What did Jesus Teach for growing in Faith Article 8

Reverence: Titus 3: 4-5 But when the kindness of our God our Savor and His love for mankind appeared. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew chapters 20,21,22

Matthew 20:1-16 All are equal in Christ

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborer for a a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, you too go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you, and they went. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did the same thing. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing and he said to them, why have you been standing here idle all day long? They said to him, because no one hired us. Jesus said to them,
(Teaching) You too go into the vineyard. And when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to the foreman. Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first. And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. And when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more, and they also received each one a denarius. And when they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, these last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day. But he answered and said to one of them, friend, I m doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way, but I wish to give to the last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous? Thus the last shall be first, and the first last.

(Note) Christ wanted to show us that it makes no difference if we are first or last, we are all the same in the kingdom to come. Jesus never judges on the outward appearance, nor who was first to accept, but who responded to His message, regardless how long one has labored in Jesus. Salvation of Christ works in this same manner. Everybody is equal, it doesn’t make any difference if it was 130 AD, or 2030 AD. Regardless of how long one has been a christian, it makes no difference what race, nationality, or ethnic group. Christ is faithful to His word, but man has not always been faithful to Christ. Our Positions in Christ, we will not know in advance. But, we will reign with Christ to do His work among the people of the world going into the millennium. We will have a job to do for Christ, It is not on how long you have been a christian, but what you have done to help Christs kingdom in the building process. Never think more of yourselves than you are, do not try and elevate yourself to get in front of another person. The more you try to move up the ladder to be in a better position, you will be made lower in Christ. Do good on this earth for people, that is how you get the blessings of Jesus.

Matthew 20:17-19

Jesus to be delivered to the Priest and scribes for condemnation and death.
And as Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way, He said to them,

(Teaching) “Behold we are going to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will deliver Him to the gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.

Matthew 20:20-28 A Mother petitions Christ to have one son to sit on His left and Right hand in the kingdom.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons. Bowing down, and making a request of Him. And He said to her, What do you wish? She said to Him, command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and one on your left.
But Jesus answered,

(Teaching) You do not know what you are asking for, are you able to drink the cup I am about to rink? They said to Him, we are able.

He said to them, (Teaching) My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father. And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be a slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

(Note) The mother of the two sons had no idea what the cup was they would drink. The cup Christ was referring to was His beatings,spilt blood, His crown of thorns, lashes on His back. This is what they were agreeing to. Many of them would go through many of same kinds of death by being disciples for Christ, In time they would understand what this cup would mean. They learned well from their savior, they were all killed by different methods and painful deaths. John was the only one that lived to a ripe ald age. For many years he was a prisoner on the island of Patmos.

(Note) What does it mean that Jesus did not come to be served, but serve, and give His life as a ransom? First, Jesus came to serve by healing people that were down and out, the poor but not forgotten by Christ. Second, His other service was to pour his life and knowledge into the lives of fisherman and tax collectors to be His disciples. Third, that by offering of Himself to be crucified, His life would mean that there would be no more animal sacrifice for sin, Jesus’s spilt blood was the ransom that He paid for all man kind, who believe in Him would be long to Jesus forever, even after that person dies. Some were stoned to death, Peter was spead eagled on a board to die, he asked to be turned upside down, for he was unworthy to die in the up position like Christ, Paul was beaten 7 times and left for dead. He was ship wrecked 3 times, plus other things. Paul was put to death by Ceasar, and died in Rome. They still belong to Christ and they will be raised from the dead to Christ and be with Him forever more. Just as we will be.

Matthew 20:29-34 Blind men recognize Jesus

And as they were going out from Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out saying, Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David! And the multitude sternly warned them to be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!

(Teaching) And Jesus stopped and called them,and said, What do you want Me to do for you? They said to Him Lord, we want our eyes to be opened. And moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
(Note) Christ was consistent in His healing and feeding the multitudes. This was going to be how the disciples would learn over and over and over. We are the same, we need to read over and over to understand what Christ wants from us. Christ wants us to see, the same way the blind men did, see Jesus is healer, Savior, just, and redeemer. How did the men know Jesus was trustworthy, must have been from hearing from other people, or in the crowd at one of His gatherings.

Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem

And when they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethpage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,
(Teaching) Go to the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her, untie them, and bring them to me. And if anyone says something to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them. Now this took place that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold Your King is coming to you, Gentle and mounted on a donkey, even a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” And His disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid on them their garments, on which He say. And most of the multitude spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees, and spreading them in the road. And the multitude going before Him and those who followed after were crying out saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest! And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this? and the multitudes were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazzerath in Galilee.

Matthew 21:12-22 Temple Cleansing
(Teaching) And Jesus entered the temple and cast out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and over turned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, it is written, My House Shall Be Called A House Of Prayer, but you are making it a robbers Den. And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But then the chief priests and the scribes saw what wonderful things He had done, and the children who were crying out in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they became indignant, and said to Him, Do You hear what these are saying?

And Jesus said to them, (Teaching)”Yes, have you never read, Out of the mouths of Infants and nursing babes, thou hast prepared praise for thyself?
And Jesus left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there. Now in the morning, when He returned to the city, He became hungry, and seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it, and found nothing on it except leaves only; and said to it, No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you. And at once the fig tree withered.
(Teaching) And Jesus answered and said to them, Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but if you say to this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea, it shall happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.
(Note) The religious leaders of the day are becoming more hostile toward Jesus, now they are looking for ways to do away with Him. He is contradicting their teaching and their way of life, and the way they think about His Father, they were tired of the rituals, the feasts, anything the priests were against, the rest of the council was of the same mind.

Matthew 21:23-32 Question, who has the authority

And when Jesus had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, by what authority are you doing these things, and who gave You this authority? And Jesus answered,

and said to them, (Teaching) I will ask you one thing too, which of you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?
And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, if we say from heaven, He will say to us, then why did you not believe him? But if we say, from men, we fear the multitude; for they all hold John to be a prophet. And answering Jesus they said, we do not know.
Jesus also said to them,

(Teaching) Niether will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

(Note) Notice what the elders and chief priest asks, two questions in one sentence. 1. By what authority are you doing these things. 2. Who gave this authority? Being asked in this manner, it was designed to put Jesus on the defensive, but Jesus turned their questions into one of His own, which made them debate among themselve of how to answer the question. They didn’t answer because they were affraid of the consequences of their answer, so they gave no answer. Jesus is gaining in popularity because what He was doing for the people. The religious leaders are decreasing authority, because of Christs love for His people.
Jesus continues the dialogue with the chief Priest and the elders of the people.

Matthew 21:23-32 Question, who has the authority

And when Jesus had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, by what authority are you doing these things, and who gave You this authority? And Jesus answered,
and said to them,

(Teaching) I will ask you one thing too, which of you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?
And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, if we say from heaven, He will say to us, then why did you not believe him? But if we say, from men, we fear the multitude; for they all hold John to be a prophet. And answering Jesus they said, we do not know.
Jesus also said to them,

(Teaching) Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

(Note) Notice what the elders and chief priest asks, two questions in one sentence. 1. By what authority are you doing these things. 2. Who gave this authority? Being asked in this manner, it was designed to put Jesus on the defensive, but Jesus turned their questions into one of His own, which made them debate among themselve of how to answer the question. They didn’t answer because they were affraid of the consequences of their answer, so they gave no answer. Jesus is gaining in popularity because what He was doing for the people. The religious leaders are decreasing authority, because of Christs love for His people.
Jesus continues the dialogue with the chief Priest and the elders of the people.

But what do you think?

(Teachiing) A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, son, go work today in the vineyard, I will, sir; and he did not go. And He came to the second and said the same thing, but he answered and said, I will not; yet afterward, regretted it and went. Which of the two did the will of his father? They said the latter, Jesus said to them,
(Teaching) Truly I say to you that the tax-gatheres and the harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteouness and you did not believe him; but the tax gatherers and harlots did believe him: and you seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

Matthew 21:33-46 The landowners vineyard and who it belongs to and governs it.
(Teaching) Jesus spoke, Listen to another parable, there was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, built a tower, rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey. And when harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vineyard growers to receive his produce. And the vine-growers took the slaves and beat one, and killed the other, and stoned a third. Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. But afterward he sent His son to them, saying, they will respect my son. But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir; come, let us kill him, and seize his inheritance. And they took him, and threw him out of the vinyard, and killed him. Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers? They said to Him, He will bring these wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other growers, and will pay him the proceed at the proper seasons. Jesus said to them, Did you never read the scriptures, “That which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and be given to a nation producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whom ever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. And when they sought to seize Him, they feared the multitudes, because they held Him to be a prophet.”

(Note) The religious leaders finally understood that Jesus was talking about them in all His examples. Jesus telling them that the Jewish kingdom would be torn from them and given to another nation who would promote the Kingdom of God and Christ. Israel seized in being a nation in 70 AD when Rome sacked Jerusalem and overthrew the religious leaders, and Israel ceased being a nation, and became subject to Rome.

Matthew 22:1-46 The marriage feast

Matthew 22:1-14 And Jesus answered and spoke to them in parables, saying,

(Note) The wedding feast is the example of Israel rejecting God and His feasts He set up. Israel has turned up their nose from God’s feast because they were to burden some. They got tired of God, and all that He stood for.

(Teaching) The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, tell those who have been invited, behold I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast. But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, and another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. (The Prophets) But the king was enraged and sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, the wedding is ready, but those were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highway, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast. (Gentiles) And those slaves went out into the streets, and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes? And he was speehless. Then the king said to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness, in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
*(Note) This is a picture of the true wedding feast in Revelation 19. When He calls all the sainst, alive, and the dead in Christ. They rise to meet Christ in the air.

There will be people who want in to have eternal life, but Christ knows those who are His, and all others will be cast into hell, or the place of weeping and nashing of teeth. Christ gives all unsaved people multiple times to accept or deny Him in ones life time. And in the end, just like this man tried to get into the kingdom without going through the process of becoming a believer in Christ. Also this is judgment on unbelievers, and it is time for them to meet satan, they have followed him their whole lives. What are the wedding clothes for a Christian when they go into heaven. And it was given to her to clothe in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Revelation 19:8

Matthew 22:15-33 Conflicks with the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees
Then the Pharisees went and counseled together how they might trap Him in what He said. And they sent their disciples to Jesus along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for you are not partial to any. Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?

(Teaching) But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me? you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax”. And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to Him, Ceasars, then Jesus said to them, “then render to Caesar things that are Caesars; and to God the things that are God’s.” And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away. On that day some Sadducees came to him and questioned Him, saying, Teacher, Moses said, “if a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up an offspring to his brother.” Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. And last of all, the womwn died. In the ressurection therefore whose wife shall she be? For they all had her
But Jesus answered and said to them:

(Teaching) You are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures, or the power of God. “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But regarding the ressurection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but the living.” And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

(Note) In the kingdom of heaven, there will be no boy friends, girl friends, husbands and wives. A believers entire focus will be on the Lord Jesus’s regein for a 1000 years. All teaching of Christ will come to an end on that day. There is no more time for learning, the end has come, and those destined to heaven will be there. Those destined to hell, the bottomless pit will be there. All will be in their place by their own choice.

Matthew 22:15-33 Conflicks with the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees

Then the Pharisees went and counseled together how they might trap Him in what He said. And they sent their disciples to Jesus along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for you are not parial to any. Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?
(Teaching) But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me? you hypocrites? Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax”. And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to Him, Ceasars, then Jesus said to them, “then render to Caesar things that are Caesars; and to God the things that are God’s.” And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away. On that day some Sadducees came to him and questioned Him, saying, Teacher, Moses said, “if a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up an offspring to his brother.” Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. And last of all, the woman died. In the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be? For they all had her
But Jesus answered and said to them:

(Teaching) You are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures, or the power of God. “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But regarding the ressurection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but the living.” And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

(Note) In the kingdom of heaven, there will be no boy friends, girl friends, husbands and wives. A believers entire focus will be on the Lord Jesus’s reign for a 1000 years. All teaching of Christ will come to an end on that day. There is no more time for learning, the end has come, and those destined to heaven will be there. Those destined to hell, the bottomless pit will be there. All will be in their place by their own choice.

Matthew 22:34-40

But when the Pharisees heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they gathered themselves together. And one of them, a lawer, asked Him a question, testing Him, teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And Jesus said to him,

(Teaching) “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the great and formost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On These two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets.

(Note) The focus that God and Jesus wants from you is, on them, not on yourself. If you are the focal point, you have placed yourself first, then Jesus and God has no room of that man or woman to put them on your throne and make them your focal point and life.

Matthew 22:41-46 Who is the son of David

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question.

(Teaching) Saying, what do you think about the Christ, whose son is He? They said to Him, “The son of David.” Jesus said to them, Then how does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said to My Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I put thine enemies beneath thy feet? If David then calls Him Lord, how is He his son? And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.
With this they saught out to trap Jesus, and put Him to death.