disciples that His works
authenticate Him as being Messiah, and that John
should not stumble over Him who is to be a
stumbling block to the nation (11:4-6)
a. Jesus exhorted John's disciples to report to
John the works of Jesus were fulfilling the
Scriptures' expectation (Isa. 35:5ff; 61:1)
of the coming King with His Kingdom: the
blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, and dead are raised
up, the poor have the Gospel preached to them
(11:4-5)
b. Jesus exhorts John to not stumble over Him as
so many others in Israel were doing (cf. Isa.
8:13-15)
B. As Jesus began to speak to the multitudes about John
the Baptizer He emphasized that John was the one to
announce, in the spirit of Elijah, the coming of the
Messiah, if the nation would receive him, but the
nation had been stubborn, to the point of upcoming
judgment, but He still exhorted them to listen to His
words of life from God and to turn from Judaism (11:7-
30)
1. Setting: As John's disciples were going away,
Jesus began to speak to the multitudes about
John17 (11:7a)
2. Jesus not only identifies John the Baptizer as a
prophet, but as the one who fulfills the
Scriptures as the forerunner of Messiah if the
nation will receive him, and in spite of the
hindrances launched by the religious leaders
(11:7b-15)
a. John was not weak, or soft but a great
prophet who's ministry was to be the
forerunner of Messiah, yet, he is still less
than those who will be in the Kingdom (11:7b-
11)
1) Through a series of questions, Jesus
affirms that those who went out to see
John went to see a prophet (11:7b-9a)
2) Jesus proclaims that John was more than
a prophet, he was the forerunner of
Messiah in accordance with Malachi 4:5-
618 and was thus the greatest of all the
OT prophets (11:9b-11a)
3) Jesus proclaims that the least in the
Kingdom of God are greater than John the
Baptizer19 (11:11b)
b. Jesus notes that even though this
generation's leaders are trying to take the
Kingdom of Heaven away, John is the
Scripture's forerunner of Messiah in the
spirit of Elijah if they will receive him
(11:12-15)
1) From the days of John the Baptist until
this time of Jesus the Kingdom of God
has been taken away by force by violent
men [the Pharisees]20 (11:12)
2) John is the fulfillment of the
Scriptures which pointed to the Kingdom
and its forerunner--Elijah--who is
represented by John21, if Israel would
accept Him (11:13-15)
3. Noting the capricious, unresponsive nature of His
generation, Jesus pronounces judgment upon the
Israelite cities who did not respond in repentance
to His miracles as the Gentiles would have (11:16-
24)
a. Jesus notes the unresponsive nature of His
generation because they are not satisfied
with God's attempts to reach them through the
solemn [John] or the joyful [Jesus] (11:15-
19)
1) Jesus compares His generation to
children who are never satisfied with
what others do (11:15-17)
2) The reason Jesus compares this
generation to children is because John
came in a solemn spirit, and they
accused him of being demonized, and
Jesus came in joyfulness, and they
criticized Him of lawlessness22 (11:18-
19a)
3) Jesus affirms that the works of those
who follow the instruction of either
John or Jesus will demonstrate the
wisdom of their instruction 11:19b
b. Speaking against the Israelite cities who had
witnessed His miracles but refused to repent,
Jesus proclaimed a greater judgment for them
[present day Israel] than for the Gentiles
who would have responded to His testimony
(11:20-24)
1) Jesus began to speak against the cities
who had seen His miracles but did not
repent (11:20)
2) Jesus pronounces Woe upon the cities
north of the Sea of Galilee, Bethsaida
and Corazin, because they did not
repent, as the Gentile cities of Tyre,
and Sidon, would have at Jesus'
miracles, therefore, their judgment will
be more severe (11:21-22)
3) Jesus pronounces condemnation upon
Capernaum, because it did not respond to
miracles which would have turned evil
Sodom from their sin and destruction,
therefore, they will suffer a greater
judgment23 (11:23)
4. In the midst of pronouncing judgment, Jesus, as
the only true revealer of God, once again exhorts
the multitudes [individuals] to turn from Judaism
to following Him for life (11:24-30)
a. At the time when Jesus was pronouncing
judgment upon the Israelite cities who were
not repenting over His message He spoke in
prayer to God and directly to others (11:25a)
b. Jesus thanked the sovereign Father for hiding
truth from the "wise" and giving it to the
innocent24 (11:25-26)
c. Identifying Himself as the only One qualified
to speak for the Father, Jesus urged the
multitudes of Israel to turn from the
oppression of Judaism to following Him for
life (11:27-30)
1) Jesus acknowledges that He alone has the
sole ability to reveal the Father to men
(11:27)
2) Jesus exhorts the multitudes
[individuals--"anyone"] to turn from the
oppressive rule of Judaism to the
liberating rule of Christ (11:28-30)
C. Through numerous controversies with the Pharisees,
Jesus, though continuing to minister as the suffering
servant, demonstrates their error and evil, proclaims
that they are under judgment for their rejection of Him
and emphasizes that those who are related to Him are
not those who are physically related, but are those who
obey the Father, like His disciples (12:1-50)
1. In a Sabbath controversy where the Pharisees
accused Jesus' disciples, and thus Jesus, of
breaking the Sabbath, He corrects their
understanding by demonstrating from Scripture the
flexibility of the law, and by exposing their own
evil in falsely accusing His disciples (12:1-8)
a. Setting: During the time when Jesus was
speaking out against the nation's
inappropriate response to Him, the Pharisees
accused Jesus of having His disciples break
the Sabbath law when they began to pick the
heads of grain and eat (12:1-2)
b. Jesus responds to the Pharisees accusation
that His disciples were breaking the law of
the Sabbath by demonstrating from the
Scriptures that the Sabbath was flexible, and
from His presence that it was the Pharisees
who were truly breaking the Scriptures by
accusing the innocent (12:2-8)
1) Jesus responds to the accusation by
demonstrating through David's eating of
the consecrated bread meant only for
priests that the Law was flexible during
times of necessity25 (12:3-4)
2) Jesus responds to the accusation by
demonstrating through the priestly
duties on the Sabbath that the ministry
of the temple was greater than the
ministry of the Sabbath, and thus was
the ministry of Jesus greater than the
ministry of the Sabbath (12:5-6)
3) Jesus responds to the accusation by
reminding the Pharisees of their
spiritually corrupt condition from Hosea
6:6, by which they were accusing the
innocent who are obeying the Lord of the
Sabbath (12:7-8)
2. When trapped in a Sabbath controversy over whether
or not it is right to heal a man on the Sabbath,
Jesus exposed the Pharisees' hypocrisy under the
Law, and healed the lame man, whereupon, the
Pharisees exposed themselves as law breakers by
plotting to kill Him (12:9-14)
a. Setting: Departing from the Pharisees, Jesus
went into their synagogue, where He was asked
by the Pharisees, who sought to accuse Him,
if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath (12:9-
10)
b. Jesus responded to the Pharisees' question by
exposing their own hypocrisy in caring for
animals over men; He then healed the man
(12:11-13)
1) Jesus demonstrated the inconsistency of
the Pharisees who would help an animal
on the Sabbath, but would not do good
for a man [of greater value] on the
Sabbath (12:11-12)
2) Jesus healed the man's withered hand on
the Sabbath (12:13)
c. The Pharisees further demonstrated their evil
nature by plotting to kill Jesus on the
Sabbath (12:14)
3. Aware of the plottings of the Pharisees, Jesus
chose to minister as Isaiah's Suffering Servant
who did not lash out but quietly ministered until
a future time of judgment (12:15-21)
a. Setting: Aware of the plottings of the
Pharisees, Jesus withdrew from them (12:15a)
b. In response to the plotting of the Pharisees,
Jesus quietly continued His work fulfilling
the prophecy of Isaiah that the Servant would
not strike out, but continue His work until a
future time of judgment (12:15b-21)
1) Many followed Jesus and He healed them
all (12:15b)
2) Jesus chooses to not confront the
Pharisees and to quietly continue His
work in order that He might fulfill
Isaiah's prophecy concerning the coming
Servant (12:16-21)
a) Jesus warned those whom He healed
to not make Him known (12:16)
b) The purpose in Jesus warning those
whom He had healed not to make Him
known is to fulfill Isaiah 42 where
the Servant is identified as one
who does not resist but humbly
continues to carry out God's work
until a future coming of the
Kingdom with judgment (12:17-21)
(1) The purpose in Jesus' actions
was to fulfill the words of
Isaiah the prophet concerning
Him (12:17)
(2) Isaiah describes the Servant
as a meek and humble Servant
who will continue to carry out
God's work for Him until a
future coming of the Kingdom
with judgment (12:18-21)
4. Having healed a demonized man, Jesus responds to
the Pharisees who, when asked ascribe His work to
Satan, by logically refuting their accusations,
proclaiming that the Kingdom of God was near, and
warning the Pharisees that their words expose
their hearts and will lead to future judgment
(12:22-37)
a. Setting: Jesus healed a deomonized men who
was blind and dumb, so that he spoke and saw
(12:22)
b. Response one--the people: The multitudes
were amazed and began to ask (the religious
leaders) if Jesus was not the Son of David--
Messiah [expecting a negative response]
(12:23)
c. Response two--the Pharisees: The Pharisees
responded to the multitudes by accusing Jesus
of casting out demons by the power of
Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons (12:24 cf.
9:34)
d. Response three--Jesus: Jesus, knowing the
thoughts of the Pharisees, responds by
logically refuting their accusations,
affirming that the Kingdom has come near, and
warning the Pharisees that their words expose
their hearts and will condemn them (12:25-37)
1) Jesus knew their thoughts (12:25)
2) Jesus refutes their accusations that
the source of His power is Satan through
logic and their inconsistency (12:25-26)
a) Jesus refutes the accusation by the
Pharisees by proclaiming that it is
illogical to say that Satan is
casting out Satan because that
would describe the inner
destruction of Satan's kingdom and
thus the fall of Satan (12:25-26)
b) Jesus refutes the accusation by
the Pharisees by proclaiming that
it is inconsistent to say that
Jesus is casting out demons and yet
to affirm that their sons are doing
the same thing by the power of God.
Therefore, their sons will judge
against them for saying this
(12:27)
3) Having reasonably demonstrated that His
work is not from Satan, Jesus argues the
only other logical conclusion--that it
must be from God and thus, the Kingdom
of God has come near to them since He is
binding Satan (12:28-29)
4) Jesus warns the Pharisees that their
blasphemous words against the work of
the Spirit of God in Jesus expose their
true heart, and will be used as evidence
in the future to condemn them (12:32-37)
a) Jesus warns the Pharisees that
unlike general sin and blasphemy
which shall be forgiven men,
blasphemy against the Spirit shall
not be forgiven men (12:32)
b) Jesus warns the Pharisees that
unlike words spoken against the Son
of Man, those which are said
against the Holy Spirit shall not
ever be forgiven of men26 (12:32)
c) Jesus warns the Pharisees to be
consistent in their lives, because
their words betray them and will be
used to expose inner attitudes
someday (12:33-37)
(1) Through the analogy of trees,
Jesus exhorts the Pharisees to
align their fruit with
themselves as trees because
their fruit identifies them
(12:33)
(2) Jesus accuses the Pharisees of
being evil and unable to speak
what is good since one's words
come from one's heart (12:34-
35)
(3) Jesus warns the Pharisees that
they will be judged for their
words some day (12:36-37)
5. After Jesus' warning, some of the religious
leaders desired to see a sign from Him, but He
refused to give any beyond His deliverance from
certain death, because the nation was coming under
judgment for her rejection of Him as Messiah
(12:38-45)
a. After Jesus' warning, some of the scribes and
Pharisees responded by asking to see a sign
from Him (12:38)
b. After Jesus identifies His generation as an
evil one, He refuses to give any other sign
to her except for His future deliverance from
certain death, because she is coming under
judgment for her rejection of Him as Messiah
(12:39-45)
1) Jesus identifies His generation as an
evil and adulterous one because it
craves for a sign (12:39a)
2) Jesus vows to give no other sign to this
wicked generation than his own personal
deliverance from death, because the
nation is coming under judgment for her
rejection of Him--her Messiah (12:39b-
45)
a) Jesus proclaims that no sign will
be given to this generation except
for the sign of Jonah: the death
and resurrection (12:39b-40)
(1) Statement: Jesus proclaims
that no sign will be given
except for the sign of Jonah
the prophet27 (12:39b)
(2) Just as Jonah was delivered
from certain death in the
belly of the sea monster, so
shall the Son of Man be
delivered from certain death
in the grave for three days
and three nights (12:40)
b) Jesus proclaims that Gentiles will
stand and condemn this Jewish
generation because they responded
to lesser spokesmen for God than
Jesus (12:41-42)
(1) Jesus proclaims that the men
of Nineveh (Gentiles) shall
condemn this generation (Jews)
because they repented over
Jonah's word, but this
generation will not repent at
the word of One who is greater
than Jonah (12:41)
(2) Jesus proclaims that the Queen
of the South (Sheba--a
Gentile) will condemn this
generation (Jews) because she
came from afar to hear
Solomon's wisdom, but this
generation will not listen to
One greater than Solomon
(12:42)
c) Jesus through a parable proclaims
demonic judgment upon His Jewish
generation for making moral reform,
but not receiving her Messiah
(12:43-45)
(1) Jesus compares the nation
Israel to a deomonized man
from whom an unclean spirit
has departed but has not found
a resting place (12:43)
(2) Jesus compares the nation
Israel to a house which a
demon returns and finds in
order (moral reform), but
vacant (12:44)
(3) Jesus compares the nation
Israel with a man whose state
becomes worse than it was as
the demon returns with many
others who are even more
wicked (12:45)
6. Jesus identifies His true family as consisting not
of those who are physically related to Him, but of
those who are obedient to the will of the Father
as His disciples were (12:46-50)
a. Setting: Jesus is told, while He is speaking
to the multitudes, that his family is outside
wanting to speak to Him (12:46-47)
1) Jesus was speaking to the multitudes
(12:46a)
2) Jesus' mother and brothers were standing
outside seeking to speak to Him (12:46b)
3) Someone told Jesus that his family was
present and wanted to speak to Him
(12:47)
b. After raising the question of the identity of
Jesus' true family, He identifies His
disciples and anyone who obeys the Father as
His true family (12:48-50)
1) Jesus asked the one who told Him about
the desire of his present family to
hypothetically identify His family: "Who
is My mother and who are My brothers"
(12:48)
2) Jesus identifies His disciples and all
of those who do the will of the Father
as His true family (12:49-50)
a) Jesus identifies His disciples as
His family, "Behold, My mother and
My brothers!" (12:49)
b) Jesus identifies anyone who does
the will of the Father in heaven as
His family (12:50)
D. Parables of the Kingdom: Through the cryptic form of
parables designed to conceal truth from those who had
rejected Him and reveal truth to those who had received
Him, Jesus proclaimed to the multitudes and His
disciples the mixed nature of the interim form of the
Kingdom in view of His rejection, and the disciples'
responsibility to proclaim this truth as His authority
figures (13:1-53) [Discourse]
1. After Jesus left the house with His disciples he
spoke to the multitudes about the interim form of
the Kingdom with respect to its growth, and
influence in the cryptic form of parable, designed
to hide truth from those who had rejected Him and
to reveal truth to those who had received Him as
Messiah (13:1-34)
a. Setting: After Jesus had left the house, He
went to the sea and spoke from a boat many
things in parables to the multitudes as they
stood on the beach (13:1-3a)
1) On the day when Jesus spoke concerning
the identity of His true family, He went
out of the house and was by the sea
(13:1)
2) So many people gathered around Jesus at
the sea that He had to enter a boat
while the multitudes stood on the shore
(13:2)
3) Jesus spoke many things to the
multitudes in parables (13:3a)
b. Introduction: Through the telling of a
parable, answering a question, and then
explaining the parable, Jesus proclaims to
His disciples that parables are meant to
increase the understanding of those who
properly respond to Him, and to hide
understanding from those who have not
responded properly to Him (13:3b-23)
1) Through the Parable of the sower and the
soils for those who want to hear, Jesus
proclaims that the sower will sow the
seed upon many soils, only to die on
most, and thrive on some (13:3b-9)
a) The sower went out to sow (13:3b)
b) Some seed fell beside the road and
the birds at them up (13:4)
c) Some seed fell upon the rocky
places, sprang up quickly, but
withered under the heat because
they had no root (13:5-6)
d) Some seed fell among the thorns,
and were chocked out by the thorns
(13:7)
e) Some seed fell upon the good soil
and yielded a crop (13:8)
f) Exhortation: Let the one who
desires to hear, hear these words
(13:9)
2) When asked by His disciples as to why He
spoke in parables, Jesus proclaimed that
they are to distinguish and increase the
understanding of the disciples who have
responded to Jesus already as opposed to
those who have not responded and are
thus hardened and unable to hear (13:10-
17)
a) Setting: The disciples came to
Jesus and asked Him why He spoke in
parables (13:10)
b) Jesus answers His disciples by
distinguishing them from others
because they can hear the mysteries
of the kingdom that many Old
Testament saints longed to hear,
unlike those who cannot understand
due to their hardness of heart as
Isaiah foretold (13:11-17)
(1) Jesus proclaims that it has
been granted to His disciples
to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but it is
not been granted to others to
know the mysteries (13:11)
(2) The reason it has been granted
the disciples to know the
mysteries of the Kingdom is
because they have responded
already, therefore more will
be understood, but those who
have not responded will even
lose what they did understand
(13:12)
(3) Jesus explains that this
practice of speaking in
parables fulfills Isaiah 6:9-
10 where Israel's heart has
become dull and refuses to
hear God speak (13:13-15)
(4) Jesus tells the disciples that
they are blessed because they
are of those who can hear and
see, and because they are
hearing and seeing what many
of the prophets of old longed
for (13:16-17)
3) Jesus explains the parable of the sower
and the seed in terms of negative
responses of men to the word of the
Kingdom which yield no fruit, and the
positive responses of men to the word of
the Kingdom which do yield fruit (13:18-
23)
a) Jesus exhorts the disciples to hear
the parable of the sower (13:18)
b) The seed which was sown by the side
of the road represents that which
Satan takes away form anyone's
heart who hears the word of the
kingdom and does not understand it
(13:19)
c) The seed which was sown on the
rocky places represents the one who
hears and receives the word of the
Kingdom, but breaks down under the
persecution and affliction which
come to him because of the word
(13:20-21)
d) The seed which was sown among the
thorns represents the one who hears
the word of the Kingdom but is
broken under worldly concerns and a
desire for riches (13:22)
e) The seed which was sown on the good
soil represents the one who hears
the word of the Kingdom,
understands it, and bears fruit
from it (13:23)
c. Jesus spoke in cryptic parables to the
multitudes, concerning the coming of the
interim form of the Kingdom due to the
nation's rejection of the King: those of
genuine and false faith will co-exist, the
heirs will grow rapidly into a protective
force, and they will permeate all of the
world (13:24-35)
1) Through the parable of the wheat and the
tares Jesus teaches that the present
form of the Kingdom will be one in which
those of genuine faith and false faith
will co-exist in the world until a
future harvest (13:24-30)
a) Setting: It seems to be the same--
at the Sea before the multitudes:
Jesus presented another parable to
them (13:24a)
b) The kingdom of heaven is like a man
who sowed good seed in his field,
and had tares sown in his field
while he slept by the enemy (13:24b-
25)
c) When the wheat grew up and bore
grain, the tares became evident
also (13:26)
d) When asked about the field, the
farmer recognized that this was the
work of the enemy (13:27-28a)
e) When asked if he wanted his workers
to gather up the tares, the farmer
insisted on allowing them to grow
together, for the sake of the
wheat, until the final harvest when
they will be separated unto
different destinies (13:28b-30)
2) The parable of the mustard seed Jesus
taught that the heirs of the Kingdom
will grow rapidly from a small beginning
including many in their protection
(13:31-32)
a) Setting: Jesus presented another
parable to the multitudes (13:31a)
b) The Kingdom of heaven is compared
to a mustard seed which a man
planted in the field [heirs of the
Kingdom] (13:31b)
c) When the minute mustard seed grew
it was larger than all of the
garden plants and the birds of the
air [probably nation as in Dan.
4:10-12] came and nested in its
branches (13:32)
3) Through the parable of the leaven Jesus
taught that the interim Kingdom of
Heaven will spread throughout all of the
earth (13:33)
a) Setting: Jesus spoke another
parable to the multitudes (13:33a)
b) The Kingdom of heaven is like
leaven which a woman placed in meal
(13:33b)
c) The leaven permeated all of the
meal (13:33c)
4) Everything which Jesus spoke to the
multitudes was in parables so that he
might fulfill the words of Psalm 78:2
where Jesus is cryptically describing
God's workings in connection with the
Kingdom in light of Israel's rejection
of its King (13:34-35)
2. Leaving the multitudes, Jesus proclaimed to His
disciples the characteristics of the interim
Kingdom including the old concepts of the presence
of Jews and Gentiles, and it's ending in judgment,
as well as the new concepts that there will be a
universal proclamation, an imitation by Satan, and
an outward growth, in order that they might
proclaim it as His authority figures (13:36-52)
a. Jesus left the multitudes, came to a house
and explained, at the disciples' request, the
parable of the tares wherein the interim age
will include children of Messiah as well as
children of the devil to only be
distinguished in the judgment administered by
the Lord's angels at the end of the age
(13:36-43)
1) Setting: Jesus left the multitudes by
the Sea and entered a house where the
disciples came and asked for Him to
explain the earlier parable of the tares
(13:36)
a) Jesus left the multitudes and went
into the house (13:36a)
b) The disciples came to Jesus and
asked Him to explain to them the
parable of the tares of the field
told earlier (11:36b)
2) Jesus explained the parable of the tares
for those who wished to hear as being
the interim expression of the Kingdom
where He, Messiah, places sons of the
Kingdom into the world, while the devil
places counterfeits in the world, to be
finally distinguished and taken to their
respective places [judgment, or Kingdom]
by the Lord's angels at the end of the
age (13:37-43)
a) Jesus, the Son of Man, is the one
who sows the good seed (13:37)
b) The field is the world, (13:38a)
c) The good seed are the sons of the
Kingdom (13:38b)
d) The tares are the sons of the evil
one (13:38c)
e) The enemy who sowed them is the
devil (13:39a)
f) The harvest is the end of the age
(13:39b)
g) The reapers are angels (13:39c)
h) Jesus, the Son of Man, will send
forth angels to gather the evil out
of His Kingdom and cast them into
judgment (13:41-42)
i) The righteous will continue greatly
in the Kingdom of the Father
(13:43a)
j) Jesus urges those who are able
(desirous) to hear Him to
understand His words (13:43b)
b. Through the parable of the hidden treasure,
Jesus explained that Messiah came to redeem
the kingdom for Israel (13:44)
1) The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure
hidden in the field which a man found
and hid (13:44a)
a) It was first hidden (found) which
relates to the History of Israel
from Rehoboam [at the division of
the nation in 931 BC], to the
coming of Christ
b) It was found as Christ came near
with the Kingdom
c) It was hidden again as Christ
removed the Kingdom due to Israel's
rejection
2) The man, over the joy of the treasure,
sells all that he has and buys the field
(13:44b)
a) Jesus sold all that He had in His
incarnation (condescension)
b) Christ bought the Kingdom in His
death
c) Christ will come again with the
kingdom
c. Through the parable of the pearl of great
price Christ tells of His coming to redeem
Gentiles who would later become His Church
(13:45-46)
1) The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant
seeking fine pearls (13:45)
2) When the merchant found a pearl of great
value he sold all that He had and bought
it (13:46)
a) That this is one pearl among may
intimates the church
b) That the pearl is from the sea
intimates Gentiles
c) He sold all (incarnation) and
bought it (redemption)
d. Through the parable of the dragnet, Jesus
explains that the Angels will end this
interim period with a judgment of the wicked
from among the righteous (13:47-50)
1) The Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet
which is thrown into the sea and gathers
all kinds of fish (13:47)
2) When the net was filled the good fish
were gathered into containers and the
bad were thrown away (13:48)
3) At the end of the age the angels will
take the wicked into judgment from among
the righteous (13:49-50)
e. Since Jesus' disciples understand His
parables, they are responsible, as His
authority figures, to proclaim the whole
truth about the Kingdom (13:51-52)
1) Jesus asked His disciples if they
understood all of His parables, and they
said that they did (13:51)
2) Jesus exhorts his disciples that they
are responsible, as His authority
figures [scribe], to dispense the whole
truth about the Kingdom [new and old]
(13:52)
f. After Jesus had finished these parables to
the disciples, he departed from the house
(13:53)
V. JESUS' REACTION TO OPPOSITION: Jesus withdrew from the
leadership within the nation who rejected Him only to
continue to minister to those (outside of and within the
nation) who would follow Him, and to train His disciples for
their future ministry to people in His absence as He began
to move toward Jerusalem (13:53-19:2)
A. In the wake of religious and civil opposition to Jesus
He withdrew Himself from active, public ministry among
the people (13:53--14:13a)
1. Opposed in Capernaum: After speaking to His
disciples, Jesus graciously returned to Capernaum
to speak in its synagogue, but in response to
their (religious authority) rejection of Him, did
not do many miracles there (13:53-58)
a. After Jesus had finished speaking the
parables to His disciples, He left the house
and went to His home-town (Capernaum) where
he taught in their synagogue (13:53-54a)
b. The people of Capernium were familiar with
Jesus and His family and thus questioned the
validity of His teaching and miracles taking
offense (13:54b-57a)
c. Jesus criticized the people's rejection of
Him and did not do many miracles there
because they would not believe (13:57b-58)
2. Opposed by Herod: When Jesus learns of Herod's
(civil authority) murder of John the Baptizer for
the righteous position which he spoke, Jesus
withdrew to a lonely place on a boat (14:1-13a)
a. While Jesus was in Capernaum, Herod, the
tetrarch, heard the news of Jesus' works and
believed that He was John the Baptizer raised
from the dead (14:1-2)
b. Jesus was told that John the Baptizer was
arrested, and reluctantly slain by Herod the
Tetrach for his critical use of the Law
against Herod's marriage to Herodias (14:3-
12)
1) Herod had John the Baptizer arrested and
placed in prison because he had married
Herodias, the wife of his brother
Philip, and John had spoken out against
the illegality of their marriage (14:3-
4)
2) Herod wanted to put John to death, but
he was afraid of the opinion of the
multitude who regarded him as a prophet
(14:5)
3) John was beheaded and served on a
platter to Herodias due to an impulsive
promise by Herod to her daughter on
Herod's birthday (14:6-11)
4) John the Baptizer's disciples came, took
the body, buried him, and reported the
event to Jesus (14:12)
c. When Jesus heard of John's death, He withdrew
in a boat to a lonely place by Himself
(14:13a)
B. Even though Jesus departed from the leaders of the
Nation, He continued to demonstrate to the multitudes
and to His disciples that He was Messiah as He healed
the sick, fed those of the nation who came to Him,
taught His disciples of His sufficiency for life as He
used them to administer the food, and came to them in
the storm, and healed all of those who came to Him in
Gennessart (14:13b-36)
1. Having departed from the cities under opposition,
Jesus still had compassion upon the multitudes who
came to Him, and thus healed their sick, and
encouraged them and the disciples as He feed, from
meager elements, over five thousand, through His
disciples, with twelve baskets of scraps left over
(14:13c-22)
a. Setting: When the multitudes heard that
Jesus had withdrawn in a boat to a lonely
place, the multitudes followed Him on foot
from the cities (14:13b)
b. When Jesus went ashore, He saw a great
multitude, felt compassion upon them and
healed their sick (14:14)
c. In the midst of a desolate place, and at a
late hour, Jesus refuses to send the
multitudes away, but encourages the faith of
the multitudes and His disciples as He
miraculously feeds over five thousand of them
through the mediated service of His disciples
who gather over twelve baskets full of food
at the end (14:15-21)
1) When it was late, Jesus' disciples urged
Him to send the people away in order to
procure food because they were in such a
desolate place (14:15)
2) Jesus responded that the multitude did
not need to go away, but that the
disciples should feed them (14:16)
3) The disciples responded that they did
not have enough food--five loaves and
two fish (14:17)
4) Ordering the disciples to bring the
meager portions to Him, Jesus blessed
and fed, through the disciples, over
five thousand people to satisfaction
with twelve baskets full left over
(14:18-21)
a) Jesus ordered the disciples to
bring the meager portions to Him
(14:18)
b) Jesus ordered the multitudes to be
seated on the grass (14:19a)
c) Jesus blessed the food and gave it
to the disciples (14:19b)
d) The disciples gave the food to the
multitudes (14:19c)
e) The five plus thousand people ate,
were satisfied, and had twelve
baskets full left over (14:20-21)
2. After Jesus had sent His disciples across the Sea
ahead of Him, dismissed the multitudes and prayed
alone on a mountain, He came to His disciples in
an early morning storm, walking on the water,
which led to Peter's doubting expression of faith
on the water, and the worship of the disciples
when they realized that He was Messiah after He
entered the boat, the storm stopped (14:22-33)
a. Setting: Immediately after the baskets of
food had been collected, Jesus sent the
disciples in a boat ahead of Him, dismissed
the multitudes, and went alone up to a
mountain to pray in the evening (14:22-23)
1) Immediately, Jesus sent the disciples in
a boat ahead of Him to the other side of
the Sea while He sent the multitudes
away (14:22)
2) After Jesus sent the multitudes away, He
went up alone, in the evening to the
mountain by Himself to pray (14:23)
b. Jesus came walking on the water to His
disciples who were in an early morning storm,
exhorting them to take courage, helping Peter
who walked on the water to met Him but began
to sink due to his doubt, and leading to
worship and recognition of Jesus as Messiah
by the disciples when they entered the boat
and the storm ceased (14:24-33)
1) The boat carrying the disciples was in a
storm many miles from the land (14:24)
2) Jesus came to His disciples early in the
morning (between 3-6 A.M.) walking on
the Sea (14:25)
3) When the disciples saw Jesus they became
fearful and shouted out that He was a
ghost (14:26)
4) Jesus told the disciples to take courage
and to not fear because it was He
(14:27)
5) Peter, asked the Lord to invite Him to
come on the water if it was He, but when
He did, Peter began to sink in the water
and begged Jesus to save him (14:28-29)
6) Jesus grabbed hold of Peter, asked him
why he had doubted, and entered the boat
whereupon the wind stopped (14:30-32)
7) When Peter and Jesus got into the boat,
the disciples worshiped Jesus saying
that He must surely be Messiah (14:33)
3. When the disciples and Jesus crossed over the Sea
after the storm, they came to Gennesaret where the
people recognized Him, brought their sick to Him
and were healed as they touched His cloak (14:34-
36)
a. Setting: When the disciples and Jesus
crossed over the Sea, they came to the land
at Gennesaret (14:34)
b. When the men of Gennesaret recognized Jesus,
they sent and brought all who were sick from
the surrounding district (14:35)
c. The people began to ask that they could touch
the fringe of His cloak, and were healed as
they did (14:36)
C. Under the opposition of the Pharisees and the scribes
Jesus exposed their evil hypocrisy to them and His
disciples, and withdrew with His disciples to minister
among the Gentiles who were seeking Him (15:1-39)
1. When some of the Pharisees and scribes from
Jerusalem came and accused Jesus of evil because
his disciples did not wash their hands, He
responded by accusing them of evil by breaking the
internal commandments of the law for the sake of
their external traditions (15:1-11)
a. Setting: Some of the Pharisees and scribes
came to speak to Jesus from Jerusalem (15:1)
b. The Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus why His
disciples break the tradition of the elders
in that they do not wash their hands when
they eat bread (15:2)
c. Jesus accused the Pharisees and the scribes
of breaking the commandments of God with
their tradition as he illustrated through
their abusive treatment of parents, whereupon
he identified the internal as that which
defiles rather than the external (15:3-11)
1) Jesus asked the Pharisees and scribes
why it was that they transgress the
commandment of God for the sake of their
tradition (15:3)
2) Jesus accused the Pharisees of
transgressing the commandments of God
for the sake of their tradition thereby
demonstrating the truth of Isaiah's
words that they are religious but far
from Him in their hearts (15:4-10)
a) Jesus accused the Pharisees and
scribes of using their tradition of
"giving things to God" as an excuse
to enjoy them now and not help
their parents who are in need thus
dishonoring them (15:4-6)
b) Jesus identified the Pharisees and
the scribes as those spoken of by
Isaiah in 29:13 who are religious
but not honoring to God in their
hearts (15:7-9)
3) Jesus told the multitudes that it was
not the external which defiles a man (as
the Pharisees and scribes taught), but
the internal which comes out (in speech)
which defiles a man (15:10-11)
2. When the disciples told Jesus that he had offended
the Pharisees, He identified the Pharisees as
false teachers who will be judged with their
followers, and then explained to them that it is
not external things which enter a person which
make him unclean, but the internal heart from
which evil comes forth which makes a person
defiled, whereupon Jesus withdrew into the Gentile
region of Tyre and Sidon (15:12-21)
a. The disciples told Jesus that His accusation
offended the Pharisees (15:12)
b. Jesus responded by affirming that the
Pharisees were false teachers who will be
judged along with their followers (15:13-14)
1) Jesus explained that His Father will
judge false leaders (15:13)
2) Jesus exhorted the disciples to not be
concerned by the Pharisees because they
and those who follow them will end in
judgment (15:14)
c. When asked by Peter to explain the parable
which Jesus had spoken to the multitudes,
Jesus questioned why it was that they still
did not understand what He was saying, and
then explained that it was not the external
which makes a person unclean, but that which
resided within a person and expressed itself
externally (15:15-20)
1) Peter asked Jesus to explain for the
disciples the parable which he had just
spoken to the multitudes (15:15)
2) Although concerned that His disciples
are still not understanding His
parables, Jesus explains that external
dirt does not defile a person, rather it
is the resident attitude of the heart
which then expresses itself externally
which defiles a person (15:16-20)
a) Jesus prefaces His explanation with
a question as to why the disciples
are still not understanding His
parables (15:16)
b) Jesus explains that external dirt
does not make a man unclean but
internal heart attitudes, which are
reflected in words and actions do
defile a man (15:17-20)
(1) Jesus explains that the things
which come from without and
enter the stomach do not
defile a person since they
simply pass through the person
(15:17)
(2) Jesus explains that the words
from one's mouth defile a man
because they are sourced in
one's heart which gives rise
to all kinds to all kinds of
sin like evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries,
fornication, thefts, false
witness, and slanders (15:18-
19)
(3) Jesus summarizes that it is
the inner heart attitudes
which defile a man and not
external dirt (15:20)
d. Jesus went away from Israel into the
northern, Gentile region of Tyre and Sidon
(15:21)
3. Jesus healed and bless Gentiles who came to Him as
Gentiles for help (15:22-39)
a. When a Canaanite woman from the Gentile
region of Tyre and Sidon sought out Jesus as
the Jewish Messiah to heal her demonized
daughter, He refused to act since to do so
would be to usurp to Gentiles the place of
Israel, but did heal her when the woman took
the humble position of a Gentile desiring to
receive the overflow of Kingdom blessing to
Israel (15:22-28)
1) Setting: A Canaanite woman from Tyre
and Sidon sought out Jesus as the
Jewish Messiah, ("Son of David") to
mercifully help her demonized daughter
(15:22)
2) Although Jesus would not answer the
request of the Gentile woman who was
usurping the role of Israel with their
Messiah, He did heal her daughter when
the woman took the posture of a Gentile
who was seeking from Him an overflow
from the Kingdom blessings for Israel
(15:23-28)
a) Jesus did not answer the Gentile
woman who was seeking Him as the
Jewish Messiah even under the plea
of the disciples because He was
Israel's Messiah (15:23-24)
b) When the woman persisted with Jesus
in the posture of a Gentile who did
not seek to usurp the place of
Israel but to receive an overflow
of the blessing for Israel, Jesus
granted her faithful plea and
healed her daughter (15:25-28)
(1) The woman persisted and asked
Jesus as Lord to help (15:25)
(2) Jesus explained that it was
not appropriate for Him to
give to dogs (Gentiles)
children's (Israel's) bread
(gifts of the Kingdom) (15:26)
(3) The woman accepted the rebuke
for asking that He substitute
Gentiles for Israel, but
sought Jesus as Lord of all to
give to her an overflow of the
blessing meant for Israel
(15:27)
(4) Jesus commended her faith and
healed her daughter (15:28)
b. When Jesus departed from the Gentile regions
of Tyre and Sidon, He went along the Sea of
Galilee (Decapolis) and upon a mountain where
He healed the sick of (Gentile) multitudes
who praised the God of Israel (15:29-31)
1) Setting: Jesus departed from Tyre and
Sidon and went along the Sea of Galilee
(perhaps in the Decapolis [cf. Mark
7:31]), whereupon, He went up a mountain
and sat (15:29)
2) When great multitudes brought their sick
to Jesus, He healed them causing the
multitudes to offer great praise to the
God of Israel (15:30-31)
a) Great (Gentile) multitudes came to
Jesus on the mountain with their
sick: lame, crippled, blind, dumb,
et cetera (15:30a)
b) When Jesus healed all of the sick
the multitudes praised the God of
Israel (15:30b-31)
c. Feeling compassion for the (Gentile)
Multitudes who had been with Him on the
mountain for three days, Jesus, against the
concerns of the disciples, miraculously fed
them through the disciples and then sent them
away whereupon he went in a boat to Magadan
(15:32-39)
1) Setting: Calling His disciples unto Him
Jesus explained that He felt compassion
for the multitudes because they had been
with Him for three days and had nothing
to eat; therefore He wanted to feed them
(15:32)
2) Although the disciples objected to
Jesus' desire to feed so many people
(Gentiles), Jesus took the available
provisions and feed over four thousand
people with a surplus of seven baskets
full of leftovers (15:33-38)
a) The disciples objected to Jesus'
desire to feed the multitudes since
there was nowhere to get enough
food in such a desolate place
(15:33)
b) After asking about the present
provisions, Jesus had the multitude
be seated, took the seven loaves
and fish, gave thanks to God and
distributed them through the
disciples to the multitudes (15:34-
36)
c) Four thousand men plus women and
children ate, were satisfied, and
gathered seven large baskets (
spuri" ) full (15:37-38)
3) Jesus sent away the multitudes and went
in a boat to the region of Magadan
D. Under the hardened opposition of the Pharisees and
Sadducees who came up from Jerusalem to test Jesus, He
refused to give a sign other than that of Jonah,
departed from them, and warned His influenced disciples
to not be infected by the teachings of the religious
teachers (16:1-12)
1. When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees and
Sadducees from Jerusalem to give a sign from
heaven, He exposed their evil insensitivity to who
He was, only offered the Gentile sign of Jonah,
and left from their presence (16:1-4)
a. Setting: The Pharisees and the Sadducees
came up to Jesus and tested Him by asking Him
to show them a sign from heaven (16:1)
b. Jesus responded to the religious leaders'
request by identifying their spiritual
dulness and refusing to give any sign to such
an evil generation other than that which was
given to Gentiles--the sign of Jonah (16:2-
4a)
1) Jesus accused the religious leaders that
they knew how to interpret the physical
signs of the weather but not the
spiritual signs of the time (16:2-3)
2) Calling this generation evil and one
which had turned from God, Jesus
repeated that He would not give any sign
to it but the sign of Jonah (16:4a)
c. Jesus left and went away from (abandoned) the
religious leaders in Magadan (16:4b)
2. As Jesus and the disciples went to the other side
of the Sea, Jesus warned them (through a figure of
speech) to beware of the teaching of the Sadducees
and the Pharisees, only to have to explain His
words to them because they were being influenced
and not responding in faith to Him in view of what
they knew (16:5-12)
a. Setting: When Jesus left Magadan, the
disciples went with Him to the other side of
the Sea and had forgotten bread (16:5)
b. Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the
teaching of the Sadducees and the Pharisees,
but had to explain His words to them before
they could understand because they were being
influenced and thus, not expressing faith in
Him (16:6-12)
1) Jesus warned the disciples to be careful
of the infectious evil-teachings (leven)
of the Pharisees (16:6)
2) The disciples missed the point of Jesus
thinking that He was speaking of
physical bread (16:7)
3) Jesus rebuked the disciples' for
thinking of physical bread when they
should have learned of His provision
through the miraculous feedings,
whereupon, they understood that Jesus
was speaking concerning the teaching of
the Pharisees and the Sadducees (16:8-
12)
a) Jesus accuses the disciples of
having little faith because they
misunderstand what He is saying--
physical bread for spiritual
teaching of the religious leaders
(16:8)
b) Jesus questions the disciples'
concern about physical food in
light of their recent experiences
of Jesus feeding the five and four
thousands, rather than an
understanding of the religious
leaders' instruction (16:9-11)
c) The disciples then understood that
Jesus was not speaking about the
leven of bread, but the teaching of
the Pharisees and Sadducees (16:12)
E. Jesus instructed His disciples about His being Messiah,
the coming program of the chruch, His future death, the
coming Kingdom, and principles of the King to be
followed on earth in His absence (16:13--19:2)
[Discourse]
1. When Jesus came to Ceasarea Philippi, He led the
disciples into a revealed understanding that He
was Messiah, commended Peter for his spiritual
understanding, promised to build His church upon
this revelation, gave authority to Peter, and
warned them to not tell others (16:13-20)
a. Setting: When Jesus came into the region of
Ceasarea Philippi, He asked the disciples,
"Who the people say the Son of Man is?"
(16:13)
b. The disciples gave many answers: John the
Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the
prophets (16:14)
c. Jesus asked the disciples who they thought
that He was (16:15)
d. Simon Peter answered that Jesus was Messiah,
the Son of the living God (16:16)
e. In response to Peter's confession Jesus
blessed Peter for his spiritual
understanding, promised to build His church
upon this revealed truth, gave authority to
Peter on earth, and told His disciples to
tell no one that He was Messiah (16:17-20)
1) Jesus blessed Peter because this
understanding had come to Him from the
Father in Heaven28 (16:17)
2) Jesus promises to build His church upon
Peter's revealed truth, and it will
withstand the onslaughts of Hell (16:18)
3) Jesus gives to Peter authority to rule
on earth with the judgments of God's
rule in heaven [cf. Matt. 6] (16:19)
4) Jesus wanted His disciples to tell no
one that He was Messiah (16:20)
2. When Jesus began to explain His necessary, future
passion, and was rebuked by Peter, Jesus accused
Peter of being influenced by Satan and men's
interists over God's, whereupon He exhorted His
disciples to completely commit themselves to Him
in order to obtain life since He will come at a
future time in judgment (16:21-28)
a. Setting: From the time of Peter's confession
on, Jesus began to explain to His disciples
His future death and resurrection (16:21)
b. Peter began to take Jesus aside and rebuke
Him for speaking of a future death (16:22)
c. Jesus rebukes Peter as Satan's instrument who
is concerned about the interests of men and
not God (16:23)
d. In view of Jesus' future coming, concerning
which some will be allowed to see a preview,
Jesus exhorts His disciples to completely
commit themselves to Him in order to obtain
life, because there will be a future judgment
(16:24-28)
1) Jesus exhorts all who desire to follow
after Him to completely identify with
Him even if it requires that he deny
Himself because such commitment will
yeild life (16:24-26)
2) The reason Jesus encourages such total
commitment to Him is because there will
be a later time when He will come in
Judgment upon men (16:27)
3) Jesus promises that some of the
disciples will see Jesus coming in His
Kingdom before they die (16:28)
3. Six days following His prophecy, Jesus confirmed
His word by appearing to Peter, James and John in
a transfigured state which previewed the kingdom,
and yet He forbade them to tell anyone of the
event until after His resurrection as he explained
to them that the Kingdom must yet be preceeded by
Elijah, since this generation rejected John's
ministry as Elijah, as they would Him, whereupon
the remaining disciples were rebuked because they
were being moved by their generation's attitude
toward unbelief in Him (17:1-21)
a. Setting: Six days following His prophecy
concerning some who would see the Son of man
coming in His Kingdom, Jesus took Peter,
James, and John up to a high mountain by
themselves (17:1)
b. The words of Jesus about a future Kingdom on
earth were confirmed [in the form of a down
payment] to Peter, James and John as Jesus
appeared as the Son of Man and
representatives of OT saints appeared and
spoke with Jesus (17:2-3)
1) Jesus was transfigured before Peter,
James, and John: His face shone like
the sun and His garments became as white
as light (17:2)
2) Moses [the Law], and Elijah [the
Prophets] appeared to them and spoke
with Jesus (17:3)
c. Although Peter's response to the
transfiguration of Jesus was to want to begin
to celebrate the Kingdom, the Father
interrupted with the affirmation that Jesus
was truly the Messiah, but also the suffering
servant who must presently be obeyed, leaving
the disciples in fear, but comforted by the
sole presence of Jesus (17:4-8)
1) Peter recognized the theological/Kingdom
implications of the appearances and
saught to celebrate the feast of booths
(17:4; cf. Lev. 23:39-44; Zech. 14:16)
2) While Peter was still speaking the
Father spoke in a white cloud affirming
Jesus as Messiah ["son" cf. Ps. 2:7],
the suffering servant ["with whom I am
well pleased" cf. Isa. 42:1], and the
Prophet spoken of by Moses ["listen to
Him" cf. Deut. 18:15] (17:5)
3) When the disciples heared the voice of
the Father, they fell down in fear
(17:6)
4) Jesus came to the disciples, told them
to arise and to not fear, and when they
lifted their heads there was no one
present but Jesus (17:7-8)
d. As the disciples were told not to tell of the
transfiguration experience until after the
resurrection of Jesus, they questioned how He
could be the Messiah since the scribes
insisted that Elijah must first come, to
which Jesus agreed, but added that John had
served in Elijah's role only to be rejected
by the leaders as they would also reject Him
now (17:9-13)
1) Setting: The disciples were coming down
the mountain with Jesus after the
transfiguration experience (17:9a)
2) Jesus commanded the disciples to tell
the vision to no one until the Son of
Man had risen from the dead (17:9b)
3) When the disciples asked why the scribes
insist that Elijah must come before the
King, Jesus exclaimed that they were
right, but that he had already come in
the ministry of John the Baptizer, but
was cruelly rejected by the religious
leaders as they would also reject Jesus
now (17:10-13)
a) The disciples asked Jesus why the
scribes insist that Elijah must
come first before the King (17:10)
b) Jesus answered the disciples that
Elijah will come to restore all
things (Mal. 4:5), but that He did
come already (as John the Baptizer)
and was destroyed as also the Son
of Man will suffer at the religious
leaders' hands (17:11-12)
c) The disciples then understood that
Jesus had spoken to them about John
the Baptizer (17:13)
e. As Jesus, Peter, James, and John came down
the mountain they met a man who charged the
remaining disciples of being unable to heal
his demonized son, whereupon, Jesus healed
him, and rebuked the disciples for being
influenced by the faithlessness of their
generation concerning Him, which leads to
powerlessness (17:14-21)
1) Setting: As they came down the mountain
to the multitudes, a man came to Jesus
pleading for his son who was very ill,
but could not be cured by His disciples
(17:14-16)
2) Jesus rebuked his disciples for their
shared unbelief with their generation,
and cast the demon out of the boy,
thereby curing him (17:17-18)
a) Jesus rebuked His disciples of
being part of an evil, unbelieving
generation and called the boy to
Him (17:17)
b) Jesus rebuked the demon and he came
out of the boy bringing an
immediate cure (17:18)
3) The disciples came to Jesus privately
and asked why they were not able to cast
out the demon (17:19)
4) Jesus explained that it was their lack
of faith [in who He was] that prevented
them from casting out the demon; a small
amount of faith will enable them to do
miraculous works (17:20-21)
4. While Jesus was in Galilee with His disciples He
continued to foretell His passion, to encourage
Peter as to His identity, and exhort the disciples
to be humble as they cared for those who seemed to
be under them--children, unbelievers, and
believers in sin, then He left for Judea where He
healed the multitudes who followed Him east of the
Jordan (17:22--19:2)
a. While they were all gathered together in
Galilee, Jesus foretold his coming passion
and resurection, and all were grieved (17:22-
23)
1) Setting: While they were gathering
together in Galilee (17:22a)
2) Jesus proclaimed that He would be
delivered into the hands of men who
would kill Him, and that He would be
raised on the third day (17:22b-23a)
3) The disciples were deeply grieved [note:
they did not rebuke Him] over Jesus
passion description (17:23b)
b. When the disciples came to Capernaum, Jesus
used a hasty word by Peter wherein he
committed Jesus to pay a temple tax in order
to demonstrate to Peter that He was the Son
of God who supplies for the whole world
(17:24-27)
1) Setting: When they had come to
Capernaum those who collected the Temple
tax asked Peter if his teacher, Jesus,
did not pay it (17:24)
2) Peter answered hastily and said, "yes"
(17:25a)
3) Jesus entered the house and taught Peter
that He was not responsible to pay the
tax because as God's Son He is free of
taxation designed from strangers to give
to Him (17:25b-26)
4) Jesus pays the tax so as to not offend
others (17:27a)29
5) Jesus justifies His words to Peter by
manifesting His divine person to him
through performing the miracle with the
"starter" in the mouth of the fish
thereby demonstrating that He is the God
of supply for all (17:27b)
c. Spured by a [jealous] question in Capernaum
about greatness in the Kingdom, Jesus teaches
His disciples that humility in their
relationships with those who appear to be
under them [children, unbelievers, or
believers in sin] will determine their
greatness in the Kingdom of heaven (18:1-35)
[Discourse]
1) Setting: While in Capernaum, the
disciples came to Jesus asking about who
was the greatest in the Kingdom of
heaven [perhaps in view of the three who
had gone up on the mountain with Him]
(18:1)
2) Jesus directly answered the disciples'
question about greatness through a child
and affirming that entrance, as will as
greatness in the Kingdom, is acheived
through child-like humility (18:3-4)
a) Jesus called a child to Him and
proclaimed that one cannot even
enter the Kingdom of God unless one
is converted and becomes like a
child (18:3)
b) Jesus proclaimed that the greatest
in the Kingdom of heaven is the one
who humbles Himself like a child
(18:4)
3) Jesus illustrated His answer to the
disciples' question about greatness in
the Kingdom by discribing the
appropriate way for His followers to
treat the lost as well as fellow
believers who enter into sin (18:5-35)
a) As Jesus describes a humble spirit,
he warns His disciples to not do
anything to be the source of
stumbling for one who is searching
after Him, because there will be
server consequences from God who is
aware of them, and concerned for
them (18:5-14)
(1) Continuing to describe a
humble spirit, Jesus describes
one who receives a child
(beliver) as being one who
receives Him, while one who
prevents a child from coming
to Jesus faces severe judgment
(18:5-6)
(2) Jesus warns of the severe
consequences of being one who
is a stumbling block for
others as they seek Him (18:7)
(3) Jesus exhorts his disciples to
take drastic measures in this
life so as to not cause
themselves to stumble [perhaps
by pride, and thus cause
others to stumble], otherwise,
they will receive severe
punishment (18:8-9)
(4) Jesus warns his disciples to
not do anything to cause
children (other believers) to
be harmed in their search for
Him because God is aware, the
Son of Man came to die for
them, and the Father in heaven
is concerned about them (18:10-
14)
b) Jesus taught the disciples the
careful steps to follow in helping
a brother who is in sin so as to
act with the authority of God
(18:15-20)
(1) Jesus taught that if a brother
sins, believers (the
disciples) are to privately
speak to him about the matter;
if He listens one has won his
brother (18:15)
(2) Jesus taught that if a brother
who is in sin refuses to
listen to the correction of
another, then one or two more
are to accompany a believer to
speak to an erring brother in
order to confirm an attitude
of sin with witnesses (18:16)
(3) Jesus taught that if a brother
who is in sin refuses to
listen to the correction of a
small group, he is to be
reported to the church and
treated as an unbeliever by
the chruch (18:17)
(4) Jesus affirmed that the
disciples bare the authority
of God in these matters of
discipline when they act in
unity (18:18-20)
c) When asked by Peter if generous
forgiveness is sufficient for one
who has sinned against him, Jesus
explained that unending forgiveness
was necessary by the disciples
because they are unendingly
endebted to the Father who will
hold them accountable if they will
not forgive others of their dept
(18:21-35)
(1) Setting: After Jesus had
taught on steps in
disciplining a brother who is
in sin, Peter asked if how
many times one must forgive a
brother who sins against him -
- seven times? (18:21)
(2) Jesus responds to Peter's
affirmation of generous, but
limited forgiveness, with a
command for unending
forgiveness (18:22)
(3) Jesus illustrates His command
for unending forgiveness of
one who has sinned against
another through a parable of a
servant who was made to pay
for his own indebtedness
because he would not forgive
another of his indebtedness to
him (18:23-34)
(4) Jesus warns his disciples that
His heavenly Father will hold
each of them accountable if
they too will not forgive
those in debt to them from the
heart (18:35)
d. When Jesus had finished speaking in Capernaum
to His disciples concerning humility, He
departed from Galilee and came into the
region of Judea, beyond (east of) the Jordan,
and great multitudes followed Him where He
healed them (19:1-2)
VI. AS JESUS CAME TO JERUSALEM HE CONTINUED TO INSTRUCT HIS
DISCPLES: He presneted Himself as King, and was rejected by
the nation, whereupon, He rejected the nation, and explained
to His disciples the signs which will precede His second
coming, as well as the need for everyone to be personally
ready at His second coming (19:3--25:46)
A. As Jesus moved toward Jerusalem, He The continued to
instruct the disciples concerning marriage, entrance
into the kingdom of God, His coming death and
resurrection, greatness before God, and signs that He
is truly the Messiah of Israel as individuals received
Him (19:3--20:34)
1. Through the questioning of some Pharisees, Jesus
proclaimed marriage to be perminate, divorce and
remarriage to be an act of adultery, and
singleness only as a choice one should make out of
a desire to serve God more fully with one's life
(19:3-12)
a. The Pharisees came to Jesus with the intent
of testing Him, and they asked [in accordance
with the school of Hillel's understanding of
Deuteronomy 24:1-4) if it was lawful for a
man to divorce his wife for any reason at all
(19:3)
b. Jesus responded to the Pharisees' permissive
attitude concerning divorce by explaining
that God's design was for permanacy in
marriage (19:4-6)
1) Jesus explained that God's design from
creation was for there to be permanency
in marriage in that only one man and one
woman were created for one another (19:4
cf. Gen. 1:27)
2) Jesus explained that God's design from
creation was for there to be permanency
because the marriage bond was to be
stronger than any other family relation
(19:5a, cf. Gen. 2:24)
3) Jesus explained that God's design from
creation was for there to be permanency
because the separated two were to become
a recreation of the "one flesh" (19:5b-
6a)
4) Jesus summarizes his argument with the
affirmation that a man and wife's unity
is permant and thus is not to be broken
up by an other man (19:6b)
c. The Pharisees responded to Jesus' emphasis
upon permanince by asking why it was than
that Moses commanded in Deuteronomy 24:1-4,
"to give her a certificate and divorce her"
(19:7)
d. Jesus responds to the Pharisees' questions
concerning Deuteronomy 24 by affirming that
although Moses permitted divorce because of
the extreem sinfulness of man, it was not
God's design, and thus to divorce and remarry
is to commit adultery (19:8-9)
1) Jesus responds that Moses permitted
divorce because of the extreem
sinfulness of man (19:8a)
2) Jesus regulates Moses' command by
affirming that God's design was not
enclusive of divorce, but was for
permanency (19:8b)
3) Jesus explains the sense of Deuteronomy
24:1 with respect to remarriage when He
says that if one divorces and remarries,
he has committed adultry, unless he has
been immoral already thus already
commiting adultery (19:9)
e. In response to Jesus' stringent affirmation
of the permanence of marrage the disciples
state that it would be better (more
convenient) to remain single (19:10)
f. Jesus does not agree with the argument from
convenience as expressed by His disciples,
therefore, He exhorts them to choose
singleness only as a means to making
themselves more effective for God's service
(19:11-12)
1) Jesus affirms that not all men can
remain single out of a desire to make
themselves available to serve God
(19:11)
2) Jesus explains that there are many
reasons why men remain single, but the
greatest of them all is when they choose
this estate so that they may serve God
in His Kingdom, blessing those who do
(19:12)
2. As some children were brought to Jesus for Him to
lay His hands upon and to pray for, Jesus taught
His disciples who wanted to keep them from Him,
that they should not because the Kingdom of God
belongs to such as these children, whereupon He
layed hands on them and then departed from the
transjordan in Judea (19:13-15)
a. Setting: Some children were brought to Jesus
so that He might lay His hands on them and
pray, and the disciples rebuked them (19:13)
b. Jesus rebuked his disciples affirming that
the children should be allowed to come to Him
since the Kingdom of God belongs to those who
are as children (19:14)
c. After laying His hands upon the children,
Jesus departed from Judea beyond the Jordan
(19:15; cf. 19:1)
3. Jesus taught a rich man and His disciples that
riches could be a hindrance to acceptance by God,
and that only God's work could enable a man to
enter the Kingdom of God whereupon He would bestow
rich rewards upon the disciples, as well as
everyone [including late-comers] who sacrificed to
follow Him (19:16-26)
a. Jesus taught a self-righteous man (who was
much like religious Israel) that even though
he thought that he had kept all of God's law,
he had actually broken it at its very first
commandment due to his great love for money
(19:16-22)
1) Setting: Jesus was asked by a man who
came to Him what good thing he must do
to obtain eternal life (19:16)
2) Jesus unvails the man's hypocracy by
mentioning the presupposition that the
man has that he can do something good,
which is only possible of God, and then
commands that he obey the commandments
(19:17)
3) The man reveals his legalistic
predisposition (as with the nation
Israel) by asking Jesus which
commandments he must obey (19:18a)
4) Jesus responded to the man by citing the
essence of the Ten Commandments to the
man (19:18b-19)
5) Convinced that he had kept the Ten
Commandments, the man asked Jesus what
he was still lacking (19:20)
6) Jesus exposed the man's hypocracy on the
level of the first commandment by
exhorting him to sell all that he had,
to give his money to the poor and to
follow Him (19:21)
7) When the man heard Jesus' words he left
because he had many possessions and
loved them more than Jesus [God] (19:22)
b. Although His discples were astonished that a
rich man might not enter into the Kingdom of
God on his own, Jesus taught them that God's
work could make this possible (19:23-26)
1) Setting: In view of His discussion with
the man Jesus spoke to His disciples
(19:23a)
2) Jesus proclaimed that it is virtually
