Apicontent

A. Overview and Summary.

1. Luke, as well as Acts, were written by the same person and is attributed to Luke, a companion of the Apostle Paul, by earliest church tradition. Luke is recognized as a physician by Paul (Colossians 4:14) and was probably a gentile. This would make him the only gentile who wrote any of the books of the New Testament. His style demonstrates an educated person, yet like all of the books of the Bible, was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16).
2. He writes to “Most excellent Theophilus” (1:3), who may have been a Roman official. It is very possible the two books, considered to be written at the same time, comprise the written defense of Paul who had appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11). There are second century references to a Theophilus, who was a leader of the city of Antioch at the time of Luke, and he may have been a benefactor of Paul and Luke in their missionary journeys. This would explain Luke’s words, “so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught” (1:4). Luke makes no mention of the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD) or of the death of James about 62 AD, so it is believed that the books were written about 60 AD.
3. Luke was not an eyewitness, but he gathered as part of his research, testimony of eyewitnesses, who from the beginning were ministers of the Word (1:2). He also took much information from the gospel of Mark, as 60 percent of this gospel is a repetition of Mark’s contents. For this reason, this synopsis will streamline much of this gospel and focus on unique passages.

B. Chapter One.

1. After the introduction the chapter foretells the birth of John the Baptist. His father Zechariah and his mother Elizabeth, were advanced in age and beyond the normal ability to have children. Zechariah was a priest of the division Abijah and was selected by lot to go into the temple court and burn incense. While there, he is confronted by the angel Gabriel, who tells him that Elizabeth will have his son, and they will call him John. He is told by the angel that, “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (1:14-17).
2. Zechariah expresses his doubts and because of his unbelief, Gabriel tells him that he will not be able to speak until John is born. Zechariah goes out of the temple and communicates silently to those waiting that he has seen a vision.
3. The chapter goes on to detail the story of Gabriel going to the virgin Mary. He tells her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (1:30-33). Mary also expresses her doubts as she is a virgin and has never known a man. Gabriel tells her “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Vs. 1:35). He goes on to tell her of her relative Elisabeth’s pregnancy. Mary declares “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled” (1:38).
4. Mary goes to visit Elizabeth, who is in her sixth month. When Mary enters her house, the baby leaps within Elizabeth who declares, “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (1:44-45). Mary then breaks forth into song (1:46-55) which today is called the “Magnificat” or in Latin meaning “My soul magnifies the Lord”. She stays with Elizabeth for three months and then returns home to Nazareth.
5. The balance of the chapter details the birth of John the Baptist and Zechariah’s prophecy that John will be called a prophet of the Most High to go before the Lord to prepare the way for Him (1:76).

C. Chapter Two contains the most detailed account of the Nativity in the New Testament.

1. A census is mandated by Caesar Augustus requiring that all the Roman empire be registered. Joesph and Mary, who is close to delivering Jesus, are required to go to their tribal home, of Judah, in Bethlehem where she delivers Jesus. The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is quite arduous, but this fulfills the prophecy of Micah 5:2: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
2. An angel goes to shepherds who were keeping watch with their flocks. It is believed that these were sheep that were destined to be sacrificed upon the altar in the temple in Jerusalem. This is significant in that the shepherds were told to go to Bethlehem and see “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (2:11). Jesus, who is called the “lamb of God” (John 1:29), will be sacrificed on the Cross to take away our sins.
3. Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day (2:21) after His birth according to the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 12:3). It is an interesting medical fact, that was not known in Jesus’ time, that Vitamin K peaks in a newborn baby on the eighth day after their birth. Vitamin K plays a pivotal role in clotting that stops bleeding.
4. After the purification rites required by the Law of Moses for Mary were complete, they take Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord as was required by Mosaic Law (Exodus 13:2,12) for the first-born male. They are met by Simeon, a righteous and devout man who had been given a word from the Lord that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. He takes Jesus in his arms and praises God. Coming up at that moment, was Anna, a prophet and an 84-year-old widow who also gave thanks to God.
5. The chapter concludes with a unique narrative of Jesus at age twelve. His parents had gone to Jerusalem, as was their custom, for the festival of Passover. On the way back, they assumed Jesus was with others in the caravan and did not miss Him at first. When they could not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem and eventually found him after three days of searching. He was sitting in the temple courts among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions. All were amazed at His understanding and His answers (2:46-47). They rebuke Him for causing them anxiety. His response was, “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (2:49), They did not understand what he meant. He returned to Bethlehem and was obedient to them. “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (2:52).

D. Chapter Three.

1. The chapter begins with John the Baptist preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He cries out, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” (3:7b-9).
2. Jesus comes to John to be baptized, not for repentance for sin but to fulfill all righteousness as He begins His ministry at about 30 years old. The chapter continues with His genealogy, beginning with His supposed earthly father Joeseph and going back to Adam, son of God. As was noted in the gospel of Matthew, this genealogy is different from the one there as this is Mary’s genealogy. The royal line is recorded through Matthew, while Christ’s physical descent from David is recorded through Mary.

E. Chapter Four.

1. The chapter begins with Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He is tempted by Satan. In each of the temptations, Jesus responds by quoting Scripture and Satan leaves Him.
2. Jesus returns to Galilee and to His hometown of Nazareth. He goes into the synagogue and is handed the scroll of Isaiah to read. He reads: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1-2a). He stops in the middle of verse two as the rest of the verse says: “and the day of vengeance of our God”. Jesus did not come in His incarnation to bring vengeance, but restoration. In His second coming, He will bring God’s wrath and vengeance.
3. Jesus sits down and says, “Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (4:21b). Jesus continues by saying that no prophet is honored in his own hometown and gives examples from the Old Testament to that effect. This makes the crowd angry and they drive Him out of the synagogue to a brow of a hill where they were going to throw Him off, but He walks through the crowd and goes on His way.
4. He goes to Capernaum where He drives out a demon from a man in the synagogue. He then goes to Simon Peter’s house where He heals Simon’s mother-in-law.

F. Chapter Five repeats material found in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus calls His first disciples, He heals a man with leprosy, a paralyzed man, who was let down through the roof, His calling of Levi (Matthew) and being questioned about fasting.

G. Chapter Six begins with the narrative of Jesus’ disciples plucking heads of grain on the Sabbath and Jesus declaring that He is Lord of the Sabbath. He goes up to a mountainside to pray and then calls His twelve disciples. He then goes down to a “level place” (6:17) where He is met by a large crowd and presents what looks like the Sermon of the Mount. This sermon also starts with the beatitudes and continues with very similar material. Some believe it is the same sermon, but there are differences. Matthew has more material, but it is possible that they are two different sermons. For this reason, this passage is sometimes called the Sermon on the Plain.

H. Chapter Seven covers material found in the other two synoptic Gospels. It begins with the healing of the Roman centurion’s servant. It continues with Jesus going to a town named Nain where He raises the only son of a widow. It continues with the interaction of John the Baptist’s disciples. The chapter concludes with the narrative of a sinful woman weeping on Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair and then anointing them with costly perfume. All four Gospels tell similar stories of a woman anointing Jesus. Matthew and Mark tell of the same incident but do not give her name. John’s Gospel takes place during Passover week in Bethany and it is Mary, Lazarus’ sister who anoints His feet and wipes them with her hair. This account in Luke takes place earlier in Jesus’ ministry and the woman is anonymous. All three accounts involve anointing of Jesus. The anointing of His feet prefigures Jesus washing of His disciples’ feet showing humility and love. The anointing of His head signifies his kingship as this was done in the Old Testament. In the account here in Luke, she is showing gratitude that her many sins are forgiven and for her great love of Jesus.

I. Chapter Eight is a repetition of material found earlier in the other two synoptic Gospels. It begins with the parable of the Sower, continues with the parable of the lamp on the stand, Jesus calming the storm, restoring a demon possessed man, and concludes with His healing a sick woman and raising a dead girl.

J. Chapter Nine also is a repeat of material found in the other synoptic gospels. Jesus sends out the twelve but then there is mention that Herod had heard of all that was going on and was perplexed, and that that he tried to see Him (9:7-9). The chapter continues with Jesus feeding the 5,000, Peter declaring that Jesus is the Messiah, the transfiguration, and Jesus predicting His death a second time. As the time approaches Jesus’ crucifixion, He goes by a Samaritan village but His disciples are refused assistance. They ask Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy them. Jesus rebukes them and they go on to another village. The chapter concludes with Jesus telling the cost of following Him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (9:62).

K. Chapter Ten contains much unique material not found in the other two synoptic gospels.

1. Jesus sends out 70 to go before Him to every place where He was about to go. Some manuscripts read 72 but the exact number is not as important as to what instructions He gave them. He told them to go out two by two, and that they were like lambs in the midst of wolves. Among other instructions, they were to carry no provisions, eat what was given to them, to heal the sick and to tell them that the Kingdom of God has come near to them. They return rejoicing as they said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name” (10:17). He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (10:18-20).
2. What follows is the parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable is given in response to Jesus being questioned by a lawyer, or one who was skilled in the Mosaic Law. He asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him what is written in the Law. He responds, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ (Deuteronomy 6:5); and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus tells him to do this and he will live. But wishing to justify himself, the lawyer asks Jesus “Who is my neighbor?” (10:29).
3. Jesus then tells of a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attacked by robbers who beat him, took his clothes and left him. A priest came by on the other side, but left. Then a Levite also came by and also left him. Then a Samaritan came and ministered to him. He poured oil and wine on his wounds, bandaged him, and put him on his donkey and took him to an inn. There, he told the inn keeper to care for him, giving him two denarii and if there was additional cost, he would pay upon his return trip. Jesus was pointing out that it was a Samaritan, who were considered unworthy by the Jews due to their mixed heritage that took care of the man. Jesus asked of the three, who he thought was the neighbor to the man beaten by the robbers. The lawyer could not even say the Samaritan, but replied “the one who had mercy on him” (10:37). Jesus was pointing out the difference between those who know the law and those who do it. He then tells the lawyer to go and do likewise (10:37).
4. The chapter concludes with a brief narrative of Jesus’ interaction at the house of Mary and Martha. Mary sat at Jesus feet taking in all that He said. Martha was encumbered by all the necessary preparations. She tells Jesus to instruct Mary to help her. Jesus tells Martha that she is worried about many things but Mary has chosen the better part which will not be taken from her (10:42). Martha was doing what the culture of her day required of a woman, to manage the house and prepare the food for the guests. It is very understandable that she would be frustrated with her sister. But Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus receiving with the disciples what He said. This relationship would not be taken from her. As busy Christian workers, we need to be sensitive to continue to build that relationship with Jesus which will not be taken from us.

L. Chapter Eleven opens with what we call the Lord’s prayer. This version is different from that given on the Sermon on the Mount due to context. This version is shorter. It is believed that the one in Matthew chapter six was given to a large group of people while this version was given in response to a request from one of His disciples. The balance of the chapter repeats material found in the other Synoptic Gospels including Beelzebul and Jesus’ words about a house divided against itself will not stand. The chapter continues with the sign of Jonah, the lamp of the body and Jesus’ pronouncement of woes upon the Pharisees and experts in the Law.

M. Chapter Twelve Continues with some material that is covered in the other Synoptic Gospels and some new material.

1. The chapter begins with Jesus’ warnings about fearing God who can after the body is killed, throw you into hell. He then says, “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (12:11-12)
2. The chapter continues with the parable of the wealthy fool. Jesus gave it in response to a request by a man to divide the inheritance with him. The parable tells of a wealthy man whose crops brought in abundance. He purposes to tear down his old barns and builds new ones to house all the produce. He then says to himself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (12:19-21). Jesus then tells His disciples not to worry about how they will be fed or clothed, but to seek the kingdom and all these things will be added to them.
3. The chapter continues with an admonition to watch and pray for Christ’s return. Jesus concludes that teaching with what some have said is the most sobering verse in the New Testament. It is given to Jesus’s followers that includes those of us in the church: “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (12:47-48).
4. Jesus continues with a statement that following Him will bring division in a home: “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (12:51-53).
5. The chapter concludes with Jesus’ warning that the people could interpret the weather as an example but not be able to interpret the present time. He then gives another sobering statement: “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, that you will not get out until you have paid the last penny” (12:57-59).

N. Chapter Thirteen also presents a mixture of unique as well as material presented in the other Synoptic Gospels.

1. The chapter opens with some telling Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices. We do not have any other details about this incident either from Scripture or secular sources. It is believed that some Galileans were in Jerusalem at the temple and started a commotion on the temple mount. Pilate responded and violently put down the disturbance. Jesus uses the incident to ask them if they believed they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? He then mentions another incident of eighteen individuals upon whom the tower of Siloam fell on and asks if they were more guilty than others living in Jerusalem? He then says, “But, unless you repent, you too will all perish” (13:1-5).
2. The chapter continues with a parable about a man who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. It did not produce fruit for three years, so he tells the vineyard gardener to cut it down. The gardener asks him to allow him to let it grow for one more year and he will dig around it and fertilize it. He will cut it down then if it does not produce fruit. This parable can be interpreted symbolically with God representing the vineyard owner, the gardener as Jesus and the fig tree as Israel. John the Baptist and Jesus had been preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins for three years with limited results as to fruit. Jesus will be ministering for a few more months before His crucifixion meaning that there was still time for fruit. God is gracious and He gave Israel much more time than one year. God destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, about 40 years later, as there was no fruit from many Jews.
3. He heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath and the parable of the mustard seed and yeast, is repeated. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus is asked if only a few will be saved. He responds that they must enter through the narrow door because once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, the opportunity will be lost. Jesus then said: “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed, there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last” (13:28-30).
4. Some Pharisees come to Jesus and tell Him to leave that place as Herod wants to kill Him. Jesus responds that no prophet can die outside of Jerusalem. He then says: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’” (13:34-35).

O. Chapter Fourteen contains much new material.

1. The chapter begins with Jesus healing a man with a swollen body at the house of a prominent Pharisee. He asked the Pharisees if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. He did not receive a response. He then said, ‘“If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out? ”And they had nothing to say” (14:5-6).
2. At the same dinner table, when He noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, He told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted’” (14:7-11).
3. He then told His host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (14:12-14).
4. Jesus then tells the parable of the great banquet. It is similar to that told of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14 but with differences. Here, a man prepares a great feast for His guests and tells his servant to go and tell those invited as all things were ready. They reject the invitation for various reasons. This angers the master, and he tells his servant to go out and invite into the alleys of the town and invite the poor, crippled, blind and the lame. They come, but there is still room. The master then tells the servant, ‘“Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet’” (14:23). The invited guests were the Jews, but they rejected Jesus as their Messiah. The invitation was then extended to those society rejected and to the gentiles. But the Jews who rejected Jesus will not experience the feast.
5. The chapter concludes with Jesus telling of the cost to be His disciple. He tells of counting the cost by using the illustration of building a tower and determining if finances are sufficient and a king going against another king with a smaller army. He cautions that unless we are willing to give up everything we have, we cannot be His disciple.

P. Chapter Fifteen contains three parables of Jesus. The lost sheep is also found in Matthew 18:10-14. The parables of the lost coin and the lost son (prodigal son) are found only in this gospel.

1. The lost sheep is the one out of 100 that strays from the rest of the flock. The shepherd leaves the other 99 and goes to find it. The parable represents God’s love to seek and save the lost.
2. The lost coin is of a woman who has 10 silver coins and losses one in her home. She seeks diligently for it and finds it. This parable also represents an unsaved individual for whom the Hold Spirit seeks and finds.
3. The lost son, commonly referred to as the prodigal son is about a son who leaves his father taking his portion of the father’s inheritance. He goes to a far-off country and squanders it on sinful living. This is a story of repentance and reconciliation. We too can rebel against our Father and fall back into sin. But we can repent and like the father in this parable, our heavenly Father is watching for our return.

Q. Chapter Sixteen.

1. The chapter opens with Jesus’ parable of the shrewd manager. This parable is found only in Luke’s gospel. A manager is called to account for the way in which he has been administering his master’s goods as he was accused of wasting the master’s possessions. This causes the manager anxiety as he knows he is about to lose his job. He knows he is not strong enough to dig and too ashamed to beg. So, he purposes to call in the master’s debtors and settle their accounts at a reduced fee. The intention is that when he is removed from his office, they will welcome the manager into their homes.
2. Jesus then comments on this parable: “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are shrewder in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (16:8-9). The message Jesus as communicating was not to be dishonest in business dealings, but to be wise in this life by managing possessions with the intent of reaching the lost for the kingdom. By doing so, the lost will be saved and they will welcome you in eternity.
3. Jesus also said about this parable: “’Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?’” (16:10-12). “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight’” (16:14-15).
4. The chapter concludes with the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Although told in the format of a parable, bible scholars point out that unlike Jesus’s parables, this one names the characters of Abraham and Lazarus. So, many conclude that this is an actual story. Lazarus lies outside the gate of a rich man and is covered with sores hoping, to eat from that which falls from the rich man’s table. The rich man is seemingly oblivious of Lazarus’s situation. Both die; Lazarus is carried to Abraham’s side by angels while the rich man goes to Hades and is in torment. The rich man looks up and sees Abraham and Lazarus in a pleasant place (Paradise). He begs Abraham to send Lazarus to comfort him with water on this finger to cool his tongue as he is in agony from the flames. Abraham refuses and tells him that in life, the rich man enjoyed pleasures while Lazarus suffered but, now Lazarus is being comforted and the rich man is in agony.
5. Abraham also tells him that it is impossible due to a great chasm that separates them that no one can cross. The rich man then asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his still living brothers so that they will not have the same fate as him. Abraham tells him that they have Moses and the prophets and that if they do not listen to them, even if someone should rise from the dead, they would not believe.
6. There are some very profound things to learn from this story. First, heaven and hell (Hades) are real. Unfortunately, many preachers and teachers of the Bible do not warn of the danger of unbelief and the destiny of those who reject the offer of salvation. Secondly, being poor does not earn you a place in heaven nor does being rich exclude you from heaven. We always must interpret Bible passage using the entire Bible. Lazarus was justified by believing in Mose and the prophets although he could not offer sacrifices or give alms due to his condition The rich man did not believe in Moses or the prophets nor did he care for the poor, which is a requirement of the Law of Moses (see Leviticus 25:35-36 and Deuteronomy 15:7-11 as examples). The New Testament is very clear that no one comes to the Father except through salvation in Jesus (John 14:6). Jesus was also using this opportunity to point out that many will reject the offer of salvation even though Jesus would later rise from the dead.
7. Some additional comments about heaven and hell. These are temporary places. When we die, we are assured that: “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Also, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). But we are also told in Revelation chapter 21 that there will be a new Heaven and a new earth. We also see in Revelation that Hades (hell) will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14). The Lake of Fire is the eternal destiny of Satan and his fallen angels as well as those who reject Christ’s offer of salvation. This is a stern warning that we should not neglect telling our unsaved friends about. The new heaven and earth are the destiny of those who do believe, and they will spend eternity with Jesus and the Father.

R. Chapter Seventeen contains a variety of teachings.

1. Jesus said that things that offend will come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. He goes on to say that it would be better if a millstone was tied around their neck than to cause any one of these little ones to stumble (17: 1-3).
2. He goes on to say that if a brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin seven times in one day but come to you saying “I repent”, you must forgive them (17:3b-4).
3. Jesus continues with an example of a servant who comes in from the field. The master does not tell him to sit down and eat, but rather orders him to wait on him and afterward, to eat and drink. “Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So, you also, when you have done everything, you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (17:9-10). Jesus was making a point that we as God’s servants should serve Him as is our duty and not expect thanks as we were doing what is expected of us. Of course, there are rewards in Heaven for faithful service, but this passage does provide a balance to our expectations.
4. Jesus is traveling towards Jerusalem along the border of Galilee and Samaria and is met in a village by ten lepers. They cry out for mercy and He tells them to go show themselves to the priests. As they are going, they are healed. One returns and falls at Jesus’ feet thanking Him. Jesus asks where are the other nine? But no one returned to thank Him except this Samaritan. He tells him to go as his faith has made him well (17:11-19).
5. The chapter concludes with Jesus’ teaching about the coming of the kingdom of God. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot le` Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed” (17: 26-30).
6. “On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left” (17:31-35). This passage has been taken by some to show that Jesus was speaking of the world where a 24-hour clock was in effect in that some will be laboring during the day and some sleeping. We do not know the hour or the day of His return.
7. Jesus then concludes with these words: “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather” (17:37). In the Bible, vultures represent death. As this passage refers to end times, some Bible scholars believe this refers to those who die following the Antichrist.

S. Chapter Eighteen.

1. Jesus tells His disciples a parable of a widow and an unrighteous judge as an example of perseverance in prayer. A widow came repeatedly to the judge asking for justice against an adversary. The judge refuses to answer her request. But finally, he says: “‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” (18:4-5). Jesus concludes this portion with: ‘“Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”’ (18:6-8).
2. Jesus tells a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector to show some who were confident in their own righteousness but looked down on everyone else. The Pharisee boasted in his prayer that he was not like others who sinned and the tax collector. The tax collector would not look up to heaven but beat his breast and cried out to God “Have mercy on me, a sinner” (18:13). Jesus then says: “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (18:14).
3. The chapter continues by relating how Jesus cared for the children: “People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (18:15-17).
4. The chapter concludes with narratives that were recorded in the previous synoptic gospels. They are the story of the rich young ruler, Jesus predicting his death for the third time and a blind beggar receiving his sight as Jesus approached Jericho.

T. Chapter Nineteen.

1. The chapter begins with the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector. He was a wealthy man, as he was the chief tax collector in Jericho. He was also short and climbed up into a sycamore tree as Jesus was coming his way. Jesus looks up at him and tells him to come down as He will stay at his house that day. Zacchaeus stands up and says that he will give half of his possessions to the poor and if he has defrauded anyone, he will repay four times the amount. Jesus responds: “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (19:9-10). Zacchaeus demonstrated a true repentance of his former life when confronted by Jesus. His salvation came from his repentance and recognition that Jesus is the Messiah who came to seek and save him.
2. The chapter then tells of the parable of the ten minas. This parable is similar to the parable of the talents (Mathew 25:14-30), but there are differences. Jesus tells this parable as He was nearing Jerusalem, and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once (19:11). A mina was a large sum of money equivalent to three months of wages for a laborer. Ten servants are each given ten minas by a nobleman who was going off to a far country to have himself appointed king before returning. He tells then to put the money to work until he returns. “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king’” (19:14). Upon his return, he calls his servants to find out what they had done with his money.
3. The first servant relates that he earned ten more minas. He is rewarded with being appointed over ten cities. The second earned five more and he is appointed over five cities. The third comes and tells the king that he hid the mina in the ground as he as afraid of his master. “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’” (19:22-23).
4. The point of the parable is that Jesus expects His followers to use the gifts and resources He gives us to further His kingdom. When Jesus returns, we all will stand before Him to give an account of what we have done in our bodies whether good or bad (2Corinthians 5:10). Faithful followers will be rewarded; slothful followers may be chastened. The word translated “wicked” here could be translated slothful or worthless. Some followers will have used their “minas” for His glory. Others will have been slothful in this life and what they have could be taken away.
5. The king then says: “‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me’” (19:26-27). These are harsh words. But for those who despise the salvation in Christ, their destiny is not good.
6. The chapter concludes with narratives covered in previous synoptic gospels. Jesus instructs two disciples to go to a certain village and bring him a colt that is tied up and bring it to Him. He then rides it triumphantly into Jerusalem presenting Himself as the Messiah. At the temple, He casts out those who were selling making it a house of robbers rather than a house of prayer.

U. Chapter Twenty includes material found in the other Gospels including Jesus’s authority being questioned, the parable of the tenants, the test of whether He would pay taxes to Caesar, the question of resurrection and marriage, Jesus’ question to the Jewish teachers about whose son is the Messiah and a warning about the teachers of the Law to His disciples.

V. Chapter Twenty-one is comprised predominately of Luke’s version of the Olivet Discourse. Critics point to Jesus’ words: “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened” (21:32) in an attempt to discredit Scripture. They say that all of the things given here have not been fulfilled. But as discussed in the other Gospels, there is a near and far aspect to prophecy. Some was fulfilled during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The rest, will be fulfilled during the Tribulation period. There are a number of different theories regarding end times prophecy which is beyond the scope of this synopsis. But in short, those of the Preterist school of Biblical interpretation attempt to say that all was fulfilled during the destruction of Jerusalem. The Futurist school of Biblical prophecy holds to the partial fulfilment aspect.

W. Chapter Twenty-two tells of Judas’s agreement with the priests to betray Jesus. the last supper, Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Olives, Jesus’ arrest, and Peter’s denial of Jesus. The chapter concludes with Jesus’ affirming that He is the Son of God. The priests then say, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips” (22:71).

X. Chapter Twenty-three records the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.

1. “Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king” (23:1-2). Pilate interrogates Him but finds no reason to have Him executed. When Pilate finds out that Jesus is a Galilean, he sends Jesus to Herod, who is in Jerusalem at that time.
2. Herod was pleased, as he had wanted to see Jesus for some time hoping to see Him perform some sign. He also interrogated Him, but Jesus remains silent. Herod’s soldiers mock Him and dress Him in an elegant robe before sending Him back to Pilate (23:8-12).
3. Pilate once again attempts to release Jesus, but the crowd insists that they release a criminal Barabbas instead. It was customary for one criminal to be released by Rome during the Passover. Pilate grants their request, and Jesus is led away to be crucified. The soldiers force Simon of Cyrene who was in Jerusalem to carry Jesus’ cross as Jesus was weakened from the beatings He had received.
4. Jesus is crucified with two criminals on either side of Him. One mocks Him but the other tells Jesus to “’Remember me when you come into your kingdom’. Jesus tells him: ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (23:42-43).
5. Darkness comes over the city and at three in the afternoon, the temple curtain is torn, top to bottom. Jesus cries out “Father, into your hands, I commit my Spirit” and He breathed His last (23-46). Joseph of Arimathea, a council member who had not been part of those who condemned Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He wraps it in linen and places Jesus’s body in a tomb that had never been used (Vs. 23:50-53).

Y. Chapter Twenty-four tells of Jesus Resurrection and Ascension.

1. Jesus rises on the third day as prophesied and appears to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James who go and tell Jesus’s disciples. The disciples don’t believe them, but Peter goes to the tomb and sees that it is empty with the linen strips lying by themselves.
2. That same day, two disciples are walking on the road to Emmaus. Jesus comes along side of them, but they are prevented from recognizing Him. Jesus asks them what they are discussing. They exclaim their surprise that He has not heard of all that has happened in Jerusalem in the past several days. Jesus then says to them: “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (24:25-27). He goes in with them when they reach their destination. It is only when Jesus breaks bread with them, that they know who He is. When they recognize Him, He disappears from their sight. They get up immediately and return to Jerusalem. They tell the eleven what they have witnessed.
3. While they are talking, Jesus appears in the midst of them. He shows them His hands and feet and asks if they have anything to eat. They give Him a piece of broiled fish. He takes it and eats it in their presence. “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high’” (24:45-49).
4. Luke concludes with Jesus’s ascension: “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God” (24:50-53).

Z. Discussion questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. John the Baptist begins his ministry with a message of repentance for sins (Luke 3:3). Jesus also began His ministry with that same message (Matthew 4:17). Unfortunately, the message of repentance is not preached much in these days. It has been replaced by what is called the prosperity gospel, or that you will gain riches by following Christ. Many make a false proclamation of faith without an adequate understanding of their sin and the need for a Savior. How about you? Do you understand that you are a sinner and need to repent and receive forgiveness of your sins? Do you include the need for repentance in sharing the gospel with others?
2. As was noted in chapter four above, Jesus stopped without reading the entire passage from Isaiah chapter 61 about the vengeance of the day of our God. It is also unfortunate, that the coming wrath of God is not preached adequately. Many individuals rest in the attribute of God’s love (John 3:16) without a realization that those who remain in sin, without accepting the provision of forgiveness of sin in Christ, will face God’s wrath. God is a God of love, but He is also righteous and just. The penalty of sin is judgement. Do you preach the full gospel?
3. The parable of the Good Samaritan in chapter ten is a good example of the difference between those who only know what is good and those who do it. The Samaritans were a mixed racial group despised by the Jews. The man who was beaten and robbed was ignored by a priest and a Levite, who both knew what the Mosaic Law says about care for others (Deuteronomy 14:28-29 and Leviticus 23:22; 25:35). But they chose to pass him by. The Samaritan did above and beyond any requirement in his care for a stranger. Do you have a care and concern for others?
4. The parable of the rich fool in chapter twelve should be instructive to us. Are you accumulating wealth in this age without storing up riches in heaven?
5. The parable of the faithful and unfaithful stewards in chapter twelve, as well as the parable of the ten minas in chapter nineteen, are not adequately discerned as to their application to us. As believers who are born again, we are expected to serve our master in this life. If we think Jesus will delay His return, we might be tempted to live a life without an understanding that He will hold us accountable at His judgement seat for how we ha.ve lived our lives (2 Corinthians 5:10). Likewise, we are expected to use our gifts to serve Him in this life for furtherance of His kingdom. For those who do not have this expectation, there are consequences as presented by the parables. What exactly that means, is not fully clear. Are you living with an expectation of accountability at His return?
6. Luke closes with Jesus exhorting His disciples to preach repentance and remission of sins in His name to all nations. Are you part of this mission?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. The early church fathers identified Mark as the writer of this gospel composed under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, probably in the 50s. Mark was a companion of the Apostle Peter and it is commonly believed that this gospel is in essence, Peter’s gospel. Mark is mentioned several times in the book of Acts where he is known as “John, whose surname is Mark” (Acts 12:12; 25). He was a cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10) and accompanied the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on Paul’s first missionary journey. He left the two in Perga, its ruins now located on the southwestern coast of modern-day Turkey, and returned to Jerusalem. This caused a division between Paul and Barnabas when Paul refused to take him on the second missionary journey.
2. Mark proved his eventual maturity in Christ and Paul recognized this when he wrote to the Colossians to welcome Mark if he should come to them. He also listed Mark as a fellow worker (Philemon 24). This maturity is most likely attributed to the discipleship efforts of Peter.
3. Where Matthew’s gospel is written with a Jewish reader in mind, Mark is written with a gentile viewpoint. It omits genealogies found in Matthew and Luke which are of interest to Jewish readers. It also makes fewer references to the Old Testament and makes less mention of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
4. There is some dispute as to which gospel came first. More modern scholars believe Mark was written first, but the nearly unanimous viewpoint of the church until the nineteenth century was that Matthew was written first. Some liberal scholars believe that that the gospels were based upon a non-existent document or oral tradition called “Q”, from the German word “Quelle” meaning source. But there is no archeological or other evidence to support this. The Synoptic gospels, of which Mark is one, were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and as they follow the earthly ministry of Jesus, so of course, there are similarities.
5. Mark presents the suffering servant of the Lord “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Vs. 10:45). Mark focuses on the deeds of Jesus more than on Jesus’s teaching. He also presents the humanity of Jesus such as His emotions, human limitations and in doing so, emphasizes the human side of the Son of God.
6. As much of the narrative duplicates Matthew, this synopsis will summarize those verses and focus more on the passages that are unique.

B. Chapter One begins with John the Baptist preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is baptized and led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He is tempted by Satan. John is put into prison and Jesus continues the message of the good news of God and repentance. He calls His first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John. They go to Capernaum where Jesus drives out a demon possessed man in the synagogue. He heals Simon’s mother-in-law and the news of His healing begins to attract many. The chapter closes with Jesus healing a man with leprosy who is charged to tell no one, but to go to the priest to offer the sacrifices Moses prescribed for healing. But instead, he goes and spreads the news so that Jesus could no longer enter a town but stay in lonely places.

C. Chapter Two begins with Jesus healing a paralyzed man who was let down through the roof due to the crowd around the house. He tells the man that his sins are forgiven and then, to prove that the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins, He tells him to get up and walk. He goes out by the lake and calls Levi (Matthew) the tax collector to follow Him. One Sabbath, Jesus and His disciples are going through a grain field. As they are walking, the disciples pick some heads of grain which causes the Pharisees to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath law. Jesus reminds them of David eating of the temple consecrated bread when fleeing from Saul. Jesus then declares that He is Lord of the Sabbath.

D. Chapter Three tells of Jesus healing a man with a withered arm on the Sabbath. Crowds follow Jesus and He tells His disciples to have a small boat ready for Him as they are crowding Him. “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James, son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him” (Vs. 3:13-19). The chapter closes with an account of Jesus’s family coming to take charge of Him as they said, “He is out of His mind” (Vs. 3:21). When told that his family is outside, He affirms that those who do God’s will are His brother, sister and mother.

E. Chapter Four repeats the parable of the Sower and the various soils. Jesus tells of the need to place a lamp on a lampstand where it will give light. He then says “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear” (Vs. 4:22-23). He then likens the kingdom of God to a man who plants seed which matures and then when it is ripe, puts the sickle to it and harvests it. The parable of the mustard seed is repeated and then the narrative of how Jesus calmed the storm as they were traveling across the sea in a boat.

F. Chapter Five.

1. The chapter begins with Jesus and His disciples crossing to the region of the Gadarenes. They are met by a demon possessed man who has not been able to be chained or subdued. Jesus casts out the demons which are many. The demons request to be allowed to go into a herd of swine. Jesus gives His permission and the pigs numbering about 2,000 go down a steep cliff into the sea and are drowned. The man begs to go with Jesus. Jesus tells him to go and tell his own people what the Lord has done for him and how He has had mercy upon him.
2. Jesus and His disciples go back to the other side where they are met by a large crowd. A synagogue leader names Jairus comes asking that Jesus heal his sick daughter. Jesus goes to Jairus’s house but on the way, a woman who has had an issue of blood for twelve years, touched His garment and was healed. Jesus realizes that the power had gone out of Him asks who touched Him. The woman trembling with fear, comes and falls at his feet telling Him the truth. Jesus tells her that her faith has healed her.
3. While Jesus was still speaking, some people from Jairus’s house come and tell him that his daughter is dead and not to bother Jesus anymore. Jesus tells him not to be afraid but just believe. They go to Jairus’s house where lamentation over the girl’s death has begun. Jesus tells them that she is not dead but sleeping. They laugh at Him; He puts everyone out of the house and takes the parents and some of His disciples into the girl’s room. “He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cumi!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old)” (Vs. 5:41-42).

G. Chapter Six covers the previously discussed narratives in Matthew. They include the sending out of the twelve, John the Baptist being beheaded, the feeding of the five thousand, and Jesus walking on water.

H. Chapter Seven opens with a discussion of what defiles a person. The Pharisees ask Him why His disciples eat with unwashed hands. Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13, “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’” He continues the discussion privately with His disciples, “’Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality (fornication), theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person’” (Vs.7:18-23). The chapter concludes with the story of Jesus healing the Syrophoenician’s daughter and the healing of a deaf and mute man.

I. Chapter Eight opens with Jesus feeding the four thousand. It continues with Jesus warning His disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod. It continues with Jesus healing a blind man at Bethsaida, Peter declaring that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus predicting His death and a message of the way of the Cross, “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels’” (Vs. 8:34-38).

J. Chapter Nine opens with the Mount of Transfiguration and continues with Jesus healing a boy with an unclean spirit. He predicts His death a second time. His gives assurance to His disciples that anyone who is not against them is for them. The chapter concludes with a strong warning against anyone who causes one of His little ones to stumble, “’If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea”’ (Vs. 9:42).

K. Chapter Ten opens with Jesus’s teaching about divorce. His teaching is not as complete as was given in Matthew chapter 19. Here Jesus excludes the portion that sexual impurity (fornication or adultery) is the only reason for a divorce. This is why any passage must include study of parallel passages for a complete understanding. The chapter continues with Jesus’s expression of love for little children and that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Narratives given previously in Matthew follow with the rich man and how hard it is for such to enter the kingdom

of God, Jesus predicting His death a third time, James and John asking to sit on His left and right in Jesus’s glory. The chapter concludes with blind Bartimaeus receiving his sight.

L. Chapter Eleven opens with the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The next day He curses the fig tree and clears the temple courts. The chapter concludes with His authority being questioned by the chief priests, teachers of the Law and the elders.

M. Chapter Twelve opens with the parable of the tenants. As was discussed in the synopsis of Matthew, this relates to Israel’s rejection of Jesus as Messiah. It then transitions to Jesus being tested by the Sadducees who do not believe in the resurrection with the hypothetical question about the woman who married seven brothers in succession. His answer that we do not marry or are given in marriage in the resurrection and that they do not know the Scriptures or the power of God struck to the very heart of their belief system. The chapter continues with Jesus’s teaching about what is the greatest commandment, Jesus’s question to His critics about whose son is the Messiah, a warning against false teachers of the Law and concludes with the story of the widow’s offering.

N. Chapter Thirteen is the Olivet Discourse. The chapter concludes with Jesus warning about watching for His return, “’But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore, keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!’” (Vs. 13:32-37).

O. Chapter Fourteen contains a story about the woman who anointed Jesus with costly perfume: “While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly. ‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her’” (Vs.14:3-9). The balance of the chapter contains the story of the last supper, Jesus’s betrayal and his accusations before the high priest. This has all been discussed in the synopsis of Matthew.

P. Chapter Fifteen. Jesus is brought before Pilate and is sentenced to die. He is mocked by the soldiers. “At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” (Which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Vs. 15:33-34). This cry to the Father can be misunderstood. Jesus was always in communication with His Father. This is the message and fact of the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. From His childhood, Jesus was united with God the Father. However, on the Cross, He took upon Himself the sins of all those who would accept Him as Savior. God the Father in His holiness, can have nothing to do with sin. He for that brief time, pulled back from Jesus. This was the basis of Jesus’s cry.

Q. Chapter Sixteen documents Christ resurrection from the dead. Verses 9-20 do not appear in the earliest manuscripts and may have been added later. However, they do not contain any doctrine that contradicts other inspired writing of the Bible.

Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. In chapter seven, Jesus discusses what can defile us. He said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality (fornication), theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person” (Vs. 7:20-23). He is not only talking about actions but thoughts. How is your thought life? Are your thoughts defiling you? What are you going to do about it?
2. In chapter eight, Jesus says, “what good is it to gain the whole world, but lose their soul?” Gaining the world means wealth, honor, fame or power. He goes on to say, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels” (Vs. 8:38). Being ashamed of Jesus is a direct reference to our testimony. Are we too ashamed of speaking about Jesus to our unsaved relatives, friends or co-workers? This is a dangerous situation. We do not want to be put to shame before Him at His coming (1 John 2:28). Begin today to consider how you can be a more effective witness of Jesus to others.
3. Chapter ten contains the story of the rich man who although led a good life according to the Law of Moses, had wealth as his idol which he did not want to lose. Where are his riches today? We hope he repented and followed Jesus but probably not. How do you hold money? Is it an idol to you?
4. In chapter fourteen, Jesus praises the woman who anointed Him with costly oil by saying, “she did what she could”. We all can do something for the kingdom of God. At the judgement seat of Christ, before which all believers will appear (2 Corinthians 5:10), will he say that you did what you could?
5. Chapter sixteen contains several verses which are not in the earliest manuscripts. Critics of the Bible point this out to believers who are not aware of this as an attempt to discredit the Bible. How would you respond to someone who attempts to use this argument on you?

Overview and Summary.

A. The book of Matthew was written by the Apostle Matthew, formally called Levi, the tax collector. Matthew was his other name meaning “gift of the Lord”. He was an eyewitness of the events of Jesus’s ministry and left all to follow Him (Luke 5:27,28). He was one of the 12 disciples and according to church tradition, died a martyr in Ethiopia from a sword wound. The gospel is dated possibly as early as 50 AD, but certainly prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. It is written from a Jewish perspective to demonstrate that Jesus is the King and Messiah of Israel. There are over 60 quotations from Old Testament prophecies emphasizing that Jesus is the fulfillment of those prophecies related to the Messiah.

B. Chapter One.

1. The chapter details the genealogy of Jesus beginning with Abraham, which again shows its Jewish emphasis. When compared with the corresponding genealogy contained in Luke, there are striking differences. Matthew’s genealogy contains the names of four gentile and one Jewish women. Tamar (Vs. 1:3) was the daughter-in-law of Judah, who posed as a prostitute to have Judah impregnate her. This preserved the bloodline that Judah had promised her but failed to deliver due to his first two sons dying. Rahab (Vs. 1:1) was a Canaanite inn keeper who the Bible calls a “harlot” (Vs. Joshua 2:1). She hid the spies sent from Joshua and later married Salmon (Vs. 1:4) who sired Boaz.
2. Boaz married Ruth (Vs. 1:5), a Moabite woman who, after her husband died, accompanied her Jewish mother-in-law back to Israel. The Moabites were descended from Lot and his daughters, and were excluded from the assembly of God for 10 generations (Deut. 23:3). Lot’s daughters feared that they were the only ones left after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra. They slept with their father after getting him drunk and were impregnated by him. Bathsheba is referred to as she “who had been the wife of Uriah” which recounts David’s adulterous relationship with her. She was the wife of one of his valiant men. She was most likely a Hittite, as was her husband. The last woman mentioned is Mary the mother of Jesus. She was a virgin who agreed to have the baby Jesus by means of the Holy Spirit, suffering the disgrace of what was viewed as having a child out of wedlock. So, the genealogy of Christ shows the working of Divine grace in their lives.
3. Many have noted the difference of the genealogy recorded here with that of Luke 3:23-38. Matthew’s genealogy presents Christ’s lineage from Abraham whereas Luke works backward from Jesus to Adam. The differences can be reconciled when one realizes that Matthew’s genealogy represents that of Joseph, while Luke’s is that of Mary. The royal line is recorded through Matthew, while Christ’s physical descent from David is recorded through Mary.
4. The balance of the chapter records how an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and assured him that Mary’s pregnancy was of the Holy Spirit. Verse 24 is a reference to Isaiah 7:14 that “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: the virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son”. Some Bible skeptics attempt to say that the Hebrew word virgin is “almah” which could mean young woman and not necessarily a virgin. However, Matthew is quoting from the Septuagint which was the Greek translation of the Old Testament by Jewish rabbis and Hebrew scholars who used the Greek word “parthenos” which is the specific word for virgin and not a more generic word for a young woman. Additionally, as the virgin birth was to be a sign, a child born to a young woman in itself is not a sign. The virgin birth was a fulfillment of prophecy of the coming Messiah.

C. Chapter Two.

1. Chapter 2 begins with the story of the Magi who came from the east (Vs, 2:1). Many scholars link them to the prophet Daniel, who was head of the magi due to his interpretation of dreams and prophetic visions. It is believed that he imparted his knowledge of a coming Messiah to the magi who would follow him. They inquire: “where is he that is born king of the Jews?” (Vs. 2:2). Although traditionally, they are depicted as being only three due to the three gifts they bring, in reality they were probably escorted by mounted troops to guard their journey. This is why Herod, who was very jealous of his position, was “disturbed and all Jerusalem with him” (Vs. 2:3). Herod inquires of his scribes who tell him of the prophecy in Micah that he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2,4). Herod tries to trick the magi to go and find Jesus so that he can kill him. But they are warned in a dream not to return to Jerusalem and depart for their own country by another way.
2. Joseph is warned by an angel to flee with his family to Egypt, as Herod would kill the baby Jesus. Herod is furious and orders the death of all male boys under the age of two in the region of Bethlehem. This fulfills another prophecy of “Rachel weeping for her children” (Jeremiah 31:15).
3. When Herod dies, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream and tells him to return to Israel with his family. He does so, but due to fear of Herod’s son Archelaus, settles in Nazareth. This fulfills still another prophecy that “out of Egypt I will call my son” (Hosea 11:1). Although Jewish readers of Hosea’s time would recognize this as referring to the nation of Israel, Matthew is pointing out the similarity of Jesus being called out of Egypt to Jewish readers as He being their Messiah. This is what is called a type or figure. That he is called a Nazarene is a little more difficult to pin down to a specific prophecy, as there is nothing in the Old Testament to that effect. However, as Nazareth was considered a place that was despised in first century Jewish thinking (John 1:46), it can be linked to Isaiah 53:3 “He was despised and rejected by mankind”.

D. Chapter Three.

1. We are introduced to John the Baptist. He is a wild man who dressed in clothes of camel hair and ate locusts and wild honey (Vs. 3:4). He is linked with the prophecy that one will be crying in the wilderness “prepare you the way of the Lord” (Vs. 3:3; Isaiah 40:3). His message was to repent “for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Vs. 3:2). He was baptizing those who came to him confessing their sins in the river Jordan (Vs. 3:5-6).
2. Jesus comes to John to be baptized. At first, John refuses, but Jesus tells him that it is to “fulfill all righteousness” (Vs. 3:15) and John consents. This seems confusing as John’s message was of the need for repentance of sins (Vs. 3:6). Jesus was sinless, so there was no need of confession and baptism for sin. Although there are several reasons the commentators present, they all agree that this was the announcement of Jesus’s public ministry as the one who is “God’s chosen one” (John 1:34).
3. When Jesus emerged from the water, the Holy Spirit like a dove descended upon Him and a voice from heaven declared: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Vs. 3:17). This was a manifestation of the Trinity as Father, Son and Holy Spirit were present.

E. Chapter Four.

1. After His baptism, He is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where he fasted for forty days and forty nights. The devil comes and temps him with three things: 1) to turn stones into bread 2) to jump off the highest temple where angels would prevent him from being hurt 3) to worship him and receive all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus resists him by quoting Scripture, the devil leaves him, and angels come and minister to him.
2. When Jesus hears that John has been put into prison, He returns to Galilee and moves to Capernaum, fulfilling another prophecy that the people in Galilee living in darkness have seen a great light (Vs. 4:15-16; Isaiah 9:1-2).
3. The remainder of the chapter records Jesus calling of His first disciples: Peter, Andrew, James and John. They were all fishermen. He then goes throughout Galilee preaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing the sick. Word begins to spread, and many come and begin to follow him.

F. Chapter Five, Six and Seven begin with the beatitudes, called such because of the blessings contained in verses 1:3-10. These chapters also contain what is called the greatest sermon ever preached, called the Sermon on the Mount, as Jesus delivered it on a hillside above the shores of Lake Galilee. As it is a notable record of Jesus teaching, it needs to be read frequently in its entirety, and for that reason, will not be summarized here.

G. Chapter Eight records many healings Jesus performed, including a man with Leprosy, a gentile Roman centurion’s servant and Peter’s mother-in-law. He crosses the sea of Galilee in a boat and calms a storm. On the other side, he restores two demon possessed men. Some Bible critics point to the fact that the gospels of Mark (5:1-16) and Luke (8:26-39) only mention one man. All three gospels are correct as the authors record what they believe was important to them. Only one man delivered from demons desired to follow Jesus as is recorded in Mark and Luke. Matthew does not record what happened to the man after deliverance. All three gospels record that the demons pleaded with Jesus to be sent to a herd of pigs which then ran down to the ocean and drowned.

H. Chapter Nine records several miraculous acts of Jesus and His teachings.

1. Jesus heals a paralyzed man brought to him by several men. Seeing their faith, he tells the man: “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven” (Vs. 2). The teachers of the law accuse Him of blasphemy, as they know only God can forgive sin. Jesus knowing this, asks them what is easier to say, “your sins are forgiven” or to say, “get up and walk”? (Vs. 5). Jesus then demonstrates His authority on earth to forgive sin by healing the man.
2. He calls Matthew to follow Him. Matthew is the author of this book and a tax collector. Tax collectors were despised by the Jews, as they worked for the Romans and often unjustly took more than what was owed for their own enrichment. Matthew follows Him and hosts a dinner at his house for Jesus and his disciples which was also attended by other tax collectors and sinners. When questioned by the Pharisees why he ate with sinners, Jesus responds: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. ’For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Vs. 12b-13).
3. John the Baptist’s disciples come to Jesus asking why they fast and his disciples do not. Jesus responds likening Himself to a bridegroom, and that when He is present, they do not fast but when He will be gone, that will be a time of fasting (Vs. 14-15).
4. Jesus gives the parable of the unshrunk cloth and new and old wineskins. This parable has been the topic of much discussion among the commentators. One interpretation is that the gospel of grace cannot be poured into the old covenant and laws and traditions; it could not contain it.
5. A synagogue leader comes and asks Jesus to come and lay His hands upon his sick daughter. It is interesting that the gentile Roman Centurion had more faith than this man who was a leader among the Jews. The Centurion only asked that Jesus speak a word and his servant was healed (Vs. 8:5-13). Jesus begins His journey to the house. A woman with an issue of blood touches Jesus’ garment and is healed due to her faith (Vs. 9:20-22). Jesus goes to the synagogue leader’s house and raises her from the dead. News of this spread throughout that region (Vs. 9:23-27).
6. Jesus heals two blind men and casts out a demon from a man. “But the Pharisees said, “’It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons”’ (Vs. 9:34). Jesus then goes throughout all the towns and villages teaching, proclaiming the good news and healing, He tells His disciples: “’The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field”’ (Vs. 9:37-38).

I. Chapter 10.

1. Jesus empowers the twelve disciples to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. He sends them out with many instructions. Only a couple are recorded here: to go only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel proclaiming the message that the kingdom of heaven has come near. He tells them, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Vs. 10:16).
2. Jesus continues with His instructions: “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Vs. 10:26-28). “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven” (Vs. 10:32-33).

J. Chapter Eleven.

1. The chapter opens with John the Baptist in prison. He tells his disciples to go to Jesus and ask Him: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Vs. 11:3). Jesus responds by pointing to the various miraculous things He has done. As John’s disciples were leaving, He quotes from Malachi 3:1: “This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you”’ (Vs. 11:10). In doing so, He Pes that prophecy with John and Himself as the Messiah.
2. The chapter concludes with a promise to those who come to Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (vs. 11:28-30).

K. Chapter Twelve.

1. Jesus and his disciples go through a grain field on the Sabbath. They pluck grains from the stalks and eat them. The Pharisees accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. He responds by pointing to King David’s taking the showbread from the temple while fleeing from Saul. He declares that “the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Vs. 12:8). The title “Son of man” is the primary title that Jesus used 81 times to refer to Himself. It’s a title that carries several connotations. It does convey His humanity as the perfect God-Man but also conveys His divinity as He used it when He was being questioned by the High Priest. Jesus quotes from Daniel 7:13-14 which is a direct reference to His divinity. This was, in the eyes of the Pharisees, blasphemy. He then heals a man with a withered arm. This enrages the Pharisees so that they plot how they can kill Him.
2. They bring to him a demon possessed man who is both blind and mute. He healed him so that he could both talk and see. The Pharisees accuse Him of being empowered by Beelzebul. Jesus responds by pointing out that a house divided against will fall. Jesus then declares: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. And so, I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Vs. 12:30-32).
3. The Pharisees and teachers of the law ask Him for a sign. Jesus tells them that the only sign that He will give them is that of Jonah, who spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. Jesus too, will spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. In doing so, He foretells of His death and resurrection.
4. He is told that His mother and brothers were outside waiting to speak to Him. He says: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Vs. 12:48-50).

L. Chapter Thirteen contains several key parables of Jesus.

1. Jesus tells the parable of the Sower, the seeds and the various types of soil. The Sower scattered the seeds representing the gospel. Some fell into the hearts of those who did not understand it, and the evil one came and snatched what was sown into their hearts. Some fell into those who at first received it with joy, but as they had no root, it lasted only a short time. Some fell into thorns representing those whose cares and worries of this life and the desire for riches chokes the making it unfruitful. The seeds that fell into good soil are those who understand it and produce fruit, representing fruits of the Spirit, some 100, some 60, some 30.
2. The parable of the weeds recounts how an adversary sowed weeds among the soil that had good seed planted in it. The master’s servants ask if they should pull them out. But because the weeds are the type that look like that produced by the good seed, He says no, as some good produce could be mistakenly ripped out. They will grow to maturity and then the difference will be apparent. There are those in our churches and fellowships today who are false believers and, from all appearances, are good fruit. But they will ultimately be revealed as to their true nature.
3. The parable of the mustard seed is often misinterpreted as a good thing by most commentators. Normally, the mustard seed produces a small garden plant. But this one grows into a tree that harbors birds. This is unnatural growth and could be likened to what happened to the church when it became the religion of the empire under Constantine about 315 AD. Many false teachers and believers flocked to the official state church, and it harbored much evil.
4. The parable of the woman who mixed leaven into 60 pounds of flour can be related to the false doctrine injected into the church. Leaven in the Bible is always negative. Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees who injected false laws and practices into the kingdom of heaven.
5. The parables of the hidden treasure and the valuable pearl represent one who gives all to obtain a reward in the kingdom of heaven. Salvation is a free gift, but it will cost our natural selves to pursue righteousness.
6. The parable of the net represents end times when the wicked will be separated from the righteous.
7. The chapter closes with Jesus’ remarks that a prophet is not without honor except in his own town and his own home (Vs. 13:57).

M. Chapter Fourteen.

1. The chapter opens with the account of Herod giving a banquet for his guests. He had previously put John the Baptist in prison. John had accused Herod of sin due to taking his brother Phillip’s wife Herodias, as his own. At the banquet, Herodias’s daughter danced and so impressed Herod that he offered to give her anything she asked for. Herodias told her to ask for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. Herod did not want to do this, but due to his promise, he complied. John was beheaded in prison and his head brought to Herodias’s daughter, who gave it to her mother. John’s disciples took his body and buried it (Vs. 14:1-12).
2. When Jesus heard about John’s death, He departed to a solitary place. The crowds followed Him and He had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, His disciples told Him to send the crowds away so that they could buy food. Jesus told His disciples that they did not have to go away and to feed them. The disciples said that they only had five loaves and two fish. Jesus had the crowd sit down and the crowd of about five thousand men plus women and children were fed with 12 baskets of food left over (Vs. 14:13-21).
3. After this, Jesus dismisses the crowd, tells his disciples to get into a boat and go before Him. He then goes up onto a mountain to pray. Later that night, the boat is being tossed by the waves. Jesus goes out onto the lake, walking on the water. The disciples see Him and are afraid that it is a ghost. Jesus tells them to not be afraid that it is He. Peter says that if it is really Him, to tell him to come on the water. Jesus tells him to come and Peter goes, but begins to sink. Jesus catches him and admonishes him of his little faith and his doubt. They climb into the boat and the wind dies down. They land at Gennesaret and again, crowds come and are healed even by touching the edge of His cloak (Vs. 14:22-34).

N. Chapter Fifteen.

1. The Pharisees come to Jesus accusing Him, saying that His disciples are not following the traditions of the elders by not washing their hands before eating. Jesus uses the incident as an object lesson to show the fallacy of tradition nullifying the Word of God. He quotes the prophet Isaiah: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Isaiah 29:13).
2. A Canaanite woman comes to Jesus begging Him to heal her daughter. He at first refuses saying that He came only to the lost sheep of Israel. He says that it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs. She appeals by saying that even the dogs eat of the crumbs falling from the master’s table. Jesus praises her for her great faith and her daughter was healed at that moment.
3. Jesus departs and goes along the sea of Galilee. Crowds come to Him and He heals them. Jesus tells His disciples that He has compassion on them and that they have been with him for three days with nothing to eat. He does not want to send them away hungry as they may collapse on the way. Between the disciples, they have seven loaves and a few small fish. Jesus tells the crowd to sit down and they are fed. After eating, the disciples pick up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over. The total number of men that were fed were four thousand plus women and children.

O. Chapter Sixteen.

1. The Pharisees come to Jesus demanding a sign. The only sign He gives them is Jonah, who spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. Jesus will spend three days and three nights in the belly of the earth before rising.
2. Jesus warns His disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. As leaven changes the composition of the bread, the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees will change the pure message of the Word of God.
3. When Jesus comes to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asks His disciples who do the people say that He is? They told Him John the Baptist, Elijah, Jerimiah or one of the other prophets. He then asks His disciples who do you say that I am? Peter responds, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” (Vs. 16:16). Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah” (Vs. 16:17-20).
4. The above passage is a matter of great difference between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Catholics believe that Jesus was pronouncing Peter as the head of what would become the church as he would be the rock upon which the church would be built. This is the basis for the Papal system. Protestants point out that the “rock” in Greek is “petra” meaning foundation boulder and that Jesus was referring to the revelation given to Peter by God. Protestants also point out that Jesus’s word to Peter was “petras” meaning little stone. Christ is the only foundation upon which the church is built (1 Corinthians 3:11). Peter himself refers to believers as “living stones” by which the church is being built (1 Peter 2:5).
5. Jesus from that time onward began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer much as the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law and that He would be killed and on the third day be raised to life (Vs, 16:21). Peter rebukes Him, but Jesus strongly admonishes him saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Vs. 16:23b).
6. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Vs. 16:24-28).

P. Chapter Seventeen.

1. After six days, Jesus leads Peter, James and John up a high mountain where He was transfigured before them (Vs. 17:1-2a). This is what many Bible scholars believe is the fulfillment of Jesus’s words in the previous chapter about “some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom”. His transfiguration was partial fulfillment of His coming in His kingdom. There was great expectation of those living at the time of Jesus’s death and resurrection that He would return before they died. Obviously, that did not happen, but we today should live in the expectation of His imminent return.
2. Moses and Elijah appear and were talking with Jesus. Peter, overwhelmed by what he was experiencing, tells Jesus that they should build three shelters, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. A bright cloud covers them and a voice from heaven says: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Vs. 17:5b). The disciples fall to the ground afraid. Jesus comes and touches them and tells them to get up and not be afraid. They see no one but Jesus. This was God the Father’s affirmation that Jesus was greater than Moses, who represented the Law, and Elijah who represented the prophets. We, like the disciples, should hear Jesus.
3. As they were coming down the mountain, The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist (Vs. 17:10-13).
4. The balance of the chapter deals with Jesus casting out a demon from a boy that his disciples were unable to. When asked privately, why they could not, His reply was that they had so little faith. “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Vs. 17:20). Jesus also confirms His death a second time. The chapter concludes with a humorous account of Peter affirming to the temple authorities that Jesus paid the annual temple tax but Jesus giving him a reminder that He, as the Son of God was free from such an obligation. But as He did not want to give offense, tells Peter to go down to the lake and throw in a line. The first fish he would catch would have a four-drachma coin to pay Jesus’ tax and Peter’s.

Q. Chapter Eighteen.

1. The chapter begins with a question from the disciples about who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus responds by saying: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Vs. 18:3-5).
2. Jesus then speaks about those who cause someone who believes in Him to stumble. He tells them that it would be better that a millstone be hung around their neck and to be drowned in the sea. He then says it would be better to enter life crippled than to be thrown into hell, meaning that we need to deal harshly with our tendency to sin.
3. Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep. “If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish” (Vs. 18:12-14).
4. Jesus addresses sin in the church and gives a procedure that should be followed. First, if someone offends you, go to them privately. If they do not listen to you, take two or three others as a testimony. If they still do not hear you, tell it to the church. If they do not listen to the church, they should be treated as a pagan or tax collector, meaning they are to be put out of the assembly.
5. The chapter concludes with the parable of the unmerciful servant. A king desires to settle accounts with his servants. A man is brought to him who owes ten thousand bags of gold, a tremendous debt. The king orders he and his family to be sold to repay the debt. The servant begs for mercy and the master forgives his debt. But the servant takes another servant who owes him one hundred silver coins demanding payment or he would throw him into prison. The other servant begs for mercy but, the first servant refuses and has him thrown into prison. The other servants are outraged and go to the master. The master calls him in and tells him: “You wicked servant,” he said, “I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Vs. 18:32-35).

R. Chapter Nineteen.

1. The chapter begins with the Pharisees coming to Jesus to test Him. They ask if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus responds by saying that in the beginning God created male and female and that they would become one flesh. He continues with “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Vs.19:6). The Pharisees continue to press him with the question of why Moses allowed a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce. Jesus replies: “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery” (Vs. 19:8-9).
2. People brought little children to Jesus in order for Him to pray for them. The disciples rebuked them. But Jesus responded: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Vs. 19:14).
3. The chapter concludes with a young man coming to Jesus and asking what he should do to get eternal life. Jesus responds by pointing him to the Ten Commandments. He says that he has kept these from his youth. Jesus tells him that if he wishes to be perfect, he must sell what he has and give to the poor and then he will receive treasure in heaven and then to follow Him. The man goes away sorrowful as he had great wealth. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you; it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’” (Vs. 19:23-24). This passage has been the center of much debate by Bible scholars with various schools of thought as to its meaning. The best answer is that Jesus was using a hyperbole, which is an exaggeration for emphasis. Jesus did this in Matthew 7:3-5 regarding a “plank” in one’s eye or also in Matthew 23:24 about “swallowing a camel”. Although the young man had done what was right according to the commandments, he still had a heart issue regarding riches. He was unable to do what Jesus asked and went away sorrowful (Vs. 19:22).

S. Chapter Twenty.

1. The chapter opens with the lengthy parable of the workers in a vineyard. Matthew is the only gospel in which this is found. A vineyard owner goes out early in the morning to hire workers. He offers them a day wage of one denarius which was generous. He goes out again at nine, noon, three and lastly at five to hire more workers. No offer of wages is given but when the others come, they are given the same wage as those hired at the beginning of the day including ones who had only labored for one hour. The workers hired early in the morning complain as they had shouldered the burden of the entire day including the hot mid-day sun. They expected more but received their agreed upon denarius. The owner tells them: “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” (Vs. 20:13-15). Some attempt to use this parable to demonstrate that rewards in heaven are the same for everyone, but Scripture affirms that there are different rewards for different service. The best way to interpret this parable is to know that, like the vineyard owner, God is gracious and merciful bestowing His generosity and blessing as He chooses. Eternal life is not a reward, it is a free gift of God based upon the atoning work of Christ on the Cross. Some believers have labored their entire lives for Jesus while others, only a short time such as the thief on the Cross. We all can receive the same gift of salvation regardless of when we come to salvation early, or later in life.
2. Jesus concludes this teaching by saying:” The last will be first, and the first will be last” (Vs. 20:16). This is identical to what He said in the previous chapter after the wealthy young man left, sad that his riches and Jesus’ direction to him was more than he could bear. It is believed that this means that there are those today who are rich in the world’s eyes, or are prominent in some fashion. But in the kingdom, they will be last before others who now live humble lives.
3. He takes His disciples aside and tells them: “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Vs. 20:18-19). This was the third time recorded in this gospel that He tells them of His death and resurrection.
4. The chapter continues with the mother of Zebedee’s sons coming to Him and asking that they sit on His right and left in His kingdom. “When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers”. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Vs. 20:24-28).
5. The chapter concludes with an account of two blind men sitting by the road calling out to Jesus to heal them as He leaves Jericho. He does so and they immediately follow him. Bible critics point out that this differs from what is commonly believed to be same incident as recorded in Mark 10:46-52 and Luke 18:35-43. Here, two blind men call out to Jesus while in Mark and in Luke, only one blind man cries out. In Mark, he is identified as Bartimaeus while he is not identified in Luke. Additionally, here in Matthew, Jesus is leaving Jericho while in Mark and in Luke He is approaching Jericho. The seemingly disparity in the accounts is reconciled by pointing out that neither Mark nor Luke say that there was only one man. Also, there were two Jerichos. One is the ancient mound of the city destroyed by Joshua and the other, a more modern city rebuilt afterward. Jesus was probably leaving one and entering the other.

T. Chapter Twenty-One.

1. Jesus approaches Jerusalem and instructs His disciples to go into a village and untie a donkey with her colt and bring them to Him. This was in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey”. It is not clear precisely how Jesus rode in on the donkey. One suggestion is that he sat sideways on the mother donkey and placed His feet on the foal like a king would sit on His throne. As He was fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah as a king entering Jerusalem, this may hold some merit. Others point out that it is customary to train a foal by placing a light burden upon it and tie it to the mother. As the disciples placed their garments on both the donkey and the foal (Vs. 21:7), this also could be the case. In any sense, that the prophecy in Zechariah was fulfilled, is the crucial point.
2. Jesus entered the temple courts and throws out the money changers and those selling doves and overturns their tables. He tells them: “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers” (Vs. 21:13 and Isaiah 56:7b). People would bring animals to the temple courts to be examined by the priests before they could be offered for sin. It was very common for the priests to reject the animals destined to be offered even those with minor blemishes. A trade had developed where those who wanted approved animals, particularly doves which was all the poor could offer, to buy them from vendors at the temple court. As the vendors were often in cahoots with the priests and charged exorbitant prices, this angered Jesus greatly.
3. Early in the morning, as Jesus was going back into the city, He was hungry. He goes up to a fig tree with leaves but finds no fruit. He curses the tree by saying “May you never bear fruit again” and immediately, the tree withered (Vs. 21:19). To interpret this incident, some knowledge of fig trees is necessary. Fig trees can display leaves as well as fruit even early in their life cycle. So, it was not unusual for Jesus to approach one seeking something to eat. The fig tree has also been symbolic of the nation of Israel such as in Hosea 9:10: “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree”. Taken in context with the incident of casting out the money changers the day before and with the knowledge that Israel would reject Him as Messiah, Jesus places a curse on the tree signifying the temple worship. This curse was fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem including the temple. God seeks fruit, or evidence of true worship and faithfulness to Him.
4. Jesus is approached by the chief priests and elders who ask Him by what authority He was doing these things. Jesus outsmarts them by asking about John’s baptism, was it of God or human origin. They know that if they say human origin, they know that the people held him as a prophet. If from God, then Jesus would ask them why did you not believe him? Jesus then tells them that He will not tell them by what authority He is doing these things.
5. Jesus tells the parable of the two sons. One said he would do his father’s bidding but didn’t. The other said he would not do it but did. The point being that the one who changed his mind and did what the father asked, was the one who did his will. In the same manner, we may at first refuse to do the will of the Father, but He honors a repentance in our heart to do His will.
6. The chapter concludes with the parable of the tenants. A wealthy landowner prepares his vineyard and lets it out to some farmers before moving to another place. When the time for harvest comes, he sends his servants but they are beaten, killed and stoned. Again, he sends more servants and they are treated the same way. Lastly, he sends his son thinking they will have more respect. But the tenants say, let’s kill him and take his inheritance. So, they kill him and throw him off the vineyard. Jesus is likening this parable to the Old Testament prophets and Himself as the son. He then tells the chief priests and Pharisees: “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed” (Vs. 21:43-44). They realize that He is speaking of them and seek a way to arrest Him but don’t, as they realize that the people believe He is a prophet.

U. Chapter Twenty-Two.

1. Jesus tells a parable of the wedding banquet. A king prepares a wedding banquet for his son. He sends out his servants to the invited guests, but they are ignored or mistreated and killed. The king is enraged and sends his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city. He then tells his servants to go out into the street corners and invite anyone they find. The wedding hall is then filled with people good and bad. The king comes in and finds a guest without a wedding garment. He has him bound and thrown out into outer darkness. Jesus then says: “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Vs. 22:14). This parable pertains to God the Father preparing the marriage supper of the lamb, who is Jesus, for the Jewish people. However, they reject Him as Messiah and the invitation goes to others, the Gentiles who are both good and bad. The person without a wedding garment represents one who attempted to come to the banquet on his own merit and not wearing the righteous garment given by the king which is salvation. A call has been given to many, but only a few are chosen by God.
2. The Pharisees along with the Herodians, then attempt to trap Jesus by asking if it is right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar. The Herodians were supporters of Herod, a vassal of Rome and were loyal to Caesar. They were attempting to put Jesus into a dilemma. If He said “no” then He could be accused of insurrection. If “yes” then He could be accused of being a Roman sympathizer. They thought they had him regardless of how He answered. Jesus shows His wisdom by asking them: “Whose image is on the coin and whose inscription?” (Vs. 22:20). They responded “Caesar’s”. Jesus then says, “then give what is Caesar’s to Caesar and what is God’s to God” (VS. 22:21).
3. The same day, the Sadducees, who do not believe in the resurrection, came to Jesus attempting to trap Him in a hypothetical question about a woman who marries seven brothers in succession. They ask Him whose wife will she be in the resurrection. Jesus provides information that only He would know as the Son of God: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Vs. 22:29-32). The Sadducees did not accept any Scripture except the five books of Moses. If they had accepted other books, they would have realized from the book of Job that there is a resurrection where Job says: “And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!” (Job 19:6).
4. Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees attempted to entrap Him by asking “What is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Vs. 22:36). Jesus responded by telling them: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Vs. 22:37-40).
5. The chapter concludes with Jesus asking the Pharisees a question about the Messiah and David addressing Him as Lord. How could he then be David’s son? No one could answer Him and after that, they did not ask any more questions.

V. Chapter Twenty-Three is a lengthy expose’ of the hypocrisy of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who placed heavy burdens upon the people but are like white-washed tombs. White and clean on the outside but full of decay and corruption on the inside.

W. Chapter Twenty-four contains one of three narratives called the Olivet Discourse; called such because it takes place on the mount of Olives. The other two instances are found in Mark 13:1-35 and in Luke 21:5-36.

1. The disciples are leaving the temple with Jesus and point out the majesty of its construction. He responds by saying that not one stone will be left upon another. At the mount of Olives, they ask Him two, or as some Bible teachers say three questions in 24:3: “When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” This prophecy is another example of near and far fulfillment of prophecy. The first question was fulfilled in 70 AD when the temple and Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. The second, or as some scholars say, are actually two questions, will be fulfilled during the Great Tribulation and Jesus’ second coming at its end. “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (Vs.23:30-31). “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Vs. 23:36).
2. The chapter closes with admonitions about watching for the master’s return. “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Vs, 23:42). The last of the chapter pertains to a master who put his servant in charge of giving the other servants food in their time. A faithful servant will be put in charge of all the master’s possession upon his return. But to an unfaithful servant, the master will “cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Vs. 23:51).

X. Chapter Twenty-Five.

1. The chapter opens with the parable of the ten virgins. Five are wise, but five are foolish. The parable relates closely with the practices of a wedding as it was at the time of Christ. A man and a woman are betrothed to one another. The man goes back to his father’s home to prepare a place for his bride. The work can take a long time, and the bride does not know when he will come to get her. When he does return, he comes with his party through the city streets blowing a trumpet. Invited guests then join the procession back to the father’s house. In this parable, the virgins all fall asleep indicating that it has been a very long time. Five have prepared themselves with oil and five have not. Oil in the Bible often depicts the spirit. The five wise have lived lives that enabled them to receive more of the spirit which has transformed their lives. The foolish have not. When the bridegroom comes, they have to go to those who sell oil to get more, but it’s too late and they are excluded from the wedding banquet. We too must be diligent to get oil in the life and be prepared for the Lord’s return.
2. The parable of the bags of gold is another admonishment to do the Lord’s work faithfully. Two servants are rewarded for using the master’s gold to gain more and are rewarded. The third servant hides the bag in the ground. He is chastised by the master and he is thrown outside into outer darkness. The bags of gold are likened to gifts that the Father has given us to serve Him. We must be faithful to use them to further His kingdom.
3. The last parable is about the sheep and the goats. When Jesus returns, He will separate those who have done righteous deeds from those who have not. The setting is at the end of the Tribulation. The sheep are those who were saved during the tribulation and ministered to others which Jesus considered ministering to Himself. The goats were not saved and did not care for others. The sheep enter into the kingdom prepared for them since the creation of the world showing that it is God’s doing and not as a result of their good works. The goats are sent to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Y. Chapter Twenty-Six.

1. The chief priest and elders assemble at the High Priest Caiaphas’ house and plot how they can kill Jesus. Judas agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
2. Jesus gives instructions for preparation of the Last Supper. Judas leaves to betray Him. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body’. Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on unPl that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom’” (Vs. 25:26-29).
3. After singing a hymn, they go to the Mount of Olives. Jesus tells them that they all will fall away that night because of Him. Peter affirms that he will not. Jesus tells him that before the rooster crows, he will deny Jesus three times. At the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays while telling the disciples to watch with Him. He asks the Father to take the cup of His future suffering from Him if possible. He finds the disciples asleep. He prays again: “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” (Vs. 25:42). He finds the disciples sleeping again and prays the same prayer the third time. Judas comes with a large armed crowd. “In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Vs. 25:55-56).
4. Jesus is brought before the High Priest. “The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God, Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (Vs. 25:63-64). Jesus was quoting from Daniel 7:13-14). The High Priest realized that Jesus was claiming to be God which was blasphemy. This was Jesus’ death sentence in their eyes.
5. The chapter concludes with Peter denying Jesus three times; the rooster crows. He goes outside and weeps bitterly.

Z. Chapter Twenty-Seven.

1. Early the next morning, the chief priests and elders bind him and take him before Pilate. Judas, seeing what they are doing, is filled with remorse and attempts to return the 30 pieces of silver. He tells them that he has sinned and betrayed innocent blood, but they say, “What is that to us, that is your responsibility”. He throws the money into the temple and goes and hangs himself (Vs. 27:3-5). “The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So, they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me” (Vs. 27: 6-10).
2. Jesus is brought before Pilate who attempts to release Him as he finds no fault with Jesus. The priests and elders demand that Pilate crucify Jesus. Pilate washes his hands, saying that he is innocent of Jesus’s blood. The people say that Jesus’ blood is upon them and their children.
3. Jesus is turned over to the soldiers who mock him. They take Him to the place called Golgotha where He is crucified. They divide his clothing and cast lots for his seamless garment, another fulfillment of a prophecy in Psalm 22:18.
4. Jesus cries out in a loud voice and dies. The curtain of the temple is torn from top to bottom signifying that the way to God is now open and of God’s doing, not of men. Joseph of Arimathea asks for Jesus’ body and he buries it in his own newly made tomb.
5. The priests go to Pilate and tell him that Jesus claimed that He would rise from the dead. Pilate tells them to take a guard and set a watch. They do so and place a seal on the tomb.

AA. Chapter Twenty-Eight.

1. Jesus rises from the dead on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are the first to come to the tomb. They are met by an angel who rolls away the stone sealing the entrance. He tells them that Jesus has risen and to go and tell His disciples that He has gone ahead of them and that they will see Him in Galilee.
2. The guards report to the high priests what has happened, and they are told that Jesus’ disciples came while they were sleeping and took His body. This false report circulated among the Jews.
3. Jesus meets His disciples in Galilee and gives them what is called the Great Commission. “Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Vs. 28:18-20).

BB. Discussion Questions, Application and passing it on.

1. Does the fact that Jesus’ genealogy includes four women with a sinful or a tainted past, give you any assurance that in spite of what may be sin in your past, you can be used by Him?
2. Are you able to defend the virgin birth to someone who says that the Hebrew word could also mean a young maiden?
3. Does the method of how Jesus resisted Satan’s temptations give you any insight of how you can do the same?
4. Are you familiar with the Sermon on the Mount? When was the last time you read through it? Set a goal to do so, frequently.
5. Do the words of Jesus: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven” give you any thought as to your testimony of Jesus before others? What are you going to do about any realization of a lack here?
6. What does it mean to “blaspheme the Holy Spirit” in that it will not be forgiven of them in this age or the next mean?
7. Regarding the parable of the seed sown into various types of soil. What kind of soil are you?
8. Jesus gives specific instructions about dealing with sin or offense in the church. Unfortunately, most churches do not practice this procedure. Why do you think this is the case? What damage to relationships have you seen this cause?
9. Jesus allows divorce in only two situations: death and sexual immorality. Sadly, Christian marriages have almost the same ratio of divorce as secular marriages. Why do you think this is the case?
10. The parable of the ten virgins should be a sober reminder that we need to “buy oil” in this life by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us. Are you buying oil now? When Christ returns, it will be too late.
11. The parable of the bags of gold should be a reminder to use our spiritual gifts to further the work of the Lord. Are you doing so?
12. The Great Commission is sometimes called the “Great Omission”. Are you carrying out His commands with the gifts He has given you?