Matthew 9:1–17

Authority To Forgive Sins

9

9:1 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. ² Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

³ And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

⁴ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵ For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? ⁶ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” ⁷ And he arose and departed to his house.

⁸ Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled^a and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Matthew the Tax Collector

⁹ As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

¹⁰ Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. ¹¹ And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’^a For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”^b

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

¹⁴ Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,^a but Your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. ¹⁶ No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. ¹⁷ Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Mark 2:1–22

Your Sins Are Forgiven

2

2:1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. ² Immediately^a many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. ³ Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

⁶ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, ¹¹ “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” ¹² Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Levi’s Call

¹³ Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. ¹⁴ As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

Politics & Government

The Roman government farmed out the job of collecting taxes. Regional tax collectors bid for the responsibility of taxing a certain area, then they generated their own income by collecting a surplus over what they owed to Rome. This system invited abuse, and those associated with it were usually unpopular in Judea (Mark 2:14).

¹⁵ Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. ¹⁶ And when the scribes and^a Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”^a

Fasting and the Bridegroom

¹⁸ The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. ²¹ No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. ²² And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

Luke 5:17–39

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

5

5:17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.^{a 18} Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. ¹⁹ And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

²⁰ When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

²¹ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

²² But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? ²⁴ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

²⁵ Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. ²⁶ And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

Levi Follows Jesus

²⁷ After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” ²⁸ So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

²⁹ Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. ³⁰ And their scribes and the Pharisees^a complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

New Garments and Wine

³³ Then they said to Him, “Why do^a the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

³⁴ And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

³⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one;^a otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.^{a 39} And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately^a desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”^b

Food & Drink

Cups and jars were made of pottery and metal. Another more portable kind of vessel was made of leather, typically from a single goatskin. New wine put into such a bottle would ferment. A new bottle would be strong and could stretch without breaking under the pressure of the gases produced by fermentation, but an old one might burst (Luke 5:37, 38).

Transition

Lord of the Sabbath

Two events–the disciples plucking grain and Jesus healing a man’s hand on the Sabbath–have often been understood as expressing Jesus’ authority over the Law of Moses. This concern is certainly expressed in the assertion: “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Matt. 12:8). But the evangelists have a more primary concern. In both events Jesus emphasized that keeping the spirit and intent of the law was more important than strictly adhering to the letter of its ritual requirements.

This point is emphasized by Jesus’ question to those in the synagogue: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4). Both Matthew and Mark address this issue in the story about the grain. Mark recounts Jesus’ interpretation that the law was given for humanity’s benefit; humanity was not created for the sake of the law (Mark 2:27). Matthew reports Jesus’ reference to Hos. 6:6, stressing God’s desire for humans to put mercy, concern for people, before sacrifice as legalistic ritual observance (Matt. 12:7).

• Matthew 12:1–14
• Mark 2:23–3:6
• Luke 6:1–11

Matthew 12:1–14

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

12

12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ² And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”

³ But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: ⁴ how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ⁵ Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? ⁶ Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. ⁷ But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’^a you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord even^a of the Sabbath.”

Healing On the Sabbath

⁹ Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. ¹⁰ And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.

¹¹ Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? ¹² Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” ¹³ Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. ¹⁴ Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Mark 2:23–3:6

Sabbath Keeping

2

2:23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. ²⁴ And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: ²⁶ how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”

²⁷ And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

3

3:1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ² So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³ And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” ⁴ Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵ And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.^{a 6} Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Luke 6:1–11

Sabbath Conflicts

6

6:1 Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first^a that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. ² And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”

³ But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: ⁴ how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?” ⁵ And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

TIME CAPSULE A.D. 6 to 7

6 • Augustus makes Judea a Roman province

6 • Quirinius conducts a tax census of Syria and Judea

6–7 • Judas the Galilean leads resistance against Romans (Acts 5:37)

7 • Jesus questions the teachers in the temple (Luke 2:46)

⁶ Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. ⁸ But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. ⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”^{a 10} And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man,^a “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.^{b 11} But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Transition

Jesus’ Followers

Mark presents the continuing growth of Jesus’ ministry by contrasting two groups of His followers: a “great multitude” (Mark 3:7) and the “twelve” (3:14). These groups differ not only in their size, but also in their relationship to Jesus. The exuberance of the multitude remained a potential hazard to Jesus’ ministry (3:9), so Jesus continued to silence the unclean spirits that exclaimed His identity (3:11, 12; see “Healing the Sick” at Matt. 8:14). In contrast to the hindering multitude, Jesus selected twelve men who would “be with Him” and extend His preaching and healing ministry (Mark 3:14, 15).

Luke likewise mentions both the multitude and the twelve, although in the opposite order. He may have placed the multitude last as a transition to his “Sermon on the Plain.” The sermon is so-named because it was preached in a “level place” (Luke 6:17). The multitude, along with “a crowd of His disciples,” thus became the extended audience for that sermon (6:17, 20).

Matthew mentions only the multitude in this account, having already listed the twelve apostles earlier (Matt. 10:2–4). In keeping with his interest in prophetic fulfillment, Matthew compares Jesus’ efforts to limit the spread of His fame to the unassuming attitude of the Servant in the prophecies of Isaiah (Matt. 12:18–21; Is. 42:1–4). Jesus came in humility and gentleness as the prophesied Servant.

• Matthew 12:15–21
• Mark 3:7–19
• Luke 6:12–19

Matthew 12:15–21

Behold, My Servant

12

12:15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes^a followed Him, and He healed them all. ¹⁶ Yet He warned them not to make Him known, ¹⁷ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

¹⁹ He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

²⁰ A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

Till He sends forth justice to victory;

²¹ And in His name Gentiles will trust.”^a

Mark 3:7–19

A Great Multitude Follows Jesus

3

3:7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea ⁸ and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. ⁹ So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. ¹⁰ For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. ¹¹ And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” ¹² But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

The Twelve Chosen

¹³ And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. ¹⁴ Then He appointed twelve,^a that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, ¹⁵ and to have power to heal sicknesses and^a to cast out demons: ¹⁶ Simon,^a to whom He gave the name Peter; ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

Luke 6:12–19

The Twelve Apostles

6

6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³ And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: ¹⁴ Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; ¹⁵ Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; ¹⁶ Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

* Zealots Against the Romans (Luke 6:15)

The Jewish historian Josephus (A.D. 37–100) provides the main source of information concerning a group known as the Zealots. The term “Zealots” refers to those who had a “zeal” for the Law (the Torah). Yet such zeal went beyond the Law. This mix of malcontents in Judea led the land against Rome during the Jewish War (A.D. 66–70). Their ranks appear to have included priests, bandit refugees, and others, and their goal was political independence from Rome.

Josephus reports about a number of Jerusalemites, under the leadership of the priest Eleazar, who in A.D. 66 stopped the sacrifices being made in the city on behalf of Caesar. This was considered by Rome a declaration of political independence, and it precipitated a civil war in the area. Eleazar’s forces were joined by other revolutionaries and were successful in holding off a Roman legion in A.D. 68. It is to this coalition that Josephus first referred by the term “Zealots.”

Eleazar ultimately used the temple as his fortress against the advances of the Roman general Vespasian. When Vespasian became emperor in A.D. 69, his son Titus assumed command of the war against the Jews. A great number of the Zealots were killed during Titus’s siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The term “Zealot” eventually came to refer not only to the coalition of forces under Eleazar, but to all revolutionary groups who struggled against the Romans in the 1st century A.D.

One of Jesus’ disciples, Simon, was “called the Zealot” (Luke 6:15). Certainly, Simon was not involved with the Zealot movement during the Jewish Wars, which occurred almost 40 years after Jesus’ death. Probably “the Zealot” was applied to Simon in a general way because he was a malcontent who wanted the end of Roman rule in Palestine.

Jesus Heals a Great Multitude

¹⁷ And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, ¹⁸ as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. ¹⁹ And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

Transition

Sermon on the Mount or Plain

The presentations of Jesus’ teachings in Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt. 5–7) and Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” (Luke 6:20–49) illustrate the so-called “Synoptic problem.” There are tremendous similarities between their presentations, but also differences. The name “Synoptic” means that the Gospels view the life of Jesus from a common perspective. Yet the three Synoptic Gospels vary in what material they include and in how they arrange specific events, and such differences are apparent between Matthew’s and Luke’s sermons.

Some believe these differences resulted because Jesus repeated His teachings on various occasions and each evangelist provided only a summary of Jesus’ teaching in each episode. Thus, Luke’s “Sermon” is about a third the length of Matthew’s. Others think these differences show that both Matthew and Luke used an earlier collection of Jesus’ teachings that did not reveal the original setting in which the teachings were given. Thus, Matthew gathers a number of sayings from this collection or source for his “Sermon on the Mount,” whereas Luke independently uses the source in forming his “Sermon on the Plain” and later treatment of prayer (see “Unassuming Godliness” at Matt. 6:1). The source is usually called the “Q” source, apparently from the German word Quelle, meaning “source.”

Matthew had a theological interest in presenting Jesus as a “new Moses” who calls into being the church as a “new Israel.” Comparisons with Moses develop this theme. Matthew presents five major sermons by Jesus (Matt. 5–7; 10; 13:1–52; 18; 24; 25), possibly alluding to the traditional “Five Books of Moses.” The first of Matthew’s sermons is set “on a mountain” (Matt. 5:1) and discusses fulfilling the law (5:17–48), recalling Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai.

• Matthew 5:1–48
• Luke 6:20–36

Matthew 5:1–48

The Beatitudes

5

5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. ² Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.

⁵ Blessed are the meek,

For they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Believers Are Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Food & Drink

The salt used in ancient times was not refined, and there was always some proportion of chemicals present in addition to sodium chloride. If the fraction useful for flavoring food was leached away by dampness, what remained was without value. It was sometimes strewn on paths like gravel, since it was “then good for nothing” (Matt. 5:13).

Christ Fulfills the Law

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹ Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,^a and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause^a shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. ²³ Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

* The Tiny Hebrew Yod (Matt. 5:18)

Jewish people learned the Bible from early childhood, and Gentile observers sometimes praised them as a “nation of philosophers” because of their devotion to learning. Jewish teachers emphasized the absolute importance of the law in many ways. One way was to point out the necessity of keeping even the least commandment of the law. Yet another way was to emphasize the details of the law.

Such details might concern which commandments were more or less important. For instance, the teachers often regarded the law about the bird’s nest (Deut. 22:6, 7) as the least commandment, and honoring one’s parents (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16) as the greatest. Both commandments included the promises “it may be well with you” and “your days may be long” (which Jewish teachers sometimes interpreted as “have eternal life”). Thus God would give people the same reward for keeping the least commandment as for the greatest.

This equal reward was to Jewish teachers a graphic way of saying, “Do not neglect even the smallest commandment” (Matt. 5:19). While they acknowledged that everyone, including themselves, had sinned, they warned that a person could not pick and choose among commandments, deciding that one was small enough to be ignored. To purposely reject any commandment was tantamount to rejecting God’s right to rule one’s life.

Jewish stories also emphasized the importance of keeping the details of the law. When Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah, the letter yod (the smallest Hebrew letter) was removed from her name. According to some Jewish teachers, the yod cried out from generation to generation, lamenting, “God, You have taken me from the Bible. When will You restore me to the Bible?” Finally, when Moses’ servant received the name “Joshua,” the yod was restored.

In another story Solomon tried to uproot a yod from the Bible, whereupon God promised that a thousand Solomons would come and go, but God would not let a single yod be taken from the Bible. “So you see,” said the teachers, “not even the smallest letter can pass from God’s Word.” Jesus probably alluded to a popular story line: not a single “jot,” meaning a yod, would pass from the Bible (Matt. 5:18). Thus disciples should pay attention to all that the Bible teaches.

Adultery in the Heart

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said to those of old,^a ‘You shall not commit adultery.’^{b 28} But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

TIME CAPSULE A.D. 9 to 12

9–12 • Marcus Ambibulus is prefect or governor of Judea

9 • Three Roman legions under Varus are destroyed in Germany

9 • The Lex Papia Poppaea provides for registration of Roman citizens

12–15 • Annius Rufus is prefect or governor of Judea

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding

³¹ “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality^a causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Jesus Forbids Oaths

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Go the Second Mile

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’^{a 39} But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Love Your Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor^a and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,^{a 45} that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren^a only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors^b do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Transition

Unassuming Godliness

Common religious practices included giving (Matt. 6:2–4), praying (6:5–15), and fasting (6:16–18). The Jewish religious leaders considered keeping the law and these three practices as the most important proofs of piety. Jesus did not condemn these pious deeds or rebuke the expectation of reward, but He did warn that these practices should not be done to receive human recognition.

Jesus offered the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern for His disciples. Luke associates the teachings about prayer (Luke 11:1–13) with Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9–18), and does not include them with the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6). See “Jesus’ Final Journey” at Matt. 8:18.

Both Matthew and Luke contrasted trusting in material wealth for security with seeking the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:19–34; Luke 12:22–34). True treasures are to be found “in heaven,” not “on earth” (Matt. 6:19, 20). Again Luke associates these teachings not with the Sermon, but with the journey to Jerusalem (Luke 12).

• Matthew 6:1–34
• Luke 11:1–4
• Luke 12:22–34

Luke 6:20–36

The Beatitudes

6

6:20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,

For yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled.

Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

²² Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man’s sake.

²³ Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven.

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Jesus Pronounces Woes

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich,

For you have received your consolation.

²⁵ Woe to you who are full,

For you shall hunger.

Woe to you who laugh now,

For you shall mourn and weep.

²⁶ Woe to you^a when all^b men speak well of you,

For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Love Your Enemies

²⁷ “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. ³¹ And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

³² “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

Matthew 6:1–34

Do Good To Please God

6

6:1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.^a

The Model Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.^{a 7} And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

⁸ “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. ⁹ In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

¹⁰ Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

¹³ And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.^a

¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting To Be Seen Only By God

¹⁶ “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.^a

* Praying to Our Father (Matt. 6:7, 9)

Jesus cautioned His disciples not to pray “as the heathen do,” using “vain repetitions” and “many words” (Matt. 6:7). When Greeks and Romans prayed, they often called deities by as many different names and titles as possible. Also, their prayers frequently reminded the deity of any favors he or she owed the worshiper because of sacrifices the worshiper had offered.

Jewish people, however, were not supposed to barter with God or try to impress Him with titles. They were to approach God with confidence that He was their Father, as the Old Testament taught them (see Ex. 4:22; Is. 63:16). Most children in the ancient world saw their father as a strong provider and protector (with whom they did not need to bargain). Jewish prayers therefore regularly invoked God as “Our Father in heaven,” and trusted Him to provide (Matt. 6:8, 9; 7:7–11).

Teaching His disciples to pray (Matt. 6:9, 10), Jesus adapted a fairly common Jewish prayer called the Kaddish that came to be prayed regularly in the synagogues: “Exalted and hallowed be His great name … and may He cause His kingdom to rule …” This was a prayer for the future kingdom. The Jewish people longed for the ultimate coming of God’s reign when He would rule the earth unchallenged and restore justice and mercy in all the world. At that time God’s name would be “hallowed,” shown to be holy (Ezek. 39:7, 27); people would no longer “profane” it by swearing oaths by it lightly or living in such a way as to dishonor it.

“Hallowing God’s name” was a central principle of Jewish ethics: Live even among the Gentiles in such a manner that people will honor God. The reverse of such honorable behavior, “profaning God’s name,” was considered so odious that some teachers insisted those plotting to do evil should disguise themselves as Gentiles first! Those who would utter this prayer in sincerity–who yearn for God’s name to be shown holy in the age to come–must live in the present in such a way as to honor that name now.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body

²² “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Luke 11:1–4

The Model Prayer

11

11:1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

² So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,^a

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.^b

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

³ Give us day by day our daily bread.

⁴ And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.”^a

Luke 12:22–34

True Security

12

12:22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. ²³ Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? ²⁵ And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁶ If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

²⁹ “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. ³⁰ For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹ But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things^a shall be added to you.

³² “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Transition

Doing the Will of God

Both Matthew and Luke end their sermons with Jesus’ emphasis on doing God’s will. At the end of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenged His listeners to enter the “narrow gate” (Matt. 7:13, 14). Both evangelists close with an illustration emphasizing the supreme importance of obedience. The obedient person is likened to one who builds his house on a rock that stands the storms (Matt. 7:24–27; Luke 6:46–49).

• Matthew 7:1–29
• Luke 6:37–49
• Luke 11:5–13

Matthew 7:1–29

Do Not Judge

7

7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

⁶ “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! ¹² Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow Way

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because^a narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them By Their Fruits

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I Never Knew You

²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Build On the Rock

²⁴ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

²⁶ “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

²⁸ And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, ²⁹ for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Luke 6:37–49

Do Not Judge

6

6:37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

³⁹ And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? ⁴⁰ A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. ⁴¹ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? ⁴² Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Punica granatum tree in Maresha, Israel in August

A Tree Is Known By Its Fruit

⁴³ “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. ⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart^a brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Build On the Rock

⁴⁶ “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? ⁴⁷ Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸ He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.^{a 49} But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.^a And the ruin of that house was great.”

Luke 11:5–13

A Friend Comes At Midnight

11

11:5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; ⁶ for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; ⁷ and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? ⁸ I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Culture & Society

In traditional societies the protocols of hospitality are formal at every level of society, not just in the courts of state or diplomacy. A householder has the duty to receive guests and help them on their way (Luke 11:8). He also has the responsibility of protecting the society from interlopers or people who are not what they seem.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

⁹ “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ If a son asks for bread^a from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Transition

In Capernaum and Nain

Since the 2nd century A.D. Christian theologians have discussed the relationship of John’s “second sign” (John 4:54; see “The First of Seven Signs” at John 2:1) to the healing stories in Matt. 8:5–13 and Luke 7:1–10. The similarities in the stories have suggested to some that the same healing is described in all three accounts. In addition, the Greek word which Matthew uses for “servant” (Matt. 8:6) can designate either a “servant” (Luke 7:7) or a “son” (John 4:46 uses the usual Greek word for “son”). All agree that at least Matthew and Luke are recounting a single incident.

Matthew contrasts the faith of the Gentile centurion with that of many of Jesus’ fellow Jews (Matt. 8:10–12). Possibly Jesus and the centurion speak directly with each other in Matthew’s account to highlight this contrast. Luke’s account indicates that the centurion sent Jewish intermediaries (Luke 7:3–5). Luke also describes the boy as “ready to die” (7:2), and follows his healing with the report of Jesus raising the dead son of a widow residing in Nain (7:11–17). Thus Luke prepares for Jesus’ response to John the Baptist: “the dead are raised” (7:22).

• Matthew 8:5–13
• Luke 7:1–17
• John 4:46–54

Matthew 8:5–13

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

8

8:5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, ⁶ saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

⁷ And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

⁸ The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

¹⁰ When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! ¹¹ And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. ¹² But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Luke 7:1–17

Such Great Faith

7

7:1 Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. ² And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. ³ So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. ⁴ And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, ⁵ “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”

⁶ Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. ⁷ Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸ For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

Politics & Government

A centurion was a soldier in the Roman legions who had command of a unit of approximately 80 men (thus not 100 men, as one might conclude from the name “centurion”). Centurions were generally practical career men. It was a responsible position (Luke 7:6–8), and centurions sometimes accumulated a certain amount of wealth during their careers.

⁹ When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” ¹⁰ And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.^a

Jesus Raises the Son of the Widow of Nain

¹¹ Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. ¹² And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” ¹⁵ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

¹⁶ Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” ¹⁷ And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

John 4:46–54

A Nobleman’s Son Healed

4

4:46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

⁴⁹ The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. ⁵¹ And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”

⁵² Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” ⁵³ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.

TIME CAPSULE A.D. 13 to 15

13 • Tiberius begins coregency with Augustus

14–31 • Sejanus, prefect of Rome, increases size of Praetorian guard

14 • Augustus dies and Tiberius becomes emperor (Luke 3:1)

14 • The Senate makes Augustus one of the gods of Rome

15–26 • Valerius Gratus is prefect or governor of Judea

⁵⁴ This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

Transition

Jesus Allays John’s Doubts

Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of the delegation from John the Baptist to Jesus agree almost word for word. Only brief sections in the middle of this story differ (see Matt. 11:12–14 and Luke 7:29, 30).

Three basic issues were at stake as John the Baptist sent his followers to ask Jesus if He was truly the “Coming One,” the promised Messiah (Matt. 11:2, 3; Luke 7:19). First, was the Baptist to maintain his belief that Jesus was indeed the Coming One? It may have been that the Baptist was expecting more emphasis upon judgment in Jesus’ ministry (see Matt. 3:7–12). Jesus responded by directing John’s attention to other signs of His Galilean ministry fulfilling prophetic expectation (Matt. 11:4–6).

The second issue concerned Jesus’ identification of the Baptist as the prophet who would prepare for the coming Messiah (Luke 7:24–28). The Jewish expectation for the future was for Elijah to return, as promised in the Old Testament (Mal. 4:5). In Matthew’s account Jesus identified the Baptist as fulfilling the promise (Matt. 11:14).

Finally, Jesus criticized those in “this generation” who rejected both His own ministry and that of the Baptist (Matt. 11:16–19). Luke’s account points out that the Pharisees and lawyers, by rejecting the Baptist, had rejected the very will and purpose of God (Luke 7:29, 30).

• Matthew 11:2–19
• Luke 7:18–35

Matthew 11:2–19

Jesus Explains John’s Ministry

11

11:2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of^a his disciples ³ and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: ⁵ The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. ⁶ And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

⁷ As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written:

* Matthew and Old Testament Fulfillment (Matt. 11:10)

Matthew quotes the words of Malachi, which in the Old Testament read “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me” (Mal. 3:1). The Old Testament words seemed to speak of an agent Yahweh would send to prepare for a coming day of judgment. This messenger was identified as the prophet Elijah (Mal. 4:5), who became a major figure in Jewish hope for the future age. Matthew, though, reinterpreted Mal. 3:1 to refer to John the Baptist: “this is he of whom it is written” (Matt. 11:9–11).

By preparing the way for Jesus, John the Baptist fulfilled the role prophesied of Elijah. In his Gospel, Matthew emphasizes the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, so he makes it clear to his readers that Jesus identified John as Elijah (Matt. 17:11–13) and that John was the one spoken of by the prophets (Matt. 3:3).

Matthew also announced fulfillment of Hosea’s prophecy, “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Matt. 2:15). The first line of this verse in the Old Testament (Hos. 11:1) shows that the prophet was actually referring to God calling Israel out of Egypt in the Exodus. But Matthew reinterpreted the words as a picture of God’s providing salvation by bringing the child Jesus back from Egypt.

Some critics have accused Matthew of quoting the Old Testament out of context. They fail, however, to recognize Matthew’s method of applying the Old Testament. The problem is not that Matthew does not know the Hosea passage, but that he applies it in a different way than most modern readers would expect.

When Matthew cites from the prophet Hosea, he is making a broader point about Jesus’ place in Israel’s history. Jesus was the heir of Israel’s history (Matt. 1:1–17), who went into exile in Egypt as Judah did in Babylon, and who spent 40 days being tested in the wilderness (4:1, 2) as Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness. Ancient Jewish readers, conversant in the Bible and more accustomed to various methods of applying Scripture, would have caught Matthew’s point more readily than do modern readers.

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.’^a

¹¹ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

¹⁶ “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, ¹⁷ and saying:

‘We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not lament.’

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”^a

Luke 7:18–35

John the Baptist Sends Messengers To Jesus

7

7:18 Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. ¹⁹ And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus,^a saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

²⁰ When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” ²¹ And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.

²² Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. ²³ And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

²⁴ When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.’^a

²⁸ For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist;^a but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

²⁹ And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

³¹ And the Lord said,^a “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

‘We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not weep.’

³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ³⁵ But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Transition

Anointing in Galilee

Luke’s report of a woman anointing Jesus focuses on the question of Jesus’ identity. Since the woman who anointed Jesus “was a sinner” (Luke 7:37), Simon the Pharisee began to question within himself whether Jesus was genuinely a prophet (7:39). By His response, Jesus validated His prophetic credentials. Not only was He aware of her sinful past (7:47), but He also knew Simon’s thoughts as well. By forgiving the woman’s sins (7:48), Jesus made clear to those assembled that He was more than just a prophet (7:49). The woman possibly already believed that Jesus brought forgiveness, and thus offered duties which went well beyond the usual customs of hospitality and respect (7:44–47).

The other Gospels relate similar stories about a woman who anointed Jesus (see Matt. 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; John 12:1–8). Their accounts, however, are located specifically in Bethany and focus on the preparation for Jesus’ burial. See “Plot, Anointing, Betrayal” at Matt. 26:1.

• Luke 7:36–50

Luke

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

7

7:36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. ³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

⁴¹ “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” ⁴⁴ Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ⁴⁷ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Transition

Jesus and Beelzebub

Each of the Synoptic Gospels reports Jesus’ opponents claiming that His power came from Beelzebub and that His supernatural deeds resulted from demonic influence. Mark indicates that at least some of Jesus’ own people, His family and relatives, had this concern, thinking He was “out of His mind” (Mark 3:21, 31–35). Matthew and Luke, though, separate Jesus’ family from this allegation. In Matthew’s account, the family did not arrive for their visit until after Jesus had countered the charge by the Pharisees (Matt. 12:24, 46–50). Luke reports the family’s visit at an earlier stage of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:19–21), thus not connecting it with the Beelzebub accusation. Only Luke tells of a woman who showed the proper response to Jesus’ healings and exorcisms: rather than associate Him with demons, she offered a blessing for His mother (Luke 11:27, 28).

• Matthew 12:22–50
• Mark 3:20–35
• Luke 11:14–36
• Luke 8:19–21

Matthew 12:22–50

A House Divided Cannot Stand

12

12:22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and^a mute man both spoke and saw. ²³ And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

²⁴ Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub,^a the ruler of the demons.”

²⁵ But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. ²⁸ But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. ³⁰ He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

The Unpardonable Sin

³¹ “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. ³² Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

A Tree Known By Its Fruit

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart^a brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. ³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Scribes and Pharisees Ask for a Sign

³⁸ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

³⁹ But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

* Offspring of Vipers (Matt. 12:34)

Jesus’ contemporaries considered the Pharisees to be model religious people. Yet in some of Jesus’ encounters with Pharisees (Matt. 3:7; 12:24), He called them a “brood of vipers” (Matt. 12:34), that is, “offspring of snakes.” Calling someone a snake was an insult, but calling someone the “child of a snake” was even worse.

Even though the Greek historian Herodotus (484–425 B.C.) lived 5 centuries before Jesus, an idea that Herodotus had about Arabian vipers was still associated with vipers in general by many people of Jesus’ day. Although most reptiles lay eggs, people believed that viper eggs hatched inside their mother’s stomach. The baby vipers would then eat their way through their mother’s stomach to be born, killing their mother in the process. According to some ancient writers (including Herodotus), mother vipers ate the father vipers while the mothers were pregnant, so the baby vipers avenged their father by killing the mother.

Murdering one’s mother or father was the crime ancient people thought most horrible. Even if one killed one parent to avenge the murder of the other, Greeks thought the child who committed this avenging murder would be hounded by avenging spirits called the “Furies.” Jewish people also considered the murder of parents or other blood relatives to be an inconceivably wicked crime.

By calling the religious Pharisees “children of vipers,” Jesus may have compared them with parent murderers, thus implying that they were the most vile and evil people possible. Since He openly associated the title with murder and bloodshed (Matt. 23:33–35), the Pharisees were no doubt offended.

An Unclean Spirit Returns

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him

⁴⁶ While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. ⁴⁷ Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”

⁴⁸ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” ⁴⁹ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Mark 3:20–35

Sin Against the Holy Spirit

3

3:20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. ²¹ But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

²² And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

²³ So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. ²⁷ No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

²⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; ²⁹ but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— ³⁰ because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Seek Him

³¹ Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. ³² And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers^a are outside seeking You.”

³³ But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” ³⁴ And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

Luke 11:14–36

With the Finger of God

11

11:14 And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub,^a the ruler of the demons.”

¹⁶ Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. ¹⁷ But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. ¹⁸ If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. ¹⁹ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²¹ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. ²² But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. ²³ He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

TIME CAPSULE A.D. 15 to 18

15 • Annas is deposed from the high priesthood

17 • Gnaeus Piso is made legate of Syria

17 • Syria and Judea petition Rome to lower their taxes

18–36 • Caiaphas is high priest in Jerusalem (Matt. 26:3, 57)

18 • Ovid, the Roman poet, dies in exile

An Unclean Spirit Returns

²⁴ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ ²⁵ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. ²⁶ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

Keeping the Word

²⁷ And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”

²⁸ But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Seeking a Sign

²⁹ And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.^{a 30} For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. ³¹ The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body

³³ “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴ The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵ Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. ³⁶ If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

Luke 8:19–21

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Come To Him

8

8:19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. ²⁰ And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”

²¹ But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

Transition

Parables by the Sea

Each of the Synoptic Gospels relates Jesus’ parable of the sower with His purpose for teaching in parables. Jesus used parables not only to reveal spiritual truth, but also to conceal it from those who were “outside” (Mark 4:11). The somewhat atypical parable of the sower works well to illustrate this purpose. It is really an allegory where each type of soil symbolizes a type of response to the gospel. Since the symbolism was not immediately obvious, Jesus had to explain it to His disciples if they were to understand it properly (Matt. 13:18–23; Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15).

The same is true of the parable of the tares which Jesus also explained as an allegory (Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43). Contrasting these two parables with others Jesus told shows that most of His parables were very short stories that clearly illustrated a single spiritual truth. Most of the parables are to be interpreted as either simple metaphors or similes rather than as allegories.

• Matthew 13:1–52
• Mark 4:1–34
• Luke 8:1–18
• Luke 13:18–21

Matthew 13:1–52

The Parable of the Sower

13

13:1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. ² And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

³ Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵ Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. ⁶ But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. ⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. ⁸ But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Agriculture & Herding

Jesus’ parables taught spiritual truths through practical illustrations, such as sowing of seed. Plowing in ancient Israel was not deep, and it could be done either before or after the sower scattered the seed. Rainfall was irregular and often inadequate. The success of a growing season in a particular plot could not be predicted, and for that reason a good harvest was all the more appreciated (Matt. 13:8).

The Purpose of Parables

¹⁰ And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

¹¹ He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹² For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,

And seeing you will see and not perceive;

¹⁵ For the hearts of this people have grown dull.

Their ears are hard of hearing,

And their eyes they have closed,

Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I should^a heal them.’^b

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; ¹⁷ for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹⁸ “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. ²⁰ But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²² Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. ²³ But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

²⁴ Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. ²⁶ But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷ So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³¹ Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, ³² which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven

³³ Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures^a of meal till it was all leavened.”

Prophecy and the Parables

³⁴ All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, ³⁵ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

“I will open My mouth in parables;

I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”^a

The Parable of the Tares Explained

³⁶ Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

³⁷ He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. ³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. ⁴⁰ Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, ⁴² and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

⁴⁴ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, ⁴⁶ who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Dragnet

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, ⁴⁸ which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, ⁵⁰ and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

⁵¹ Jesus said to them,^a “Have you understood all these things?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”^b

⁵² Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning^a the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Geography & Environment

The Sea of Galilee is a freshwater lake, small but deep, with good fishing (Matt. 13:47). Fishermen threw their dragnets by hand from small boats, and dragged the nets along the bottom of the lake. The edge of the net was pulled down by weights to snare the fish. Fish were a very important part of the Roman diet, and the Mediterranean Sea provided them.

Mark 4:1–34

The Parable of the Sower

4

4:1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. ² Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

³ “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. ⁴ And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air^a came and devoured it. ⁵ Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. ⁶ But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. ⁷ And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. ⁸ But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

⁹ And He said to them,^a “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

* How to Understand a Parable (Mark 4:2)

Ministers today often use sermon illustrations to help their hearers understand a sermon’s point. In the same way, ancient Jewish teachers often told stories to illustrate whatever moral principle they were trying to communicate. Sometimes these parables had one central point. In other cases, such as Jesus’ parable of the sower and the four soils (Mark 4:2–8), parables included several points of comparison.

Sometimes sages would tell a parable or a riddle which hearers would understand only if they had the key to interpretation. Usually only disciples of that teacher who spent enough time with him to learn his teachings would understand his point. This might happen with Jewish teachers who felt that some subjects in particular were best discussed only in private or in very small gatherings.

With some parables, then, the details had symbolic significance. This teaching device was a way of encouraging students to consider deeply the teacher’s words and to weed out the uncommitted. The stories conveyed truth to attentive hearers who were eager to understand. At the same time the figurative language sometimes veiled truth from persons who did not want to believe it. While the multitude heard Jesus’ parable (Mark 4:1, 2), only His disciples sought its meaning in private (Mark 4:10; Luke 8:9).

Because Jewish parables were usually stories, we understand Jesus’ parables best when we consider them as stories. For the disciples, Jesus interpreted the details of the parable of the sower (Mark 4:13–20). For the most part, however, rather than reading meaning into every detail, we should try to catch the lesson or lessons of the story as a whole.

The Purpose of Parables

¹⁰ But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. ¹¹ And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, ¹² so that

‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,

And hearing they may hear and not understand;

Lest they should turn,

And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”^a

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹³ And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶ These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. ¹⁸ Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰ But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Light Under a Basket

²¹ Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? ²² For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

²⁴ Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. ²⁵ For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷ and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. ²⁸ For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; ³² but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Jesus’ Use of Parables

³³ And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

Luke 8:1–18

Many Women Minister To Jesus

8

8:1 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, ² and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, ³ and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him^a from their substance.

The Parable of the Sower

⁴ And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: ⁵ “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. ⁶ Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. ⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. ⁸ But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables

⁹ Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

¹⁰ And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

‘Seeing they may not see,

And hearing they may not understand.’^a

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹¹ “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³ But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. ¹⁵ But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

Science & Technology

Clay lamps from as early as 3000 B.C. have been found in Mesopotamia. The typical clay lamp has a reservoir for the oil and a channel or groove to hold the wick (Luke 8:16). Different kinds of oil were used for fuel, notably olive oil and other vegetable oils, but other fuels included fish or animal fat, and possibly petroleum.

The Parable of the Revealed Light

¹⁶ “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷ For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸ Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

Luke 13:18–21

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

13

13:18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large^a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven

²⁰ And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? ²¹ It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures^a of meal till it was all leavened.”

TIME CAPSULE A.D. 18 to 26

18 • Antipas builds city of Tiberias by the Sea of Galilee

19 • Tiberius expels the Jews from Rome

26–36 • Pontius Pilate is prefect of Judea (Mark 15:1)

26 • The 15th year of Tiberius (counting from his coregency)

26 • Tiberius begins period of retirement on island of Capri

Transition

Crossing to the East Shore

Jesus’ brief visit to the region of the Decapolis, east of the Sea of Galilee, was marked by two episodes: the calming of a storm and the healing of demon possession. Both episodes focus on the fear and awe of those who witnessed the happenings (Luke 8:25, 34–37), and on Jesus’ ability to bring peace. Jesus demonstrated His authority over both the natural and supernatural realms by calming the storm on the lake (Mark 4:39) and by ending the violence caused by the unclean spirits named “Legion” (Mark 5:2–5, 9, 15).

Matthew’s account of the exorcism provides considerably less detail than do the accounts of Mark and Luke. Such matters as the man’s living conditions among the tombs (Mark 5:2–5; Luke 8:27, 29) and the name “Legion” (Mark 5:9; Luke 8:30) are not mentioned. More significantly, Matthew states that there were “two demon-possessed men” (Matt. 8:28). Similarly Matthew reports the healing of two blind men (Matt. 20:29–34), whereas Mark and Luke mention only one (Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43). Some have suggested that Matthew mentions two men in both cases to confirm the validity of their testimony in accordance with Deut. 19:15 (see Matt. 18:16).

• Matthew 8:23–34
• Mark 4:35–5:20
• Luke 8:22–39

Matthew 8:23–34

Lord of the Tempest

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8:23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. ²⁴ And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. ²⁵ Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

²⁶ But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Two Demon-Possessed Men Healed

²⁸ When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes,^a there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

³⁰ Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. ³¹ So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away^a into the herd of swine.”

³² And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

³³ Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. ³⁴ And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

Mark 4:35–5:20

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

4

4:35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt Oil on canvas. 1633.

* Cities of the Decapolis (Mark 5:20)

After crossing the Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Tiberias (John 6:1), Jesus and His disciples encountered a demon-possessed man in the “country of the Gadarenes” (Mark 5:1). Gadara was one of several cities which were known as “the Decapolis.” The Greek word dekapolis means “ten cities,” and in Jesus’ time it referred to a group of Hellenistic cities on the east side of the Jordan River in the vicinity of Lake Tiberias.

The cities of the Decapolis were founded by Greeks and Macedonians soon after Alexander’s conquest of Palestine in the late 4th century B.C. Although commonly assumed to be a league of independent entities, the cities were actually associated because of their Hellenistic character. Various Greek cultural attributes, such as religion, architecture, sculpture, painting, and town planning, contributed to their unity. This Hellenistic culture made the Decapolis distinct from nearby towns of Jewish, Nabatean, and other cultures.

The Decapolis was also a distinct administrative region set up by the Romans and appended to the province of Syria. Just as the Romans assigned Pontius Pilate to serve as governor over the province of Judea, so was a provincial governor, according to a Greek inscription, assigned to the Decapolis region.

The demon-possessed man who was cured by Jesus spread the news of the healing to other cities of the Decapolis (Mark 5:20). People in these Gentile cities often feared miracle workers as some sort of magicians, so word of mouth might possibly calm their misunderstandings. No rejection of Jesus is reported when He Himself traveled through the Decapolis region (Mark. 7:31).

³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”^{a 41} And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Casting Out Demons

5

5:1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.^{a 2} And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, ³ who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him,^a not even with chains, ⁴ because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. ⁵ And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. ⁷ And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

⁸ For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” ⁹ Then He asked him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” ¹⁰ Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

¹¹ Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. ¹² So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” ¹³ And at once Jesus^a gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

¹⁴ So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ¹⁶ And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. ¹⁷ Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

¹⁸ And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. ¹⁹ However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” ²⁰ And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

Luke 8:22–39

Who Can This Be?

8

8:22 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. ²³ But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. ²⁴ And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. ²⁵ But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”

Jesus Controls Demons

²⁶ Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes,^a which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes,^a nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” ²⁹ For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

³⁰ Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?”

And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.

³² Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. ³³ Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.

³⁴ When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵ Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ³⁶ They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. ³⁷ Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes^a asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.

³⁸ Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Transition

Returning to the West Shore

As with the reports of the exorcism of Legion (see “Crossing to the East Shore” at Matt. 8:23), Matthew recounts the healings of Jairus’s daughter and of the woman with a hemorrhage in considerably less detail than do Mark and Luke. Matthew’s emphasis is on the role of faith in the healings rather than on the manner in which they were accomplished. While Mark relates Jesus’ foreign language phrase, Talitha, cumi (Mark 5:41), Matthew omits such detail, possibly because it resembles incantations of the Hellenistic magic texts. Instead, he reports the additional healings of two blind men and a mute demon-possessed man, again explicitly emphasizing the blind men’s faith (Matt. 9:28, 29).

Keeping a secret of the new life given Jairus’s previously deceased daughter would have been impossible (Matt. 9:26). So some have thought that when Jesus charged her parents “to tell no one what had happened” (Luke 8:56) He was referring specifically to what had transpired in the girl’s room. Perhaps Jesus wanted to leave open the possibility in the minds of some that the girl had actually only been sleeping (Matt. 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52), lest His fame for raising the dead should become a hindrance to His continuing ministry (see “Healing the Sick” at Matt. 8:14).

• Matthew 9:18–34
• Mark 5:21–43
• Luke 8:40–56

Matthew 9:18–34

A Girl Restored To Life and a Woman Healed

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9:18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” ¹⁹ So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

²⁰ And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. ²¹ For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” ²² But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

²³ When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, ²⁴ He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. ²⁵ But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. ²⁶ And the report of this went out into all that land.

Two Blind Men Healed

²⁷ When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

²⁸ And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

²⁹ Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” ³¹ But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

A Mute Man Speaks

³² As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. ³³ And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

Mark 5:21–43

Faith Born in Desperation

5

5:21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. ²² And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet ²³ and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

²⁵ Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Arts & Literature

Aramaic is a Semitic language, closely related to Arabic and Hebrew. It was widely used in Syria by 1000 B.C. In the 6th century B.C. the Persians made it the language of diplomacy and official business, and from that time it was common all over the Near East. Aramaic is found in the Dead Sea Scrolls and was the language spoken by Jesus, as represented by the Aramaic phrase, “Talitha, cumi” (Mark 5:41).

²⁹ Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. ³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

³¹ But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

³² And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

³⁵ While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” ³⁷ And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. ³⁸ Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. ³⁹ When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

⁴⁰ And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. ⁴¹ Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴² Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. ⁴³ But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

Luke 8:40–56

Healing a Hemorrhage and Restoring Life

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8:40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. ⁴¹ And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, ⁴² for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. ⁴³ Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, ⁴⁴ came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

* Scandalous Faith (Luke 8:43, 44)

The rationale behind some of Israel’s laws is not always clear to us. So it is with legislation governing the uncleanness of bloody discharges from the body. According to the Law of Moses (Lev. 15:25–28), a flow of blood rendered a woman ceremonially unclean, and communicated uncleanness to anyone she touched. The woman Jesus encountered (Luke 8:43, 44) had experienced a continual flow of blood (not simply a monthly discharge) that most likely forced her to remain single. If the problem started after her marriage, it probably led her husband to divorce her. In her case, ceremonial uncleanness made her an outcast of her society.

Since she had had the problem for 12 years, much of her life had been consumed by this illness. Because many people died in their forties, her problem probably began some time after puberty; she may have felt like half her adult life was already lost. Furthermore, in a culture where women remained economically dependent on men, this woman’s disease had exhausted “her livelihood” (8:43). She was desperate–so desperate that she would allow nothing to deter her from Jesus.

Anyone this woman touched would be rendered unclean, so it was scandalous for her to press her way to Jesus through the crowd. Even touching Jesus’ garment would make Him unclean. If she was going to touch Him, she must do so without announcing her intentions (see Lev. 15:26, 27).

Once the woman was healed, Jesus was unashamed to be identified publicly with her hardship (Luke 8:46). His greater concern was that she, as well as those looking on, should realize that her “faith” (8:48) was the source of the healing. Jesus’ power, unlike that of some other proclaimed wonder-workers of His day, was not simply “magic.”

⁴⁵ And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”

When all denied it, Peter and those with him^a said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”^b

⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” ⁴⁷ Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

⁴⁸ And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer;^a your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

⁴⁹ While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”^a

⁵⁰ But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” ⁵¹ When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in^a except Peter, James, and John,^b and the father and mother of the girl. ⁵² Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” ⁵³ And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

⁵⁴ But He put them all outside,^a took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” ⁵⁵ Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. ⁵⁶ And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Transition

Rejection at Nazareth

Even at the midpoint of His Galilean ministry, Jesus continued to be met with resistance and unbelief in His hometown of Nazareth (see Luke 4:16–30). Mark once again closely connects Jesus’ miracles and His teachings: the people wondered “what wisdom” Jesus possessed to be able to perform “such mighty works” (Mark 6:2; see “Teaching with Authority” at Mark 1:21).

Matthew characteristically maintains more of a distinction between teaching and miracles, speaking of them individually: “this wisdom and these mighty works” (Matt. 13:54). Being attracted to Jesus’ miraculous works is not sufficient to make one a true disciple of His. Faith, for Matthew, is crucial, and the limited miracles performed in Nazareth are directly attributed to the people’s “unbelief” (Matt. 13:58; see “Returning to the West Shore” at Matt. 9:18).

• Matthew 13:53–58
• Mark 6:1–6

Matthew 13:53–58

Jesus Rejected

13

13:53 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. ⁵⁴ When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? ⁵⁵ Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses,^a Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” ⁵⁸ Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Mark 6:1–6

Without Honor in His Own Country

6

6:1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. ² And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! ³ Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Transition

Jesus’ Second Visit to Jerusalem

According to John’s Gospel, Jesus returned to Jerusalem to attend a pilgrimage feast (see “The Galilean Ministry” at John 1:35). During this visit, He healed a lame man at the Pool of Bethesda. When, at Jesus’ instruction, the man carried his bed away from the pool, he came into violation of the Sabbath prohibition against work (John 5:8–10). Jesus defended His healing works by associating them with those of His “Father,” but the opposition from the Jewish religious authorities only continued to mount. Not only had Jesus broken the Sabbath, but now He had also “said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God” (5:17, 18). John records Jesus’ extended defense of His special relationship with the Father and of the witnesses that testified to that relationship.

It is impossible to identify the “feast of the Jews” (5:1), which forms the setting for this healing account. It could have been Pentecost. John explicitly identified Passover as the occasion for Jesus’ previous pilgrimage (John 2:13, 23), and Pentecost is the next feast after the combined festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread. Furthermore, the Feast of Pentecost was traditionally associated with the giving of the law to Moses at Mount Sinai. Thus Jesus’ allusions to the writings of Moses (5:39, 45–47) were possibly prompted by the occasion of Pentecost.

Jesus’ first Jerusalem pilgrimage might be dated to the spring Passover celebration of A.D. 27 (see “Jesus’ First Visit to Jerusalem” at John 2:13). This second pilgrimage could represent the Pentecost occurring only several weeks later, or be understood as Pentecost of the following year, early summer of A.D. 28. On the other hand, it could have been Passover of spring, A.D. 28, or the Feast of Tabernacles in fall, A.D. 28.

• John 5:1–47

John

A Man Healed At the Pool of Bethesda

5

5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda,^a having five porches. ³ In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. ⁴ For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.^{a 5} Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

⁷ The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

⁸ Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” ⁹ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

And that day was the Sabbath. ¹⁰ The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

¹¹ He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

¹² Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” ¹³ But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. ¹⁴ Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

¹⁵ The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Honor the Father and the Son

¹⁶ For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him,^a because He had done these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

* The Pool of Bethesda (John 5:2)

John’s Gospel mentions a pool that was known in Hebrew as “Bethesda” or, as listed in some manuscripts, “Bethzatha” (John 5:2). The exact site of the pool has not been determined, although one of the Dead Sea Scrolls indicates that people who visited Jerusalem in Jesus’ day knew where it was.

The “five porches” of Bethesda (5:2) have led to comparisons with the porticoes, or porches, of the ancient twin pools archaeologists found under St. Anne’s monastery in Jerusalem. Porches ran along all four sides of the pools, plus one through the center, dividing them. In the vicinity of the pools archaeologists discovered a votive offering that looks just like what pagans offered to gods at healing sanctuaries. If Bethesda is the same site as these twin pools, it continued to be used for healing long after Jesus’ day.

Regardless of whether the twin pools represent the actual site of the Pool of Bethesda, the lame man’s hope in the pool resembles the practices of surrounding cultures. Many people in antiquity went to healing sanctuaries, which often included a pool, to seek healing from gods like Asclepius or Apollo. Likewise, the lame man was probably hoping for an angel to heal him. The statement about the angel stirring the waters (John 5:3b, 4) is missing in many early Greek manuscripts of John’s Gospel, but may reflect an early tradition or local customs related to the pool.

The man was no doubt weak and hopeless after 38 years of confinement and affliction (John 5:5). Jesus, unlike the water of the pool, offered him real healing.

¹⁸ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. ¹⁹ Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. ²¹ For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. ²² For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Life and Judgment Are Through the Son

²⁴ “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. ²⁵ Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. ³⁰ I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

The Fourfold Witness

³¹ “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. ³² There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. ³³ You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. ³⁴ Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. ³⁵ He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. ³⁶ But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. ³⁷ And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. ³⁸ But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. ³⁹ You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

TIME CAPSULE A.D. 26 to 27

26 • John the Baptist begins to preach (Matt. 3:1)

26 • Annas is named along with Caiaphas as co-high priests (Luke 3:2)

27 • John baptizes Jesus (Matt. 3:13)

27 • Jesus changes water into wine (John 2:7–9)

27 • Rebuilding of the temple still in progress after 46 years (John 2:20)

⁴¹ “I do not receive honor from men. ⁴² But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. ⁴³ I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. ⁴⁴ How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? ⁴⁵ Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. ⁴⁶ For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷ But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Transition

Mission of the Twelve

Mark and Luke treat the mission of the twelve disciples during Jesus’ Galilean ministry in summary fashion. Matthew, on the other hand, was especially interested in the mission of the church (see Matt. 28:18–20) and so devotes considerable attention to Jesus’ instructions to His disciples regarding their mission.

Jesus’ instruction on mission is the second of Matthew’s five major teaching sections (see “Sermon on the Mount or Plain” at Matt. 5:1). Matthew presents the disciples’ mission as an extension of Jesus’ own continuing ministry. Jesus’ compassion for people and His prayer that God would “send out laborers” (9:35–38) introduces the episode. During the disciples’ mission Jesus actively continued His own ministry (11:1). Whereas Mark and Luke listed the names of the twelve apostles much earlier in their accounts of Jesus’ ministry (Mark 3:13–19; Luke 6:13–16), Matthew reserves the listing until this occasion (Matt. 10:2–4).

• Matthew 9:35–11:1
• Mark 6:7–13
• Luke 9:1–6

Matthew 9:35–11:1

The Compassion of Jesus

9

9:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.^{a 36} But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary^a and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

The Twelve Apostles

10

10:1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. ² Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was^a Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Cananite,^a and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

Geography & Environment

The Samaritans (Matt. 10:5) lived in the area immediately to the north of Jerusalem and Judea. They called themselves Israelites, claiming that their ancestors survived the fall of Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C. But Judeans thought Samaritans were descended from colonists brought to Samaria by the Assyrians. Samaritan worshipers followed the five books of Moses, and established a temple of their own on Mount Gerizim.

Sending Out the Twelve

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,^a cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. ⁹ Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, ¹⁰ nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

¹¹ “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. ¹² And when you go into a household, greet it. ¹³ If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

Persecutions Are Coming

¹⁶ “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Herod & Judea Under Rome’s Augustus

In early 30 B.C. Herod the Great met with Octavian and bargained to keep his life and throne. From that time on, Herod remained a client of Rome. After his death, Herod’s sons squandered the favor with Rome that Herod had enjoyed.

Year • Event

31 B.C. • Octavian, great-nephew of Julius Caesar, defeats his rivals in the battle of Actium

27 B.C. • Octavian becomes “Caesar Augustus”

19 B.C. • In Jerusalem, Herod the Great begins construction of the temple

18 B.C. • Herod the Great visits Rome

12 B.C. • Augustus is named “high priest” of Rome and worshiped in the provinces

10 B.C. • Herod names a city “Caesarea” in honor of Augustus Caesar

4 B.C. • Herod the Great dies and his kingdom is divided into three parts for his sons Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip

2 B.C. • Augustus is named “father of his country”

A.D. 6 • Archelaus is deposed and Judea becomes a Roman province

A.D. 14 • Augustus dies and the Senate makes him one of the gods of Rome

A.D. 28 • Herod Antipas beheads John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1–11)

A.D. 39 • Antipas is deposed by the emperor Caligula

²¹ “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴ “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,^a how much more will they call those of his household! ²⁶ Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Jesus Teaches the Fear of God

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men

³² “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Christ Brings Division

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶ and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’^{a 37} He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

A Cup of Cold Water

⁴⁰ “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ⁴¹ He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

11

11:1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

Mark 6:7–13

Sending Out the Twelve

6

6:7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. ⁸ He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— ⁹ but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

¹⁰ Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. ¹¹ And whoever^a will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.^b Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

¹² So they went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

* Immorality and Herod’s Politics (Mark 6:17)

Herod Antipas was the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (4 B.C.–A.D. 39). Reports of Jesus’ works made Herod’s guilty conscience remember his crime against John the Baptist (Mark 6:14). John had boldly denounced Herod’s immorality in marrying his brother’s wife (6:18). The law prohibited adultery and incest; sleeping with one’s brother’s wife was considered incestuous as well as adulterous (Lev. 18:16). But given his political problems in 1st-century Galilee, Antipas may have viewed John’s moral criticisms as a political threat that could stir unrest.

While Antipas was planning to marry his brother’s wife, his first wife realized that he was also planning to divorce her. She fled home to her father, Aretas IV, ruler of the Nabatean Arabs, reporting Antipas’s intentions, and Aretas was enraged that Antipas would treat his daughter so lightly. This created friction between the two kingdoms, and some Nabateans living in Antipas’s territory of Perea made his father-in-law’s enmity even more delicate. Aretas invaded Antipas’s kingdom in A.D. 36 (sometime after Herod had executed John), and would have destroyed it had not the Romans intervened. Many Galileans felt this defeat was God’s judgment on Antipas for executing the Baptist.

This political embarrassment was not the last problem Antipas’s liaison with Herodias caused him. When in A.D. 37 her brother Agrippa I was appointed “king” of Gaulanitis, Herodias persuaded her husband Herod Antipas to request the same title. So enraged was the emperor at Antipas for making such a request, however, that he banished him to Gaul in A.D. 39, and Herodias went off into exile with him. The Gospel of Mark ironically refers to Antipas as “King Herod” (Mark 6:14), even though he was technically only a “tetrarch” (Matt. 14:1). Possibly under Herodias’s influence Antipas thought himself a king.

Transition

Death of John the Baptist

The Jewish historian Josephus wrote in his Antiquities of the Jews that John the Baptist was imprisoned and executed by Herod Antipas. Antipas, who ruled as tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (4 B.C.–A.D. 39), apparently perceived the Baptist to be a threat to lead an insurrection.

The Gospel of Mark provides the most extensive and detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the death of the Baptist. But even all Mark’s detail did not prevent later writers from embellishing the story with legendary elements. The New Testament does not mention either the name of “Herodias’ daughter” (Mark 6:22) or her “seven veils.” The traditional name “Salome” probably comes from Josephus, who wrote that Herod Philip was married to a daughter of Herodias by that name.

Both Matthew and Mark recount the Baptist’s imprisonment and execution by Herod as a kind of literary flashback. There was a superstitious belief that Jesus was actually the resurrected John the Baptist, and even Herod himself was inclined toward this superstition (Matt. 14:1, 2; Mark 6:14).

Luke’s treatment differs considerably. John’s imprisonment is reported before beginning the account of Jesus’ public ministry (Luke 3:19, 20). Maybe Luke wished to avoid the insinuation that Jesus and the Baptist were engaged in rival ministries. Only Luke connects the superstition that Jesus was a resurrected prophet with the reason Herod was curious about Jesus and desired “to see Him” (Luke 9:9). Herod’s curiosity prepares the way literarily for Jesus’ “trial” before Herod, which only Luke reports (Luke 23:6–12).

• Matthew 14:1–12
• Mark 6:14–29
• Luke 3:19, 20
• Luke 9:7–9

Luke 9:1–6

Mission of the Twelve

9

9:1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. ² He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³ And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.

⁴ “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. ⁵ And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

⁶ So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Matthew 14:1–12

John the Baptist Beheaded

14

14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus ² and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” ³ For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. ⁴ Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

⁶ But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. ⁷ Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

⁸ So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

⁹ And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. ¹⁰ So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. ¹¹ And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. ¹² Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Mark 6:14–29

Herodias Requests John’s Death

6

6:14 Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵ Others said, “It is Elijah.”

And others said, “It is the Prophet, or^a like one of the prophets.”

¹⁶ But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. ¹⁸ Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

¹⁹ Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; ²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

²¹ Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ²² And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴ So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

Beliefs & Ideas

The ancients considered remote or deserted places distasteful and threatening. The positive values of community, civilization, and safety from animals or outlaws were found in towns and cities, not in the wilderness. People had to have a certain level of motivation before they would follow Jesus or John the Baptist to the desert (Matt. 14:13).

²⁵ Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

Luke 3:19, 20

3

3:19 But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^a and for all the evils which Herod had done, ²⁰ also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

Luke 9:7–9

Herod Seeks To See Jesus

9

9:7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, ⁸ and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. ⁹ Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” So he sought to see Him.

Transition

Feeding the 5,000

The feeding of 5,000 people is the only event from Jesus’ ministry preceding His last week in Jerusalem that is reported in all four New Testament Gospels. All the accounts agree upon the basic matters: the number fed totaled 5,000; the available food was “five loaves and two fish”; the quantity of leftovers was “twelve baskets full.” Only Matthew explicitly notes that the number 5,000 did not include “women and children” (Matt. 14:21).

The miraculous supply of bread in “a deserted place” (Matt. 14:15) calls to mind Moses’ provision of manna during the Exodus (Ex. 16). According to John’s Gospel, the miracle convinced some that Jesus was in fact the long-expected “Prophet” like Moses (John 6:14; see Deut. 18:15).

John’s Gospel places this miracle just before a Passover (John 6:4), the second of three Passovers mentioned in the Fourth Gospel. The first (John 2:13, 23) was possibly in A.D. 27 (see “Jesus’ First Visit to Jerusalem” at John 2:13). Thus, this feeding story should be dated to the spring of either A.D. 28 or 29. If the undesignated “feast of the Jews” in John 5:1 is Pentecost or Tabernacles, the 5,000 feeding could have occurred in A.D. 28. If the “feast” of John 5:1 is Passover, then the 5,000 were fed in A.D. 29 (see “Jesus’ Second Visit to Jerusalem” at John 5:1). The third Passover mentioned by John was the occasion of Jesus’ death (John 13:1), usually dated to A.D. 30.

• Matthew 14:13–21
• Mark 6:30–44
• Luke 9:10–17
• John 6:1–15

Matthew 14:13–21

14

14:13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. ¹⁴ And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. ¹⁵ When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

¹⁶ But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

¹⁸ He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. ²⁰ So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. ²¹ Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Mark 6:30–44

6

6:30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. ³¹ And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ³² So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

³³ But the multitudes^a saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. ³⁴ And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. ³⁵ When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. ³⁶ Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread;^a for they have nothing to eat.”

³⁷ But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

³⁸ But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹ Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. ⁴¹ And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. ⁴² So they all ate and were filled. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. ⁴⁴ Now those who had eaten the loaves were about^a five thousand men.

Luke 9:10–17

9

9:10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. ¹¹ But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. ¹² When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”

¹³ But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ For there were about five thousand men.

Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” ¹⁵ And they did so, and made them all sit down.

¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. ¹⁷ So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

John 6:1–15

6

6:1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. ² Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. ³ And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

⁴ Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. ⁵ Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” ⁶ But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

⁷ Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

⁸ One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ⁹ “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

¹⁰ Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹ And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples^a to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹² So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” ¹³ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

¹⁵ Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Hill of Bethsaida

Transition

Walking on the Water

Each evangelist closely ties Jesus’ walking on water with the preceding story of feeding the 5,000. For Mark, the inability of the disciples to understand that earlier miracle affected their understanding of who Jesus truly was in this instance as well (Mark 6:52; see John 6:26, 27). Some think that Jesus’ walking on water is parallel to Old Testament theophanies or visionary appearances in which God strides across the waters as a symbol of control over evil and chaos (see Ps. 77:19; 107:23–29; Job 9:8).

While in Mark, the disciples lacked understanding, Matthew stresses that the miracle of walking on water confirmed their belief that Jesus was “the Son of God” (Matt. 14:33). Only Matthew reports Peter’s walking on the sea, and his subsequent sinking illustrates the weakness of faith that is diminished by doubt (14:31). Faith must remain focused upon Jesus and not have its attention divided by harsh circumstances (Matt. 14:28–30).

• Matthew 14:22–33
• Mark 6:45–52
• John 6:16–21

Matthew 14:22–33

It Is I

14

14:22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. ²³ And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. ²⁴ But the boat was now in the middle of the sea,^a tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

²⁵ Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

²⁸ And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

²⁹ So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,^a he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

³³ Then those who were in the boat came and^a worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Jesus Ministers in Galilee

Mark 6:45–52

The Disciples Are Amazed

6

6:45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. ⁴⁶ And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ⁴⁹ And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰ for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” ⁵¹ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵² For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

John 6:16–21

6

6:16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷ got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. ¹⁸ Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. ¹⁹ So when they had rowed about three or four miles,^a they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. ²⁰ But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” ²¹ Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

TIME CAPSULE A.D. 27 to 29

27 • Jesus attends the spring Passover in Jerusalem (John 2:13)

28 • The 15th year of Tiberius (based on his sole reign)

28 • Jesus attends a feast (Passover?) in Jerusalem (John 5:1)

29 • Herod Antipas orders the death of John the Baptist (Mark 6:27)

29 • Pontius Pilate strikes coins in Jerusalem and Caesarea

Transition

Popularity at Gennesaret and Capernaum

Much of Jesus’ early ministry occurred on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Matthew and Mark each provide brief comments about the success of Jesus’ ministry in Gennesaret, where the crowds flocked for healing, bringing the sick with them, and hoping for a brief encounter with Jesus.

John provides a longer treatment about a controversy that arose in the nearby city of Capernaum (about 3 miles east of Gennesaret along the shore of the Sea of Galilee). Jesus’ popularity was still increasing because of the miracles which He performed, yet the people misunderstood the true meaning of His works. Although they had eaten the multiplied loaves, they had not understood the miracle as a “sign” that would give spiritual insight (John 6:26, 27; see “The First of Seven Signs” at John 2:1). The people longed only for Jesus to improve the circumstances of their physical lives (see John 6:15). Rather, Jesus was “the bread of life” that would forever provide the spiritual nourishment they needed (John 6:48–51).

Some suggest that with this episode (especially John 6:53–58) the Gospel of John explains the Lord’s Supper. When John recounts the Last Supper (John 13), he does not report the institution of the sacrament, as do the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:15–20).

• Matthew 14:34–36
• Mark 6:53–56
• John 6:22–71

Matthew 14:34–36

Many Touch Him and Are Made Well

14

14:34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of^a Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, ³⁶ and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Mark 6:53–56

6

6:53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. ⁵⁴ And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ⁵⁵ ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. ⁵⁶ Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

John 6:22–71

The Bread From Heaven

6

6:22 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered,^a and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— ²³ however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— ²⁴ when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. ²⁵ And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷ Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

²⁸ Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

³⁰ Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? ³¹ Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”^a

³² Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

³⁵ And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹ This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Rejected By His Own

⁴¹ The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ⁴² And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

⁴³ Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’^a Therefore everyone who has heard and learned^b from the Father comes to Me. ⁴⁶ Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me^a has everlasting life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

⁵² The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For My flesh is food indeed,^a and My blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶ He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

⁵⁹ These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Turn Away

⁶⁰ Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

⁶¹ When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? ⁶³ It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵ And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

⁶⁶ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

⁶⁸ But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”^a

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” ⁷¹ He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

Transition

Controversy over Traditions

The “tradition of the elders” (Matt. 15:2) contained hundreds of rules, which Jewish teachers had developed over the centuries to ensure that the people properly kept God’s law. Jesus called these teachers “hypocrites” because they emphasized the many commandments of their human tradition, being concerned only with outward conduct while they ignored the inner dynamic and moral demands of the law. This is the only episode in which Mark reports Jesus referring to His Pharisaic opponents as “hypocrites” (Mark 7:6). Matthew, by contrast, recounts several such instances (especially in Matt. 23).

The details of this particular controversy show that “hypocrisy” for Jesus was not “saying one thing and doing another.” The Pharisees did observe the ritual washings which Jesus’ disciples had occasionally neglected (Mark 7:2, 3). In the Jewish literature of this period written in Greek, a “hypocrite” was a godless person who substituted human standards and desires for God’s commandments. Thus, when people scrupulously observed traditions that had the effect of countering God’s command (Matt. 15:3–6; Mark 7:9–13), they became “hypocrites” not because their actions were inconsistent but because they consistently ignored God’s will. Ritual purity cannot cleanse a person defiled by his or her own evil actions (Matt. 15:17–20; Mark 7:15, 18–23).

• Matthew 15:1–20
• Mark 7:1–23

Matthew 15:1–20

Defilement Comes From Within

15

15:1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ² “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

³ He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’;^a and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’^{b 5} But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— ⁶ then he need not honor his father or mother.’^a Thus you have made the commandment^b of God of no effect by your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

⁸ ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And^a honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

⁹ And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”^a

¹⁰ When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

¹⁵ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

¹⁶ So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Mark 7:1–23

True Purity

7

7:1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. ² Now when^a they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. ³ For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

Religion & Worship