The Caldwell Commentaries Podcast

This is a "jet-tour" study on the fascinating subject of "Angelology" in which we consider what the Scripture tells us about the other personal, intelligent, emotional, volitional creatures of God's Kingdom (besides humanity). We discuss such subjects as:

Do angels really have wings? Why are the fallen angels unredeemable? Why did God allow Lucifer to rebel against Him to begin with? How many archangels are there? Why are angels called a "host," and not a "race". Have angels ever appeared in female form?  What is the only place in Scripture where seraphim are mentioned? How are the cherubim described in Scripture (it certainly is not as chubby little toddlers with wings, holding a bow and arrow or a little harp)? Do we have such a thing as a "guardian angel"?  Why are angels also called "watchers" - who and what are they watching? Do people become angels when they die? 

THESE and many other interesting biblical truths about God's holy angels are discussed in this lesson that also talks about what the angels learn from us ... and what we can learn from them!!

Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4

On a very busy and very trying day for the Lord Jesus - Tuesday of the Passion Week, we have the record of an encounter that must have been like a refreshing oasis in the midst of a spiritually dry desert for Him.  A true worshipper entered the scene (He was in the Temple Court known as "The Court of the Women" in which was located the Temple treasury "alms boxes).  This person was a widow and her genuine love, humility, and devotion to the things of God served as a striking contrast to the hypocrisy and pride and false devotion of Israel's false shepherds, who had become a tremendous source of anguish to the Lord's heart.

This widow has become one of the best known female characters in the New Testament.  Actually, she represents all the unnamed and unnoticed saints of God who give sacrificially of both their time and finances for His name's sake.  She represents those who, because they truly love the Lord, obey Him by serving and giving unselfishly.

Matthew 23:13-39; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47

Matthew chapter 23 contains the last words the Lord Jesus ever spoke in the confines of the Temple walls.  They were the harshest words He ever spoke and, not surprisingly, they were directed at the false leaders of Israel who held themselves out to be God's servants when in reality they were deceivers, hypocrites, liars, murderers, and the children of Satan himself.

The words Christ spoke in His eleventh recorded sermon are often referred to corporately as "The Denunciation Discourse" or "The Woe Discourse" - because He pronounced seven "woe judgments" on Israel's religious leadership.  By way of those pronounced "woes," He was giving seven reasons for the judgment soon to fall on Israel.  Her judgment came because the false Pharisaic system of Judaism led the nation to reject her long-awaited Messiah and Saviour!

The Lord Jesus called the nation's leaders hypocrites for: (1) Shutting-up the Kingdom of Heaven, (2)  Stealing from Widows, (3) Sending Men to Hell, (4) Swearing for Gain, (5) Straining at Gnats, (6) Scrubbing the Eternals, and (7) Slaying the Righteous.

Matthew 23:1-12; Mark 12:38 39; Luke 20:45, 46

As our chronological study of Christ's earthly life continues with the events and sermons of Tuesday of the Passion Week, we come with this lesson and the one to follow (Lesson 129) to His eleventh recorded sermon, "The Denunciation Discourse".  Before actually getting to that discourse, the Lord Jesus addressed the multitude assembled around Him, as well as His faithful disciples (scribes and Pharisees were within hearing distance).  He spoke serious words of warning about the false religious leaders of His day.

There is nothing more directly opposed to the true Gospel than the false teachings of prideful, self-deceived men and women who disguise themselves under the cloak of religion!  It is very interesting to learn that the Lord's first public sermon and His last public sermon consist almost entirely of warnings regarding false spiritual teachers!

Matthew 22:34-46; Mark 12:28-37; Luke 20:41-44

The third of a trilogy of "loaded" questions asked of Jesus on Tuesday of the Passion Week came from a lawyer (a "scribe" - Mark 12:28).  It was not a political or doctrinal question, but a theological one; it had to do with the greatest commandment in the Old Testament Law.

After supplying the lawyer with the perfect answer, the Lord Jesus asked the man a question of His own (as He often did).  His question dealt with the most important personal issue facing every person, past, present, and future!  It was essentially, "Who is Christ?  Whose Son is He?  Is He merely the son of a man, or is He the very Son of God?"  

The Lord Himself supplied the answer to His own question, and it was a very LOADED answer!  As He always did, He used the Word of God as both His final authority and His proof text.  Learn how Christ used Psalm 110:1 to prove that the Messiah (Himself) is also Adonai (Lord God)!  THIS IS AN IMPORTANT APOLOGETIC TOOL FOR PROVING CHRIST'S DEITY!

Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40

Following the completely failed attempt by some Pharisees to ensnare Jesus with two politically loaded questions - due to the profound wisdom of His responses, another group of men quickly took over where the Pharisees left off.  This second group consisted of Sadducees, and they also had a "loaded" question which they were sure would put Jesus in a "no win" situation however He answered it.  How wrong they were!  Their question was doctrinally loaded and was intentionally created to make the doctrine of resurrection (which they did NOT believe) look ridiculous.

The Lord's answer to their sarcastic and jesting question about a woman who had seven husbands - and whose wife would she be in the resurrection is absolutely INCREDIBLE!!  Everyone who heard it was astonished at His teaching.  In fact, after He spoke, we read these words about His enemies in Luke 20:40, " . . . they durst not ask Him any question at all".   

Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26

It was Tuesday of the Lord's Passion Week.  Following His series of three judgment parables (see Lessons 124 and 125), the religious rulers of Israel confronted Jesus with what we are calling three "loaded" questions.  They were "loaded" in that they were purposely and maliciously designed to trap Him into condemning Himself by His responses.  Little did those rulers realize how their "loaded" questions were actually fulfilled the divine purpose of examining the Passover Lamb!

As we look at these questions - in this lesson it is a politically loaded question asked by some Pharisees - and the Lord's amazing answers to them, we will see even His worst enemies could find NO FAULT in Him!!  He was the SPOTLESS Lamb of God, Whose death and shed blood would totally satisfy the Father as the righteous payment for the sins of the world!

Matthew 22:1-14

In this lesson, we discuss "The Lord's Answer" to a question that a delegation of religious rulers posed to Him in Matthew 21:23 regarding His authority to present Himself to Israel as her Messiah and to cleanse the Temple of the religious "robbers" who had made it their "den" of iniquity.  

Christ's answer challenged His enemies' four-fold rejection: (1) their rejection of John the Baptist and his authority, (2) their rejection of God the Father (which He taught via His "Parable of the Two Sons"), (3) their rejection of God the Son (which He taught by way of His "Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers") and (4) their rejection of God the Holy Spirit.  It is this fourth subject to which we come in this lesson.  Again, the Lord spoke by way of a parable: "The Parable of the Wedding Banquet for the King's Son".

Matthew 21:28-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19

While Jesus knew the religious rulers were insincere in their request to know the truth about His authority, He never failed to give an honest answer.  Furthermore, there were others in the crowd (as well as future readers of the written record of this time) who needed to hear His answer.  So, rather than evading the matter of His authority (to claim Messiahship and rightfully cleanse the Temple), He proceeded to tell three parables that effectively supplied the information requested - but in such a way that they (the rulers) could not stone Him!  The first two of those parables are discussed in this lesson.  They are: "The Parable of the Two Sons" and "The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers".

Matthew 21:20-23; Mark 11:20-28; Luke 20:1, 2; 21:37, 38

In this first of two-part lesson entitled "Judgment for Rejection," we discuss the events that occurred on Tuesday of the Lord's last pre-resurrection week on earth.  The day began with "The Disciples' Amazement" over the fact that the fruitless fig tree Jesus cursed the previous day (Monday morning) was already dead and completely withered.  In response to their surprise, He told them about having faith to be "mountain movers" (speaking spiritually).  

When they arrived at the Temple in Jerusalem, Jesus and His men were immediately met by a delegation of chief priests, elders, and scribes who demanded to know by what authority He had not only proclaimed Himself Messiah by His act of riding into the city on the colt of an ass on Sunday (fulfillment of Messianic prophecy), but had then - on Monday - single-handedly (for a second time) cleansed the Temple.  In doing so, He had also accused them as being "thieves" (Matthew 21:13).  This an more is discussed in the second outline division of this lesson, which is entitled, "The Ruler's Antagonism".