I am back with another exciting round of Matthew. In this post Christ lets the Pharisees really have it about not recognizing the divinity of His personage standing before them. These were the spiritual leaders of Israel and their misguided calculations of Him would have serious prophetic consequences for the Jews throughout history as we shall see here.
SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 22 SYNOPSIS:
JESUS SPOKE AGAIN TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND PHARISEES OF THE TEMPLE IN PARABLES —
“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A CERTAIN KING WHICH MADE A MARRIAGE FOR HIS SON, AND SENT SERVANTS TO CALL THEM THAT WERE BIDDEN TO THE WEDDING: AND THEY WOULD NOT COME.
“AGAIN HE SENT FORTH OTHER SERVANTS, SAYING, ‘TELL THEM WHICH ARE BIDDEN OF THE FEAST I HAVE MADE AND TO COME TO THE MARRIAGE.’ BUT THEY MADE LIGHT OF IT AND WENT THEIR WAYS ONE TO HIS FARM, ANOTHER TO HIS MERCHANDISE: AND THE REMAINDER OF THEM TOOK THE SERVANTS AND KILLED THEM.
“BUT THE KING WAS THEN ANGRY, AND SENT FORTH HIS ARMIES TO DESTROY THE MURDERERS, AND BURN UP THEIR CITY.
“THEN THE KING SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, ‘THE WEDDING IS READY, GO INTO THE HIGHWAYS, AND AS MANY AS YOU FIND, BID TO THE MARRIAGE.
“SO THE SERVANTS GATHERED AS MANY AS THEY COULD FIND BOTH BAD AND GOOD: AND THE WEDDING HAD GUESTS.
“WHEN THE KING SAW THE GUESTS, HE SAW A MAN THERE WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT. HE SAID TO HIM, ‘FRIEND, HOW DID YOU GET IN WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT?’
THE MAN WAS SPEECHLESS.
“THE KING SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, ‘BIND HIM HAND AND FOOT AND TAKE HIM AWAY, AND CAST HIM INTO OUTER DARKNESS; THERE SHALL BE WEEPING, AND WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.
“FOR MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN.”
(COMMENTARY: THIS ENTIRE PARABLE IS A PROPHETIC REFERENCE TO THE SPIRITUAL STATUS OF THE JEWS AND HOW THEY REJECTED THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST AS HE CAME AMONG THEM IN THE FLESH. IN THIS PARABLE THE KING IS ACTUALLY GOD. THE SERVANTS ARE THE APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WHICH HAD BIDDEN THE JEWS TO SALVATION IN CHRIST BUT WERE REJECTED. WHERE THE KING BURNS THE CITY IS A PROPHECY OF THE COMING DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE IN 40 YEARS (AD 70, WHERE 500-600 THOUSAND JEWS DIED) AS PART OF THE PUNISHMENT OF THE JEW’S DENIAL OF CHRIST’S DIVINITY AT HIS FIRST COMING. WHEN THE KING ORDERS HIS SERVANTS TO GATHER ALL THE GOOD AND BAD FOR THE WEDDING FEAST THIS IS REFERENCE TO THE HARVEST AT THE END OF THE WORLD WHEN ALL MEN ARE CALLED TO STAND BEFORE CHRIST IN JUDGMENT. THE MAN WITHOUT THE PROPER WEDDING GARMENT IS A USURPER THAT SHOULD HAVE KNOWN TO CLOTH HIMSELF IN CHRIST FOR THE EVENT, PAYING THE ULTIMATE PRICE OF HELL ITSELF.)
THEN THE PHARISEES WENT TO TAKE COUNSEL ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT ENTANGLE CHRIST IN HIS WORDS. THEY SENT OUT THEIR DISCIPLES WITH THE HERODIANS, SAYING, “MASTER, WE KNOW YOU ARE TRUE, AND TEACH GOD IN TRUTH, NEITHER DO YOU HAVE RESPECT OF MEN. TELL US WHAT YOU THINK? IS IT LAWFUL TO GIVE TRIBUTE TO CAESAR, OR NOT?”
JESUS PERCEIVED THEIR WICKEDNESS, AND SAID, “WHY TEMPT ME YOU HYPOCRITES? SHOW ME THE MONEY.”
AND THEY BROUGH HIM A PENNY.
HE SAID TO THEM, “WHOSE IMAGE IS THIS?”
THEY SAID, “CAESAR’S.” THEN HE SAID, “RENDER TO CAESAR THE THINGS WHICH ARE CAESAR’S; AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD’S.”
WHEN THE PHARISEES HEARD THIS THEY MARVELED AND LEFT HIM AND WENT THEIR WAY.
(COMMENTARY: THIS IS REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT CHRISTIANS ARE NOT REBELS, PAYING THEIR TAXES IN OBEDIENCE TO CIVIL LAWS)
THAT SAME DAY JESUS TELLS THE SADDUCEES (WHO DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION) CONCERNING MARRIAGE —
“IN THE RESURRECTION THEY (PEOPLE) NEITHER MARRY, NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE, BUT ARE AS THE ANGELS OF GOD IN HEAVEN.”
(COMMENTARY: THERE WILL BE NO MARRIAGE IN THE RESURRECTION; MANY BIBLE SCHOLARS INTERPRET THIS PASSAGE TO MEAN THERE WILL BE NO MARRIAGES IN HEAVEN, THAT IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY MARRIED ON EARTH IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE FOR YOU. I ADMONISH ALL OF YOU TO MARRY WELL HERE ON EARTH, JUST IN CASE!)
“BUT AS TOUCHING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, HAVEN’T YOU READ THAT WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY GOD TO YOU SAYING, ‘GOD IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD, BUT THE LIVING.'”
WHEN THE MULTITUDE HEARD THIS, THEY WERE ASTONISHED AT HIS DOCTRINE.
WHEN THE PHARISEES HEARD THAT JESUS HAD PUT THE SADDUCEES TO SILENCE, THEY GATHERED TOGETHER
THEN ONE OF THEM, WHICH WAS A LAWYER, ASKED HIM, TEMPTING HIM, SAYING, “MASTER, WHICH IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW?”
JESUS SAID, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT.
“AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.
SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 23 SYNOPSIS
JESUS SPEAKS TO THE MULTITUDE AND TO HIS DISCIPLES, SAYING,
“THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES SIT IN MOSES’ SEAT: WHATEVER THEY BID YOU TO OBSERVE (IN THE LAW), THAT YOU SHOULD OBSERVE AND DO; BUT DO NOT AFTER THEIR WORKS: FOR THEY SAY, AND DO NOT.
THEY PUT HEAVY BURDENS TO BE ON MEN’S SHOULDERS; BUT THEY THEMSELVES WILL NOT MOVE THEM WITH ONE OF THEIR FINGERS ALL THEIR WORKS THEY DO TO BE SEEN OF MEN . . . THEY LOVE THE UPPERMOST ROOMS AT FEASTS, AND THE CHIEF SEATS IN THE SYNAGOGUES, AND GREETINGS IN THE MARKETS, AND TO BE CALLED OF MEN, RABBI, RABBI (MASTER).
“BUT YOU BE NOT CALLED RABBI: FOR ONE IS YOUR MASTER, EVEN CHRIST; AND ALL YOU ARE BRETHREN.” (FOLLOWERS OF JUDAISM PAY ATTENTION!)
“AND CALL NO MAN YOUR FATHER UPON THE EARTH: FOR ONE IS YOUR FATHER, WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.” (CATHOLICS PLEASE PAY ATTENTION HERE!)
“NEITHER BE YOU CALLED MASTERS: FOR ONE IS YOUR MASTER, EVEN CHRIST.” (PAY ATTENTION NEW AGERS AND MARTIAL ARTS STUDENTS!)
“BUT HE THAT IS GREATEST AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT.
“AND WHOSOEVER SHALL EXALT HIMSELF SHALL BE ABASED; AND HE THAT SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED.”
(COMMENTARY: THIS PREVIOUS STATEMENT IS THE GREAT LAW OF THE HUMAN EGO – THE ULTIMATE SOW AND REAP CLAUSE THAT GOVERNS ALL OUR PERSONALITIES! EACH ONE OF US HAS TO STAY IN HUMILITY, SINCE PRIDE GOES BEFORE ANY FALL, AND I HAVE SEEN THIS LESSON MANY TIMES IN MY OWN LIFE!)
“BUT WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! FOR YOU SHUT UP THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AGAINST MEN: FOR YOU NEITHER GO IN YOURSELVES, NEITHER DO YOU ALLOW THOSE WHO ARE ENTERING TO GO IN.
“WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES! FOR YOU DEVOUR WIDOW’S HOUSES, AND FOR A PRETENSE MAKE LONG PRAYERS. THEREFORE YOU WILL RECEIVE GREATER CONDEMNATION.
“WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! FOR YOUR COMPASS SEA AND LAND TO MAKE ONE CONVERT, AND WHEN HE IS MADE, YOU MAKE HIM TWICE THE CHILD OF HELL THAT YOU ARE.
“WOE TO YOU BLIND GUIDES, WHO SAY, WHOEVER SWEARS BY THE TEMPLE, IT IS NOTHING; BUT WHOEVER SWEARS BY THE GOLD OF THE TEMPLE, HE IS OBLIGED TO PERFORM IT.
FOOLS AND BLIND! FOR WHICH IS GREATER, THE GIFT OR THE ALTAR THAT SANCTIFIES THE GIFT?
THEREFORE HE WHO SWEARS BY THE ALTAR, SWEARS BY IT AND ALL THINGS ON IT.
HE WHO SWEARS BY THE TEMPLE, SWEARS BY IT AND BY HIM WHO DWELLS IN IT.
AND HE WHO SWEARS BY HEAVEN, SWEARS BY THE THRONE OF GOD AND BY HIM WHO SITS ON IT.
WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! FOR YOU PAY OF MINT AND ANISE AND CUMMIN, AND HAVE NEGLECTED THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF THE LAW: JUSTICE AND MERCY AND FAITH. THESE YOU OUGHT TO HAVE DONE, WITHOUT LEAVING THE OTHERS UNDONE.
BLIND GUIDES, WHO STRAIN AT A GNAT AND SWALLOW A CAMEL!
(COMMENTARY: YOU NITPICK OVER THE LEAST OF SINS, BUT ENGAGE YOURSELVES IN THE GREATER ONES.)
WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! FOR YOU CLEANSE THE OUTSIDE OF CUP AND DISH, BUT INSIDE THEY ARE FULL OF EXTORTION AND SELF INDULGENCE.
BLIND PHARISEE, FIRST CLEANSE THE INSIDE OF THE CUP AND DISH, THAT THE OUTSIDE OF THEM MAY BE CLEAN ALSO.
“WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! FOR YOU ARE LIKE WHITE SEPULCHERS (TOMBS), WHICH INDEED APPEAR BEAUTIFUL OUTWARDLY, BUT ARE WITHIN FULL OF DEAD MAN’S BONES, AND ALL UNCLEANNESS. EVEN SO YOU ALSO OUTWARDLY APPEAR RIGHTEOUS TO MEN, BUT WITHIN YOU ARE FULL OF HYPOCRISY AND INIQUITY.
“WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! BECAUSE YOU BUILD THE TOMBS OF THE PROPHETS AND ADORN THE MONUMENTS OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
AND SAY, IF WE HAD LIVED IN THE DAYS OF OUR FATHERS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PARTAKERS WITH THEM IN THE BLOOD OF THE PROPHETS. . THEREFORE YOU ARE WITNESSES AGAINST YOURSELVES THAT YOU ARE THE SONS OF THOSE WHICH MURDERED THE PROPHETS.
FILL UP, THEN, THE MEASURE OF YOUR FATHER’S GUILT.
“YOU SERPENTS, YOU GENERATION OF VIPERS, HOW CAN YOU ESCAPE THE DAMNATION OF HELL?
“WHEREFORE, BEHOLD, I SEND TO YOU PROPHETS, AND WISE MEN, AND SCRIBES: AND SOME OF THEM YOU SHALL KILL AND CRUCIFY; AND SOME OF THEM YOU SHALL SCOURGE IN YOUR SYNAGOGUES, AND PERSECUTE THEM FROM CITY TO CITY: THAT UPON YOU MAY COME ALL THE RIGHTEOUS BLOOD SHED UPON EARTH, FROM THE BLOOD OF RIGHTEOUS ABEL TO THE BLOOD OF ZECHARIAH, SON OF BERECHIAH, WHOM YOU MURDERED BETWEEN THE TEMPLE AND THE ALTAR.
ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, ALL THESE THINGS WILL COME UPON THIS GENERATION.
“O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM YOU WHO KILL THE PROPHETS, AND STONE THEM WHICH ARE SENT TO YOU, HOW OFTEN WOULD I HAVE GATHERED YOUR CHILDREN TOGETHER, EVEN AS A HEN GATHERS HER CHICKENS UNDER HER WINGS, AND YOU WOULD NOT!
SEE! YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT TO YOU DESOLATE; I SAY TO YOU, YOU SHALL NOT SEE ME HENCEFORTH, TILL YOU SHALL SAY, ‘BLESSED IS HE THAT COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.’
(COMMENTARY: CHRIST HERE IN THIS CHAPTER REBUKES THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF ISRAEL FOR HAVING NOT RECOGNIZED THE SON OF GOD COME TO THEM IN THE FLESH.
THIS WILL PROVE TO BE A GRAVE CIRCUMSTANCE OF PROPHETIC HISTORY FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL, FOR THEY WILL FACE CALAMITY AFTER CALAMITY, CULMINATING IN THE 20TH CENTURY WITH THE HOLOCAUST, AND GREATER HEINOUS EVENTS SOON TO FOLLOW IN THE FIRST PORTION OF THE 21ST CENTURY, WHICH THEY BRING UPON THEMSELVES.
NO PEOPLE, GOD DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE JEWS! HE ALLOWED EVERYTHING TROUBLESOME TO HAPPEN TO THEM BECAUSE THEY TIED HIS HAND BY NOT OBEYING THE WITNESS OF HIS SON, WHEN HE CAME TO EARTH THE FIRST TIME. THERE IS A UNIVERSAL LAW OF PUNISHMENT IN FORCE!
THE LAWS OF THE NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT STANDS AGAINST THE JEWS WHO DO NOT FOLLOW CHRIST. VERY SOON IN OUR TIME WE WILL SEE THE ARMIES OF THE GENTILES GATHERED AGAINST JERUSALEM. IT WILL HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW SHORT YEARS FROM MY CALCULATIONS OF THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
IN THIS MANNER, GOD WILL ALLOW THESE ARMIES TO PURIFY ISRAEL. 2/3RDS OF ISRAEL WILL BE PURGED (ZECHARIAH 13:8-9). CURRENT POPULATION OF ISRAEL 8.6 MILLION, IF IT HAPPENED TODAY THAT WOULD MEAN 6.45 MILLION DEAD). MANY RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE WILL DIE RIGHT ALONGSIDE THE SPIRITUALLY WICKED IN THIS TIME. THESE RIGHTEOUS ARE EARMARKED TO BECOME MARTYRS.
CHRIST WILL THEN COME TO STOP ALL THE WORLDWIDE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS. THE JEWS WILL THEN KNOW THAT CHRIST WAS AND IS THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, THE KINGS OF KINGS, THE SALVATION OF ALL MANKIND.
THERE WILL BE MORE ELUCIDATION ON THIS WHEN WE GET TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION.)
NEXT—WE CONTINUE WITH MATTHEW CHAPTER 24 AND 25