Bible

Today, in the Bible room, we conclude the reading of the book of Matthew with Session 4, the summaries of chapters 22 through 28. ____________________________________

Matthew

Session 4 of 4

Chapter 22. Questions

After Jesus had answered them all, they ceased asking Him questions:

• Jesus resumes His teaching using parables:
• The kingdom of heaven is like a king planning a wedding;
• The king sends out special invitations, they are all rejected;
• So, the king then invites anyone, everyone who will come;
• The wedding hall is filled with people, some bad, some good;
• One man comes not dressed appropriately for a wedding;
• The king has this man thrown out into the darkness,
• Where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth;
• Many are called but few are chosen;
• Pharisees ask Jesus if it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar;
• Jesus says what’s owed to Caesar belongs to Caesar,
• And what’s owed to God belongs to God;
• Sadducees ask Jesus about a man’s inheritance after death;
• Jesus says God is the God of the living, not the dead;
• A lawyer asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment;
• Jesus says love God, and love your neighbor as yourself;
• These two represent the entire law and the prophets;
• Then Jesus asks the Pharisees whose Son He is;
• They say He is the Son of David; then Jesus responds:
• But David had said his Son would be the Lord;
• They are then confused, so they stop asking questions.

Chapter 23. Works

Jesus says we are not to emulate the works of the Scribes and Pharisees:

• He says listen to their words, but don’t copy what they do;
• He is speaking to a large crowd including His disciples;
• But He is talking about the Scribes and Pharisees;
• He says they know the law of Moses, and they can recite it;
• But their deeds expose them as the hypocrites they are;
• They strain at a gnat, but they will swallow a camel;
• On the outside they appear to be righteous,
• But inside they are full of hypocrisy, lawlessness;
• All the blood shed by the righteous starting with Abel,
• Is going to be held against these people in condemnation;
• Jesus says he longs to gather Jerusalem and protect her,
• Like a mother hen protects her chicks under her wings;
• But the people have not been willing to accept Him,
• Not until they see Him coming in the Name of the Lord.

Chapter 24. Signs

Jesus says there will be signs of His return at the end of the age:

• In Jerusalem, Jesus and the disciples look around the city;
• Jesus says one day the temple will be knocked down;
• Later on, the disciples ask Jesus when will that happen;
• And what will be the signs of His coming back to Earth;
• Jesus says there will be wars and rumors of wars, also
• National conflicts, troubles, hatred, and earthquakes;
• And there will be false prophets, deceiving many;
• But the gospel of the kingdom will be preached everywhere;
• And they should not be afraid, but they should endure;
• There will be tribulations before the Son of Man will return;
• He will come like lightning, with the sound of the trumpet;
• The angels will gather His elect from all the earth;
• Only God knows when these things will happen;
• Jesus says they should watch, and be ready for that day;
• It will happen suddenly and will be as unexpected;
• Until then, they should remain faithful, feeding His people;
• All the unfaithful will be rejected with the hypocrites;
• Where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Chapter 25. Divided

The kingdom of heaven is likened to ten virgins who go to a wedding:

• There are two groups: five are wise, five are foolish;
• The wise virgins take extra lamp oil, the foolish do not;
• While the foolish go to buy oil, the wedding starts;
• Then the doors are shut, and the foolish beg to be let in;
• But the bridegroom says He does not know them;
• Keep watching–the Son of Man will be coming quickly;
• The kingdom of heaven is like the man who takes a trip;
• He divides his goods among three servants;
• He gives five talents to one, then two talents, and one talent;
• The one with five talents uses his to earn five more;
• The one with two talents uses his to earn two more;
• The one with one talent buries it in the ground;
• When the man returns, he rewards two of them;
• He punishes the one who has been unprofitable;
• When the Son of Man comes back with the holy angels,
• The nations will be divided as a shepherd divides his flock;
• He will put the sheep on His right, the goats on His left;
• The sheep are those who are His faithful followers;
• The goats are those who have rejected Him;
• Those on His left will suffer everlasting punishment;
• Those on His right will inherent eternal life.

Chapter 26. Arrested

Jesus is now talking to His disciples:

• Passover is in two days, then He will be arrested and crucified;
• In Bethany, a woman pours a costly perfume on His head;
• Jesus says she has anointed Him prior to His burial;
• On the day of Passover, they share their last meal together;
• He tells them He will be betrayed by Judas, one of their own;
• Then they go with Jesus to a place called Gethsemane;
• In extreme sorrow Jesus grieves deeply, even unto death;
• He prays for relief from His Father, but reaffirms His will;
• Then He sees the armed mob coming, Judas is with them;
• He had told the mob he would betray Jesus with a kiss;
• Jesus greets His betrayer, calls Him friend;
• Then Jesus is arrested by the mob;     
• One of the disciples swings his sword, cuts off a man’s ear;
• Jesus tells them He does not need their protection;
• If He wanted, His Father would send twelve legions of angels;
• But all this will happen as written in scripture;
• Jesus is taken to the house of the chief priest;
• In front of the chief priest, Jesus confirms He is the Son of God;
• They accuse Him of blasphemy, strike Him with their hands;
• Peter has followed, trying to hide among the servants;
• Questioned three times, he denies knowing the man, Jesus;
• Then the rooster crows, fulfilling what Jesus had said;
• Peter remembers, and goes away with bitter tears.

Chapter 27. Crucified

Jesus is bound and taken to Pontius Pilate, the governor:

• When Judas sees these things, he regrets what he has done;
• He gives back the bribe money, then goes and hangs himself;
• Pilate asks Jesus if He is the King of the Jews; Jesus says He is;
• After that, Jesus will not answer any more questions;
• It was the custom at Passover that Pilate release one prisoner;
• The priests tell him to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus;
• Pilate washes his hands; says he will not condemn Jesus;
• Jesus is taken by the soldiers who put a scarlet robe on Him;
• They make a crown of thorns, call Him king of the Jews;
• They replace the scarlet robe with His own clothes;
• Then they compel a man named Simon to carry the cross,
• As they take Jesus to a place called Golgotha;
• There, they crucify Him, divide His clothes among them;
• Above His head they place a sign which reads:
• THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS;
• There were two robbers also crucified with Him;
• At about the ninth hour Jesus cries out in a loud voice:
• Saying, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’
• He says these words a second time, then He dies;
• Suddenly, the veil in the temple is split in two,
• Many are there watching as the earth shakes, rocks split;
• A man named Joseph asks Pilate to let him bury Jesus;
• So, Jesus is buried in a new tomb with guards around it.

Chapter 28. Rejoice!

It is now the day after the Sabbath, the first day of the week;

• Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are at the tomb;
• The stone door is moved back with an angel sitting on it;
• The angel tells them: “He is not here for He is risen;”
• He tells them Jesus has gone to meet them at Galilee;
• On their way there, Jesus meets them and says “Rejoice!’;
• He tells them to go find the disciples and meet Him at Galilee;
• The guards at the tomb have been bribed to lie about His body;
• They are to say the disciples have stolen the body of Jesus;
• The eleven disciples meet with Jesus at Galilee;
• They worship Him there, but some still have doubts;
• He tells them to go and make disciples of all the nations,
• Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
• Jesus says He will be with them always and forever.

End of Session 4 of 4 of the book of Matthew.

(This concludes the reading of the book of Matthew.)