Interpretive Study of Matthew's Gospel-9,10.

Chapter links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, God.

Matthew Chapter 9

links to sentences in this chapter:

C9-S1 (Verse 1), C9-S2 (Verse 2), C9-S3 (Verse 3), C9-S4 (Verse 4), C9-S5 (Verse 5), C9-S6 (Verse 6), C9-S7 (Verse 7), C9-S8 (Verse 8), C9-S9 (Verse 9), C9-S10 (Verse 9), C9-S11 (Verse 10), C9-S12 (Verse 11), C9-S13 (Verse 12), C9-S14 (Verse 13), C9-S15 (Verse 14), C9-S16 (Verse 15), C9-S17 (Verse 15), C9-S18 (Verse 16), C9-S19 (Verse 17), C9-S20 (Verse 18), C9-S21 (Verse 19), C9-S22 (Verse 20-21), C9-S23 (Verse 22), C9-S24 (Verse 22), C9-S25 (Verse 23-24), C9-S26 (Verse 24), C9-S27 (Verse 25), C9-S28 (Verse 26), C9-S29 (Verse 27), C9-S30 (Verse 28), C9-S31 (Verse 28), C9-S32 (Verse 29), C9-S33 (Verse 30), C9-S34 (Verse 31), C9-S35 (Verse 32), C9-S36 (Verse 33), C9-S37 (Verse 34), C9-S38 (Verse 35), C9-S39 (Verse 36), C9-S40 (Verse 37-38)'.

Please use This link to see the chapter summary.

Chapter theme: the scribes and Pharisees start their doctrinal fight with Jesus

Matthew 9; Mark 2 and Luke 5 all report many of the same things.

In Chapters 5-7, Jesus gave the 'Sermon of the Mount', which were the rules for being part of His kingdom. Then, in the prior chapter, we read that 'Jesus acted like a King'. He cast out devils and healed people who were willing to accept Him as their King, while warning the Jews of the consequences if they rejected Him as their king. And, at the end of the chapter, Jesus freed two men from many devils but the local Jews begged Him to leave because they preferred their life of sin to being part of His kingdom.

Now, in the start of this chapter, Jesus returns homeans devils motivate the religious leaders to start doctrinal fights with Jesus. The first thing that they had a fit over was His saying: Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. As the religious leaders knew, Only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:7; Luke 5:21). However, they also knew that God's King would be the Son of God and, therefore, able to forgive sins. And, as part of this incident, Jesus told them, But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:10; Luke 5:24). With this, Jesus was proving to the religious leaders that he was God's Christ and God's King. But, they rejected the evidence and, foolishly, believed that they could force God to give them the kingdom and let them rule while God's true King was only their puppet and there to take the blame for their errors.

While the religious leaders rejected Jesus, the common Jew (public and and sinners) were glad to receive Him and accept His God given position. Following this, our chapter tells us how Jesus did miracles, including raising the dead (symbolically showing that He gave spiritual life to the lost) and giving sight to the blind (symbolically showing that He gave spiritual understanding to true believers). And, with all of these evidences for Whom he truly was, the religious leaders tries to explain away the evidences by declaring He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. Thus, we see the chapter start with Jesus reaching out to the religious leaders but ending up in a non-stop fight because they refused to accept the evidence of Whom Jesus was. With that reaction, Jesus turned to the common man and old His disciples to do the same. Our chapter ends with Jesus saying: The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Jesus wants us to be part of His kingdom but that includes our working for His kingdom.

Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:1-12 and Luke 5:17-26 all give us the account of men tearing up the roof and lowering their friend so that Jesus could heal him. (This event happened right after Jesus moved His ministry into the wilderness because the crowds were getting too large to meet indoors. This is also when Jesus attracted the religious leaders attention enough that they started sending members of their group to spy on Him.) the detailed analysis of these accounts is in the note for Luke 5:17. At the end of that analysis is the time sequence of events leading up to Jesus calling Matthew to discipleship. Please see that note in order to understand the time sequence which is reported.

Matthew 9:3; Mark 2:6; Luke 5:21 and John 8:3 all report that the scribes and the Pharisees started to accuse Jesus of blasphemy Other earlier places we are told that they reacted poorly but these are the first reports of this accusation.

In Matthew 9:14-17; Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-39 we read about the disciples of John asking a similar, but different question and asking it for a different reason and with a different attitude. As a result, they received a different type of answer.

In Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19 and Luke 5:34 we read about 'The Children of the Bride-Chamber'.

In Matthew 9:15 we have a prophecy which is similar to what we find in Luke 5:35; Luke 13:35; Luke 17:22; John 7:33-36; John 8:21-24; John 12:35; John 13:33; John 16:5-7; John 16:16-22; John 17:11-13

In Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22 and Luke 5:36-39 we read two parables which Jesus gave to explain the differences between the old religion of the scribes and Pharisees as compared to the religious attitudes that were expected in the New Testament Church. Please also see the Table of Parables in the New Testament for these parables.

In Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21 and Luke 5:36 we read the parable about 'New Cloth and Old Garment'. It is also found in the Table of Parables in the New Testament.

In Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22 and Luke 5:37-39 we read the parable about 'New Wine in Old Bottles'. It is also found in the Table of Parables in the New Testament.

Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tells us about Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Please see the notes for each sentence within this account for contextual requirements and links to related Studies, except the link to the Study called the Miracles in the Gospels; which is here. Please see the note for Luke 8:51 for a step-by-step sequence of events in the last part of this miracle. The sequence of earlier events is straight-forward and do not need a special outline.

Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34 and Luke 8:43-48 tell about the healing of the woman with an issue of blood while Jesus, and a throng of people, were on the way to heal the daughter of Jairus.

In Matthew 9:26; Matthew 9:31; Mark 1:28; Luke 4:15 and Luke 5:15 we read went there a fame abroad of Jesus. Later in His ministry, this would not be true, but, at this time, people flocked the Jesus.

In Matthew 9:27-31, Jesus restores sight to two blind men who proved their faith. This particular miracle is only reported here in Matthew. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels, which provides links to all miracles which are reported in the Gospels.

In Matthew 9:32-34 and Luke 11:14, we read that Jesus cast out a dumb devil. This then led to the Pharisees, and other people, claiming that He used the power of Beelzebub to cast out devils.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

1-8. Christ cures one sick of the palsy;
9. calls Matthew from the receipt of custom;
10-13. eats with public and and sinners;
14-19. defends his disciples for not fasting;
20-22. cures the bloody issue;
23-26. raises from death Jairus' daughter;
27-31. gives sight to two blind men;
32-35. heals a dumb man possessed of a devil;
36-38. and has compassion on the multitude.'.

C9-S1 (Verse 1) Jesus returns to his own city.

And he entered into a ship,
and passed over,
and came into his own city..

Our sentence starts with the word And, but it is also the first sentence of this chapter. That means that the word And is adding this chapter to the prior chapter. The general note for the chapter explains how this chapter is added to prior chapters in order to continue the theme of Matthew's Gospel. In addition, Matthew 9; Mark 2 and Luke 5 all report many of the same things. With the vast difference in chapter numbers, it should be obvious that no two Gospel accounts are in the same order. In fact, none of the Gospel accounts are in a strict time sequence and ministers of Satan try to convince us that there are errors and conflicts in God's word because God's word does not use this wrong method.

The fact is that each Gospel account was written to present a different picture of Jesus and each Gospel writer tells us about incidents in the order which supports the picture that He is building of Jesus. Therefore, the accounts in the other Gospels which match incidents reported in this chapter may be the same incident with a similar or a slightly different perspective. Or, the incident in another Gospel account may be a different but similar incident. It is utter foolishness to claim that Jesus never repeated saying or doing something. It is also foolishness to insist that, if Jesus did something or taught a lesson, He had to always do everything in the exact same order and that He had to teach the same lessons in the exact same way and with the exact same words. No, a reasonable person expects some minor differences so long as they do not cause a doctrinal conflict.

Mark 2:1 is an equivalent sentence to this sentence. Luke does not mention the physical place but tells us about the critics who were there and waiting for an excuse to condemn. After the sentences, in all three Gospel accounts, tell us the conditions which existed for this incident, we read the reports of the incident. So, yes, Luke tells us about different conditions than Matthew and Mark tell us about, but all three Gospel accounts are preparing us for the doctrine which is related to the incident. Therefore, this sentence, and the ones in Mark and Luke, give us the setting of the incident before they start the actual report of the incident.

Our current sentence tells us that Jesus came into his own city from across the lake. Mark 2:1 says: And again he entered into Capernaum, after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. Thus, there was a time period, that Mark does not report about, between what Mark reported in his first chapter and the start of his second chapter. His second chapter starts with when Jesus was in his own city / Capernaum, just like Matthew does in our current chapter.

In addition, the report from Luke that is equivalent to the prior incident reported by Matthew, said that it happened in he country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. Since Galilee is where our current incident takes place, and since our sentence starts with: And he entered into a ship, and passed over, it should be apparent that Jesus crossed the lake between the prior incident and this incident so that He could re-cross the lake, again, to arrive back near where He was when Luke reported the prior incident of his Gospel account. Luke does not tell us what Jesus was doing before this incident. Therefore, there can be no conflict, with Matthew or Mark, about what preceded this incident.

The conclusion is that none of the three Gospel accounts tell us what Jesus did just before this incident and we can not put it into an exact time sequence within the ministry. The report of this incident is independent of what happened before it and all we can know is that it happened in the early ministry of Jesus with nothing more exact in a time sequence than what was presented in other notes. (This event happened right after Jesus moved His ministry into the wilderness because the crowds were getting too large to meet indoors. This is also when Jesus attracted the religious leaders attention enough that they started sending members of their group to spy on Him. Please see the Gospel Time Sequence document for more of those details.)

Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:2-12 and Luke 5:18-26 all give us the account of men tearing up the roof and lowering their friend so that Jesus could heal him. The detailed analysis of these accounts is in the note for Luke 5:17. At the end of that analysis is the time sequence of events leading up to Jesus calling Matthew to discipleship. As already explained in a prior note for this Gospel account, Jesus had already selected His first four disciples who would eventually become apostles. It is not until a later time that He will select among all of His disciples who will become the twelve, and that selection happened at one time after he prayed all night. However, at this time, Jesus is still calling many people into discipleship.

Our current sentence tells us that Jesus came into his own city. Mark 2:1 tells us that it was noised that he (Jesus) was in the house. Luke 5:17-26 tells us that it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching. So, putting these details together, we see that Jesus returned to His own city and was in a house (we see latter in Matthew that it was not His own house) and people told others that He was there. (It is believed that Jesus was in Peter's house.) the people went to the house that Jesus was in and He taught them. In addition, there were Pharisees and doctors of the law who came and were sitting by (taking the position of other teachers and authorities on the Bible and on religion).

So, what we conclude is that we can not make an exact doctrinal declaration about a detailed time sequence but we can make a general, relative, statement about the time sequence. We can also see that we get more understanding when we compare the details of each report of the incident. Finally, we see that what God does have the Gospel writers report is the relationships between Jesus and the religious leaders and between Jesus and the common Jew. In particular, we can understand that between Jesus was in His own home city, in the house and the power of the Lord was present. These were the circumstances when the religious leaders decided to pick a fight and their doing so, with these circumstances, only proved that they were foolish.

Please see the note for John 10:9 about the word enter. The functional definition for this word is: 'to leave one place and go into another place'.

Please see the note for John 6:16-17 about the word ship. The functional definition for this word is: 'For the most part, in the Bible, these are now called fishing boats'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:17 about the phrase passed away. The functional definition for this phrase is: 'gone'.

Please see the note for Mark 11:19 about the word city. The functional definition for this word is: 'An area where many people live together and have a local government rule over them'. Please also see the note for Romans C13S12 about the phrase city of refuge. Please also see the note for Matthew 4:5 about the phrase holy city.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'he. Mt 7:6; 8:18,23; Mr 5:21; Lu 8:37; Re 22:11 his. Mt 4:13 exp: Ge 23:10. General references. exp: Mt 8:23; Mr 5:21.'.

Home Start of web page Chapter Summary Start of Chapter

C9-S2 (Verse 2) Jesus forgive sins.

Equivalent Section: What the friends did.

And,
behold,
they brought to him a man sick of the palsy,
lying on a bed:.

Equivalent Section: What Jesus did.

First Step: Jesus saw their faith.

and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy;.

Second Step: How the man is to react.

Son,
be of good cheer;.

Third Step: Why

thy sins be forgiven thee..

Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:1-12 and Luke 5:17-26 all give us the account of men tearing up the roof and lowering their friend so that Jesus could heal him. in this incident, Jesus first forgave his sins, which caused fits for the religious leaders. Please be sure to read all of the equivalent sentences, and their related notes, in order to get a full understanding of the doctrine which is involved. The note for the prior sentence explains the circumstances of this incident. The detailed analysis of these accounts is in the note for Luke 5:17. The note for Mark 2:5-LJC gives the doctrine related to the various roles of God and the Son of God and their power to forgive sin. Please consider all of those notes for the contextual and doctrinal considerations which are related to this incident.

The time sequence, which we get from other Gospels, indicates that this incident happens later in the early ministry of Jesus than what might be thought just reading through this account by Matthew. Please remember that Matthew, in particular, is not following a time sequence but is presenting incidents in the order that supports His theme that Jesus is God's Christ and King. The general note for this chapter gives us the sequence of incidents within this chapter and explains how the current incident is just the first of several incidents which support the theme of this chapter.

in this chapter, we see the religious leaders, who were benefitted by the religious traditions, fighting back against the changes which Jesus is introducing. They received their power and authority from religious traditions. Jesus is replacing those traditions with an ongoing personal relationship with God through true Biblical faith. With this incident, Jesus is proving that He has the legal authority to make these changes.

With the prior written, please realize that, in the early ministry of Jesus, we can know the time sequence of certain incidents but not of other incidents. In addition, in certain cases we can know the time sequence absolutely but in other cases we can only know the time sequence in general. (This incident is one where we can know the time sequence in general but not absolutely.) It is only when Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the 'Last Supper', and His crucifixion that we can know the time sequence of all reported incidents absolutely. Please see the Section called the Sequence of Early Events in the life of Jesus, within the Doctrinal Study called the Gospel Time Sequences for more details on this subject.

Please consider the sequence of Matthew's Gospel so far. The theme of the first chapter is: 'Jesus fulfilled the law and proved that he is God's Christ'. In that chapter, we see here are seven (7) points which would be accepted as evidence in a righteous court of law. These seven (7) points are the evidence which Matthew gives to prove that Jesus is God's Christ and King.

The theme of the next chapter is: 'The first true worship of Jesus'. The Jews knew that God's Christ and King would be 'God in human flesh'. Therefore, they knew that He was to be worshipped and God sent wise men to be an example to His people and to be a witness, sent from God the Father, that Jesus is God's Christ and King.

The theme of the next chapter is: 'The ministry of John the Baptist'. He was the herald of Jesus, sent to prepare God's people for their King.

The theme of the next chapter is: 'The start of the ministry of Jesus'. Here we read about His testing by Satan and His doing what only 'God in human flesh' could do. Thus, this chapter is actually another evidence that Jesus is God's Christ and King.

The theme of the next three chapters is: 'The Sermon of the Mount / Beatitudes'. This is where Jesus specifies what will be required for someone to be part of His kingdom. People who refuse to at least try to fulfill these requirements will not be part of His kingdom even if they are God's children.

The theme of the next chapter (the prior chapter) is: 'Jesus acts like a King'. in this chapter we see many evidences that Jesus truly is God's Christ and King.

The theme of the current chapter is: 'The scribes and Pharisees start their doctrinal fight with Jesus'. Whenever someone comes into an existing social structure, and takes over, the people who were in power previously always fight against the changes. The religious leaders were ruling God's people and now God is introducing a true king, who refuses to be a puppet. Therefore, the existing power structure will fight against the new authority.

In every chapter, we see Matthew building a legal argument for the fact that Jesus truly is God's Christ and King. And, out current chapter continues that message as evidenced by the people who are currently in power starting to fight against the power and authority of Jesus. They would not do that unless he was a true threat to their own power and authority. And, while many people preach about this incident and draw several different doctrines and applications from it, I can't remember anyone preaching that it was the start of the fight over power and authority between the ministers of Satan and Jesus. We see this in the very next sentence where we read; And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, this man blasphemeth. That sentence, and the equivalent ones in the other Gospel accounts, show that certain of the scribes thought they had the power and authority to judge Jesus. Following that sentence, we read that Jesus proved that He had true power and authority from God the Father which the religious leaders claimed to have but could not back their claim with proof. Thus, what we really have, in all of the reports of this incident but especially in this report from Matthew, is a spiritual battle between the religious leaders representing religious traditions and Jesus, Who represents the true doctrine from God the Father. This incident is truly about who has the true power and authority to represent God. And, the main application for us tday is that we need to listen to people who truly show God working through their life and stop listening to people who claim to be an authority based upon religious traditions and credentials from men.

Once all of that is understood, we can look at our sentence and how it compares to equivalent sentences.

Mark 2:3-5 and Luke 5:18-20 are equivalent sentences to this sentence. Since each of those other Gospel reports have several sentences to say the same message as this sentence, it should be obvious that the detail level is different between this sentence and the sentences of those other Gospel reports. However, the equivalency between Gospel reports means that the same message is delivered even while the details differ. This is an important concept to retain as you study the Gospel accounts because unbelieving critics try to claim that these types of differences show conflicts in the Bible and that claim is a lie from devils. The truth is that God allowed His Gospel writers freedom of expression so long as they delivered His message and only His message.

Imagine four (4) women going on an all-day shopping trip to a new mall that none have visited before. Or, imagine four (4) teen aged boys going all-day to an amusement park that none have visited before. Now, imagine asking each to tell what happened and then having someone claim that unless they all said the exact same thing using the exact same words, they must all be liars. That is what unbelieving Bible critics try to claim about the true word of God. (Try to find someone who has the same level of criticism for man written perversions which are called to be bibles.) the truth is that each person in our examples would have different reports because each have different perspectives even when two, or more, report experiencing the same thing. Now, realize that each of our Gospel writers give us a different perspective of the life and ministry of Jesus. If this were not true then there would be no reason for God to preserve more than one Gospel. However, God not only allowed His Gospel writers freedom of expression, but God gives greater understanding to those people who study and compare the various accounts of an incident with a mind of true Biblical faith. That is what I try to provide when comparing various incidents throughout this book Study.

Now, please keep in mind that Matthew was a government employee (a tax collector) and, as such, was concerned with the legal process and the legal enforcement of law. That is the perspective given in this chapter. Jesus saw the need of the man, He also saw the true Biblical faith of the man's friends, He also saw the critical attitudes of the religious leaders who were there and He saw the need of the general Jew to know how they chose who truly represented God the Father. In all of the Gospel accounts, we are told how Jesus dealt with all of these needs.

In our current report, we see that these friends brought this man based upon true Biblical faith. In chapters 5-7, Jesus promised the blessings of God to God's children who responded to Him, and His message, in true Biblical faith. Therefore, these friends fulfilled the legal requirements to receive blessings from God. In addition, the prior chapter told us how Jesus had these blessings to the people who responded properly while refusing them to people who refused to respond properly. Thus, we see here that Jesus legally responded to these friends who fulfilled God's requirement for them to get a miracle for their friend.

Next, we see, in the rest of this report, that Jesus legally denied these blessings to the religious leaders who refused to fulfill God's requirements. In addition, we see Jesus tie the legal forgiveness of sin to the demonstration of the power of God and the approval of God. In His doing this, He showed the common Jew how to chose who truly represented God the Father. And, when the man obeyed the command of Jesus, we see that he also acted in true Biblical faith. Thus, he also fulfilled God's requirements for Jesus to do all that He did for the man.

In the equivalent sentences from Mark, we see many more details which explain how the friends overcame the obstacle of a blocked path in order to accomplish what God wanted them to do for their friend. Mark gives us the perspective of a servant and a servant is expected to accomplish any task given to them regardless of the obstacles. Therefore, Mark is telling us how these friends acted like true servants of God and of their friend.

Next, we know that Luke presents the perspective that Jesus is 'a literal physical man'. And, Luke reports how these friends overcame the obstacle as literal men can do if they are willing to accept the consequences of people being upset with them.

Thus, we see that there are too many detailed differences to do a detail level comparison to the three Gospel reports but we also see that all three Gospel reports deliver the same message. And, we see that the differences at the detail level are due to the different perspectives that each Gospel author gives to us.

With those considerations dealt with, we can now look at the details of our current sentence.

If you look at the definition (below) of the word palsy, you will see that it is very similar in effect to polio. Therefore, if you think of polio, you can have a better understanding of the problem that this man had. This disease had robbed him of his ability to physically do things and, since Jesus responded with: thy sins be forgiven thee, the palsy was symbolically, if not physically, the result of sin. That is: sin robs everyone of their ability to do anything for God. And, remember that the theme of Matthew's Gospel is that Jesus is God's Christ and King. Further, the context of the prior chapter, which this incident is added to by starting with the word And, is that Jesus was giving blessings and the ability to serve the kingdom if they were truly willing to act in true Biblical faith in order to serve. With those contextual requirements in mind, we see, in our sentence, that Jesus responded when He (Jesus) Jesus saw their faith. Reacting to the true Biblical faith, Jesus restored this man's ability to serve the kingdom.

The note for Mark 2:3 provides links to every place in the Bible where We find this word. If the reader follows those links they will find twice in Acts where Jesus Christ acted through the preacher to heal someone of this disease, plus the servant of the centurion, plus this incident. Thus, we see that healings from this disease are rarely reported.

Our current sentence, Mark 2:5 and Luke 5:20 all tell us that Jesus saw their faith. The doctrinal lesson is that our faith can be used by God for blessing and salvation of others. In James 5:15 we read the prayer of faith shall save the sick. Lots of religious people like to claim that their faith provided the healing, when there is healing, and the sick person's lack of faith prevented the healing. According to our current sentence, all results are based upon the faith of the people proving help.

Now, consider the context. Jesus is in His own city and in the house of one of His disciples. The common people are mobbing the house to see or receive a miracle of healing or to have a devil cast out of them. Jesus has given 'The Sermon on the Mount' where He said what was required to become part of the kingdom and also said what were the blessings given only to those people who are part of the kingdom. And, as related in the prior chapter, Jesus has clearly accepted some people into the kingdom and rejected others based upon if they were willing, or not, to fulfill God's requirement of true Biblical faith in order to be part of the kingdom. Now, with that background, religious leaders are sending representatives to challenge His authority to do these miracles and to cast out devils. in this incident, Jesus clearly shows that His authority comes from God the Father because only God has to power to work through someone and do what Jesus has been doing. And, by extension, He is proving that they do not have the authority from God the Father, which made their claims to be religious lies, because God the Father refuses to work through their lives and their ministries. As explained in the note for the next sentence, the religious leaders, at other times, asked by what authority Jesus did these miracles. However, they did not ask this time because He demonstrated that he used the authority of God the Father which they could not do.

Next, please notice that in most reports of Jesus providing a miracle, He just provided the miracle without any mention of forgiveness before the miracle. Yes, a couple of times He said something about forgiveness, but it was usually after He gave the miracle. in this case, Jesus deliberately spoke about forgiveness before the miracle. He knew why the representatives of the religious leaders were there. They were acting like devils, trying to be sneaky and get people that they were there to hear Jesus just like everyone else was. However, they were truly there to challenge Jesus and to try and find something that they could use to accuse Him of. That is why their immediate reaction, as reported in the next sentence, was to: say within themselves, this man blasphemeth. And, Jesus knew why they were there and called them out on their purpose. That is why He said Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee before He did the miracle. And, if you want to disagree, give a valid reason for His doing things in this order. 1Corinthians 14:40 says: Let all things be done decently and in order. God would not command us to do things orderly if He refused to do so. No, this order of actions was deliberate and Jesus did things in this order in order to call out the scribes and to publicly point out that they were sneaks trying to find a basis to challenge His doctrine but refused to do so publicly. They did not have the authority that they claimed and could not produce evidence that their authority came directly from God the Father. Yet, they told people to disobey Jesus and follow their doctrine from devils instead of obeying the word of God.

Next, the Jews were correct in claiming that only God could forgive sin. This doctrine comes from Isaiah 43:25. Now, many religions teach doctrinal error about this legality based upon ignorant people refusing to use their own brains in order to verify religious lies. Our verse in Isaiah says: I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. the phrase blotteth out thy transgressions means: 'legally removing the written record of violations to the law'. Colossians 2:13-14 says: And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; What we see there is that having forgiven you all trespasses also requires Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us. Of course, the word ordinances is defined as: 'a law or statute of sovereign power'. Thus, we have two different Bible references which tell us that there is a written legal record of our breaking God's law which must be blotted out if we are to avoid the consequence of our sin. And, since only God can change His legal record which is in Heaven, only God can forgive sin. Therefore, the scribes were correct in this doctrine but were wrong in their application. They believed that Jesus blasphemeth instead of accepting the truth that Jesus was / is 'God in human flesh'. As the report of this incident tells us, Jesus corrected them and proved the true doctrine, but they rejected God's truth and brought damnation upon themselves and their followers.

Please see the note for Colossians C2S3 about the word behold. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines this word as: 'to fix the eyes upon; to see with attention; to observe with care. Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1. 2. In a less intensive sense, to look upon; to see. When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Num. 21.
BEHO'LD, v.i. to look; to direct the eyes to an object. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, a lambdas it had been slain. Rev.5. 1. to fix the attention upon an object; to attend; to direct or fix the mind. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Rev.3.word is much used in this manner for exciting attention, or admiration. It is in the imperative mode, expressing command, or exhortation; and by no means a mere exclamation '.

Please see the note for Acts 5:15 about the word sick. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the word sickly. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not healthy; somewhat affected with disease; or habitually indisposed. Sickliness is sent as a judgment for sin'.

Please see the note for Mark 2:3 about the word palsy. The American Tract Society Dictionary defines this word as: 'Or paralysis, strikes sometimes one side or portion of the body, and sometimes the whole; affecting the power of motion, or the power of sensation, or both. It is one of the least curable of diseases; but the Savior healed it with a word, Mt 4:24; 12:10; Mr 2:3-12. the "withered hand," Mr 3:1, was probably an effect of the palsy. there is also a palsy of the soul, which the Great Physician can heal, and he alone'.

Please see the note for John 5:10 about the word bed. The functional definition for this word is: 'The Jewish bedstead was frequently merely the divan or platform along the sides of the house, sometimes a very slight portable frame, sometimes only a mat or one or more quilts. the only material for bed-clothes is mentioned in 1Sa 19:13. Sleeping in the open air was not uncommon, the sleeper wrapping himself in his outer garment (Ex 22:26-27; De 24:12-13)'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C13S9; 2Corinthians 2:17 and Colossians C1S6 about the words see / sight. The functional definition is: 'perception of objects by the eye; view. this word is often used symbolically for spiritual understanding'. Please also see the note for John 6:40-LJC about the phrase see the Son. Please also see the note for Acts 2:25 about the words foresee / foresaw. Please also see the note for Romans C11S10 about the phrase works are seen of men.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S3; 2Corinthians C1S17; Galatians C3S27; Ephesians 6:23-LJC; Philippians 1:25-26 and 2Timothy C1S2 about the word faith. The functional definition is: 'an action word that is based upon a belief in a promise found within the Bible with the action dictated by the Bible and the understanding that our action does not force God to act nor determines when or how God acts but proves that of our own free will we are giving God permission to act in and through our life to do what He promised within His Word'. Please also see the notes for Colossians 1:1 and Titus 1:1 about the word faithful. The functional definition is: 'Firm in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion. Full of faith, trustful, and not simply trustworthy. being true to oneself, to one's nature, to any promise given, and to any trust committed'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 3:1-LJC about Christ Jesus is faithful. Please also see the notes for Romans 4 and James 2:21-LJC about Abraham's faith. Please also see the note for 2Timothy C1S2 about the phrase faith: unfeigned. Please also see the note for 2Peter 2:3 about the word feign. Please also see the note for Romans C10S12 about the phrase faith makes us not ashamed. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S29 about the phrase justification by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S25 about Law and faith. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about live / walk by faith. Please see the note for James 2:14 for links to every verse in the New Testament where the words faith and works contained within the same verse.

Please see the notes for Romans C7S16; Romans C11S26 and 2Corinthians 5:10 about the word good. The functional definition for this word is: 'what comes from God'. Please also see the note for Romans C11S26 about the word goodness. Please also see the note for Mark 14:14 about the word goodman. Please also see the note for Mark 2:28-LJC about the phrase Good Friday.

Please see the note for Romans C12S5 about the word cheer. The functional definition for this word is: 'To dispel gloom, sorrow, silence or apathy; to cause to rejoice; to gladden'.

Please see the notes for Romans C7S26 and especially Sin in 1John about the word sin. The functional definition is: 'a violation of God's law' (1John 3:4). Please note that religious people call certain groups of people sinners. because they fit a religious definition which may have nothing to do with God's law. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. The functional definition for this word is: ' One that has voluntarily violated the divine law; a moral agent who has voluntarily disobeyed any divine precept, or neglected any known duty'. Please note that this designation applies to saved as well as to lost. As 1John 3:4 tells us, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Please also see the notes for Sin in 1John; Romans C2S4; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26 about the phrase sin unto death.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 2:7 and Colossians C1S3 about the word forgive. The functional definition for this word is: 'legal action which removes the ongoing legal consequence without removing the requirement to restore anything lost as a consequence of the crime. True Biblical forgiveness also requires true Biblical repentance and the forgiveness will be removed if it is shown that the criminal did not truly Biblically repent.'

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'they brought. Mt 4:24; 8:16; Mr 1:32; 2:1-3; Lu 5:18-19; Ac 5:15-16; 19:12 seeing. Mt 8:10; Mr 2:4-5; Lu 5:19-20; Joh 2:25; Ac 14:9; Jas 2:18 Son. Mt 9:22; Mr 5:34; Joh 21:5 be. Ps 32:1-2; Ec 9:7; Isa 40:1-2; 44:22; Jer 31:33-34; Lu 5:20; 7:47-50; Ac 13:38-39; Ro 4:6-8; 5:11; Col 1:12-14 exp: Mt 14:27; Ac 23:11. Thy sins. Rather, "thy sins are forgiven thee;" the words being an affirmation, not a prayer or wish. the word be, however, was used by our translators in the indicative plural for are. As the palsy is frequently produced by intemperance, it is probable, from our Lord's gracious declaration, that it was the case in the present instance. General references. exp: 1Sa 3:6; Ro 4:7.'.

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C9-S3 (Verse 3) the scribes judge Jesus for blaspheme.

And,
behold,
certain of the scribes said within themselves,
This man blasphemeth..

Matthew 9:3; Mark 2:6 and Luke 5:21 all report that the scribes and the Pharisees started to accuse Jesus of blasphemy. Other, earlier places reported in other Gospel accounts, report that the religious leaders reacted poorly but these are the first reports of this accusation. In addition, John 10:33-38 reports that the common Jew did the same. They demanded that Jesus answer then when they said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. When Jesus did exactly what they demanded, they tried to kill Him. This shows the problem with the religious doctrine taught by the Jewish religious leaders which would have been obvious if people truly thought about it. Their doctrine said that God's Christ would plainly tell them that He was God's Christ. However, their doctrine also demanded that the Jews kill anyone who plainly tell them that He was God's Christ. And, they claimed that God's Christ would live forever while denying the resurrection even though their own history included three (3) resurrections. Thus, we see that wrong religious doctrine contradicts itself. Only doctrine from God never contradicts itself because God never changes (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Therefore, what God says as doctrine never changes and, as a result, can never contradict itself.

They claimed that Jesus blasphemeth because only God has the authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:5-6; Mark 2:6; Luke 5:21). We find the exact phrase of: by what authority in: Matthew 21:23; Matthew 21:24; Matthew 21:27; Mark 11:28; Mark 11:29; Mark 11:33; Luke 20:2; Luke 20:8. In every case, where the religious leaders asked this question of Jesus, He answered by asking them a matching question which they refused to answer because any answer that they gave would prove that they claimed an authority that they did not actually have. Then Jesus responded to them with: Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. thus, we see that Jesus refused to answer challenges to His authority after this incident since He plainly proved the source of His authority in this incident.

While, after this incident, Jesus rejects challenges to His authority, He did answer requests for legal witnesses that He preached the doctrine from God. Please see the note for John 5:1 about witnesses given by Jesus to show that His doctrine came from God.

Now, our sentence says: certain of the scribes said within themselves. Some people claim that, for Jesus to know this, He had to have access to super-natural knowledge. However, we can often tell what someone is thinking by the reaction we see on their face, especially when they are surprised or shocked by something. And, some people are better at reading face and body language than others. There should be no doubt that Jesus was excellent at this particular skill. Therefore, His knowing their thoughts did not necessarily require super-natural knowledge, especially since His statement surely shocked the scribes. However, this is not something to argue about and each person is allowed to have his own opinion on the matter.

Mark 2:6-7 and Luke 5:21 tell the equivalent of this sentence. And, we have some interesting differences in the wording but there is no conflict in the messages.

Our sentence starts with the phrase And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves,. The equivalent phrase from Mark is: But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts. The equivalent phrase from Luke is: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying. Matthew and Luke tell us that their sentences are added to the prior by starting with the word And. Mark also uses the connecting word of But. However, this difference is because Mark is showing how certain of the scribes thought in the opposite from what Jesus said. Instead of wanting to show God's love and mercy, like Jesus did, they wanted to judge and condemn.

In addition to the first words, our first phrases say: certain of the scribes said within themselves (Matthew), there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts (Mark) and the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying (Luke). Thus, we see that the phrases: said within themselves and reasoning in their hearts are two different ways of expressing the same action. In addition, Luke 5:21 tells us that there were Pharisees in addition to the scribes. In addition to that truth, they not only said within themselves, but Luke reports that they spoke out loud when he uses the verb of saying. Therefore, Matthew and Mark did not report everything that happened and Jesus could have heard what they said or He could have read their body and face language or done some combination. Thus, this did nor require super-human knowledge and we see here that if we do not carefully compare all reports of a given incident, we can be led into stating doctrinal error which is based upon incomplete knowledge.

The last phrase, within our sentence is: This man blasphemeth. The equivalent phrase from Mark is: Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? the equivalent phrase from Luke is: Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? If the reader pays attention, they should realize that all three Gospel reports are telling us that these religious leaders made an legal and religious accusation against Jesus, even though they expressed it different ways. So, mark, who gives us the perspective of a servant, tells us that they asked a question. And, a servant might question a master, but they try very hard to not dispute a master, which is what this question does. At the same tile, Luke gives us the perspective of a literal physical man, and he also poses a question. The difference between Mark and Luke is that Luke presents the type of question that would be asked by someone who thinks themselves to be equal to the person being questioned. And, Matthew presents the legal perspective and regardless if something is posed as a question or as a statement, in this instance, they are making a legal accusation. And, therefore, we have three different expressions of the same thing with the differences being all explained by the different perspectives.

Blasphemy is best described by John 10:33 which says The Jews answered him, saying, fora good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. When anyone makest (themselves to be) God, that is blasphemy. We also can see this in Revelation 2:9 which says I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.. By claiming to be Jews these people claimed to be led by God but were of the synagogue of Satan. So blasphemy. is to attribute to God something done by a devil or to claim to do by your own power what was obviously done by God. Many people think blasphemy. is cursing or 'taking the Lord's name in vain'. However, both of these things are different from blasphemy and they are different from each other. Forms of cursing occur 208 times in the Bible and is basically the opposite of blessings. Truly taking the Lord's name in vain occurs 3 times in the Bible (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11; Proverbs 30:9). When we call ourselves Christians we are taking our God's name of Christ. When we do something in vain we do it in a way that is 'Empty; worthless; having no substance, value or importance'. So when we claim to by Christians and our life is 'Empty; worthless; having no substance, value or importance' from God's perspective then we are truly taking the Lord's name in vain. Hopefully the reader can see the differences between these three concepts.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 1:20 about the word scribe. The functional definition for this word is: 'In the New Testament the word is used in the sense in which it is applied to Ezra, and scribes are classed with the chief priests and the elders. they are described as sitting in Moses' seat, and what they taught was to be observed; but, alas, their works were not to be followed. Mt 7:29; 23:2,13-33.'.

Please see the note for Romans 11:1 about the phrase I say. The functional definition is: 'Uttering in articulate sounds or words; speaking; telling; relating; reciting'. Please also see the note for Revelation 1:8 about the word saith. Please also see the note for Romans C10S28 about the word gainsaying. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:1 about the word sayings (plural). Please also see the notes for Romans C15S15 and 2Corinthians 2:17 about the word speak. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 3:12-14 about the word speech. Please also see the notes for Ephesians C4S15 and 1Peter 2:1 about the phrase evil speaking. The words speaketh and saith mean that the person 'keeps on keeping on doing the saying'.

Please see the notes for Mark 2:6-7 about the word blasphemy. The functional definition for this word is: 'Speaking evil of God'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:3; Matthew 12:31; Matthew 15:19; Matthew 26:65; Matthew 26:65. Please note the th on the end of the word blasphemeth in our sentence. This means that they did not accuse Jesus of a one-time sin of blasphemy, but that they accused Him of lifestyle blasphemy. Apparently, they were so anxious to accuse Jesus of anything that they not only wrongly accused Him but they exaggerated their accusation.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'certain. Mt 7:29; Mr 2:6-7; 7:21; Lu 5:21; 7:39-40 this. Mt 26:65; Le 24:16; Mr 14:64; Joh 10:33-36; Ac 6:11-13'.

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C9-S4 (Verse 4) Jesus tells them that their thoughts are evil.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said,
Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?.

Mark 2:8 and Luke 5:22 tell the equivalent of this sentence. And, we have some interesting differences in the wording but there is no conflict in the messages. Mark tells us: Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves. Our current sentence tells us that Jesus asked this question because He was knowing their thoughts. Thus, what Mark reports happened just before what our current sentence reports. Then, Luke reports: when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them. Therefore, Jesus used the spiritual gift called discernment of spirits (1Corinthians 12:10) with the help of God's Holy Spirit to know what they thought even though they did not speak.

In addition to the first phrase of our sentence, we read three slightly different questions that Jesus asked. In all likelihood, Jesus asked all three questions and each Gospel writer chose to only report the one question. Jesus would have used multiple questions because repetition is an effective way to get people to think about what you are asking them. First, Jesus would have asked What reason ye in your hearts? in order to get them to consciously consider what they were thinking and reasoning in their hearts. Next, Jesus would have asked Why reason ye these things in your hearts? in order to get them to consciously consider their own internal motives. Lastly, Jesus would have asked Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? in order to get them to consciously consider the source of their thoughts and to realize that they were being motivated by a spirit from a devil and not from God. God never motivates people to think evil nor does God motivate people to do evil. Therefore, Jesus is trying to instruct these religious leaders and get them to consider the type of spirit they are following and where they will end up if they continue to follow such a spirit.

Please see the notes for Romans C10S25; 1Corinthians C1S11; 2Corinthians C1S5; Galatians C3-S9; Colossians C1S3 and know in 1John about the word know. The word knew is the past-tense form of the word know. The functional definition is: 'A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; and the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement between various truths and acts. Within the Biblical usage is the knowledge that comes only from personal intimate experience'. Please see the notes for 2Peter 1:2-LJC; 2Peter 2:20-LJC and Philippians 1:9-11 about the word knowledge. Please see the note for Romans 6:3 about the phrase Know ye not. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C16S17 about the word acknowledge.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:3-6 about the word thought. The functional definition for this word is: 'the past-tense form of the word think'. Please also see the note for Philippians 3:4-6 about the word think. The functional definition for this word is: 'To have the mind occupied on some subject; to have ideas, or to revolve ideas in the mind'.

Please see the note for Romans intro about the word wherefore. The functional definition for this word is: 'what follows the wherefore is a future result that is based upon what came before the wherefore and seen wherever you look'.

Please see the note for Romans 7:19 about the word evil. The functional definition for this word is: 'Both the source and consequence of things which people consider to be really really bad. the source and / or result can be natural or spiritual or any combination thereof. However, even what seems to be a natural source can actually be caused by a devil, especially when the recipient is a child of God. In all cases the result is deliberately intended and caused, which is what separates evil from the accidental'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:15 about the word evildoer. Please also note the conincidence between the Devil and the word evil since the Devil is the source of much evil. Please also see the notes for Ephesians C4S15 and 1Peter 2:1 about the phrase evil speaking. Please also see the note for Philippians 3:2 about the phrase evil workers. Please also see the note for Hebrews 4:12 about the phrase evil heart. Please also see the note for Hebrews 4:12 about the phrase evil heart.

Please see the note for Romans C10S6; 2Corinthians C2S4 and Colossians C2S1 about the word heart. The functional definition for this word is: 'Our heart controls the same things as our soul only where the soul deals with the long term the heart deals with the short term and we control our heart directly while the soul is the accumulated actions of our heart. Both are the way we think (mind), the way we emotionally respond to circumstances (emotions) and the method we use to make decisions (will)'. Please also see the note for Galatians C6S6 about the phrase Lord looketh on the heart. Please also see the note for Ephesians C4S8 about the phrase wicked heart.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'knowing. Mt 12:25; 16:7-8; Ps 44:21; 139:2; Mr 2:8; 8:16-17; 12:15; Lu 5:22; 6:8; 7:40; 9:46-47; 11:17; Joh 2:24-25; 6:61,64; 16:19,30; 21:17; Heb 4:12-13; Re 2:23 Wherefore. Eze 38:10; Ac 5:3-4,9; 8:20-22'.

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C9-S5 (Verse 5) Jesus poses a challenging question to them.

First Step: Consider what Jesus said.

For whether is easier,
to say,
Thy sins be forgiven thee;.

Second Step: Prove that this is harder to do.

or to say,
Arise,
and walk?.

Mark 2:9 and Luke 5:23 tell the equivalent of this sentence. While the wording is different, the message is the same in all three Gospel accounts. When we consider what Matthew reports, compared to what Mark reports we see that Matthew adds the word For at the start of the sentence, which means: 'Here is why what was asked prior is true'. Mark starts his question with the word Whether and the meaning of the word For is implied. Next, Mark adds the phrases: to the sick of the palsy and take up thy bed. If the reader considers what is really said they should understand that these additional phrases are implied by Matthew and he just chose to not report them while maintaining the same message.

Next, we need to consider the differences with what Luke reports. Like Mark, Luke skips the word For at the start of the sentence, but it is implied just like for Mark. Other than that, the only difference between what Matthew reports and what Luke reports is that Luke uses the phrase Rise up in place of the word Arise. It should be obvious to all thinking people that there is no difference in the messages reported even though there are minor differences in the wording.

We see in the Gospels that one of the signs which showed that Jesus was the Christ was that he made the lame to walk (Matthew 9:5; 11:5; 15:31; Mark 2:9; 7:5; Luke 5:23; 20:46; John 5:8-12; 8:12; 11:9-10; 12:35).

In the question of this sentence, Jesus demanded that they compare the power required to do two different things. The true answer was: 'both require the power of God'. And, since the people opposing Jesus claimed to be the top experts on doctrine for the entire world, they could not claim inability to answer this question while maintaining their claim to be the top experts on doctrine for the entire world. Now, later, they claimed that Jesus did miracles through the power of Satan. And, yes, devils can do miracles. However, they can not preach the true doctrine of God (1John 4:1-3. We are commanded to try the spirits whether they are of God. We arte not to try their doctrine because we can be3 deceived. But, the question is: are does their life identify them (baptized) with the holiness and righteousness of God, the sacrifice and service of Jesus Christ, and the ongoing personal relationship with God that is through the Holy Ghost? If not, then they have not been truly spiritually baptized in a Biblical way and they are not of God. And, yes, there are people who have been truly saved who have not yet spiritually matured to the point that their lives display these traits of God, but neither are such people used by God to do miracles. No, when someone is supposedly doing miracles we are to try ('repeatedly test') the doctrine that they claim and the doctrine that they live. If both do not match the character of God then they are lying ministers of devils.

We find forms of the word whether occurring 171 times in 148 verses of the Bible, 70 times in 60 verses of the New Testament and, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:5; Matthew 21:31; Matthew 23:17; Matthew 23:19; Matthew 26:63; Matthew 27:21; Matthew 27:49. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Which of two'.

Please see the note for Matthew 11:30 about the word easy. The word easier is defined as: 'more easy'. The functional definition for the word easy is: 'Free from anxiety, care, solicitude or peevishness; quiet; tranquil; as an easy mind. 2. Giving no pain or disturbance; as an easy posture; an easy carriage. 3. Not difficult'.

Please see the notes for Romans C8S1 and Ephesians C4S1 about the word walk. The functional definition for this word is: 'taking small repeated steps. This word is used symbolically for the small things which we do regularly in our life without thinking about those things'. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about the phrase live / walk by faith.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'whether. Mr 2:9-12; Lu 5:23-25 Arise. Isa 35:5-6; Joh 5:8-14,17-18; Ac 3:6-11,16; 4:9-10; 9:34; 14:8-11 exp: Mt 9:6. General references. exp: Lu 5:23.'.

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C9-S6 (Verse 6) Jesus heals a man who was sick of the palsy.

What Jesus said.

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,
(See Below),
Arise,
take up thy bed,
and go unto thine house..

Below is the part of the sentence from the parenthesis.

(then saith he to the sick of the palsy).

It should be obvious that Jesus said the first part of this sentence to the scribes and Pharisees who were there and judging Jesus. And that the second part, after the enclosed part, was said to the sick of the palsy but deliberately said in a way that the scribes and Pharisees could not deny hearing. Since they were there to challenge the authority of Jesus, He is deliberately using this as a challenge to their claim of authority and to make it clear that they had no authority, nor any right, to challenge His authority. Our sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence while changing direction. In the prior sentence, Jesus challenged them to prove that it took more authority and power to forgive sin than was required to heal the sick of the palsy. Where the prior sentence dealt with the words, this sentence deals with the action and both sentences are proving that Jesus has the authority and power that only comes from God. Since the scribes and Pharisees can not demonstrate a similar power, they can not have as great of authority. And, with this incident, Jesus is making that difference clear. After this time, He will refuse to answer their challenge to His authority because He already, as reported By this incident, proved that He had greater authority. Yes, He allowed them to crucify Him for reasons of God, but that did not prove their authority. It only condemned them and all of their followers.

Mark 2:10-11 and Luke 5:24 tell the equivalent of this sentence. All three Gospel accounts report the exact same wording until we come to what Jesus said to the sick of the palsy and then we have the same message with minor differences in wording. Luke reports the phrase I say unto thee, which Matthew and Mark did not bother to include. Mark reports the phrase thy way, which Matthew and Luke did not bother to include. Luke uses the word couch where Matthew and Mark use the word bed. And, if the reader understands the word definitions, below, they will see that the two words have the same meaning. (The word divan, in the word definition for bed, means couch.)

Please see the note for Romans C13S2 about the word power. The functional definition for this word is: 'the faculty of doing or performing anything; the faculty of moving or of producing a change in something; ability or strength. Power might be physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, religious or of some other nature'. Please also see the note for John 5:41 about the phrase power of God. Please also see the notes for Romans C8S40 and Ephesians C6S8 about the phrase spiritual powers.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 5:1 and Philippians 2:9-11 about the word earth. The functional definition for this word is: 'All of this physical world including the influence it has on us. At times, the application o0f this word, will focus on only part of the whole'. Please also see the note for Luke 21:10-11 about the word earthquake. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 4:7 about the word earthen. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 5:1 about the word earthly. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about the phrase kings of the earth.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:1 about the word house. The functional definition for this word is: ' In a general sense, a building or shed intended or used as a habitation or shelter for animals of any kind; but appropriately, a building or edifice for the habitation of man; a dwelling place, mansion or abode for any of the human species. It may be of any size and composed of any materials whatever, wood, stone, brick, etc. This word is also used, symbolically within the Bible, for the descendants of a person'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:17 about the phrase house of God. Please also see the note for Luke 1:26-27 about the phrase house of David. Please also see the note for Luke 1:32-33 about the phrase house of Jacob. Please also see the note for Matthew 10:25 about the words household / householder.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that the. Isa 43:25; Mic 7:18; Mr 2:7,10; Lu 5:21; Joh 5:21-23; 10:28; 17:2; 20:21-23; Ac 5:31; 7:59-60; 2Co 2:10; 5:20; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13 Arise. Mt 9:5; Lu 13:11-13; Ac 9:34 General references. exp: Nu 14:17; Mt 12:8; Mr 2:10; Joh 5:8.'.

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C9-S7 (Verse 7) the healed man obeyed Jesus.

And he arose,
and departed to his house..

Mark 2:12 is the equivalent of this sentence and the next sentence. Luke 5:25 is the equivalent of this sentence. The ending and summary of this incident is in these sentences. This sentence tells us what the man did and the next sentence tells us the reaction by the multitude.

As we see in these summaries, what God did not only affected this man but also caused the multitudes to glorify God. This is a critical part of receiving a miracle from God that most people fail to understand. The purpose of any miracle is to bring glory to God. Yes, there were times when Jesus told people to tell no one but to go to the Te3mple and tell the priests. Implied in that command is for the person to also worship God. But, every time that Jesus told people to tell no one, it was because others would give Him glory as a man and not as 'God in human flesh'. And, even Jesus refused to receive glory as a man and directed all glory to God.

Mark tells us: And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all;. Luke tells us: And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. Once more we see that the message is the same even if the other Gospel accounts give us details that Matthew does not provide. all three Gospel accounts tell us that the multitude who saw the miracle glorified God. But only Luke says that the man personally glorified God. And, while Matthew and Mark did not state this fact, they both implied it. Also, Matthew does not tell us that he reacted immediately, like the other two authors do, but, again, that is implied. Again, Matthew does not tell us that he acted before them all, like the other two authors do, but, again, it would be impossible for them to glorify God if they did not see it. In addition, since the press was so great that he had to be lowered through the roof, it would be impossible for him to depart to his house without the crowd seeing it. Thus, we can go through every little detail, but it should be obvious that the Bible criticizers are deliberately misrepresenting God and the word of God when they claim that these differences in wording constitute conflicts. The truth is that God provides these different perspectives in order to give greater understanding to those people who are diligent and faithful to find and study the different reports of similar or same incidents.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 12:8 about the word depart. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'to go or move from. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Matt. 25. It is followed by from, or from is implied before the place left. I will depart to my own land, that is, I will depart from this place to my own land. Num. 10. 2. to go from; to leave; to desist, as from a practice. Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam. Jehoshaphat departed not from the way of Asa his father'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. exp: Mr 2:10.'.

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C9-S8 (Verse 8) the multitude glorified God.

But when the multitudes saw it,
they marvelled,
and glorified God,
which had given such power unto men..

Mark 2:12 and Luke 5:26 tell the equivalent of this sentence. Most of the doctrine for this sentence was covered in the note for the prior sentence. (The two sentences together constitute the summary of the report on this incident.) An additional thing to consider is that Mark reports they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. At the same time, Luke reports that the people were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. The notes for those sentences, in the other Book Studies, explain the doctrine of those phrases. The important doctrine is that the people recognized that no religious leader ever did anything like Jesus did. His miracles and doctrine were not just a little better than the doctrine from the religious leaders, but they were totally different.

The last important thing, about our current sentence, is the phrase which had given such power unto men. What we see here is that the average Jew still regarded Jesus as 'just a human man' and not as He truly was and is, which is: 'God in human flesh'. This error in perception eventually let them accept doctrinal error and participate in the crucifixion of Jesus. Any today who make the same error can also be led into doctrinal error which will end them up in the lake of fire.

Please see the note for John 6:2 about the word multitude. The functional definition for this word is: 'The state of being many; a great number'.

Please see the note for Galatians C1-S3 about the word marvel. The functional definition for this word is: 'A wonder; that which arrests the attention and causes a person to stand or gaze, or to pause. this word is nearly obsolete, or at least little used in elegant writings. 2. Wonder; admiration.'.

Please see the note for Romans C15S14; 1Corinthians C15S36; Ephesians C1S2; 2Corinthians 10:14-LJC and Colossians C1S6 about the word glory. The functional definition is: 'Abundance, wealth, treasure, and hence honour, dignity of God; of the mind or heart; Splendour, brightness, majesty of Jehovah , the infinite perfections of God'. Please also see the note for Matthew 17:1 about the phrase Jesus Christ return in glory. Think about the 'Mount of transfiguration'.

Matthew 9:8; Mark 2:12; Luke 5:25; Luke 5:226; Luke 7:16; Luke 13:13; Luke 17:15; Luke 18:43; Luke 23:47 and 21:19 all tell us about people who glorify God .

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 5:5 and Philippians 4:15 about the word give. The functional definition for this word is: 'Bestowing; conferring; imparting; granting; delivering'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:8-11 about the word given. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:7 about the word giver. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S19 and Ephesians C5S2 about the phrase giving of thanks.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'when. Mt 12:23; 15:31; Mr 2:12; 7:37; Lu 5:26; 7:16 and. Mt 15:31; Lu 5:25; 17:15; 23:47; Ac 4:21; Ga 1:24 General references. exp: Nu 14:17; Mr 2:10.'.

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C9-S9 (Verse 9) Jesus calls Matthew to discipleship.

Equivalent Section: Jesus acted like He was just passing by.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence,
he saw a man,
named Matthew,
sitting at the receipt of custom:.

Equivalent Section: Matthew was called.

and he saith unto him,
Follow me..

In Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:14-15 and Luke 5:27-32 we read about the call of Matthew as a disciple who would become an apostle. Matthew gave a party, to celebrate his call and to introduce his friends the Jesus. As a result of that feast, Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 2:15-17 and Luke 5:30-32 we read about how Jesus and His disciples eat and drink with public and and sinners. As a further result of this, the scribes and Pharisees questioned the disciples of Jesus about not keeping their traditions.

The sense of the phrase passed forth / passed by is: 'a person on their way to another place just happens to go by a way that takes them by what is passed by'. (The phrase passed by is in the equivalent sentences of the other Gospel accounts.) thus, the sense from this sentence, and the equivalent sentences, is that Jesus made this call to Matthew but if Matthew hesitated in the least, Jesus would have moved on and extended the call to someone else.

I've seen many prideful people, especially in America, who insist that God has to repeatedly call them, to the point of actually begging. And, they believe that they can still respond when they feel like it and still receive the same blessings as if they responded the first time like Matthew did. Look back at the sentences in Matthew 8:19-22 and their associated notes. As explained in those notes, we can not be doctrinally sure of the end results, but the indication is that the people mentioned in those sentences did not follow Jesus and lost out on all of the blessings for doing so. Therefore, when we receive a true call, we should respond immediately like the example of Matthew shows us. Otherwise, we may lose the opportunity forever.

In all three Gospel accounts, before this call, we have the incident of Jesus healing the man of palsy and the scribes and Pharisees accusing Jesus of blasphemy. Then, in this incident, we read about Matthew responding immediately and positively to the call of Jesus. The contrast of the two incidents can not be coincidence since the contrast is in all three Gospel accounts. Then, all three Gospel accounts next tell about the disciples of John the Baptist asking for clarification of the doctrine that was displayed. This also can not be coincidence. Thus, we see one more example of the importance of considering context.

in this account, when Matthew was called to be a disciple, the first thing he did was throw a party so that all of his friends could meet Jesus (Matthew 9:10; Mark 2:15 and Luke 5:29). We often see this type of reaction by newly saved people. They are so excited that they try to tell all of their friends about getting saved. The reaction of the Pharisees is also typical of many religious (but lost or acting lost) people. They criticized having dirty, unacceptable sinners associating with 'good religious people' (Matthew 9:11; Mark 2:16; and Luke 5:30). All three accounts include the same answer from Jesus (Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17; and Luke 5:31).

Luke 5:27 and Mark 2:14 are equivalent sentences to this sentence. In the first phrase, of our current sentence, we read: And as Jesus passed forth from thence. In the equivalent phrase of Mark, we read: And as he (Jesus) passed by. In the equivalent phrase of Luke, we read: And after these things he went forth. In all three Gospels we see the equivalent sentences started with the word And. This lets us know that all three authors are starting a report of a new incident which is added to the prior incident. That is, the new incident is still supporting the same chapter theme as the prior incident. Next, we already dealt with the phrases: passed forth / passed by / went forth as saw that they all have the same meaning even though they use different words. Therefore, the first phrase, of all three equivalent sentences, give us the same message while using different words. This is not a conflict but is evidence that God gives His authors freedom of expression so long as they deliver His message and only His message.

In the next phrase, of our current sentence, we read: he (Jesus) saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom. In the equivalent phrase of Mark, we read: he (Jesus) saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom. In the equivalent phrase of Luke, we read: and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom. In all three sentences, we read that Matthew was sitting at the receipt of custom. (That means that Matthew was a 'tax collector'.) Also, in all three sentences, we read that Jesus saw him sitting there. Then, Matthew is identified as: Matthew / Levi the son of Alphaeus / a publican, named Levi. And, many people have more than one identifier. Thus, other than the identifier chosen by a particular author, we read the exact same thing in all three phrases. In addition, in this Gospel account he is identified by his legal name. In Mark's Gospel account he is identified by his family name. With servants, especially in that society and at that time, the family that someone belonged to was very important to many people and especially to servants. Further, In Luke's Gospel account he is identified by his social positions. The publicans were social outcasts. The fact that he was of the family of Levi made his outcast status worse since he was supposed to be a priest, which was one of the highest social orders. Thus, we see that the only difference is the choice of identification with each author choosing the mode of identification which matches the perception that the author is providing. That is: Matthew gives the legal identification, mark gives the identification used by servants and Luke gives the identification used by most men.

In the last phrase, of our current sentence, we read: and he saith unto him, Follow me.. In the equivalent phrase of Mark, we read: and said unto him, Follow me. In the equivalent phrase of Luke, we read: and he said unto him, Follow me. The only real difference is that Matthew uses the word saith While Mark and Luke use the word said. Matthew is letting us know that this was a life-time commitment, with the saith, and that was what math was legally agreeing to. However, Mark and Luke assume that people understand this truth and do not see the need to make the life-time part of the commitment explicate.

Moving on, we see that is also an equivalent of this sentence and identifies Matthew as Levi the son of Alphaeus. The apostle named James, who is also called 'James the less' is also called the son of Alphaeus in Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13. Apparently, Matthew and 'James the less' were brothers with 'James the less' being identified as the son of Alphaeus to distinguish him from other James among the disciples.

in this incident, we see a man leave a very profitable business to follow Jesus. In addition, we are told that many public and and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. Thus, Matthew had many associates who claimed to be friends and he probably had many of them turn their back on him like most people experience after they truly get saved. In addition, we are told that the politically important people criticized him and his association with Jesus. However, in spite of all of the losses in this world, he stayed true to Jesus. This is what God requires in order for us to receive everlasting rewards.

In our sentence, we see the exact command (follow me) without any more said. We see the same thing in: Matthew 4:19; Matthew 8:22; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 19:21; Mark 2:14; Mark 8:34; Mark 10:21; Luke 5:27; Luke 9:23; Luke 9:59; Luke 18:22; John 1:43; John 10:27; John 12:26; John 13:36; John 21:19. Most people need a lot of time and several evidences before they commit their life to service to God. It is reasonable to believe that each of these disciples had several experiences with Jesus before this command was given, and the Gospel accounts indicate that this is true for many, but not all, of the disciples who became apostles. However, when the invitation came there was no begging and we do not read about repeated invitations. The indication is that many people passed up great eternal rewards by being hesitant in answering God's call.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:17 about the phrase passed away. The functional definition for this phrase is: 'gone'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S1 and Philippians 2:9-11 about the word name. The functional definition is: 'How a person or thing is identified. In the Bible, the power and authority which is associated with the name is always part of the message where this word is used'. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S4 about the phrase the name. That note has links to every place in the New Testament where the phrase in the name. occurs along with links to where similar phrases occur in the New Testament. Please see the note for 1Peter 4:14-LJC about the name of Christ. Please see the note for Luke 13:35 about the phrase name of the Lord. Please also see the Summary and verses documents about the use of this word for the Son of God. Please also see the note for Acts 1:23 about the word surname.

The name of Matthew is only named in: Matthew 9:9; Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13. He is also called Levi in: Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27. And, he is called the son of Alphaeus in: Mark 2:14.

We find forms of the word receipt in: Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27. Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The place where taxes were received, custom house'.

Please see the note for Romans C13S10 about the word custom. The functional definition for this word is: 'Frequent or common use, or practice; a frequent repetition of the same act; hence, way; established manner; habitual practice'. The receipt of custom was the amount of tax which most people had to pay to cross a border. That amount remained the same for most of the time.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C4S16 about the word follow. The functional definition for this word is: 'to go after or behind; to walk, ride or move behind, but in the same direction'. Please also see the note for Romans C14S25 about the phrase follow after. Please also see the note for Mark 2:14 about the phrase follow me.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'named. Mt 21:31-32; Mr 2:14-17; Lu 5:27-28 Levi. Lu 15:1-2; 19:2-10 Follow. Mt 4:18-22; 1Ki 19:19-21; Ga 1:16 exp: Mt 8:22. General references. exp: Lu 18:28; 1Co 1:27.'.

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C9-S10 (Verse 9) Matthew left all to follow Jesus.

And he arose,
and followed him..

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence. Most of the doctrine was explained in the note for the prior sentence. Here we see that Matthew responded immediately and did not need a second invitation. That was good because the accounts indicate that he would not have received a second invitation. Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:28 are equivalent to this sentence and it should be obvious to everyone that all three sentences tell the same message. In addition to the details of this sentence, Luke tells us that he left all. This is the attitude that God looks for in those that he calls and blesses.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. exp: Lu 18:28; 1Co 1:27.'.

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C9-S11 (Verse 10) Matthew gave a meal to introduce his friends to Jesus.

And it came to pass,
as Jesus sat at meat in the house,
behold,
many public and and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples..

In Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 2:15-17 and Luke 5:30-32 we read about how Jesus and His disciples eat and drink with public and and sinners. This is at the house of Matthew right after he was commanded follow me. and this incident is a direct result of that command. Thus, we see that the expected result of following Jesus is to use everything that God gave us in order to do our obedience to Jesus. Please see the general note for this chapter for links to where this event is mentioned in other Gospels and for considerations which we should have from this event. Please also see the note for this verse, in the Lord Jesus Christ Study, for other considerations.

Mark 2:15 and Luke5:29 are equivalent sentences. Where our current sentence says came and sat down with him and his disciples, Mark's account says: sat also together with Jesus and his disciples. It should be obvious that there is no significant difference between these phrases. In addition, there are a couple of other minor word differences where the exact words are different but the meaning is the same. Further, Mark's account adds: for there were many, and they followed him. Matthew just chose to not report the additional phrase.

Now, when we get to Luke's account, there is a significant difference. Luke starts his report with: And Levi made him a great feast in his own house. This is a different house than Matthew and Mark report. However, this still does not constitute a conflict. Neither Matthew nor Mark felt that this fact was of sufficient importance to report it or they felt that reporting it might distract from what they were reporting to their readers.

What is most likely is that Matthew held a feast and invited all of his friends to meet Jesus. Then, later, many of those friends went to the house of Jesus to learn His doctrine and He fed them afterwards. And, since we eat every day, it is quite reasonable to believe that there were two different meals with Luke reporting one meal and Matthew and Mark reporting the other meal. And, if the religious leaders spoke, as is reported in our next sentence, after the second meal, then Matthew and Mark would concentrate on that meal, which was the basis of the complaints. Whereas, Luke concentrated on the first meal which resulted from Matthew being called. That call and meal were the true starting point of this incident. Therefore, as we have seen before, the differences are not a conflict but a difference in what is reported due to different perspectives of the Gospel authors.

Moving on, we read that Mark uses the phrase in his house, and the context tells us that it was Matthew Levi. Matthew does not feel that he needs to specify that it is his own house but implies that truth with the context and the phrase in the house. In addition to that phrase, Luke reports: and there was a great company of public and and of others that sat down with them. So, Luke uses the pronoun them instead of specifying Jesus and his disciples as Matthew and Mark report. In addition, Luke uses the phrase; a great company of where Matthew and Mark use the word many. The only other difference is that Matthew includes the word behold. Therefore, it should be obvious that there is no significant difference in the message of the three sentences while there is additional information which is only found through a careful comparison of the sentences. It is to gain this additional information, as well to prove that the critics are liars, that I do this detail level of analysis and present it to the reader.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence and the telling of the prior incident. Therefore, the context lets us know that the phrase in the house is talking about the house owned by Matthew. In addition, our next sentence also starts with the word And, which adds the condemnation from the Pharisees to this sentence. Along with the obvious religious prejudice of the next sentence, the Pharisees are criticizing Jesus for accepting Matthew as a disciple. Matthew was a publican and sinners, according to the Pharisees, and Jesus would have to eat with Matthew if Matthew was His disciple. Therefore, there is actually more going on here than is obvious with just a surface reading.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:17 about the phrase passed away. The functional definition for this phrase is: 'gone'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians 6:13; Hebrews 13:8-LJC and Hebrews 13:9 about the word meat. The functional definition for this word is: 'any solid food. This word is also used, symbolically, for spiritual food'.

Please see the note for Mark 2:15 about the word publican. The functional definition for this word is: 'Tax collector for the Roman Government. This word was also used symbolically, by Jews, for a very vile and corrupt person'.

Please see the note for Romans C7S26 about the word sin. Please see the notes for Sin in 1John; Romans C2S4; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26 about the phrase sin unto death. The functional definition is: 'a violation of God's law' (1John 3:4). Please note that religious people call certain groups of people sinners. because they fit a religious definition which may have nothing to do with God's law.

We find forms of the word sinners occurring 69 times in 67 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 9:10; Matthew 9:11; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 26:45; Mark 2:15; Mark 2:16; Mark 2:17; Mark 14:41; Luke 5:30; Luke 5:32; Luke 6:32; Luke 6:33; Luke 6:34; Luke 7:34; Luke 7:37; Luke 7:39; Luke 13:2; Luke 13:4; Luke 15:1; Luke 15:2; Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10; Luke 18:13; Luke 19:7; John 9:16; John 9:24; John 9:25; John 9:31; Romans 3:7; Romans 5:8; Romans 5:19; Galatians 2:15; Galatians 2:17; 1Timothy 1:9; 1Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 12:3; James 4:8; James 5:20; 1Peter 4:18; Jude 1:15. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'One that has voluntarily violated the divine law; a moral agent who has voluntarily disobeyed any divine precept, or neglected any known duty. 2. It is used in contradistinction to saint, to denote an unregenerate person; one who has not received the pardon of his sins. 3. AN offender; a criminal.
SIN'NER, v.i. to act as a sinner; in ludicrous language. Whether the charmer sinner it or saint it.'. Be careful about the definition of this word because lost and devil motivated people teach wrong definitions for it. The functional definition for this word is: 'A saved or lost person who violates God's law'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides references for the word sinners as: 'Joy of, Brief: Job 20:5; Pr 14:13; Ec 2:10; 7:6; Isa 16:10; Jas 4:9. Misery of: De 28:67; Jg 2:15; 1Sa 28:15; Job 15:20; Ps 107:17; Pr 13:15; Ro 2:9; 3:16; Jas 5:1. Pardon of: Promised: Isa 43:25; 44:22; 55:7; Jer 5:1; 31:34; 33:8; Eze 36:25; Mic 7:18; Heb 8:12; 1Jo 1:9. Sought: Ex 32:32; 34:9; Nu 14:19; 1Sa 15:25; 2Sa 24:10; Ps 25:11; 51:1; Da 9:19. Salvation: Of God: Ps 27:1; 37:39; 62:2; Isa 12:2; 25:9; Jer 3:23; Zep 3:17; 1Ti 4:10. Only through Christ: Lu 1:69; 2:30. The only door: Joh 10:9. The only Saviour: Ac 4:12. His grace sufficient: Ac 15:11. His blood avails: Ro 5:9; 1Th 5:9. Forthe obedient: Heb 5:9. At his coming: Heb 9:28. Conditions of: Endurance: Mt 10:22. Faith and Confession: Ro 10:9; 1Co 1:21; 15:2; 2Ti 3:15. Spiritual Receptivity: Jas 1:21. Spiritual Diligence: 2Pe 1:10-11. Spiritual Cleansing: Re 22:14. Possible to all Men: Lu 3:6; Ac 2:21; Ro 5:18; 10:13; 1Ti 2:4; Tit 2:11-12; 2Pe 3:9. Free: Isa 55:1; Ro 3:24; Re 22:17. See Salvation. Sought: 1Ch 16:35; Ps 31:16; 54:1; 86:7; 106:4; 119:41; Ac 16:30. Promised: Ps 91:16; Isa 45:17; Mr 16:16; Lu 19:9; Ac 11:14; 16:31. The Gift of God: Joh 3:16; 4:10; Ro 5:15; 6:23; 8:32; 2Co 9:15; Eph 2:8. Snared: No Matter How Committed, Sin will be Exposed: Like the sin of Cain it may be done in secret: Ge 4:8-10. Like the sin of Esau, it may be done under the impulse of the moment: Ge 25:32-33; Heb 12:16-17. Like the sin of Joseph's Brethren, it may be years before its discovery: Ge 42:21. Like the sin of Achan, it may be well covered up: Jos 7:21. Like the sin of Samson, it may be done reluctantly: Jg 16:16-17. Like the sin of Ahab, it may be prompted by others: 1Ki 21:7,20. Like the sin of Belshazzar it may be done under the influence of strong: drink: Da 5:1-2,27. Like the sin of Herod, it may be the result of a foolish promise: Mt 14:6-10. Like the sin of Judas, it may have the approval of the authorities: Mr 14:10-11. Like the sin of Pilate, it may be done to gratify the public: Mr 15:15. Like the sin of the Jews, it may be done in ignorance: Lu 23:34. (Christ the): Mt 11:19; Lu 7:39; 19:7; Joh 8:11; Ro 5:8; 1Ti 1:15'.

Please see the note for John 1:35-36 about the word disciple. The functional definition for this word is: 'A learner; a scholar; one who receives or professes to receive instruction from another'. Please also see the note for John 6:67 about the phrase twelve disciples / apostles.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'as. Mr 2:15-17; Lu 5:29-32 many. Mt 5:46-47; Joh 9:31; 1Ti 1:13-16 General references. exp: Mr 2:15; Lu 15:1.'.

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C9-S12 (Verse 11) the Pharisees criticized.

And when the Pharisees saw it,
they said unto his disciples,
Why eateth your Master with public and and sinners?.

Luke 15:2 reports a similar attitude by the religious leaders.

Mark 2:16 and Luke 5:30 are equivalent sentences. The first phrase, of our current sentence, says: And when the Pharisees saw it. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with public and and sinners. The word it is referring to the prior sentence and has the same meaning as what Mark reports as: eat with public and and sinners. In addition, Mark adds that the scribes were also there but Matthew chose to not mention them.

The next phrase, of our current sentence, says: they said unto his disciples. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: they said unto his disciples. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying. The phrases from Matthew and Mark are the same while Luke adds additional information. First, Luke also tells us that the scribes were involved. Next, we see that they murmured against his disciples. This makes it obvious that they did not have the courage to confront Jesus. They will later, but not at this time. And, what we see here is that there is no conflict but there is more understanding given to people who are diligent enough in their study to compare different reports of the same incident for additional information.

The last phrase, of our current sentence, says: Why eateth your Master with public and and sinners?. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: How is it that he eateth and drinketh with public and and sinners?. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: Why do ye eat and drink with public and and sinners?. As we have seen in other cases, they probably asked all three questions with the one reported by Marl being first, the one from Matthew being second and the one from Luke being last. If you think about it, they were there to pick a doctrinal fight but were too cowardly to ask Jesus. Therefore, they harassed the disciples and asking the same basic question over and over with only slightly different wording is a method of harassment.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds the report of this incident to the report of the prior incident. There, the Pharisees challenged the authority of Jesus and He proved that He used the authority and power of God the Father while they had no legitimate basis for their own claim to authority. So now, they are afraid to directly question Jesus and, instead, question His disciples. However, as the next sentence tells us, when Jesus heard that, he said unto them. The disciples are not yet trained enough to deal with this type of doctrinal question. Thus, part of the job of a leader is to protect his followers from attacks which they are not mature enough to handle.

Please pay attention to the word eateth, which means: 'a lifestyle of eating and fellowship'. As explained in the note for the prior sentence, they are trying to be sneaky and are truly complaining because Jesus accepted Matthew, a publican, as a disciple. As a disciple of Jesus, Matthew would have 'a lifestyle of eating and fellowship' with Jesus. Thus, our sentence is not reporting a complaint about a one-time party but about an ongoing personal relationship. And, people who rely upon their religious traditions always try to keep people from having an ongoing personal relationship with God because that takes them out from being under the control of the religious leaders.

If the reader truly meditates on the answer from Jesus, in the next sentence, and how it is a response to the question in this sentence, the reader should realize that the answer from Jesus is dealing with an ongoing personal relationship with God and not just His attending a one-time party.

Please see the note for John 3:1 about the word Pharisee. The functional definition for this word is: 'One of a sect among the Jews, whose religion consisted in a strict observance of rites and ceremonies and of the traditions of the elders, and whose pretended holiness led them to separate themselves as a sect, considering themselves as more righteous than other Jews'. That note has a lot of doctrine and references from other commentators to help the Bible student to understand about this group.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S2 and 1Corinthians C11S37; Hebrews 13:10 about the word eat. The functional definition for this word is: 'Besides the common use of this word, it is employed symbolically for to 'consume, destroy:' they "eat up my people as they eat bread." Ps 14:4; cf. Pr 30:14; Hab 3:14; 2Ti 2:17. Also for receiving, digesting, and delighting in God's words'

Please see the note for 1Peter 2:18 about the word master. The functional definition for this word is: 'A man who rules, governs or directs either men or business. Also used in the Bible for teacher'. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:6-LJC; Galatians C3S28 and Ephesians C6S5 about the word schoolmaster. Please also see the note for John 15:20 about the phrase servant and lord / master. Please also see the note for Ephesians 5:5 about the words whoremonger / whoremaster.

Please see the note for Mark 2:15 about the word publican. The functional definition for this word is: 'Tax colectore for the Roman Government'.

Please see the note for Romans C7S26 about the word sin. We find this exact phrase of sin unto death: in 1John 5:16; Romans 6:16. We see this doctrine dealt with in: Acts 5; Romans 5; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26. The functional definition is: 'a violation of God's law' (1John 3:4). Please note that religious people call certain groups of people sinners. because they fit a religious definition which may have nothing to do with God's law.). Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Be careful about the definition of this word because lost and devil motivated people teach wrong definitions for it. The functional definition for this word is: 'A saved or lost person who violates God's law'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'they said. Mr 2:16; 9:14-16 Why. Mt 11:19; Isa 65:5; Lu 5:30; 15:1-2; 19:7; 1Co 5:9-11; Ga 2:15; Heb 5:2; 2Jo 1:10 General references. exp: Mr 2:15; Lu 15:1-2.'.

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C9-S13 (Verse 12) Jesus answers their criticism.

But when Jesus heard that,
he said unto them,
They that be whole need not a physician,
but they that are sick..

This sentence is an indirect reference to Jeremiah 8:22 and Hosea 14:4. All three Bible references are speaking about spiritual healing and not physical. In addition, this parable is explained in the note for Luke 5:31. That note explains the doctrine found in this sentence and the next sentence. Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, for links to all of the related Bible references.

Here we see Jesus giving an answer which is a parable. This parable is also found in Mark 2:17; Luke 5:31-32 and the Table of Parables of the New Testament. This parable is explained in the note for Luke 5:31. This answer is 100% true and yet allowed these self-righteous religious people to misunderstand. Simply put: God gave us each a free will. God will not force the truth on us in a way that takes away our free will ability to choose to believe a lie.

Some might not understand how this is a parable because this sentence is true in the physical reality. And, that is how the religious leaders misunderstood it. In reality, Jesus is speaking about a spiritual truth. Yes, He healed people physically. But, if the reader pays attention to the context where specific miracles are reported in the Gospel accounts, they will see that the miracles, especially healings, are directly related to the doctrine which is in context of the miracle. Thus, the miracle is a physical example of the doctrine.

Now, consider that the first phrase of our sentence is: But when Jesus heard that. Our sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence while going in a different direction. In the prior sentence, we read that the Pharisees asked the disciples a trick question. So, our current sentence is answering the trick question but the change in direction is the fact that Jesus answered instead of the disciples answering.

Next, consider that the Pharisees though they were slick by posing a trick question. However, Jesus responded in kind by giving a parable as the answer. They asked a question that sounded like it was about Jesus attending a party as a one-time event but the question was really about Jesus giving an ongoing personal relationship to Matthew. This was the question that Jesus answered and the spiritual meaning of His answer is that He provides spiritual healing through the ongoing personal relationship with God.

The fact is that Jesus answered their true complaint. However, since they asked their question as a trick question, Jesus answered with a parable that could be taken as an answer, in this physical world, to the surface level question from the Pharisees. That is: the religious leaders asked: Why eateth your Master with public and and sinners? Jesus answered: They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. So, on the surface, people could think that the people were physically sick and that Jesus was healing them physically and just happened to eat with them, when it was time to eat, because he was too busy to get a separate meal. However, the truth was that public and and sinners knew that they were spiritually sick and they accepted the spiritual healing from Jesus. The religious leaders rejected the truth that they were spiritually sick. Therefore, they also rejected the spiritual healing from Jesus. As a result, Jesus went to those people who were willing to receive spiritual healing (eateth with public and and sinners). He also refused to waste His time trying to convert the religious leaders since that was a wasted effort.

Mark 2:17 and Luke 5:31-32 are the equivalent of this sentence and the next sentence.

The first phrase, of our current sentence, says: But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: And Jesus answering said unto them. So, we see that Mark skips the word But, which Matthew starts his sentence with. The meaning of that word was already explained in this note and that meaning is implied in Mark's Gospel. Luke uses the word answering, which means that Jesus had to have heard their question before He answered it. Therefore, we have the exact same meaning in all three phrases with only minor differences in wording. This shows that God allows freedom of expression to His authors so long as they deliver His message.

The last phrase, of our current sentence, says: They that be whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. The only difference between what Matthew writes and what Luke write is that Matthew uses the word be while Luke uses the word are. Both words are verbs which express ongoing existence. Therefore, only people who strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel (Matthew 23:24) would complain at that difference.

Now, yes, there is a bigger difference in what Mark reports. Mark includes the statement: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, which Matthew and Luke put into a separate sentence. Please see the note for the next sentence, and the notes for the equivalent sentences in the Book Studies on Mark and Luke, for the details of that phrase. Regardless of differences in the sentence structures, all three Gospel reports add that phrase to this sentence, which means it must be considered for contextual reasons.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C12S14 and Galatians C3-S7 about the word hear. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Perceiving by the ear. This word is often used symbolically for hearing the spiritual message of the word of God, as sound. 1. Listening to; attending to; obeying; observing what is commanded. 2. Attending to witnesses or advocates in a judicial trial; trying'. Please pay attention to the word 'obey' within this definition. That is what most people refuse to do when the Bible says that they do not hear. Please also see the note for James 2:5 about the word hearken. Please also see the note for Mark 4:9 about the phrase He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Please see the note for Mark 10:52 about the word whole. The functional definition for this word is: 'All; total; containing the total amount or number, or the entire thing; as the whole earth; the whole world; the whole solar system; the whole army; the whole nation'.

Please see the note for Mark 2:17 about the word physician. The functional definition for this word is: 'the work of such persons was to cure diseases'.

Please see the note for Philippians 4:19 about the word need. The functional definition for this word is: 'to compel to want; to lack; to require, as supply or relief. they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. Matthew 9'. Please also see the note for Romans C13S8 about the phrase must needs.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'They that be whole. Ps 6:2; 41:4; 147:3; Jer 17:14; 30:17; 33:6; Ho 14:4; Mr 2:17; Lu 5:31; 8:43; 9:11; 18:11-13; Ro 7:9-24; Re 3:17-18 General references. exp: Mt 18:11; Lu 15:1; 19:10.'.

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C9-S14 (Verse 13) Jesus tells them to learn the true meaning of scripture.

Equivalent Section: Scriptural basis.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth,
I will have mercy,
and not sacrifice:.

Equivalent Section: Application by Jesus.

for I am not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance..

Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 2:15-17 and Luke 5:30-32 tell us that Matthew gave a feast for his friends and Jesus and His disciples did eat and drink with public and and sinners. As a further result of this, the scribes and Pharisees questioned the disciples of Jesus about not keeping their traditions. A lot of the doctrine of this sentence is explained in the notes for the equivalent sentences. (Please use the links provided to access those notes.) As explained further on in this note, there is greater understanding available to those people who follow the Bible references and learn the additional knowledge provided by the Bible references.

Matthew includes an Old Testament reference, in the First Equivalent Section, which Mark and Luke skip. That Bible reference was not reported by Mark, nor by Luke, because it is not critical to the themes of their Gospels. However, since it is related to law and judgment, it is relevant to Matthew's theme that Jesus is God's Christ and King.

Luke 5:32 and the Second Equivalent Section of Mark 2:17 are equivalent to the Second Equivalent Section of this sentence. The only difference between these three Bible references is that Matthew uses the words: I am not come while Mark and Luke use the words: I came not. And, the order of the last phrase is opposite in Matthew as opposed to Mark and Luke. While the messages are, essentially, the same, Mark and Luke are reporting the purpose of Jesus when He left Heaven and Matthew is reporting the ongoing present time purpose of Jesus.

The phrase used by Mark and Luke (I came not) is past tense and tells us what was not the purpose of Jesus before He left Heaven. The phrase used by Matthew (I am not come) is present tense and tells us what is not the ongoing purpose of Jesus. Now, these phrases start out with a negative (not) expression because the first part of the phrase is directed at the religious leaders with their reliance upon religious traditions. Jesus is telling them: 'I didn't come for you'. However, the middle of all three phrases has a but, which connects the second half of the phrase to the first half with a change in direction. Thus, the rest of our phrase tells us that 'Jesus did come for sinners'. In addition, our phrase tells us that He came to call men to repentance. The self-righteous religious leaders refused the call while the sinners accepted it. Therefore, we see that Jesus still has the same purpose as He had when He left Heaven and this purpose continues today. In addition, we also see that Jesus ignores those people who will not listen and receive Him while He concentrates on those people who will listen and receive His message.

The First Equivalent Section of our sentence is an indirect quote of Hosea 6:6 and a reference to Micah 6:6-8. (These Bible references are also references in Matthew 12:7.) Now, Jesus referenced these scriptural passages so that the wise will look at them and consider their messages. The chapter in Hosea starts with Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. the quoted verse is in the middle of the chapter which also includes things like: But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. thus, we see that Jesus is warning these religious Jews, represented by the Pharisees, that chapter in Hosea describes how they are acting even while they claim that their sinful religious acts must be accepted by God. Thus, our Second Equivalent Section says: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. With this reference, Jesus is letting them know that God judges the self-righteous religious people as sinners who will be judged and the repentant people, which the religious people call public and and sinners, will be saved, spiritually healed and blessed by God.

In a similar way, the reference to Micah also is in a chapter that starts with: Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. the chapter goes on to say Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? thus is the chapter summarized as: 'God rejects sacrifice and religious ceremony by wicked people and God prefers that His people are righteous'. Thus, while the words are different, Jesus is referencing two prophets who delivered the same message to God's people. With these two references, He is giving them legal notice of the judgment that they will receive from God. However, like most people even today, those self-righteous people did not check the Bible references and continued doing the things which brought God's condemnation upon them.

Our First Equivalent Section has a personal (ye / 'each and every one of you personally') command from Jesus to not only look up the Bible reference (But go ye), but to also learn what that meaneth. The th, on the end of the word meaneth, tells us that we are to learn how this Bible reference is to affect our lives (meaneth) in an ongoing way for the rest of our lives. And, the rest of the First Equivalent Section is the Bible reference which I provided a surface explanation of.

The Second Equivalent Section has already been dealt with in this note and the notes of the equivalent sentence in the Book Studies on the Gospels of Mark and Luke. However, the important part that still needs to be considered is that our Second Equivalent Section starts with the word for. That means that what Jesus came to do, and that He continues to do through an ongoing personal relationship, results in God's people being blessed or being condemned. Those people who rely upon religious traditions and religious doctrines; that make the word of God of none effect (Matthew 15:6; Mark 7:13; Romans 4:14; Romans 9:6; 1Corinthians 1:17; Galatians 3:17); will be condemned. However, the Second Equivalent Section also lets us know that those people, who let Jesus change their lives to be holy and righteous, will be blessed. Thus, we see the division that God makes in His people and the basis of that division.

Other than the slight difference in the sentence structure, found in Mark's Gospel account, and this additional phrase reported by Matthew, there are only two minor differences in the wording reported in all three Gospel accounts. Matthew includes the word for, which means that the last phrase is the reason why the Old Testament quote is true. That is: Jesus is fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. In addition, Matthew uses the words: I am not come while Mark and Luke use the words: I came not. (That difference was explained earlier in this note.) And, the order of the last phrase is opposite in Matthew as opposed to Mark and Luke. With that in mind, we see that the message is, essentially, the same with additional understanding given to people who are diligent enough to study all reports of an incident.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 14:31 about the word learn. The functional definition for this word is: 'To gain knowledge of; to acquire knowledge or ideas of something before unknown. We learn the use of letters, the meaning of words and the principles of science. We learn things by instruction, by study, and by experience and observation. It is much easier to learn what is right, than to unlearn what is wrong'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C14S25 about the word unlearned. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:13; Matthew 11:29; Matthew 24:32.

Please see the note for Luke 5:18 about the word means (plural). The functional definition for this word is: 'Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted means'. The functional definition for the word meaneth. is: 'an ongoing instrument of effecting any purpose'.

The meaning of the word wilt, does not match what is found in a man-written dictionary. The true Biblical meaning is: 'The will applied at a lifestyle level. That is: a decision of will which does not change throughout the life.'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 2:15 about the phrase will of God. Please also see the Message called The Will of God for the application of these verses in the life of the believer.

Please see the notes for Romans C12S1 and Colossians C3S8 about the word mercy. The functional definition for this word is: 'not receiving the just punishment that you deserve'. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:8-LJC and 2Thessalonians 1:9-LJC about the phrase judgment without mercy.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C10S16 about the word sacrifice. The functional definition for this word is: 'An offering made to God by killing and burning some animal upon an altar, as an acknowledgment of his power and providence, or to make atonement for sin, appease his wrath or conciliate his favor, or to express thankfulness for his benefits.'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S3 about the word call. That note has links to notes in every New Testament book where there are links to every place where the particular book uses this word. The functional definition is: 'To command another to help or to cry for help, hence to pray (Ge 4:26)'. Please also see the note for Romans 10:13; 2Thessalonians 3:1-LJC; Ephesians 5:8-LJC and 1John 4:14-LJC about the phrase call upon the Lord. The note for Romans 10:13 has links to every place in the Bible where we find the words call and Lord used together, along with a small note on each reference.

Please see the notes for Romans C3S7 and Romans C1S16 about the word unrighteousness. The functional definition is: 'anything that is not righteous with that word defined below'. Please also see the note for Romans C2S5 about the phrase obeying unrighteousness. Please see the notes for Romans C1S10 and Galatians C2-S16 about the word righteous / righteousness. The functional definition is: 'doing the right thing, as defined by God, the right way and at the right time with the right purpose'. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:9-11 and James 3:18 about the phrase fruit of righteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C4S7 about the phrase imputeth righteousness. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law.

Please see the note for Romans C11S32 about the word repentance. The functional definition for this word is: 'A turning away from the attitudes and actions of sin and turning towards God and accepting His attitudes and actions about sin'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'go. Mt 12:3,5,7; 19:4; 21:42; 22:31-32; Mr 12:26; Lu 10:26; Joh 10:34 I will. Pr 21:3; Ho 6:6; Mic 6:6-8 to call. Mt 18:11-13; Mr 2:17; Lu 5:32; 15:3-10; 19:10; Ro 3:10-24; 1Co 6:9-11; 1Ti 1:13-16 but. Mt 3:2,8; 4:17; 11:20-21; 21:28-32; Isa 55:6-7; Lu 15:7; 24:47; Ac 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 11:18; 17:30-31; 20:21; 26:18-20; Ro 2:4-6; 1Ti 1:15; 2Ti 2:25-26; 2Pe 3:9 exp: Ro 5:20. General references. exp: Mt 18:11; Lu 15:1; 19:10.'.

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C9-S15 (Verse 14) the disciples of John the Baptist have a doctrinal question.

Then came to him the disciples of John,
saying,
Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft,
but thy disciples fast not?.

In Matthew 9:14-17; Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-39 we read that people asked Jesus about the disciples of John and the Pharisees fasting and praying but the disciples of Jesus did not. Different Gospel accounts indicate that this question was asked by different people. (the disciples of John here; the disciples of John and of the Pharisees according to Mark; and scribes and Pharisees according to Luke.) While the people asking the question, and the attitudes of those people, appear to be different, the question is the same. And, the answer from Jesus was the same to all. Jesus gave a spiritual answer using symbolic language and followed that with a parable. Therefore, each group of people received different levels of understanding based upon their attitude when asking the question. The Pharisees who criticized Jesus received an answer which they did not understand, but were too proud to admit their lack of understanding. The others also had varying levels of understanding which was dependent upon their seeking clarification from God.And, we still see this as being true today. Only those people who have the help of God's Holy Spirit will understand the answer and the carnal and lost people will not understand it.

The John, in this sentence is John the Baptist. Please use the link in the sentence outline, above, to access the document with links to every place where he is mentioned in the Bible. Please also see the notes for the remaining sentences of this incident to fully understand the answer from Jesus.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:27-28 about the word fast. The functional definition for this word is: 'without wavering or don't let go no matter what changes in circumstances occur'. It is commonly understood that this definition is applied to eating nothing if the context does not apply this word to something else such as when a sentence says to stand fact.

The word oft has the same meaning as the words often and oftentimes. Please see the note for Luke 8:29 about the word oftentimes. The functional definition for this word is: 'Frequently; often; many'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:14; Matthew 17:15; Matthew 18:21; Matthew 23:37.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the disciples. Mt 11:2; Joh 3:25; 4:1 exp: Mr 2:18. Why. Mt 6:16; 11:18-19; Pr 20:6; Mr 2:18-22; Lu 5:33-39; 18:9-12'.

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C9-S16 (Verse 15) Jesus answers them differently because of their different attitude of heart.

And Jesus said unto them,
Can the children of the bridechamber mourn,
as long as the bridegroom is with them?.

In Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19 and Luke 5:34 we read the parable called 'The Children of the Bridechamber'. Please also see the Table of Parables in the New Testament for these parables. These three sentences give the exact same message with only minor differences in the words. Where Matthew uses the word mourn, Mark and Luke use the word fast. Where Matthew uses the phrase as long as, Mark and Luke use the word while. And, Where Luke uses the phrase Can ye make, Matthew and Mark use the word Can. Now, if the reader truly compares these equivalent sentences they would have to conclude that only a liar would claim that there is any conflict or even any difference in the message.

As explained in the note for this sentence, in the Lord Jesus Christ Study, the people did not understand this answer. Part of their problem was the use of symbolic language and part of it was because this sentence is part of a parable. However, the main problem was that Jesus had started the church, which would be how God operates during the New Testament, but they did not understand that God was introducing a New Testament and a New Covenant. And, in the New Testament, God deals with His people differently than He dealt with his people in the old Testament. No, basic doctrinal truths, such as salvation through faith, remained the same but the applications of the basic doctrines changed.

The Jews still expected to receive the kingdom, but rejected Jesus as their King. And, they had been warned but refused to believe, that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to others if they rejected Jesus as their King. They refused to believe the message from God that came through Jesus. Therefore, they did not realize when God took away the offer for the kingdom. Thus, they are still expecting God to give them the kingdom but Jesus has already started the church and His disciples, whom the others are asking about, are the first members of His church. That is the symbolic meaning of the phrase the children of the bridechamber.

We find forms of the words bride, bridegroom, and bridechamber, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 9:15; Matthew 25:1; Matthew 25:5; Matthew 25:6; Matthew 25:10; Mark 2:19; Mark 2:20; Luke 5:34; Luke 5:35; John 2:9; John 3:29; Revelation 18:23; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:9; Revelation 22:17. In every one of these references, except John 2:9, the bride is the church. bridegroom is Jesus Chr5ist. The bridechamber is the early church.

Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19 and Luke 5:34 we read about the word: bridechamber. It is found no where else in the Bible and the definition from the (few) dictionaries and commentaries which try to cover it do not make sense. In Deuteronomy 24:5 we read When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. It is quite possible for a woman to be a virgin on her wedding night and still birth a child within the first year. That type of child would be a child of the bridechamber since the bridechamber is to last for a year and such a child would have to stay with the mother to feed.

at this point in the ministry of Jesus, the disciples would not have been with Him very long and, spiritually, could be considered to be such young children of the bridechamber.

Our next sentence starts with the word But, which means it is continuing the subject of this sentence while going in a different direction. And, in fact, the two sentences constitute this parable. Our current sentence is talking about the time of the church until Jesus ascended into Heaven and sent back God's Holy Spirit to indwell all truly saved people during 'The Church Age'. All life starts at conception and is brought out into the world at birth. The time from conception to birth is called the gestation time. That is the time in which our parable occurred with the spiritual birth of the church happening at Pentecost (Acts 2). Therefore, the phrase children of the bridechamber is no longer applicable.

Please also see the note for Galatians C4-S1 about the word child. The word children is the plural form of the word child. Please see the note for 2Corinthians 3:7-8 about the phrase children of Israel. The functional definition is: 'the Jews from a spiritual perspective'. This is opposed to the phrase children of Jacob, which means: 'the Jews from a physical perspective'. Please also see the note for Galatians C3S9 about the phrase children of Abraham. The functional definition is: 'The Jews claimed to be children of Abraham but Jesus said that the true children of Abraham would have his faith'. Please also see the note for Mark 2:19 about the phrase children of the bridechamber. Please also see the note for Colossians 3:8 about the phrase children of disobedience. The functional definition is: 'Saved people who live a life of disobedience to God'. Please also see the note for Romans 8:16 about the phrase children of God. The functional definition is: 'The truly saved'. Please also see the note for Colossians 3:8 about the phrase children of wrath. Please also see the note for Galatians 4:19-20 about the phrase my little children.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C5S2 and 2Corinthians 7:6-7 about the word mourn. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Ge 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (Ge 37:34-35); the Egyptians for Jacob (Ge 50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Nu 20:29), for Moses (De 34:8), and for Samuel (1Sa 25:1); David for Abner (2Sa 3:31,35); Mary and Martha for Lazarus (Joh 11); devout men for Stephen (Ac 8:2), etc.
(2.) forcalamities, Job (Job 1:20-21; 2:8); Israel (Ex 33:4); the Ninevites (Jon 3:5); Israel, when defeated by Benjamin (Jg 20:26), etc.
(3.) Penitential mourning, by the Israelites on the day of atonement (Le 23:27; Ac 27:9); under Samuel's ministry (1Sa 7:6); predicted in Zechariah (Zec 12:10-11); in many of the psalms (51, etc.).
Mourning was expressed, (1) by weeping (Ge 35:8, marg.; Lu 7:38, etc.); (2) by loud lamentation (Ru 1:9; 1Sa 6:19; 2Sa 3:31); (3) by the disfigurement of the person, as rending the clothes (Ge 37:29,34; Mt 26:65), wearing sackcloth (Ge 37:34; Ps 35:13), sprinkling dust or ashes on the person (2Sa 13:19; Jer 6:26; Job 2:12), shaving the head and plucking out the hair of the head or beard (Le 10:6; Job 1:20), neglect of the person or the removal of ornaments (Ex 33:4; De 21:12-13; 2Sa 14:2; 19:24; Mt 6:16-17), fasting (2Sa 1:12), covering the upper lip (Le 13:45; Mic 3:7), cutting the flesh (Jer 16:6-7), and sitting in silence (Jg 20:26; 2Sa 12:16; 13:31; Job 1:20).
In the later times we find a class of mourners who could be hired to give by their loud lamentation the external tokens of sorrow (2Ch 35:25; Jer 9:17; Mt 9:23).
The period of mourning for the dead varied. forJacob it was seventy days (Ge 50:3); for Aaron (Nu 20:29) and Moses (De 34:8) thirty days; and for Saul only seven days (1Sa 31:13). In 2Sa 3:31-35, we have a description of the great mourning for the death of Abner'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Can. Mt 25:1-10; Jg 14:11-20; Ps 45:14-15; Joh 3:29; Re 19:9; 21:2 General references. exp: Mt 22:1.'.

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C9-S17 (Verse 15) Jesus makes it clear that applications change with circumstances.

but the days will come,
when the bridegroom shall be taken from them,
and then shall they fast..

Please see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, for links to all of the related Bible references.

In Matthew 9:15 we have a prophecy which is similar to what we find in Luke 5:35; Luke 13:35; Luke 17:22; John 7:33-36; John 8:21-24; John 12:35; John 13:33; John 16:5-7; John 16:16-22; John 17:11-13. That prophecy is that Jesus will return to Heaven.

Our sentence starts with the word But, which means it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence while changing directions. People had asked Jesus why other disciples fasted but His did not. Jesus uses symbolic language in His answer which is that his disciples would not fast while He was here on Earth but would fast after He returned to Heaven.

Mark 2:20 and Luke 5:35 are equivalent sentences. The only difference between our current sentence, and the sentences reported by Mark and Luke, is that Matthew leaves out the word away and Matthew leaves out the last phrase of: in those days. Again, if the reader honestly reads what is written in these three sentences then they must conclude that only a liar would claim that these is a conflict or that there is a difference in the messages of these sentences.

Please see the note for Luke 1:5 about the word day. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Le 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps 55:17). "The heat of the day" (1Sa 11:11; Ne 7:3) was at our nine o'clock, and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Ge 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (La 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Jg 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex 14:24). In the New Testament the division of the Greeks and Romans into four watches was adopted (Mr 13:35). (See Watches.) the division of the day by hours is first mentioned in Da 3:6,15; 4:19; 5:5. this mode of reckoning was borrowed from the Chaldeans. the reckoning of twelve hours was from sunrise to sunset, and accordingly the hours were of variable length (Joh 11:9). The word "day" sometimes signifies an indefinite time (Ge 2:4; Isa 22:5; Heb 3:8, etc.). In Job 3:1 it denotes a birthday, and in Isa 2:12; Ac 17:31; 2Ti 1:18, the great day of final judgment.'. The functional definition, of the phrase last day is: '(end of the) Church Age. However, in the life of the individual, it can be used for the day that he dies'. Please see the note for Hebrews 3:13 about the word today. The functional definition is: 'obey immediately'. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:55 about the word daily. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:6-LJC and 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of the Lord. Please also see the note for John 20:1 about the phrase first day of the week.

Please see the notes for John 3:29 and Matthew 9:15 about the words bride / bridegroom.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'when. Lu 24:13-21; Joh 16:6,20-22; Ac 1:9-10 exp: Mt 6:16; Lu 17:22. and then. Isa 22:12; Ac 13:1-3; 14:23; 1Co 7:5; 2Co 11:27 General references. exp: Mt 22:1.'.

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C9-S18 (Verse 16) .Jesus gives an example of the precept involved

No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment,
for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment,
and the rent is made worse..

In Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22 and Luke 5:36-39 we read two parables which Jesus gave to explain the differences between the old religion of the scribes and Pharisees as compared to the religious attitudes that were expected in the New Testament Church. This sentence is called 'New Cloth in Old Garments'. Please also see the Table of Parables in the New Testament for these parables.

Mark 2:21 and Luke 5:36 are equivalent sentences. Once more, we see minor differences in the words of the three equivalent sentences, but no conflict and no difference in the meaning. Luke starts his sentence with the phrase And he spake also a parable unto them. This helps people to understand that what follows is a parable, but the phrase is not required since Matthew and Mark skip it.

The first phrase, of our current sentence, says: No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old. Mark uses the word seweth where Matthew and Luke use the word putteth. Luke uses the word garment where Matthew and Mark use the word cloth. Matthew uses the word unto Where Mark uses the word on and Luke uses the word upon. It should be obvious that there is no difference in the message of these phrases. In addition, further analysis shows the same result with the exception that Luke adds the phrase and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. This is not a conflict but additional information provided to those people who are diligent enough to compare all reports of the incident. Symbolically, the additional phrase from Luke means: 'there will be no agreement between saved people holding onto religious traditions and saved people who obey God to stop following those religious traditions'. We see this truth reported as acted out in the book of Acts.

We need to realize that garments were far more expensive in the days of Jesus and having more than one set was considered a sign of riches. Remember that the soldiers cast lots for the garments of Jesus when He was crucified. Now, part of that attitude was that garments were all hand-made at that tine and even cloth was hand made. Thus, it was expensive to go and buy cloth. Next, with that in mind, it should be understandable that people wore clothing until it literally fell apart. It they put new cloth into a garment, the new cloth would be stronger than the old and put increased stress on the old where the new was sewed on. This was because the new cloth would shrink when it was washed and, being stronger, it would tear the old cloth. Instead, people would wash the new cloth until it no longer shrank and was no longer new cloth. After that, they would use it to repair the old garment. This is why Jesus gave the conclusion that is in the third phrase.

Our next sentence starts with the word Neither means: 'not either'. That means that it is directly tied to the message of this sentence / parable. Where the next sentence / parable is symbolically speaking about the spiritual Covenant that God has with His people, this sentence / parable is symbolically speaking about the spiritual Testament that God has with His people. Like garments cover a body, so also does the Testament cover the Covenant. That is: the Old Testament covered the Old Covenant and the New Testament covers the New Covenant. In addition, people chose garments, such as uniforms, to indicate the type of person who is wearing the garment. Likewise, the Testament indicates the type of Covenant that it is covering. For example, the Old Testament was concerned with physical things, such as sacrifices of animals While the New Testament is concerned with spiritual things, such as let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15).

The symbolic meaning of the phrase new cloth is: 'new scripture'. The symbolic meaning of the phrase old garment is: 'The Old Testament'. The symbolic meaning of the word rent is: 'the separation between God and His people'. Even the saved Jews in the Jerusalem Church refused to let go of their religious traditions, such as circumcision and sacrifices and ceremonies in the Temple. Their refusal to let go of the Old in order to accept the New resulted in them preaching a 'works salvation' (And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1). Even after the 'Council of Jerusalem', they only agreed to salvation by faith (Ephesians 2:8) for Gentiles but insisted that the Jews had to keep the traditions of the Mosaic Law (Acts 21:20). This caused a rent so great that God killed most of those saved Jews and had the Temple torn down so that they could not continue the religious part of the Mosaic Law.

The important message of this sentence is not what happens in the physical world but the spiritual lesson. That lesson was that God would not add the New Testament to the Old Testament but will make something totally new. However, many people misunderstand this lesson. Look at the Catholic Church, the Seventh Day Adventist, and many others which call themselves 'Christian' even while they insist upon keeping parts of the religious law and even what they try to keep they pervert. For example, Hebrews 5 explains that Jesus is our high priest and Hebrews 5:4 says: And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Yet, these false religions claim that they can step in and do what the Bible claims that only God can do. In addition, we have the history of God using the Roman Army to tear down the Temple and kill the Jerusalem Church because they refused to let go of religious traditions which were part of the Old Testament and that God refused to keep in the New Testament. This is the true lesson of this parable.

We have another lesson added to this parable. The basic meaning of the parable, in the physical world, has changed and must be explained since cloth and garments have become relatively cheep. Thus we see that things in this physical world change with time and some lessons, based upon the physical, lose their relevancy. However, God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and His word is spiritual and neither change over time. Therefore, while lessons, which are based on the physical reality, change over time, lessons, which based upon the spiritual reality, do not change. As a result, it is the spiritual lesson which endures and is reliable, not the physical lesson.

Please see the note for Hebrews 10:28-29 about the phrase New Testament replaces only the religious part of the Mosaic Law.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:2-3 about the word clothed. The functional definition for this word is: 'Covered with garments; dressed; invested; furnished with clothing'.

We find forms of the word garment occurring 189 times in 170 verses of the Bible, 36 times in 34 verses of the New Testament and, in this Gospel in: Matthew 9:16; Matthew 9:20-21; Matthew 14:36; Matthew 21:8; Matthew 22:11-12; Matthew 23:5; Matthew 27:35. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Several words are used both in the O.T. and in the N.T. for raiment, clothing, or apparel, without defining what particular garments are alluded to; and when a single garment is intended it is variously translated in the A.V. In the East few garments were needed, and they were probably much the same as those worn there at present by the natives. 1. the inner garment is the kethoneth, a long tunic worn by men and women. It was made of wool, cotton, or linen. this was the garment God made of skins for Adam and Eve, and what Jacob made of many colours for Joseph. Ge 3:21; 37:3,23-33. It formed part of the priests dress. At times another is worn over it. the bride said she had put off her 'coat' for the night, which was probably the outer one, though the Hebrew word is the same. Cant. 5:3. the kethoneth answers to the χιτών of the N.T., mostly translated 'coat.' the disciples were not to take two when the Lord sent them out. Mt 10:10. It was this garment of the Lord's that was woven in one piece, Joh 19:23; and the word is used of the coats made by Dorcas. Ac 9:39. 2. the other principal garment was the simlah, a cloak, or wide outer mantle, worn by men and women, and in which they wrapped themselves at night. this might be of any texture according to the season, and according to the station in life of the wearer. the peasants often wear such, called an 'abba' of camels' or goats' hair. this garment if taken in pledge had to be returned in the evening, for without it 'wherein shall he sleep?' Ex 22:26-27; cf. De 24:13. the simlah is the garment that was rent in grief. Ge 37:34; 44:13; Jos 7:6. this corresponds to the ἱμάτιον in the N.T. It is translated 'cloak ' in Mt 5:40; Lu 6:29; and it is the robe of purple with which the soldiers mocked the Lord. Joh 19:2,5. It is the 'garment' the edge of which the woman touched, Mt 14:36; and the 'garments' of which the scribes and Pharisees enlarged the borders. Mt 23:5. It is otherwise used for 'garments' in general, as in Mt 27:35; Joh 19:23-24; and is often translated 'raiment' and 'clothes.' 3. Another prominent article of apparel and one often richly ornamented was the GIRDLE. these three, with sandals, and a handkerchief or other covering for the head, constituted the usual dress in the East. Besides the above we read of 'changeable suits of apparel' for women. Isa 3:22. Also 4. the MANTLE, or ROBE meil, described as 'a large tunic, worn over the common one, but without sleeves.' It was worn by priests, Ex 28:31; 1Sa 28:14; Ezr 9:3,5; by kings and princes, 1Sa 18:4; 24:4,11; by men of rank, Job 1:20 Job; 2:12: and by women, 2Sa 13:18. 5. the WIMPLE or VEIL, a wide upper garment or shawl, which covered the head and part of the body. Ruth was able to carry in such a veil six measures of barley. Ru 3:15; Isa 3:22. there are four other Hebrew words translated 'veils.' 6. the STOMACHER, apparently a wide ornamented girdle. the word occurs only in Isa 3:24.'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides references for the word garment as: 'Origin of: Ge 3:7,21 CALLED: Raiment: Ge 28:20; De 8:4. Clothes: Pr 6:27; Eze 16:39. Clothing: Job 22:6; 31:19. Vesture: Ge 41:42; Re 19:16. MATERIALS USED FOR: Wool: Pr 27:26; Eze 34:3. Silk: Pr 31:22. Linen: Le 6:10; Es 8:15. Camel's hair: Mt 3:4. Skins: Heb 11:37. Sackcloth: 2Sa 3:31; 2Ki 19:1. Not to be made of mixed materials: De 22:11. Of the sexes, not to be interchanged: De 22:5. COLORS OF, MENTIONED" White: Ec 9:8. Blue: Eze 23:6. Purple: Eze 7:27; Lu 16:19. Scarlet: 2Sa 1:24; Da 5:7. Different colors: Ge 37:3; 2Sa 13:18. Were often fringed and bordered: Nu 15:38; De 22:12. Scribes and Pharisees condemned for making broad the borders of: Mt 23:5. Worn long and flowing: Lu 20:46; Re 1:13. Girt up during employment: Lu 17:8; Joh 13:4. MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE: Hyke or upper garment: De 24:13; Mt 21:8. Burnoose or cloak: Lu 6:29; 2Ti 4:13. Tunic or coat: Joh 19:23; 21:7. Girdle: 1Sa 18:4; Ac 21:11. Bonnet or hat: Le 8:13; Da 3:21. Show or sandal: Ex 3:5; Mr 6:9. Vail: Ge 24:65. Liable to plague and leprosy: Le 13:47-59. Cleansed by water from ceremonial uncleanness: Le 11:32; Nu 31:20. OF thE RICH: Of the finest materials: Mt 11:8. Gay: Jas 2:2-3. Gorgeous: Lu 7:25; Ac 12:21. Embroidered: Ps 45:14; Eze 16:18. Perfumed: Ps 45:8; Song 4:11. Multiplied and heaped up: Job 27:17; Isa 3:22. Often moth-eaten: Job 13:28; Jas 5:2. OF thE POOR: Provided specially by God: De 10:18. Vile: Jas 2:2. Used as a covering by night: De 24:13. Not to be retained in pledge: De 24:12-13. Grew old and wore out: Jos 9:5; Ps 102:26. Of Israel preserved for forty years: De 8:4. Were often changed: Ge 35:2; 41:14. Of those slain with a sword not used: Isa 14:19. Given as a token of covenants: 1Sa 18:4. Given as presents: Ge 45:22; 2Ki 5:22. Often rent in affliction: 2Sa 15:32; Ezr 9:3,5. ILLUSTRATIVE: (White,) of righteousness: Mt 28:3; Re 3:18. (Rolled in blood,) of victory: Isa 9:5. (Washed in wine,) of abundance: Ge 49:11'.

Please see the note for Romans C15S11 about the word fill. The functional definition for this word is: 'to press; to crowd; to stuff. Hence, to put or pour in, till the thing will hold no more; as, to fill a basket, a bottle, a vessel'. Please also see the notes for Romans C15S11 and Galatians C5-S15 about the word fulfill. The functional definition for this word is: 'A tautological compound of full and fill. 1. to accomplish; to perform; to complete; to answer in execution or event what has been foretold or promised; as, to fulfill a prophecy or prediction; to fulfill a promise'. Please also see the Studies called Prophecies Fulfilled in the Gospels and Prophecies Fulfilled in the Epistles Please see the note for Matthew 2:14-15 about the word fulfill.

Please see the note for Matthew 26:65 about the wordsrend / rent. The functional definition for this word is: 'Torn asunder; split or burst by violence; torn.
RENT, n. from rend. 1. A fissure; a break or breach made by force; as a rent made in the earth, in a rock or in a garment. 2. A schism; a separation; as a rent in the church '.

Please see the note for Luke 11:26 about the word worse. The functional definition for this word is: ' More evil; more bad or ill; more depraved and corrupt; in a moral sense. More bad; less perfect or good'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'new cloth. or, raw, or unwrought cloth. For. Ge 33:14; Ps 125:3; Isa 40:11; Joh 16:12; 1Co 3:1-2; 13:13 General references. exp: Mt 22:1.'.

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C9-S19 (Verse 17) Jesus gives a second example of the precept involved.

Equivalent Section: What else men do not do.

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles:.

Equivalent Section: the result of error.

else the bottles break,
and the wine runneth out,
and the bottles perish:.

Equivalent Section: the right thing to do.

but they put new wine into new bottles,
and both are preserved..

In Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22 and Luke 5:37-39 we read the parable called: 'New Wine in Old Bottles'. (Please also see the Table of Parables in the New Testament for other related parables.) this is the second, of two parables, which Jesus gave to explain the differences between the old religion of the scribes and Pharisees and the religious attitudes which are expected in the New Testament Church.

The word Neither means: 'not either'. This word tells us that what follows it is a second negative truth. The prior sentence, and parable, said one thing that men do not do. This sentence is adding another parable about what men do not do. Both are giving the spiritual lesson of what God will not do. In particular, they both teach that God will not add the New Testament to the religious part of the Old Testament. Please see the note for the prior sentence since this sentence is giving another alternative to the doctrinal lesson of that sentence / parable. In addition, please see the note for Hebrews 10:28-29 about the phrase 'New Testament replaces only the religious part of the Mosaic Law'.

The prior sentence / parable taught that God will not add the New Testament to the religious part of the Old Testament. This sentence / parable is actually about the Old Covenant verses the New Covenant. The Testament and the Covenant are separate things, doctrinally, but they are 'tightly coupled'. One can not be dealt with unless the other is also dealt with. The Testament is more commonly known among men as a 'Last Will And Testament' or, simply, a 'Will'. It specifies what people will inherit and contains the words that the author wants the heirs to remember. Most men ignore the Testament part because all they want to know is who gets the stuff. God downplays the Will part because He is going to burn up everything in this physical reality. But, the important thing for people to realize is that the Testament is: 'a legal document' which all people of the world recognize and understand.

And, where the Testament is the legal document, the Covenant is also a legal document is defined as: 'a spiritual contract which regulates a relationship'. Only those people who accept the Covenant also receive the inheritance specified in the Testament. The people who reject the Covenant also are denied the inheritance of the Testament. The Bible tells us that no one is part of God's Covenant at birth (Ephesians 2:12). Neither were we born children of God. We must accept Jesus as our personal Lord in order to become a true child of God. This acceptance also makes us part of the Covenant and allows us to receive the inheritance that is specified by the New Testament. However, unless we do what God tells us to do, we are not part of God's Covenant and, therefore, do not receive anything that is dependent upon the Covenant.

Like many religious people today, the Jews claimed all of inheritance while refusing to become part of God's Covenant. However, the Covenant and the Testament and the inheritance are all controlled by God's court (Hebrews 8). And, the Bible tells us that only people who are part of God's Covenant will receive the inheritance which is controlled by the Testament. Therefore, while most men are mainly concerned about the Testament, and the inheritance and promises that it provides, God is most concerned about the Covenant.

With the prior in mind, we can now look at our sentence / parable. Yes, it does speak about things of this physical reality but the true message is the spiritual message about the Covenant. Therefore, the spiritual message is what we truly need to understand. But, before we can deal with the spiritual symbolic meaning of the sentence or of the phrases, we must first deal with the spiritual symbolic meaning of the words which the sentence and phrases are built from.

When we are dealing with symbolic meanings of words, we first need to consider the physical attributes of the base word used. We then need to consider the context in which it is used symbolically. Then we need to chose the physical attributes which fit within the context and apply those attributes to the spiritual reality in order to find the true symbolic spiritual meaning of the word within the context where it is used. That written, I will do that but I will not explain all of the analysis. I will simply give the results.

The first word that we need to deal with is; wine. There is a lot of argument and doctrinal error surrounding this word because men wish to justify their sin. I will skip all of that. The important Bible reference is Ephesians 5:17-18, which says: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. That place in Ephesians continues with specific instructions on how we are to be filled with the Spirit. And, most people quote the second verse, of our reference, while skipping the first verse of our reference. However, it is important to understand that we are told to be filled with the Spirit so that we can understanding what the will of the Lord is. And, being drunk with wine, will not produce the desired result. (That phrase symbolically means: 'being filled with the wrong kind of spirit for the wrong reason'.)

Now, with that in mind, we can return to our sentence and say that part of the New Covenant is being filled with the Spirit so that we can understanding what the will of the Lord is. Now, there is a lot of Bible references which I can provide but will not do so. As I wrote, I will only give the results and, in our sentence, the word wine is used symbolically for the spiritual influence of God's Holy Spirit. The new wine is symbolically representative of the new influence which is part of the New Covenant and is the result of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which the most visible part of the New Covenant.

In our sentence / parable, the word bottle is representative of men in their relationship to God. (The bottle contains the wine, which symbolically tells us that our relationship with God contains the Covenant.) the phrase old bottles is symbolically representative of the relationship that God had under the Old Covenant. God's people were required to worship God and sacrifice as specified in the Religious part of the Mosaic Law. In return, God promised to bless them in this physical reality. Also, the new bottles is symbolically representative of the relationship that God offers under the New Covenant. If we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and King, then God promises to give us His Holy Spirit to indwell in us and show us how to worship God and sacrifice in a spiritual way. And, as a result of this spiritual relationship, we are promised everlasting spiritual rewards. Thus, the main thing to keep in mind is that the Old Covenant was physical in nature and the New Covenant is spiritual in nature.

Now, before we get to the details of our parable, we need to consider the comparison of the three reports of this parable. The First Equivalent Section, of our current sentence, says: Neither do men put new wine into old bottles. The equivalent phrases from Mark and Luke say: And no man putteth new wine into old bottles. The word Neither ties the symbolic meaning, of this sentence, back to the prior sentence / parable. Mark and Luke start their sentences with the word And, which does the same thing. In addition, Matthew uses the word put because Matthew gives us a legal perspective and each legal action must be judged separately from other actions, even if all actions are judged in the sale court session. However, Mark and Luke use the word putteth because this phrase is symbolic of receiving God's Holy Spirit, at true salvation, and that is a life-time commitment. What we see in the use of these words is that, legally, we get saved one time but that one time commitment is for a life time relationship which is covered by the covenant.

The rest of our first phrases are symbolically telling us that God will not put the His Holy Spirit, and Testament with the inheritance, into the old relationship which was controlled by the Old Covenant.

The next phrase, of our current sentence, says: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled. Now, it should be obvious that these phrases all deliver the same message while using different forms of expression. This only shows that God allows His authors freedom of expression so long as they deliver God's message.

The symbolism of these phrases is explained a little in other places of this note. However, I want to make the spiritual message of these phrases clear. As already explained, the word wine is used symbolically for the spiritual influence of God's Holy Spirit. And, the word bottle is representative of men in their relationship to God. Thus, our phrase is telling us that if we try to put the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the changes that He brings, into the old relationship of traditional religion, you will break the relationship between God and man and God's Holy Spirit will leave (the wine runneth out / the wine is spilled / be spilled). This is what we get when we read about all of the conflict over circumcision. However, since we can not lose our salvation nor our relationship with God's Holy Spirit, the result was their death with God taking all of them to Heaven.

For those people who don't realize it, Acts 21:20 tells us: there were many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law. They were mad because Paul refused to preach the 'works salvation' which required circumcision (baptism, join the church, etc) before salvation and keeping the religious traditions of the Jews. They got Paul arrested and, eventually, Paul's head was chopped off. After that God sent the Roman Army into Jerusalem and they tore down the Temple, so that the Jews could not keep the Jewish religious traditions, and had the people preaching that doctrinal error killed off. And, of course, when they died their spirit, and God's Holy Spirit, left their bodies. Therefore, we see the fulfillment of the prophecy in this phrase.

The next phrase, of our current sentence, says: and the bottles perish. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: and the bottles will be marred. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: and the bottles shall perish. The only difference in these phrases is that Mark uses the word marred instead of perish. But, Mark gives the perception of a servant and servants understand that a marred vessel us not to be used to serve a master but is to be destroyed, which matches the word perish, that Matthew and Luke use. And history tell us that God had the Temple torn down and the Jerusalem church destroyed when they refused to let God's Holy Spirit change their doctrine. Thus, this phrase, like the rest of the parable, is a prophecy.

The next phrase, of our current sentence, says: and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: and the wine is spilled. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: and be spilled. This is a symbolic prophecy of the destruction of the Jerusalem Church, and the related destruction of the Temple, because the saved Jews refused to give up their religious traditions which God had done away with such as circumcision and animal sacrifices art the Temple.

The last phrase, of our current sentence, says: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. The equivalent phrase from Mark says: but new wine must be put into new bottles. The equivalent phrase from Luke is in the next sentence (Luke 5:38) and says: But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. These phrases, symbolically, say the same thing as Matthew 16:18 (And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it). God preserves the church in the New Testament so long as they are maintaining the relationship which is defined in the New Covenant.

Now, with those contextual requirements dealt with, we can look at the details of our sentence. Our First Equivalent Section starts with the word Neither, which ties the symbolic meaning back to the prior sentence / parable. The prior sentence / parable told us that God would not add the New Testament to the religious part of the Mosaic Law but would replace it. Our current sentence is telling us that God will not put the new relationship / indwelling Holy Spirit into people who insist upon trying to keep the religious part of the Mosaic Law (old bottles), such as the Catholic Church, the Seventh Day Adventist, and many others.

Our Second Equivalent Section is warning about the result which the Jerusalem Church experienced and which I already explained. The phrase the bottles break is symbolic of the Jerusalem Church reverting to valuing religious ceremony over truth and the working of God's Holy Ghost. (Seriously consider the true response that Paul received when he brought financial support from mission churches to the Jerusalem Church and reported the many workings of God's Holy Ghost.) the phrase the wine runneth out speaks about God's Holy Ghost no longer controlling the activities of that church. And, the phrase the bottles perish speaks about the judgments of death that God brought at the same time as He had the Roman Army destroy the Temple.

Our third Equivalent Section is, symbolically, telling us how God will work in the 'Church Age' under the New Covenant. The new wine ('new spiritual relationship') is put into new bottles (into a 'new spiritual way of dealing with God'). And, our promise of preservation is only valid so long as we do not return to a physical relationship that is controlled by religious traditions and ceremonies.

Please see the note for Mark 15:23 about the word wine. The functional definition for this word is: 'There are six types of drink made from grapes and called wine in the Bible. This word is also used symbolically for the relationship with God's Holy Ghost'. Please also see the note for Luke 7:34 about the word winebibber. Please also see the note for Matthew 21:33-34 about the word winepress. Please also see the note for Matthew 21:33-34 about the word winepress.

Please see the note for Luke 5:37 about the word bottle. The functional definition for this word is: 'The bottles, used at that time and in that culture, were made from animal skins. Leather stretches when it is new but becomes brittle and breaks if stretched when it is old'.

Please see the note for Matthew 5:19 about the word break. The functional definition for this word is: 'to violently cause to part'. Please also see the note for Luke 12:39 about the word broken. Please also see the note for Romans C11S21 about the phrase broken off.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 2:15-16 and 2Corinthians 4:16 about the word perish. The functional definition for this word is: 'To die; to lose life in any manner; applied to animals. Men perish by disease or decay, by the sword, by drowning, by hunger or famine, etc'.

Please see the note for Jude 1:1 about the word preserved. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Saved from injury, destruction or decay; kept or defended from evil; seasoned with sugar for preservation'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'old. Jos 9:4; Job 32:19; Ps 119:83 exp: 2Co 5:17. General references. exp: Mt 22:1.'.

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C9-S20 (Verse 18) the start of the next incident.

Equivalent Section: the Father states the problem.

While he spake these things unto them,
behold,
there came a certain ruler,
and worshipped him,
saying,
My daughter is even now dead:.

Equivalent Section: the Father states his request.

but come and lay thy hand upon her,
and she shall live..

Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tells us about Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Please see the notes for each sentence within this account for contextual requirements and links to related Studies. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels for links to other miracles. Please see the note for Luke 8:51 for a step-by-step sequence of events in the last part of this miracle. The sequence of earlier events is straight-forward and do not need a special outline.

Please note that the prior incident, in this chapter, is matched with reports by Mark and Luke which are in completely different chapters than where Mark and Luke report this incident. That is: the report from Mark, which matched the prior incident, was in Mark 2 whereas the report from Mark, which matches this incident, is in Mark 5. And this type of chapter change is also true for the reports from Luke. However, Mark and Luke report the same sequence of incidents before their report which matches this report from Matthew. This difference in the sequence of reporting indicates that the Gospel authors are not following a strict time sequence.

It would appear as if Mark and Luke reported the call of Matthew earlier than it occurred in time, but that is not something to get into an argument about. Forwhatever it is worth, the time sequence of events appears to be that Jesus dealt with the mad man of Gadara, then He returned to His side of the lake where He called Matthew, He had the meal with the friends of Matthew and dealt with the criticism by the Pharisees, and then this incident happened. But, as I wrote, knowing the strict time sequence of the early ministry is not possible and is not doctrinally important. Therefore, God does not want us arguing about it.

There are reports, from Mark and Luke, which are equivalent to this report. However, the expression of the details are so different that it does not make sense to compare the reports at a more detailed level than the message level. Remember, as we have seen continuously, God requires His authors to report His message, and only His message, but allows them to have freedom of expression. Therefore, there is no conflict so long as the messages, from the various reports, agree with each other.

Returning to our particular incident, and to this sentence, we see that there are many other details that could be pointed out but one of the most important is that Jaruis worshipped him (Matthew 9:18). This is less clear in the accounts from Mark (Mark 5:22) and Luke (Luke 8:41), which report that Jairus fell at his feet. That does indicate worship, but some people will not realize that fact. Regardless of what is reported for this incident, we see worship done quite often by people who received miracles. People who acknowledged that Jesus was in fact 'God in human flesh' received the miracle that they asked for. We see similar worship by others in Mark 7:25;John 11:32 and Revelation 1:17-21. Thus, the lesson is that we should truly worship God when we are asking for something.

Our sentence starts with the phrase While he spake these things unto them. That is: while Jesus answered the question presented in the prior incident of this chapter. That question appears to have been asked about the time that Jesus ate the meal at Matthew's house, but there can be a time change between that incident and when the disciples of John (the Baptist) asked their question. But, regardless of that time sequence, Jesus was answering their question when Jarius came to Him.

As a ruler of the Jews / synagogue, Jairus would have to know a lot of the Bible including the fact that there were three resurrections mentioned in the Old Testament. However, while he would know about them, he would also know how rare they were and the quality of the prophet that God used for the resurrections. In addition, Jairus would also know that he was to not worship anyone but God. Therefore, given what is reported about Jairus in all three Gospel accounts, we can believe that he regarded Jesus as 'God in human flesh'.

Going on, Luke reports: she lay a dying. Mark reports that Jarius said: My little daughter lieth at the point of death. Our current sentence reports that Jarius said: My daughter is even now dead. In all likelihood, Jarius probably said what Mark reported and then, after thinking about the time it took him to find Jesus and the condition she was in when he left, Jarius probably said what is reported here by Matthew.

Next, Luke does not report what Jarius actually said. Mark reports that the next thing, which Jarius said, was: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. In our current sentence, we read that Matthew reports that he said: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. The only difference between these two is that Mark reports some words which Matthew did not report. And, the truth is that the exact words said is not important. What is important is that the words convey a true Biblical faith.

Please see the note for John 7:26 about the word ruler. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'One that governs, whether emperor, king, pope or governor; any one that exercises supreme power over others. 2. One that makes or executes laws in a limited or free government. thus, legislators and magistrates are called rulers. 3. A rule; an instrument of wood or metal with straight edges or sides, by which lines are drawn on paper, parchment or other substance. When a ruler has the lines of chords, tangents, sines, etc. it is called a plane scale'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:18; Matthew 9:23; Matthew 24:45; Matthew 24:47; Matthew 25:21; Matthew 25:23.

Please see the note for John 12:14-15 about the word daughter. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'This word, besides its natural and proper sense, is used to designate, (1.) A niece or any female descendant (Ge 20:12; 24:48; 28:6). (2.) Women as natives of a place, or as professing the religion of a place; as, "the daughters of Zion" (Isa 3:16), "daughters of the Philistines" (2Sa 1:20). (3.) Small towns and villages lying around a city are its "daughters," as related to the metropolis or mother city. Tyre is in this sense called the daughter of Sidon (Isa 23:12). (4.) the people of Jerusalem are spoken of as "the daughters of Zion" (Isa 37:22). (5.) the daughters of a tree are its boughs (Ge 49:22). (6.) the "daughters of music" (Ec 12:4) are singing women'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:18; Matthew 9:22; Matthew 10:35; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 14:6; Matthew 15:22; Matthew 15:28; Matthew 21:5.

Please see the notes for Romans C6S4; 2Corinthians 2:15; Philippians 1:19-20 and Colossians C1S4 about the words dead / death / die the functional definition is: 'an ongoing process of corruption which starts at conception and continues until the body is completely destroyed. Physical death is used for the one-time point when the soul and spirit are forced to leave the corrupted body. Spiritual death is also used for the one-time point when the soul and spirit are forced to leave the presence of God. When the Bible uses death for these events, it assumes that the reader understands that the one-time-event is the pinnacle of an ongoing process. Within the Bible, death is to be understood to be an ongoing process, even while highlighting the ultimate point of victory for the process'. Please also see the notes for Sin in 1John; Romans C2S4; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26 about the phrase sin unto death. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C12S12 and Colossians C2S7 about the word hand. The functional definition for this word is: 'In man, the extremity of the arm, consisting of the palm and fingers, connected with the arm at the wrist; the part with which we hold and use any instrument. Often used symbolically for ability'. Please also see the note for Matthew 18:28 about the phrase laid hands. Please also see the note for 1Peter 5:6-7 about the phrase hand of God. Please also see the note for Mark 16:19 about the phrase right hand of God. Please also see the note for Luke 1:38 about the word handmaid. Please also see the note for 1John 1:1-3 about the word handle. Please also see the note for Matthew 3:1-2 about the phrase at hand. This phrase is defined as: 'it will happen very soon'. This phrase is defined as: 'it will happen very soon'.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 2:15; Philippians 1:19-20; Life in 1John about the word life. The functional definition is: 'Life is that by which a created being enjoys the place in which the Creator has set it'. Please also see the note for Life in 1John about the phrase eternal life. Please also see the notes for Hebrews 1:8-LJC; Philippians 1:27-LJC about the phrase life everlasting. Please note that eternal life is different from everlasting life in that while eternal life is 'Without beginning or end of existence', everlasting life 'has a beginning but is without end of existence'. Please see the note for John 5:24 about the phrase everlasting life. Please also see the note for Life in 1John about the phrase eternal life. Please also see the note for Romans C10S15 about the phrase belief changes life. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the notes for Romans C14S11; Galatians C2-S14 and Philippians 1:21 about the word live. Please also see the note for Colossians C3S4 about the phrase Christ lives through us. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about the phrase live / walk by faith.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'behold. Mr 5:22-43; Lu 8:41-56 ruler. Lu 8:49; 13:14; 18:18; Ac 13:15 worshipped. Mt 8:2; 14:33; 15:25; 17:14; 20:20; 28:17; Mr 5:22; Lu 17:15-16; Ac 10:25-26 My daughter. Mt 9:24; Mr 5:23; Lu 7:2; 8:42,49; Joh 4:47-49 come. Mt 8:8-9; 2Ki 5:11; Joh 11:21-22,25,32'.

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C9-S21 (Verse 19) Jesus and His disciples went to fulfill his need.

And Jesus arose,
and followed him,
and so did his disciples..

Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tells us about Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Please see the notes for each sentence within this account for contextual requirements and links to related Studies. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels for links to other miracles. Please see the note for Luke 8:51 for a step-by-step sequence of events in the last part of this miracle. The sequence of earlier events is straight-forward and do not need a special outline.

Mark 5:24 and Luke 8:42 are equivalent sentences to this sentence. Each of the three Gospel writers identify part of the people who went with Jesus and each identify different groups; therefore, we need to compare all three accounts to get the complete story. Matthew reports: so did his disciples. Mark reports: much people followed him, and thronged him.. Luke reports: the people thronged him. Now, further in the accounts from Mark and Luke we are told that the disciples were with Jesus and answered His question. Therefore, they were with Him even though Matthew is the only one to report it at this point in the account. In addition, while Luke reports: the people thronged him, Luke does not report that much people followed him like Mark reports. However, if you think about it, there had to be much people in order for them to throng him (Jesus). Therefore, while we do not need to compare all three accounts of this incident, doing so makes it easier to get the complete picture and helps us avoid an error caused by ignorance ('lack of knowledge'). and, as we have seen throughout all of the Gospel Book Studies, God rewards those people who are diligent enough to truly study their Gospel accounts by finding and comparing various reports of a given incident. With that written, please recognize that Matthew provides the least information about this miracle and about the miracle that happened while Jesus was on the way. Therefore, it is important to consider the reports by Mark and Luke in order to get the complete picture.

One thing to keep in mind is that each of these Gospel writers had a different purpose for writing their Gospel account. Mark was a preacher's servant and he wrote his Gospel to show us that 'Jesus is the Example Servant'. As such, Mark was interested in the details which show us how Jesus served the people. . Mark is the only Gospel writer to present the account from the perspective of the woman. Mark is showing us how a servant sometimes gets what they need from a master. Continuing on, we know that Luke was a physician and he wrote his Gospel to show us that 'Jesus was a Literal Physical Man'. Therefore, Luke was interested in the details which show us how Jesus acted like other men. In particular, Luke's account shows the limits of medicine and the abilities of physici and and the cost of having them continue to try to do what is beyond them. Luke also shows us how Jesus used the spiritual gift of discernment and, therefore, is an example to men for using spiritual gifts. Luke also shows us the human compassion that Jesus had for this woman who was in real need.

Matthew's purpose and perspective is different from that of Mark and Luke. Therefore, the details which he finds important to relate are different. Matthew is showing us that Jesus is God's Christ and King. Matthew presents the least amount of details but does report that Jesus said: Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. While Mark and Luke also report this, they also report more of what Jesus said which Matthew leaves out. in this chapter, we see Matthew report how Jesus rewards those people who accept Him as God's Christ and King. We also see how Jesus refuses to bless those people who refuse to accept Him as God's Christ and King. For example, Matthew reports that when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. He also put the unbelievers out of the house before He raised the girl from the dead. These are the type of actions which a true King makes. A King rejects those people who refuse to accept and obey His announcements. Therefore, Matthew reports these details but skips the details which do not help his reader see the theme that he is presenting.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 8:7; Joh 4:34; Ac 10:38; Ga 6:9-10'.

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C9-S22 (Verse 20-21) On the way, a woman was healed.

Equivalent Section: the circumstances.

And,
behold,
a woman,
which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years,
came behind him,
and ouched the hem of his garment:.

Equivalent Section: the woman's faith.

For she said within herself,
If I may but touch his garment,
I shall be whole..

Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34 and Luke 8:43-48 tell about the healing of the woman with an issue of blood while Jesus, and a throng of people, were on the way to heal the daughter of Jairus. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels for links to other miracles. Please see the notes in the Book Study on Mark's Gospel, starting with Mark 5:25-27, for a detailed comparison of the three (3) reports of this incident.

Our sentence starts with the word And because it is added to the prior sentence. This incident is inserted into the outer incident about the daughter of Jaruis.

Now, if the reader will look at the verse numbers, in the references above, and will also look at the associated verses, they will see that Mark and Luke give us more details about this miracle than Matthew does. Mark and Luke tell us more about the woman and the people who were also involved in this miracle. However, Matthew, as we keep seeing, is only concerned with reporting how Jesus acts as God's Christ and King. Matthew only tells us enough about the woman for us to know that she needed Jesus acts as God's Christ and King. Beyond that, Matthew does not mention the other people. Thus, we see Matthew continue to concentrate on his themeans skip reporting events which do not support his theme.

Please see the note for Galatians C4-S2 about the word woman. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'It is evident from scripture that women were anciently held in much more honour and esteem in Eastern countries than they are now. Solomon, speaking of women, said that such as his soul sought for he did not find one in a thousand. Ec 7:28. this tells of fallen human nature; but the true thought of woman is that she is the glory of the man, his true helpmeet. this is fulfilled in the relationship of the church to Christ. In the N.T. the true place of the woman in subjection to the man is plainly stated, as indicated in creation; and in the assembly the woman is to be silent, and not to teach. Her bearing and deportment are expressive of what she learns as taught of Christ. 1Co 11:3-15; 14:34-35; 1Ti 2:11. 12. Nevertheless women were greatly honoured in ministering to the Lord, and are accredited as helping on the work of the Lord in the gospel and among the saints. Lu 8:2-3; 23:27,55-56; Ro 16:1,3,6; Php 4:2-3; 2Jo 1:10.'.

Please see the note for John 6:2 about the word disease. The functional definition for this word is: 'The cause of pain or uneasiness; distemper; malady; sickness; disorder; any state of a living body in which the natural functions of the org and are interrupted or disturbed, either by defective or preternatural action, without a rupture of parts by violence, which is called a wound'.

Please see the note for Mark 5:25-27 about the word issue. The functional definition for this word is: 'What comes forth: children; Ge 48:6; discharge of liquid. Le 12:7'.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S3 about the word blood. The functional definition for this word is: 'The fluid which circulates through the arteries and veins of the human body, and of other animals, which is essential to the preservation of life'. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:28 about the phrase blood of Christ. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 10:16-LJC about the phrase Christ and blood. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:20; Matthew 16:17; Matthew 23:30; Matthew 23:35; Matthew 26:28; Matthew 27:4; Matthew 27:6; Matthew 27:8; Matthew 27:24; Matthew 27:25.

Please see the note for Luke 24:42 about the word twelve. The functional definition for this word is: 'The sum of two and ten; twice six; a dozen. Twelve men compose a petty jury'. That note also provides NUMBERS AS SYMBOLS according to the Morrish Bible Dictionary. Please also see the note for John 6:67 about the phrase twelve disciples / apostles. Please also note that many of the references to the number twelve, in this Gospel, is actually a reference to the twelve disciples / apostles. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:20; Matthew 10:1; Matthew 10:2; Matthew 10:5; Matthew 11:1; Matthew 14:20; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 20:17; Matthew 26:14; Matthew 26:20; Matthew 26:47; Matthew 26:53.

Please see the note for Luke 1:7 about the word year. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Heb shanah, meaning "repetition" or "revolution" (Ge 1:14; 5:3). Among the ancient Egyptians the year consisted of twelve months of thirty days each, with five days added to make it a complete revolution of the earth round the sun. the Jews reckoned the year in two ways, (1) according to a sacred calendar, in which the year began about the time of the vernal equinox, with the month Abib; and (2) according to a civil calendar, in which the year began about the time of the autumnal equinox, with the month Nisan. the month Tisri is now the beginning of the Jewish year'.

Please see the note for Colossians C2-S11 about the word touch. The functional definition for this word is: 'To come in contact with; to hit or strike against.'.

We find forms of the word hem in: Exodus 28:33; Exodus 28:34; Exodus 39:24; Exodus 39:25; Exodus 39:26; Matthew 9:20; Matthew 14:36. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'On the hem of the high priest's robe were pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, placed alternately with a golden bell — typifying that fruit and testimony flow from Christ's heavenly position, and are borne and rendered by Christians through abiding in Him. Ex 28:33-34; 39:24,26. All the Israelites were to wear on the border of their garment a riband of blue (the colour of heaven) that they might look upon it and remember the commandments and be holy unto God: typical of the walk of the Christian as being heavenly in its character, not according to this world, but according to the good and perfect and acceptable will of God. Nu 15:38-40. the Lord had, alas, to declare that the scribes and Pharisees, among other pretended marks of sanctity, enlarged the borders of their garments to be seen of men. Mt 23:5.'.

Please see the note for Matthew 9:16 about the word garment. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Several words are used both in the O.T. and in the N.T. for raiment, clothing, or apparel, without defining what particular garments are alluded to; and when a single garment is intended it is variously translated in the A.V. In the East few garments were needed, and they were probably much the same as those worn there at present by the natives. 1. the inner garment is the kethoneth, a long tunic worn by men and women. It was made of wool, cotton, or linen. this was the garment God made of skins for Adam and Eve, and what Jacob made of many colours for Joseph. Ge 3:21; 37:3,23-33. It formed part of the priests dress. At times another is worn over it. the bride said she had put off her 'coat' for the night, which was probably the outer one, though the Hebrew word is the same. Cant. 5:3. the kethoneth answers to the χιτών of the N.T., mostly translated 'coat.' the disciples were not to take two when the Lord sent them out. Mt 10:10. It was this garment of the Lord's that was woven in one piece, Joh 19:23; and the word is used of the coats made by Dorcas. Ac 9:39. 2. the other principal garment was the simlah, a cloak, or wide outer mantle, worn by men and women, and in which they wrapped themselves at night. this might be of any texture according to the season, and according to the station in life of the wearer. the peasants often wear such, called an 'abba' of camels' or goats' hair. this garment if taken in pledge had to be returned in the evening, for without it 'wherein shall he sleep?' Ex 22:26-27; cf. De 24:13. the simlah is the garment that was rent in grief. Ge 37:34; 44:13; Jos 7:6. this corresponds to the ἱμάτιον in the N.T. It is translated 'cloak ' in Mt 5:40; Lu 6:29; and it is the robe of purple with which the soldiers mocked the Lord. Joh 19:2,5. It is the 'garment' the edge of which the woman touched, Mt 14:36; and the 'garments' of which the scribes and Pharisees enlarged the borders. Mt 23:5. It is otherwise used for 'garments' in general, as in Mt 27:35; Joh 19:23-24; and is often translated 'raiment' and 'clothes.' 3. Another prominent article of apparel and one often richly ornamented was the GIRDLE. these three, with sandals, and a handkerchief or other covering for the head, constituted the usual dress in the East. Besides the above we read of 'changeable suits of apparel' for women. Isa 3:22. Also 4. the MANTLE, or ROBE meil, described as 'a large tunic, worn over the common one, but without sleeves.' It was worn by priests, Ex 28:31; 1Sa 28:14; Ezr 9:3,5; by kings and princes, 1Sa 18:4; 24:4,11; by men of rank, Job 1:20 Job; 2:12: and by women, 2Sa 13:18. 5. the WIMPLE or VEIL, a wide upper garment or shawl, which covered the head and part of the body. Ruth was able to carry in such a veil six measures of barley. Ru 3:15; Isa 3:22. there are four other Hebrew words translated 'veils.' 6. the STOMACHER, apparently a wide ornamented girdle. the word occurs only in Isa 3:24.'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'behold. Mr 5:25-43; Lu 8:43-56 an issue. Le 15:25-33 touched. Mt 14:36; Mr 5:28; 6:56; 8:22; Ac 5:15; 19:12 exp: Mt 8:15. hem. Mt 23:5; Nu 15:38-39; De 22:12; Lu 8:44 exp: Ex 39:26. General references. exp: Le 15:25.
If. Mr 5:26-33; Lu 8:45-47; Ac 19:12'.

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C9-S23 (Verse 22) Jesus said that her healing was due to her faith.

First Step: Jesus offers comfort.

But Jesus turned him about,
and when he saw her,
he said,
Daughter,
be of good comfort;.

Second Step: Why.

thy faith hath made thee whole..

Mark 5:34 and Luke 8:48 are equivalent sentences to this sentence. Mark and Luke tell us more details about what the woman and the disciples and Jesus said and did which Matthew skips over because those details are not important to showing us that Jesus is acting like God's Christ and King. In the sentence before this one, Jesus made her come and publicly testify of her healing because it is important for a King to let His people know what is available to them within His kingdom. That is one reason why Jesus addresses her as Daughter in this sentence. Next, Jesus says: thy faith hath made thee whole, which means that she was spiritually saved at that point. In addition, as King, Jesus is publicly announcing that it takes true Biblical faith to be truly saved.

Finally, Jesus told this woman: be of good comfort because she has everlasting salvation that comes from God (the Biblical meaning of the word good). No matter what else happens in her life, she can know that she will end up in Heaven.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:1 about the word comfort. The functional definition for this word is: 'To strengthen; to invigorate; to cheer or enliven'. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:18; Matthew 5:4; Matthew 9:22.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Daughter. Mt 9:2; Mr 5:34; Lu 8:48 thy. Mt 9:29; Mr 10:52; Lu 7:50; 17:19; 18:42; Ac 14:9; Heb 4:2'.

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C9-S24 (Verse 22) She received her healing after Jesus spoke.
And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence and finishes the report from Matthew about this incident. Like parables, this sentence can be understood strictly from the physical perspective and miss the true message of it. Or, if people truly use the help of God's Holy Spirit, they can understand the spiritual truth. In Mark 5:34 we read that Jesus said: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. Notice the word and. It means that be whole of thy plague is different, and added to, thy faith hath made thee whole. So, yes, she was made whole of thy plague, but she also received everlasting salvation (thy faith hath made thee whole). The apostles and prophets also were used by God to provide miraculous healings. However, only God's Christ and King can provide everlasting salvation. Luke 19:9-10 says: And Jesus said unto him, this day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. forthe Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Our chapter is telling us about the doctrinal fight between Jesus and the religious leaders. They claimed that their doctrine was superior even though it sent people to Hell. Our chapter is telling us that the doctrine of Jesus was superior because He provides everlasting salvation. And, that is the main thing that Jesus is providing in this incident.

Please see the note for John 2:4 about the word hour. The functional definition for this word is: 'a short period of time relative to the perspective'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'from. Mt 17:18; Joh 4:53; Ac 16:18'.

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C9-S25 (Verse 23-24) Jesus tells the people who mourned that the girl was not dead.

Equivalent Section: Jesus tells them to stop their noise.

And when Jesus came into the ruler's house,
and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
He said unto them,
Give place:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for the maid is not dead,
but sleepeth..

Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tells us about Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Please see the notes for each sentence within this account for contextual requirements and links to related Studies. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels for links to other miracles. Please see the note for Luke 8:51 for a step-by-step sequence of events in the last part of this miracle. The sequence of earlier events is straight-forward and do not need a special outline.

Mark 5:38-39 and Luke 8:51-52 are equivalent sentences to this sentence. However, both Mark and Luke report events which happen between the prior sentence and this sentence. Again, Matthew skips those events because they are not directly related to the perspective which he is giving to us. However, in order to have a more complete understanding which is provided by there different perspectives, the reader is urged to read those sentences and their related notes.

Now, we need to be careful about crediting history with too much accuracy. However, in this case, the historical accounts are probably accurate when they claim that the Jews, of that day, hired professionals to weep and wail when there was a death in the family. (Look at the word minstrels in our current sentence.) they wanted to be sure that all of their neighbors knew about their grief. There is a similar thing in the Philippines. Often, the city will provide a canopy for a family to set up in the street and make traffic go around it. People play cards under the canopy and the winnings of the cards are supposed to help with the funeral expenses.

Our current sentence tells us that Jesus saw the minstrels and the people making a noise. Mark reports that Jesus seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. Thus, we see what the people already gathered there were doing. A couple more sentences ahead tell us that the people were put forth. In addition, Luke tells us: And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. Thus, we see that Jesus removed all sources of distraction, unbelief and ools (people) who could be used by devils to interfere with His raising the girl from the dead.

Next, our sentence continues with the phrase He (Jesus) said unto them, Give place. This matches where Mark reports: he (Jesus) had put them all out. Mark also reports that Jesus first said: Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. This matches the Second Equivalent Section of our current sentence. Mark, and Luke, also report that: And they laughed him to scorn before he (Jesus) had put them all out. Thus, we see that Jesus gave them a chance to see the miracle but, instead, put them all out because of their unbelief.

Our Second Equivalent Section says: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. This saying was why they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead (next sentence; Mark 5:40; Luke 8:53). The basis of their scorn was valid from the point of view of this physical world. However, they failed to believe that Jesus was / is 'God in human flesh' and, therefore, is not limited to the rules of this physical reality.

We find forms of the word minstrel in: 2Kings 3:15; Matthew 9:23. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(Mt 9:23), a flute-player. Such music was a usual accompaniment of funerals. In 2Ki 3:15 it denotes a player on a stringed instrument'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:65 about the word noise. The functional definition for this word is: ' Sound of any kind, or proceeding from any cause, as the sound made by the org and of speech, by the wings of an insect, the rushing of the wind, or the roaring of the sea, of cannon or thunder, a low sound, a high sound, etc.; a word of general signification'.

Please see the note for Mark 14:66-67 about the word maid. The functional definition for this word is: 'a girl or young female; of an unmarried woman or virgin, and of a female servant or handmaid'. Please also see the note for Luke 1:38 about the word handmaid. Please also see the note for Luke 8:51 about the word maiden. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:24; Matthew 9:25; Matthew 26:71.

Please see the note for Mark 4:26-27 about the word sleep. The functional definition for this word is: 'To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'into. Mt 9:18-19; Mr 5:35-38; Lu 8:49-51 the minstrels. Mt 11:17; 2Ch 35:25; Jer 9:17-20; Mr 5:38-40; Lu 7:32; Ac 9:39
Give. 1Ki 17:18-24; Ac 9:40; 20:10 not. Joh 11:4,11-13'.

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C9-S26 (Verse 24) the reaction.
And they laughed him to scorn.

Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tells us about Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Please see the notes for each sentence within this account for contextual requirements and links to related Studies. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels for links to other miracles. Please see the note for Luke 8:51 for a step-by-step sequence of events in the last part of this miracle. The sequence of earlier events is straight-forward and do not need a special outline.

Mark 5:40 and Luke 8:53 are equivalent sentences to this sentence. The only difference in these sentences is that Luke adds: knowing that she was dead. The doctrine of this sentence was covered in the note for the prior sentence.

Please see the note for Mark 5:40 about the word laugh. The functional definition for this word is: 'To make the noise and exhibit the features which are characteristic of mirth in the human species'. Please also see the note for James 4:9 about the word laughter.

Please see the note for 2Peter 3:1 about the word scorn. The functional definition for this word is: 'Extreme contempt; that disdain which springs from a person's opinion of the meanness of an object, and a consciousness or belief of his own superiority or worth'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'And. Mt 27:39-43; Ps 22:6-7; Isa 49:7; 53:3'.

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C9-S27 (Verse 25) Jesus raised her from the dead.

But when the people were put forth,
he went in,
and took her by the hand,
and the maid arose..

Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tells us about Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Please see the notes for each sentence within this account for contextual requirements and links to related Studies. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels for links to other miracles. Please see the note for Luke 8:51 for a step-by-step sequence of events in the last part of this miracle. The sequence of earlier events is straight-forward and do not need a special outline.

Mark 5:49-41 and Luke 8:54 are equivalent sentences to this sentence. Our current sentence starts with the word But, which means it is continuing the subject while going in a different direction. The prior sentence, and the equivalents from the other Gospel accounts, told us: And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. That is how they acted to the knowledge that she was dead. in this sentence, the change in direction is how Jesus acted when He knew that she was dead. The rest of pour sentence tells us His actions, which prove He is the resurrection, and the life (John 11:25).

The equivalent sentences in Mark tells us: But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. Mark gives us the additional information that Jesus took the parents in also. Mark also tells us what Jesus said to cause her to arise from the dead. These additions can be attributed to the differences in perspectives between Matthew and Mark.

The equivalent sentences in Luke tells us: And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. Other than adding what Jesus said, the sentence in Luke is essentially the same as Matthew tells us with allowances for differences in the way to say something.

Please see the note for Mark 10:1 about the words arise / arose. The functional definition for the word arose. is: 'The past tense of the verb, to arise'. The functional definition for the word arise / arose. is: 'To ascend, mount up or move to a higher place; as, vapors arise from humid places'. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C15S32 and John 6:39 about the word raise and see the note for 1Peter C1S2 about the word resurrection. The functional definition for this word is: 'Bringing dead people back to life as opposed to a belief in reincarnation which says that the same spirit is given a new physical body in this physical reality. This is one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the Gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1Co 15:14). In addition, there are times when this word is used for something being lifted higher physically, but even then the Bible reference often has a symbolic spiritual meaning in addition to the physical meaning.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Please also see the note for John 20:2-LJC about the phrase risen Jesus is Lord. Please also see the note for 1Peter C1S2 about the word resurrection. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Christ. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Jesus. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Please see the Appearances of Jesus Christ After the Resurrection Section within the Time Sequence of Gospel Events Study.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the people. 2Ki 4:32-36; Ac 9:40-41 and took. Mr 1:31; 5:41; 8:23; 9:27; Lu 8:54'.

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C9-S28 (Verse 26) the response to the miracle.
And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tells us about Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Please see the notes for each sentence within this account for contextual requirements and links to related Studies. Please also see the Miracles in the Gospels for links to other miracles. Please see the note for Luke 8:51 for a step-by-step sequence of events in the last part of this miracle. The sequence of earlier events is straight-forward and do not need a special outline.

The sentences in Mark and Luke are similar to each other in what they, generally, report even though there are some differences in the details. However, those sentences report things that Matthew does not report and what Matthew reports in this sentence is not reported by Mark nor by Luke.

Please notice that our sentence reports that tells us And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. Notice that it does not say that His fame went abroad. What was famous was the miracle, not the person who did the miracle. Religious people still react the same way today. They believe that going to church or believing the Bible or church doctrine is what they need and don't get that it is the person, not the act, that is important (John 5:39). These people would have known of the three people raised from the dead in the Old Testament, and while most would count Jesus as a great prophet, most in this area refused to accept that He was 'God in human flesh'.

Please remember that Matthew is presenting Jesus as God's Christ and King. at this point in his account, Jesus is still offering the kingdom to the common Jew. That will change with the start of the next chapter. However, having the fame hereof went abroad into all that land helps spread His offer while it is still available. Therefore, Matthew includes the report of this sentence because it is part of Jesus acting like a King.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C4S13 about the word fame. The functional definition for this word is: 'Public report or rumor'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C4S13 about the word defame. The functional definition for this word is: 'Slander; dishonor or injured by evil reports'.

Please see the note for Romans C16S22 about the word abroad. The functional definition for this word is: 'Beyond the limits of a designated area'. That is; we are to go beyond our normal area of living in order to take the Gospel to others. Please also see the note for Romans C5S2 about the phrase shed abroad. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:26; Matthew 9:31; Matthew 9:36; Matthew 12:30; Matthew 26:31.

Please see the note for Mark 10:30 about the word land. The functional definition for this word is: 'Earth, or the solid matter which constitutes the fixed part of the surface of the globe, in distinction from the sea or other waters, which constitute the fluid or movable part'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the fame hereof. or, this fame. Mt 4:24; 14:1-2; Mr 1:45; 6:14; Ac 26:26'.

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C9-S29 (Verse 27) the start of the next incident.

And when Jesus departed thence,
two blind men followed him,
crying,
and saying,
Thou Son of David,
have mercy on us..

In Matthew 9:27-31, Jesus restores sight to two blind men who proved their faith. This particular miracle is only reported here in Matthew. In the Gospel accounts, we read about Jesus healing the blind, as a specific report, in: Matthew 9:27-31; Matthew 20:30-34 (two men, one named Bartimaeus); Matthew 12:22-23; Luke 11:14-23 (a blind demoniac); Mark 8:22-26 (requires two steps); John 9:1-41 (the man was born blind). In addition to these specific instances, we are told that Jesus healed the blind, along with other diseases and casting out devils, in reports which made a general report and did not report a specific instance. Please see the Miracles in the Gospels, which provides links to all miracles which are reported in the Gospels including links to those notes about Jesus doing many miracles.

in this particular account, these two blind men called Jesus Thou Son of David, which means they accepted Him as Christ. In the second next sentence, they called Him Lord in recognition that He is 'God in human flesh'. As we have seen elsewhere, the combination of these verses doctrinally tell us that everyday Jews understood that Christ would be the Son of God come in human flesh. This sentence doctrinally tells us that these men believed that Jesus was also God's Christ and King. And, since that is the theme of Matthew's Gospel account, he reports this particular miracle while the other Gospel writers do not.

In Matthew 15:14 and Matthew 23:16-26, we see Jesus equate being blind to lacking spiritual understanding. Thus, the spiritual symbolism of this miracle is that Jesus gives spiritual understanding to those who truly become part of His kingdom. Notice that our account says that they had to follow Jesus all the way back to His house and then also had to testify of their true Biblical faith. In addition, Jesus said: According to your faith be it unto you. Many people fail to realize that we limit God working in and through our life by our own lack of true Biblical faith.

Since these two blind men had to follow Jesus all the way back to His house, even while they begged for healing, we have the spiritual lesson that true understanding is only given to those saved people who are persistent and diligent is asking for understanding and working for it with true study (2Timothy 2:15).

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 3:12-14 about the word blind. The functional definition for this word is: 'Without the ability to see. This word is also used, symbolically, for people who lack spiritual understanding'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:27; Matthew 9:28; Matthew 11:5; Matthew 12:22; Matthew 15:14; Matthew 15:14; Matthew 15:30; Matthew 15:31; Matthew 20:30; Matthew 21:14; Matthew 23:16; Matthew 23:17; Matthew 23:19; Matthew 23:24; Matthew 23:26.

The phrase son of David was covered in the Lord Jesus Christ Study with links to every place where this phrase is used in the verses document. Please also see the note for Luke 1:26-27 about the phrase house of David.

Please see the note for Mark 1:3 about the word cry. The functional definition for this word is: 'Loud notorious exclamation as a crying sin or warning'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'two. Mt 11:5; 12:22; 20:30; Mr 8:22-23; 10:46; Lu 7:21; Joh 9:1-12 thou. Mt 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:41-45; Mr 10:47-48; 11:10; 12:35-37; Lu 18:38-39; 20:41; Joh 7:42; Ro 1:3; 9:5 have. Mt 17:15; Mr 9:22; Lu 17:13 exp: Mt 15:22.'.

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C9-S30 (Verse 28) the two blind men proved their faith.

Equivalent Section: .

And when he was come into the house,
the blind men came to him:.

Equivalent Section: .

and Jesus saith unto them,
Believe ye that I am able to do this?.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is added to the prior sentence. Therefore, Jesus acted, as this sentence reports, only after these two blind men followed Him all the way back to the house where He was staying and with the blind men begging Him all of the way. Therefore, like God often does today, Jesus made them prove their sincere desire. They received their miracle because of persistence and many today fail to receive their desire because they give up too easily.

Notice that the prior miracle caused the fame hereof (the miracle) went abroad into all that land. in this sentence, Jesus is asking them if they have faith in Him personally. Too many people believe in 'the power of Star Wars'. They want 'the power', and the4 results of it, but reject the ongoing personal relationship with the person Who has that true power.

Please see the notes for Romans C10S15; 1Corinthians C14S25 and Galatians C3-S8 about the word believe. The functional definition for this word is: 'To credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of something upon the declaration of another, or upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by other circumstances, than personal knowledge. When we believe upon the authority of another, we always put confidence in his veracity. When we believe upon the authority of reasoning, arguments, or a concurrence of facts and circumstances, we rest our conclusions upon their strength or probability, their agreement with our own experience, etc. true Biblical belief causes us to act upon that belief and any claimed belief that does not lead to matching action is a lie. Many people confuse faith and belief. Before people act, they have a belief but that belief does not turn into true faith until the people act upon it. Thus, we need to tell people the true gospel, which requires them to act upon their claimed belief'. Please also see the note for John 3:16 about the word believeth. The functional definition for this word is: 'a lifestyle belief. This is opposed to whay people call belief but what they have does not stay with them'. Please also see the notes for John 6:42 and John 12:40 about the phrase believe on / believe in. The functional definition for this word is: 'This identifies an ongoing spiritual relationship'. Please also see the notes for Romans 3:26-LJC and John 20:31-LJC about the phrase believe in Jesus / Christ. The functional definition for this word is: 'the start of a spiritual relationship with Jesus and / or Christ'. Please also see the note for John 8:30 about the phrase belief, non-saving. Please also see the note for Romans C10S15 about the phrase belief (true) changes life. Please also see the notes for Romans C4S21 about the word unbelief.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'come. Mt 8:14; 13:36 Believe. Mt 9:22; 8:2; 13:58; Mr 9:23-24; Joh 4:48-50; 11:26,40'.

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C9-S31 (Verse 28) the two blind men answered Jesus.

They said unto him,
Yea,
Lord..

As explained in the note for this sentence, in the Lord Jesus Christ Study, (use link in sentence outline above), these men called Jesus Lord because of their belief that He was / is 'God in human flesh'.

Please see the notes for Philippians 2:17 and Luke 24:22-23 about the word yea. The functional definition for this word is: 'Yes; a word that expresses affirmation or assent. Yea is used only in the sacred and solemn style. It affirms much more strongly than a simple Yes'.

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C9-S32 (Verse 29) the two blind men received their miracle.

Then touched he their eyes,
saying,
According to your faith be it unto you..

Now, while many people believe that a literal physical tough is required for a miraculous healing, we need to remember that the centurion's servant was healed from a distance with only the word from Jesus. He touched their eyes to assure them that He would heal them. Jesus said: According to your faith be it unto you to let them know that their own faith was involved in their miracle. Some people receive little or no blessings from God because of their own lack of true Biblical faith.

Please see the note for Colossians C2-S11 about the word touch. The functional definition for this word is: 'To come in contact with; to hit or strike against.'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S13 about the word eye. The functional definition for this word is: ' the organ of sight or vision; properly, the globe or ball movable in the orbit. It is used symbolically for gaining understanding'. Please also see the note for John 12:45 about the phrase eyes to see.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:1 about the word accord. The functional definition for this word is: 'Agreeing; harmonizing when two notes are in a music chord, they move together, up or down, to the next note'. Please also see the note for Psalms 119:23 about the phrase according to works.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'touched. Mt 20:34; Joh 9:6-7 exp: Mt 8:15. According. Mt 8:6-7,13; 15:28; Mr 10:52 General references. exp: Ps 33:22.'.

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C9-S33 (Verse 30) Jesus commanded them to tell no one.

First Step: they were healed..

And their eyes were opened;.

Second Step: they were instructed.

and Jesus straitly charged them,
saying,
See that no man know it..

This is only the second time, in this Gospel account, where I found that Jesus told someone: See that no man know it. The prior time Jesus told them to go show themselves at the Temple and to thank God. It is possible that He did the same here and that Matthew just didn't report it. Back in Matthew 9:26, we read the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. That is; people talked about the miracle but no longer claimed that Jesus was God's Christ and King. In addition, the next chapter tells us that Jesus sent out the twelve to preach and do miracles. That means that the spiritual conception of His church had happened. Therefore, it is possible that, as of this sentence, Jesus knows that He has been rejected by the common Jew as King and is no longer offering the kingdom to the Jews. If He truly withdrew the offer at this time then there is no longer any reason for Him to spread His fame. Now, both of these are speculation and other reasons may have caused this change. We don't know because Matthew does not tell us.

As explained in the note for this sentence, in the Lord Jesus Christ Study, these men disobeyed the command. They didn't do as He told them because Matthew 9:31 says, But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. Like many people, they did what made sense to them when commands from God doesn't make sense. There are going to be many times that God tells us to do something and it doesn't make sense to us. However, we are to obey and prove our faith in God that He knows what He is doing even when we don't understand. We are not told, but it was possible that Jesus had further blessings for them if they had obeyed. This command might very well have been a test that they failed and that caused them to miss out on further blessings. We need to keep in mind that God often gives us a test like this and the disobedient miss out on further blessings such as seeing God work and receiving understanding that only comes through experience.

Please see the note for John 18:20 about the word open / openly. The functional definition for this word is: 'Unclosed; not shut; unsealed'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:23-24 about the word strait. he American Tract Society Dictionary defines this word as: 'Narrow, and difficult to pass, Mt 7:13-14. this word should not be confounded with straight. to be "in a strait," is to have one's way beset with doubts or difficulties, to be at a loss, 1Sa 13:6; 2Sa 24:14; Php 1:23'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 6:12 about the word straiten.

Please see the note for 1Timothy 1:3-4 about the word charge. The functional definition for this word is: 'A superior authority gives a formal and legal command to a subordinate which includes the necessary rights and responsibilities to accomplish the assigned task'. Please also see the note for Luke 21:34 about the word overcharge. Please also see the Message called A Pastoral Charge.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'their. Ps 146:8; Isa 35:5; 42:7; 52:13; Joh 9:7-26 straitly. Mt 8:4; 12:16; 17:9; Mr 5:43; Lu 5:14; 8:56 General references. exp: Mt 12:16; Mr 1:43.'.

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C9-S34 (Verse 31) the two blind men disobeyed.

But they,
when they were departed,
spread abroad his fame in all that country..

Our sentence starts with the word But, which lets us know that it is continuing the message from the prior sentence while going in a different direction. They were told what to do in the prior sentence and this sentence tells us that they disobeyed. The note for the prior sentence explains the doctrine of this sentence.

We find forms of the word spread occurring 129 times in 127 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 9:31 Matthew 21:8; Mark 1:28; Mark 6:14; Mark 11:8; Luke 19:36; Acts 4:17; 1Thessalonians 1:8. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'v.t. pret. and pp. spread or spred. G., to spread. the more correct orthography is spred. 1. to extend in length and breadth, or in breadth only; to stretch or expand to a broader surface; as, to spread a carpet or a table cloth; to spread a sheet on the ground. 2. to extend; to form into a plate; as, to spread silver. Jeremiah 10. 3. to set; to place; to pitch; as, to spread a tent. Genesis 33. 4. to cover by extending something; to reach every part. And an unusual paleness spreads her face. 5. to extend; to shoot to a greater length in every direction, so as to fill or cover a wider space. The stately trees fast spread their branches. 6. to divulge; to propagate; to publish; as news or fame; to cause to be more extensively know; as, to spread a report. in this use the word is sometimes accompanied with abroad. They, when they had departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. Matthew 9. 7. to propagate; to cause to affect greater numbers; as, to spread a disease. 8. to emit; to diffuse; as emanations or effluvia; as, odoriferous plants spread their fragrance. 9. to disperse; to scatter over a larger surface; as, to spread manure; to spread plaster or lime on the ground. 10. to prepare; to set and furnish with provision; as, to spread a table. God spread a table for the Israelites in the wilderness. 11. to open; to unfold; to unfurl; to stretch; as, to spread the sails of a ship.
SPREAD, SPRED, v.i. 1. to extend itself in length and breadth, in all directions, or in breadth only; to be extended or stretched. the larger elms spread over a space of forty or fifty yards in diameter; or the shade of the larger elms spreads over that space. the larger lakes in America spread over more than fifteen hundred square miles. Plants, if they spread much, are seldom tall. 2. to be extended by drawing or beating; as, a metal spreads with difficulty. 3. to be propagated or made known more extensively. Ill reports sometimes spread with wonderful rapidity. 4. to be propagated from one to another; as, a disease spreads into all parts of a city. the yellow fever of American cities has not been found to spread in the country.
SPREAD, SPRED, n. 1. Extent; compass. I have a fine spread of improvable land. 2. Expansion of parts. No flower has that spread of the woodbind.'.

Please see the note for Mark 12:1 about the word country. The functional definition for this word is: 'An area of land. It can be all the land controlled by a government or the land lying near a city'. Please also see the note for Luke 1:65 about the phrase hill country.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'spread. Mr 1:44-45; 7:36 General references. exp: Mr 1:28; Lu 7:17.'.

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C9-S35 (Verse 32) the start of the next incident.

As they went out,
behold,
they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil..

In Matthew 9:32-34 and Luke 11:14-15, we read that Jesus cast out a dumb devil. This then led to the Pharisees, and other people, claiming that He used the power of Beelzebub to cast out devils.

While it is not impossible for the dumb to communicate, it is difficult. In addition, most people do not understand sign language and even sign language varies long with spoken languages. In addition, sign language, supposedly, was not developed until after the time of Jesus. Therefore, it is very difficulty for such people to be a witness for God. However, our next sentence tells us that the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled. As a result of that, the sentence after the next tells us: the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. Thus, we see that this marks the start of the doctrinal fight at a level where the religious leaders condemned themselves.

Our sentence starts with the phrase As they went out. Matthew 9:28 told us: when he (Jesus) was come into the house. Therefore, our sentence tells us that Jesus was leaving His own house when this incident happened. The report from Luke tells us this was after His disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples (Luke 11:1). So, symbolically and according to Luke, this happened in context with Jesus helping His disciples to talk to God. Both, Matthew and Luke, tell us that this miracle happened just before the Pharisees, who could not talk to God, spoke doctrinal error and claimed that Jesus casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. The spiritual lesson, of this incident, is that we need to be sure that we can communicate with God and that the people who we get our doctrine from can communicate with God, or we will be deceived into believing a doctrine of devils (1Timothy 4:1).

The reports by Matthew and by Luke match at the message level even while the details differ. Luke 11:14 tells us: And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. Luke does not tell us where this happened, like Matthew does. Luke does tell us that this miracle was added (And) to the prior doctrinal lesson on prayer. Both tell us that the devil made the man dumb. Matthew also tells us that others brought the man to Jesus, where Luke does not. However, this fact is important to Matthew because he gives us a legal perceptive and who does ant action is important to properly identify under the law. The man did not just happen to wander by. However, Luke doesn't report this fact because it is not relevant to the perspective of men. What was important enough for Luke to report is how this devil affected the man.

In our next sentence, Matthew tells us the result of Jesus casting out the devil and the effect that the miracle had on the people who witnessed it. The equivalent sentence, in Luke's Gospel account, tells the same message with less words. Luke does not include the last phrase from Matthew ( It was never so seen in Israel), but this phrase is legal evidence that God will use to judge the Jews who rejected Jesus. Luke, who presents the perspective of a normal man, is not concerned with legal evidence.

The third, and last sentence, of this report tells us: But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. The equivalent sentence from Luke tells us: But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. The meaning of the prince of the devils and the chief of the devils is the same. Luke adds in the name of: Beelzebub, which does not really affect the message. However, the biggest difference is doctrinally important. Matthew tells us: the Pharisees said. The equivalent phrase from Luke tells us: some of them said. As we have seen elsewhere, Matthew gives a clear identification of who said this lie. However, Luke does not. I believe that Luke considered the speakers only saying what many of the common Jew believed and, from a normal human perspective, there was not much difference between the speakers and their supporters.

Please see the note for Colossians C2S3 about the word behold. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines this word as: 'to fix the eyes upon; to see with attention; to observe with care. Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1. 2. In a less intensive sense, to look upon; to see. When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Num. 21. BEHO'LD, v.i. to look; to direct the eyes to an object. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, a lambdas it had been slain. Rev.5. 1. to fix the attention upon an object; to attend; to direct or fix the mind. Behold, I stand at provides a clear legal identification of who said this lie

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S2 about the word dumb. The functional definition for this word is: 'Mute; silent; not speaking'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:32; Matthew 9:33; Matthew 12:22; Matthew 15:30-31.

Please see the note for Mark 1:32 about the word possess. The functional definition for this word is: 'To have the just and legal title, ownership or property of a thing; to own; to hold the title of, as the rightful proprietor, or to hold both the title and the thing'. Please also see the note for Acts 2:44-45 about the word possession. Our word means that the devils had taken control of the people and acted like they had a legal right to control the people.

Please see the section called Jesus and Devils, in the Study called Significant Gospel Events, for links to every place where Jesus dealt with devils. Please also see the Word Study on Spirit for links to every place in the Bible where we find 'Other Spirits', which are devils. Note: there are no 'daemons' in the Bible. That is a doctrine from true Biblical devils to get God's people believing lies about them and underestimating their power.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'a dumb. Mt 12:22-23; Mr 9:17-27; Lu 11:14 General references. exp: Mr 7:32; Lu 11:14.'.

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C9-S36 (Verse 33) the miracle caused the multitudes (to) marvel.

Equivalent Section: the reaction by the possessed man.

And when the devil was cast out,
the dumb spake:.

Equivalent Section: the reaction by the multitude.

and the multitudes marvelled,
saying,
It was never so seen in Israel..

In Matthew 9:32-34 and Luke 11:14, we read that Jesus cast out a dumb devil. This then led to the Pharisees, and other people, claiming that He used the power of Beelzebub to cast out devils. please see the Section called Jesus and Devils in the Significant Gospel Events Study. Please also see the Word Study on Spirit for links to every place in the Bible where we find 'Other Spirits', which are devils. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about Satan.

Please see the note for Matthew 9:32 about the comparison of the reports, about this incident, from Matthew and from Luke.

What we see here is that the multitudes were finally realizing that Jesus was more than 'just a prophet'. As a result, the Pharisees were worried that the multitudes would consider Jesus to be 'God in human flesh'. That would have completely ended any hope that they retained for holding onto their current power and position. That worry was what led them to make the desperate claim found in the next sentence. Please notice that the next sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the current sentence while changing direction. Here, we read the evidence that Jesus had power over devils and that the multitudes recognized this truth. That is why our next sentence tells us that the Pharisees tried to change the direction of their thinking with their claim.

Please see the note for Mark 9:28 about the phrase cast out. The functional definition for this word is: 'to throw hard enough to remove from the area that one is in but, usually, this does not include violence in the effort to throw'. Please also see the note for Romans C11S19 about the phrase cast away. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 4:8-10 about the phrase cast down. Please see the note for Luke 1:29 about the word cast The functional definition for this word is: 'In general "to throw," with various degrees of violence; usually, with force, but not so necessarily, as e.g. in cast a net," cast lots'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S2 about the word dumb. The functional definition for this word is: 'Mute; silent; not speaking'.

Please see the note for John 6:2 about the word multitude. The functional definition for this word is: 'The state of being many; a great number'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:16 about the word Israel. The functional definition for this word is: 'The name for Jacob when he was acting spiritual and the name for his descendants'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 3:7-8 about the phrase children of Israel. Please also see the note for Romans C11S30 about the phrase all Israel shall be saved.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the dumb. Mt 15:30-31; Ex 4:11-12; Isa 35:6; Mr 7:32-37; Lu 11:14 It. 2Ki 5:8; Ps 76:1; Jer 32:20; Lu 7:9 General references. exp: Mr 7:32; Lu 11:14.'.

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C9-S37 (Verse 34) the Pharisees blasphemed about the miracle.

But the Pharisees said,
He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils..

In Matthew 9:32-34 and Luke 11:14-15, we read that Jesus cast out a dumb devil. This then led to the Pharisees, and other people, claiming that He used the power of Beelzebub to cast out devils. please see the Section called Jesus and Devils in the Significant Gospel Events Study. Please also see the Word Study on Spirit for links to every place in the Bible where we find 'Other Spirits', which are devils. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about Satan.

Please see the note for Matthew 9:32 about the comparison of the reports, about this incident, from Matthew and from Luke.

Here we see the reaction by the Pharisees, which was totally different from the multitudes, as reported in our prior sentence. The note for the prior sentence explains the doctrine of this difference.

We also see this claim in: Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22 and Luke 11:15. In those other references we read the response from Jesus which explains how foolish their claims were. Nevertheless, it appears as if their claims accomplished the intended purpose because we see Jesus sending out the twelve with the power that they would have as leaders of the church. Therefore, the conception of the church, and the4 decision to remove the offer of the kingdom from the Jews, happened between this sentence and the start of the next chapter.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C2S5 about the word prince. The functional definition for this word is: 'One of the highest levels of rulers but not the very highest level'. in this sentence, the phrase the prince of the devils is used to identify Satan, who is also called Beelzebub and other titles.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 12:23-24; Mr 3:22; Lu 11:15; Joh 3:20'.

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C9-S38 (Verse 35) Jesus went about His ministry and ignored them.

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing every sickness and every disease among the people..

This is the first of the last three sentences where Jesus is offering the kingdom to the Jews (preaching the gospel of the kingdom). However, as explained in the note for the next sentence, the Jews did not respond by accepting Jesus as their King. And, because of their unbelief, Jesus started the church, according to the next chapter. The Gospels report Jesus doing the same thing many times and receiving the same response.

Please also see the Study called the Miracles in the Gospels for links to several other places where the Gospel accounts tell us that Jesus healed many without specifying a specific example. Jesus did this as evidence that He was God's Christ and King. However, like most people of today, the Jews foolishly chose to believe the lies from their religious leaders over all of the evidence that God provided so that they would truly believe Jesus.

Please notice that that Jesus gave the Jews many signs, that they looked for to verify that a prophet was from God. While Satan can also do miracles through false prophets, they do not teach God's truth and preach the gospel. In addition to doing both of these things, our sentence tells us that Jesus was healing every sickness and every disease among the people. No other prophet did that and their own religious teaching told them that this was evidence that a prophet was truly God's Christ and King. Therefore, our sentence tells us that Jesus spent time providing indisputable evidence to all of the Jews in all the cities and villages. In addition, He was clearly offering then the kingdom (preaching the gospel of the kingdom). However, as the note for the next sentence explains, they refused to believe and that was the one non-negotiable requirement from God. Therefore, just like many people go to Hell from hearing the Gospel today, they also lost the opportunity to receive the kingdom.

in this sentence, we are told that Jesus did these miracles for many people who are not identified in any fashion. These are different from the specific miracles which are mentioned many places and which are related to the surrounding doctrine. (Please see the Doctrinal Study called Miracles in the Gospels for Bible references where we read that Jesus performed miracles and cast out devils.) In these instances, we do not read about Jesus requiring someone to do anything like act in true Biblical faith or go show themselves to the priests. While many of the references to miracles are to specific incidents which are related to the doctrine surrounding the incident, there are also many references, like the current one, where we are told about Jesus doing these things but not given details. In these cases, we are told that these actions were a regular part of His ministry with no discrimination on who received the blessings. These times are evidence of what Jesus offered as part of the kingdom if they truly accepted Him as God's appointed King. This sentence is a fulfillment of the prophect found in Isaiah 53:4.

Please see the note for Mark 6:6 about the word village. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'A small assemblage of houses, less than a town or city, and inhabited chiefly by farmers and other laboring people. In England, it is said that a village is distinguished from a town by the want of a market. In the United States, no such distinction exists, and any small assemblage of houses in the country is called a village.'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:35; Matthew 14:15; Matthew 21:2.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S27 about the word teach / taught. The functional definition for this word is: 'To instruct; to inform; to communicate to another the knowledge of that of which he was before ignorant'. The word taught is the past-tense form of the word teach. Please also see the note for John 3:2 about the word teacher. Please also see the Study called False things According to the Bible about 'false teachers'.

Please see the note for John 6:59 about the word synagogue. The functional definition for this word is: 'a recognized place of worship'.

Please see the notes for Romans C16S33; 1Corinthians C15S1; Galatians C1-S4 and 2Timothy 4:1-LJC about the word preach. The functional definition for this word is: 'To pronounce a public discourse on a religious subject, or from a subject, or from a text of Scripture. the purpose of preaching is to get people to obey God's word'. Please also see the note for Romans 10:14 about the word preacher. Please also see the Study called False things According to the Bible about 'false preachers'.

Please see the note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of Heaven is the kingdom that 'belongs to' Heaven and is applied to beings, and things, which reside in Heaven. We find the phrase kingdom of Heaven only found within the Gospel of Matthew and is often, but not always, used for salvation because all saved will become part of the kingdom of Heaven. This phrase is used for when the laws of Heaven will control this Earth. That time is the 1,000 year reign of Christ. What we see in the beginning of the Gospel accounts is that the kingdom was offered to the Jews but they refused to accept Jesus Christ as their King. Therefore, the offer of their receiving was withdrawn and Jesus Christ started the 'Church Age' with the offer of the kingdom given to all who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord. In addition, every kingdom has a king. Please see verses on king in the New Testament and the Summary on king. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about the phrase kings of the earth. Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please also see the note for Revelation 14:14-LJC about the phrase King of kings. Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please see the notes1Corinthians C4S20; 1Corinthians C15S46; Galatians C5S20 and the Doctrinal Study for about the phrase The kingdom of God. The functional definition is: 'God's character in us'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the notes for Ephesians 5:5; 2Timohy 4:1 and 2Peter 1:11 for about the phrase kingdom of Christ.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S29 about the word heal. The functional definition for this word is: 'To cure of a disease or wound and restore to soundness, or to that state of body in which the natural functions are regularly performed; as, to heal the sick'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 4:23-24; 11:1,5; Mr 1:32-39; 6:6,56; Lu 4:43-44; 13:22; Ac 2:22; 10:38 exp: Mt 19:2; 21:14.'.

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C9-S39 (Verse 36) Jesus had compassion because of the spiritual condition.

But when he saw the multitudes,
he was moved with compassion on them,
because they fainted,
and were scattered abroad,
as sheep having no shepherd..

In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus is offering the kingdom to the Jews (preaching the gospel of the kingdom). However, as explained below, the Jews did not respond by accepting Jesus as their King. And, because of their unbelief, Jesus started the church, according to the next chapter.

Luke 10:2 tells us about an similar reaction by Jesus. where this sentence is said just before Jesus sent out the twelve (12), the sentence in Luke is said in conjunction with Jesus sending out seventy (70) disciples for the same purpose. The only difference between our current sentence and the one in Luke is the people that the sentence is said to and the word plenteous, in our current sentence, is exchanged for the word great in Luke's Gospel account. Obviously, Jesus has the same message for different groups of disciples.

Please note that Jesus had a different reaction than most people have to rejection. As explained in the note for the prior sentence, Jesus gave the Jews lots of evidence for them to believe that He was God's Christ and King. Yet they rejected Him. And, instead of getting upset, He had compassion of them because they had been deceived so deeply that they refused to even consider that they were deceived.

Our sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence while changing direction. In the prior sentence, we read the evidence that Jesus had power over devils and that the multitudes recognized this truth. They were close to accepting Jesus as 'God in human flesh'. That is why Matthew 9:34 told us that the Pharisees tried to change the direction of the thinking, of the common Jew, with their claim that Jesus casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. After that claim, even though Jesus gave them many signs and preached the gospel of the kingdom, the people refused to truly believe.

It should be obvious that, when our sentence says: the multitudes...fainted, they did not physically faint but spiritually fainted in that they 'became spiritually weak and did not believe God's truth'. In addition, our sentence says that they were scattered but the context makes it clear that this was not a physical scattering but a spiritual scattering. In addition, our sentence says that they were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd, but, when we consider the lesson on 'The Good Shepherd' (John 10:1-6), we can know that this also is speaking about a spiritual truth. As a result, our entire sentence is giving us a spiritual truth.

With our sentence starting with the word But, and with it speaking a spiritual truth, we can know that the prior sentence also spoke a spiritual truth. That is: since our current sentence uses descriptive words to tell us that the people were not spiritually saved, the prior sentence told us about Jesus going around and offering salvation. We see this truth also in Matthew 13:54-58 and Mark 6:1-6 where we read: And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue...And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

So, when Jesus saw that His teaching and preaching did not accomplish the desired result, He did not get frustrated but was moved with compassion on them. at this point, it was obvious that the multitudes would not accept Him as their true God-given King. Therefore, we have our next sentence which starts with the word Then, and means: 'After realizing the truth'. My personal opinion is that this is when Jesus withdrew the offer of the kingdom from the Jews and started His church which would offer the kingdom to individuals even though He was no longer offering it to the entire nation.

Please see the note for John 6:2 about the word multitude. The functional definition for this word is: 'The state of being many; a great number'.

Please see the note for Romans C9S13 about the word compassion. The functional definition for this word is: 'A suffering with another. Compassion is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow; at least some portion of love generally attends the pain or regret'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:36; Matthew 14:14; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 18:27; Matthew 18:33; Matthew 20:34.

Please see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because. The functional definition for this word is: 'provides a effect where the effect and effect are both in the past'. Please also see the note for Romans C8S38 about the phrase dying because of the truth.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 4:1-2 about the word faint. The functional definition for this word is: 'weak; languid; inclined to swoon; as, to be rendered faint by excessive evacuations'.

Please see the note for John 16:32 about the word scatter. The functional definition for this word is: 'To disperse; to dissipate; to separate or remove things to a distance from each other'.

Please see the note for John 5:2 about the word sheep. The functional definition for this word is: 'A herd animal common to the region and society. Sheep are often used symbolically for meekness, patience, gentleness, and submission (Isa 53:7; Ac 8:32)'.

Please see the note for 1Peter 2:25 about the word shepherd. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'A man employed in tending, feeding and gaurding sheep in the pasture. 2. A swain; a rural lover. 3. the pastor of a parish, church or congregation; a minister of the gospel who superintends a church or parish, and gives instruction in spiritual things. God and Christ are in Scripture designated as Shepherds, as they lead, protect and govern their people, and provide for their welfare'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:36; Matthew 25:32; Matthew 26:31.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'when. Mt 14:14; 15:32; Mr 6:34; Heb 4:15; 5:2 exp: Lu 6:13. fainted, etc. or, were tired and lay down. as. Mt 10:6; 15:24; Nu 27:17; 1Ki 22:17; 2Ch 18:16; Isa 56:9-11; Jer 50:6; Eze 34:3-6; Zec 10:2; 11:16; 13:7-8'.

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C9-S40 (Verse 37-38) Jesus commanded our first step in missions.

First Step: Jesus states the spiritual condition.

Then saith he unto his disciples,
The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the labourers are few;.

Second Step: Jesus states the main need.

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he will send forth labourers into his harvest..

Please also see the Messages called Labourers for the Harvest and Pray for Missionaries and Supporting Missionaries about this sentence. Please also see the references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, below, for related Bible references.

In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus is offering the kingdom to the Jews (preaching the gospel of the kingdom). However, as explained in the note for Matthew 9:36, the Jews did not respond by accepting Jesus as their King. And, because of their unbelief, Jesus started the church, according to the next chapter. Please also see the Messages called Labor for Everlasting Life, Labourers for the Harvest-1, and Labourers for the Harvest-2, Pray for Missionaries, and Supporting Missionaries, about this sentence.

One thing that many people fail to realize, or forget, is that the nation of Israel is the wife of God the Father while the church is the bride of Christ. These are two different relationships and with two different members of the Trinity. The Jews still had to respond to God on an individual level. However, so long as a substantial portion of the nation did so, God blessed the entire nation. When very few maintained their relationship with God the Father, God punished the nation. However, during the 'Church Age', people are responsible for themselves, their descendants to the fourth generation and their friends and followers. For example, Hebrews 13:17 tells us that them that have the rule over you...watch for your souls, as they that must give account. Therefore, the focus and relationship is different between how God dealt with the nation of Israel and how God deals with people during the 'Church Age'. Where Jesus had been going to all the cities and villages (Matthew 9:35), the next chapter starts with Him sending out the twelve to deal with individuals (inquire who in it is worthy Matthew 10:11) and families (if the house be worthy Matthew 10:13).

Please pay attention to the fact that this sentence is in the same sub-section of this chapter as the prior two sentences. The notes for those sentences explained how the Jews refused to respond correctly in spite of Jesus giving them undeniable proof that He was / is God's Christ and King. He also preached the gospel of the kingdom (the prior sentence). Yet, they refused to accept Him as God's Christ and King. They wanted the kingdom but refused Him as King because they refused to realize that they could not have one without the other. Satan's kingdom is evil because Satan is evil. God's kingdom is holy and righteous because God is holy and righteous. A king puts his character on his kingdom. It is impossible to have the kingdom, with all of the blessings that we are told about, unless you also have Jesus as the King.

Consider the reaction of Jesus to being rejected, as told in this sentence. Then consider the prideful and prejudiced character of the Jewish religious leaders as described in all of the Gospel accounts. Now consider the difference in the character of the kingdom that Jesus will provide as compared to the type of kingdom that would exist if Jesus were a puppet king and the Jewish religious leaders were the true rulers. If people truly understand this difference, then they can understand why Jesus removed the offer of the kingdom since the general people supported the religious leaders who demanded that Jesus be just a puppet king and the Jewish religious leaders become the true rulers of the kingdom. With that in mind, consider the true Bible doctrine that there will be saved people in Heaven who are not allowed to return and be part of His kingdom. Yes, they are saved but they then refused to obey and mature spiritually to the point of taking His character traits into their own character. Just as the Jews were denied the kingdom for that attitude, so also will saved people be denied the kingdom for that attitude.

Our sentence starts with the word Then, which means: 'after the prior was completed'. As already written in this note, at least the prior two sentences, and their associated notes, must be considered with this sentence for contextual reasons.

Next, our sentence tells us that Jesus said this to his disciples. He did not say this to the lost, nor to the carnal, nor to the spiritual babes. If someone is a true disciple they will be obeying this command. Please notice that our sentence uses the word saith, which is: 'an ongoing lifestyle saying'. Since Jesus is still alive and still teaching His disciples through the ongoing personal relationship that is maintained by God's Holy Ghost, Jesus is still saying this command to His disciples of today.

Our sentence has two Steps and they were done after the prior sentence was obviously true. Here we have the first form of 'The great Commission'. In the First Step, Jesus points out the spiritual reality and the spiritual need. This is the first thing that God's people need to do. They need to turn their eyes from the physical and see the spiritual. Then, in the Second Step, Jesus commands them to pray for 5the need. In addition, we are to recognize that God is Lord of the harvest, which means we will be judged by our Lord, at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10). (any time that we see the role of Lord used in the New Testament, we are to apply whatever is written to our own personal judgment as children of God.)

After this sentence is Chapter 10, which starts out with Jesus sending the disciples our to do what they were commanded to pray about in this sentence. Thus, we see one of the best ways to get people involved in mission work is to first get them to pray about the need.

Please see the note for John 4:35 about the word harvest. The functional definition for this word is: 'The time of gathering the results of labor. Within the Bible we see several different types of harvest and several different times of harvest'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:37-38; Matthew 13:30; Matthew 13:39.

Please see the note for Luke 12:16-17 about the word plenty. The functional definition for this word is: ' Abundance; copiousness; full or adequate supply'.

Please see the note for Luke 10:2 about the word labourer. The functional definition for this word is: 'One who labors in a toilsome occupation; a man who does work that requires little skill, as distinguished from an artisan'. Please also see the note for Philippians 4:3 about the word fellowlabourers. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 9:37-38 Matthew 11:28; Matthew 20:1; Matthew 20:2; Matthew 20:8.

Please see the notes for Romans C15S25 and and the Doctrinal Study on Prayer about the word pray. The functional definition for this word is: 'In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness. 1. In worship, a solemn address to the Supreme Being, consisting of adoration, or an expression of our sense of God's glorious perfections, confession of our sins, supplication for mercy and forgiveness, intercession for blessings on others, and thanksgiving, or an expression of gratitude to God for his mercies and benefits'. The word prayer is the noun form of the verb he word pray.

Please see the note for Romans intro about the word therefore. The functional definition is: 'what follows the therefore is a future result that is based upon what came before the therefore and result is only seen there'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'The harvest. Mt 28:19; Mr 16:15; Lu 10:2; 24:47; Joh 4:35-36; Ac 16:9; 18:10 but. Ps 68:11; 1Co 3:9; 2Co 6:1; Php 2:19-21; Col 4:11; 1Th 5:12-13; 1Ti 5:17
Pray. Lu 6:12-13; Ac 13:2; 2Th 3:1 the Lord. Mt 10:1-3; Joh 20:21; Eph 4:11 that. Ps 68:11,18; Jer 3:15; Mic 5:7; Lu 10:1-2; Ac 8:4; 1Co 12:28'.

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Matthew Chapter 10

links to sentences in this chapter:

C10-S1 (Verse 1), C10-S2 (Verse 2-4), C10-S3 (Verse 5-6), C10-S4 (Verse 7), C10-S5 (Verse 8), C10-S6 (Verse 9-10), C10-S7 (Verse 11), C10-S8 (Verse 12), C10-S9 (Verse 13), C10-S10 (Verse 14), C10-S11 (Verse 15), C10-S12 (Verse 16), C10-S13 (Verse 17-18), C10-S14 (Verse 19), C10-S15 (Verse 20), C10-S16 (Verse 21), C10-S17 (Verse 22), C10-S18 (Verse 23), C10-S19 (Verse 24), C10-S20 (Verse 25), C10-S21 (Verse 25), C10-S22 (Verse 26), C10-S23 (Verse 27), C10-S24 (Verse 28), C10-S25 (Verse 29), C10-S26 (Verse 29), C10-S27 (Verse 30), C10-S28 (Verse 31), C10-S29 (Verse 32), C10-S30 (Verse 33), C10-S31 (Verse 34), C10-S32 (Verse 35), C10-S33 (Verse 36), C10-S34 (Verse 37), C10-S35 (Verse 38), C10-S36 (Verse 39), C10-S37 (Verse 40), C10-S38 (Verse 41), C10-S39 (Verse 42)'.

Please use This link to see the chapter summary.

Chapter theme: the start of the spiritual life of the church

Matthew 10:1-23; Mark 6:7-13 and Luke 9:1-6 report that the twelve were commissioned and sent out to do the work of missionaries. The note for Luke 9:1 gives an outline of this commissioning of the twelve. In addition, Luke 10 tells us that Jesus did the same thing with another seventy disciples. However, in Luke 22:35-38 Jesus changed the instruction from that point forward for the 'Church Age'. The difference is due to the twelve and the seventy going to Jews, in their culture, but missionaries, during the 'Church Age', would deal with different cultures. Therefore, the application had to change

Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12-16 report the names of the twelve apostles of Jesus.

In Matthew 10:8; Mark 3:15; Mark6:13; Mark 9:38; Mark 16:17; Luke 9:1; Luke 9:49; Luke 10:17-18; Jesus gave His disciples power to cast out devils.

All of Matthew 10:17-23; Matthew 24:1-25:30; Mark 13 and Luke 21:8-36 are dealing with prophecies of future events. Within those prophecies, Matthew 10:17-23; Matthew 24:4-13; Mark 13:5-13 and Luke 21:8-19 have prophecies of events before the 'Rapture'. Please see the Prophecies Section of the Significant Gospel Events Study for more related Bible references.

Matthew 10:17-23; Matthew 24:4-13; Mark 13:5-13 and Luke 21:8-19 have prophecies of events before the 'Rapture'.

Matthew 10:23, and many other places in the Bible, speak of the return of Jesus as ruling Lord (Also called the 'Second Coming of Christ' and the start of the '1,000-years reign of Christ'. Please see the detail note for other Bible references to this event.

In Matthew 10:24-25; Luke 6:40 and John 15:20 we read The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

Matthew 10:25 tells us that Jesus referenced the incident which is reported in Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22-30 and Luke 11:15-66. There, we are told that the Pharisees or other people claimed that Jesus did His miracles by the power of Beelzebub. Following that accusation we have the doctrinal rebuttal from Jesus.

Matthew 10:26-36; Mark 8:15-21 and Luke 12:2-9 all report that Jesus taught that we are to fear God but not fear man. Jesus taught pretty much the same doctrine to His disciples at different time and under different circumstances. Therefore, what we have here is doctrine which was taught more than once, which shows the importance of these doctrines.

Matthew 10:37-42 tells us we are to be willing to lose this life, and everything in it, if we want to enjoy life in our incorruptible body and be part of the 1,000-years reign of Christ. Luke 9:43-45 provides a matching doctrine to the last three sentences of this chapter.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

1-4. Christ sends out his twelve apostles, enabling them with power to do miracles;
5-15. giving them their charge, teaches them;
16-39. comforts them against persecutions;
40-42. and promises a blessing to those that receive them.'.

C10-S1 (Verse 1) Jesus gave the twelve power to be missionaries.

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples,
he gave them power against unclean spirits,
to cast them out,
and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease..

The twelve (12) were commissioned to be sent out as reported in Matthew 10:1-23; Mark 3:14-19; Mark 6:7-11; Luke 9:1-6. In Luke 10:1-12 Jesus sent out seventy (70) disciples with the same power and commands. Then, in In Luke 22:35-38, Jesus changed the instruction from that point forward. This shows us the difference in application due to circumstances. When Jesus sent out the twelve (12) and the seventy (70), He sent them to the Jews before the 'Church Age'. In Luke 22:35-38, we have the instructions for the 'Church Age'.

Mark 3:14-19 tells us when Jesus selected and commissioned the twelve (12), but they were not sent out until later. Mark 6:7-11 and Luke 9:1-6 tell us about the twelve (12) being sent out. The note for Luke 9:1 contains an outline of the way that Jesus prepared the twelve (12) before He sent them out.

Please see the Section called Jesus and Devils in the Significant Gospel Events Study. Please also see the Word Study on Spirit for links to every place in the Bible where we find 'Other Spirits', which are devils. Devils are the spirits mentioned in our sentence.

Luke 9:1 is an equivalent sentence. That sentence starts with the word Then, which means 'after the people laughed him to scorn and refused to believe that He would raise the dead'. As we read here in the prior chapter of Matthew, Jesus sent out the twelve (12) after the people refused to truly believe that He was God's Christ and King.

Where our current sentence says: he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, Luke says that He: gave them power and authority over all devils. Although the words are different, the message is the same. In addition, where our current sentence says: and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease, Luke says: and to cure diseases. In the additional parts of both sentences, we, again, see that the words are different but the message is the same.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is added to the prior incident which is in the last three (3) sentences of the prior chapter (Matthew 9:35-38). There we saw that Jesus gave the common p[people undeniable proof that He was / is God's Christ and King. However, the people refuse to believe and rejected Him (Luke 19:14). Therefore, starting in this sentence, we are told that Jesus is sending out the twelve (12) to do 'The Great Commission'.

We are told that For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness in 1Corinthians 1:22-23. And, the Gospel accounts also tell us this (Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4; Mark 8:11-12 Luke 11:29) and in most of these references the religious leaders were demanding that Jesus provide another sign after He had already provided countless signs. If you read the context, they were not willing to believe no matter how many signs Jesus produced. They just wanted Him to perform at their demand and, thereby, prove that He was their servant. That was the attitude of the common Jew as reported in the end of the prior chapter. Therefore, As Matthew 21:42-43 tells us (Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.), Jesus is no longer offering the kingdom to the nation and is now sending out the twelve (12) to offer it only to those people who will accept the message through true Biblical faith.

Our sentence says that Jesus gave the twelve (12) power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. This because, before the word of God was completed, these types of signs were how people knew that the message from the speaker was from God. And, as we read further in the chapter, Jesus instructs them to deal with the individual and the household. This is a change from the prior chapters where Jesus was trying to reach the entire nation.

Please use the link in the sentence above and see the notes for Romans C8S1; Galatians C6S8 and Hebrews 8:10-LJC about the word Spirit. The functional definition is: 'An intelligent being from the spiritual reality which is a super-set of the physical reality'. As seen in the summary part of the Study on Spirit, 'We are made spiritually alive when God's spirit quickens our spirit'. That study also provides links to many more verses which teach the same doctrine. Please use his link for links to every usage in the Bible where we find the phrase Spirit of the Lord. Please see the note for Romans C11S13 about the phrase spirit of slumber. Please see the note for Galatians 6:1 in Word Study on Spirit for links to every place where we find the word spiritual. Please see the notes for Romans C8S40; Ephesians C6S8 about the phrase spiritual powers. Please see the note for 1Peter C1S11 about the phrase spiritual verses physical. Please see the notes for Word Study on Spirit; Romans C14S20 and Colossians C3S5 about the phrase unclean spirits. Please see the note for please see the Word Study on Holy Ghost for links to every place in the Bible where we find the phrase Holy Ghost.

Please see the note for James 4:8 about the word cleanse. The functional definition for this word is: 'To remove physical or spiritual pollution, filth or anything which defiles. Only what is unclean needs to be cleansed'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 9:13-14 about the word unclean. Please also see the notes for Galatians C5S20 and Colossians C3S5 about the word uncleanness. Please also see the notes for Word Study on Spirit; Romans C14S20; and Colossians C3S5 about the phrase unclean spirits.

Please see the note for 1Peter C1S4 about the word manner: (singular). The functional definition for this word is: 'Form; method; way of performing or executing'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'called. Mt 19:28; 26:20,47; Mr 3:13-14; 6:7-13; Lu 6:13; Joh 6:70; Re 12:1; 21:12-14 he gave. Mt 6:13; 28:18-19; Mr 3:15; 16:17-18; Lu 9:1-6; 10:19; 21:15; 24:49; Joh 3:27,35; 17:2; 20:21-23; Ac 1:8; 3:15-16; 19:15 against. or, over. General references. exp: Mr 3:13.'.

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C10-S2 (Verse 2-4) the twelve are identified.

First Step: State their future position.

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these;.

Second Step: the main apostle and his brother.

The first,
Simon,
who is called Peter,
and Andrew his brother;.

Third Step: the other two of the inner circle.

James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother;.

Fourth Step: the next best known apostles.

Philip,
and Bartholomew;.

Fifth Step: the ones Matthew considered to be lower in order.

Thomas,
and Matthew the publican;.

Sixth Step: Ones little known.

James the son of Alphaeus,
and Lebbaeus,
whose surname was thaddaeus;.

Seventh Step: Ones on the bottom.

Simon the Canaanite,
and Judas Iscariot,
who also betrayed him..

The twelve apostles of Jesus are named as reported in Matthew 10:2-4 and Mark 3:14-19; Luke 6:13-16 and Acts 1:13. Please notice that they were given power, at this time, that others were not given even though there were other disciples of Jesus. The apostles did not truly receive their position and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.

Please see the note for 2Peter 1:1 about Simon. There are several men with this nameans that note tells the difference in them. The functional definition for this word is: 'the name of Peter when he was being spiritual'.

Please see the note for Galatians C2-S6 about Peter. The functional definition for this word is: 'pebble or little rock. Also, the head apostle and example of Christ'. Please also see the first half of the book called SbS-Preacher Missionaries about how God used Peter to show us how He trains a pastor / missionary.

Please see the note for John 6:8 about Andrew. The functional definition for this word is: 'An apostle who was brother to Simon Peter. Almost every place that he is mentioned in the Bible he is bringing someone to Jesus'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C6S10 and Galatians C1-S1 about the word brother. Please also see the note for Romans C12S8 about the word brotherly.

Please see the note for Mark 1:19 about James the son of Zebedee. The functional definition for this word is: 'one of the inner circle of apostles'.

We find John the son of Zebedee many times in the Bible but each reference must be researched to determine which particular John is being referenced since there are many mentioned in the Bible. He refers to himself as: the disciple whom Jesus loved. He wrote the Gospel of John, three epistles and the book of Revelation.

Please see the note for Mark 1:20 for all the Bible references to Zebedee.

Please see the note for John 6:5 about Philip. There are several men mentioned with this nameans the reader needs to be sure which man is named in each instance. The dictionary definitions, and references from other commentators, should help the reader but I do not guarantee their accuracy. Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this name as: 'One of the twelve apostles: he was a native of Bethsaida. It was in Galilee that the Lord met him; and said to him, 'Follow me.' Philip at once announced to Nathanael that he had found the One of whom Moses and the prophets had written. He was the apostle who asked the Lord to show them the Father, when the Lord said, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.... Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me." Mt 10:3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:14; Joh 1:43-48; 6:5-7; 12:21-22; 14:8-9; Ac 1:13.'.

We find Bartholomew in: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13. Easton's Bible Dictionary says: 'son of Tolmai, one of the twelve apostles (Mt 10:3; Ac 1:13); generally supposed to have been the same as Nathanael. In the synoptic gospels Philip and Bartholomew are always mentioned together, while Nathanael is never mentioned; in the fourth gospel, on the other hand, Philip and Nathanael are similarly mentioned together, but nothing is said of Bartholomew. He was one of the disciples to whom our Lord appeared at the Sea of Tiberias after his resurrection (Joh 21:2). He was also a witness of the Ascension (Ac 1:4,12-13). He was an "Israelite indeed" (Joh 1:47)'.

Please see the note for John 11:16 about Thomas. Easton's Bible Dictionary tells us: 'twin, one of the twelve (Mt 10:3; Mr 3:18, etc.). He was also called Didymus (Joh 11:16; 20:24), which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name. All we know regarding him is recorded in the fourth Gospel (Joh 11:15-16; 14:4-5; 20:24-25,26-29). From the circumstance that in the lists of the apostles he is always mentioned along with Matthew, who was the son of Alphaeus (Mr 3:18), and that these two are always followed by James, who was also the son of Alphaeus, it has been supposed that these three, Matthew, thomas, and James, were brothers'.

Matthew is only named in: Matthew 9:9; Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13. He is also called Levi in: Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27. And, he is called the son of Alphaeus in: Mark 2:14.

Please see the note for Mark 2:15 about the word publican. The functional definition for this word is: 'The persons who farmed the taxes levied by the Romans, a certain sum being payable for each district. these then farmed out smaller portions to others, or engaged them to collect the money'.

We find James the son of Alphaeus occurring in: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Mark 15:40; Mark 16:1; Luke 16:15; Luke 24:10; Acts 1:3. Easton's Bible Dictionary tells us: 'Another apostle, son of Alphaeus, or Cleophas, Mt 10:3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15. His mother's name was Mary, (3) and his brethren were Joses and Judas, (3) Mt 27:56; Mr 15:40. He is here called thE LESS, or the younger, to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee.'. Apparently, Matthew and 'James the less' were brothers with 'James the less' being identified as the son of Alphaeus to distinguish him from other James among the disciples.

We find Lebbaeus only in this sentence. He is also called Jude and is the brother of James the son of Alphaeus. Easton's Bible Dictionary tells us: 'courageous, a surname of Judas (Jude), one of the twelve (Mt 10:3), called also thaddaeus, not to be confounded with the Judas who was the brother of our Lord.'.

Please see the note for 2Peter 1:1 about Simon. There are several men with this nameans that note tells the difference in them. He is one of several people named in the Bible who have the same name. Easton's Bible Dictionary tells us: 'a name given to the apostle Simon (Mt 10:4; Mr 3:18). the word here does not, however, mean a descendant of Canaan, but is a translation, or rather almost a transliteration, of the Syriac word Kanenyeh (R.V. rendered "Cananaen"), which designates the Jewish sect of the Zealots. Hence he is called elsewhere (Lu 6:15) "Simon Zelotes;" i.e., Simon of the sect of the Zealots'.

Please see the notes for John 12:4 about Judas Iscariot. The functional definition for this word is: 'The betrayer of our Lord'. He is named in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:4; Matthew 26:14. Please see the Prophecies Section of the Significant Gospel Events Study, and the Gospel Time Sequence document, for links related to Judas betraying Jesus.

Please see the note for John 6:64 about the word betray. The functional definition for this word is: ' to deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:4; Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 24:10; Matthew 26:2; Matthew 26:16; Matthew 26:21; Matthew 26:23; Matthew 26:24; Matthew 26:25; Matthew 26:45; Matthew 26:46; Matthew 26:48; Matthew 27:3-4.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'apostles. Lu 6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 22:14; Ac 1:26; Eph 4:11; Heb 3:1; Re 18:20 Simon. Mt 4:18; 16:16-18; Mr 1:16-17; 3:16; Lu 6:14; Joh 1:40-42; Ac 1:13; 1Pe 1:1; 2Pe 1:1 Andrew. Mr 1:29; 3:18; 13:3; Joh 6:8; 12:22 exp: Joh 1:40. James. Mt 4:21; 17:1; 20:20; 26:37; Mr 3:17; Lu 5:10; Joh 21:2; Ac 12:2; 1Co 15:7 John. Lu 22:8; Joh 13:23; 20:2; 21:20,24; Ac 3:1; 1Jo 1:3-4; 2Jo 1:1; 3Jo 1:1; Re 1:1,9; 22:8 General references. exp: Mr 3:13.
Philip. Mr 3:18; Lu 6:14; Joh 1:43-46; 6:5-7; 12:21-22; 14:9 thomas. Lu 6:15; Joh 11:16; 20:24-29; 21:2 Matthew. Mt 9:9; Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27 Levi. Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13 James. Mt 27:56; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15-16; Ac 1:13; 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Ga 1:19; 2:9; Jas 1:1 Lebbaeus. Mr 3:18; Lu 6:16 Judas the brother of James. Joh 14:22 Judas, not Iscariot. Ac 1:13; Jude 1:1 General references. exp: Mr 3:13.
Simon. Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15 Simon Zelotes. Ac 1:13 and. Mt 26:14,47; 27:3; Mr 3:19; 14:10,43; Lu 6:16; 22:3,47; Joh 6:71; 13:2,26-30; 18:2-5; Ac 1:16-20,25 General references. exp: Mr 3:13.'.

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C10-S3 (Verse 5-6) the twelve are commanded and sent out.

Equivalent Section: Where to not go.

These twelve Jesus sent forth,
and commanded them,
saying,
Go not into the way of the Gentiles,
and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:.

Equivalent Section: Where to go.

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel..

Here we see that Jesus chose specific men to be His ordained missionaries. In Acts 13:1-2 we see that God chose Paul and Barnabas to be His ordained missionaries. In our sentence we also see that Jesus instructed them where to go. In Acts 16:6-9 we see that God's Holy Ghost also controlled where the missionary team went. And, if we continued throughout this account, comparing events with what we find in Acts, we would see more parallels. Now, there is the difference of Jesus forbidding the twelve to go to non-Jews while, in Acts, the missionaries were specifically sent to the Gentiles. However, this incident was before the birth of the church and the incidents in Acts are after the birth. Thus, just like conceived life before birth, the spiritual acts of spiritual life are limited to inside the mother (Israel) while the acts after birth are out in the world.

Next, notice that Jesus commanded them. Each and every saved person is also commanded to do 'The Great Commission'. Now, the rest of our chapter tells us the commands that Jesus gave to the twelve (12). In addition, our chapter contains prophecy. Some of the commands and prophecy are applicable to us and some are limited to the twelve (12) because they were limited to the Jewish society of their day and we are not so limited. Therefore, the notes for each sentence, or group of sentences, will specify if they are applicable to us tday and how they are applicable if there is some limit.

They were specifically directed to go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That, they were sent to individual lost Jews. Today, we are sent to any lost individuals. However, one important thing to note here is that they were not sent to the entire nation like Jesus was trying to reach before this incident.

Please see the note for Romans 7:8 about the word commandment. The functional definition for this word is: 'a mandate; an order or injunction given by authority; charge'.. Please note that a commandment is not always written down and often comes through the human person that God has placed in authority over us. Please see the note for Psalms 119:4 for the use of the word commandment within this Psalm and considerations from several other places within the Bible. Please see the note for Romans C7S11 about the word commandment. Please see the Doctrinal Study on the use Ten Commandments for links to where they are dealt with in the word of God. Please use This link to see the 'Ten (10) Commandments' and references to them in the New Testament. Please also see the note for 1John 5:2 about the phrase keep his commandments.

Please see the note for John 14:6; 1Corinthians C4S17 and Psalms 119 about the word way. The functional definition for this word is: 'how we get from where we are at to our destination'. Please also see the note for Mark 1:3 about the phrase way of the Lord.

Please see the notes for Romans C15S13; Galatians C2-S4 about the word Gentile. The functional definition for this word is: 'In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a Christian; a heathen'.

We find forms of the word Samaritan in: 2Kings 17:29; Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:52; Luke 10:33; Luke 17:16; John 4:9; John 4:39; John 4:40; John 8:48; Acts 8:25. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'the name given to the new and mixed inhabitants whom Esarhaddon (B.C. 677), the king of Assyria, brought from Babylon and other places and settled in the cities of Samaria, instead of the original inhabitants whom Sargon (B.C. 721) had removed into captivity (2Ki 17:24; comp. Ezr 4:2,9-10). these strangers (comp. Luke 17:18) amalgamated with the Jews still remaining in the land, and gradually abandoned their old idolatry and adopted partly the Jewish religion. After the return from the Captivity, the Jews in Jerusalem refused to allow them to take part with them in rebuilding the temple, and hence sprang up an open enmity between them. they erected a rival temple on Mount Gerizim, which was, however, destroyed by a Jewish king (B.C. 130). they then built another at Shechem. the bitter enmity between the Jews and Samaritans continued in the time of our Lord: the Jews had "no dealings with the Samaritans" (Joh 4:9; comp. Lu 9:52-53). Our Lord was in contempt called "a Samaritan" (Joh 8:48). Many of the Samaritans early embraced the gospel (Joh 4:5-42; Ac 8:25; 9:31; 15:3). Of these Samaritans there still remains a small population of about one hundred and sixty, who all reside in Shechem, where they carefully observe the religious customs of their fathers. they are the "smallest and oldest sect in the world."'. Please also see the note for John 4:4 about Samaria.

Thompson Chain Topics provides references for the word Samaritan as: '(inhabitants of Samaria) Facts concerning: they were colonists whom the king of Assyria sent to inhabit the Land of Israel after the captivity, and hence were despised by the Jews: 2Ki 17:24-41; Joh 4:9. In the time of Zerubbabel they sought to form an alliance with the returned captives and to unite with them in building the temple, but were rejected: Ezr 4:2-3. They had a temple on Mt. Gerizim: Joh 4:20. They were treated with charity by Christ, see Parable of Good Samaritan: Lu 10:30. Healing of the Ten Lepers: Lu 17:12-18. Instruction of the Samaritan woman: Joh 4:3-43. Two Days' work in Samaria: Joh 4:40. Philip did a successful work among them: Ac 8:5-8. Marginal Chain of texts: 2Ki 17:24; Ezr 4:2; Ne 4:2; Mt 10:5; Lu 9:52; 10:33; 17:16; Joh 4:9,39; 8:48; Ac 8:25'.

Please see the note for John 10:9 about the word enter. The functional definition for this word is: 'to leave one place and go into another place'.

Please see the note for Luke 12:31 about the word rather. The functional definition for this word is: 'More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:6; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 18:8; Matthew 18:9; Matthew 25:9; Matthew 27:24.

Please see the note for John 6:12 about the word lost. The functional definition for this word is: 'Mislaid or left in a place unknown or forgotten; that cannot be found; as a lost book.'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'sent. Mt 22:3; Lu 9:2; 10:1; Joh 20:21 Go. Mt 4:15; Joh 7:35; Ac 10:45-48; 11:1-18; 22:21-23; Ro 15:8-9; 1Th 2:16 exp: Mr 16:15. of the Samaritans. 2Ki 17:24-41; Lu 9:52-54; Joh 4:5,9,20,22-24; Ac 1:8; 8:1,5-25 General references. exp: Eze 3:4; Joh 4:4.
go. Mt 15:24-26; Lu 24:47; Ac 3:26; 13:46; 18:6; 26:20; 28:25-28; Ro 11:11-15 exp: Mr 16:15. lost. Mt 18:11; Ps 119:176; Isa 53:6; Jer 50:6,17; Eze 34:6,8,16; Lu 15:3-10; 1Pe 2:25 General references. exp: Eze 3:4; Mt 18:11; Lu 19:10; Joh 4:4.'.

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C10-S4 (Verse 7) the main message that they are to preach.

And as ye go,
preach,
saying,
The kingdom of heaven is at hand..

Part of Luke 10:9 is an equivalent message. Where our current sentence uses the phrase The kingdom of heaven, Luke uses: the kingdom of God. Where Luke adds: heal the sick, our next sentence tells us that Jesus said: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Therefore, Luke mainly tells us the end result that they were to produce while our current account tells us what Jesus said. Other than what is covered in the next paragraph, there is no real significant differences between the two accounts. Yes, there are differences in words, but the same message. And, where our current account is first-person (telling us what Jesus said), Luke is third person (telling us the results that they were to produce). Therefore, all of the differences can be accounted for with the differences in presentation if we also consider the next paragraph.

Below are links to notes which explain the difference between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. They are not the same. The word of means: 'belongs to'. The kingdom of heaven is: 'the kingdom that belongs to heaven, which includes the 1,000-years reign of Christ when the laws of Heaven will rule this Earth'. The kingdom of God is: 'the kingdom that belongs to God, which is God's character in you'. The notes, which are reached using the links below, explain these definitions. Now, while I could go into that explanation here, instead I will explain the reason for the difference.

We have already seen many instances in this Gospel account, and in all of the other Gospel accounts, where the author did not include everything that Jesus said. Quite often, if something would distract from the presentation of the author, they did not report the distracting statement. And, in this case, it is quite reasonable for Jesus to have told them to say both of these things. including both would cause a certain level of confusion, especially for people who do not know the difference. In addition, including the kingdom of God would distract people from Matthew's presentation that Jesus is God's Christ and King. Likewise, including the kingdom of heaven would distract people from Luke's presentation that Jesus is 'a literal human being and our example man'.

The Studies called What Did Jesus Do? and Jesus used the Power of the Holy Ghost very much support the message of Luke's Gospel. Luke presents Jesus as a literal physical man and both of those Studies tell us how we are to act in this flesh following His example. However, while Jesus will rule the world for 1,000-years, when He returns in the full power of His roles as God's Christ and King, what He does then is not an example that we can follow as literal physical human beings. Therefore, Luke did not include the fact that Jesus mentioned the kingdom of heaven.

Likewise, Matthew presents Jesus is God's Christ and King. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is very much within the perspective that Matthew is presenting. However, the kingdom of God is to be 'God's character in us' during 'the Church Age'. . That is outside of the perspective that Matthew is presenting.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:9-11 about the word heaven. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(1.) Definitions. the phrase "heaven and earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Ge 1:1; Jer 23:24; Ac 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens, (a) the firmament, as "fowls of the heaven" (Ge 2:19; 7:3,23; Ps 8:8, etc.), "the eagles of heaven" (La 4:19), etc. (b) the starry heavens (De 17:3; Jer 8:2; Mt 24:29). (c) "The heaven of heavens," or "the third heaven" (De 10:14; 1Ki 8:27; Ps 115:16; 148:4; 2Co 12:2). (2.) Meaning of words in the original, (a) the usual Hebrew word for "heavens" is shamayim, a plural form meaning "heights," "elevations" (Ge 1:1; 2:1). (b) the Hebrew word marom is also used (Ps 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to shamayim, "high places," "heights." (c) Heb galgal, literally a "wheel," is rendered "heaven" in Ps 77:18 (R.V., "whirlwind"). (d) Heb shahak, rendered "sky" (De 33:26; Job 37:18; Ps 18:11), plural "clouds" (Job 35:5; 36:28; Ps 68:34, marg. "heavens"), means probably the firmament. (e) Heb rakia is closely connected with (d), and is rendered "firmamentum" in the Vulgate, whence our "firmament" (Ge 1:6; De 33:26, etc.), regarded as a solid expanse. (3.) Metaphorical meaning of term. Isa 14:13-14; "doors of heaven" (Ps 78:23); heaven "shut" (1Ki 8:35); "opened" (Eze 1:1). (See 1Ch 21:16.) (4.) Spiritual meaning. the place of the everlasting blessedness of the righteous; the abode of departed spirits. (a) Christ calls it his "Father's house" (Joh 14:2). (b) It is called "paradise" (Lu 23:43; 2Co 12:4; Re 2:7). (c) "The heavenly Jerusalem" (Ga 4:1; 6:18; Heb 12:22; Re 3:12). (d) the "kingdom of heaven" (Mt 25:1; Jas 2:5). (e) the "eternal kingdom" (2Pe 1:11). (f) the "eternal inheritance" (1Pe 1:4; Heb 9:15). (g) the "better country" (Heb 11:14,16). (h) the blessed are said to "sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and to be "in Abraham's bosom" (Lu 16:22; Mt 8:11); to "reign with Christ" (2Ti 2:12). In heaven the blessedness of the righteous consists in the possession of "life everlasting," "an eternal weight of glory" (2Co 4:17), an exemption from all sufferings for ever, a deliverance from all evils (2Co 5:1-2) and from the society of the wicked (2Ti 4:18), bliss without termination, the "fulness of joy" for ever (Lu 20:36; 2Co 4:16,18; 1Pe 1:4; 5:10; 1Jo 3:2). the believer's heaven is not only a state of everlasting blessedness, but also a "place", a place "prepared" for them (Joh 14:2)'. Please also see the notes for Hebrews 12:2-LJC and Laying up Treasure in heaven about the phrase treasure in heaven. Please also see the note for 1Peter 1:2-LJC about the phrase heaven, things in. Please also see the note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of heaven.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'preach. Mt 4:17; 11:1; Isa 61:1; Joh 3:2; Mr 6:12; Lu 9:60; 16:16; Ac 4:2 the. Mt 3:2; 11:11-12; 21:31,43; 23:13; Lu 9:2,6; 10:9-11; Ac 10:25; 28:31 General references. exp: Lu 9:2.'.

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C10-S5 (Verse 8) the main evidence that God backs their message.

Equivalent Section: What they were to do.

Heal the sick,
cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead,
cast out devils:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

freely ye have received,
freely give..

In Matthew 10:8; Mark 3:15; Mark6:13; Mark 9:38; Mark 16:17; Luke 9:1; Luke 9:49; Luke 10:17-18; Jesus gave His disciples power to cast out devils. please see the Section called Jesus and Devils in the Significant Gospel Events Study. Please also see the Word Study on Spirit for links to every place in the Bible where we find 'Other Spirits', which are devils. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about Satan.

This sentence continues the command in the prior sentence even though it does not start with a connecting word. As mentioned and explained in the prior note, Luke 9:2 is an equivalent sentence to the prior sentence plus this sentence. They cover the same meaning even though Matthew uses more words and two sentence instead of one.

As already explained in the note for Matthew 10:1, the Jews looked for a sign from God to show that the doctrine of a proper was truly from God. This was before they had a completed word of God and before they could compare the doctrine to what the word of God said. (1Corinthians 1:22-23 says: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.) And, the type of sign that the Jews looked for was the ability to do miracles like our sentence tells us that Jesus gave His disciples the power to do. (In Matthew 10:1 and Luke 9:2 we are told that Jesus gave this power to His disciples while this sentence tells us the instructions which He gave to them along with the power. And, the power was given to be used with the message that the prior sentence told us that they were to preach.)

Our sentence has a meaning in this physical world and these twelve disciples were given the true power to do these miracles. And, no, God's people of today are not given these powers. Most people who claim to have these powers today are liars but a few actually can do these things using the powers of devils. These powers were given to verify that men spoke for God before the word of God was complete. However, since John completed the word of God, by writing Revelation, We are to verify a person's spirit and message against the word of God. So, there is a difference, in this physical world, between when this command was given to these twelve disciples and the command given to God's people of today. However, the spiritual symbolism is the same for both time periods.

We read that sickness is associated with sin in: Micah 6:13; Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:5; Mark 2:9; Mark 2:10; Luke 5:24; James 5:15. In addition, in John 5:14 Jesus said: Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. In John 8:11 Jesus said: And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. thus, when sickness is due to sin, people need to stop their sinning if they want God to heal them and this is true even today. Therefore, the spiritual message, which is still true, is that we are to preach a message that will get people to stop their sinning and then they have a basis to pray for God to heal their sickness, which God still does today.

Next, we see the command to cleanse the lepers. As seen in the word definitions, below, lepers had 'A very contagious and deadly disease which caused numbness and was symbolic of the spiritual non-feeling of God's people towards the things of God'. Thus, this was symbolic of getting people to become sensitive to God and God's commands. Supposedly, a leper welcomed pain because it proved healing. Likewise, when preaching condemns sin and that preaching causes emotional pain, people are to understand that they are being healed spiritually. And, this function of true preaching is to be done even today.

Next, it should be obvious that the command to raise the dead is spiritually symbolic of telling the lost how to be saved.

Next, the command to cast out devils is to still be obeyed today. Unfortunately, people in first-world countries don't believe in devils because they have accepted lies which allow the devils to continue to cause problems because people have been convinced that there is a different source of the problem. Look at how many 'criminally insane' people are in American jails and they did things which match what the Bible tells us that possessed people do. Find an honest study on violence in America and compare it to removing the Bible from schools and the forbidding of teaching Bible principals to citizens, especially to children. An honest study will show the cause-effect relationship. The same is true for the increase of perverted sex, rape, and similar crimes that society attributes to 'mental illness'.

Now, having dealt with the First Equivalent Section in detail, we need to consider the Second Equivalent Section. Simply put, the command is to: 'give what you received the same way as you received it'. This is one of the guiding principals for finances that I have found in the Bible. (Please see the Doctrinal Study called Godly Financial principals for far more doctrine on this subject.) I came to the mission field eight (8) years ago. As many Filipinos have seen me prove repeatedly, I don't worry about money. I'm not rich as men count riches. I've sold everything but clothes, computers used for the ministry and a few household appliances that I've given away more than once. I gave all proceeds, all of my disability income and most of my savings to missions. The savings that I have left are designated for missions projects. My only income is Social Security and I give well over 50% of that to missions. Thus, by the reckoning of the world, I should be in sever financial distress. Yet, as I wrote, I don't worry about money.

I have met and talked to many 'good Godly fundamental KJV only Baptist preachers' who have written books based upon what God showed them in the Bible. I have written many books based upon what God showed me in the Bible. They sell their books for a profit. My books are priced at the lowest price that Amazon will allow because they have to cover their printing costs and make a minimal profit. I also provide everything in the books for free on this web site. God's word says that they have their reward. Since I am not taking a reward, God is responsible to take care of my needs and reward me. What they fail to understand is that this sentence tells all of us to give to God's people freely anything that God gives to us by His Holy Spirit revealing truth in the word of God. I don't have to worry about money because I obey the command of this sentence which puts the responsibility for my physical needs upon God. And that is the spiritual doctrine for this time which comes from our Second Equivalent Section.

Please see the note for Mark 1:40 about the words leper / Leprosy. The functional definition for this word is: 'A very contagious and deadly disease which caused numbness and was symbolic of the spiritual non-feeling of God's people towards the things of God'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C15S32 and John 6:39 about the word raise. The functional definition for this word is: 'Bringing dead people back to life as opposed to a belief in reincarnation which says that the same spirit is given a new physical body in this physical reality. This is one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the Gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1Co 15:14). In addition, there are times when this word is used for something being lifted higher physically, but even then the Bible reference often has a symbolic spiritual meaning in addition to the physical meaning.'. Please also see the note for John 20:2-LJC about the phrase risen Jesus is Lord. Please also see the note for 1Peter C1S2 about the word resurrection. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Christ. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Jesus. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Please see the Appearances of Jesus Christ After the Resurrection Section within the Time Sequence of Gospel Events Study.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C7S29 about the word free. The functional definition for this word is: 'Being at liberty; not being under necessity or restraint, physical or moral; a word of general application to the body, the will or mind, and to corporations'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:8; Matthew 15:6; Matthew 17:26.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S1; 1Corinthians C15S1 and Colossians C2-S4 about the word receive. The functional definition for this word is: 'To take, as a thing offered or sent; to accept'. In addition, please see the note for Matthew 10:41, which explains that in order to truly receive a person, we must receive their character as our own.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Heal. Mt 10:1; Mr 16:18; Lu 10:9; Ac 4:9-10,30; 5:12-15 freely ye. 2Ki 5:15-16,20-27; Ac 3:6; 8:18-23; 20:33-35 General references. exp: Lu 9:2.'.

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C10-S6 (Verse 9-10) the requirement for them to depend on God.

Equivalent Section: What to not provide.

Provide neither gold,
nor silver,
nor brass in your purses,
Nor scrip for your journey,
neither two coats,
neither shoes,
nor yet staves:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for the workman is worthy of his meat..

Mark 6:7-9 and Luke 9:3 are an equivalent sentences. The main difference is that Matthew says: nor yet staves while Mark says: save a staff only. The dictionaries claim that these are two different words for the same thing. It should be obvious that this is another example in error from dictionaries. These two words represent two things with a staff being: 'an aid to walking' and a stave being: 'a defensive tool'.

The reference from Luke has less detail than in our current sentence but the same message.

Luke 10:4 has a similar, but much shorter, statement made to the seventy (7) disciples that Jesus also sent out.

Luke 22:35-37 tells us: And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing. then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. forI say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. Notice that in this Bible reference, Jesus changes the command. This is because our current sentence was an application for the Jewish society of the day and for before the crucifixion (for the things concerning me have an end). Thus, when we read things like our current sentence, we need to be aware of what else the word of God says about the same subject. When they are different, a common cause of the difference is two different applications. In our current sentence, Jesus is giving them a teaching experience with true Biblical faith. When He sends people out as missionaries, during he 'Church Age', people are expected to build their faith in their home church before they go to the mission field. In addition, God's mission program is for the home church to provide the necessities of the missionaries that they sent out until the mission church becomes an independent church. Therefore, we have different circumstances which give us different applications.

Please see the note for Romans C12S15 about the word provide. The functional definition for this word is: 'To procure beforehand; to get, collect or make ready for future use; to prepare'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C3S13 about the word gold. The functional definition for this word is: 'A precious metal of a bright yellow color, and the most ductile and malleable of all the metals. It is the heaviest metal except platina; and being a very dense, fixed substance, and not liable to be injured by air, it is well fitted to be used as coin, or a representative of commodities in commerce. Its ductility and malleability render it the most suitable metal for gilding'. This word is used symbolically for provision for our long term needs.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C3S13 about the word silver. The functional definition for this word is: 'Money; coin made of silver.'. This word is used symbolically for provision for our daily desires. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew10:9; Matthew 26:15; Matthew 27:3; Matthew 27:5; Matthew 27:6; Matthew 27:9.

We find forms of the word brass occurring 126 times in 113 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew10:9; 1Corinthians 13:1; Revelation 1:15; Revelation 2:18; Revelation 9:20; Revelation 18:12. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'which is an alloy of copper and zinc, was not known till the thirteenth century. What is designated By this word in Scripture is properly copper (De 8:9). It was used for fetters (Jg 16:21; 2Ki 25:7), for pieces of armour (1Sa 17:5-6), for musical instruments (1Ch 15:19; 1Co 13:1), and for money (Mt 10:9). It is a symbol of insensibility and obstinacy in sin (Isa 48:4; Jer 6:28; Eze 22:18), and of strength (Ps 107:16; Mic 4:13). The Macedonian empire is described as a kingdom of brass (Da 2:39). the "mountains of brass" Zechariah (Zec 6:1) speaks of have been supposed to represent the immutable decrees of God. The serpent of brass was made by Moses at the command of God (Nu 21:4-9), and elevated on a pole, so that it might be seen by all the people when wounded by the bite of the serpents that were sent to them as a punishment for their murmurings against God and against Moses. It was afterwards carried by the Jews into Canaan, and preserved by them till the time of Hezekiah, who caused it to be at length destroyed because it began to be viewed by the people with superstitious reverence (2Ki 18:4). (See Nehushtan.) the brazen serpent is alluded to by our Lord in Joh 3:14-15'. Copper was known at that time (Ezra 8:27). However, if we ignore that error, the rest of the description is very helpful in understanding the symbols. The functional definition for this word is: 'An alloy of copper and zinc. It is a symbol of insensibility and obstinacy in sin (Isa 48:4; Jer 6:28; Eze 22:18), and of strength (Ps 107:16; Mic 4:13)'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides references for the word brass as: 'Dug out of the mountains. De 8:9. Purified by smelting: Job 28:2. CHARACTERIZED BY: Strength: Job 40:18. Hardness: Le 26:19. Yellow color: Ezr 8:27 (marg.). Fusibility: Eze 22:18,20. Sonorousness: 1Co 13:1. Takes a high polish: 2Ch 4:16; Eze 1:7. Inferior in value to gold and silver: Isa 60:17; Da 2:32,39. Antiquity of working in: Ge 4:22. Extensive commerce in: Eze 27:13; Re 18:12. Working in, a trade: Ge 4:22; 1Ki 7:14; 2Ch 24:12; 2Ti 4:14. Canaan abounded in: De 8:9; 33:25 (marg.). TAKEN IN WAR;. Often in great quantities: Jos 22:8; 2Sa 8:8; 2Ki 25:13-16. Cleansed by fire: Nu 31:21-23. Generally consecrated to God: Jos 6:19,24; 2Sa 8:10-11. Offerings of, for the tabernacle: Ex 38:29. Collected by David for the temple: 1Ch 22:3,14; 29:2. Offerings of, for the temple: 1Ch 29:6-7. Coined for money: Mt 10:9; Mr 12:41 (marg.). MADE INTO: Mirrors: Ex 38:8 (marg.). Gates: Ps 107:16; Isa 45:2. Bars for gates: 1Ki 4:13. Fetters: Jg 16:21; 2Ki 25:7. Shields: 1Ki 14:27; 2Ch 12:10. Helmets: 1Sa 17:5. Greaves for the legs: 1Sa 17:6. Household vessels: Mr 7:4. Sacred vessels: Ex 27:3; 1Ki 7:45. Altars: Ex 27:2; 39:39. Sockets for pillars: Ex 38:10-11,17. Lavers: Ex 30:18; 1Ki 7:38. Pillars: 1Ki 7:15-16. Idols: Da 5:4; Re 9:20. Instruments of music: 1Ch 15:19. Moses made the serpent of: Nu 21:9; 2Ki 18:4. ILLUSTRATIVE OF: Obstinate sinners: Isa 48:4; Jer 6:28. The decrees of God: Zec 6:1. The strength and firmness of Christ: Da 10:6; Re 1:15. Strength given to saints: Jer 15:20; Mic 4:13. Macedonian empire: Da 2:39. Extreme drought: De 28:23. The earth made barren: Le 26:19
Laver of Brass: Moses was commanded to make: Ex 30:18. Wisdom given to Bezaleel to make: Ex 31:2,9. Made of brazen mirrors of the women: Ex 38:8. Was placed in the court between the altar and the tabernacle: Ex 30:18; 40:7,30. Was anointed with holy oil: Ex 40:11; Le 8:11. ThE PRIESTS WASHED IN: Before consecration: Ex 40:12. Before entering the tabernacle: Ex 30:19-20. Before approaching the altar: Ex 30:20. One made by Solomon for the temple: 1Ki 7:23-26; 2Ki 25:13. Called the Brazen sea: 2Ki 25:13; Jer 52:17. ILLUSTRATIVE OF: Christ the fountain for sin: Zec 13:1; Re 1:5. Regeneration: Tit 3:5; Eph 5:26'.

Please see the note for Mark 6:7-9 about the word purse. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(1.) Gr. balantion, a bag (Lu 10:4; 22:35-36). (2.) Gr. zone, properly a girdle (Mt 10:9; Mr 6:8), a money-belt. as to our Lord's sending forth his disciples without money in their purses, the remark has been made that in this "there was no departure from the simple manners of the country. at this day the farmer sets out on excursions quite as extensive without a para in his purse; and a modern Moslem prophet of Tarshisha thus sends forth his apostles over this identical region. No traveller in the East would hestitate to throw himself on the hospitality of any village." thomson's Land and the Book'.

Please see the note for Mark 6:7-9 about the word scrip. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The Hebrew word thus translated appears in 1Sa 17:40 as a synonym for the bag in which the shepherds of Palestine carried their food or other necessities. the scrip of the Galilean peasants was of leather, used especially to carry their food on a journey, and slung over their shoulders.
Mt 10:10; Mr 6:8; Lu 9:3; 22:35: the English word "scrip" is probably connected with scrape, scrap, and was used in like manner for articles of food.'.

Please see the note for Titus 2:13 about the word journey. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(1.) A day's journey in the East is from 16 to 20 miles (Nu 11:31). (2.) A sabbath-day's journey is 2,000 paces or yards from the city walls (Ac 1:12). According to Jewish tradition, it was the distance one might travel without violating the law of Ex 16:29. (See sabbath.)'.

Please see the note for Luke 3:11 about the word coat. The functional definition for this word is: 'The outermost clothing worn by a person'.

Please see the note for Luke 3:16 about the word shoe. The functional definition for this word is: 'The shoes of the East were mostly the same as 'sandals' soles fastened to the feet by strings or thongs. John the Baptist declared he was not worthy to unloose the shoes of the Lord. Mr 1:7; Lu 3:16'.

Please see the note for Mark 14:43 about the word stave. The functional definition for this word is: 'A staff used for an aid in walking and basic defense'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew10:10; Matthew 26:47; Matthew 26:55.

We find forms of the word workman in: Exodus 35:35; Exodus 38:23; Song 7:1; Isaiah 40:19; Isaiah 40:20; Jeremiah 10:3; Jeremiah 10:9; Hosea 8:6; Matthew10:9-10; 2Timothy 2:15. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'n. work and man. 1. Any man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures. 2. By way of eminence, a skillful artificer or laborer.'. Please also see the notes for Romans C9S8; 1Corinthians C3S13; 2Corinthians 4:8-12; Galatians C2-S10 and Philippians 1:1 about the word works. The functional definition for this word is: ' In a general sense, to move, or to move one way and the other; to perform'. Please also see the note for Romans C11S10 about the phrase works are seen of men. Please also see the note for Psalms 119:23 about the phrase according to works. Please also see the note for Philippians 3:2 about the phrase evil workers. Please also see the note for Hebrews 4:12 about the phrase evil heart. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. Please also see the note for Romans C3S27 about the phrase law of works. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 6:1 about the word workers.

Please see the note for Acts 5:41 about the word worthy. The functional definition for this word is: 'Deservedly; according to merit. You worthily succeed not only to the honors of your ancestors, but also to their virtues'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Provide. or, Get. neither. Mr 6:8; Lu 9:3; 10:4; 22:35; 1Co 9:7-27
scrip. 1Sa 9:7; 17:40 two. Lu 3:11; 2Ti 4:13 staves. Gr. a staff. Forthe. Lu 10:7-12; 1Co 9:4-14; Ga 6:6-7; 1Ti 5:17-18 General references. exp: Ga 6:6.'.

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C10-S7 (Verse 11) the requirement for them to depend on God.

First Step: Find out who to stay with.

And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter,
inquire who in it is worthy;.

Second Step: Stay only there.

and there abide till ye go thence..

Mark 6:10 is an equivalent sentence. In addition, Luke 9:4 has the same message but it was said to the seventy (70) instead of to the twelve (12). This sentence, and the one in Mark, are said to the twelve (12). Thus, we see that Jesus gives the same commandment to all of His disciples.

Mark writes: In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. . Luke writes: And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.. The main difference is that Matthew uses the phrase city or town where Mark and Luke use the word house and Matthew adds the phrase inquire who in it is worthy. Thus, they were instructed how to decide where to stay. Beyond those differences, all three Gospel writers use slightly different words for the last phrase. However, it should be obvious that there is no difference in the messages and that God allowed His Bible writers freedom of expression so long as their message was true and accurate.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence and continues the instruction of how they were to act within the Jewish society of that day. As pointed out in the note for the prior sentence, Jesus changed those instructions for the 'Church Age' because we will be dealing with many other societies. As the true saying goes: 'There is one interpretation of the word of God but many applications'. In these sentences, we are seeing an application which is limited to the circumstances of the society in that land and time.

Please see the note for Mark 8:23 about the word town. The functional definition for this word is: 'Originally, a walled or fortified place; a collection of houses inclosed with walls, hedges or pickets for safety. Rahab's house was on the town wall. Josh. 2. A town that hath gates and bars. 1 Sam. 23. Any collection of houses, larger than a village. in this use the word is very indefinite, and a town may consist of twenty houses, or of twenty thousand'.

Please see the note for John 10:9 about the word enter. The functional definition for this word is: 'to leave one place and go into another place'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 8:23 about the word inquire. The functional definition for this word is: 'To ask a question; to seek for truth or information by asking questions'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C7S9 about the word abide. The functional definition for this word is: 'To continue; to be; to continue; to be; to dwell, rest, continue, stand firm, or be stationary for anytime indefinitely'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'inquire. Ge 19:1-3; Jg 19:16-21; 1Ki 17:9-24; Job 31:32; Lu 10:38-42; 19:7; Ac 16:15; 18:1-3; 3Jo 1:7-8 and there. Mr 6:10; Lu 9:4; 10:7-8 General references. exp: Mr 6:10; Lu 9:4.'.

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C10-S8 (Verse 12) Start with an offering of God's blessings.

And when ye come into an house,
salute it..

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence and continues the instruction of how they were to act within the Jewish society of that day. As pointed out in the note for Matthew10:9-10, Jesus changed those instructions for the 'Church Age' because we will be dealing with many other societies. As the true saying goes: 'There is one interpretation of the word of God but many applications'. In these sentences, we are seeing an application which is limited to the circumstances of the society in that land and time.

Luke 10:5 has a similar message but it was said to the seventy (70) instead of to the twelve (12). Thus, we see that Jesus gives the same commandment to all of His disciples.

Matthew is providing more details of these instructions than the other Gospel writers. Matthew is presenting Jesus as God's Christ and King. A King makes sure that his representatives truly represent Him. Thus, when Jesus says to salute the house, He wants His representatives to offer God's blessings on everyone in the house. Remember that Matthew 5:17 said: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. thus, Jesus wants His representatives to assure people that He wants to bless them and does not want to hurt them. And, this is still true today. Yes, it is said within the context of instructions for a given culture and time, but Jesus does not change. Therefore, He still want His representatives to do the same today.

Please see the note for Philippians 4:21 about the words salute / salutation. The functional definition for this word is: 'To greet; to hail; to address with expressions of kind wishes'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'salute it. Lu 10:5-6; Ac 10:36; 2Co 5:20; 3Jo 1:14 General references. exp: Mr 6:10; Lu 10:5.'.

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C10-S9 (Verse 13) How to react to their response.

Equivalent Section: the reaction to a right conditional response.

And if the house be worthy,
let your peace come upon it:.

Equivalent Section: the reaction to a wrong conditional response.

but if it be not worthy,
let your peace return to you..

Luke 10:6 has a similar message but it was said to the seventy (70) instead of to the twelve (12). In addition, the mode of expression is different, but the basic message is the same. Thus, we see that Jesus gives the same commandment to all of His disciples.

Matthew is providing more details of these instructions than the other Gospel writers. Matthew is presenting Jesus as God's Christ and King. A King makes sure that his representatives truly represent Him. Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence. As explained in the note for the prior sentence, Jesus wants His representatives to assure people that He wants to bless them and does not want to hurt them. And, this is still true today. Yes, it is said within the context of instructions for a given culture and time, but Jesus does not change. Therefore, He still want His representatives to do the same today. However, as our Second Equivalent Section says, if people react the wrong way then we are to truly let them know of the judgment of God that comes on all people who refuse to act Godly.

One of the doctrines of devils (1Timothy 4:1) is the claim that Jesus wants to bless everyone regardless of how they act and that 'God will understand' and accept any flimsy excuse for sinful behavior. Our sentence shows those doctrines to be lies.

Please see the notes for Romans C12S16; Galatians C1-S1 and Jude 1:1 about the word peace. The functional definition for this word is: 'In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind'. Please also see the notes for Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15 about the phrase peace of God. Please also see the notes for Romans 10:15; Hebrews 12:14-LJC about the phrase peace with God. Please note that these are two different kinds of peace.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ps 35:13; Lu 10:6; 2Co 2:16 exp: Mr 6:10; Lu 10:5.'.

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C10-S10 (Verse 14) Leave the judgment to God.

And whosoever shall not receive you,
nor hear your words,
when ye depart out of that house or city,
shake off the dust of your feet..

Mark 6:11 and Luke 9:5 are equivalent sentences. In addition, Luke 10:10 has the same message but it was said to the seventy (70) instead of to the twelve (12). Thus, we see that Jesus gives the same commandment to all of His disciples.

There are minor differences in wording, between these references, but the biggest difference is that Mark and Luke add the phrase for a testimony against them. In addition, Matthew adds: nor hear your words, and Mark adds: nor hear you, while Luke has nothing similar to those phrases.

People who only read this account in Matthew might miss the purpose of for a testimony against them. In addition, some people do not consider the context and misunderstand the application of this sentence. As mentioned in the notes for the prior several sentences, these instructions were given for going into Jewish society in that day. In addition, these disciples was backed by miracles which we do not provide today. Further, they were going to people who were familiar with scripture where witnesses today often go to people who know nothing about scripture or to people who were taught a perverted form of scripture. Therefore, it is important to realize that this sentence is not applicable for the 'Church Age'.

As also said in the notes for the equivalent sentences, several of the references for dust, in the word definitions, below, give the same command as we read in this sentence. The command in this sentence is a symbolic way of saying that someone wants God to curse you. (Please see the word definitions, below, for more details on the meaning.) In addition, this instruction is adding to the prior about how the disciples were to act at this time and culture while going out to preach. Here they are told how to react to rejection. Many people believe that God must spend a life-time begging them to accept His salvation. God records our rejection and uses it when we face judgment. At the same time He tells His messengers to acknowledge that God will deal with them, by shaking off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them, and move on.

Please see the note for Colossians 2S2 about the word word. The functional definition is: 'a single component part of human speech or language'. However, the word of God is the holy scriptures and in the English language, it is only the KJV-1611. Please also see the notes for Romans C10S22 and Word in 1John about the phrase word of God. Please also see the note for John 1:1 for an extensive note explaining the differences, and similarities, between the capitalized and the non-capitalized word word. When a Bible reference uses an uppercase word, it is referring to Jesus Christ. The uppercase makes this a formal name of the Son of God. However, while the exact definition is different, the properties are spiritually similar to the lowercase word. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 1:8 about the phrase word of the Lord. Please note that the word of the Lord is a sub-set of the word of God. the word of God contains all of God's written truth including recording the lies of Satan. The word of the Lord is that part of the word of God which will be used to judge us. The lies from Satan are not included within the word of the Lord.

Please see the note for Luke 6:47-48 about the word shake. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'to cause to move with quick vibrations; to move rapidly one way and the other; to agitate; as, the wind shakes a tree; an earthquake shakes the hills or the earth. I shook my lap, and said, so God shake out every man from his house- Neh. 5. He shook the sacred honors of his head. Dryden. -As a fig casteth her untimely fruit, when it is shaken of a mighty wind. Rev. 6. 2. to make to totter or tremble. The rapid wheels shake the heav'n's basis. Milton. 3. to cause to shiver; as, an ague shakes the whole frame. 4. to throw down by a violent motion. Macbeth is ripe for shaking. Shak. But see shake off, which is generally used. 5. to throw away; to drive off. 'Tis our first intent to shake all cares and business from our age. See Shake off. Shak. 6. to move from firmness; to weaken the stability of; to endanger; to threaten to overthrow. Nothing should shake our belief in the being and perfections of God, and in our own accountableness. 7. to cause to waver or doubt; to impair the resolution of; to depress the courage of. That ye be not soon shaken in mind. 2 thess. 2. 8. to trill; as, to shake a note in music.'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:14; Matthew 11:7; Matthew 24:29; Matthew 28:4.

We find forms of the word dust occurring 108 times in 102 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; Acts 22:23; Revelation 18:19. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. they are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of "powder and dust" (De 28:24).
To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Jos 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa 47:1). "Dust" is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). "To shake off the dust from one's feet" against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Mt 10:14; Ac 13:51). to "lick the dust" is a sign of abject submission (Ps 72:9); and to throw dust at one is a sign of abhorrence (2Sa 16:13; comp. Ac 22:23)'. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Small particles of matter found on the ground, out of which man was formed, to whom it was said, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Ge 2:7; 3:19. "The first man is of the earth, earthy." 1Co 15:47. It is used as a symbol of weakness: "he remembereth that we are dust." Ps 103:14. to 'lick the dust' is figurative of defeat. Ps 72:9. to 'cast dust upon the head' was a sign of grief. Eze 27:30; Re 18:19. to 'shake the dust off the feet' on leaving a city where the servants of Christ had been rejected, was leaving them to judgement: not even the dust of their city should be presented before the messengers' Master. Mt 10:14; Ac 13:51. Similarly dust was cast or shaken into the air by men in great indignation. Ac 22:23'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'To "shake off dust from one's feet against a city or person" implied a solemn refusal to take anything away, even the very dust of their ground, but to leave it to witness against them (Mr 6:11); shaking off all connection with them, and all responsibility for their guilt and consequent punishment for rejecting the gospel'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:76 about the word feet. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'n. plu of foot. Sandals covered only the soles, so that the feet needed washing when coming from a journey. In Joh 13:10 a distinct Greek word expresses bathing the whole person and washing the feet; "he that is washed (leloumenos) needeth not save to wash (nipsasthai) his feet, but is clean every whit." When one has been, as Peter, once for all wholly forgiven in regeneration, and so received the bathing of the whole man, i.e. justification through faith in Jesus, he needs no repetition of this as Peter requested; all he needs is cleansing from the soils that his feet contract in his daily life walk. Hence we daily pray, "give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as," etc. (1Jo 1:9.) So the priests in entering the house of God (Ex 30:19). It was an act of humble deference to guests to wash the feet (Lu 7:38-44; 1Ti 5:10). Disciples, after Christ's example, were to wash one another's feet, "by love serving one another" (Ga 5:13). the sandals were taken off in entering a house, hence the command to Moses (Ex 3:5) and to Joshua (Jos 5:15); compare Ec 5:1. to put them on was to prepare for active duty (Eze 24:17); whereas mourners went barefoot (2Sa 15:30). to "cover the feet" was the delicate expression for easing oneself, preparatory to which the loose garment was let fall to cover the person (1Sa 24:3; compare margin 2Ki 18:27). Putting the feet on captives' necks, as Joshua did (Jos 10:24), symbolizes complete mastery (Ps 110:1; 1Co 15:25; Isa 60:14).'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'whosoever. Mt 10:40-41; 18:5; Mr 6:11; 9:37; Lu 9:5,48; 10:10-11; Joh 13:20; 1Th 4:8 shake. Ne 5:13; Ac 13:51; 18:6; 20:26-27'.

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C10-S11 (Verse 15) the promise of God's judgment.

Verily I say unto you,
It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment,
than for that city..

Mark 6:11 is an equivalent sentence. With the exception that Matthew includes a couple of words that Mark does not report, the sentences, and their meanings, are identical. Luke 9:12 has the same message but it was said to the seventy (70) instead of to the twelve (12). Thus, we see that Jesus gives the same commandment to all of His disciples.

We see Jesus say Woe! to many of the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not (Matthew 11:20-23; Luke 10:13-15). While that is not reported here, nor in the equivalent section of Mark, that type of judgment is based upon what Jesus tells His disciples to do here because that was the way that those cities treated Jesus. Yes, our current references are speaking about the disciples and not Jesus personally, but He gave these disciples power to do the same type of works. Therefore, the cities that the disciples went to had the same type of witness. And, as has been explained in prior sentences within this chapter, this is an application for that culture and time. Yes, we can expect God to bring judgment upon these people that we give a true witness to. However, the judgment will probably not be at this level because God brings punishment in proportion to the level of witness provide from God to the people being judged.

Please see the note for Matthew 16:28 about the word verily and for the phrase verily, verily. When Jesus, or another Bible author, say or write the word verily, they are saying that they have verified the truth of what they are saying and they are also telling the listener / reader to also verify the truth of what they say or write. When we see the word verily used twice in a row the sentence is fulfilling the legal requirement which is necessary to present something which everyone must believe. Thus, every place, where we see the phrase verily, verily, is a precept and is something which God will use as His law when He judges us.

Please see the note for Mark 6:11 about the word tolerable. The functional definition for this word is: 'That may be borne or endured; supportable, either physically or mentally. the cold in Canada is severe, but tolerable. the insults and indignities of our enemies are not tolerable.
It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. Matt. 10.2. Moderately good or agreeable; not contemptible; not very excellent or pleasing, but such as can be borne or received without disgust, resentment or opposition; as a tolerable translation; a tolerable entertainment; a tolerable administration'. forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22; Matthew 11:24.

Please see the note for Jude 1:7 about the word Sodom. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'burning; the walled, a city in the vale of Siddim (Ge 13:10; 14:1-16). the wickedness of its inhabitants brought down upon it fire from heaven, by which it was destroyed (Ge 18:16-33; 19:1-29; De 23:17). this city and its awful destruction are frequently alluded to in Scripture (De 29:23; 32:32; Isa 1:9-10; 3:9; 13:19; Jer 23:14; Eze 16:46-56; Zep 2:9; Mt 10:15; Ro 9:29; 2Pe 2:6, etc.). No trace of it or of the other cities of the plain has been discovered, so complete was their destruction. Just opposite the site of Zoar, on the south-west coast of the Dead Sea, is a range of low hills, forming a mass of mineral salt called Jebel Usdum, "the hill of Sodom." It has been concluded, from this and from other considerations, that the cities of the plain stood at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Others, however, with much greater probability, contend that they stood at the northern end of the sea. [in 1897]'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:23; Matthew 11:24.

We find forms of the word Gomorrha only in connection with Sodom and only in Matthew 10:15; Mark 6:11; Romans 9:29; 2Peter 2:6 and Jude 1:7.

Please see the notes for Matthew 7:1 about the word judge. The functional definition for this word is: 'To hear and determine, as in causes on trial; to pass sentence'. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S5 and Ephesians C5S6 about the phrase we are to judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. Please also see the notes for Romans C2S2; Philippians 1:9-11 and Psalms 119 about the word judgment. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 5:10 about the phrase judgment Seat. Please also see the notes for Romans 14:10 and 2Corinthians 5:10 about the phrase judgment Seat of Christ. Please also see the note for Romans 14:8-LJC and 2Thessalonians 1:9-LJC about the phrase judgment without mercy.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'verily. Mt 5:18; 24:34-35 It. Mt 11:22-24; Eze 16:48-56; Mr 6:11; Lu 10:11-12; Joh 15:22-24 in the. Mt 12:36; 2Pe 2:9; 3:7; 1Jo 4:17 General references. exp: Eze 16:48.'.

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C10-S12 (Verse 16) the warning that God will sacrifice them.

Equivalent Section: the conditions of missionary work.

Behold,
I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves:.

Equivalent Section: How to react to the conditions.

be ye therefore wise as serpents,
and harmless as doves..

Luke 10:3 has the same message but it was said to the seventy (70) instead of to the twelve (12). Thus, we see that Jesus gives the same commandment to all of His disciples.

As the titles in our sentence outline, above, tell us, Jesus told them the conditions of mission work and how God's servants are to react to those conditions. When we look at the history of martyrs throughout time, we can see the truth of the First Equivalent Section. When we look at the true history of the results that the martyrs achieved, we see the truth of the Second Equivalent Section.

The serpent is used, symbolically, for Satan. Even the brass serpent symbolically represented the defeat of Satan by the cross and was created when God's people kept sinning because of the influence of Satan. And, there can be no honest denial of Satan's wisdom if we consider the lies that Satan has spread throughout history getting even God's people to sin and, even today, influencing manythings in America even while convincing the people that he does not exist. 2Corinthians 12:16 tells us that Paul gives us the example of how to obey this command oday.

Please see the note for John 20:19 about the word midst. The functional definition for this word is: 'The middle'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:16; Matthew 14:24; Matthew 18:2; Matthew 18:20.

Please see the note for Luke 10:3 about the words wolf / wolves. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The well-known animal, described in scripture as 'ravening,' and seeking its prey in the evening. they are very destructive among the sheep, worrying and destroying more than they can eat. this makes the wolf a fit emblem of the wicked, who molest the sheep and lambs of God's flock, and even creep in among them. How great will be the change in the millennium is denoted, among other things, by the wolf and the lamb dwelling together. Ge 49:27; Isa 11:6; 65:25; Jer 5:6; Eze 22:27; Hab 1:8; Zep 3:3; Mt 7:15; 10:16; Lu 10:3; Joh 10:12; Ac 20:29. the Hebrew is zeeb, Arabic dhib, the common Canis lupus.'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wisdom. The functional definition for this word is: 'The right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them'. Please also see the notes for Romans C16S23 and 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wise. In addition, the phrase no wise means: 'no amount of wisdom can accomplish the task'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 11:3 about the word serpent. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'frequently noticed in Scripture. More than forty species are found in Syria and Arabia. the poisonous character of the serpent is alluded to in Jacob's blessing on Dan (Ge 49:17). (See Adder.)
This word is used symbolically of a deadly, subtle, malicious enemy (Lu 10:19).
The serpent is first mentioned in connection with the history of the temptation and fall of our first parents (Ge 3). It has been well remarked regarding this temptation: "A real serpent was the agent of the temptation, as is plain from what is said of the natural characteristic of the serpent in the first verse of the chapter (Ge 3:1), and from the curse pronounced upon the animal itself. But that Satan was the actual tempter, and that he used the serpent merely as his instrument, is evident (1) from the nature of the transaction; for although the serpent may be the most subtle of all the beasts of the field, yet he has not the high intellectual faculties which the tempter here displayed. (2.) In the New Testament it is both directly asserted and in various forms assumed that Satan seduced our first parents into sin (Joh 8:44; Ro 16:20; 2Co 11:3,14; Re 12:9; 20:2)." Hodge's System. theol., ii. 127'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 7:10; Matthew 10:16; Matthew 23:33.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:14-16 about the word harmless. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Not hurtful or injurious; innoxious. Ceremonies are harmless in themselves. 1. Unhurt; undamaged; uninjured; as, to give bond to save another harmless. 2. Innocent; not guilty. Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. Heb.7'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 3:13 about the word harm.

Please see the note for Mark 1:10-11 about the word dove. The functional definition for this word is: 'Emblem of peace (Ge 8:7-12)'. Please also see the note for Luke 2:22-24 about the word turtledoves.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'as sheep. Lu 10:3; Ac 20:29 wise. Ge 3:1,13; Lu 21:15; Ro 16:19; 1Co 14:20; 2Co 11:3,14; Eph 5:15-17; Col 1:9; 4:5 harmless. or, simple. Ro 16:18-19; 2Co 1:12; 8:20; 11:3; Php 2:15; 1Th 2:10; 5:22 General references. exp: Ge 32:8; 44:2; 1Sa 26:4; Song 2:2; Hab 1:3.'.

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C10-S13 (Verse 17-18) the start of prophecy about future reception by lost men.

Equivalent Section: the first warning given.

But beware of men:.

Equivalent Section: Why beware.

First Step: Men will persecute true believers who disagree with their religious lies.

for they will deliver you up to the councils,
and they will scourge you in their synagogues;.

Second Step: Government officials will get involved.

And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake,
for a testimony against them and the Gentiles..

All of Matthew 10:17-23; Matthew 24:1-25:30; Mark 13 and Luke 21:8-36 are dealing with prophecies of future events and related promises. Please see the Prophecies Section and the Promises Section of the Significant Gospel Events Study for links to other places in the Gospels which also provide prophecies or promises. In addition, Matthew 10:17-23 and John 15:20 present the prophecy by Jesus that true preachers of God's word would be persecuted. Please be sure to see each of these references and their related notes for more details.

Mark 13:9 gives the same warning / prophecy but it is in a different set of prophecy. Thus, we see that Jesus gave the same warning more than once and history tells us that the application of this prophecy happened more than once. For example, we read about this happening in: Acts 5:42; Acts 16:22; Acts 16:37; Acts 18:17; Acts 21:32; Acts 22:19.

Our sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence while changing directions. The prior sentences told us that Jesus sends our missionaries to do the work of God and that He is aware of the conditions that He sends missionaries into. Jesus also promised God's provision and, in other places, Jesus promised everlasting rewards to people who actually do the work of God. However, as our current sentence warns, men will oppose the workers of God. Some do it because of motivations from devils. Some do it because they believe religious traditions which lie to them. Some do it because they fear loss in this world if people believe and obey the Gospel. Forthese reasons and others, men will oppose the message of the Gospel and will even do what Jesus prophesies in this sentence. And, as our sentence warns us, they will even get the governments of this world to oppose the messengers of God and the Gospel. However, as our next sentence tells us, that is not to stop us from doing the work of God and doing the work of missionaries.

Please see the note for Colossians 2S5 about the word beware. The functional definition for this word is: 'Literally, to restrain or guard one's self from. Hence, to regard with caution'.

Please see the note for Mark 9:31 about the word delivered. The functional definition for this word is: 'Freed; released; transferred or transmitted; passed from one to another; committed; yielded; surrendered; rescued; uttered; pronounced'.

Please see the note for Mark 13:9 about the word council. The functional definition for this word is: 'An assembly of men summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation and advice'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 12:5-6 about the word scourge. Easton's Bible Dictionary this word as:: '(1Ki 12:11). Variously administered. In no case were the stripes to exceed forty (De 25:3; comp. 2Co 11:24). In the time of the apostles, in consequence of the passing of what was called the Porcian law, no Roman citizen could be scourged in any case (Ac 16:22-37). (See Bastinado.) In the scourging of our Lord (Mt 27:26; Mr 15:15) the words of prophecy (Isa 53:5) were fulfilled'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:17; Matthew 20:19; Matthew 23:34; Matthew 27:26.

Please see the note for John 6:59 about the word synagogue. The functional definition for this word is: 'a recognized place of worship'.

Please see the note for Luke 2:2 about the title governor. The functional definition for this word is: 'A ruler in his capacity of lawgiver and dispenser of justice'. Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, about the title Governor being applied to Jesus.

Please see the note for verses in the New Testament and Summary on the name / role of king. The functional definition for this word is: 'The head of government for a nation whose character defines the character of the kingdom'. The difference between a lowercase king and an uppercase King is that the lowercase is applied to any being who is not God and the uppercase is only applied to the Son of God by the word of God. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about the phrase kings of the earth. Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please also see the note for Revelation 14:14-LJC about the phrase King of kings. Please also see the note for Matthew 27:37-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S20; 1Corinthians C15S46; Galatians C5S20 and the Doctrinal Study for about the phrase The kingdom of God. The functional definition is: 'God's character in us'. Please also see the notes for Ephesians 5:5; 2Timohy 4:1 and 2Peter 1:11 for about the phrase kingdom of Christ. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the note for note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of heaven.

Please see the notes for Romans C15S25; 1Corinthians C9S16 and 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about the word sake. The functional definition for this word is: 'The primary sense is to strain, urge, press or drive forward, and this is from the same root as seek'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 4:8-10 about the word forsake. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:29-30 about the phrase for His sake.

Please see the note for Psalms 119 about the words testimony / testimonies. The functional definition for this word is: 'statements that are used in a court of law to judge the legality of someone's actions. these require first-hand experience because anything else would be rumor and not legal to present in court'. Please also see the Message called The Testimony of God.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'beware. Mic 7:5; Mr 13:9,12; Ac 14:5-6; 17:14; 23:12-22; 2Co 11:24-26; Php 3:2; 2Ti 4:15 exp: Mt 7:15; Mr 12:38; Col 2:8. For. Mt 24:9-10; Mr 13:9; Lu 12:11; 21:12-13; Joh 16:2; Ac 4:6-22; 5:26-42; 23:1-11 councils. Mt 5:22; 26:59; Joh 11:47 scourge. Mt 20:19; 23:34; De 25:2-3; Ac 5:40; 22:19; 26:11; 2Co 11:24-25; Heb 11:36 General references. exp: De 25:2; Lu 12:11.
be. Ps 2:1-6; Ac 5:25-27; 12:1-4; 23:33-34; 24-26; 2Ti 4:16-17 for a. Mt 8:4; Mr 13:9; 2Ti 1:8; Re 1:9; 6:9; 11:7 General references. exp: Lu 12:11; Ac 21:37; 25:22.'.

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C10-S14 (Verse 19) the provision for their future answers.

Equivalent Section: How to react.

But when they deliver you up,
take no thought how or what ye shall speak:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak..

Mark 13:11 gives the same instruction but it is in a different set of prophecy and contains more details than our current sentence.

Our sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the prior sentences while changing directions. The prior sentences told us what men shall do to the people who preach the Gospel. This sentence is still talking about the interaction of men while changing directions to instruct the servant of God to react in a different way than how men treat them. In addition, the next sentence tells us why (For) we should act differently.

Please notice that our First Equivalent Section says when and not if. Not everyone will experience the things we are warned about but some true servants of God will and that is an absolute certainty, which is why Jesus says when and not if.

Next, our First Equivalent Section says take no thought how or what ye shall speak. I personally have not been to a church which practices a perversion of this phrase, but have talked to people who have been there. Reportedly, there are churches which claim that no one is supposed to prepare a message but that all men are supposed to be able to preach. And, during the service, if some man feels inspired, he is supposed to stand up and preach whatever is on his mind regardless if his message matches the true doctrine of the Bible or not. And, as should be apparent, those churches are a mess and do not obey the command to Let all things be done decently and in order. (1Corinthians 14:40).

Our Second Equivalent Section tells us why (for) people should react thus way and our next sentence adds to the reason by clarifying Who will give you in that same hour what ye shall speak. However, as already pointed out, our sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence. This, ignoring the context not only is following the way of Satan but is deliberately perverting the message of the sentence by ignoring the meaning of the first word in the sentence. Thus, this instruction is given to men who are persecuted and arrested for preaching the Gospel. This sentence is not given for other circumstances.

Please see the note for John 2:4 about the word hour. The functional definition for this word is: 'a short period of time relative to the perspective'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'when. Mr 13:11-13; Lu 12:11; 21:14-15 take. Mt 6:25,31,34; Php 4:6; Jas 1:5 exp: Mr 13:11. it shall. Ex 4:12,15; Jer 1:7,9; Da 3:16-18; Ac 4:8-14; 5:29-33; 6:10; 26:2-11; 2Ti 4:17 General references. exp: Ex 4:12; Lu 12:11; 21:14; Ac 21:37.'.

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C10-S15 (Verse 20) Who will truly answer the lost.

For it is not ye that speak,
but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you..

Mark 13:11 gives the same instruction but it is in a different set of prophecy and contains more details than our current sentence.

Please pay attention to the face that our sentence uses a capitalized word for Spirit. the word of God only uses a capitalized word for Spirit for God's Holy Spirit. Thus, there is only one person identified in this sentence as the author of what is to be said.

There are several different applications, in the word of God, for how God's Holy Spirit works in this world. Please use the link in the sentence outline, above, to access the note for this sentence and then go to the start of the Study to find links to other places where the word of God teaches the same doctrine.

Please be sure to consider the context before 'claiming' this promise because people have perverted this promise, in the past, by ignoring the requirement of considering contextual limitations.

Please notice the use of the word ye ('each and every one of you personally'). This is a personal promise given to those saved people who are in the circumstances described by the context. In addition, the word speaketh means that God's Holy Spirit will go on speaking as long as needed. Finally, the phrase; in you means that God's Holy Spirit will tell the people what to say and do, as long as they listen, but will not take over their mouth. Only devils do that and anyone who claims that their mouth was taken over has a devil. God will not take away our free will.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'but. 2Sa 23:2; Mr 12:36; Lu 11:13; 21:15; Ac 2:4; 4:8; 6:10; 7:55-56; 28:25; 1Pe 1:12; 2Pe 1:21 exp: Ro 8:26; 2Co 3:5. your. Mt 6:32; Lu 12:30-32 General references. exp: Ex 4:12; Lu 12:11; 21:14; Ac 21:37.'.

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C10-S16 (Verse 21) the type of future betrayal.

Equivalent Section: Family leaders betray family members.

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death,
and the father the child:.

Equivalent Section: Family members betray family leaders.

and the children shall rise up against their parents,
and cause them to be put to death..

Mark 13:12 gives the same prophecy as our current sentence but it was given in a circumstances and at a different time. In addition, we see similar prophecies in Matthew 24:10 and Luke 21:16. This lets us know that Jesus gave the same teachings and prophecies more than once. The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, below, provides additional references to similar Bible passages.

This prophecy has probably been fulfilled many times throughout history. Think about what we read about the treatment of Jews under the Roman government, and the Russian government and under Hitler. It probable happened under every totalitarian government where Jews were available to blame for the government failing to deliver promises to the citizens. God allowed that because they rejected Jesus as their King. With that knowledge, people still reject Jesus today and expect to reap a different result from God. This particular prophecy is for the Jews and not for the true church.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C6S10 and Galatians C1-S1 about the word brother. Please also see the note for Romans C12S8 about the word brotherly.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

Please see the note for Mark 10:1 about the words arise / arose. The functional definition for this word is: ' to ascend, mount up or move to a higher place'. Please also see the note for Colossians C2-S7 about the word rise. Please also see the note for John 20:2-LJC about the phrase risen Jesus is Lord. Please see the note for 1Peter C1S2 about the word resurrection. The functional definition for this word is: 'returned to live from the dead by the power of God'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Jesus. Please also see the note for Romans C8S11 about the phrase resurrection of Christ. Please see the Appearances of Jesus Christ After the Resurrection Section within the Time Sequence of Gospel Events Study.

Please see the note for Colossians 3:20 about the word parent. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'A father or mother; he or she that produces young. the duties of parents to their children are to maintain, protect and educate them. When parents are wanting in authority, children are wanting in duty. 2. that which produces; cause; source. Idleness is the parent of vice. Regular industry is the parent of sobriety'. Please also see the note for Romans C1S16 about the phrase disobedient to parents.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians C2S5 about the word cause. The functional definition for this word is: 'Basically, the source of a result. It can also be an action in court, or any legal process whereby someone demands his supposed right'. Please also see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because. Please also see the note for John 15:25 about the phrase without cause. In John 15:25, we read that the prophecy was fulfilled about Jesus that: They hated me without a cause. Please also see the note for Romans C8S38 about the phrase dying because of the truth.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the brother shall. Mt 10:34-36; 24:10; Mic 7:5-6; Zec 13:3; Mr 13:12-13; Lu 12:51-53; 21:16-17 the children. 2Sa 16:11; 17:1-4; Job 19:19 General references. exp: Mt 10:35; Mr 13:12; Lu 12:53.'.

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C10-S17 (Verse 22) the type of future trials.

Equivalent Section: the reaction of the world.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:.

Equivalent Section: the requirement for the saved.

but he that endureth to the end shall be saved..

Matthew 24:13 and Mark 13:12 tell us the same thing. In addition, the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, below, provides many other Bible references which are related to this sentence.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence. The prior sentence was a prophecy for Jews, which applied to the disciples because they were Jews. This prophecy applies to the church and, therefore, also applied to the disciples because they were the first members of the church started by Jesus.

Like many other important scripture references, devils get people to pervert the meaning of this prophecy. People preach that only he that endureth to the end shall be saved. However, the word only is not in this sentence. Basically, the people who endureth to the end will be assured of their salvation regardless of their personal circumstances and experiences. we can be very assured that there are other saved people but they will not be assured of their salvation if they do not endureth to the end. This is an important doctrinal distinction. The truly saved can not lost their salvation but they can lose their assurance. If someone loses their assurance, the only way for them to get it back is to obey the word of God as interpreted by the Spirit of God.

Please see the note for John 15:18 about the word hate. The functional definition for this word is: 'This is an action verb which encompasses the opposite attitudes and actions from love'. Please also see the note for Galatians C5S20 about the word hatred.

Please see the note for Hebrews 6:15 about the word endure. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'to last; to continue in the same state without perishing; to remain; to abide. the Lord shall endure forever. Ps.9. He shall hold it his house fast, but it shall not endure. Job.8. 2. to bear; to brook; to suffer without resistance, or without yielding. How can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? Esther 8. Can thy heart endure, or thy hands be strong? Ezek. 22. ENDU'RE, v.t. to bear; to sustain; to support without breaking or yielding to force or pressure. Metals endure a certain degree of heat without melting. Both were of shining steel, and wrought so pure. As might the strokes of two such arms endure. 1. to bear with patience; to bear without opposition or sinking under the pressure. therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sake. 2 Tim 2. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. Heb.12. 2. to undergo; to sustain. I wish to die, yet dare not death endure'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:19-20 for links to every place in that epistle where we find the word salvation along with definitions from three different dictionaries and links from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'to exclude. When used spiritually, it means to exclude from the damned by having God's life in you. When used physically, it means to exclude from what is endangering physical life'. As we see in the Bible and in this epistle, our continuing spiritual growth, and our sanctification is part of true Biblical salvation. Please see the note for Main Menu item for Salvation about the word save. Please also see the notes for 2Thessalonians 2:13-LJC and Hebrews 12:2-LJC about the phrase salvation through sanctification. Please also see the note for John 8:30 about the phrase non-saving belief Please also see verses in the New Testament. Summary on the name / role of Saviour. Please also see the note for James 1:21 about the phrase save your soul.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'shall be hated. Mt 24:9; Isa 66:5-6; Lu 6:22; Joh 7:7; 15:18-19; 17:14; 1Jo 3:13 for. Mt 10:39; 5:11; Joh 15:21; Ac 9:16; 2Co 4:11; Re 2:3 exp: Mr 8:35; Lu 6:22; 1Co 4:10. but. Mt 24:13; Da 12:12-13; Mr 13:13; Lu 8:15; Ro 2:7; Ga 6:9; Heb 3:14; 6:11; Jas 1:12; Jude 1:20-21; Re 2:7,10,17,26; 3:21 exp: Lu 22:36. General references. exp: Mt 24:13; Lu 12:53; Joh 15:18.'.

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C10-S18 (Verse 23) How to survive persecution.

Equivalent Section: How to deal with persecution.

But when they persecute you in this city,
flee ye into another:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for verily I say unto you,
Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel,
till the Son of man be come..

Matthew 10:23, and several other places in the Bible, speak of the return of Jesus as ruling Lord (Also called the 'Second Coming of Christ' and the start of the '1,000-years reign of Christ'. Many commentators also name other places which talk about the Second Coming of our Lord. Please see the Prophecies Section of the Significant Gospel Events Study for more related Bible references.

We need to be very careful about the interpretation of the sentences in this chapter because some are for one time and others are for another time. In addition, some, of these references, only apply to Jews and some, of these references, apply to the church. With that in mind, as explained in the note for this sentence, within the Lord Jesus Christ Study, this particular sentence instructs the Jewish witnesses during the great tribulation.

Please notice the phrase Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel. This is saying what 'each and every witness personally' (ye) will do in Israel. Therefore, this sentence is not speaking about the 'Church Age' since the church is to go all nations / all the world (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15). In addition, the phrase till the Son of man be come is a reference to the 1,000-years reign of Christ. Therefore, this sentence is not given for the disciples being sent out before the crucifixion.

The Bible says that God will save all of Israel in a single day (Isaiah 25:8-9; Jeremiah 23:5-8; Jeremiah 30:3-9. And, that day will be when Jesus returns to rule and reign for 1,000-years. However, save Jews who will refuse to accept Jesus as their personal Christ and King. Therefore, those Jews will be killed during the great tribulation. Our sentence tells us that the witnesses, to the Jews in those days, are to the flee ye into another when they persecute you in this city because Jews who persecute the witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ will reject Him as their personal Christ and King. Therefore, those Jews will be killed. Only the Jews who will be willing to accept the truth will be allowed to live.

Please see the notes for Romans C8S37 and Galatians C1-S11 about the word persecute. The functional definition for this word is: 'the infliction of pain, punishment or death upon others unjustly, particularly for adhering to a religious creed or mode of worship, either by way of penalty or for compelling them to renounce their principles'. Please also see the note for Romans C8S37 about the word persecution.

Please see the note for Luke 8:34 about the words flee / fled. The functional definition for this word is: 'To run with rapidity, as from danger; to attempt to escape; to hasten from danger or expected evil'. The functional definition for the word fled. is: 'The past tense of the verb, to flee'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'when. Mt 2:13; 4:12; 12:14-15; Lu 4:29-31; Joh 7:1; 10:39-42; 11:53-54; Ac 8:1; 9:24-25; 13:50-51; 14:6-7,19-20; 17:10,14; 20:1 exp: Ac 9:30. have gone over. or, end, or, finish. till. Mt 16:28; 24:27,30,48; 25:13; 26:64; Mr 13:26; Lu 18:8; 21:27 General references. exp: Mt 14:13; Ac 8:4.'.

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C10-S19 (Verse 24) the precept that applies to these prophecies.

The disciple is not above his master,
nor the servant above his lord..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, the sentences before this were to be applied to the Jews, but, starting with this sentence and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Luke 6:40 and John 15:20 say the same thing as this verse. John says: Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. thus, the reference in John's Gospel account is a reminder of this sentence, or of another time when Jesus said the same thing. In addition, the reference in John's Gospel account was at 'The Last Supper'. Therefore, it definitely applies to all saved during the 'Church Age'. The reference in Luke is part of Luke reporting 'The Sermon on the Mount'. Therefore, this precept is for everyone who wants to be part of His kingdom and to return with Him for His 1,000-years reign. In addition, in case the reader forgot, our current sentence is part of the instructions and prophecies that Jesus gave to the twelve (12) when He sent them out to preach the Gospel and get experience doing missionary work. Therefore, this was part of their training for what they were expected to do during the 'Church Age'.

So, our current sentence is a precept that definitely applies to us tday. With that written, I've met many people, especially preachers, who would claim: 'I have no problem with this Bible truth'. But then they have fits when I show them that their favorite doctrines come from religious traditions which go against what the Bible literally teaches. They also have objections when i tell them that their application does not correct the single interpretation but that all true Bible applications match the underlying single interpretation. For example, the Bible doctrine for the name of Jesus is notSavior', as the 'Greek Dictionary' claims but is 'the name of a literal physical man'. Every time that we read the name of Jesus, the word of God is not teaching us about salvation but is teaching us how Jesus is our example of how to live in this flesh using The Power of the Holy Ghost. (Please also see the Study called What Did Jesus Do?)

Please pay attention to the fact that the words: master and lord, in this precept, are lowercase. That means that these words are referring to physical men and that this truth is for this world. In general, this precept is telling us that we are to not try and correct our lord nor our master here in this world. Too many people think they know better than their boss or better than the government when there are things that they don't know and considerations which they don't consider but that the government and the boss must consider. In addition, as our context tells us, there are times that the government or our boss will require things of us that may hurt us. At those times, we are to submit, as unto the Lord, which means we are to truly submit as if God commanded us to do so and we are to expect God to make up for any loss which we suffer because of our submitting.

Please also consider the next couple of sentences, which Jesus deliberately gave in context, and where He tells us to follow His example.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S4; 1Corinthians C7S27 and Ephesians C6S4 about the word servant. The functional definition is: 'To command another to help or to cry for help, hence to pray (Ge 4:26)'. Please also see the notes for Romans C16S21 and 2Timothy C1-S2 about the word serve. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:17 about the word service.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 2Sa 11:11; Lu 6:40; Joh 13:16; 15:20; Heb 12:2-4 exp: Heb 13:13.'.

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C10-S20 (Verse 25) How we are to gage our success in life.

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master,
and the servant as his lord..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

1Corinthians 14:40 says: Let all things be done decently and in order. When people refuse to be like their leader, that causes confusion. There have been several times when I was traveling in another country and the people treated me wrong because they disagreed with what the U.S. politici and were doing. They never asked me if I agreed with the politici and or not. They assumed that if I was American then I agreed with the American politicians. And, right or wrong, they were assuming that the principal of this sentence applied to me.

Please see the note for Matthew 25:9 about the word enough. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'to rest, to be quiet or satisfied. That satisfies desire, or gives content; that may answer the purpose; that is adequate to the wants. She said, we have straw and provender enough. Gen.24. How many hired servants of my father have bread enough, and to spare. Luke 15. Note. this word, in vulgar language, is sometimes placed before its noun, like most other adjectives. But in elegant discourse or composition, it always follows the noun, to which it refers; as, bread enough; money enough.
ENOUGH', n. enuf'. A sufficiency; a quantity of a thing which satisfies desire, or is adequate to the wants. We have enough of this sort of cloth. And Esau said, I have enough, my brother. Gen.33. Israel said, it is enough; Joseph is yet alive. Gen.45. 1. that which is equal to the powers or abilities. He had enough to do to take care of himself.
ENOUGH', adv. enuf'. Sufficiently; in a quantity or degree that satisfies, or is equal to the desires or wants. The land, behold, it is large enough for them. Gen.34. Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount. Deut.1. 1. Fully; quite; denoting a slight augmentation of the positive degree. He is ready enough to embrace the offer. It is pleasure enough to consider the different notions of different men respecting the same thing. 2. Sometimes it denotes diminution, delicately expressing rather less than is desired; such a quantity or degree as commands acquiescence, rather than full satisfaction. the song or the performance is well enough. 3. An exclamation denoting sufficiency. Enough, enough, I'll hear no more.'.

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C10-S21 (Verse 25) the comparison we are to use.

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,
how much more shall they call them of his household?.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

in this sentence, we have a reference, by Jesus to the Pharisees or other people claimed that Jesus did His miracles by the power of Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24; Luke 11:15-66 and Mark 3:22-30). Please see the Section called Jesus and Devils in the Significant Gospel Events Study. Please also see the Word Study on Spirit for links to every place in the Bible where we find 'Other Spirits', which are devils. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about Satan.

Jesus is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23). The disciples also called Him Lord and Master all throughout the Gospel accounts. Therefore, there should be no doubt that this sentence, and the prior two sentences, apply to all who claim to be Christians. Thus, we, and they, are part of His household.

It should be obvious that the religious leaders deliberately lied and tried their best to slander Jesus by claiming that Jesus did His miracles by the power of Beelzebub. When people lie about us, we are to follow His example. (Please see the Study called What Did Jesus Do?)

Please be sure to consider the next sentences which are in context and explain the blessings of God given to saved people who react properly to being slandered and persecuted for following Jesus. Please also consider that after Jesus tells the blessings for those people who act right, He then tells the consequence to those people who shall deny me before men.

Please see the note for Mark 3:22 about Beelzebub. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(Gr. form Beel'zebul), the name given to Satan, and found only in the New Testament (Mt 10:25; 12:24,27; Mr 3:22). It is probably the same as Baalzebub (q.v.), the god of Ekron, meaning "the lord of flies," or, as others think, "the lord of dung," or "the dung-god."'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24; Matthew 12:27.

We find forms of the words household / householder occurring 72 times in 70 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 10:25; Matthew 10:36; Matthew 13:27; Matthew 13:52; Matthew 20:1; Matthew 21:33; Matthew 24:45; Luke 12:42; Acts 10:7; Acts 16:15; Romans 16:10; Romans 16:11; 1Corinthians 1:16; Galatians 6:10; Ephesu and 2:19; Philippians 4:22; 2Timothy 4:19. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines the word household as: 'Those who dwell in a house under one head, including the wife and children, and embracing servants who were usually slaves. Ge 15:2-3; Lu 12:42; Ac 10:7; Php 4:22. We read of the baptism of whole households. Ac 16:15; 1Co 1:16. the Lord speaks of His disciples as His household, Mt 10:25; and saints are called the 'household of faith,' and the 'household of God.' Ga 6:10; Eph 2:19.'. Webster's 1828 defines the word householder as: 'The master or chief of a family; one who keeps house with his family. Matt.13.'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'If. Mt 9:34; 12:24; Mr 3:22; Lu 11:15; Joh 7:20; 8:48,52; 10:20 Beelzebub. or, Beelzebul. General references. exp: Heb 13:13.'.

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C10-S22 (Verse 26) God will reveal the truth at their judgment.

Equivalent Section: Don not fear men.

Fear them not therefore:.

Equivalent Section: Men will not get away with hiding truth.

First Step: God will reveal everything the men try to hide.

for there is nothing covered,
that shall not be revealed;.

Second Step: God will let everyone know everything.

and hid,
that shall not be known..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

We see a similar warning, about God revealing things, in Matthew 6:4; Matthew 6:6; Matthew 6:18; Matthew 10:26; Luke 12:2 and John 3:21 and in 'The Parable of Lighted Candle' (Matthew 5:14-16; Mark 4:21-23; Luke 8:16-18 and Luke 11:33-36). Simply put, as Godly parents warn their children, God is constantly watching them.

The word therefore, in our First Equivalent Section, lets us know that this sentence is the result of the prior and that contextual requirements are important. The them, of our First Equivalent Section, are the religious liars and their servants in government who will persecute and kill the true believers and messengers of God. In addition, our second next sentence says: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, and continues with what we should do. The main point is that the context gives us more details why we should obey our First Equivalent Section and Fear them not.

In our Second Equivalent Section we see two Steps which start with the word for. That means it is telling us why the First Equivalent Section is true and the basic reason is that no one will get away with hiding what they do and why they do it. God is recording everything everyone does and their motivations. All will be revealed when each of us is judged by God. When people think that no one will know what they do and why they do it, they do things that they would not do otherwise. But the Bible warns us that everything will be revealed, even every idle word that men shall speak (Matthew 12:36). Therefore, we need to live our life in a way that keeps this truth in mind.

We find the phrase fear not occurring 71 times in the Bible and 16 times in the New Testament. We find the exact phrase fear them not in: Numbers 14:9; Joshua 10:8; Ezekiel 3:9; Matthew 10:26. In each of these instances God's people were being told to trust God when men tried to make them so fearful that they were tempted to disobey God

Please see the notes for Romans C11S25 and Philippians 1:12-14 about the word fear. The functional definition for this word is: 'A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. the force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear, dread, terror, fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us'. Please also see the Study called Fear the Lord. In addition, please see the note for John 6:19 about the word afraid. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Impressed with fear or apprehension; fearful. this word expresses a less degree of fear than terrified or frightened. It is followed by of before the object of fear; as, to be afraid of death. Joseph was afraid to sin against God'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 11:15 about the word cover. The functional definition for this word is: 'an item which conceals another item with a barrier that can not be penetrated'.

Please see the note for Galatians C1-S10 about the word reveal. The functional definition for this word is: 'an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen'. Please also see the notes for Romans C16S33 and 2Corinthians 12:1 about the word revelation. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:26; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 16:17.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Fear. Mt 10:28; Pr 28:1; 29:25; Isa 41:10,14; 43:1-2; 51:7-8,12-13; Jer 1:8,17-18; Eze 2:6; Ac 4:13,19; 1Pe 3:14 for. Mr 4:22; Lu 8:17; 12:2-3; 24:47; Ac 1:8; 1Co 4:5 General references. exp: Mr 4:22; Lu 12:2.'.

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C10-S23 (Verse 27) Loudly proclaim what Jesus reveals.

Equivalent Section: Reveal what Jesus told them privately during His ministry.

What I tell you in darkness,
that speak ye in light:.

Equivalent Section: Proclaim what God's Holy Spirit reveals.

and what ye hear in the ear,
that preach ye upon the housetops..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Before the resurrection, God hid some things from His people because they were not spiritually mature enough to handle the truth. But, since God's Holy Spirit started indwelling God's people at Pentecost, some of God's people are spiritually mature enough to handle all revealed truth and all of God's people can become spiritually mature enough to handle all revealed truth. Therefore, in this sentence, Jesus is commanding His people to loudly reveal all truth.

It should be obvious that this sentence is using symbolic language. We need to always be careful about interpreting symbolic language because people think that symbolic meaning is always the same, and that leads to doctrinal error. The truth is that the true meaning symbolic language is always dependent upon the context and, at times, can mean something different from the main usage of the symbolic language. In most cases, the symbolic meaning of darkness is something to do with sin and Satan. However, what Jesus tells us (What I tell you in darkness) can never be part of sin and Satan. Therefore, in this sentence, the symbolic meaning is: 'what Jesus revealed only to His disciples'. A simple example of this is the true interpretation of the parables which He taught to the general audience but explained only to His disciples.

The second phrase, of our sentence, is instructions for each and every one of them personally (ye) to preach and teach to people who are willing to hear God's truth (speak ye in light).

While the First Equivalent Section was a command to reveal what Jesus told them privately during His ministry, the Second Equivalent Section tells them to proclaim what God's Holy Spirit reveals after they receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. It should be obvious that our written New Testament is a result of the command in the Second Equivalent Section.

Again, our Second Equivalent Section uses symbolic language. Further, since it starts with the word and, it is adding to the instructions of the First Equivalent Section. Therefore, the Second Equivalent Section is going in the same direction as the First Equivalent Section.

The phrase what ye hear in the ear, symbolically means: 'what God's Holy Spirit reveals to you clearly'. The phrase in the ear, limits this interpretation to what is very clear and not just what we kind of believe. In addition, the phrase upon the housetops, symbolically means: 'to everyone, saved or lost'. God does not give spiritual secrets to only be revealed to a few as claimed by many false religions. Further, each and every one of them is to personally (ye) to preach ('motivate people to obey') the things which are revealed by God's Holy Spirit. Thus, we can see that these instructions are for everyone during the 'Church Age'.

Please see the note for Matthew 18:31 about the words tell / told. The functional definition for the word tell is: 'to communicate to others'. The functional definition for the word told is: 'the past tense form of the word tell'. Please also see the note for Matthew 22:15 about the word talk. The functional definition for this word is: 'To converse familiarly; to speak, as in familiar discourse, when two or more persons interchange thoughts'.

Please see the note for Romans 13:12; John 8:12 about the word darkness. The functional definition for this word is: 'lack of spiritual light and guidance from God'.

Please see the notes for Romans C13S15; 2Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians C5S6 about the word light. The functional definition is: 'The spiritual gift from God that overcomes spiritual darkness from sin and Satan. Spiritual light allows us to see and understand things from God's view. Spiritual light allows us to see how to walk, work and live in this world in a Godly way'. Every place in this Gospel where the word light is used, it is used symbolically for 'directions from God on how to live in this world'. In addition, John tells us that people who do not obey these 'directions from God' are living like lost people while people who are truly living like saved people do obey these 'directions from God'. Please see the notes for Light and Darkness in 1John; Romans C13S15; Hebrews 12:18-24 about the phrase light and darkness. Please see the note for John 11:9-LJC about the phrase Jesus is our light. Please see the note for Hebrews 6:4 about the word enlightened. The functional definition is: 'Rendered light; illuminated; instructed; informed; furnished with clear views'. Please see the note for Psalms 119:16 about the word delight. True delight is one of the effects of God's light.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S13 about the word ear. The functional definition for this word is: 'The organ of hearing; the organ by which sound is perceived. It is often used symbolically in scripture'. Please also see the note for Mark 4:9 about the phrase ears to hear. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:27; Matthew 11:15; Matthew 12:1; Matthew 13:9; Matthew 13:15; Matthew 13:16; Matthew 13:43; Matthew 26:51; Matthew 28:14.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I tell. Mt 13:1-17,34-35; Lu 8:10; Joh 16:1,13,25,29; 2Co 3:12 that preach. Pr 1:20-23; 8:1-5; Ac 5:20,28; 17:17 General references. exp: Pr 1:21; Mr 4:22.'.

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C10-S24 (Verse 28) Fear God, not man.

Equivalent Section: Do not fear man.

And fear not them which kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul:.

Equivalent Section: Do fear God.

but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Luke 12:4 is equivalent to the Second Equivalent Section of our sentence. Luke 12:5 is equivalent to the Second Equivalent Section of our sentence. Luke uses more words, and two sentences, and gives us more details, but also provides the same message as this sentence. The reader is encouraged to look at the sentences in Luke, with their notes, for better understanding of the message. Matthew, with His perspective that Jesus is King, just gives the command and expects it to be obeyed and for people to seek clarification elsewhere if they need it. However, Luke, with His perspective that Jesus is 'a literal physical man', provides the clarification.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the command in the prior sentence. Jesus was crucified because the religious leaders strongly disagreed with the truth that He revealed. The prior sentence commanded us to reveal truth which was hidden and that religious people will disagree with. And, in the last several sentences, Jesus has been warning His disciples that they will be persecuted and killed for obeying these commands. Therefore, this sentence is telling us to not be afraid of the worst that men can do to us. The worst that they can do is kill the body. However, what God will do to them, afterwards, includes: destroy both soul and body in hell.

In my opinion, one of the most damaging doctrines, which is accepted by many fundamental believers, claims that 'The fear of the Lord means deep abiding respect'. This doctrine encourages people to ignore the warnings that the Bible attaches to the fear of the Lord. And, a simple example is this sentence. If the reader does a true survey of fundamental believers, and gets them to answer honestly or honestly looks at how they live, they will find that almost all fear death more than they fear the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2Corinthians 5:10). In addition, many believe the related lie that: 'There will be no punishment at the judgment seat of Christ, only rewards and loss of rewards'. These lies directly contradict what our Lord commands in this sentence.

Please see the notes for Romans C11S25 and Philippians 1:12-14 about the word fear. The functional definition for this word is: 'A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. the force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear, dread, terror, fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us'. Please also see the Study called Fear the Lord. Please also see the note for Matthew 10:26 about the phrase fear not. In addition, please see the note for John 6:19 about the word afraid. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Impressed with fear or apprehension; fearful. this word expresses a less degree of fear than terrified or frightened. It is followed by of before the object of fear; as, to be afraid of death. Joseph was afraid to sin against God'.

Please see the note for Romans C13S12 about the word kill. The functional definition for this word is: 'cause to die'.

Please see the notes for Romans C7S30; 1Corinthians C6S20; Ephesians 4:5-LJC and Colossians C1S4 about the word body. The functional definition for this word is: 'The frame of an animal; the material substance of an animal, in distinction from the living principal of beasts, and the soul of man. Used symbolically for the framework for sin including all parts of it'. Please also see the note for Colossians C1S6 about the phrase body of Christ. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:15 about the word busybody.

Please see the notes for Romans C13S1 and Psalms 119:20 about the word soul. The functional definition for this word is: 'The long-term result of the short-term actions of our heart in deciding how we will think, how we will act emotionally to circumstances of life and how we will decide the issues of life'. Please also see the note for James 1:21 about the phrase save your soul. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:28; Matthew 11:29; Matthew 12:18; Matthew 16:26; Matthew 16:26; Matthew 22:37; Matthew 26:38.

Please see the note for Luke 12:31 about the word rather. The functional definition for this word is: 'More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice'.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S22 and 1Corinthians C3S17 about the word destroy. The functional definition for this word is: 'To demolish; to pull down; to ruin; to annihilate a thing by demolishing or by burning'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 10:10 about the word destroyer. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 6:9 about the word destruction.

Please see the note for James 3:6 about the word Hell. The functional definition for this word is: 'place of torment in the center of the Earth'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'And. Mt 10:26; Isa 8:12-13; 51:7,12; Da 3:10-18; Lu 12:4-5; Ac 20:23-24; 21:13; Ro 8:35-39; 2Ti 4:6-8; Heb 11:35; 1Pe 3:14; Re 2:10 him. Ps 119:120; Ec 5:7; 8:12-13; Isa 66:2; Jer 5:22; Heb 12:28-29 able. Mt 25:46; Mr 9:43-48; Lu 16:22-26; Joh 5:29; 2Th 1:8-10; Re 20:10-15 exp: Jas 4:12. General references. exp: Ps 89:7.'.

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C10-S25 (Verse 29) An illustration of worth.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

The first half of Luke 12:6 is equivalent to this sentence. The second half of Luke 12:6 is equivalent to the next sentence. There we read: Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings. So, we have a volume discount. That is: 2 sparrows for one farthing or five sparrows for two farthings. Most likely, Jesus said the full saying and each Gospel writer chose to report only par of the saying with each writer choosing a different part. Those people who compared the Gospel accounts see the full saying while those people who do not do that level of study receive only part of the truth.

in this sentence, Jesus mentions one of the least priced things which were sold in that society. Think of the smallest coin in any given society where everyone is not desperate. Most people will walk over such a coin valuing it less than the effort required to stop and pick it up. That was the relative value that Jews put on sparrows. Yet, in these sentences, Jesus says that God values them more and notices and cares what happens to sparrows. And, even with that level of care, Jesus tells us that God values each soul far more.

Please see the note for Luke 12:6 about the word sparrow. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Mentioned among the offerings made by the very poor. Two sparrows were sold for a farthing (Mt 10:29), and five for two farthings (Lu 12:6). the Hebrew word thus rendered is tsippor, which properly denotes the whole family of small birds which feed on grain (Le 14:4; Ps 84:3; 102:7). the Greek word of the New Testament is strouthion (Mt 10:29-31), which is thus correctly rendered'.

Please see the note for Mark 10:21 about the word sell. The functional definition for this word is: 'To transfer property or the exclusive right of possession to another for an equivalent in money'. The word sold is the past-tense form of the word sell. Please also see the note for Acts 2:44-45 about the word sold. Please also see the note for Acts 2:44-45 about the word sold.

Please see the note for Luke 12:6 about the word farthing. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(1.) Mt 10:29; Lu 12:6. Greek assarion, i.e., a small as, which was a Roman coin equal to a tenth of a denarius or drachma, nearly equal to a halfpenny of our money. (2.) Mt 5:26; Mr 12:42 (Gr. kodrantes), the quadrant, the fourth of an as, equal to two lepta, mites. the lepton (mite) was the very smallest copper coin.''.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'two. Lu 12:6-7 farthing. "In value a halfpenny farthing, as being the tenth of the Roman penny. See Mt 18:28."'.

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C10-S26 (Verse 29) God's knowledge of what we value little.
and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

The first half of Luke 12:6 is equivalent to the prior sentence. The second half of Luke 12:6 is equivalent to this sentence. There we read: and not one of them is forgotten before God. Hopefully the reader sees that the message is the same between the two Gospel accounts even though Luke's version is probably a little easier to understand.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence. In addition, the next two sentences are also part of this teaching and all sentences need to be considered together. The prior sentence told us how little men value sparrows. Our current sentence adds to message that, no matter how many sparrows there are, and no matter how little men value each of them, God pays attention to what happens to each of them. Our next sentences let us know that each person is valued much higher than sparrows. by God. The concluding lesson is that God knows everything that happens to each person. So, when things happen to make us feel like God doesn't care, our feelings are wrong and we are looking at things the wrong way. We look at things physically while God looks at things spiritually. We look at things very short term while God looks at things long term, even including any influence that we have after our physical death. Therefore, when things seem helpless and like God doesn't care, trust God even if He doesn't answer our prayers for understanding.

Please see the note for 1Timothy 3:6 about the word fall. The functional definition for this word is: 'apostasy: unexpectedly moving from a high spiritual position to a low spiritual position'.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S6 about the word ground. The functional definition for this word is: 'The surface of land or upper part of the earth, without reference to the materials which compose it'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:29; Matthew 13:8; Matthew 13:23; Matthew 15:35.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'and one. Ps 104:27-30'.

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C10-S27 (Verse 30) Assurance of God's knowledge of all that happens to us.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Please see the note for Matthew 10:29 for an explanation of this teaching. Luke 12:7 is the same as this sentence with the exception that it adds in the word even. Our sentence is telling us that God cares so much about each and every one of us that God numbers our hairs and knows when they fall out. We don't care that much and only become concerned when so many fall out that our hair starts getting thin and affecting our vanity. Thus, God cares more about us than we care about ourselves. And, in this teaching, Jesus id comparing God's care for sparrows to His care for us to assure us that God continues to care even when we feel abandoned by God.

Please see the note for Luke 7:37-38 about the word hair. The functional definition for this word is: 'part of the body which is considered important for beauty'. This word is used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 3:4; Matthew 5:36; Matthew 10:30.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S4 about the word head. The functional definition for this word is: 'This part of the human body contains the org and of hearing, seeing, tasting and smelling; it contains also the brain, which is supposed to be the seat of the intellectual powers, and of sensation. Hence the head is the chief or more important part, and is used for the whole person'.

The functional definition for the word number is: 'Used to count things. Also used symbolically in the Bible'. The note from the Morrish Bible Dictionary is extensive and includes 'Numbers are used as Symbols'. Be very careful about the use of this information. Much doctrinal error and division has been caused in God's church by preachers claiming that the symbolicl meaning of numbers provided the single interpretation of the word of God and that the symbolic meaning actually corrected the word of God. All symbolic meanings provide the many applications, must be understood within the context where they are found, and can vary from one application to another. Be careful to not use these symbols beyond their God-given purpose.

We find forms of the word number occurring 314 times in 274 verses of the Bible, 29 times in 26 verses of the New Testament but only in this sentence within our Gospel. The functional definition for this word is: 'Used to count things Also used symbolically in the Bible'. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'n. Probably the radical sense is to speak, name or tell, as our word tell, in the other dialects, is to number. Number may be allied to name, as the Spaniards use nombre for name, and the French word written with the same letters, is number. 1. the designation of a unit reference to other units, or in reckoning, counting, enumerating; as, one is the first number; a simple number. 2. An assemblage of two or more units. Two is a number composed of one and one added. Five and three added make the number eight. Number may be applied to any collection or multitude of units or individuals, and therefore is indefinite, unless defined by other words or by figures or signs of definite signification. Hence, 3. More than one; many. Ladies are always of great use to the party they espouse, and never fail to win over numbers. 4. Multitude. Number itself importeth not much in armies, where the men are of weak courage. 5. In poetry, measure; the order and quantity of syllables constituting feet, which render verse musical to the ear. the harmony of verse consists in the proper distribution of the long and short syllables, with suitable pauses. In oratory, a judicious disposition of words, syllables and cadences constitutes a kind of measure resembling poetic numbers. 6. Poetry; verse. I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came. Here the first word numbers may be taken for poetry or verse, and the second for measure. Yet shoud the Muses bid my numbers roll. 7. In grammar, the difference of termination or form of a word, to express unity or plurality. the termination which denotes one or an individual, is the singular number; the termination that denotes two or more individuals or units, constitues the plural number. Hence we say, a noun, an adjective, a pronoun or a verb is in the singular or the plural number. 8. In mathematics, number is variously distinguished. cardinal numbers are those which express the amount of units; as 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10. Ordinal numbers are those which express order; as first, second, third, fourth, etc. Determinate number, is that referred to a given unit, as a ternary or three; an indeterminate number, is referred to unity in general, and called quantity. Homogeneal numbers, are those referred to the same units; those referred to different units are termed heterogeneal. Whole numbers, are called integers. A rational number, is one commensurable with unity. A number incommensurable with unity, is termed irrational or surd. A prime or primitive number, is divisible only by unity; as three, five, seven, etc. A perfect number, is that whose aliquot parts added together, make the whole number, as 28, whose aliquot parts, 14. 7. 4. 2. 1. make the number 28. An imperfect number, is that whose aliquot parts added together, make more or less than the number. this is abundant or defedtive; abundant, as 12, whose aliquot parts, 6. 4. 3. 2. 1. make 16; or defective, as 16 whose aliquot parts, 8. 4. 2. 1. make 15 only. A square number, is the product of a number multiplied by itself; as, 16 is the square number of four. A cubic number, is the product of a square number by its root; as, 27 is the product of the square number 9 by its root 3. Golden number, the cycle of the moon, or revolution of 19 years, in which time the conjunctions, oppositions and other aspects of the moon are nearly the same as they were on the same days of the month 19 years before.
NUM'BER, v.t. 1. to count; to reckon; to ascertain the units of any sum, collection or multitude. If a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Genesis 8. 2. to reckon as one of a collection or multitude. He was numbered with the transgressors. Isaiah 53.'.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'After the captivity the Hebrew used the alphabet letters for numbers, 'Aleph (א) equalling 1; Bet[h] (ב) equalling 2, etc.; Yod[h] (י) equalling 10; Qoph (ק) equalling 100, etc. the final letters expressed 500 to 900; 'Aleph (א) + a line over it equalling 1000. Our manuscripts all write numbers at full length. But the variations make it likely that letters (which copyists could so easily mistake) originally were written for numbers: compare 2Ki 24:8 with 2Ch 36:9; Isa 7:8, where 65 is in one reading, 16 and 5 in another. 1Sa 6:19 has 50,070, but Syriac and Arabic 5070 (1Ki 4:26 with 2Ch 9:25). Numbers also have often a symbolical rather than a mere arithmetical value. But straining is to be avoided, and subtle trifling. the author's sense, history, the context, and the general analogy of the Scripture scheme as a whole are to be examined, in order to decide whether a figure is employed in a merely ordinary sense, or in an ordinary and symbolical, or in an exclusively symbolical sense.
Zechariah and Daniel dwell upon seven; Daniel and Revelation use several numbers to "characterize periods", rather than indicate arithmetical duration. Science reveals in crystallization and chemical combinations what an important part number plays in the proportion of combining molecules of organic and inorganic life.
Two notes "intensification" (Ge 41:32), "requital in full" (Job 42:10; Jer 16:18; Isa 61:7; Re 18:6); the proportions of the temple were double those of the tabernacle; two especially symbolizes "testimony" (Zec 4:11; 11:7; Isa 8:2; Re 11:3), two tables of the testimony (Ex 31:18), two cherubim over the ark of the testimony. God is His own witness; but that witness is twofold, "His word and His oath" (Heb 6:13,17), "Himself and His Son" (Joh 8:18).
Three, like seven, is "a divine number". the Trinity (Re 1:4; 4:8); three great feasts (Ex 23:14-17; De 16:16); the threefold blessing (Nu 6:14,24); the thrice holy (Isa 6:3); the three hours of prayer (Da 6:10; Ps 55:17); the third heaven (2Co 12:2). Christ is "the Way, the Truth, the Life," "Prophet, Priest, and King." the threefold theophany (Ge 18:2; 1Sa 3:4,6,8; Ac 10:16).
The number 3 1/2, one-half of 7, is "a period of evil cut short", shortened for the elect's sake (Mt 24:22; Jas 5:17, three years' and a half drought in Israel; Lu 4:25; Re 11:2-3,9; 12:6). Da 7:25; 12:7, time, times, and a half, 1,260 days, three days and a half. the 42 months (30 days in each) answer to the 1,260 days; three years and a half equals 1,260 days (360 in each year). Probably the 1,260 years of the papal rule date from A.D. 754, when his temporal power began, and end 2014. (See ANTICHRIST.)
At the close of spurious Christianity's long rule open antichristianity and persecution will prevail for the three years and a half before the millennium. Witnessing churches will be followed by witnessing individuals, even as the apostate church will give place to the personal man of sin (Da 7:25; Re 11:2-3). the 2,300 (Da 8:14) years may date from Alexander's conquests (323 B.C.), and end about the same time as the 1,260, namely, 1977. the 1,290 (Da 12:11-12) and 1,335 days correspond to 1290, during which Antiochus Epiphanes profaned the temple, from the month Ijar, 145th year of the era of the Seleucidae, to Judas Maccabeus' restoration of worship, the 25th day of the ninth month Chisleu, 148th year (1Ma 1:54; 1Ma 4:52-56); in 45 days more Antiochus died, ending the Jews' calamities; in all 1,335. Again, 1,260, 1,290 and 1,335 may be counted from Mahomet's retirement to the cave, A.D. 606-610, and his flight from Mecca, 622: these figures added may mark the closing epochs of Mahometan power.
Again, the 2,300 may be the years between 480 B.C., the time of Xerxes' invasion of Greece (Da 11:2), and A.D. 1820, when Ali Pasha cast off the yoke of the Porte and precipitated the Greek revolution. thirdly, the 2,300 may date from Antichrist's profanation (Da 9:27). After the 1,260 days Jesus in person will deliver the Jews; during the 30 more their consciences are awakened to penitent faith, making 1,290; in 45 more Israel's outcasts are gathered, and the united blessing descends. these all are conjectures. Evidently these numbers symbolize the long "Gentile times" from the overthrow of Judah's kingdom by Babylon, and of Jerusalem by Titus, down to the restoration of the theocracy in Him "whose right it is: (Eze 21:27). the seven times of Israel's punishment (Le 26:18,21-24) are the times of the Gentile monarchies; the seven times of antichrist's tyranny in the Holy Land will be the recapitulation and open consummation of what is as yet "the mystery of iniquity."
The three and a half during which the two witnesses prophesy in sackcloth is the sacred seven halved, for the antichristian world powers' time is broken at best, and is followed immediately by judgment on them. It answers to the three years and a half of Christ's witness for the truth, when the Jews disowned and the God-opposed world power crucified Him (Da 9:27). He died in the midst of the last of the 70 weeks; the three and a half which seemed the world's triumph over Him was immediately followed by their defeat in His resurrection (Joh 12:31). the world powers never reach the sacred fullness of seven times 360, i.e. 2,520, though they approach it in the 2,300 (Da 8:14). the 42 months answer to Israel's 42 sojournings in the desert (Nu 33:1-50), contrasted with the sabbatic rest of Canaan. three and a half represents "the church's time of toil, pilgrimage, persecution". three and a half is "the antagonism to seven".
Four symbolizes "worldwide extension". the four winds and quarters of the earth (Re 7:1; Da 7:2). the four living creatures or cherubim with four wings and four faces (Eze 1:5, etc.; Re 4:6, in contrast to the four beasts, Daniel 7; Da 2:40 the four kingdoms); Eden's four streams (Ge 2:10; Eze 40:47). Four expresses "the spread of God's kingdom over the earth". As Christ's seamless vest marks its unity, so the rending of the outer garment into four by the four Roman soldiers symbolizes its ultimate worldwide extension (Joh 19:23-24). the numbers especially symbolical are 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 40; 6 is so because coming short of the "sacred" 7, 8 as coming after 7 and introducing "a new series or era".
Three and a half is seven broken in two. the Bible begins with seven days, and ends with a succession of sevens. Seven represents "rest and release from toil", also "a divine work", in judgment or mercy or revelation (Ge 4:24; 41:3,7; Mt 18:22; Ex 7:25). Le 26:18, "I will punish you seven times more for your sins," Le 26:21-24,28; Isa 4:1; 11:15; 2Sa 24:13. Da 4:16,25, "seven times shall pass over thee" (Nebuchadnezzar). Re 15:1, "the seven last plagues." "divine fullness and completeness" is the thing signified; as Re 1:4, "the seven spirits... before His throne" are "the one Holy Spirit in His manifold fullness"; Isa 11:2-3 corresponds.
So in offerings and divine rites: Le 12:2,5; 13:4,6,21-26,31,33,50,54; 14:7-9,16,27,38,51; 15:13,19,28; 16:14,19; Nu 12:14; 2Ki 5:10,14. the seven days' grace (Ge 7:1-10); and at the taking of Jericho (Jos 5:13-6:20); the antitype, spiritual Babylon, shall fall at the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Re 11:13,15; 14:8). the sevenfold candlestick (Ex 25:37), the seven churches corresponding (Re 1:12,20), the seven deacons (Acts 6), the sevenfold ministry (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12). Seven prayers are given in full in the Old Testament. (See PRAYER.) Seven petitions of the Lord's prayer in the New Testament. the seven beatitudes (Matthew 5; Ps 12:7). Satan mimics the "divine" seven (Pr 6:16; 26:25): Mary Magdalene's seven devils (Mr 16:9; Lu 8:2); the unclean spirit returning with seven (Mt 12:45); the seven Canaanite nations subdued by Israel (De 7:1; Ac 13:19); the dragon with seven heads and seven crowns (Re 12:3; Nu 23:1).
Eight begins a new era and life after the seven has been completed (Ex 22:30; Le 9:1; 22:27). Lepers are reinstated on the eighth day (Le 14:10; 15:13,29). Circumcision on the eighth day begins a new life in the covenant. the eighth day after the seven of the feast of tabernacles (Le 23:36). From the eighth day, when the firstfruit sheaf was waved, the seven sevens were counted; and on the 50th day or "Pentecost" (the eighth day after seven) a new era began (Le 23:11,15-16; Ac 2:1). Le 25:8-9, type of the eternal sabbath, the new era of a regenerated world (Ro 8:21; Isa 61:1; Ac 3:21); the Lord's day, the eighth after the seventh, ushers in the new Christian era. the eight saved souls left the ark on the eighth day, after the last seven of anxious waiting, the representative heads of regenerated mankind. Of man in his fallen state Ecclesiastes (Ec 1:15) writes, "that which is crooked cannot be made straight," but what is "impossible with man is possible with God" (Lu 18:27); at Messiah's coming "the crooked shall be made straight" (Isa 40:4); "that which is wanting (compare Da 5:27) cannot be numbered," i.e. what is wholly wanting, man's state, cannot be numbered, but believers are "complete in Christ" (Col 2:10).
Ten represents "perfected universality". the "thousand" years (Re 20:2) is ten raised to the third power, i.e. the "world" (10) pervaded by the "divine" (3). the Ten Commandments contain the whole cycle of God's moral requirements. the tithe represented the whole property as belonging to God (Ge 14:20). Genesis has the formula ten times, "these are the generations" (Ge 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10,27; 25:12,19; 36:1; 37:2). the Ten Commandments of the Decalogue logically follow; God's fingers wrote it. Our fingers are ten (Ex 31:18; Ps 8:1). the ten plagues were the entire round of judgments from God's hand. the tabernacle, temple, and New Jerusalem have ten as the prevailing figure in measurements.
In the New Testament, the ten lepers, ten talents, ten cities in reward for ten pounds gained, ten virgins. Antichrist too has his ten, comprising the whole cycle of the world power: ten nations opposed to Abraham's seed (Ge 15:19); ten toes on Nebuchadnezzar's image to be stricken by the stone (Da 2:41); ten horns on the fourth beast (Da 7:7,20,24; Re 12:3; 13:1; 17:3,7,12, "ten kings"); ten days of Smyrna's tribulation, the complete term of the world power's persecution of the church (Re 2:10). In combination with 7, 10 appears in the 70 nations (Genesis 10), the 70 who went down to Egypt (Ge 46:27), the 70 palms at Elim, the 70 elders of Israel (Ex 24:1; Nu 11:16), the 70 disciples, the 70 years' captivity (Jer 25:11). Daniel's 70 sevens, weeks (Da 9:24). Seventy-fold (Ge 4:24; Mt 18:22).
As 3 1/2 is related to 7, so five is related to 10; 5 is "the penal number" (Ex 22:1; Le 5:16; Nu 18:16); the fifth kingdom punishes with destruction the four world kingdoms (Daniel 2). Twelve is "the church number". the 12 tribes; 12 Elim wells; 12 stones in the high priest's breast-plate; 12 shewbread loaves; 12 patriarchs; 12 apostles; 12 foundation stones; 12 gates; 12,000 furlongs of New Jerusalem; 12 angels (Re 21:16-21; 12:1). Twelve squared and multiplied by 1,000, the symbol of the world divinely perfected, gives 144,000, the sealed Israelites (Re 7:4). the 24 elders are the 12 heads of the Old Testament and the 12 of the New Testament churches combined, "elders" is the term for ministers; the 24 courses of priests anticipate the final combination of the two, Jews and Gentiles, made one new man in Christ (Re 4:4). Seven times twelve is connected with the Lamb's bride.
Six is to twelve as three and a half to seven. Six symbolizes" the world given over to judgment". the judgments on the world are complete in six; by the fulfillment of seven the world kingdoms become Christ's. Hence there is a pause between the sixth and seventh seals, the sixth and seventh trumpets. As 12 is the church's number, so six (its half) symbolizes the world kingdom broken. Six, "the world number", is next to the "sacred" seven which it mimics (Re 13:1) but can never reach. the raising of the six from units to tens, and from tens to hundreds (666), indicates that the beast, notwithstanding his progression to higher powers, can only rise to greater ripeness for judgment. thus, 666, the number of the beast (Re 13:18), the judged world power, contrasts with the 144,000 sealed and transfigured ones. (See ANTICHRIST.)
Forty symbolizes probation, punishment, chastisement, and humiliation. the 40 days' rain of the flood (Ge 7:4,12,17); Moses' 40 years in Egypt, and 40 in Midian. Times of temptation and trial: 40 days on the mountain (Ex 24:18); a second 40 after Israel's sin of the calf (De 9:18,25); 40 years in the desert wanderings (Nu 14:34), the penal issue of the 40 days' probation in searching Canaan (Nu 13:26; Ps 95:10; also Jg 13:1);40 days and nights of Elijah (1Ki 19:8); Jonah's 40 days' warning to Nineveh (Jon 3:4); 40 days of Christ's temptation (Mt 4:2). Also a time of probation by tranquil prosperity (Jg 3:11; 5:31; 8:28). Ezekiel (Eze 4:4-6) lay on his right side 40 days a day for a year, which with the 390 on his left side makes the 430 of Israel's sojourn in Egypt (Ex 12:40-41; Ga 3:17). God will bring them back to a bondage as bad as that in Egypt, but shortened by the 40 years' sojourn in the desert for discipline. Also Eze 29:11-12.'.

The Morrish Bible Dictionary says that 'Numbers are used as Symbols', and defines them as: 'There can be little doubt that numerals are used in scripture as symbols; and by comparing the instances in which any numeral is employed the idea hidden in it may often be arrived at. the signification of some numbers is too obvious to be mistaken; that of others is less apparent. In some cases the symbolical number may be discovered where the numeral itself is not mentioned: as, for instance, under three we may class the law, the psalms, and the prophets; spirit, soul, and body, etc. A few references only are given here for each number.
ONE. Supremacy, exclusiveness. One Jehovah. De 6:4; Isa 42:8; Zec 14:9. One God and Father. 1Co 8:6; Ga 3:20; Mr 12:29; Eph 4:6; 1Ti 2:5. "None other God but one," one Lord Jesus Christ. 1Co 8:4; Eph 4:5. One Holy Spirit. 1Co 12:11,13. One mediator. 1Ti 2:5. One body. 1Co 12:12-13; Eph 4:4. One hope, one faith, one baptism. Eph 4:4-5. One offering that has perfected for ever the sanctified. Heb 10:14.
TWO. Distinctness, and hence adequate testimony and fellowship when in agreement. Two witnesses needful. De 19:15; 2Co 13:1. Caleb and Joshua witnessed for the land. Nu 14:6-9. Two spies sent over Jordan. Jos 2:1. Two olive trees typical of two witnesses. Zec 4:3; Re 11:3-4. God's word and His oath show the immutability of His counsel. Heb 6:17-18. Two are to agree in asking. Mt 18:19. Two or three can be gathered to Christ's name. Mt 18:20.
THREE. Divine fulness or completeness, and hence perfection in testimony. God — Father, Son, and Spirit. this fulness was pleased to dwell in the Son of His love. Col 1:19. three times the voice came from heaven respecting the Lord Jesus. Mt 3:17; 17:5; Joh 12:28. the Lord Jesus is Prophet, Priest, and King; Son of God, Son of Man, and Son of David. three bear witness, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, "and these three agree in one." 1Jo 5:7-8. the scriptures, comprising the law, the prophets, and the psalms, bore witness to Christ. Lu 24:44. Faith, hope, and love are elements of Christian life here. A three-fold cord is not easily broken (Ec 4:12), corresponding to perfection in testimony: three also describes perfected experience. Lu 13:32; Ge 22:4; Ac 9:9.
FOUR. Completeness in that which is created or ordained of God. Four winds from the four quarters of the heaven. Jer 49:36. Four quarters of the earth. Re 20:8. In the arranging the camp of Israel there were four standards. Nu 10:14-25. Ezekiel saw four living creatures, each had four faces, four wings, and four hands. Eze 1:5-8: compare the four living creatures in Re 4:6.
FIVE. Human weakness in its appreciation of obligation. In the dedication of the tabernacle each prince offered for a peace offering two oxen, five rams, five he goats, and five lambs. Nu 7:17-83. Weakness in contrast to the power of the enemy: five should chase a hundred. Le 26:8. the disciples could only provide five barley loaves and two small fishes when the five thousand were fed. Joh 6:9. Paul said he would rather speak five words to teach others than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 1Co 14:19. In the parable of the virgins there were five wise and five foolish. Mt 25:2.
SIX. Incompleteness, imperfection (one short of the perfect number seven). Solomon had six steps to his great throne, 1Ki 10:19; but it was not elevated enough to save him from idolatry. Six hundred sixty and six talents of gold were brought him in a year, 1Ki 10:14; yet he had to confess that all was vanity and vexation of spirit. the Jews at Cana had six water-pots for purification, Joh 2:6; but they expressed the insufficiency of ordinances to meet man's need. the number of the imperial beast will be six hundred sixty and six, Re 13:18, being imperfect in every particular.
SEVEN. Spiritual completeness, generally in good but occasionally in evil. It is the compound of three and four, and the highest single indivisible number. Seven days in a week, every seventh day was a day of rest, every seventh year was a year of rest for the land, and every seven times seven years brought the jubilee. Creation was complete on the seventh day, God's rest being the result. there were seven lamps to the golden candlestick. Nu 8:2; cf. Zec 4:2. the blood was sprinkled before the Lord seven times. Le 4:6,17; 8:11. the Christian is exhorted to keep the feast of seven days after the passover, which makes it a perpetual feast for him. 1Co 5:7-8. John speaks of seven Spirits before the throne of God. Re 1:4. there are seven abominations in man's heart. Pr 26:25. the first beast has seven heads and ten horns. Re 13:1. In the Revelation 'seven' occurs frequently; the symbol is found therein more than seven times seven. forgiveness is to be 'seventy times seven.' Mt 18:22.
EIGHT. A new departure outside of, but connected with, creation-order: hence in resurrection. Circumcision was on the eighth day, when a new communion was entered into. Eight souls were saved in the ark, to commence a new world. 1Pe 3:20; 2Pe 2:5. the new form of the future Roman empire will be the eighth. Re 17:11. the resurrection-day may be called the eighth, the day after the seventh, the Jewish sabbath.
TEN. Complete ground of. human responsibility. Pharaoh was visited by ten plagues. Ex. 7 — Ex.12. the ten commandments. Ex 34:28. Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils to Melchisedek. Ge 14:20. the Israelites gave a tenth to the Levites, and they gave a tenth to the priests. Nu 18:21,26. Ten virgins went forth to meet the bridegroom. Matt. 25. there were ten servants to whom the pounds were entrusted. Lu 19:13. In the last form of the Roman empire there will be ten kings. Re 17:12,16.
TWELVE. Completeness administratively, that is, in what is set forth or displayed manward. (The first most divisible of the earlier numbers.) there were twelve patriarchs, ancestors of the twelve tribes, who are commemorated in the twelve loaves on the table, the twelve stones in the breastplate and twelve names on the shoulders of the high priest; the twelve stones taken out of Jordan, and the twelve stones placed in the bed of the river; also in the woman with a crown of twelve stars. Re 12:1. through the twelve apostles the Lord fed the hungry multitudes. the twelve apostles will sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes. Mt 19:28. the new Jerusalem will have twelve foundations for its walls with the names of the twelve apostles; it will have twelve gates, consisting of twelve pearls, with the names of the twelve tribes inscribed, the gates will be attended by twelve angels. Re 21:12-21. there are twelve hours in the day, in which the children of light may walk. Joh 11:9. the flexibility of administrative perfection may be seen in:
Six-twos: Two apostles in each of the six companies sent to preach.
Two-sixes: Six loaves in each of the two rows of showbread.
Three-fours: Four rows of three names each on the breastplate.
Four- threes: three gates on each of the four sides of the new Jerusalem.
FORTY = 10 × 4. Complete probation to bring to light good or evil. Moses was forty years in the desert, being himself tried; he was in the mount two periods of forty days, which were times of trial to the Israelites. Ex 24:18; 34:28. the spies were forty days searching the land. Nu 13:25. the tribes were tested forty years in the wilderness. Ac 13:18. Goliath challenged Israel forty days. 1Sa 17:16. Saul, David, Solomon, and Jehoash were each tested by a reign of forty years. Elijah's period of testing at Horeb was forty days. Nineveh was given forty days for repentance. Jon 3:4. the Lord Jesus was under temptation forty days. Mr 1:13.'.

Be very careful about the information above. Symbolic values are not absolute. They are not always true in all Bible references but can be useful when the symbolic meaning fits within the context. People have taught doctrinal error by trying to force the truth of the Bible to fit their belief of symbolic values when the Bible does not actually teach what they claim. Therefore, these symbolic meanings can be useful if they fit within the context but can also lead to doctrinal error if used when they do not fit within the context.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Sa 14:45; 2Sa 14:11; 1Ki 1:52; Lu 12:7; 21:18; Ac 27:34'.

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C10-S28 (Verse 31) Our relative value to God.

Fear ye not therefore,
ye are of more value than many sparrows..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Please see the note for Matthew 10:29 for an explanation of this teaching. Luke 12:7 is an equivalent sentence. in this sentence, Jesus says why He gave the prior comparison. When we focus on this world an our feelings, it is easy to succumb to fear. When that happens, we need to claim this truth and place a higher value on the spiritual truth than on our feelings and what we see in the circumstances.

Please see the notes for Romans C11S25 and Philippians 1:12-14 about the word fear. The functional definition for this word is: 'A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. the force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear, dread, terror, fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us'. Please also see the Study called Fear the Lord. Please also see the note for Matthew 10:26 about the phrase fear not. In addition, please see the note for John 6:19 about the word afraid. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Impressed with fear or apprehension; fearful. this word expresses a less degree of fear than terrified or frightened. It is followed by of before the object of fear; as, to be afraid of death. Joseph was afraid to sin against God'.

Please see the note for Luke 12:7 about the word value. The functional definition for this word is: 'Worth; that property or those properties of a thing which render it useful or estimable; or the degree of that property or of such properties'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 6:26; 12:11-12; Ps 8:5; Lu 12:24; 1Co 9:9-10'.

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C10-S29 (Verse 32) Assurance of Jesus Christ representing us before God's throne.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Luke 12:8 is equivalent to this sentence with almost the identical words as our current sentence. Luke adds the phrase Also I say unto you,, at the start of his sentence. Where our current sentence says: I, Luke reports: the Son of man Where our current sentence says: my Father which is in heaven, Luke reports: the angels of God. Since God the Father, and His angels, are in Heaven, there is no real difference in the messages of the last phrases. Also, since the Son of man is Jesus / I, there is no real difference in the messages of those phrases.

This sentence, and the next sentence, give us a very important doctrine. Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan is the accuser of our brethren (and that he) accused them before our God day and night. And, 1John 2:1 tells us: if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. However, when we combine the doctrine of those Bible references with our current sentences, what we find is that we should not expect Jesus to defend us against truthful accusations from Satan about our sins when we act ashamed about our relationship with Jesus. He is liable to tell God the Father to let Satan punish saved people who deny me before men. Only saved people who confess me before men should expect Jesus to confess (them) also before my Father which is in heaven and expect Jesus to promise to deal with them as His child. Thus, if we want the gentler punishment given to a true child of God, then we should confess me (Jesus) before men by doing 'the Great Commission'. However, the truly saved people who refuse to confess me (Jesus) before men, by doing 'the Great Commission', should also expect Jesus to also refuse to deny before my Father which is in heaven, which means that they should expect God the Father to turn them over to Satan for punishment for their sins.

Please see the note for 2John C1S7 about the word confess. The functional definition for this word is: 'a lifestyle which proves the faith that a person claims to have In the Bible confess includes the testimony that you live'. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 6:13-16 about the word confession. The functional definition for this word is: 'Confession is acknowledging something with a lifestyle. There are two applications of This word, one of which is apt to be overlooked. The one is the confession of sin. This was enjoined by the law, and if accompanied with a sacrifice it led to forgiveness. Le 5:5; Nu 5:7. The other application of the term is a changed lifestyle due to the Lord Jesus'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'confess me. Ps 119:46; Lu 12:8-9; Joh 9:22; Ro 10:9-10; 1Ti 6:12-13; 2Ti 1:8; 1Jo 4:15; Re 2:13 him. Mt 25:34; 1Sa 2:30; Re 3:5'.

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C10-S30 (Verse 33) Assurance of Jesus Christ denying some saved before God's throne.

But whosoever shall deny me before men,
him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Please see the note above about the doctrine of this sentence.

Luke 12:9 is equivalent to this sentence with almost the identical words as our current sentence. Where our current sentence says: whosoever, Luke reports: he. Where our current sentence says: deny, Luke reports: denieth. Where our current sentence says: him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven, Luke reports: shall be denied before the angels of God. Since God the Father, and His angels, are in Heaven, there is no real difference in the messages of the last phrases. Also, there is no doctrinal difference due to the slight differences in the words reported.

Our sentence starts with the word But, which means that it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence while changing directions and, in this case, our current sentence is going in the opposite direction. Where the prior sentence had as the action verb the word confess, this sentence uses the word deny. When we confess Jesus, we don't just claim to be a Christian, but that is the definition of our life. When we confess Jesus, we don't just say that we are not a Christian, but we live the life of a sinner. So, the question becomes: 'Well, what about the people whose lives are between these extremes?'. The answer is that the Bible teaches proportional rewards and punishment. The more we confess Jesus, the more we can expect Him to represent our prayer requests before God the Father. Likewise, the more that we deny Jesus, the more we should expect Him to deny us, and our prayer requests before God the Father.

Please see the note for 2Timothy 2:11-13 about the words deny / denial. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'to contradict; to gainsay; to declare a statement or position not to be true. We deny what another says, or we deny a proposition. We deny the truth of an assertion, or the assertion itself. the sense of this verb is often expressed by no or nay. 2. to refuse to grant; as, we asked for bread, and the man denied us. 3. Not to afford; to withhold. 4. to disown; to refuse or neglect to acknowledge; not to confess'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:33; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 26:34; Matthew 26:35; Matthew 26:70; Matthew 26:72; Matthew 26:75.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'deny me. Mt 26:70-75; Mr 14:30,72; Lu 9:26; 12:9; 2Ti 2:12; 2Pe 2:1; 1Jo 2:23'.

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C10-S31 (Verse 34) Jesus Christ came to involve us in the spiritual war.

Equivalent Section: What to not think.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:.

Equivalent Section: Reality.

I came not to send peace,
but a sword..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Luke 12:49 says, something very similar to this sentence ( I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled?). In addition, Luke 12:51-52 is the equivalent of this sentence (Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. The words are not the same but the message is. In addition, the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, below, provides references to Gospel accounts which report that Jesus caused division among the Jews. And, we still see division over doctrine, especially between those who stick with what the Bible literally says as opposed to those who support their religious traditions which go against the Bible.

Back in Matthew 10:13, we read: And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. The message of that sentence is that Jesus offers peace to those people who are willing to receive His character and be part of His kingdom. However, He also brings judgment upon those people who refuse to receive His character and be part of His kingdom. Thus, He did not come to send peace on earth because the earth has both types of people: those who will accept Him as King and those who will not.

We find the word peace 39 times in the Gospel accounts.

Mark 9:50 says: Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. Notice that the peace is only one with another and that it is associated with salt. We rub salt into a wound to end corruption, but it does not feel good. Likewise, correction the corruption of doctrinal error does not feel good to the people receiving the correction.
Luke 1:79 says: that Jesus would To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Since He must guide our feet into the way of peace, we do not know it naturally and, again, those who follow the way of error will fight against correction.
Luke 7:50 says: And he said to the woman, thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. Notice that Jesus offered her peace only after she was saved.
Luke 8:48 says: And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. Notice that Jesus offered her peace only after she was saved.
As already mentioned, Luke 10 instructs the disciples to offer peace only to the people who accepted the Gospel.
Luke 12:51-53 are the equivalent of this sentence and the next couple of sentences and tell us that Jesus did not come to bring peace but division.
As already mentioned, Luke 19:38-40 tell us that the disciples of Jesus were glorifying God because He gave peace and the Pharisees objected. We see that religious people lie when they claim to want peace. They really want everyone to submit to their chosen religious traditions.
As already mentioned, Luke 19:42-44 tell us that Jesus prophesied war and destruction on Jerusalem because they rejected Him as their King.
As already mentioned, Luke 24:36-41 tell us that Jesus appeared in the middle of the upper room after His resurrection and said: Peace be unto you. He deliberately refused to be seen by any lost people except His immediate physical family after the resurrection. Therefore, once more, we see that God's peace is only offered to the saved.
John 14:27 says: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
John 16:33 says: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. this matches what was said earlier for another Gospel reference.
John 20:19 says: Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. this matches what was said earlier for another Gospel reference.
John 20:21 says: Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Please notice the association between having God's peace and doing the 'Great Commission'.
John 20:26 says: And after eight days again his disciples were within, and thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Please notice that every time that Jesus is reported to visit the first thing that He offers is peace. Please also notice that He came this time specifically to deal with thomas's doubt. We can not have God's peace while we doubt the word of God.

If the reader counts, they will see that I did not deal with every reference to the word peace within the Gospels. However, if the reader will do their own research, they will find that the remaining references also, indirectly, support the doctrine presented in this note.

Hopefully, the reader sees that God's peace is only offered to the saved. In addition, lost religious people fight against God's peace as well as they fight against the truth and religious lies from other men. Please also use the links provided in the word definitions, below, to access the notes which explain the peace of God and peace with God. As a result, and as Jesus says in our sentence: I came not to send peace, but a sword. He fights against the lies of false doctrine and religious lies. He also expects His people to take the sword that He brings (the word of God Ephesians 6:17) and use it to help Him in His fight against doctrinal error.

Please see the note for Romans C8S37 about the word sword. The functional definition for this word is: 'An offensive weapon worn at the side, and used by hand either for thrusting or cutting. 2. Figuratively, destruction by war'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:34; Matthew 26:47; Matthew 26:51; Matthew 26:52; Matthew 26:55.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that I. Jer 15:10; Lu 12:49-53; Joh 7:40-52; Ac 13:45-50; 14:2,4 General references. exp: Lu 12:51; Joh 10:19.'.

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C10-S32 (Verse 35) Jesus Christ will divide family loyalties.

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father,
and the daughter against her mother,
and the daughter in law against her mother in law..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Luke 12:53 says, the equivalent message of this sentence but with much more details. As mentioned for a prior sentence, Matthew gives us the perspective that Jesus is God's Christ and King. Therefore, just as a king gives a general decree, and leaves the details to others, so also does Matthew skip some details. Likewise, Luke gives us the perspective that Jesus is a literal physical man. Therefore, Luke provides the details that men desire.

In addition to the reference in Luke, this chapter told us a similar thing back in Matthew 10:21. There, Jesus was speaking about what the Jews would go through but here He is speaking about many people at different times during the 'Church Age'. (The note for Matthew 10:21 has links to other Bible references where we find similar prophecies.)

Our sentence starts with the word For, which means it is giving us the reason why the prior sentence is true. Now, the message, starting in the prior sentence, might seem to be independent from what came before this section, but they are related in a way that allows people who only read the surface meaning to miss the connection. Starting back in Matthew 10:16, Jesus started warning the disciples about the division, persecution and similar things, including death, that religious people would bring against God's true children who deliver God's message to this world. And, Jesus made it clear that these religious people would act this way because they prefer the lies of their religious traditions to the truth of the word of God. From that point through the end of the chapter, Jesus is telling us about this division but using several different ways to tell us. Therefore, the message starting in Matthew 10:34, and continuing through Matthew 10:38 is not really giving us a different message but is only giving us a different application of the basic message of this chapter. The theme of our chapter is: 'The start of the spiritual life of the church'. And, the first thing that Jesus tells us about this spiritual life is that it must make us different from religious people and that the resulting division will cause all of the problems mentioned in this chapter.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S6 about the word settle. The functional definition for this word is: 'Placed; established; determined; composed; adjusted'.

Please see the note for Galatians C5S20 about the word variance. The functional definition for this word is: 'Disagreement; discord; dissension'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

Please see the note for Mark 1:30 about the word mother. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The law commanded that honour was to be paid to a mother as well as to a father. In nearly all cases the mothers of the kings of Israel are mentioned as well as the fathers. the wise woman who appealed to Joab as 'a mother in Israel,' was at once listened to. 2Sa 20:19. A mother has naturally great influence over her children, whether for good or evil, as Jochebed the mother of Moses, and Jezebel the mother of Athaliah. the children of the virtuous woman arise and call her blessed. Pr 31:28. Timothy had a faithful mother and grandmother. 2Ti 1:5. there are also 'mothers' in the church, who have the Lord's interests at heart in the welfare of the saints, as Paul called the mother of Rufus his own mother also. Ro 16:13.'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C6S1; Galatians C2-S10 and Psalms 119 about the word law. The functional definition for this word is: 'the set of written or commonly understood rules for acceptable behavior and which can be used by a legal system for punishing offenders'. Please also see the note for Galatians 3:10 about the phrase book of the law. Please also see the note for Revelation 13:8-LJC about the phrase book of the life. Please also see the notes for Romans C3S31 and 1Corinthians 9:21-LJC about the phrase kinds of laws that apply to us tday. Please also see the note for Romans C3S27 about the phrase law of works. Please also see the note for Romans C3S25 about the phrase law and faith. Please also see the note for Galatians C3S22 about the phrase Mosaic Law added. Please also see the note for Hebrews 10:28-29 about the phrase New Testament replaces only the religious part of the Mosaic Law. Please also see the note for Hebrews 19:29-LJC about the phrase religious part of Mosaic Law. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 10:21; 24:10; Mic 7:5; Mr 13:12; Lu 21:16 exp: Lu 12:51; Joh 7:43; 10:19.'.

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C10-S33 (Verse 36) Our families will be our enemies because of Jesus Christ.
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence. The immediately prior sentence told us that relatives, in the same family, would fight each other over religion and the truth of God which is opposed by religious traditions. Now, our current sentence adds a second saying of the same thing. This second saying fulfills the requirement of the Bible to be a part of the law of God that is more reliable than the law of gravity. Please consider that Webster's 1828 defines the word foe as: 'An enemy; one who entertains personal enmity, hatred, grudge or malice against another. A man's foes shall be they of his own household. Matt. 10. 2. An enemy in war; one of a nation at war with another, whether he entertains enmity against the opposing nation or not; an adversary. Either three years famine, or three months to be destroyed before they foes. 1Chron. 21. 3. Foe, like enemy, in the singular, is used to denote an opposing army, or nation at war. 4. An opponent; an enemy; one who opposes anything in principle; an ill-wisher; as a foe to religion; a foe to virtue; a foe to the measures of the administration.' thus, our current sentence is used to define the word foe. And, the definition emphasizes the personal nature of the feelings and the opposition. No fight is more bitter than such a fight between personal family members. Yet, our next sentence, which must also be considered because of context, makes it clear that our loyalty to Jesus Christ must be greater than our loyalty to any family member.

Please see the note for Acts 2:35 about the word foes. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'n. fo. 1. An enemy; one who entertains personal enmity, hatred, grudge or malice against another. A man's foes shall be they of his own household. Matt. 10. 2. An enemy in war; one of a nation at war with another, whether he entertains enmity against the opposing nation or not; an adversary. Either three years famine, or three months to be destroyed before they foes. 1Chron. 21. 3. Foe, like enemy, in the singular, is used to denote an opposing army, or nation at war. 4. An opponent; an enemy; one who opposes anything in principle; an ill-wisher; as a foe to religion; a foe to virtue; a foe to the measures of the administration'.

Please see the note for Matthew 10:25 about the words household / householder. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines the word household as: 'Those who dwell in a house under one head, including the wife and children, and embracing servants who were usually slaves. Ge 15:2-3; Lu 12:42; Ac 10:7; Php 4:22. We read of the baptism of whole households. Ac 16:15; 1Co 1:16. the Lord speaks of His disciples as His household, Mt 10:25; and saints are called the 'household of faith,' and the 'household of God.' Ga 6:10; Eph :19.'. Webster's 1828 defines the word householder as: 'The master or chief of a family; one who keeps house with his family. Matt.13.'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 5:1 about the word house. Besides the normal usage, this word is also used, symbolically within the Bible, for the descendants of a person. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:17 about the phrase house of God. Please also see the note for Luke 1:26-27 about the phrase house of David. Please also see the note for Luke 1:32-33 about the phrase house of Jacob. Please also see the note for Matthew 10:25 about the words household / householder.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ge 3:15; 4:8-10; 37:17-28; 1Sa 17:28; 2Sa 16:11; Job 19:13-19; Ps 41:9; 55:13; Jer 12:6; 20:10; Mic 7:6; Joh 13:8 exp: Lu 12:51.'.

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C10-S34 (Verse 37) the relative importance that Jesus Christ must have.

Equivalent Section: Jesus must be more important than ancestors.

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:.

Equivalent Section: Jesus must be more important than descendants.

and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me..

Matthew 10:37-42 tells us we are to be willing to lose this life, and everything in it, if we want to enjoy life in our incorruptible body and be part of the 1,000-years reign of Christ.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Luke 14:26 gives an equivalent message. The reference in Luke is a different time and context but the message is the same. That means that the message of our sentence is always true and not dependent upon any conditions of life. If the reader looks at the note for the sentence in Luke, along with the contextual requirements, they should see the truth of what I just wrote.

Simply put: our sentence says that Jesus must be more important than any other relationship. Yes, we will have our relationships with relatives while we are in this life. However, the relationship that the saved have with Jesus Christ will last for eternity. In addition, one of the reasons why we keep good relationships with family is because the have a responsibility to help us in time of need. However, Jesus Christ can, and will, provide greater help even if it is only in eternity. Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36 and Luke 9:25 tells us: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? One of the reasons that Jesus came is to save your soul (Hebrews 10:39; James 1:21). Our soul is one of the things that we will take with us when we leave our body. However, all of the changes to our soul occur here in this life and whatever spiritual maturity that we have for eternity is determined in this life because no changes occur after death. Therefore, as important as our family relationships are for this life, our relationship with Jesus Christ is more important because, among other things, the effect is longer lasting.

I've heard this Bible reference, and Luke 14:26, preached several times but I can't recall anyone also explaining the contextual requirements. They are very important to full understanding of these Bible references. The majority of this chapter, and all of this section of this chapter, are applicable to every saved person during the 'Church Age'. In addition, these sayings are given by Jesus as instructions for the first time that He sent any of His disciples out to do the 'Great Commission'. And, the 'Great Commission' is probable the most neglected command of today. Jesus attached these instructions, and all that is in this chapter, to His command to do the 'Great Commission' because they are to be motivations to us to obey this command.

Please see the notes for Romans 8:39-LJC; Galatians C5-S14; Philippians 1:9-11; love in 1John and 2John 1:3-LJC about the word love. In particular, the note for 2John 1:3-LJC has links to every place where John writes about the word love. Please also see the note for Revelation 8:35-LJC for a table which divides the various roles of God and gives Bible references for how God loves us through each of His roles. Please also see the note for Revelation 8:35-LJC for a table which divides the various roles of God and gives Bible references for how God loves us through each of His roles. Please see the note for 1John C3S26 about the phrase love one another. Please see the note for Matthew 19:19 about the phrase love thy neighbour. Please see the note for 1John C4S13 about the phrase perfect love. Please see the notes for Romans C9S23 and Colossians C3S8 about the word beloved. Please also see the note for Matthew 17:5 for links to every place where the phrase beloved Son is applied to Jesus. The true Biblical doctrine of this word is very complex since it is a character trait of God. That said, the functional definition, of the word love, is: 'Doing what brings the greatest ultimate good to another being without any consideration of cost to self and not consideration of any response by the other and a willingness to even bring short-term pain if that is what is required in order to bring the ultimate long-tern good'. The functional definition, of the word beloved, is: 'be and loved, from love. Greatly loved; dear to the heart'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that loveth father. Mt 22:37; De 33:9; Lu 14:26; Joh 5:23; 21:15-17; 2Co 5:14-15; Php 3:7-9 not. Mt 22:8; Lu 20:35; 21:36; 2Th 1:5-7; Re 3:4 General references. exp: Ge 22:3; Mt 4:20,22; 25:42; Joh 14:15.'.

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C10-S35 (Verse 38) the requirement for personal sacrifice.

And he that taketh not his cross,
and followeth after me,
is not worthy of me..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Matthew 10:37-42 tells us we are to be willing to lose this life, and everything in it, if we want to enjoy life in our incorruptible body and be part of the 1,000-years reign of Christ.

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior sentence. The note for the prior sentence is important and gives an explanation of why contextual requirements are important. As explained there, many people will preach the prior sentence, this sentence, and the next sentence, as if they were independent of their context. However, the contextual requirements are critical for avoiding doctrinal error and because, such as in these sentence, they make the message of the Bible reference stronger and clearer.

Please also see the Messages called Do the Will of God and Do it!. Those messages explain that it is not good enough to have good intentions nor to make a commitment but that God will judge us according to our actual works.

Please note the th in the words taketh and followeth. That means that this sentence is giving us lifestyle actions which are required for the rest of our lives. In addition, since our sentence starts with the word and, our sentence is added to the prior sentence and tells us what to do when our family members turn against us. That is: when our own family members become our enemies in a very personal and emotional way because of our trust in Jesus, we are to accept all of the hurt and damage that causes and concentrate on following Jesus. This is the only way that we will be greeted in Heaven with a well done thou good and faithful servant (Matthew 25). Anything less means that we are not worthy of (being a servant of) me (Jesus).

Now, there are lots of applications to this sentence with lots of examples that preachers can give for the phrase taketh his cross. But, I believe most of those examples would be less emotionally painful than having to turn your back on your immediate family when they want to disown you and even declare you dead, as some saved people have experienced. In addition, the notes at the links, provided below, for the word follow, will also provide more applications. But, the main thing to realize is that no one will actually do this unless they value everlasting spiritual rewards far above anything that this world has to offer.

Please see the note for Mark 10:21 about the phrase take up your cross. That note has many links to Bible references which are related to the message of this sentence. In addition, please see the note for Galatians C5-S12 about the word cross. The functional definition for this word is: 'The symbol of the payment for sin made by Jesus Christ'. We are instructed as we are in this sentence so that we can also participate in the saving of the souls of others and, thereby, receive greater rewards in Heaven. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 27:32; Matthew 27:40; Matthew 27:42.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 16:24; 27:32; Mr 8:34; 10:21; Lu 9:23-24; 14:27; Joh 19:17 exp: Mt 25:42.'.

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C10-S36 (Verse 39) the promise of future results.

Equivalent Section: Save now and lose later.

He that findeth his life shall lose it:.

Equivalent Section: Lose now and gain later.

and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it..

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Matthew 10:37-42 tells us we are to be willing to lose this life, and everything in it, if we want to enjoy life in our incorruptible body and be part of the 1,000-years reign of Christ.

Luke 17:33 and John 12:25 are the equivalent of this sentence. In addition, we find a matching doctrine in Matthew 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-38 and Luke 9:23-26. (The second set of references tell us to follow Jesus Christ while the first set tell us to lose our current life in order to follow Him.)

We see a similar precept several places in the Gospel accounts which can be found by looking for the word reward. Simply put, Jesus said, repeatedly, that God's people who receive a reward here, in this physical reality, will not get one after they get to Heaven. However, God's people who serve God with no reward here will receive a reward that they can not lose after they get to Heaven. And, as already mentioned, our current sentence is saying that saved people can enjoy (findeth his life) this current physical life as a lifestyle , or they can suffer to serve God, as a lifestyle , and (find it in Heaven) and enjoy his life, in an incorruptible body (1Corinthians 15:42-46), during the 1,000-years reign of Christ.

The notes for each of the Bible references above give the application of each reference, within the circumstances where each reference is found. If the reader compares the notes for each reference they should be able to understand the different applications.

The first phrase, of our current sentence, says: He that findeth his life shall lose it. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it. The equivalent phrase from John says: He that loveth his life shall lose it. We see the same message in all three reports with the exception that our current sentence, says: findeth his life while Luke says: seek to save his life the equivalent phrase from John says: loveth his life. If someone finds how to enjoy this life in an ongoing basis (findeth), he will come to love it and will seek to save his life. So, while there are technical differences in these phrases, they are all related. And, the differences seen here can all be explained by the circumstances where the Bible references are found. That is; these differences are simply different applications of the basic doctrinal precept.

The doctrine of our current sentence is that it is part of the ending (summary) of a chapter which tells us; 'The start of the spiritual life of the church'. The true 'spiritual life of the church' is concentrating on spiritual matters to serve Jesus, God's kingdom and the Gospel while in this physical life. In addition, the chapter has many warnings about people, who were true servants of God, being rejected and persecuted by people in this world, and especially by the religious people. And, with all of this, Jesus also said: to not worry about losing the love and protection of God the Father because He is keeping our reward in Heaven, where no one can steal them. And, we have to accept that even our own family will fight against us. However, if we find how to have a enjoyable physical life then we will lose our true spiritual life, and the true rewards of it, because we are not fighting against the people who fight against God's truth. God's enemies are to be our enemies and we are to fight against them because they fight against God. We are to not find an enjoyable life here with the expectation of God rewarding us for siding with His enemies. That lying doctrine comes from devils and God will never accept it just because some of His children are foolish enough to believe the lie.

The next phrase, of our current sentence, says: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. The equivalent phrase from Luke says: and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. The equivalent phrase from John says: and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. Probably the most important thing that we find by comparing these phrases is that John clarifies the types of life that Jesus is talking about. The first type of life is life in this world. The second type of life is life eternal. And, this is true for all three Bible references and for both phrases in each Bible reference.

Please notice that, between the two Equivalent Sections of our sentence, every possibility is covered. We will have one result or the other result and the results come directly from the lifestyle that we chose to live here in this physical world. There is no other option regardless of what liars claim. Therefore, anyone who does not agree with exactly that Jesus says here is calling Jesus a liar.

The next thing to realize is that the words find, preserve and keep all have the same application, even while having different definitions. Someone who finds life eternal, is going to keep / preserve it because of the promise of Jesus Christ. And, that only leaves us with the differences in the words of: loseth, shall lose and hateth. If someone truly does hateth his life in this world, then he will have no problem with losing it and not bothering to get it back (loseth). Thus, as with the rest of these sentences, we see the same message and application even while the details have technical differences.

Now, with the prior written, and with our already having considered the context, we can look at the details of our sentence. But, we have actually also considered those details while comparing the message of this sentence to similar sentences found elsewhere in the word of God. Therefore, the only thing left to cover is the true Bible definitions of the words used.

Please see the note for John 1:41 about the word find. The functional definition for this word is: 'Literally, to come to; to meet; hence, to discover by the eye; to gain first sight or knowledge of something lost; to recover either by searching for it or by accident'.

Please see the note for John 12:25 about the word lose. The functional definition for this word is: 'To mislay; to part or be separated from a thing, so as to have no knowledge of the place where it is; as, to lose a book or a paper; to forfeit by unsuccessful contest; as, to lose money in gaming. 3. Not to gain or win'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:39; Matthew 42; Matthew 16:25; Matthew 16:26.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 16:25-26; Mr 8:35-36; Lu 17:33; Joh 12:25; Php 1:20-21; 2Ti 4:6-8; Re 2:10'.

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C10-S37 (Verse 40) the relationship between God and His messenger.

He that receiveth you receiveth me,
and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me..

Luke 9:43-45 provides a matching doctrine to the last three sentences of this chapter.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Matthew 10:37-42 tells us we are to be willing to lose this life, and everything in it, if we want to enjoy life in our incorruptible body and be part of the 1,000-years reign of Christ.

Please notice that this sentence only goes in one direction. It does not speak about someone rejecting us and we can not assume that someone rejecting us has, necessarily, rejected Jesus. The truth is that people can reject us for many reasons without rejecting Jesus. This probably happens most often when we tell a meat doctrine to saved people who are spiritual babes (1Corinthians 3:1-3).

1Samuel 8:7 says: And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. This happened when God's people rejected the true message from God that came through Samuel. The people insisted that they were only rejecting the massager. However, when a true man of God delivers the true word of God, they are not truly rejecting the messenger but are truly rejecting the message. Imagine someone convicted of murder telling the judge that the judge, and court, can not punish him because he did not like the pen that the law makers to write the law saying that murder was a punishable crime. The judge is going to call that person an idiot and a fool. We see the same is true with God. 2Peter 1:21 says: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Just as a pen puts down the ink as we move it, and what is written is actually from us and not from the pen, so also did God's Holy Ghost move holy men to write His word of God. And, the only way that we can truly expect God to keep all of the promises found in the word of God is if it was truly written by God and not by man.

So, when we consider this truth and how it apples to our current sentence, we see that if we truly deliver the true message from the word of God, then we see that the people who receiveth you have truly receiveth me (Jesus) and have truly receiveth him that sent me (God the Father) because they realized that the true source of the message is God and that the people are only messengers.

Once more we can see the importance of considering the context. This sentence is given in the context of our taking the plan of salvation ('Great Commission') to lost people. It is not applicable to other things such as taking our religious traditions to people and insisting that they keep religious traditions which go against the true doctrine of the word of God. In addition, the word receiveth is: 'a lifestyle receiving'. This is not applicable to someone who makes a one-time profession and then spends the rest of their life rejection all of the commandments found in the word of God.

In addition to the prior truth, our context tells us that people who truly receiveth me (Jesus) do so in spite of contention and persecution from unbelievers (1Thessalonians 1:5-7 and what the immediately prior sentences say). Thus, a person who claims to have been saved (received Jesus) but does not hold to the truth and obey it in spite of persecution, has not truly and completely receiveth me (Jesus). They might be saved and going to heaven, but, according to the doctrine of our chapter, they can not expect to have any reward there waiting for them.

Finally, this sentence is in context of the last two sentences of our chapter. Those sentences promise rewards for doing the right thing for God's people in spite of persecution and other things that the world does to try to discourage obedience to God. Jesus suffered and died for the salvation of other people. Anyone who is not willing to truly suffer and die for the salvation of others, has not truly receiveth me (Jesus).

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'He that. Mt 18:5; 25:40,45; Lu 9:48; 10:16; Joh 13:20; 20:21; 2Co 5:20; Ga 4:14; 1Th 4:8 and he that. Joh 5:23; 12:44-49; Php 2:10-11; 1Jo 2:22-23; 2Jo 1:9'.

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C10-S38 (Verse 41) the precept that is the basis of the prior promises.

First Step: Reward for receiving a prophet.

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward;.

Second Step: Reward for receiving a righteous man.

and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward..

Luke 9:43-45 provides a matching doctrine to the last three sentences of this chapter.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Matthew 10:37-42 tells us we are to be willing to lose this life, and everything in it, if we want to enjoy life in our incorruptible body and be part of the 1,000-years reign of Christ.

Our sentence is added to the prior where we saw the same principal applied to Jesus Christ and God the Father. With this addition, Jesus is letting us know that this principal has many applications. However, our current sentence makes it clear that the Biblical definition of the word receive is more than what the simple definition, below, implies and is more than what many people realize. In order to receive (the) reward of Jesus Christ, God, a prophet or a righteous man, the person receiving must do more than letting them into the building. They must do more that let them hang around. In truth, the person who is receiving must accept that person's character as their own character. Think about it. If they don't receive the character, then how can God give them the reward which is reserved for people with the specified character? Lots of people call themselves Christian. However, the Bible teaches that only those saved people who fulfilled the true Biblical requirements to be a true Biblical Christian will receive the associated rewards from God. And, it doesn't matter what some liar claims, no body can force God to give then a reward that God determines they have not earned. And, in our sentence, we are told that these particular rewards are limited to those people who receive the applicable person and learn to become like them.

Please see the Bible references provided by the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, below, for other places where we see similar doctrine.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S1; 1Corinthians C15S1 and Colossians C2-S4 about the word receive. The functional definition for this word is: 'To take, as a thing offered or sent; to accept'.

Please see the notes for Luke 1:76; Romans C16S33 and Romans C12S5 and the Book Study from Jude about the word prophet. The functional definition for this word is: the functional definition is: 'a person who tells us what God actually says, which is usually different from what religion says. In Old Testament times, a prophet of God was verified by his telling a true prediction of future events. In New Testament times, a prophet of God is verified by comparing his doctrine to what the word of God literally says'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. . Please also see the Study called False things According to the Bible about false prophets. Please also see the notes for Romans C12S5; 1Corinthians C11S4 and 1Thessalonians 5:20 about the words prophecy / prophesy. The functional definition for this word is: 'The world claims that this word means a foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. True Biblical prophecy is telling the Law of God when religious doctrine took people away from the truth. Before the word of God was complete, true prophecy was accompanied by a true telling of a future event to show thayt the message came from God. Since the word of God has been complete, true prophecy matches the word of God to correct doctrinal error. the prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C9S26 about the word reward. The functional definition for this word is: 'Recompense, or equivalent return for good done, for kindness, for services and the like'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that receiveth a prophet. Ge 20:7; 1Ki 17:9-15,20-24; 18:3-4; 2Ki 4:8-10,16-17,32-37; Ac 16:15; Ro 16:1-4,23; 2Ti 1:16-18; Heb 6:10; 3Jo 1:5-8 a righteous man's. Mt 6:1,4,6,18; 16:27; 25:34-40; Isa 3:10; Lu 14:13-14; 1Co 9:17; 2Th 1:6-7; 2Jo 1:8'.

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C10-S39 (Verse 42) the promise of everlasting rewards.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple,
verily I say unto you,
he shall in no wise lose his reward..

Luke 9:43-45 provides a matching doctrine to the last three sentences of this chapter.

Matthew 10:37-42 tells us we are to be willing to lose this life, and everything in it, if we want to enjoy life in our incorruptible body and be part of the 1,000-years reign of Christ.

Remember that the context of this chapter is instructions to the twelve (12) as Jesus sent them out to be missionaries and to give them experience doing the 'Great Commission'. In addition, this section of the chapter is not limited to those days but applies to us also. Yes, earlier sentences, in this chapter, were to be applied only to the Jews, but, starting with Matthew 10:24, and continuing through the end of the chapter, these instructions are to be applied to all saved during the 'Church Age'.

Mark 9:41 tells us the same doctrine but is presented in a different context. This, we see that this is a precept with several applications. The end of out current chapter gives us three applications and Mark presents a fourth application.

A very important point to understanding this sentence is to realize that, in the Bible, the word name means: 'the power and authority which is associated with the name'. In Acts 19:13-16, we read about seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests who tried to use the name of Jesus to cast out a devil. Since they had no right to use the name of Jesus, the devil answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. thus, we see that just claiming the name, when you do not have the right to 'the power and authority which is associated with the name', does not work for Bible truth. Therefore, in order for someone to 'claim' the promise of this sentence, they must fulfill the true Biblical definition of a disciple. (Please see the Message called Spiritual Maturity Levels according to the Bible for the true Biblical definition of a disciple.)

Our sentence starts with the word And, which adds it to the prior two sentences which tell us about receiving everlasting rewards for serving God. Our sentence tells us that as soon as we become a true Biblical disciple, and start participating in the work of God, we shall in no wise lose (our) reward. However, as already mentioned, we must fulfill the true Biblical requirements in order to receive the promise.

Please see the note for Mark 14:23 about the words drink / drank. The functional definition for this word is: 'The drinks of the Hebrews were water, wine, "strong drink," and vinegar. their drinking vessels were the cup, goblet or "basin," the "cruse" or pitcher, and the saucer. to drink water by measure (Eze 4:11), and to buy water to drink (La 5:4), denote great scarcity. to drink blood means to be satiated with slaughter. the Jews carefully strained their drinks through a sieve, through fear of violating the law of Le 11:20,23,41-42. (See Mt 23:24. "Strain at" should be "strain out.")'. The symbolic meaning was well understood in the ancient cultures and is still considered significant by many religions of today.

Please see the note for John 18:11 about the word cup. The functional definition for this word is: 'Used for drinking and divination, within the Bible. Used symbolically for what holds something which we take into our body and it affects our spirit'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 10:42; Matthew 20:22; Matthew 20:23; Matthew 23:25; Matthew 23:26; Matthew 26:27; Matthew 26:39; Matthew 26:42.

Please see the note for John 18:18 about the word cold. The functional definition for this word is: 'An extreme lack of warmth. Used symbolically for an extreme lack of caring and even antagonistic feelings'.

Please see the note for Luke 3:16 about the word water. The functional definition for this word is: 'The basic liquid of life. It is used symbolically for more than one meaning. Consideration of the context is required in order to determine the usage in any Bible reference'. Please also see the note for John 4:10 about the phrase waters: living. Please also see the note for John 7:38 about the phrase waters: rivers of living water.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'one. Mt 8:5-6; 18:3-6,10,14; 25:40; Zec 13:7; Mr 9:42; Lu 17:2; 1Co 8:10-13 a cup. Mr 9:41; 12:42-43; 14:7-8; 2Co 8:12 he shall. Pr 24:14; Lu 6:35; 2Co 9:6-15; Php 4:15-19; Heb 6:10 General references. exp: Pr 3:10.'.

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Interpretive Study of Matthew's Gospel-9,10.

Matthew Chapter 9

links to sentences in this chapter:

Chapter theme: the scribes and Pharisees start their doctrinal fight with Jesus

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

Matthew Chapter 10

links to sentences in this chapter:

Chapter theme: the start of the spiritual life of the church

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

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