IN THIS SERIES, YOUR CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS MIND IS BEING EXPOSED TO KNOWLEDGE THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE TODAY AND IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I TOLD YOU FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS BLOG I WOULD BE OFFERING SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR EARTHLY EXISTENCE.  I HOPE YOU ARE FOLLOWING ALONG IN YOUR KING JAMES OR NKJ VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE. WE CONTINUE WITH THE SYNOPTIC VIEW AND HIGH POINTS OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST IN SAINT MATTHEW.

SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 16 SYNOPSIS:

 THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES CAME TO JESUS DESIRING TO TEMPT HIM TO SEE IF HE WOULD GIVE THEM A SIGN FROM HEAVEN.

HE ANSWERED AND SAID TO THEM,

“WHEN IT IS EVENING, YOU SAY, IT WILL BE FAIR WEATHER: FOR THE SKY IS RED. AND IN   THE MORNING, IT WILL BE FOUL WEATHER TODAY: FOR THE SKY IS RED AND GLOOMY.

O YOU HYPOCRITES, YOU CAN DISCERN THE FACE OF THE SKY; BUT CAN YOU NOT DISCERN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES?”

(COMMENTARY: CHRIST MAKES REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT SINCE HE HAD NOW COME TO EARTH, THE LAST DAYS HAD BEGUN. THE BIGGEST “SIGN OF THE TIMES” (AS PROPHESIED OF IN THEIR OWN RECORDS) WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PHARISEES AND SADUCEES IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST.)

“A WICKED AND ADULTEROUS-GENERATION SEEKS AFTER A SIGN: AND THERE SHALL BE NO SIGN GIVEN UNTO IT, BUT THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET, JONAS (JONAH).” AND CHRIST LEFT THEM.

(COMMENTARY: THIS IS CHRIST MAKING REFERENCE YET AGAIN TO HIS OWN DEATH AND RESURRECTION — THE 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS PROCESS. THE SAME TIME FRAME WHICH JONAH WENT THROUGH IN THE BELLY OF THE WHALE.)

CHRIST WARNED THE DISCIPLES ABOUT THE DOCTRINES OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES.

WHEN JESUS CAME TO THE COASTS OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES,

“WHOM DO MEN SAY THAT I THE SON OF MAN AM?” THEY SAID, “SOME SAY YOU ARE JOHN THE BAPTIST: SOME ELIAS (ELIJAH, THE PROPHET); AND OTHERS JEREMIAH, OR ONE OF THE OTHER PROPHETS.”

HE SAID TO THEM,

“BUT WHOM DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?”

SIMON PETER ANSWERED, “YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”

JESUS ANSWERED,

“BLESSED ARE YOU, SIMON PETER: FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HAS NOT REVEALED IT TO YOU, BUT MY FATHER, WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. AND I SAY ALSO TO YOU, THAT YOU ARE PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.”

(COMMENTARY: THIS IS A WIDELY MISUNDERSTOOD PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH USES THIS SINGLE PASSAGE LOOSELY TO DETERMINE ITS SUPPOSED PREDOMINANCE OVER THE CHRISTIAN WORLD. THEY CLAIM APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION THROUGH PETER — A SUPPOSEDLY UNBROKEN CHAIN OF “POPES” THROUGH PETER AND FORWARD TO FRANCIS. HOWEVER, THROUGH AN EXAMINATION OF THE BIBLE WE SEE NO MENTION OF “POPES” FROM CHRIST’S MOUTH IN THE SCRIPTURES. THE TERM DOES NOT EXIST IN SCRIPTURE AT ALL.

SECONDLY, THIS PASSAGE ABOUT PETER IS A SUBTLE WORD PLAY BY CHRIST.

THE NAME PETER IN GREEK (THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT) IS PETROS, MEANING SMALL ROCK.

CHRIST IS THE CORNERSTONE OR STONE OF ISRAEL. HE IS THE ONLY “ROCK” THE CHURCH WAS BUILT UPON, NOT A MAN. NOW I AM NOT DERIDING THE CATHOLIC PEOPLE HERE, I HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO ARE CATHOLICS. THE DOCTRINAL PROBLEM LIES WITH THE HIERARCHICAL ORGANIZATION THAT TEACHES SUCH INACCURACIES. I WOULD ASK THE CATHOLIC PEOPLE TO DO A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF READILY AVAILABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION WHICH SHOWS THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE (A MURDERER) SET UP THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN A CONSPIRACY FOR POLITICAL GAIN. CLOSE HISTORICAL RESEARCH ON THE LIVES OF CATHOLIC POPES THROUGH THE AGES EASILY SHOWS A REIGN OF TORTURE, AND MURDER THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND THE NEW WORLD THAT WENT ON FOR CENTURIES. THE POPES WERE WILLING PARTNERS OF EUROPEAN IMPERIALIST’S EXPANSIONIST POLICIES. THEIR COMBINED METHODS WERE RUTHLESS. THE CHURCH IN MANY CASES FUNDED THESE MEN AND VICE VERSA.REMEMBER, BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM.)

CHRIST CONTINUES SPEAKING TO PETER —

“AND I WILL GIVE TO YOU THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: AND WHATSOEVER YOU SHALL BIND ON EARTH SHALL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN: AND WHATSOEVER YOU SHALL LOOSE ON EARTH SHALL BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN.”

(COMMENTARY: ONCE AGAIN, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WILL USE THIS PASSAGE TO CLAIM PREDOMINANCE OVER THE CHRISTIAN WORLD.ALL CHRIST WAS SAYING TO PETER WAS THAT HE WAS CONFERRING THE KEYS OR THE PRIESTHOOD OF GOD BY WAY OF THE NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT TO HIM AS THE LEADER OF THE DISCIPLES AFTER CHRISTS DEATH, RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION TO HEAVEN.PETER WOULD CARRY ON AS A SIMPLE LEADER OF THE DISCIPLES. NO POPE, NO POMP. UNDERSTAND? THE PRIESTHOOD POWER FROM CHRIST WOULD ENABLE ALL THE DISCIPLES TO HAVE THE BINDING (SEALING) AND LOOSING POWER OF GOD AS MEN ON EARTH.)

THEN JESUS CHARGED THE DISCIPLES TO TELL NO MAN THAT HE WAS JESUS THE CHRIST.

FROM THAT TIME FORTH, JESUS BEGAN TO SHOW TO HIS DISCIPLES, HOW HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM, AND SUFFER MANY THINGS OF THE ELDERS, CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED AGAIN THE THIRD DAY.

 PETER BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM SAYING, “BE IT FAR FROM YOU, LORD THIS SHALL NOT BE TO YOU.”

BUT JESUS SAID, “GET YOU BEHIND ME, SATAN: YOU ARE AN OFFENSE TO ME: FOR YOU DON’T SAVOUR THE THINGS OF GOD, BUT THOSE THAT ARE OF MEN.”

THEN JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, “IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF (HAVE SELF-MASTERY), AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT: (OR SEEK TO SAVE THEMSELVES AND NOT THROUGH CHRIST). AND WHOSOEVER WILL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT. (FOLLOWING CHRIST MEANT ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN.)

FOR WHAT IS A MAN PROFITED, IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL? OR WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?”

(COMMENTARY: A GOOD QUESTION FOR BILL GATES, GEORGE SOROS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS CHASED THE GRAVY TRAIN WITHOUT CHRIST!)

“FOR THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME IN GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS; AND THEN HE SHALL REWARD EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS.

“VERILY, I SAY TO YOU, THERE BE SOME STANDING HERE, WHICH SHALL NOT TASTE OF DEATH, TILL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN HIS KINGDOM.”

(COMMENTARY: HERE IS A FASCINATING REFERENCE TO MORE THAN ONE OF THE DISCIPLES BECOMING A TRANSLATED BEING THAT WOULD NEVER DIE, BUT LIVE THROUGHOUT THE LAST DAYS TO SEE THE FULFILLMENT OF ALL PROPHECY, TO BE A WALKING HISTORICAL RECORD OF WHAT TRANSPIRED ON EARTH BETWEEN CHRIST’S DEATH, RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, HIS RETURN TO EARTH IN THE MILLENNIUM RIGHT UP TO JUDGMENT DAY. YES PEOPLE! THERE ARE TRANSLATED BEINGS HERE ON EARTH!)

SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 17 SYNOPSIS:

 AFTER 6 DAYS, JESUS TOOK PETER, JAMES AND JOHN, JAMES’ BROTHER, AND BROUGHT THEM UP INTO A HIGH MOUNTAIN ALONE.

JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED  (A GLOWING ENHANCEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL BODY FOR THE BETTER, ESPECIALLY THE FACE) BEFORE THEM AND HIS FACE DID SHINE AS THE SUN, AND HIS CLOTHING WAS WHITE AS THE LIGHT.

AND BEHOLD, THERE APPEARED TO THEM MOSES AND ELIAS (ELIJAH) TALKING WITH HIM.

A BRIGHT CLOUD OVERSHADOWED THEM: AND A VOICE OUT OF THE CLOUD, SAID,

“THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED, HEAR YOU HIM.”

WHEN THE DISCIPLES HEARD IT, THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES TERRIBLY AFRAID.

JESUS CAME AND TOUCHED THEM AND SAID, “ARISE, AND DON’T BE AFRAID.”

WHEN THEY LIFTED UP THEIR EYES, THEY SAW NO MAN, SAVE JESUS ONLY.

AND AS THEY CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN, JESUS CHARGED THEM, SAYING, “TELL THE VISION TO NO MAN, UNTIL THE SON OF MAN BE RISEN FROM THE DEAD.”

(COMMENTARY: ONCE AGAIN CHRIST HAD SOUGHT A REMOTE WILDERNESS PLACE TO COMMUNE WITH GOD—THIS TIME SHARING THE EXPERIENCE WITH 4 OF THE APOSTLES.THESE APOSTLES HAD EXPERIENCED THE POWER OF A VISION QUEST! TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VISION QUEST BE SURE TO GET A COPY OF WILD WILLFUL HEART!)

 HIS DISCIPLES ASKED HIM “WHY THEN DO THE SCRIBES SAY THAT ELIAS MUST FIRST COME?”

JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, “ELIAS TRULY SHALL FIRST COME, AND RESTORE ALL THINGS. BUT I SAY TO YOU, THAT ELIAS IS COME ALREADY, AND THEY KNEW HIM NOT, BUT HAVE DONE TO HIM WHATSOEVER THEY DESIRED. LIKEWISE, SHALL ALSO THE SON OF MAN SUFFER OF THEM.” THEN THE DISCIPLES UNDERSTOOD THAT HE SPOKE TO THEM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

 (COMMENTARY: SOMETIMES ELIAS IS A REFERENCE TO ELIJAH, SOMETIMES TO JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND BIBLE SCHOLARS ALSO SAY IT COULD REFER TO YET ANOTHER UNKNOWN ENTITY OR PERSONAGE.)

AND WHEN THEY CAME UPON THE MULTITUDE, THERE CAME A CERTAIN MAN TO JESUS, KNEELING DOWN TO HIM, SAYING,

“LORD, HAVE MERCY ON MY SON: FOR HE IS A LUNATIC, FOR OFTEN HE FALLS INTO THE FIRE, AND OFTEN INTO THE WATER. AND I BROUGHT HIM TO YOUR DISCIPLES, AND THEY COULD NOT CURE HIM.”

THEN JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, “O FAITHLESS AND PERVERSE GENERATION, HOW LONG SHALL I BE WITH YOU? HOW LONG SHALL I SUFFER YOU? BRING HIM HERE TO ME.”

 AND JESUS REBUKED THE DEVIL; AND HE DEPARTED OUT OF HIM: AND THE CHILD WAS CURED.

THEN THE DISCIPLES ASKED HIM, “WHY COULD WE NOT CAST HIM OUT?”

JESUS SAID TO THEM, “BECAUSE OF YOUR UNBELIEF: FOR VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU IF YOU HAVE FAITH AS A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED, YOU SHALL SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, REMOVE HENCE TO YONDER PLACE; AND IT SHALL REMOVE; AND NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO YOU.

HOWBEIT THIS KIND DOESN’T GO OUT BUT BY PRAYER AND FASTING.”

(COMMENTARY: JESUS MAKES REFERENCE THAT SOME DEMONS ARE SO POWERFUL THAT ONE MUST PRAY AND FAST TO REMOVE THEM FROM A PERSON. THIS IS A GOOD REASON FOR EVERYONE TO BE A CHRISTIAN IN THIS LIFE —THOSE THAT LIVE A FULL LIFE WILL LIKELY RUN INTO DEMONIC ACTIVITY AT SOME POINT. THOSE WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS HAVE NOTHING TO FIGHT THE DEMONIC WORLD AND ARE WIDE OPEN TO WILLFUL DESTRUCTION AT THEIR HANDS 24/7.

AND WHILE THEY ABODE IN GALILEE, JESUS SAID TO THEM, “THE SON OF MAN SHALL BE BETRAYED INTO THE HANDS OF MEN: AND THEY SHALL KILL HIM, AND THE THIRD DAY HE SHALL BE RAISED AGAIN.” (CHRIST SPEAKS OF HIS NEAR FUTURE.)

AND THEY (THE DISCIPLES) WERE EXCEEDINGLY SORRY.

AND WHEN THEY CAME TO CAPERNAUM, THE TAX COLLECTORS CAME TO PETER SAYING, “DOES YOUR MASTER PAY TRIBUTE?”

HE SAID, “YES.” WHEN PETER CAME INTO THE HOUSE, JESUS SPOKE TO HIM SAYING, “WHAT DO YOU THINK, SIMON? OF WHOM DO THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TAKE CUSTOM OR TRIBUTE? OF THEIR OWN CHILDREN, OR OF STRANGERS?”

PETER SAID, “OF STRANGERS.”

JESUS SAID TO HIM, “THEN ARE THE CHILDREN FREE. NOTWITHSTANDING, LEST WE SHOULD OFFEND THEM, GO TO THE SEA, AND CAST A HOOK, AND TAKE UP THE FIRST FISH THAT COMES UP, OPEN HIS MOUTH AND YOU WILL FIND A PIECE OF MONEY; TAKE IT TO THEM FOR YOU AND I.”

NEXT— WE CONTINUE WITH THE AMAZING RECORD OF JESUS CHRIST FROM MATTHEW!