Category: Matthew

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 & The Pew or the University?

When you think of the seed falling on the path, hard hearts, deaf listeners – who comes to mind?

Agnostics?

Atheists?

Doubters?

Cynics?

Skeptics?

Yes, they have hard hearts, but that isn’t the most vivid and immediate illustration we have in our context – the Pharisees. The hard hearted believed in Yahweh. The hard hearted loved the Old Testament. The hard hearted were zealous worshippers and tithers. The hard hearted were teachers and leaders. The heard hearted were ardently moral and religious.

Beware! The pew may be the best place to bake and harden.

Beware if you think this has never been the condition of your soil (Ephesians 2:1-3).

The hardest of hearts as easily belongs to the legalist in pew as the relativist in the university.

Matthew 12:46-50 & Jesus’ Blood Is Thicker Than Ours

For Jesus, regeneration trumps generation, that is the new birth is bigger than natural birth.

Blood may be thicker than water, but Jesus’ blood is thicker than ours, creating a newer, truer, eternal family. By blood we are all related to Adam, and in Adam we are all guilty and polluted. By His own blood we are now related to Jesus, and in Jesus we are justified and cleansed. In Christ we are adopted. Our primary identity and allegiance is no longer to any earthly family, but a heavenly one.

Matthew 12:38-45 & No Show On Demand

Jesus, unlike many entertainment corporations today, does not offer a show upon demand. When the Pharisees ask for a sign it further reveals their attitude toward the miracle Jesus has just performed (Matthew 12:22, 25). It reveals their attitude toward all of His miracles, their attitude toward Jesus himself. The Pharisees do not need a new sign, they need new hearts, for they cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

And yet Jesus promises them a sign. What does Jesus mean that He will give them no sign except the resurrection? He has give them many signs, and He will perform many more. If we look at some instances of the apostolic preaching of the resurrection where this “evil and adulterous generation” is also mentioned I think we will see what Jesus means (all emphases mine).

[T]his Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.  – Acts 2:23-24

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.  – Acts 3:13-15

For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead,

[B]ecause he [God] has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”  – Acts 17:31

[Jesus] and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,  – Romans 1:4

The resurrection is the vindication of Jesus. It shows the wicked and adulterous generation to be wrong in their opinion concerning Jesus. They kill Him, God raises Him from the dead. And still today the resurrection is the sign that all doubters, skeptics, agnostics, and atheists have to deal with (toward understanding and using the apologetic strength of the resurrection I recommend beginning with The Reason for God, specifically chapter 13).

So to all who ask, “Why on earth doesn’t God do something? Why doesn’t He prove Himself?” We reply that God has indeed on earth done something; in the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ and everything in between, God has indeed on earth done something. To those who ask a sign to validate our message I love the reply of Calvin. When Roman Catholics contended that their miracles authenticate their message, and then asked where the reformers miracles were, Calvin replied:

In demanding miracles of us, they act dishonestly. For we are not forging some new gospel, but are retaining that very gospel whose truth all the miracles that Jesus Christ and His Disciples ever wrought serve to confirm.

Doubters, skeptics, agnostics, and atheists don’t need new signs, they need their eyes open to the signs that are.

Matthew 12:33-37 & Evil Trees Cannot Produce Good Fruit

When Jesus asks the blaspheming Pharisees (Matthew 12:24), “How can you speak good when your hearts are evil?”, he means for us to realize that this is impossible.

But don’t fallen, unregenerate men do good? Yes, in one sense, by God’s common grace, on a horizontal plane, men do “good” things, but on a vertical plane and in the most ultimate sense, all of their acts are evil. Consider pirates.

In a gang of pirates we may find many things that are good in themselves. Though they are in wicked rebellion against the laws of the government, they have their own laws and regulations, which they obey strictly. We find among them courage and fidelity, with many other things that will recommend them as pirates. They may do many things, too, which the laws of government require, but they are not done because the government has so required, but in obedience to their own regulations.”  – W.D. Smith

As fallen, unregenerate men we are pirates, glory thieves, stealing the glory of God and giving it to other things. All of our life is one of idolatry. All behavior flows from the heart. If our actions are not springing from a heart that treasures Christ supremely, something else is being treasured. In doing “good” we are doing a greater evil. We “keep” other commandments only to break the first one (Exodus 20:2). As fallen men we are never truly good, at best we are subdued. We “obey” only when it is convenient to get what we want, only so that we can live to rebel another day.

Where then do the good trees (hearts) come from that bear good fruit; fruit that will serve as evidence of one’s justification (v. 35, 37)? Answer: Regeneration.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.  – Ezekiel 36:26-27

All praise be to Jesus for the good tree that I am and the good fruit I produce.

Matthew 12:22-32 & Kingdom Conquest

Jesus heals a demon oppressed man and the crowds respond with speculation while the Pharisees respond with accusation. The crowd likely speculates because Jesus doesn’t meet their presuppositions. After all of His strong words and mighty miracles they still ask, “Can this be the Son of David?” What did they expect? Who was the Son of David to be?

The Son of David would be God’s Messiah, that is, His Anointed One. Now all the sons of David who served as kings were anointed, but the Messiah (Hebrew), that is, the Christ (Greek), would be the Lord’s Anointed. They were all only shadows, He is the substance. So they are looking for a greater David, someone to free them from political oppression and bring national prosperity. They say they are looking for the Son of David, but they are really looking for another Saul, a king after their own hearts, not God’s. Don’t miss how Jesus in answering the Pharisees’ accusation answers the crowd’s speculation as well.

Jesus says that if He drives out demons by the Spirit of God, and He is arguing that He does, then they must realize that the kingdom of God has come upon them. Jesus is God’s conquering King, and He is advancing, He is binding the strong man and plundering his house. He defeats our greatest foe. When Jesus says He does this “by the Spirit of God” He is saying He is the Lord’s Anointed; that is why the kingdom has come, it is here because the King is here.

Where does Christ achieve decisive victory? At the cross Satan is cast down (John 12:27-34). How does the kingdom advance today? In the preaching of the cross Satan’s kingdom is plundered as blind eyes see, dead hearts beat, and captives are released. The preaching of the cross is not only the power of God unto salvation, it is also the conquest of Satan’s kingdom.

Matthew 12:15-21 & Not Today

The Pharisees are plotting to kill Jesus, and Jesus withdraws; please don’t mistake this as cowardice. Jesus is not afraid of confrontation or conflict. He will continually and boldly expose and challenge the Pharisees pronouncing judgment and warning on them. We will see Jesus repeatedly withdraw when things get this intense, but there is never a hint of fear of man.

After the shootout at the O.K. Corral in the movie Tombstone, as the marshall turns to arrest the Earps and Doc Holliday, Wyatt looks the sheriff in the eye and says, “I don’t think I’ll let you arrest us today.” Jesus is doing something like that here. Every time He withdraws it is as if He is saying, “I’ll let you kill me, but not today. My death will be according to My plan, not yours. It will be My victory, not yours.”

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.  – John 10:17-18

Matthew 12:1-14 & Running by Religion

Most men don’t run from religion, they run by “religion” (please understand the nuanced, pejorative way I am using the word in contrast to true religion). Man’s preferred way to oppose God and His saving grace in Christ is by religion. The more truth mixed with this religion, the more deadly. The Pharisees, unlike the prostitutes, thought they were religious. Religion is the inoculation that causes one to cry out, “Lord, Lord, did we not…!”

What is “religion” in this pejorative sense? Religion is spelled, “d-o”. It’s about what you do. In contrast Christianity is spelled “d-o-n-e”.  It’s about what Jesus has done. Religion is about a law you keep; Christianity is about a grace God gives. Religion builds pride and is for the “wise and understanding”; Christianity humbles and is for “little children”. In religion we ascend to heaven; in Christianity God descends to earth.

Sabbath, that is rest, is not something we work to achieve. Sabbath, for fallen man, has always flowed from redemption (cf. Deuteronomy 5:12-15). This is why the Sabbath is to be a delight (Isaiah 58:13-14); a day of rest and not a burden. We rest because He worked.

Jesus was born of a virgin, He took on human flesh, fully God and fully man He was the God-man; remaining what He was (God), He became what He was not (man). As the God-man He worked; He perfectly kept the law fulfilling all righteousness for us. His obedience climaxed in His willingly going to the cross and drinking the cup of the Father’s wrath against our sins down to the dregs. Now because of His work we have Sabbath.

So in one sense I plead with you to run from religion, that is, run from a reliance on your own good works to achieve any kind of eternal rest. Yes, don’t run by religion, but run from religion. Run from reliance in your good works which are as filthy rags and rely wholly on His good works.

Matthew 11:25-30 & The Joy of Revelation and Redemption

Revelation and redemption go together; they are inseparable. Revelation normally both precedes and follows redemption; and revelation always causes redemption (I am speaking of the application of redemption). Revelation is not simply the imparting of raw data, but the knowledge of a Person (v. 27). Revelation is not something we seize, but something God graciously gives.

Here we see God withholds revelation from the “wise” and gives revelation to little children. The “wise” are those who have a form or worldly wisdom, in opposition to the wisdom that comes from God. It is a wisdom ignorant of God, apart from God, and in opposition to God. Specifically it looks at God’s redemptive revelation and thinks it foolish (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16). So just as the “righteous” in Matthew 9:11-12 are not really righteous, so here the “understanding” don’t understand. They don’t understand for two reasons: sin within, and revelation withheld (Matthew 11:20-24).

It is important to realize that God’s hiding and revealing are not symmetrical. God’s does not hide and reveal in the same way. God positively gives light, but He does not positively give darkness. God’s hiding is an act of judgment on those who do not wish to see; His revealing is an act of grace on those who do not deserve to see. Thus Jesus denounces the cities for their unbelief and praises God for hiding revelation from them. God does not hide revelation from men who are otherwise trying to find Him. No one is trying to find Him (Romans 3:11). God is the predator, we are the prey. If we refuse it is due to darkness within. If we come is is due to light from without.

Revelation as an act of grace is not merited by definition. Grace is undeserved. No one has a right to it. Only judgement is merited. Some get justice, some get mercy, no one gets injustice. The astounding thing is not that God chooses some, but that He chooses any. If we are undeserving, why does God reveal to any at all? Because it is His “good pleasure” (v. 26 NIV). In Luke this is even more apparent as Jesus thanks God rejoicing in the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:21).

Imagine the proudest Father, and the most deluded son. Picture that father who already believes that his son is the next hall of famer even though he is only six years old, and his son who thinks his dad is some genius-millionaire-superhero; and then magnify their delight and delusions to infinity. Then realize that God the Father, and God the Son are like this, yet they never exaggerate the other. The Father’s Son really is perfect, the Son’s Father really can do anything, and they both want you to know it! The Father wants you to be thrilled at His Son, the Son wants you to marvel at His Father, and they send the Holy Spirit to open your eyes. You are saved because God is so happy in Himself. The entire Trinity rejoices in redemptive revelation. You were redeemed in joy, now joy in your redemption.

Matthew 11:20-24 & Jesus’ Love

Jesus’ mighty works call for repentance? This is backwards from how we might normally think of Jesus miracles. Simplistically we may think Jesus’ mighty works only demonstrate His love and compassion.  Certainly it makes no sense to think that Jesus’ cleansing the leper was a demonstration of His wrath, His judgment. He did not condescend thinking, “I’m so angry I want to heal someone.”

We understand acts of judgment calling for repentance like those we see in the Exodus against Egypt and those against Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. The many judgments on Israel throughout the Old Testament called for repentance. Those were mighty acts of judgment, but here, Jesus’ deeds are mighty acts of salvation.

So how is it that Jesus’ cleansing lepers, healing the sick and paralyzed, casting our demons, restoring sight to the blind and speech to the mute, and raising the dead call for repentance? It is because these deeds, while they do demonstrate Jesus’ love and compassion, also evidence His authority; a supreme authority that calls for full and total allegiance. His miracles are a summons to Himself. His miracles are wed to His message, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17).” You may not enjoy the show without submission. You cannot take the benefits of the Christ without the cost of the cross.

We cannot neuter Jesus’ love. It is a holy love, a love that comes with authority, a love that demands. Jesus’ love is love with a backbone. It is a love that would not be loving if this were not so. Jesus doesn’t just love us for the sake of loving us. He does not save us just to save us. He saves us for His glory. We must remember that Jesus is not idolatrous. There is something He loves more than you and me, namely, Himself. Jesus is holy, He is unique, His love is like no other. God is the only being in the universe for whom vanity is a virtue. In upholding the value and worth of His name, Jesus is making much of that which will most satisfy our souls.

Matthew 11:7-19 & True Greatness

Why is John such a big deal? Because Jesus is such a big deal.

If Jesus were only a man the hubris here would be unforgivable. Imagine that you introduce me next time I preach. I then begin my message by saying “Among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than you, for you have introduced me.” No man who says such a thing deserves our admiration. We all have a god complex. We all idolize and worship self, but the person who says such a thing wants everyone to recognize him as god.

With anyone else this is Usain Bolt like egomania, but with Jesus this is legit and loving. If you really see Jesus, you beg for him not to point you to others “greatness”, not even to your own, but to direct your attention only to Him. You don’t care for Jesus to boost your ego. You want Him to lead you away from the shallows of self to the depths of divinity.

Why is John so great? Not because of his person, but because of his office; not because of his character, but because of his function.

How are we greater than John? Not because of our person, but because of our proximity to Jesus. John was greater not because he performed more signs than the prophets before him (John 10:41), nor because he preached a different message.  He was greater because of his proximity to Jesus. We have seen Jesus with greater clarity than John. We have experienced the kingdom to a degree that John never did. We are able to point more clearly to Jesus and with greater understanding say, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

So often Christians want to establish their “greatness” with reference to their work, their giving, their intelligence, their preaching, their gifts, their courage, their discernment. But Jesus unhesitatingly affirmed that even the least believer is greater than Moses or John the Baptist, simply because of his or her ability, living on this side of the coming of Jesus the Messiah, to point him out with greater clarity and understanding than all his forerunners ever could. If we really believe this truth, it will dissipate all cheap vying for position and force us to recognize that our true significance lies in our witness to the Lord Jesus Christ.  – D.A. Carson