Bible in one year on 1/10/2022 Matthew Chapter 23-24 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Bible in one year on 1/10/2022 Matthew Chapter 23-24

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries:Biblical precepts & Gospel music; pastoral ministry & counseling

 

Chapter 23 concerning the Pharisees 23:1-36

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.(Matt.23:1-4)

Everything they do is done for men to see: they make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them “Rabbi.” But you are not be called “Rabbi”, for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth “father” , for you have one Father, and He is in heaven. Nor are you to be called “teacher,” for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (vv.5-12).

Phylacteries.(v.5) A phylactery was a square leather box containing four strips of parchment on which were written Deut.11:13-21, Deut.6:4-9, Ex.13:11-16, and Ex.13:1-10. During prayer one was worn on the forehead between the eyebrows and another on the left arm close to the elbow. They were held in place by leather bands, which the Pharisees made broad to attract more attention to themselves. The custom was based on Ex.13:9,16; Deut.6:8;11:18, though phylacteries had only begun to be used by the ultrapious in Christ’s day. Christ criticizes not the custom itself but the spirit that corrupted it. 

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness. (v.23)

 

Chapter 24 the predictions of the king

The destruction of the Temple 24:1-2,

“Jesus left the temple and was walking away when `His disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. Do you see all these things? He asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.”

The disciples’ questions,  

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us, “They said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (v.3).

The Mount of Olives, just E. of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. In this discourse Jesus answered two of the three questions the disciples asked. He does not answer “when will this happen?” He answers” what will be the sign of your coming?” in vv.29-31, and He speaks of the signs of the end of the age in vv.4-28. Verses 4-14 list characteristics of the first half of the Tribulation period, while vv.15-28 deal with the second half.

The signs of the End of the Age (24:4-28)

Jesus answered:

“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Christ” and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against Kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At the time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matt.24:4-14)

So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel- let the reader understand –then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ….(vv.15-16)

At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or “there he is!” do not believe it, for false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect –if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tell you, “there He is, out in the desert,” do not go out or, “Here He is, in the inner room” do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.(vv.23-28)

The Sign of His coming (Matthew 24: 29-31)

Immediately after the distress of those days “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (vv.29-31)

…Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (v.35).

The days of Noah,

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.(vv.36-39)

The faithful houseowner

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time on night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.(vv.42-44)

 

 

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.