Bible Study series: Matthew 24:36-44. He now shifts topics to his glorious, age-ending Second Coming, which has not yet happened but is still a future event, after two thousand years (and counting).
Bible Study series: Matthew 24:1-35. This coming is not his glorious Second Coming, which has not happened yet. No. This coming took place when he said it would: his generation. Rome destroyed the city and its temple in A.D. 70. It would have been strange if he had not predicted such a monumental and shattering event in the religion of Moses.
Bible Study series: Matthew 23:37-39. In the next chapter he is about to predict its destruction. He is saddened by their missed opportunity and God’s coming judgment on the city and its temple, in Jesus’s generation
Bible Study series: Matthew 23:13-36. This is extremely strong language against the religious leaders in Jerusalem. But he was speaking the truth.
Bible Study series: Matthew 23:1-12. Don’t obsess over titles. “The one who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Bible Study series: Matthew 22:41-46. Jesus is greater than his ancestor David.
Bible Study series: Matthew 22:34-40. An expert in the law asked which commandment is the greatest. He gave two and ranked them, first and second.
Bible Study series: Matthew 22:23-33. “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God,” That was a serious charge against the Sadducees.
Bible Study series: Matthew 22:15-22. His reply never fails to impress me. It was the wisdom from the Father by the anointing of the Spirit. His own high intelligence also assisted him.
Bible Study series: Matthew 22:1-14. The parable predicts the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple establishment. Then ordinary Jews and Gentiles will be included in the new community.
Bible Study series: Matthew 21:33-46. Another shot at the Jerusalem and temple establishment. This was God’s plan–to get his Son on the cross to die for the sin of the world. His Son spoke only the truth, which was enough to fulfill this plan.
Bible Study series: Matthew 21:28-32. Once again, this parable is directed at the Jerusalem and temple establishment. God will build a new community, not of the high and mighty or religious elites, but of the lowly and needy.
Bible Study series: Matthew 21:23-27. He challenged them right back.
Bible Study series: Matthew 21:18-22. It’s another sign or visual statement directed at the Jerusalem and temple establishment. Mustard seed faith is taught in this post..
Bible Study series: Matthew 21:14-17. The Father backed up his Son with divine authority and miracles.
Bible Study series: Matthew 21:12-13. It was in the temple precincts, not the temple proper. It was another sign, a statement, against the Jerusalem and temple establishment.
Bible Study series: Matthew 21:1-11. The people shout their approval and are glad to see him.
Bible Study series: Matthew 20:29-34: “Moved with compassion, he touched their eyes, and instantly they recovered their sight and followed him.”
Bible Study series: Matthew 20:20-28. Their mother was way off.
Bible Study series: Matthew 20:17-19. He is about to enter Jerusalem, where he will live out his prediction.
Bible study series: Matthew 20:1-16. Sometimes it is titled Parable of the Workers.
Bible Study series: Matthew 19:16-30. What was he willing to give up, if anything?
Bible Study series: Matthew 19:13-15. All people should do the same. This exhortation follows the teaching on divorce. Continue reading
Bible Study series: Matthew 19:1-12. Marriage is a covenant. His teaching on divorce is designed to protect women in an easy-divorce society. A quick summary of his healing ministry is included.
Bible Study series: Matthew 18:21-35. If you don’t forgive, God won’t forgive you. This parable comes right after the church discipline and reconciliation process (vv. 15-20). Everyone must be willing to forgive.
Bible Study series: Matthew 18:15-20. This sequence of steps is for Christians in the community. Leaders who sin have another process they have to go through.
Bible Study series: Matthew 18:10-14. Jesus is willing to get the one that is lost, when it is in danger.
Bible Study series: Matthew 18:7-9. A severe image is used, not to be taken literally.
Bible Study series: Matthew 18:1-6. Don’t promote yourself. Humble yourself.
Bible Study series: Matthew 17:24-27. Jesus’s Father owned the temple, yet Jesus decided to pay it, to not give any needless offense to the Jerusalem and temple establishment and the people.
Bible Study series: Matthew 17:22-23. This time Peter did not rebuke him. All of the disciples had a different reaction.
Bible Study series: Matthew 17:14-20. The disciples could not expel it. They needed further instruction.
Bible Study series: Matthew 17:1-13. This is a glimpse of the Son of God in his heavenly glory.
Bible Study series: Matthew 16:21-28. Jesus understood his mission. Peter did not. “Let him deny himself and pick up his cross and follow me.”
Bible Study series: Matthew 16:13-20. What does it mean that Jesus will build his church on “this rock”? What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Continue reading
Bible Study series: Matthew 16:5-12. Yeast is a metaphor for …. What? Continue reading
Bible Study series: Matthew 16:1-4. But Jesus told them of an unexpected sign.
Bible Study series: Matthew 15:32-39. Jesus’s miracles had a purpose: to help people in practical ways. He did not perform them just to show off. That’s too dangerous, for deceivers, later on, could exploit people (e.g. gold dust and “angel” feathers).
Bible Study series: Matthew 15:29-31. “Then the numerous crowds came to him, having with them the crippled, blind, lame, mute, and many others, and they placed them at his feet, and he healed them.”
Bible Study series: Matthew 15:21-28. Fear and desperation must turn into faith in Jesus and his heart for people’s need.
Bible Study series: Matthew 15:1-20. Scripture always take first place. Traditions must submit to it.
Bible Study series: Matthew 14:34-36. He drew large crowds, not only because he fed them. He also healed them. They touched the edge of his garment and were healed. Reach out in faith.
Bible Study series: Matthew 14:22-33. Peter got scared and lost his faith in Jesus. He took his eyes off of him.
Bible Study series: Matthew 14:13-21. This was a large-scale miracle. Its purpose was to help people.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:1-12. He was martyred for his righteousness and fearless preaching.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:53-58. They could not understand why he got so famous and worked miracles and taught with authority. Who does he think he is? His brothers are named in this passage.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:51-52. Educated disciples can bring out old and new treasures.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:47-50. Please be sure that you are a true citizen of the kingdom because people who seem to be in the kingdom actually cause sin and practice lawlessness. Angels will make the final determination.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:44-46. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. You have to give up all you have to get the better thing.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:36-43. As noted in the companion post, leave judgment of the world up to God. Don’t cut down the weeds that look like wheat. You may damage the wheat.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:34-35. The hidden things are now being revealed to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:31-33. The kingdom of God expands slowly, as it rescues people from the kingdom of darkness. Each redeemed life represents kingdom expansion.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:24-30. We must leave judgment of the world in God’s hands. Let’s not presume to judge worldly people before God’s time.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:18-23. Now we come to the interpretation. We need to see ourselves in the parable. Continue reading
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:10-17. You have to dig for the answers, showing your hunger for the kingdom. You must also have humility.
Bible Study series: Matthew 13:1-9. Where is your heart? Hard? Prepared? Let’s see.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:46-50: The title reflects the natural reading. He really did have brothers.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:43-45. The house that has been swept clean must be filled with the Spirit and the word.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:38-42. He did not grant their request, but told them of another prophet and his sign.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:31-37. Jesus also discusses the blasphemy of the Spirit.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:22-30. He bound or tied up Satan. Now we followers of Jesus can walk in victory, in his name.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:15-21. In the previous section, the Pharisees were plotting to destroy him. Matthew writes, however, that Jesus is the Chosen Servant, chosen by God.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:9-14. He has a successful healing ministry because he was the Anointed One, the Spirit was on him, and the Father directed him.
Bible Study series: Matthew 12:1-8. Did they really break the Sabbath or just the traditions built around it, functioning like a wall to protect it?
Bible Study series: Matthew 11:28-30. These are the three most beloved verses in all the Bible, so I approach them with humility and even fear and trembling. Wonderful.
Bible Study series: Matthew 11:25-27. Jesus reveals his Father to those who are hungry. He is still doing this revelation ministry today, from his throne in heaven.
Bible Study series: Matthew 11:20-24. If you reject Jesus, you put your soul in peril. The same goes for entire towns.
Bible Study series: Matthew 11:1-19. John was in prison. He has room for doubt. Jesus reassured him.
Bible Study series: Matthew 10:40-42. Missionaries deserve the utmost respect.
Bible Study series: Matthew 10:34-39. It’s time to count the cost, in Jewish and Muslim families.
Bible Study series: Matthew 10:26-33. You have to get the right perspective. People can harm the body but do nothing to the soul.
Bible Study series: Matthew 10:16-25. Get ready. You will be misunderstood and even persecuted when you preach the gospel in a hostile religious environment.
Bible Study series: Matthew 10:1-15. The apostles will eventually go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matt. 28:18-20)
Bible Study series: Matthew 9:27-31. The two men cried out for mercy. Jesus asked them what they wanted. They had to say it. This took place near the Lake of Galilee, up north.
Bible Study series: Matthew 9:18-26. Two females in need, and he helps both of them. Wonderful.
Did Matthew get things wrong (23:35)? There is a mystery here to be solved.
Bible Study series: Matthew 9:14-17. God is doing a new thing.
Bible Study series: Matthew 9:9-13 Jesus associated with tax collectors. Why not call one of them, under the Father’s guidance?
Bible Study series: Matthew 9:1-8. Jesus can forgive sins.
Bible Study series: Matthew 8:28-34. Jesus traveled out of his way to set them free.
Bible Study series: Matthew 8:23-27. It’s time to trust, when Jesus is with you.
Bible Study series. Matthew 8:18-22. Enthusiasm is great, but can you count the cost?
Bible Study series: Matthew 8:14-17. Another summary about Jesus’s healing ministry. Matthew quotes Isaiah 53:4. He carried our diseases.
Bible Study series: Matthew 8:5-13. The centurion’s faith shocked him.
Bible Study series: Matthew 8:1-4. Jesus healed everyone needing healing and who approached him.
Bible Study series: Matthew 7:24-29. Will you obey his words or hear them and then do as you please?
Bible Study series: Matthew 7:15-23. You can prophesy and work miracles in huis name but not know the Lord. “Depart from me! I never knew you!” We can know them by their fruit.
Bible Study series Matthew 7:13-14. Kingdom citizens enter through the narrow gate and walk on the straight and narrow path
Bible Study series: Matthew 7:7-12. Prayer must be persistent. And we must do good to people. There is a connection.
Bible Study series: Matthew 7:1-6. This must be read in context. And be sure not to throw priceless things before swine or holy things before dogs.
Bible Study series: Matthew 6:25-34. The Sermon on the Mount is about reorienting our perspective to things above. These verses are a perfect summary of this goal.
This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:7-11. Never give up on prayer, until God tells you to stop praying for something. But he is willing to give his Son’s disciples good things.
Bible Study series: Matthew 6:24. Who is your Lord? Do you have money or does money have you?
Bible Study series: Matthew 6:22-23. Make sure you look at the light (= truth = Christ’s message) of the gospel.
Bible Study series: Matthew 6:19-21. Store up treasures in heaven. Don’t be greedy for treasure on earth. Hyper-prosperity teachers cannot like these verses. They shall have their rewards down here on earth, but nothing in the new heavens and earth.
Bible Study series: Matthew 6:16-18. Don’t appear to be fasting. Don’t show off.
Bible Study series. Matthew 6:5-15. Lord’s Prayer. No need to decree, which removes God from your Christian life. You ignore your Father in heaven and take matters into your own hands. No. Instead, Jesus taught us to pray to our holy and loving Father.
Bible Study series: Matthew 6:1-4. Giving generously in secret is the right way. Be careful about trumpeting your giving. You’ll lose your reward.
Bible Study series: Matthew 5:43-48. Kingdom citizens are called to a higher ethic. Don’t command the unbelieving world to do this, unless you can persuade a willing person.
Bible Study series: Matthew 5:38-42. It’s about a generous heart, surrendered to the Father. Don’t over-apply the basic principle with rigid literalness.
Bible Study series: Matthew 5:33-37. Multiplying words can be detrimental at final judgment.
It’s time to put an end to a church leader accused of abuse from manipulating Matthew 18. He wants the victim of his abuse to confront him one on one, alone.
Scripture: Matthew 5:31-32. He teaches this to protect women from easy divorcism.
Bible Study series: Matthew 5:27-30. He was reworking the sixth and tenth commandments of the Ten Commandments
Bible Study Series: Matthew 5:21-26. This is the first of the six antitheses. “You have heard it said … but I tell you.” They actually intensify and clarify the Torah, in kingdom relationships, person to person.
Bible Study Series: Matthew 5:17-20. He did not come to abolish it, but what does ‘fulfill’ mean?
Bible Study Series: Matthew 5:13-16. Without our good works and giving flavor to the good news, the world would be even more lost than it is.
Bible Study Series: Matthew 5:1-12. These are the beatitudes. They describe how kingdom citizens can live the true blessed life (not the popular book of this title).
Bible Study Series: Matthew 4:23-25. Jesus ministered to them with strength and compassion. He healed them.
Bible Study Series: Matthew 4:18-22. How did they respond? How about you?
Bible Study Series: Matthew 4:12-17. His message was simple and clear.
Bible Study series: Matthew 4:1-14. The Spirit led Jesus out into the wilderness to fast and then encounter Satan. Jesus defeated him. On the third temptation, he told Satan to go. He left (for a season).
Bible Study series: Matthew 3:13-17. John the Baptist baptizes his relative Jesus, and Father God declare his delight and love for his Son. I wonder how much God loves you and me.
Bible Study series: Matthew 3:1-13.John was a ferocious prophet. What can we learn from him in our lives today?
Bible Study series: Matthew 2:19-23. Joseph obeys God. How are we in obedience to God?
Bible Study series: Matthew 2:16-18. How are you at handling human-caused evil? Do you blame God or people?
Bible Study Series: Matthew 2:13-15. How do we interpret dreams from God?
Bible Study series: Matthew 2:1-12. Like Pharoah indirectly attacked baby Moses, Herod attacks baby Jesus.
Bible Study series: Matthew 1:18-25. Mary and Joseph get engaged–betrothed is a better word.
Bible Study series. Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17. This list of names at first glance appears irrelevant to our lives. But a closer look reveals it is relevant.
Bible Study series. Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17. This post is for your personal Bible study or your small group. How do we apply this section of Scripture to our lives?
Bible Study series: Matthew 1:1-17. It may be hard to believe, but we can learn so much from a genealogy, particularly Matthew’s.
You can certainly pray this prayer word for word if you like. But other interpreters say we should base our prayers on each line, but put our prayer in our own words. That is, it’s a model prayer.
Did Jesus indirectly endorse same-sex marriage by his silence on it? I teach briefly and realistically on sex in this post, so immature readers should not click on it. Parallel passages in Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospel are looked into here.
What about eunuchs in Matthew 19:10-12? Does the Bible endorse trans surgery? Does being “born” a eunuch imply same-sex attraction?
That’s a puzzling verse, spoken when Jesus commissioned his twelve disciples to go out on a short-term mission trip and then come back. It seems as though the Second Coming will happen before they preach in all the towns of Israel. Was Jesus a failed prophet? How do we solve this problem?
Was Jesus a failed prophet? Matt. 16:28, Mark 9:1, and Luke 9:27 say that some standing there with Jesus would not experience death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. How can that be true, when the Second Coming has not happened in the past two thousand years (and counting)? The answer will surprise you because it goes beyond the “standard” one.
Was Jesus a failed prophet? Critics seem to think so because he told Caiaphas the high priest and the Sanhedrin (the highest court and council of Judaism) that they would see him coming, sitting in clouds of glory.
Are you prepared for final judgment?
This parable is often titled Parable of the Talents. Are you a productive kingdom citizen?
What kind of disciple are you? Wise or foolish? Are you prepared for the Second Coming?
Will you be faithfully serving God in your life when Jesus comes back? Will you do his will to the very end? If so, rewards are coming.
You have to be invited into the kingdom. God’s call to come in is going out to you right now.
The temple establishment and religious leaders get their comeuppance, in contrast to the commoners and expendables.
This is a story about God’s generosity. Do new converts get more grace than long-serving Christians, or does everyone get an equal amount of grace?
Those two verses say that “many” bodies of holy people who had “fallen asleep” (i.e. died) were raised from their tombs and entered Jerusalem and appeared to many. Is this fact or pious fiction?
This parable will be a challenge for some of us. You must forgive, or your Father in heaven won’t forgive you. Serious!
Three options can solve the puzzle. Scriptures: Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10.
The critics have such disrespect and low regard for the Gospels that they believe Matthew actually wrote that Jesus straddled two animals during his triumphal entry. But maybe a Greek noun and a pronoun can clarify the problem for openminded readers,
Once again, the hostile critics pounce on Matthew’s perfectly legitimate and culturally acceptable use Old Testament themes and words.
We need the New Testament and the Old Testament.
Did Matthew commit an error? What does this mean for inerrancy, if he did? If ….
Wow. Now we have entered the realm of nitpicking to the nth degree. We have to move grains of sand one at a time with tweezers.
After God’s great harvest, you will be judged. Are you a follower of Jesus? Are you found in union with him or away from him?
There are definitely differences in the three accounts of Jairus’s daughter being raised from the dead, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But do these differences blind us to the central truth of the story?
Are the four Gospel writers all that clumsy, or do they employ the story teller’s art to narrate the story of these disciples from the writers’ own point of view?
If you have to, sell everything you have to get into the kingdom. Don’t let your possessions prevent you.
Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. The second and third temptations were switched in Luke Gospel from the sequence in Matthew’s Gospel. Hostile critics and readers pounce on the differences and conclude that the Gospel are unreliable. Are the critics right?
Don’t miss out on the kingdom of God. Dig for it.
Did Matthew really believe that baby Jesus was never circumcised?
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 