Monday: Read Matt 11:1-30
John the Baptist’s inquiry, “are you the Expected One?” (2) is quite amazing. It is not, however, if we were to understand the Jewish expectations of the coming Messiah and then compare that to the ministry and work of Jesus. If we did, we would see that Jesus could not have been the Messiah since He clearly did not meet their expectations. Jesus showed no signs of gathering an army. There was no message of any intent of overthrowing Rome. Jesus clearly did not support Jewish nationalistic aspirations.
Jesus responds to John the Baptist’s inquiry by citing Scripture (see Isa 61:1; 29:18-19; 35:5-6). The blind see, the lame walk, and the deaf hear! Well, that might be all well and good for them, Jesus, but what does this have to do with establishing the Kingdom? For Jesus, however, this is what the Kingdom looks like! It is Eden restored and glorified. Things are returning to the way they ought to be!
Jesus then speaks of John: saying that he is the greatest of all persons born of women (11). Yet, “the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (11). What could Jesus mean?
The answer is that John is the last of the old order. John did not get to experience the Kingdom of God. He was, in fact, the Elijah figure that the OT prophesied would come before the Messiah (14; see Malachi 4:5). Since John comes before Jesus, John is also before the Kingdom of God. As one commentator says, “It is better to enter the kingdom than to herald its coming.”[2] (hint: don’t think too hard here. We like to think in a linear manner—“didn’t Jesus and John overlap? Why didn’t John experience the Kingdom when he was there when Jesus was baptized and it all began.” This is not how they thought.
What follows is Jesus’ explanation that the people, in general, have hardened their hearts towards the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus. John didn’t eat or drink and they say he has a demon (18). Jesus came eating and drinking (recall that Jesus says—and I am paraphrasing here: “no fasting while He is around since He is the groom of the wedding, which calls for a feast” [9:14-17]) and they claim that He is a drunkard (19). “Wisdom,” Jesus says, “is vindicated by her deeds” (19)—my actions prove who I am!
Jesus then rebukes the unrepentant cities (20-24). Note that miracles (20) may be the proof that the Kingdom of God has come (5), but they do not necessarily lead to repentance (20-24).
The chapter ends with the call, “Come to Me” (28).
Questions to ponder/discuss:
- Today’s reading is a good reminder that the Kingdom of God is not what we might be expecting either. We tend to read as though, “well they might have been looking for the wrong thing, but we have the NT so we are surely aware of the truth. Really? Start today by spending a few minutes to make a list of what you think the Kingdom of God is—add to the list throughout the day. Then, as we continue our study of the Gospels and the NT continue to pay close attention to the nature of the Kingdom and compare it to your list from today. And be open to having your list altered.
Tuesday: Read 12:1-50
Throughout this chapter Matthew informs us that Jesus is: “greater than the temple” (6); “greater than Jonah” (41); and “greater than Solomon” (42). What do these have in common? Well, they are example of God’s desire that the temple would be a place of rest from injustice and a home for the nations.
The disciples are accused of breaking the Sabbath because they plucked heads of grain in order to eat on the Sabbath. Jesus explains that this is what the Sabbath was for. It was a day for justice. After all, “I desire compassion and not a sacrifice” (7).
The Sabbath was made to ensure rest for the weary—i.e., the oppressed laborers (the wealthy benefactors didn’t need a day off each week; they hardly worked at all).
Jesus’ words are in direct conflict with the Pharisees. That is, their concern for the Law was at the expense of food for the hungry—the very purpose for which the Law was made!
Why would the Pharisees resist the Kingdom of God? Because they were benefitting from Roman rule and oppression. Sure, they wanted Rome toppled. But only if they could be ensured that it would work and that they would have a better place in a new kingdom. They may not have liked Roman rule, but they tolerated it and were certainly better off than those who labored day by day just trying to earn a living but annually falling into more debt. Jesus, however, didn’t seem to be offering them a spot of prestige in His kingdom and He certainly didn’t appear that He was going to overthrow Rome anytime soon.
Jesus, Matthew notes, came to “proclaim justice to the Gentiles” (18; citing Isaiah). The passage cited here by Mathew is from Isa 42, one of the Servant Songs. Simply put the Servant Songs were directed towards Israel and their role as God’s servant/witnesses to the nations.[3] In speaking of the Servant, Isa 42:1 says, “He will bring forth justice to the nations.” The word for justice here is “Misphat.” As William Webb says, “mispat is a rather bigger thing than we normally think of as justice. In 40:14 it has to do with the order God has given to the whole universe by his creative acts.”[4]
Simply put, Misphat means to establish a societal order where the needs of everyone are met. Misphat, in other words, is not simply a reference to individual acts of justice. Instead, it refers to wholesale acts of justice that bring about a state in which everyone has at least what they needed.
With this in mind, note that Jesus’ miracles were not simply miracles of healing, but miracles of restoration. They enabled the healed to return to work and to earn a living (well, almost a living: but that is for another time). Thus, Jesus restores a man’s withered hand (9-13), which most likely had hindered him from working.
This is why Jonah and Solomon are also mentioned (40-41, 42). They both ministered, directly or indirectly, and willingly or unwillingly, among the nations. The justice that Jesus is bringing is for Israel so that they might bless the nations.
The leaders, however, reject Jesus. In doing so, they reject their willingness to fulfill the mission to which they have been called: to bring justice (i.e., restoration and equity) to the people so that they may bring justice to the nations.
Matthew then notes that Jesus redefines what it means to be Israel. Now, instead of determining ethnicity by family (“your mother and your brothers are standing outside”; 47), Jesus determines that it is now by faithfulness to the Father. Note: the “whoever” (50) includes the nations.
Questions to ponder/discuss:
- We see it in churches and Bible studies and small groups every day. Each established group has its social boundaries. Once they are established it is virtually impossible for an outsider to penetrate. This is why church planting is so vital. Make an effort this week/month/year to seek out those who have not been welcomed into a community and make sure they feel welcomed and loved for who they are. Write down some names (or the identity) of those whom the Lord has placed on your heart.
Wednesday: Read Matt 13:1-58
Well, it is parable day! Jesus’ third sermon has 7 parables. Of course, they were likely not all told at the same time. Instead, Matthew compiled them. The theme of the parables is the Kingdom of God. The parables indicate a growing polarization towards Jesus. Some are drawn near and many more are drawn away.
Note that the parables are apocalyptic: thus, “he who has ears, let them hear” (9). The apocalyptic element suggests that the Kingdom is coming to fruition but not as they expected. Those without ears to hear are not entering and those who are entering are the ones who bear fruit despite adversity.
The Parable of the Sower (3-9; 18-23) explains why some believe and others do not. More significantly, it explains why some believe for a while and then fall away!
The Parable of the Tares among the Wheat (24-30) suggests that the wheat (believers) and the weeds (the rest) will grow together until the harvest. This could be taken to mean that the world encroaches on the church, or it could mean that the church becomes more and more like the kingdoms of the nations, instead of being a light to them.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed (31-21) contends that the Church begins from an insignificant surrounding and grows into a large movement (tragically, the church in the West seems to have lost its “insignificantness” and instead has become too powerful).
The Parable of the Yeast (33) asserts that it only takes a small amount to have a great influence.
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl (44, 45-46) illustrate that a disciple must be willing to surrender everything to follow Jesus.
The Parable of the Net (47-50), similarly to the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, suggests that unbelievers and believers will remain together until the day of judgment. This does not mean that Christ is condoning such behavior; only stating that it will happen.
The chapter ends with Jesus returning to Nazareth and failing to receive honor. Notice their astonishment: Jesus is one of their own: “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” In other words, how could a small-town kid, one of our own, from the family of a carpenter have honor? Since it doesn’t appear that Jesus left them and finished a formal education, then how could He be a person of honor? Sure, He has done some miracles, but can they be accounted for in a number of different ways (some accused Him of working with the devil). In this cultural context, there was no reason for Jesus to be a man of honor.
Questions to ponder/discuss:
- These parables illustrate that the Kingdom of God is worth selling everything to get. The Parable of the Sower explains that many follow Jesus at first, but once they find out that they must surrender their comforts, or that they must suffer for the Kingdom, they fall away. What would you do if you were asked to give it all away? Or if you were threatened with prison and possibly death? If you desire to sell it all to follow Him, then spend some time in prayer throughout today and beyond asking for the Holy Spirit to give you faith and strength to follow the Kingdom regardless of what it costs.
Thursday: Read Matt 14:1-36
If you are following the podcasts, then you may recall that Matthew and Luke are using Mark as a template. Over 90% of the stories in Mark are found in Matthew and Luke and when they do, they are in the same order as they were in Mark. Matthew and Luke simply add stories of their own to the outline provided by Mark. This is why so much of what you are reading in Matthew is already familiar (assuming you have done the Mark study already).
Matthew informs us that Herod (Antipas) feared that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead (2). Recall that when Jesus asks, “who do the people say the Son of Man is?” the disciples reply, “some say John the Baptist” (16:13-14). That “some” includes Herod. Herod had an inkling of belief, and he knew that he had done wrong and feared that he would pay for what he did to John. Tragically, he never let that drive him to faith.
The story of the feeding of the 5,000 parallels Mark. Matthew certainly has Neh 9:15 in view as he tells his story:
“You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger,
You brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst,
And You told them to enter in order to possess
The land which You swore to give them.”
Matthew also records Jesus as saying, “you give them something to eat” (16; Mark 6:37). And he notes that they picked up 12 baskets full of bread (20). See discussion on Mark 6, 8!
The episode of Jesus walking on the sea is highlighted in our podcast with Jace Broadhurst (Jan 25, 2022). Again, Matthew has the OT in view as he narrates the episode:
“Who stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves” (Ps 65:7; see 89:9)
“Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves of the sea were hushed” (Ps 107:28-29)
Matthew includes an encounter with Peter (28-30) that is not found in Mark (as he does on a total of 5 occasions). Peter asks to join Jesus in His walk on the sea. Remember that the sea represents decreation. Jesus’ walking on the sea affirms that He is controlling and stepping on the forces of chaos and the gods behind them.
Questions to ponder/discuss:
- Pray for the church today. The Global church. Pray that God would use the overcome the powers of chaos and bring justice to the nations. (this should be a political prayer).
Friday: Read Matt 15:1-39
The debate over “corban” was addressed in the devotional guide on Mark 7. The conflict surrounds not simply a matter of interpretation but the very purpose of the Law. Jesus was not debating the law versus tradition, but the purpose of the Law and how their traditions helped them to navigate around the Law so that they did not have to obey it.
The Law demands justice for those who are in need. Elderly parents often fall into that category. At some point, they are no longer able to work and contribute. We have observed that some refuse to enter the Kingdom because they are not willing to surrender everything to follow Him. So here they were not willing to sacrifice their needs to care for aging parents. And the religious leaders provided the loophole so that they do so without “violating” the Law. Jesus notes that their actions prove that they do not actually intend to follow the Law, but only provide lip service. For Jesus, the heart is what matters (18).
Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite (Matthew certainly uses this word to depict the OT conflict between Israel and Canaan) woman again assures Matthew’s readers that the Gospel goes to the Jew first and then the nations (Gentiles; see Matt 10:5-6). Nonetheless, the woman’s faith provides for her daughter’s healing (28).
Once again Jesus is providing manna in the wilderness. This time, however, He is feeding the Gentiles (nations). Thus, they pick up 7 baskets of broken bread (37). See discussion on Mark 6, 8 for details.
Questions to ponder/discuss:
- We must always be careful when reading the Gospels that we do not consider the Pharisees and the religious leaders as the “them” and those who follow Jesus as “us.” We are far too often more like the Pharisees than we are the disciples or the women who followed Jesus. With this in mind, consider what beliefs or practices we might have that justify our inability to follow the commands of Jesus: (e.g., “I can’t attend a church/bible study because I am too busy at work”; “I shouldn’t give to the beggar because they will buy drugs with it”; “the church is too full of hypocrites”).[5]
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[1] This guide is meant to be done either as a group study over the course of 2 or 4 meetings (Day 1-5; 6-10; 11-15; 16-20), or as a private devotion over the course of 4 weeks (or a calendar month—5 lessons per week).
[2] Allen; cited in Morris, 281.
[3] Christians, of course, understand that the fulfillment of the Servant Songs is in Jesus.
[4] Webb, 171.
[5] Note: in my experience in pastoral ministry and my limited exposure to the homeless I have learned that many of the homeless have mental illnesses and there is simply no social system to care for all of them. Some do drugs simply to control their pain. Others do drugs and that is why they are homeless it is true.
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