Matthew’s gospel concludes in today’s episode as consider the hope of the resurrection in Jesus Christ our Lord. The good news of Jesus Christ is that he died for our sins on the cross, drinking the full cup of God’s wrath on our behalf so that we might be forgiven of our sins. Not only this, but he also deposits his perfect righteousness into our account so that his perfect fulfillment of the Law might be attributed to us. If that weren’t enough, he also has risen from the dead, conquering both sin and death so that we might live forever with him. Living forever with him begins in this life, for he has promised that he will be with us always, even to the end of the age.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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Today, we’ll cover Matthew’s account of the crucifixion including Christ’s death on the cross, but stopping shy of his burial, saving that section for our next reading. We begin with the account of Judas confessing his guilt in betraying Jesus, and the response from the chief priests and elders is one of indignant apathy. Fraught with grief, Judas hangs himself and dies. Though he has been charged as guilty before the Jews, Jesus now stands trial before the governor, Pontius Pilate. Though he finds no guilt in Jesus, he condemns him in order to keep a riot from starting. After Jesus is mocked and beaten by the Roman military who oversaw his custody, he is led to the cross and crucified between two criminals.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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The time has come for Jesus to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Having finished taking the Passover meal together, Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives with his disciples to spend the night. This has been their routine while in Jerusalem, and Judas knew where to find them. After Judas indicates which man is Jesus by greeting him with a kiss, an armed mob of men arrest Jesus and lead him away to be tried by the high priest and the Sanhedrin. While witnesses are brought forth to testify against him, none of their accusations stick. Finally, Jesus confirms that he is the Messiah, the Son of God, and they sentence him to death. Peter waits in the wings, unable to muster the courage needed to acknowledge Jesus.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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During his time in Jerusalem leading up to the Passover, Jesus has been causing quite a commotion among the people. In addition to teaching God’s Word with power and authority, he has insulted the chief priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, all of whom were accustomed to being revered as scholars and spiritual leaders. Concerned for their own reputation and for what they considered to be right teaching, they plot to kill Jesus. Christ, however, knows his own fate and has been telling the disciples that he will soon be handed over to be killed. During the Passover meal, he even announces that one of his own disciples will betray him. With zeal, Peter proclaims that he would never fall away from Jesus, but Christ knows that won’t be the case.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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In our last reading, Jesus spoke to his disciples about living faithfully during the end times and about the return of the Son of Man. Jesus continues in this same discourse as we pick up and read today’s chapter with two parables and one analogy that sounds a lot like a parable. All three of these ideas focus on diligence, perseverance, and expectation for the return of the Son of Man. In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus teaches his disciples to prepare themselves for his return, even planning their lives appropriately toward that end. In the parable of the talents, Jesus addresses using one’s gifts and opportunities to advance the kingdom in his absence. In the analogy of sheep and goats, Christ discusses humble service to those in need.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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You may have noticed that the closer we get to Christ’s crucifixion, the more time seems to slow down. This is intentional, as Matthew is highlighting the importance of Christ’s time in Jerusalem before he is executed by the Jews. Today Christ tells his disciples about future things, including the destruction of the temple, which happened only 70 years later, for the old covenant is passing away and the gospel of Christ’s kingdom has come. Jesus tells his followers to expect persecution, false prophets, false messiahs, an increase of wars and an increase in natural disasters. Even so, the gospel will go forth into all the world. Finally, no one knows the day or hour when Christ will return, but that shouldn’t stop us from anticipating that day.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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In the midst of the people of Jerusalem, just days before the Passover feast was to be celebrated, Jesus speaks to large crowds of devoted Jews about the dangers of hypocritical teachers. Here, Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush, but instead openly names and rebukes the scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites. He criticizes them for self-righteous behaviors and traditions that only serve to exalt man. The posture that the truly righteous should take, however, is a posture of humility and service. In his rebuke, Jesus says that they will be charged with the blood of the righteous, from Adam’s son Abel to the prophet Zechariah, who was murdered in the temple. This kind of rebuke against a city while standing in the city itself would have caused an uproar, perhaps even turning the crowds’ fanfare into fury.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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Today’s episode begins the parable of the wedding feast, which Jesus tells to the people of Jerusalem. If you’re familiar with the book of Revelation, you’ll recall that as the vision comes to a close, we are shown a wedding feast where Christ is the groom and his bride is the church. God invites all men to this banquet, but many reject this invitation and go about their business. Some even kill the messengers who were sent to invite them. Later, the Pharisees and the Sadducees try their best to trap Jesus in his words. Finally, Jesus turns the tables and asks them a challenging question about the words of King David which they are unable to answer.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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On today’s episode, Jesus enters Jerusalem and is welcomed with great fanfare by the crowds. Those who had concluded that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah had also concluded that the Son of David would reign as king in the same way the David ruled as a king. In other words, they thought he was a wise man who would take the throne, perhaps even by force, and that restoration to geopolitical nation of Israel would be restored. Though Jesus is the Son of David and the promised Messiah, he hasn’t come to claim victory over his foes in the ways that the Jews had surmised. In fact, we’ll see from today’s passage that Jesus rebukes God’s people for their hardness of heart.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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Our understanding of fairness is often based on what experience by comparison; in other words, we see what other people have in similar positions as ours and we make judgments about whether one thing or another is “fair” or “unfair.” When it comes to the kingdom of heaven, Jesus alters our vantage point to see things from a heavenly perspective. In short, we should not be jealous of God’s generosity towards others. Later, James and John ask Jesus if they can sit on his right and left in the coming kingdom. Jesus tells them that while the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, it should not be so in the kingdom. In fact, anyone who wants to be great in the kingdom must be a servant.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

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