Monday, October 22, 2012

Harmony of the Gospels


146. David’s son and Lord- Matthew 22:41-46, Mark 12:35-37, Luke 20:41-44

 

-In the Temple area Jesus asks the question to the Pharisees and all gathered around what they thought about the Christ and whose Son He was. When they replied that He was the Son of David, Jesus takes the opportunity to show them that the Messiah was actually David’s Lord as David wrote in the Spirit in Psalms 110:1. They were stunned and silenced by the Word’s of Jesus on this point and dared not ask Him anymore questions for they realized His mastery of the Scriptures and His wisdom. He had passed every test they could hurl at Him and then some. He attempted to teach them properly theology so that they might recognize Him as Lord and Savior themselves, but sadly most of them never accepted Him for fear of man and being cast out of the synagogue. They missed the King and His Kingdom to keep tradition and follow misguided teachers and leaders. *Application* Do you realize who Jesus actually is? Do you accept Him as the Lord and Savior of the universe, God’s only begotten Son with whom He is well pleased to give as a sacrifice for our redemption and reconciliation with Himself? Trust in Christ for salvation today if you have not already. The time will come when it will be too late and the day of your visitation will be over. Behold today is the day of decision (Isaiah 49:8; 55:6, 2 Corinthians 6:2).

 

Verse to Memorize- Matthew 22:44

 

147. Woes of the Pharisees and the Scribes- Matt. 23:1-37, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:45-47

 

-Jesus goes into a long discourse, which Matthew delineates to a far greater extent than Mark or Luke, on the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who are blind and very prideful with exterior showings of righteous, but inwardly so vile and corrupt in their agendas and motivations. They love the recognition of being considered great, but do not practice what they preach. Jesus teaches that we only have One Father and Teacher, who is the LORD, and we are all brothers (sisters can be included here as well). We must humble ourselves to be exalted by God, which the scribes and Pharisees could not understand because of their blind pride. They manipulated the Law for their gain and misinterpreted its purpose. They strained out the small details to perfection, yet neglected the weightier matters of the Law like justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23-24). They were full of greed and self-indulgence that was clean in appearance, but inside was corrupt, lawless, and dead spiritually. They did not think they were like their fathers who killed the prophets and persecuted them, but they witnessed against themselves in rejecting Jesus, the Son of God and were condemned to hell by the Lord, filled up to the measure of their fathers as serpents and a brood (children of a family) of vipers (Matthew 23:32-33). Jesus in the final analysis mourns over them in Jerusalem because it was His desire to gather them in for protection, peace, security, and comfort, but they were not willing (Matthew 23:37). *Application* The warning for us here is in the realm of hypocrisy or fake living. Pride makes excuses, humility make adjustments. Make the adjustment in your life to the things of Christ Jesus. He wants to take us and make us new (2 Corinthians 5:17). He desires justice, mercy, and faith as we see here, not self-righteousness that misses the whole point of His grace and protection.

 

Verse to Memorize- Matthew 23:37

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