Home | Lessons | New Testament | Matthew | Lesson 36 Ch10
en Flag
Lesson 36 Ch10
Overview
Transcript
Slides

About this lesson

Matthew’s Gospel is a Jewish account containing a number of Jewish cultural expressions that were inherently understood by Jews in that era but can be confusing to gentiles in the modern Church that is so many centuries removed. Taught by Tom Bradford.

Download Download Transcript

THE BOOK OF MATTHEW

Lesson 36, Chapter 10 Continued

As we continue today in our study of Matthew chapter 10 there's a couple of important context items to keep in mind. First, Matthew lived and wrote well after the events he is speaking about. He was not the Matthew (also called Levi) who was the Tax Collector and one of the original 12 Disciples. So everything we read was written in hindsight for Matthew; he was not an eyewitness to any of it, so far as we know.  Second, the Disciples Christ was sending out were to go only to the Jews who lived in the Holy Land. While it is not specifically told to us exactly which towns and villages they would journey to, none of them would have been very far from home. 

One of the things Yeshua is doing is setting up some rules and boundaries for the missionary work the 12 would perform; much of it based on the culture of the day. Perhaps the most significant aspect of it is that they were rely on the hospitality of the town or village they entered for everything they needed; from shelter, to food, to protection. Hospitality in that era for Middle Easterners was akin to a code of social etiquette and ethics. It was not part of the legal system per se, but it was a highly virtuous and valued part of social custom that was frowned upon if ignored. Hospitality is something that travelers would ask of a household; usually of someone they didn't know. Generally speaking to deny hospitality without an exceptional reason brought great shame upon that household. Once granted, the traveler's every need was to be met and his safety assured even if it meant the hosts putting their lives on the line. Obviously the way the culture of the New Testament operated then bears no resemblance to how Western society, or most other world cultures, operate today. So in order to apply the principles of how missionaries are to be cared for, with hospitality at the center of it, we have little choice but to adapt Christ's instructions to the realities of the 21st century. 

We ended at verse 15 after Yeshua had instructed the Disciples to take with them little more than the clothes on their backs, and to go out in pairs. He tells them that when they come into a town, if that town rejects them (meaning the residents reject their message) then they are not to stay; they are to move on. And more, when the Day of Judgment comes, that town (meaning the people in it who rejected the Good News the Disciples brought of the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven) will suffer a fate even worse than did the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Let's re-read a portion of Matthew 10. 

RE-READ MATTHEW CHAPTER 10:15 – end

In verse 16 Jesus continues by warning the Disciples the conditions they will face on their missionary journeys. Back in chapter 7 He warned those listening to Him to be wary of the wolves in sheep's clothing. That is, this was those who pretended to be one thing, but were actually another; so deception was involved. Now in chapter 10 the warning is a little different. It is that the sheep (the Disciples) will be among undisguised wolves. The Disciples will be knowingly wandering into wolf territory. I'll remind you yet again: these are not gentiles who are being characterized as the wolves because the Disciples are not to leave the region of the Holy Land. So who are these wolves? They are the Jewish religious leadership; more specifically the synagogue leadership. So with this stark warning issued, Yeshua gives them some sage advice: be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. What does He mean by this? In His time it was a proverb that serpents were considered to be very cunning. So if a person was like a serpent, it meant they were pretty shrewd. This was actually considered as a positive attribute… rather admired among many…. not a negative. It wasn't symbolic of being wicked. Yet they were also to be as harmless as doves. The Greek word the CJB translates to harmless is akeraios. Literally it means unmixed or pure. It can also mean single-minded and thus we'll find some translations say "simple". The way to think about the meaning is as a child-like approach to things. Children don't approach matters with a complexity of thought; they do it simply. So since the Disciples are going to find themselves facing resistance when they are communicating with Jewish religious leadership who may not be interested in fairness or in honestly wanting to hear another point of view, they must not be naive. They mustn't check their brains or common sense at the door, so to speak. They are to be acutely aware of who they are dealing with, the circumstances they encounter, and should behave accordingly. Be shrewd in assessing the situation and in handling people; but temper that by staying focused on the single goal of spreading the Good News. 

So what might happen to them on their mission journeys? They are going to find that some of the synagogues they go to visit are going to react harshly by having them flogged and even handing them over to the court on account of the Good News they bring. The court is speaking of the Sanhedrin; the Jewish religious court (but nearly always the local courts and councils, not the one in Jerusalem). Let me remind you; the Disciples are not at all proclaiming that Yeshua of Nazareth is Messiah… at least not in this the first of their missionary assignments. They are, however, claiming that the Kingdom of God has arrived and the implication in the Jewish theology of that day was that this only happens when the Messiah reveals himself and establishes that kingdom. Even so, the Gospel writer Matthew is not just writing from the viewpoint of when these things were happening. Since he was looking back in time he already knew that some of the things that Christ prophesied were going to happen at a future time, and not immediately after telling the Disciples about those happenings. The bottom line is that all disciples of Christ are to expect some amount of suffering for their faith; it doesn't matter at what point in history it might be or who the disciples are or where they are. Persecution goes with the territory of following Jesus. One cannot avoid it. But in the case of the original 12, what are they going to being punished for having done? Matthew must have thought it so obvious he doesn't bother to tell us. My speculation is that very likely in following the lead of their Master, Yeshua, the 12 Disciples didn't have nice things to say about the synagogue leaders or the traditions they taught. Christ was very open about His disdain with that leadership and with their manmade doctrines and traditions that so distorted the truth of God's Word.  Remember that Yeshua characterized the Jews He encountered on His own Holy Land tour as lost sheep. And those who were supposed to be their shepherd leaders as wolves.

Let's be clear that the Disciples were not visiting Churches nor were they establishing them. These congregations of people were synagogues of which there were many in the Holy Land. Most were not elaborate or even dedicated buildings; the vast majority were merely gatherings of Jews in public places or perhaps somewhere under a tree. It could be just a few Jews meeting together (typically not fewer than 10). The word synagogue is much like the word church in that technically it has little to do with buildings; rather it has everything to do with an assembly of people. The Talmud reports that prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. as many of 400 synagogues existed only in the city of Jerusalem! Excavations there prove that if indeed there were that many of them then it cannot possibly mean that at one time there existed 400 separate synagogue buildings in Jerusalem. The thing to understand is that, in whatever form, there were many synagogues in the Holy Land such that the Disciples were not traveling very far between villages and synagogues. In fact there were so many that Yeshua didn't have an expectation that they would somehow visit them all. 

Verse 18 explains that in addition to the religious persecution they were likely to face, there would also be politically based persecution. Thus some of the Disciples, says Christ, will stand before governors and kings on account of their faith in Yeshua. It is agreed by nearly all Bible scholars that this prediction is rather general in its meaning in that it isn't necessarily directed only to the 12 Disciples to whom He is speaking, and only to evangelizing the Holy Land. This is kind of an all-inclusive, open-ended prophecy about what Messiah's disciples in all ages and in all nations could expect. As we look back historically we'll find Christ followers in various areas of the globe being both religiously and politically persecuted for their faith. We have not really been subject to it in America, or in Europe, for a very long time….until recently. Circumstances are changing for us. Yet in God's providence Yeshua's followers are not to despair of such a thing or fear it. The last half of verse 18 explains that such persecutions will offer an opportunity to speak truth to power. We get a fine example of that in Paul as He is arrested and brought before the Roman governors Felix and then Festus whereby they want to understand what it is about Christ and this messianic faith that drives Paul.   

Yeshua characterizes being brought before governors and kings (in other words, various religious and political authorities) as divine moments of God's providence in order to penetrate the secular halls of justice and government with the Gospel truth. Not only governors and kings but also gentiles will hear the disciples' testimony, we're told. It is the Greek word ethnos that is being translated as gentiles (in some Bible versions pagans is used); it isn't necessarily wrong, but it is missing the larger point that Matthew is making. Ethnos means large identifiable groups of people in a rather general way. The CJB translates ethnos using the familiar Hebrew word goyim and that is really a bit better because it means both gentiles and nations. The translation that fits best with modern English in getting across what Jesus is saying is "nations" especially since in the Bible "nations" are always people groups of gentiles. So the idea is that from this moment on into an indefinite future, an irony will occur; government officials will persecute followers of Yeshua by arresting them and forcing them to defend their faith. However their faithful testimonies will provide the vehicle that spreads the Good News to all nations on earth. Some of the reason this is needed is to save myriads from eternal death; the other reason is to condemn the remainder to eternal darkness. What we must not lose track of is that it all begins with Israel, the Jewish people, and 12 Jewish Disciples. 

I would imagine that these 12 Disciples were pretty alarmed at what they were hearing, so now Jesus offers what amounts to comfort. He says that even though this may happen, they are not to worry. Especially as it concerns an ordinary citizen being brought before the powerful leaders of government, such a prospect could make the best of us intimidated and tongue tied. So Yeshua says not to fret about what it is that they (or we) will say; it will be given to us.  We in the West are used to the idea that if we are brought before a judge in court we'll have someone trained in speaking for us present to do just that. In ancient times no such provision existed except perhaps for the wealthy. How will the right words be given to the Disciples? Verse 20 says that it will be through the Spirit of your Father. What does this mean, exactly? What might it have meant to Christ's disciples? 

To begin; the Jews of that day would have taken the term "Spirit of your Father" to mean Holy Spirit….. Ruach HaKodesh in their Hebrew language. Yet how would this "giving" of the right words happen? How exactly would they acquire it? All during His ministry on earth, only Yeshua was seen as the living container of God's Holy Spirit. This would not change until after the Resurrection, upon Pentecost. So once again Yeshua seems to be speaking in a general, if not sweeping, way that incorporates various eras of Redemption history. That is, not everything He is saying will necessarily apply to His 12 Disciples, but rather to other disciples at other times. So Yeshua is likely borrowing His thoughts about this matter, although in a kind of ambiguous way, about the End Times that the Prophet Joel prophesied:

CJB Joel 3:1 "After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions;

And yet Messiah Yeshua certainly seemed to be promising "the Spirit of your Father" to fall upon His 12 Disciples in some unexplained way. Might we assume that since in verse 1 of chapter 10 that Yeshua gives authority to this 12 to heal people, exorcize demons, and even raise the dead that this necessarily includes some manner of them possessing the Holy Spirit because these are all things that Jesus did and now He extends those abilities to the 12? I would be remiss if I also didn't point out the source of the Holy Spirit and who He is to be identified with. According to Jesus it is with the Father. 

I want to pause here for a moment for a detour in order to discuss something that may be bothering you as it has bothered so many over the ages. The reality is that, in general, we cannot say that the 12 Disciples Christ is speaking to were ever brought before governors and kings to defend themselves other than perhaps for John and Peter, although that is mostly an implication. We aren't aware of the Holy Spirit giving them words to say in their defense. In the next several verses the trials and persecutions that Jesus says followers of His will experience get more and more serious.  He will also say a few other things that don't seem to have come to pass in His lifetime, which a plain reading of His words seem to indicate they will. Modern Bible academics put this a little differently. If some of Yeshua's prophecies didn't come to pass during His lifetime (as He seems to be promising) is He not the very definition of a false prophet….. or maybe as a failed prophet? As much as this accusation jolts us, we cannot just dismiss it without a thoughtful rebuttal. But what could that thoughtful rebuttal be? I want to discuss this because a doubter may confront you with just such a question, and it can be unsettling.

Such an academic viewpoint that Jesus was in some ways a failed prophet isn't that hard to reach in nominal Christianity because the Bible is approached in what I term as a Greek mindset. That is, in the Greek mode of thinking things must occur serially (one thing after another) and for each question of Bible interpretation (or problem) there must be one clear overriding solution such that all other possibilities are wrong. Jews on the other hand have always approached the Bible differently, understanding that there are levels of meaning involved in the Scriptures. The reason is that the Bible is a God-inspired work; not mere human-inspired literature.

Thus Jewish sages and scholars created a system that defines 4 observable levels of meaning in Scripture. They named those levels P'shat, Remez, Drash, and Sod. Let me say upfront that this doesn't mean that God intended that His Word was a code and that there would be precisely 4 levels of meaning to decipher it. The Jewish system is but a learned, manmade structure that was created both as a recognition of the amazing mystery of God's Word, and as a means for God worshippers to try to plumb its depths. It is by no means an infallible system nor is it usually promoted as such. But it is a valuable tool that allows us to think of the Bible sort of 3 dimensionally (if not 4 by adding in the dimension of time) instead of only 2.  Although another system of interpretive Bible study might come along some day that is better, it is my opinion that this is the best one currently available to us. I've taught on this before and so you can look it up in a number of the Bible books we have posted on TorahClass.com. Briefly the hierarchy is that P'shat is the plain, literal, most simple and straightforward sense, Remez is a hint or strong implication of something deeper and more profound, Drash gets into application of a passage of Scripture that upon a simple reading didn't at first seem apparent, and sod means "secret" so it involves great mystery and therefore at best we have only a shadowy glimpse of something. Speaking in these levels and studying the Scriptures based on these named various levels was not yet known in Christ's day. However even then the Jews didn't box themselves in with rigid either/or, yes/no answers to hard questions as concerned God. They especially understood that God Himself is a mysterious entity that humans have but the most limited way to comprehend and so room was left for flexibility in interpretation.  

Here's where I'm going with this: especially as concerns God's laws and commands and prophecies, and Christ's utterances and instructions, we cannot approach them based on the way we would approach mere literature. For one reason, as history has unfolded the truth of the ancient biblical prophecies and wisdom of its teachings have been proved immutable even if many people simply deny it out of hand due to darkened minds and hardened hearts. Thus as we read in Matthew 10 about Christ's instructions to His Disciples, and about what they'll encounter, these utterances are divine and have a certain mystery to them. Yeshua will speak prophetically and those prophecies will come to pass in one way in one era, and another way in another era. And, in some cases that involve the End Times, they will occur in ways that are difficult for us to imagine at this point in Redemption history.  So our approach needs to be not to doubt, but to uncover and discover. We shall do our best. So with that mindset, let's get back to verse 20. 

Yeshua promises that the "Spirit of your Father" (the Holy Spirit) will be there for the Disciples, but doesn't explain how. In hindsight we can see that in whatever way it was for the original 12, it would be different for His followers after Pentecost. From that point forward, the Holy Spirit would inhabit Believers and always be there for them… for us…. in every circumstance. 

Verse 21 clearly changes course and we have Christ speaking about the End Times. But while we think about the End Times as something future to us, the Disciples believed they were already experiencing the End Times. So they would have taken Christ's words about strife and division within families as something to expect immediately. We look at those words and many of us in modern times have experienced such family splits over Christ, especially if one is a Jew. In modern times in the West none of us want family strife and division but it is as probably likely to happen as not for most folks. It isn't quite the crisis as it was in biblical times because in the West, families are organized into small units instead of as it was in the 1st century. Back then Middle Eastern families were what we today call extended families. That is, multiple generations not only lived together, but typically the senior family member had real authority over the younger ones. It was also a male head-of-household dominated society so should the father of a family become a Believer in Yeshua, it was generally automatic that those in his household also became Believers; or at least they outwardly practiced whatever it was the senior head of the house demanded would be practiced. So Jewish families splitting up over the issue of becoming a follower of Yeshua was not very likely in the years when Yeshua was still alive, and for some time following His death and resurrection. 

But once this faith was extended into the gentile population, family strife and division would indeed become a serious issue such that Paul had to address it head on. And once gentiles gained firm control of the Church early in the 2nd century, and Christianity was reformatted into a gentiles-only religion, then a Jew who became a Believer almost certainly faced a family crisis as they would have been viewed as a traitor to Judaism. Thus the fulfillment of Yeshua's prophecy about family strife on account of Him would begin nearly imperceptibly, but over time it would become a harsh reality. Today it is very nearly a rule of thumb for Jews, and it regularly happens within gentile families. But as we progress towards the culmination of the End Times, a person becoming a Believer will not only be certain to cause family division, it will become dangerous. Folks, what Christ says is coming is not hyperbole. It has happened already in isolated cases, especially in places where a different religion is the norm and no challenge to it is allowed…. such as Hinduism or Shintoism or especially Islam. Listen carefully to what He says about the destiny of families as the End of Days gets nearer. 

CJB Matthew 10:21 21 "A brother will betray his brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death. 

What Yeshua is prophesying is far more than something we could call family strife and division; it is homicide. This entire verse is about a family member having another family member put to death because that family member has chosen to trust Christ. Can't happen in America? Can't happen in Europe? Look around you. Little of what we see happening in 2020.. the violent demonstrations, the seizing of city centers by anarchists with the co-operation of mayors and governors, the outright demonization of Christianity by the mainstream media, the demand that all citizens conform to whatever political correctness rules the day or be shamed and blacklisted… could not have been imagined even a decade ago. So what Yeshua said would happen to His followers is in process and as His Believers we need to pull our collective heads out of the sand, and to prepare ourselves mentally, tangibly, and most importantly spiritually for it. And, as Yeshua is emphasizing, we need to let those who are not followers know the truth so that they might become followers. That is the primary mission of Seed of Abraham Ministries, in all of our (currently 5) various ministry operations, and I pray that it is at the top of your priority list as well.

Verse 22 offers an obvious generalization that "everyone" will hate Yeshua's disciples. But what we can take from this is that just as in the beginning of His ministry it was a relatively small minority of people who made a decision to trust Yeshua, so it will be as history charges towards its end. Everyone (meaning the majority) will hate Believers. But.. and now for a combination instruction and encouraging promise… everyone (Believers) who holds on until the end will be preserved from harm. What end? Clearly the end of the End Times. How will Believers be preserved from harm? It will be different for different subsets of people. 

The Book of Revelation chapter 12 speaks of a time of great persecution when the woman (Israel) will flee into the desert for 1260 days where the Israelites will be divinely protected and cared for. On the other hand, we also read of the evil actions of the Anti-Christ who will persecute all God worshippers, and countless Believers will be martyred. We all know of stories of missionaries who were tortured and murdered for their faith. So what can it mean that they who hold on until the end will be preserved from harm? It can only primarily mean spiritual harm and not physical harm. Verse 28 addresses this.  But what we must understand is that, for the time being, there is no truly safe haven for Believers. And our attempt to create one will be proved futile. That doesn't mean that we don't establish oases of spiritual refuge here on earth where we can meet in peace, or lead our children and grandchildren in Christ's love, and provide an alternative to the hollow secular society we live in. But whatever we create can be attacked by government or religious authorities, and according to Christ it will be. So our job is do all that we can while the doing of it is possible because someday it won't be. From there forward we are to cling tightly to our faith.

Now; step back and consider this for a moment. I'm quite sure that some of you are thinking: wow, what a downer you are today! That's pretty bleak stuff. Can't you talk about some fun and positive things that will happen in the future?  I probably could; but that's not at all what we are reading about in Christ's admonitions to His 12 Disciples. How do you suppose they took this? They weren't hopping up and down with pleasure and joy and that's because that is not how Jesus intended it. I can only imagine the solemn tone of His voice. They weren't thinking that the things Yeshua described were going to happen to somebody else, but not to them. Or that it would occur in some indefinite time in the future that they probably wouldn't have to concern themselves with. They believed their Master and would set out expecting this to be a dangerous and difficult journey.

But most Christians I talk to DO think the perils they read about in the End Times are for others, but not for them. They can't picture themselves facing much if any of this. It's only that it is customary in the Evangelical branches of the Church to talk about Believers living today in the End Times; but in their heart of hearts they don't really expect to experience the things Jesus warns us about to any great extent. To put a finer point on it, what do you believe? Do you believe we are living in, or on the cusp of, the End Times? If so, does the reality of your choices and how you live reflect that belief? And does how you give and support your ministry lend truth to your claim? How about your spiritual priorities? Because if what you say to yourself that you believe isn't backed up with your actions, then I challenge that you actually believe what you say or perhaps think you believe. 

I can tell you this from personal experience. Those of us who have lived in Florida for a few years don't doubt the warnings of hurricanes and what it means for us. So we prepare appropriately. But I also have a vivid memory of when we first moved here and really had no idea of what a hurricane does and the major disruptions that it causes. I was not at all prepared and really didn't think much about it…. until I experienced one. No power. Nowhere to buy food. Nowhere to get gas. It was pretty eye opening. After that, I became a true believer. I bought a generator, made sure I had a couple of weeks of food and water stored away, filled my gas cans and my car if 2 or 3 days out it looked likely the hurricane would hit, planned an evacuation route, and more. In other words, I modified my usual behavior because of my sincere belief (my faith, if you would) that a hurricane was coming and knowing without doubt what that would do when it does hit. It is the same idea for Believers and the End Times. Our response may not involve storing up food and water right now; but, folks, if you truly believe you will experience some of the things Jesus is warning about, you will change your normal behavior. If you haven't, then you don't actually believe it will affect you. Jacob (usually called James), Yeshua's biological brother, put it this way:

CJB James 2:14-17 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such "faith" able to save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food, 16 and someone says to him, "Shalom! Keep warm and eat hearty!" without giving him what he needs, what good does it do? 17 Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead. 

Yeshua spent much of His ministry on earth telling people what was coming and how to prepare for it on multiple levels: spiritually and physically. Few did, and few ever will. I pray that you will not be one of them. 

Verse 23 is one of the more complicated verses in Matthew's Gospel. The first half is quite straightforward; should the Disciples encounter persecution they are under no obligation to stay there and suffer it. Rather, there are plenty of towns and synagogues in Judea and the Galilee to go to and continue their work. It's the last half of the verse where the problem lies. It says that they will not finish visiting all the cities around Israel before the Son of Man comes. This one is a real head scratcher and so there are a number of opinions among Bible scholars as to what this means. We won't cover them all, but we will take a look at some of the more prominent conclusions.

The first thought is actually one that has application that goes beyond this verse. It is whether we are to take the term Son of Man as it is meant in Daniel 7; or are we to take it in the more common usage as merely meaning "human being"? In other words, for whatever reason, did Christ say "Son of Man" but He just as easily could have said "I" or "me"? He just liked saying Son of Man. 

The second thought is that Christ never really used that term. It was Matthew that was trying to make that connection. The Book of Daniel was immensely popular among Jews in the 1st century, for the same reason that in the 21st century the Book of Revelation is so popular among Christians. The Jews felt that Daniel spoke about the Kingdom of God and the End Times, and that they were living in that time (due to being occupied by Rome). Today Christians see a world in shambles and so feel that Revelation answers some questions about the End Times that many feel we are in.  

A third thought is that Son of Man is indeed all about a special person that makes an appearance in the End Times, but Jesus wasn't him. In fact, when He speaks of the Son on Man in verse 23, it is Jesus's expectation of the arrival of a mysterious Son of Man. I could go on, but this will suffice. 

The reason for these rather odd, and usually rigid, viewpoints is what we talked about earlier; it is the result of the typical Christian approach to the Bible in a Greek thinking mode. But if we approach it in the Hebrew manner of looking at that statement in its various levels and depths, then we don't have to make a choice that only one of these (and other) viewpoints is right and the others wrong. 

In the hindsight we've been afforded, it is not hard to see that Jesus sees Himself as the "one like a son of man" from Daniel, and that Daniel is one of Christ's main sources for End Times prophecies.

CJB Matthew 24:15-16 15 "So when you see the abomination that causes devastation spoken about through the prophet Dani'el standing in the Holy Place" (let the reader understand the allusion), 16 "that will be the time for those in Y'hudah to escape to the hills. 

Just a few verses down from that we read:

CJB Matthew 24:30 30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, all the tribes of the Land will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with tremendous power and glory.

This is a direct reference to Daniel chapter 7. So it is pretty far fetched to claim that 1) the Son of Man is not a reference to the "one like a son of man" in Daniel; or 2) that all Jesus ever means by it is "I" or "me"; or 3) that while there will be an End Times Son of Man, it's not Christ. Yet this doesn't solve everything.

What does He mean when He says the Son of Man will come before the Disciples finish evangelizing all the towns of Israel? I see a couple of possibilities and both may be true. First: the job of evangelizing Israel never ends. There were hundreds and hundreds of cities, towns, villages and synagogues in the Holy Land in Christ's day and at least a million Jews. There was no way those 12 Disciples were ever going to preach in every one of them, to every last individual. So we don't take a map, create grids, evangelize the squares of the grid, and them mark them off as "mission accomplished". One proof of this is the striking fact that in none of the Gospels regarding the sending out of the 12 does it ever speak of them coming back. In other words, until the Son of Man (the divine Messiah) returns, the work must continue. Second: while Christ was speaking directly about evangelizing Israel, soon those going out from Israel would venture into the gentile nations. That job is, obviously, far larger than taking the Good News only to the Holy Land. And, as with the first suggestion, this evangelizing mission is to continue regardless of how thoroughly we may think it has already been done. We can rest from these efforts….. often referred to in Christianity as the Great Commission….only when the Son of Man (Yeshua) returns, and ushers His followers into the Millennial Kingdom of God. 

We'll begin next week at verse 24.

This Series Includes

  • Video Lessons

    96 Video Lessons

  • Audio Lessons

    96 Audio Lessons

  • Devices

    Available on multiple devices

  • Full Free Access

    Full FREE access anytime

Latest lesson

Help Us Keep Our Teachings Free For All

Your support allows us to provide in-depth biblical teachings at no cost. Every donation helps us continue making these lessons accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Support Support Torah Class

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 1, Introduction The New Testament contains 4 gospel accounts of the life, purpose, and meaning of the most unique man in history: Yeshua of Nazareth, known better within the Western Christian Church as Jesus Christ. The creation and ordering of this New Testament addition to…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 2, Chapter 1 The worldview from which we are going to study the Gospel of Matthew is this: Matthew (whether that was the author's actual name or not) was a Jewish Believer. This is an essential starting point because for centuries the institutional Church has…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 3, Chapter 1 Continued In our previous lesson we studied at length the genealogy of Yeshua that opens Matthew's Gospel. We discovered that Matthew seems to have created a structure for his genealogy based on the numbers 3, 14, and 42. It is unknown by…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 4, Chapter 2 We concluded chapter 1 of Matthew's Gospel last time, and I remarked then that Matthew's goal was to begin his Gospel by explaining who Jesus is. According to Matthew He is the prophesied Messiah of Israel; the Son of David, Son of Abraham.…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 5, Chapter 2 Continued We spent the bulk of our previous time together on the birth story of Our Lord and Savior as we find it in the Book of Matthew; it is the only place in the New Testament that we'll hear about the…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 6, Chapters 2 and 3 As we drink in and deeply reflect on the beauty, salt, and light that the Book of Matthew provides us, let us also be reminded of something about the author himself. Our Jewish Matthew was not an eyewitness to anything…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 7, Chapter 3 Continued  If we were to do a deep comparison between the 4 Gospel accounts that open the New Testament, it would become evident that each Gospel writer approaches the matter of the advent, life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah with his…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 8, Chapter 3 Continued 2 As we re-open Matthew chapter 3, we left off with verse 7, the mention of Sadducees and Pharisees coming to John ostensibly to be immersed by him, but in reality it was to investigate this strange man who seemed to…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 9, Chapter 4 As we work our way through the Gospel of Matthew and discover so many important details buried in the text, and also discover those present in Christian traditions and just as importantly in the ancient Jewish traditions, we are regularly going to…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 10, Chapter 4 Continued The Early Church Father Chrysostom said this about the temptations of Christ: "The devil begins with the temptation to indulge the belly. By this same means he cast out the first man, and by this means many are still cast down."  In…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 11, Chapters 4 and 5 Our previous lesson in Matthew chapter 4 left off at a time when Christ was gathering His first disciples. Teachers and Holy Men gathering disciples was nothing new; in fact John's Gospel says that Andrew was John the Baptist's disciple…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 12, Chapter 5 The Sermon on the Mount will be our topic for the next few weeks as it takes up Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. I think I can say without much objection that the Sermon on the Mount represents the most consequential…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 13, Chapter 5 Continued The richness and depth of instruction contained in the Sermon on the Mount is so breathtaking and yet foundational to the life of a Believer in the Father and in Messiah Yeshua, that after much time studying and researching it, I…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 14, Chapter 5 Continued 2 We have now completed studying 7 of the Beatitudes. It is usually said that there are 8 of them, but some Bible commentators say there are 9, and others say 10. My position is that the separating away of the…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 15, Chapter 5 Continued 3 I want to begin by acknowledging that we've spent the better part of 3 lessons covering only the first 16 verses of Matthew chapter 5; I know this is a very slow pace. I'm afraid that it is not likely…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 16, Chapter 5 Continued 4 Today we continue our careful and deliberate study in Matthew chapter 5, the Sermon on the Mount. Last week we spent our entire time together on the pivotal verses 17 – 20 because these form the basis and the backstop…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 17, Chapter 5 Continued 5 We've been in Matthew chapter 5 long enough that a reminder of the setting and background for the Sermon on the Mount is in order.  The setting is the Galilee. It is the serene rural agricultural and shepherding center of…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 18, Chapter 5 Conclusion Despite the happy fiction that in Yeshua's day the Jewish people practiced a religion that was rather pure and Torah driven, in reality what they practiced was a religion based mostly on Tradition. Naturally the Jews were not a monolithic culture;…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 19, Chapter 6 Our duty, and our hope, as followers of the Messiah Yeshua is to place our feet into His footprints. The Sermon on the Mount is showing us the way. Matthew recognizes how crucial Yeshua's speech is and so takes 3 full chapters…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 20, Chapter 6 Continued We'll continue in Matthew chapter 6 directing our focus upon the Lord's Prayer of verses 9 – 13. Leading up to this prayer example that Christ presented to those listening to His Sermon on the Mount, He gave His listeners a…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 21, Chapter 6 Continued 2 As we continue today in the Lord's Prayer, we'll begin at verse 13. Verses 11, 12, and 13 are sometimes called the "we petitions". This is because of the use of the plural "us" to begin each of these verses.…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 22, Chapter 6 Continued 3 We ended last week by discussing Matthew 6 verse 19. Beginning with this verse and on into the first part of chapter 7 Yeshua deals with an array of matters that in modern vocabulary we would probably label as "social…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 23, Chapter 7 We have now completed 2 of the 3 chapters that Matthew devoted to Yeshua's Sermon on the Mount. Every now and then it is probably profitable to remind you that Matthew did not write in chapters; ending one and beginning another. Rather…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 24, Chapter 7 Continued As we continue in Matthew chapter 7, we will review what we covered in the prior lesson. Let's begin by opening our Bibles and reading the opening verses.  RE-READ MATTHEW 7:1 – 6 Around a century ago, Thomas Walter Manson, a…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 25, Chapter 7 Continued 2 Matthew chapter 7 concludes the Sermon on the Mount that began in chapter 5. I'm hoping that by this point a better understanding is being gained about the context and intent of Yeshua's long speech; a context that has been…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 26, Chapter 7 Continued 3 In our previous lesson in Matthew chapter 7, Christ continues His Sermon on the Mount by making this unnerving statement in verses 22 and 23. CJB Matthew 7:22-23 22 On that Day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord! Didn't we…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 27, Chapter 7 and 8 We'll conclude Yeshua's Sermon on the Mount today, which we have spent 17 lessons studying because of its incomparable value, and we'll also open the door into Matthew chapter 8. But first let's take a look back on the all-important…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 28, Chapter 8 Continued As we delve deeper and deeper into Matthew's Gospel, to this point we have found three elements to be always present and repetitive; therefore it is crucial for us to notice them and to understand that Matthew has constructed his Gospel…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 29, Chapter 8 Continued 2 We took another extensive detour last week in our continuing study of Matthew Chapter 8 to explore some of the Early Church Fathers in order to trace their viewpoint on the all-important matter of Believers in Christ having an obligation…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 30, Chapter 8 and 9 We are in the midst of several miracle stories of Jesus. The first involved cleansing a man who had Tzara'at. The second was healing a house slave of his infirmities (at the request of a Roman army officer), without Christ even…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 31, Chapter 9 We're going to spend a little more time today with the story that opens Matthew 9; that of the paralytic man who was brought to Christ so that he might be healed. Let's begin by re-reading verses 1 – 7. RE-READ MATTHEW…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 32, Chapter 9 Continued The subject that we'll focus on to begin today's lesson is a dispute between John the Baptist's disciples and Yeshua's disciples, ostensibly over the subject of fasting; this is what Matthew 9:14 – 17 revolves around. We'll go forward today in…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 33, Chapter 9 Continued 2 As we continue in Matthew chapter 9, we left off last time with verse 27 that says: CJB Matthew 9:27 27 As Yeshua went on from there, two blind men began following him, shouting, "Son of David! Take pity on…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 34, Chapter 9 and 10 We'll conclude Matthew chapter 9 today and get into Matthew chapter 10.  What we've been reading in chapter 9 has all been occurring on the shores of the Sea of Galilee; largely in Yeshua's new hometown of Capernaum, itself a…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 35, Chapter 10 Miracles are at the foundation of biblical faith. It begins with Creation itself as a miracle. After all, how does a Universe that never before existed have a definite beginning? Yet beyond simply declaring something a "miracle", we tend not to think…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 36, Chapter 10 Continued As we continue today in our study of Matthew chapter 10 there's a couple of important context items to keep in mind. First, Matthew lived and wrote well after the events he is speaking about. He was not the Matthew (also…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 37, Chapter 10 Continued 2 The topic of what Christ signified when He called Himself "the Son of Man" is how we ended our last lesson. In the Torah Class study of the Book of Daniel, lessons 20 and 21, I spent extensive time explaining…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 38, Chapter 10 and 11 Of the several passages in Matthew chapter 10 that we studied last week, verses 26 – 31 dealt with fear, death, and the problem of evil. In context it had primarily to do with what Yeshua's 12 Disciples might face…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 39, Chapter 11 From the panoramic view perhaps one of the main take-aways from all 4 Gospel accounts is that Yeshua was misunderstood by His own Jewish countrymen; and surprisingly by those one might think would have understood Him best. Since it is various individuals…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 40, Chapter 11 Continued Perhaps one of the more important, yet difficult to capture, statements made by Christ is found in Matthew 11:11 – 15. Another comes at the end of the chapter that we'll get to later. We're going to get pretty detailed and…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 41, Chapter 11 Continued 2 Before we continue in Matthew chapter 11, let's back-up a wee bit and reset the context. The first 19 verses of this chapter were about John the Baptist in relation to his connection with Christ. First, he was the foretold…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 42, Chapter 11 and 12 We wrapped up the prior lesson with a message of awareness to a sad but dangerous reality within Christianity in modern times, in which not only is it acceptable within the academic branch of the Church for agnostics or even…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 43, Chapter 12 We closed last week with discussing the establishment, purpose and ongoing relevance of the Sabbath. This stems from the opening verse of Matthew 12. CJB Matthew 12:1 One Shabbat during that time, Yeshua was walking through some wheat fields. His talmidim were hungry,…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 44, Chapter 12 Continued While every chapter of the Book of Matthew is packed with important information for the Believer, chapter 12 is one of the meatiest of them all. This chapter also helps us to recognize something I highlight in the very first lesson…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 45, Chapter 12 Continued 2 Of the several things Matthew continues to underscore in his Gospel, here in chapter 12 we seen this growing contrast… an unfriendly polarization, if you would… between Christ and the leaders of the Synagogue. As we read let's always remember…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 46, Chapter 12 Continued 3 Last week in Matthew chapter 12 we left off with the thorny issue of what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit amounts to. And the reason that is important is because even Christ's death on the Cross can't atone for it.…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 47, Chapter 13 Matthew chapter 13 begins this way: CJB Matthew 13:1 That same day, Yeshua went out of the house and sat down by the lake; 2 but such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there while…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 48, Chapter 13 Continued We began last week's lesson with a somewhat long dissertation about the true nature of parables because in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 13 is where Christ's use of parables begins in earnest. I'll briefly review.  One of the most important elements of…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 49, Chapter 13 Continued 2 Do you want to understand what the Kingdom of Heaven is like? Assuming you are Believers in the God of Israel and His Son, Yeshua, then little is more important in our faith journey than to pursue this understanding. In…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 50, Chapter 13 Conclusion "Communion with God by means of prayer, through the removal of all intruding elements between man and his Maker, and through the implicit acceptance of God's unity, as well as an unconditional surrender of mind and heart to His holy will,…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 51, Chapter 14 The first dozen verses of Matthew chapter 14 bring us back to the subject of John the Immerser; more specifically it tells us of his death. That he was in prison was already established back in chapter 11. Now chapter 14 begins…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 52, Chapter 14 Continued Keep your Bibles open and handy as we're going to do much reading today.  The beginning of Matthew chapter 14 was covered in the previous lesson. It is the story of the execution of John the Baptist. The request for his…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 53, Chapter 15 Today we start Matthew chapter 15. The first 20 verses represent perhaps one of the most controversial segments of any Gospel account. There is a parallel account of this same incident in Mark 7. We'll look it at as well because it…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 54, Chapter 15 Continued We'll continue this week in Matthew 15, one of the more challenging (and therefore controversial) chapters in the New Testament. At the same it is one of the most inspirational, instructional, and therefore among the most important for Believers to get…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 55, Chapter 15 Conclusion Before we continue in Matthew 15 today there's a couple of housekeeping issues I would like to get out of the way because I am regularly asked about it and enjoy the opportunity to offer an explanation. The first is my…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 56, Chapter 16 Who is Yeshua? What is Yeshua? This is a question that has yet to be fully answered to this point in Matthew, and even though most 21st century Christians think it is an answered and settled matter in The Church, it is far from…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 57, Chapter 16 Continued I began the previous lesson with the rhetorical questions: who is Yeshua? What is Yeshua? It is such a complex issue that as we go through this chapter I'll continue to weave-in some needed background about the historical Jesus so that…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 58, Chapter 16 Continued 2 We will continue to carefully work our way through Matthew in this chapter that is nearly a Gospel within a Gospel. Some of the more elite Bible scholars of the past make chapter 16 of Matthew among their most extensive…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 59, Chapter 16 and 17 Last week in our study of Matthew chapter 16 we ended with an important topic Yeshua raised beginning in verse 24, which is the high cost of being His disciple. Let's immediately go to our Bibles and read from verse…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 60, Chapter 17 We opened Matthew chapter 17 last week, which begins with one of the landmark occurrences within Yeshua's short ministry on earth: The Transfiguration. I promised that we'd try to untangle the meaning of it and we'll do that shortly. This is going…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 61, Chapter 17 Continued Last week we concluded our study of the opening portion of Matthew chapter 17 that focused on The Transfiguration. Truly this nearly unfathomable event of an epiphany of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus together is one of the most mysterious in the…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 62, Chapter 17 and 18 Last week we began to delve into the interesting story that ends Matthew chapter 17 about a certain tax collector coming to Capernaum where Yeshua was residing with Peter, and the tax collector asks the question " doesn't your Master…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 63, Chapter 18 We began chapter 18 last week and immediately the topic became humility. It is that humility is to be perhaps the chief virtue for anyone hoping to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Verses 1 – 14 are essentially an examination of Godly…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 64, Chapter 18 Conclusion We began to study Matthew 18:15 – 20 last week and shortly we'll re-read that section. Before we do that we need to set the context. This is necessarily going to involve some amount of sermonizing to go along with the…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 65, Chapter 19 We begin chapter 19 of Matthew's Gospel today, and it begins with a bang. Immediately some dicey subjects arise; dicey for the 1st-century Jewish community and they remain problematic for God worshippers to this day. The subjects are divorce, monogamy, and celibacy.…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 66, Chapter 19 Continued Marriage, divorce, polygamy versus monogamy, and celibacy… these were all important issues in Yeshua's time, and remain so in the modern era. While polygamy in the Western developed world is found only in smallish and offbeat remnants of our societies and…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 67, Chapters 19 and 20 In Matthew chapter 19 we find the story of the rich man who asked Yeshua how he could obtain eternal life. We find this same story in Mark and Luke as well, with only minor differences. Let's re-read it. RE-READ…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 68, Chapter 20 We began Matthew 20 last week and dealt with the Parable of the Fair Farmer who paid the same amount of money to workers that had labored from dawn to dusk equally as workers that had worked perhaps no more than an…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 69, Chapter 21 The first 20 chapters of Matthew have set the stage for what we'll encounter beginning in chapter 21. Those chapters could almost be set apart and in summation titled "How We Got Here From There".  Thus far we have learned much about…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 70, Chapter 21 Continued As we opened Matthew chapter 21 last week we read about what Christianity calls the Triumphal Entry. In this short but revealing action in Yeshua's life and mission, He enters Jerusalem riding upon a donkey, accompanied with the donkey's foal. This…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 71, Chapter 21 Continued 2 In Matthew chapter 21 Yeshua's journey to the cross is gaining speed as the proverbial snowball rolling down a steep hill. We find Him having now arrived at the place of His foretold and impending death: Jerusalem. In many ways…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 72, Chapter 22 Today we open Matthew chapter 22. It begins with quite a long Parable. Unlike some of the other metaphorical and symbolic illustrations that Jesus has been using to instruct and to reply, this is a true Parable in the Hebrew literary sense…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 73, Chapter 22 Continued Matthew chapter 22 records a series of hard-hitting verbal reprimands and instruction that Jesus had with some representatives of the Temple organization and others from the Synagogue organization. Generally speaking, these two organizations were populated and led by members of two…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 74, Chapter 22 Continued 2 When we follow Yeshua's career on earth and especially His Wisdom teachings, we find that just as in the manner our teachers taught us in elementary, High School and college, over time He built-up knowledge in His followers by starting…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 75, Chapter 23 In opening Matthew 23, if I were to give it a title, it would be "Exposing the Hypocrisy of the Leadership". It is an interesting reality that as a person gets older and knows that death is not far off, or at…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 76, Chapter 23 Continued Our study of Matthew 23 continues today, but bear with me before we re-open it's inspired pages. Early in the Book of Genesis we learned of a fundamental governing dynamic of God: He divides, elects, and separates. One of the most…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 77, Chapter 23 Continued 2 Because I had the great privilege of being raised in a Christian household from my earliest age, my family and I spent every Sunday in Church. Child Psychologists and most parents (especially moms) can verify that even when a child…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 78, Chapter 23 Conclusion As we inch closer and closer to Yeshua's death on the cross in Matthew's Gospel, there's so much context and background and many subjects that we encounter that are in need of explanation and fleshing out that at times we're going…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 79, Chapter 24 Before we dive into Matthew chapter 24, I think it is best to first offer you an exposition and summary of not only what we have learned thus far in Matthew about the crucial role that Jesus plays in Redemption History, but…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 80, Chapter 24 Continued Last week I installed a framework for us to try to better comprehend not only what we have learned thus far in the Gospels about Yeshua's role in Redemption History, but also about the several stages of it. And that beginning…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 81, Chapter 24 Continued 2 The Gospel of Matthew is a delight to teach because it offers such opportunities to provide application to our modern lives, as well as to prepare us for what lay ahead. Chapters 24 and 25 form what is nearly universally…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 82, Chapter 24 Continued 3 If the End Times matters to you; if where we likely stand in the timeline of Redemption History matters to you; then the study of Matthew chapter 24 and 25 are crucial to your understanding and I don't want to…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 83, Chapter 24 Continued 4 For the majority of New Testament commentators, the explanation of Matthew chapter 24 is among the most (if not the most) extensive required of all the Gospels combined. The main reason is because Yeshua speaks so considerably about the future…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 84, Chapter 24 Continued 5 Matthew 24:30 says: Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, all the tribes of the Land will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with tremendous power…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 85, Chapter 24 and 25 Verse 42 of Matthew chapter 24 sums up perhaps Yeshua’s most indispensable teaching about the End Times: CJB Matthew 24:42 So stay alert, because you don't know on what day your Lord will come.  Awareness, alertness, and preparedness form the recurring…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 86, Chapter 25 Continued In our previous lesson we ended with delving into the fascinating and illuminating Parable of the Talents. The most common method within Christianity (and often within Messianic Judaism) to study or preach this parable is by using allegories to separate out…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 87, Chapter 25 and 26 Last week the ending portion of our study was essentially a word picture of the final judgment that also goes by the name Judgment Day. This is one of those things that isn’t particularly pleasant for a Pastor or Bible…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 88, Chapter 26 Last week we began what is popularly known as the Passion Narrative, which essentially dominates the remaining chapters of Matthew’s Gospel. The circumstances of leading up to Christ’s execution, burial, resurrection, and the immediate aftermath represents probably the most focused upon portion…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 89, Chapter 26 Continued When we closed our study on Matthew chapter 26 last time, we had been looking at the rather strange act of the common Jewish woman in Bethany that had just poured a great deal of costly perfumed ointment on Christ’s head.…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 90, Chapter 26 Continued 2 We open today with what is known as the very intriguing Last Supper. Clearly from the way in which this event is covered in all the Gospel accounts, each writer sees it as dramatically meaningful for those who love and…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 91, Chapter 26 Continued 3 In our previous study of Matthew chapter 26 we took a careful look at a rather peculiar ceremony that took place at an unknown location within the city walls of Jerusalem, with Jesus and His 12 disciples in attendance. It…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 92, Chapter 26 Continued 4 When we left off last time in Matthew 26, Yeshua had just been identified by Judas and betrayed to the Temple authorities. It was nighttime, a short time after the Last Supper, and so it occurred within the first few…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 93, Chapter 27 Matthew chapter 26 concluded with a mixed group of Jewish religious leadership, representing both the Temple and the Synagogue authorities, gathering at night in an official capacity at the High Priest Caiaphas’s home with one purpose in mind: to find false allegations…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 94, Chapter 27 Continued Verses 11 through 26 in Matthew chapter 27 have been perhaps the chief source for persistent anti-Semitism within our faith; and this has been so for as much as 1800 years. The question these verses have been alleged to deal with…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 95, Chapter 27 Continued 2 As we are nearing the end of our extensive study of Matthew’s Gospel and all that has been revealed about Jesus’s life and teachings along the way, we have arrived at the epic Redemption History milestone that had it’s beginning…

    THE BOOK OF MATTHEW Lesson 96, Chapter 28 END Today, we shall conclude what amounts to a 2-year study of the Gospel of Matthew. Although there are some additional facts and events surrounding Christ’s death, resurrection is far and away the central matter of chapter 28, as it ought to…