Bible in one year Matthew 7-8
By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts
& Gospel music/ Pastoral ministry & Counseling
Jesus' teaching in relation to judging 7:1-5
Do not
judges or you too will be judged! For in the same way you judge others, you will
be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look
at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank
in your own eye?” How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out
of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You
hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Jesus' teaching in relation to prudence, 7:6
Do not give dogs
what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample
them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Jesus' teaching in relation to prayer, 7:7-11
Ask
and it will be given to you, seek and the door will be opened to you. For
everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door
will be opened.
Which of you, if
his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will
give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good
gifts to those who ask him!
So in everything,
do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and
the Prophets.
Jesus' teaching -the proof of kingdom life 7:13-29
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. (vv.13-14)
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear goof fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (vv.15-20)
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you, away from me, you evildoers!”(vv.21-23)
Therefore,
everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a
wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the stream
rose and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because
it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine
and does not put them into practice is like a foolish many who built his house
on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat
against that house and it fell with a great crash. (vv.24-27).
When Jesus had
finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching because he
taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.(v.29).
In these verses notice the two ways (vv.13-14), two trees (vv.15-20), two professions (vv.21-23), and two builders (vv.24-29), the two ways was a common teaching method in Judaism and Greco-Roman philosophy.
In verse
22 mentions demons. There is only one devil (Satan), but there are many
demons. The demons are those angels who sinned with Satan by following him when
he revolted against God. Some are confined (2Pet.2:4), but many are active in the
world (Matt.12:43-45), they seek to thwart the purposes of God (Eph.6:11-12);
they promote their own system of doctrine (1Tim.4:1); they can inflict diseases
(Matt.9:33) and possess the bodies of men and of animals (Matt.4:24; Mark5:13)
Rock (v.24) does not refer to Christ but to His wise
Word. The Word that reveals the will of His Father who is in the heavens. The
living and work of the kingdom people must be founded on the Word of the new
King for the accomplishing of the will of the heavenly Father. This is to enter
in through the narrow gate and walk the constricted way that leads to life.
The rain (v.25) which descends
from the heavens is of God; the rivers, which come from the earth, are of man;
and the winds, which blow from the air, are of Satan. All these will test the
living and work of the kingdom people. The house built on the rock, a house
that does not fall, is like the work that is built with gold, silver and
precious stones, a work that can stand the testing fire (1Cor.3:12-13).
Sand (v.26) refers to human
concepts and natural ways. If we live and work according to our human concepts
and natural ways, our living and work will be founded on sinking sand. This is
to enter in through the wide gate and walk the broad way that leads to
destruction. The house built on sand, a house that falls , is like the work
that is built with wood, grass, and stubble, a work that will be burned by the
testing fire. However, the builder himself will be saved (1 Cor.3:12-15).
Chapter 8 the proof of the King, Exhibit: Power 8:1-34
When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds
followed him. A man with leprosy came
and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me
clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing.” He said.
“Be clean!” immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell
anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded,
as a testimony to them.”
The first class of people saved by the kingly
Savior to be the people of the kingdom is represented by a leper. According to
the examples in the Scriptures, leprosy
results from rebellion and disobedience. Moses’ sister Miriam became leprous
because of her rebellion against God’s deputy authority (Num.12:1-10) Naaman’s
leprosy was cleansed because of his obedience (2Kings5:1, 9-14). All fallen human beings have become leprous in the eyes
of God because of their rebellion. The Kingly Savior came to save men from
their rebellion and to cleanse them for their leprosy that they might become
His kingdom people. The leper worshipped the new King and called Him “Lord”,
recognizing that He is the Lord God. In reality the new King is Jehovah the
Savior –Jesus. According to the law, a
leper was to be isolated from the people because of his uncleanness. No one was
allowed to touch him (Lev.13:45-46). But the new King, as a man and as the
kingly Savior, touched this leper. What mercy and sympathy! By His one touch,
his leprosy was immediately cleansed. What wonderful cleansing. The new King
told the cleansed leper that for his cleansing he should continue to do things
according to the regulations of the old law, because the transitional period
still remained, the old law having not yet been fulfilled by His redeeming
death.
Power over distance-Jesus healed a centurion’s servant
who paralyzed at home 8:5-13
When Jesus
had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking
for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and
in terrible suffering.” Jesus
said to him, “I will go and heal him.” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not
deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant
will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers
under me. I tell this one, “go” and he goes; and that one, “come” and he comes.
I say to my servant, “Do this” and he does it.
When Jesus heard this, he was astonished
and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found
anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the
east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be
thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you
believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Centurion. A
roman army officer who commanded one hundred men. The leper in vv.2-4
represents the Jews, whereas the centurion
in vv.5-13 represents the Gentiles. Before
God, the Jews had become leprous,
unclean, because of their rebellion and disobedience, whereas the Gentiles had become paralyzed, dead in
function, because of their sinfulness. The
kingly Savior came first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles (Acts3:26;13:46; Rom.1:16;11:11)
The believing Jews were saved by His
direct touch (v.3), whereas the
believing Gentiles are saved through faith in His word.(vv.8,10,13). The centurion, a Gentile, recognized the authority of
the kingly Savior and realized that His word had the authority to heal. Thus,
he believed not only in the kingly savior but also in His word, asking Him not
to go in person but only to speak the word. This was stronger faith, and it was
marveled at by the Savior. (v.10). This indicates that the Gentiles will
participate in the gospel of the kingdom.(Eph.3:6,8; Gal.2:8-9; Rom.1:13-16).
This refers to the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. In the
manifestation of the kingdom the overcoming Gentile believers will feast with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Power over disease-
Jesus healed a fever 8:14-17
When Jesus came
into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He
touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on
him. When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and
he drove out the spirits with a WORD and HEALED all the sick. This was to
fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our
diseases.”
Peter’s mother-in-law in vv.14-15 represents
the Jews living at the end of this age, who will be saved by receiving the
kingly Savior (Rom.11:25-26). At that time, during the great tribulation, the
Jews in the eyes of God will be “in fever” (v.14), “hot” in things other than God. After the fullness of the salvation of the Gentiles, the kingly
Savior will come back to this remnant of the Jews that they may be saved (Rom.11:25-26; Zech.12:10). Peter’s mother –in-law was healed in Peter’s house. At the end of this age all the remnant of
the Jews will be saved in the house of Israel. Furthermore, they will be
saved by the kingly Savior’s direct touch (v.15), as was the Jewish leper (v.3).
Many who were demon possessed and all
those who were ill represent all the people on earth in the millennium. The
millennium is the last dispensation of the old heaven and old earth. In the
millennium the power to cast out demons and heal illnesses will be manifested
to the uttermost. Hence, all the demon-possessed and all the sick will be
healed. Such extensive power is the power of the coming age (Heb.6:5). The
casting out of demons and the healing of the sick in this age are only a
foretaste of the extensive power of the coming age. The signs record in vv.2-17
bear a dispensational significance and show the coming kingdom in miniature.
All healings accomplished on fallen people are a result of the Lord’s
redemption. On the cross He took away or infirmities, bore our diseases, and
accomplished full healing for us. However, in this age the application of this
divine healing power can be only a foretaste to us; in the coming age we will
experience the full taste.
Power over disciples- called to follow Son of Man 8:18-22
When Jesus saw the
crowd around him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a
teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever
you do.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to
lay his head.” Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my
father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Power over the deep- Jesus rebuked the winds and the
waves 8:23-27
Then he got into
the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came
up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to
drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so
afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and
it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is
this? Even the winds and the waves obey him.
Power over the demons-Jesus healed two demon-possessed
men 8:28-34
When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. What do you want with us, Son of God? They shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “ If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” He said to them, “Go! So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the sleep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleased with him to leave their region.
The King called Himself the Son
of Man (v.20), but the demons called Him the Son of God, tempting Him to deviate from His standing as the Son of Man. Before the time implies that God has appointed a time for
the demons to be tormented and that the demons know that time, which will be
after the millennium and for eternity. This is was the King’s authoritative
order, and the demons obeyed it. The King complied with the demons’ entreaty and
allowed them to enter into the hogs because hogs are unclean in the eyes of God
(Lev.11:7). The hogs would not tolerate being possessed by the demons, and they
rushed into the sea. The demons consented because the water is their lodging
place (12:43-44). The people of the city, having lost their hogs, rejected the
King. They wanted their unclean hogs but did not want the King of the heavenly kingdom.
They probably were Gentiles. They rejected the heavenly King because of their
unclean way of making a living.
Bibliography,
Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.)
Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.
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