The Gospel Series Part 6e

GROWING FAME AND EMPHASIS ON REPENTANCE

A certain centurion's faith and the healing of his servant (Mt 8:1, 5-13 Lk 7:1-10)

Mt 8:5-6 Luke 7:3 says the centurion sent "elders of the Jews" (Lk 7:3) to Jesus, he didn't come himself as Matthew records. A contradiction in the Bible! Not really. Even today, we sometimes hear a news release saying "Today the President said..." - perhaps he didn't write it, and it was released by his press secretary. We still think of it as if the President presented it himself. Thus if the centurion sent others it carries the same weight as if he came himself.

Mt 8:7 For Jesus to actually go and heal the centurion's servant would have been a major no-no for the Jews. To enter a Gentiles home would have defiled them, so they avoided it.

Mt 8:8-9 The centurion seemed to understand his relationship to Jesus better than the Jews did. None of us are worthy of Him. We can never approach God on our on works or worthiness. Only by God imputing to us Jesus' righteousness is it possible for us to approach God.

But the centurion demonstrates faith. He does not require Jesus to come in person to heal his servant. As someone with authority, the centurion recognized the authority Jesus has and understood it was not required for Him to come to his house. He knows Jesus has the power to do anything He wants to. Quite an admission from a Gentile, and a Roman soldier at that. Jesus will point this out in verse 10.

Mt 8:11 "many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." - This means Gentiles are included.

Mt 8:12 Just to be Jewish does not automatically grant someone entrance to heaven. Jesus' point in these two verses is to say anyone is allowed in the kingdom of heaven. It is not an exclusive group limited to nationality, as the Jews thought.

A widow's son raised an Nain (Lk 7:11-17)

Lk 7:12 If her husband was dead, and this was her only son, her sorrow would be even greater, for she could not have more sons.

Lk 7:13 Jesus always has compassion. (Mt 14:14, 15:32, 20:34, Mk 1:41, 5:19, 6:34).

Lk 7:14 To touch an open coffin would be ritually defiling.

Lk 7:16 Fear would be understandable since Israel had not heard God's voice (or had a prophet) for 400 years (until John the Baptist).

John the Baptist's relationship to the kingdom (Mt 11:2-19, Lk 7:18-35)

Mt 11:2-3 John presented Jesus as the promised Messiah of Israel (Jn 1:29, 1:36). Did he lose faith in Jesus? He could have expected the Messiah to immediately set up His kingdom on earth. If he did believe that, he would be anxious to get out of the dark, dreary dungeon he was in. Or he simply could have used this as a lesson for his followers to point them to Jesus, as he already knew who Jesus was.

Mt 11:4-6 Jesus doesn't directly answer his question. He alludes to Old Testament passages that provide clues to things the Messiah would do.

Mt 11:7 At this point, John's disciples leave. They don't hear the rest of Jesus' remarks to the crowd. Jesus asks several rhetorical questions of the crowd to show them who John was. Who did you go out to see:

A "reed shaken by the wind". Did you go out to see an unstable man who was easily manipulated? Listen to what J. Vernon McGee has to say about John.

By the way, John was not the reed shaken with the wind; he was a wind shaking the reeds! In our day, the pulpit has become very weak because it is in subjection to somebody out there in the pew who doesn't like the preacher. Or the message is tailored to suit a certain group in the church. Too often the pulpit is a reed that is shaken in the wind. Thank God for John the Baptist, a wind shaking the reeds!^[1]

Or a man in soft garments? This would mean some kind of royalty. Is that what they were expecting?

No, they went out to see a prophet of God. And Jesus says John was more than just a prophet.

Mt 11:10 Jesus alludes to Malachi 3:1. John was the promised forerunner of the Messiah.

Mt 11:11 "among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John" - Quite a statement. Greater than Moses, Abraham, David, Isaiah or Elijah? But in the next breath Jesus says "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (John)". Does this mean John wasn't saved? Of course not. But as Jesus will point out in verse 13, John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. As Christians we have the benefit of a more fuller understanding of God by the teaching provided by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Mt 11:12 This is a difficult verse. Upon looking at several commentators, what McGee says is perhaps the most logical

This is a difficult verse to interpret because the "force" mentioned can be either internal or external. The forces of evil from without seek to destroy it, that is true. But also those who are committed wholeheartedly press into it; that is, they violently want to come in. There is a note of need and desperation.^[2]

Mt 11:13 John was the last of the Old Testament prophets.

Mt 11:14 Luke 1:17 says John would go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah. If they would have received Jesus, John would fulfill the promised return of Elijah before the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6).

Mt 11:15 Interesting phrase. This comes up later.

Mt 11:16-17 Children played two popular games, "Wedding" and "funeral". Weddings was a festive atmosphere with music and dancing. In funerals, the mood was obviously more somber^[3]. Imagine kids playing these games. If they were playing wedding, some would want to play funeral. If they were playing funeral, some would want to play wedding. Some children were never satisfied. The next few verses build on this idea and compare it to the Jews.

Mt 11:18 John came and didn't eat and drink and the Jews weren't happy.

Mt 11:19 Jesus came eating and drinking, and the Jews weren't happy. Just as the children playing their game, no matter what happened, the Jews were not satisfied.

Woes upon Chorazin and Bethsaida for failure to repent (Mt 11:20-30)

Mt 11:20-24 Were the modern Jewish cities worse than their Old Testament counterparts? Probably not. The principle here is illustrated by Jesus in Luke 12:42-48, and summed up at the end "to whom much is given, much is required". The modern Jewish cities had the witness of Jesus himself, while the Old Testament cities had only the prophets. As such, their responsibility (and judgement) will be greater.

Mt 11:25-26 "wise and prudent" refers to the Jewish leaders. "Babes" refers to the followers of Jesus. The Jewish leadership never understood Jesus or his mission.

Mt 11:28 First, you must come. Jesus does not force himself on anyone. If you want to do it your own way, He will let you. If you don't want the rest He is offering, you don't have to have it.

Second, you must come to Jesus. Religion, works or anything else won't do. If you are really craving rest, only Jesus can provide it. We hear of people today trying to "find themselves"; what they really want is rest. But unless their search leads to Jesus, no rest will be found. And the more heavy-laden you are, the more rest He provides. Notice our only job here - come to Jesus. We don't come on our own works or righteousness, we don't even have to run, if we can just crawl to Him, He does the rest (no pun intended).

Mt 11:29 Next, we take His yoke upon us. When two oxen were yoked together, one would be the lead, and the other would follow. The same for us. We must let Jesus lead, and we follow. If we try it the other way we may find we get out in front only to find Jesus isn't following our lead. The only way to find rest is to let Him lead.

Second, a yoke is used to transfer power from the animal to the plow or other tool. We are the tools God uses to accomplish His work. His yoke allows His power to be transferred to us for the accomplishment of His work. Naturally, this will only work if we allow Him to lead. If we try to do things on our own by our own power, the only result will be dismal failure.

But His power provides other benefits for us. Do you have a problem with a certain sin? Do you ever have doubts about your salvation? Are you under attack from the enemy? Once again, by ourselves we have no hope of ever conquering these things. But by taking His yoke upon us and submitting to His will, His power is transferred to us and we can overcome anything (Phil 4:13).

Mt 11:30 His yoke is not a burden. Remember the ox example. The lead ox is Jesus, and he does most of the work. We just follow behind. Sadly, many today think they have to add rules and regulations to the Gospel. But Jesus' burden is easy. If we get bogged down in other stuff, it's not His fault. But always remember the yoke is custom fitted for the individual. If you try and put on another person's yoke, it won't fit. This is an easy mistake to make. We see someone who God is using and we try to do the same things they do. But it won't work. The master carpenter Himself must fit each person.

Christ's feet anointed by a sinful, but contrite, woman (Lk 7:36-50)

Lk 7:36 If the life of Jesus was a movie, the Pharisees would be the villain. Whenever the good guy (Jesus) comes along, here is the villain trying to spoil the good stuff the hero is doing (OK, the movie thing may be a little off, but you get the idea...). But in this verse a Pharisee asks Jesus to come and eat with him, and Jesus does. Jesus is always willing to be anywhere He is invited. There is no partially with God (Acts 10:34, Rom 2:11).

Lk 7:37-38 Many people suppose this woman to be Mary Magdalene, but we don't know for sure.

Lk 7:39 The Pharisee spoke to himself, not out loud. No one else knew what he was thinking, except for Jesus.

Lk 7:40 Jesus answers his thoughts. What could have been going through Simon's mind as Jesus gives this example, which exactly answers his unspoken objection about the woman?

Lk 7:43 Simon begrudgingly agrees with Jesus' point.

Lk 7:44 Not having washed a visitor's feet was a major oversight. Of course, Simon would not stoop so low as to do it himself.

^[1] McGee, J Vernon Matthew Chapters 1-13 page 154

^[2] ibid, page 155

^[3] McArthur, John Matthew 8-15 page 261

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