Commuter Bible

As Matthew’s very Jewish-minded account comes to a close we have seen Jesus lauded as the coming King, we have seen the builders reject the cornerstone, and today we will see the Lamb of God who brings a greater Passover and a greater deliverance. Like Abraham’s firstborn, the Son of God is offered to God as a sacrifice, but he also the substitute offered so that we might live. A Jewish audience would have heard and understood all the parallels to Psalm 22, and recalled from Isaiah that the wounds of the suffering servant bring healing. Thankfully, his crucifixion is not the end. Jesus rises from the grave, just as he had said.

There are aspects of tension, excitement, and confusion as Jesus continues to teach in Jerusalem following his triumphal entry. The Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and other experts of the law have already tested him with their inquisitions, but he didn’t fumble with answers in the slightest. On the contrary, his answers left the crowd in awe and wonder at his wisdom and judgment. Today, Jesus returns the favor by declaring seven woes upon the hypocrites who elevate themselves but weigh down others. Later, the disciples have questions about the future, and Jesus calls them to faithfulness and expectancy while waiting for His return.

The prophecies of the Son of David predict that a king will rise to power to shepherd the people of Israel. Jesus fits this description, and after waiting for centuries for this King, the people rejoice at the thought of a King rising to power to conquer their foes. What they don’t realize is that Jesus won’t conquer Rome or other nations, but He will instead conquer far greater foes like sin and death. The leaders despise Jesus and the praise He receives from the crowd. With jealousy in their hearts, they make every attempt to discredit the authority of Jesus.

While man-made religions all try to glorify the followers and originators of the religion they promote, Christianity stands in stark contrast, for it is evident that the disciples were absolutely clueless when it came to Jesus and His teaching. Time and again, they record their confusion and ignorance, all the while elevating Christ and His wisdom and power. In today’s reading, Christ teaches on the character of His disciples and how they should behave, including humility, forgiveness, discipline, mercy, devotion, gentleness, and the nature of possessions.

We’ll hear a number of parables from Jesus today, and according to Jesus Himself, the reason he speaks in parables is conceal the truth from those whose hearts are callous. These truths are, however, for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see, that is, those whom the Father has chosen to reveal the truth. Take note, too, of the occasions in today’s passage where Jesus tries get away by Himself, even staying up all night to pray before walking out on the ocean to catch up with the disciples. Time and again, Jesus finds himself surrounded by the crowds, but even so, He has compassion on them.

If you’ve been a follower of Jesus for a while, chances are that you’ve heard many of today’s accounts before. Jesus cleanses the lepers, opens the ears of the deaf and the eyes of the blind, raises the dead, casts demons out of people, and then commissions His disciples to do the same. As you listen to today’s reading, don’t let familiarity keep you from contemplating how absolutely mind-boggling all of this would have been to those who witnessed it. Even the Pharisees couldn’t deny what was happening, they could only question how. Such strong displays of power and wisdom can only be done by One who is the Son of God.

Just as Moses did before Him, Jesus ascends a mountaintop in order to deliver a Word from God to those who were following Him. Unlike Moses, Jesus doesn’t need to wait for an authoritative teaching, for He Himself is the authority: he is Immanuel, God with us. As He begins His teaching, He assures the crowd that His words are not an alteration of God’s established commands; rather, His words are a fulfillment of the Law. This sermon would have been just as shocking to His audience then as it is to our modern sensibilities today. May we learn to trust and obey Him anew as we hear His words today.

The gospel of Matthew was written with a Jewish audience in mind, pointing frequently to the Old Testament to show how Christ was God’s promised Messiah and the fulfillment of the Law. Matthew looks back upon some 60 Hebrew prophecies throughout his text. Not only is He the long-awaited King, He is also the new Abraham, that is, the head of the new spiritual Israel comprised of all who follow Him. If that weren’t enough, Matthew also shows that Jesus is the new Moses; He is the greater prophet, teacher, and deliverer born among Israel’s brothers who gives perfect instruction from God.

The clans and families of Israel are settling into their apportioned lands and beginning to find rest when a report spreads across the lands that the tribes on the other side of the Jordan are rebelling against God. They ready themselves for war, knowing that God is a jealous God, but later find their zealous action was in haste. Today’s reading ends with the burial of three leaders: Joshua, who experienced the exodus as well as the conquering of the Promised Land; Eleazar, the successor to Aaron in the priesthood; and finally, the bones of Joseph who had died in Egypt. It marks the end of an era and a shift in the tide of Israel’s history.

Now that the majority of the Promised Land has been conquered, the land is being divided by lot and by size according to the number of people in each tribe. Today’s reading is the last section of text detailing the division of the land, and as mentioned in the last episode, consider the excitement and the joy that Israel experienced as each family learned where they would live and work and thrive for generations to come. While the descriptions may seem abstract to us, they were concrete and tangible pieces of real estate for Israel. Today’s reading ends with a joyful conclusion, so make sure to pay attention.