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Tag: Gospel of Matthew

Those who humble themselves will be exalted

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What does it mean that those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matthew 23:12)?

The Jewish teachers and religious leaders of Jesus’ day—the scribes and Pharisees—exhibited many undesirable traits. Chief among them were pride and hypocrisy. In Matthew 23:1–12, Jesus warns His followers not to imitate their despicable behavior, concluding with these words: “The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11–12, NLT).

According to the paradoxical principles of God’s kingdom, the greatest person is the one willing to stoop to the lowest place and serve others (see Matthew 20:24–28). The Pharisees tried to prove their worth by lifting themselves above everyone else. But the Lord’s faithful servants don’t need to exalt themselves. They have nothing to prove. Instead, they humble themselves before God and are filled with His grace, trusting that God exalts the humble (James 4:6, 10).

God commands His people to “walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8; see also Exodus 10:3; Isaiah 57:15; Zephaniah 2:3; Luke 14:9–11; 1 Peter 3:8) and to “be completely humble” (Ephesians 4:2; see also Colossians 3:12; James 3:13). The Lord declares, “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word” (Isaiah 66:2, NLT). The Beatitudes echo with reminders that God exalts the humble (see Matthew 5:3–12).

Godly leadership is always marked by humility. Peter taught, “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:5–6, ESV). The Bible consistently characterizes people deserving of high positions as those with an attitude of unassuming servanthood (Proverbs 25:6–7; 2 Samuel 7:8; 1 Kings 14:7; Luke 1:52).

One day, the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1). The Lord answered, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4; see also Matthew 19:14). Humility is linked with repentance and salvation (see 2 Kings 22:19; 2 Chronicles 7:14; 12:6–7; 12; 30:11; 33:12,19; 34:27).

Jesus Christ gave us the supreme example of humble, obedient submission to the Father: “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:6–11, NLT). God the Son humbled Himself and became a human. He selflessly served others, ultimately sacrificing His life to save us (Matthew 20:26–28). And God exalted Him to the highest place of honor.

Just as “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), “humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 15:33). The proud are brought low, but God exalts the humble.

True greatness in the eyes of God is letting ourselves “become less and less” and Him “become “greater and greater” (John 3:30, NLT). It means becoming like Jesus, who stooped down to wash the disciples’ feet (John 13:4–17). God will surely humble us if we try to exalt ourselves as the scribes and Pharisees did. But if we voluntarily humble ourselves by avoiding the limelight and serving others, God will exalt us in His time.

One taken and the other left

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What does it mean that one will be taken and the other left (Matthew 24:40)?

Jesus’ words can often be challenging, and many scholars face interpretive difficulties with the part of the Olivet Discourse where Jesus says, “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24:40–41). The same teaching is found in Luke 17, with the added illustration that “two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left” (verse 34).

Jesus made the statement that “one will be taken and the other left” in His response to the disciples’ questions over the signs of His coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). Prior to this statement, Jesus told His disciples that “about that day or hour no one knows” (verse 36). Then He pointed to a historical parallel: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (verses 37–39). So, the context is one of judgment. The time is Jesus’ second coming.

Some have tried to press this passage into teaching the rapture of the church. While it’s true that the rapture will also result in some who are “taken away” and others left behind, it is better to understand Matthew 24 as speaking about the second coming, not the rapture. Jesus’ reference of Noah’s flood suggests that those who are taken away are taken in judgment. The taken will be destroyed, just as the ungodly of Noah’s day were swept away by the flood. Furthermore, they won’t even know what hit them. They will be continuing with life as normal when judgment suddenly befalls them. Jesus’ second coming and the accompanying judgment will be sudden and surprising for the unprepared.

So, our view is that those who are “taken” in Matthew 24:40 are destined for judgment, while those who remain are righteous individuals who will survive and enter the messianic kingdom. This happens at the end of the tribulation, when Jesus arrives with the armies of heaven (see Revelation 19:11–16). Regardless of one’s stance on who will be taken and who will be left, one thing is certain: the return of Jesus will be momentous, resulting in a clear separation between the righteous and the wicked. This world is temporary, and all people will face the Righteous Judge some day, and all need to be ready for that judgment.

With men this is impossible

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What does “with men this is impossible” mean (Matthew 19:26)?

On His final journey to Jerusalem before His death, Jesus encountered a rich young man who asked what he must do to receive eternal life (Matthew 19:16–30). Jesus took the opportunity to teach His disciples about the dangers of acquiring wealth and possessions, which can often hinder one’s faith. Anything that gets in the way of our commitment to following God must be forsaken (see verse 21). When Jesus stressed how hard it was for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven, the disciples were utterly astounded. They had adopted the prevailing belief that wealth was evidence of God’s favor. “Then who in the world can be saved?” the disciples asked (verse 25, NLT).

Looking at them intently, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26, NKJV). Jesus presented the key to salvation. In and of themselves, humans do not have what it takes to enter the kingdom of heaven. A person may possess every earthly blessing but remains powerless to save himself. Salvation is God’s gift alone (Romans 5:15–16).

Riches tend to make us self-reliant, self-centered, and distracted by worldly pursuits. We put too much confidence in ourselves and our wealth and lose our childlike trust and reliance on the goodness and mercy of God. Nonetheless, it is humanly impossible to earn our way or work our way into heaven: “But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life” (Titus 3:4–7, NLT).

When Jesus said, “With men this is impossible,” He meant that it is only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ that a person can be saved (Ephesians 2:4–9; see also Acts 15:11; 16:30–31; Romans 3:21–24; 5:1–2; 11:5–6). Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6; John 10:9; Hebrews 10:19–20; 1 Timothy 2:5). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Belief in Jesus changes what is humanly impossible into unlimited possibilities with God. Through faith in Jesus Christ, mere mortals receive “the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12–13). As God’s children, we receive the indescribably good gift of eternal life (John 3:15–16; Romans 10:9; 2 Corinthians 9:15).

Job and others in Scripture asked similar questions as the disciples, “How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure?” (Job 25:4; see also 1 Samuel 6:20; Job 4:17–19; 9:2; 15:14–16; Psalm 130:3; Psalm 143:2; Malachi 3:2; Revelation 6:17). Apart from the Lord’s intervention, becoming righteous before God is hopeless. With men, this is impossible! But with God, “we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory” (Romans 5:1–2, NLT).

With men this is impossible means there’s no place in God’s kingdom for boasting about our own righteousness (Romans 3:27–30; 1 Corinthians 1:28–31). The apostle Paul expounded, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:20–21). Paul continued, “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died” (Galatians 6:14, NLT).

With men this is impossible affirms that any form of self-justification is useless. We can’t buy our way into heaven or work our way into God’s kingdom. The believer’s only hope of salvation—his only confidence in drawing near to God—is in God Himself, with whom all things are possible.

Do not give dogs what is sacred

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

Why are we instructed, “Do not give dogs what is sacred” in Matthew 7:6?

Millions of people worldwide have pet dogs that they care for and love. Yet, in the ancient world, people didn’t have the same fondness for man’s best friend. As the Bible illustrates, people thought dogs were disgusting (Luke 16:21), dumb (Proverbs 26:11), and worthy of disdain (1 Samuel 17:43).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus drew upon the poor reputation of dogs to illustrate an important point to His disciples about preaching the gospel. He said, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6, ESV).

To start with, we notice that Jesus forbids two foolish acts, which both symbolize the same thing. First, He warns against giving dogs what is holy, as they do not revere sacred items. Second, He cautions against offering pigs what is valuable, because they do not esteem such prized possessions. Neither dogs nor pigs hold such things in high regard; the special quality of valuable items is lost on such animals. In these descriptions, what is holy and valuable represents the proclamation of the gospel, and the animals represent those who have heard the good news and have rejected it.

The disciples shouldn’t offer what is holy (the message of the gospel) to dogs (those who have shown that they consider it worthless). Jesus reiterated this principle in a more straightforward way later in His ministry, saying, “And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town” (Matthew 10:14; cf. Proverbs 9:8).

The context of Matthew 7:6 provides more insight for how Christians can apply the principle today. In the passage, Jesus is teaching about making correct judgments (Matthew 7:1–6). First, He warns His followers not to make hypocritical judgments, instructing them to first take the log out of their own eye before they attempt to help someone else (Matthew 7:3–5). Then, He encourages them to practice discernment, which is a type of judgment. They should not give dogs what is holy (Matthew 7:6). A person guilty of making hypocritical judgments lacks self-awareness and fails to judge correctly. A person guilty of making uncritical judgments lacks discernment and fails to judge at all.

Christians may struggle to determine the right time to persevere in sharing the gospel and the right time to stop. So, how can they know for sure? First, fervent prayer is of great importance and must saturate the process of evangelism from beginning to end. Next, knowing when to stop preaching the gospel to a certain person or group requires wisdom and an understanding of how the hearers are responding to the message.

In the last part of Matthew 7:6, Jesus emphasized that persecution is a key factor in making the decision: “They may . . . turn and tear you to pieces.” When there is a hostile reaction to the gospel message, the hearers have shown their nature. In seeking to harm the messenger, the hardened sinner becomes dog-like in his viciousness. So, it is important to discern when to “shake the dust off” and take the message elsewhere.

Paul made this difficult decision once when persecution arose in response to his proclamation of the gospel in Corinth: “And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles’” (Acts 18:6). Then he left the synagogue and began preaching next door (verse 7). If Paul had continued to preach the gospel of Christ in the Corinthian synagogue, he would have been guilty of giving dogs what is holy.

An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

Why does Jesus say that “an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign” (Matthew 12:39)?

As Jesus traveled around ministering with His disciples, He performed many miracles, signs, and wonders. These signs were evidence of His divine authority, causing many to believe His message and respond to Him in faith. But the Pharisees, who also witnessed these signs, were filled with wickedness and unbelief, and they “plotted how they might kill Jesus” (Matthew 12:14). When they asked Jesus for a sign to prove He was the Messiah, the Lord saw beyond their words into their treacherous, faithless hearts. Jesus responded, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 12:39, ESV).

A similar exchange took place in Matthew 16:1–4. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, “demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority” (verse 1, NLT). Again, Jesus confronted their unbelief, noting that they could interpret meteorological signs, but not “the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah” (Matthew 16:2–4, ESV).

The “sign of Jonah” is a reference to Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (see Matthew 12:40; cf. Jonah 1:17). The religious leaders already had more than enough proof of Jesus Christ’s identity. They knew the messianic prophecies Christ was fulfilling. They had seen with their own eyes His miracles of healing and exorcisms. What more could He do if these signs weren’t indisputable evidence enough? Nothing, concluded Jesus. The fact that they continued seeking a sign demonstrated the hardness of their unbelieving hearts. The only definitive sign they might accept to validate Christ’s authority would be His triumph over death on the cross (Romans 6:9; 2 Timothy 1:10). The Pharisees probably did not comprehend what Jesus meant just then, but they might have remembered and understood His words after the resurrection.

Scripture teaches that it’s wise to test the legitimacy of a person who claims to be God’s prophet (1 John 4:1). Jesus wasn’t saying that it is evil or wrong to seek for a sign. God gave signs to Moses (Exodus 4:1–9) and Gideon (Judges 6:11–22) to validate His Word. He urged King Ahaz, “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights” (Isaiah 7:11; see also Isaiah 7:10–25). Miraculous signs are sometimes the catalyst to spark a person’s faith and trust in Jesus (see John 2:23; 11:45). God gives signs to help those struggling to believe (John 4:43–54).

The purpose of a divine sign is always to lead people to respond to God’s message in faith. The scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign to trick Jesus and ultimately destroy Him. For this reason, Jesus said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign.” He perceived the rebellion and unbelief in their hearts. Moreover, Jesus recognized these men as spokespersons for an entire generation of unfaithful, unbelieving people.

The term adulterous generation refers to the Old Testament concept that adultery or sexual infidelity, in a spiritual sense, is equivalent to apostasy or idolatry (see Jeremiah 3:20; Isaiah 57:3; Ezekiel 16:32; Hosea 1—3). Jesus said, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). James wrote, “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God” (James 4:4, NLT). God considers His spiritual union with His people to be as intimate and exclusive as the bond between a husband and wife (see Ezekiel 16:8; Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14; 31:32; Ephesians 5:31–32).

Believing people with faithful hearts may indeed be given a sign from God—to confirm His Word (Hebrews 2:3–4; Mark 16:20); to assure them of His presence (Exodus 3:1–5); to demonstrate His power (Jeremiah 32:21); to warn against rebellion (Numbers 17:10; 1 Samuel 2:34); and to encourage them (Deuteronomy 7:17–19; Matthew 2:9–10). The insincere unbelievers of “an evil and adulterous generation” in Jesus’ day sought for a sign, but none was given to it except the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow will worry about itself

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What does it mean that tomorrow will worry about itself (Matthew 6:34)?

Matthew 6:34 forms part of the Sermon on the Mount, a profound collection of teachings where Jesus addresses a variety of topics including prayer, forgiveness, blessings in the kingdom, and worry. The verse itself states, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” The statement tomorrow will worry about itself demonstrates the futility of losing sleep over the problems of tomorrow, especially as we have challenges for today.

Many of us have a natural tendency to fixate on the future, conjuring up imaginary horrors that provoke anxiety about things beyond our control. But tomorrow is not within our grasp; the only time we truly possess is the present. Instead of dwelling on how we’ll manage tomorrow, we should adopt a “one day at a time” approach. Excessive worry about the future reveals a lack of trust in the One who holds tomorrow in His hands. Even if an unexpected tragedy occurs tomorrow, worrying won’t mitigate it; such things are in God’s hands.

As Eugene Peterson aptly conveys in his Message paraphrase of Matthew 6:34, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Note that Jesus’ teaching doesn’t discourage planning and prudent resource management; neither does He endorse a hedonistic, YOLO lifestyle devoid of consideration for the future. Wisdom dictates that we handle our resources as responsible stewards (Proverbs 21:7), and righteous living contradicts hedonism. A distinction exists between planning and worrying. While we recognize that our actions carry eternal significance, disciples of Christ are called to live for God today. If God hasn’t called us home tomorrow, we embark on another day dedicated to Him.

Furthermore, Jesus’ broader teachings on worry emphasize the matter of priority. Using God’s care for birds and flowers as an example, Jesus reassures His followers that the Father knows their needs. Therefore, our primary concern should be “God’s kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). We achieve this by first accepting God’s offer of forgiveness and His gift of righteousness (Romans 3:22–24). Subsequently, we live each day according to the King’s principles, empowered by the Holy Spirit. As we do, God promises to meet our needs, understanding our needs better than we do.

In addition to being futile, worry has many detrimental physical effects, including dizziness, breathing difficulties, panic attacks, and increase in blood pressure. All of God’s commands are for our benefit, including the directive not to worry (see Deuteronomy 10:12–13; Psalm 19:7–8).

So, how do we allow tomorrow to worry about itself? We accomplish this by relying on God to meet our needs, by prioritizing His values and needs, and by living lives characterized by thanksgiving and contentment.

Blind leading the blind

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What is the significance of Jesus saying, “The blind leading the blind” (Matthew 15:14)?

Many of the familiar expressions we use today originated in the Bible. One such idiom, “the blind leading the blind,” comes from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 15:14: “Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (see also Luke 6:39).

As Jesus traveled around ministering in Galilee, He attracted crowds from places near and far, including Jerusalem—the authoritative center of Judaism at the time. The Gospel of Matthew records a scene in which a group of Pharisees and scribes travel from Jerusalem to confront Jesus. These religious leaders were the representatives of Judaism in that day. They were entrusted with studying the Scriptures and guiding God’s people in the ways of the Lord.

Without a doubt, these Jewish leaders were receiving reports of miracles and unconventional activities surrounding Jesus’ ministry. They became alarmed that their many regulations, laws, and age-old “traditions of the elders” (Matthew 15:2, ESV) were not being kept. Specifically, they had come to question why Jesus’ disciples were breaking the tradition of ceremonial handwashing before meals. According to their procedures—which, in reality, were human-made regulations and not part of God’s Word—Jesus and His disciples were behaving in a way that made them ritually unclean. These so-called spiritual leaders had elevated their legalistic traditions to the point of equality with the commands of God in Scripture, a transgression Jesus was now compelled to confront.

Leading up to His description of the religious leaders as blind leaders of the blind, Jesus pointed out how the Pharisees had broken God’s commandments (Matthew 15:3–9). First, He established their hypocrisy—they regularly broke the laws of God while demanding that others follow their human-made traditions. They displayed outward piety but lacked true devotion to God and His Word in their hearts. They were rebellious toward God and blind to their spiritual emptiness.

In Matthew 15:10–14, Jesus returns to their question about handwashing. Instead of addressing the Pharisees and scribes directly, He shared a parable with the crowd. The teaching upended the Pharisee’s tradition, revealing that it’s not what is outside of a person that causes defilement. What makes a person unclean, Jesus taught, originates from inside the individual: “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them” (verse 11). Christ wasn’t refuting the idea that people can become unacceptable before God, only how it happens. Handwashing can’t make a person clean if his or her heart is tarnished. And the human heart can be deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).

Employing a second parable, Jesus calls the Pharisees “blind guides” (Matthew 15:14). He repeats this characterization in Matthew 23:16: “Woe to you, blind guides!” And again in verse 24: “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”

When Jesus said of the Pharisees, “The blind lead the blind,” He was emphasizing the foolishness of the situation. Only a person who can see ought to lead a blind person. To be a successful guide to others, one must be able to see where he or she is going. If the blind lead the blind, those leaders are arrogant, overconfident, and in serious denial about their own sightless condition. Jesus knew this was true of the scribes and Pharisees who had come to confront Him. “Guide for the blind” was a common title for Jewish teachers of that day (Romans 2:19). Jesus wasn’t about to let His detractors continue claiming this title when, in truth, they needed someone to lead them.

After Christ called the Pharisees “blind leaders of the blind,” He said to “leave them” in Matthew 15:14. By this, He meant for His disciples to ignore the Pharisees, to let them alone and not to try to please them. These religious leaders thought they were experts in God’s law, but they were blind and ignorant of the law’s true meaning. Christ revealed that they were contradicting the very laws they claimed to understand. Instead of leading their students along the right path that leads to life, they were guiding themselves and their followers straight to disaster: “Both will fall into a pit.”

Christ’s parable of the blind leading the blind is just as relevant today as in Jesus’ day. The tendency to elevate human interpretation of Scripture and tradition to a place of equal authority with God’s Word is a blindness that has afflicted people of every generation. The inclination Jesus confronted in the Pharisees is no different from the legalistic traditions and unwritten rules that many churches, denominations, spiritual leaders, and individual believers try to enforce today.

When we allow human rules and regulations to take priority over God’s laws, we lead people astray from “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3, NKJV). If we become blind leaders of the blind, we heap God’s judgment on ourselves: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to” (Matthew 23:13; see also Matthew 18:6).

We must be careful not to let arrogance and denial blind us to our spiritual condition. We must make sure that our vision is clear enough to guide others in their spiritual walk. Likewise, we do well to choose our leaders wisely, being careful not to follow blind guides who will lead us away from the straight and narrow path of God’s Word.

The wise man built his house upon the rock

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What does it mean that the wise man built his house upon a rock?

The story of the wise man who built his house upon a rock is found in Matthew 7:24–27. It is one of the parables of Jesus. During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a story about two men: one who built his house upon a rock and another who built his house upon sand. The house built upon a rock weathered the storm, and the builder is called wise; but the house built on the sand collapsed during the storm, and the builder is called foolish.

The meaning of this parable is quite obvious: proper foundations are necessary. With a literal house, it is unwise to build on sand, because the foundation will be unsteady and the house will eventually suffer some kind of damage. This will waste resources, and all the time and work put into building the house in the first place will have gone for nothing. In contrast, it is wise to build one’s house on a sure foundation; anchoring to bedrock makes a building withstand the test.

But Jesus’ sermon was not concerned with house construction or building code violations. The spiritual meaning of the parable is found in Matthew 7:24: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” We are each building a life. The proper foundation for a life is Jesus’ words—not just the hearing of them, but the doing of them, too (see James 1:22).

It seems at times that everything in the world is set up to make us turn away from God’s words. And often, our own feelings pull us toward doing the exact opposite of what the Bible says. But a wise man will follow the words of God despite these pressures—not as a way to “show off” or earn salvation, but because he trusts God. All through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presented Himself as the final authority on and fulfiller of the Law; He ends the sermon with a call to heed His message and, in fact, find one’s security in Him (see 1 Corinthians 3:11).

As we follow the Lord, learning to trust and obey Him, we receive a reward: our “house” is steady and solid, unshaken by circumstances. The wise man is the believer whose life is built upon the Rock of Christ; in this world he has faith and hope, and in the next everlasting life and love (see 1 Corinthians 13:13). The wise man is like the tree planted by the riverside, whose leaf does not wither (Psalm 1:1–3).

Blessed are those who are persecuted

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What does it mean that blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake?

As Jesus opened His famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–12), He described a series of blessings granted to true servants of God, along with corresponding rewards they will experience in the kingdom of heaven. These blessings, known as the Beatitudes, formed part of Christ’s intensive discipleship training for His chosen apostles. In the eighth beatitude, Jesus declared, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10, ESV).

The word blessed was a familiar term for Jesus’ first-century audience. Rather than a fleeting happiness dependent on current circumstances, the blessedness that Jesus spoke of is deep, abiding, unshakable joy rooted in the assurance of God’s blessing, both in the present and in the future. Life in our Lord’s kingdom is one of profound joy and inner well-being that no person and no circumstance can take away.

The persons labeled “blessed” by Jesus represent a counterculture exhibiting values not typically welcomed by people of the world at large. All the Beatitudes demonstrate God’s reversal of the world’s values, but perhaps none so markedly as this eighth one. How can being persecuted be “blessed”? Persecution is never pleasant but involves suffering and often severe pain. The key is Jesus’ qualification that the blessed persecution comes “for righteousness’ sake.”

Some people suffer for doing evil, but that is punishment, not persecution. And some are persecuted for reasons unrelated to righteousness. But Jesus wasn’t offering a general blessing to all victims of persecution for any cause. No, He offered it only to those who were persecuted for actively pursuing the kingdom of righteousness and because of their faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:11). Peter put it this way: “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2:20).

Righteousness means more than just “being a good person.” It refers to a complete orientation of life toward God and His will. This kind of righteousness is highly visible: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16).

To endure persecution for the sake of righteousness requires uncompromising faithfulness to God despite every threat and pressure. The Old Testament prophets were considered heroes for facing this kind of abuse (Matthew 5:12; see also 2 Chronicles 36:16; Acts 7:51–53; James 5:10). Both the prophets of old and New Testament saints serve the same cause (the advancement of the kingdom of God) and the same King (Jesus Christ). Jesus promised that both would suffer mistreatment, but both would also receive inexpressible rewards in heaven.

In this eighth beatitude, Jesus expanded the “blessed are those” formula to add “rejoice and be glad” (Matthew 5:11–12). Rather than feeling discouraged, dismayed, enraged, or depressed, believers who find themselves persecuted for openly living for Christ and His kingdom have good reason to rejoice and be glad—for their reward in heaven is great. Our Lord offered this potent dose of hope and encouragement to those whose tenacious and brilliant pursuit of righteousness makes the enemies of God’s kingdom try to thwart and extinguish it.

True believers in Christ are righteous in God’s eyes (Romans 3:21–22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 1:11). Our confession of faith in Jesus Christ and the moral way we live our lives prove to be offensive to the world, resulting in persecution for righteousness’ sake. Jesus faced persecution and was hated by the world, and so will all those who belong to Christ and boldly live for Him: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19).

First last last first

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What did Jesus mean when He said the first will be last and the last will be first?

Jesus made the statement “many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19:30) in the context of His encounter with the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16–30). After the young man turned away from Jesus, unable to give up his great wealth (verse 22), Jesus’ disciples asked the Lord what reward they would have in heaven, since they had given up everything to follow Him (verses 27–30). Jesus promised them “a hundred times as much,” plus eternal life (verse 29). Then He said, “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (verse 30).

Jesus reiterated this truth in Matthew 20:16 at the end of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, a story designed to illustrate the last being first and the first being last. What exactly did Jesus mean when He said, “Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first”? First, we should eliminate what He did not mean. Jesus was not teaching that the way to get to heaven is to live a life of poverty in this world. Scripture is clear that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9)—and independent of one’s financial status. Also, Jesus was not teaching an automatic reversal of roles in heaven. There is no heavenly law wherein the poor and oppressed must rule over the rich and powerful. The rich aren’t always last in heaven, and the poor aren’t always first. Nor will believers who enjoy wealth and prestige on earth be required to somehow be abased in heaven. Earthly rank will not automatically translate into an inverse heavenly rank.

When Jesus told the disciples they would be greatly rewarded in heaven for what they had given up on earth, He was contrasting their sacrifice with the rich young ruler’s lack thereof—the young man had been unwilling to give up much of anything for Christ’s sake (Matthew 19:16–22). God, who sees the heart, will reward accordingly. The disciples are an example of those who may be first, and they happened to be poor (but their poverty was not what makes them first in heaven). The rich young ruler is an example of those who may be last, and he happened to be rich (but his wealth was not what makes him last).

The Lord’s statement that the last would be first and the first last might also have held special meaning for Peter, who had just spoken of having “left all” (Matthew 19:27). Perhaps Jesus detected in Peter’s statement a bit of boasting—Peter was on the verge of becoming spiritually complacent—as the rich young ruler was, but for a different reason. Jesus’ response in verse 30 may have been an indirect warning to Peter to always find his sufficiency in Christ, not in his own sacrifice. After all, without love, even the greatest sacrifice is worthless (1 Corinthians 13:3).

In the chapter following Jesus’ statement that the first will be last and the last will be first, Jesus tells a parable (Matthew 20). The story concerns some laborers who complain that others, who did not work as long as they, were paid an equal amount. In other words, they saw their own labor as worthy of compensation but considered their companions’ labor to be inferior and less worthy of reward. Jesus ends the parable with the statement, “The last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16). The most direct interpretation, based on the content of the parable, is that all believers, no matter how long or how hard they work during this lifetime, will receive the same basic reward: eternal life. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:39–43), whose life of service was limited to a moment of repentance and confession of faith in Christ, received the same reward of eternal life as did Timothy, who served God for years. Of course, Scripture also teaches that there are different rewards in heaven for different services, but the ultimate reward of eternal life will be given to all equally, on the basis of God’s grace in Christ Jesus.

There are several ways in which “the first will be last and the last first” holds true. There are some who were first to follow Christ in time yet are not the first in the kingdom. Judas Iscariot was one of the first disciples and was honored to be the treasurer of the group, yet his greed led to his undoing; Paul was the last of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:8–9) yet the one who worked the hardest (2 Corinthians 11:23). There are some who were first in privilege yet are not first in the kingdom. Based on the terms of the New Covenant, the Gentiles had equal access to the kingdom of heaven, although they had not served God under the Old Covenant. The Jews, who had labored long under the Old Covenant, were jealous of the grace extended to the Gentile “newcomers” (see Romans 11:11). There are some who are first in prestige and rank yet might never enter the kingdom. Jesus told the Pharisees that the sinners they despised were being saved ahead of them: “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you” (Matthew 21:31–32).

What Jesus is teaching in Matthew 19:30 is this: there will be many surprises in heaven. Heaven’s value system is far different from earth’s value system. Those who are esteemed and respected in this world (like the rich young ruler) may be frowned upon by God. The opposite is also true: those who are despised and rejected in this world (like the disciples) may, in fact, be rewarded by God. Don’t get caught up in the world’s way of ranking things; it’s too prone to error. Those who are first in the opinion of others (or first in their own opinion!) may be surprised to learn, on Judgment Day, they are last in God’s opinion.