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Daily Bible Studies

General Introduction to these studies

Before you start reading the Notes, may we recommend the following:

1. You pause and pray and ask for God's help for the Bible to come alive to you.

2. You have your Bible open infront of you and read the passage through completely first.

3. You work your way through the questions looking for answers in your Bible.

4. Then and only then, read through the commentary.

The style and makeup of each set of individual studies - e.g. the first one immediately below - will become obvious. We have put in the verse answers to each of the 'Find Out' questions, but you will get most out of the study if you have an open Bible alongside you and you look out the verse yourself.

The primary objectives of these studies are a) to get you to read the Bible and b)  to take in what you have read. At the end of each page of studies (normally a chapter) there will be a 'Recap' to remind you of what you have read. At the end of every 'set' (see the front Contents page) there will also be a 'Summary' and a 'Conclusions' that cover the pages in that set.

Chapter: Matthew 12

INTRODUCTION

Continuing on in Matthew's Gospel:

      You've probably already been through the previous three sets in Matthew's Gospel, the Introduction (Ch.1-4), the Sermon on the Mount (Ch.5-7) and the action section of Ch.8-11. In this Part we move on in a mixed section where there is activity and interaction with people, interspersed with teaching.

The Graciousness of the King

     Matthew continues to reveal Jesus as the coming king, as the One bringing the Father's authority to earth. In this Part we start to see conflict with the Pharisees (see 12:2, 10,24,38, 15:1) which Jesus graciously deals with using wise teaching.

This section is a mixture of teaching by the king about his kingdom (in response to queries or specifically to the crowds in the form of parables), and power activities revealing his power and authority as king from heaven - healing a shrivelled hand (12:10), healing the sick (12:15 & 14:14 & 15:30), delivering a demon possessed man (12:22), feeding the 5,000 (14:15-), walking on water (14:25), delivering a demon possessed daughter (15;28) and feeding the 4,000 (15:32-)

What we will see in this set of Studies:

     We will see this bringing in the rule of God and associated teaching, being worked out as follows:

  Chapter 12   - Conflict with the Pharisees

  Chapter 13   - Kingdom parables

  Chapter 14   - The God who is in control

  Chapter 15   - Contrasts of Responses to Jesus

    These four chapters, as we've said, combine powerful action with powerful teaching. Watch throughout them, how the various people respond to what Jesus says. Some powerful lessons here!

PART 1 : “Conflict with the Pharisees”

      In this first Part of this set of Studies watch how the Pharisees, that conservative religious sect in Israel , started criticising Jesus. This does not hinder Jesus' activity but it does indicate how his words and actions were beginning to impact and upset these guardians of religious orthodoxy. Watch for the different ways Jesus responds to them.

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:1-2

A. Find Out:

1. Where was Jesus at this moment? v.1a

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields

2. What day was it? v.1b

on the Sabbath

3. What did his disciples do and why? v.1c

His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.

4. Who were watching? v.2a

When the Pharisees saw this

5. What was their accusation? v.2b

they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

6. Read Deut 23:25 What did the Law say?

If you enter your neighbor's grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain.

B. Think:

1. Read Mt 9:11 ,34 What are we seeing here again to day?

2. How was what the disciples were doing lawful?

3. What must the Pharisees therefore be objecting to?

C. Comment:

     We pause over these two important verses. In some ways they encapsulate the heart of the problems that Jesus had with the Pharisees.

     Jesus and his disciples are making their way through the countryside on a journey somewhere and their footpath takes them alongside a corn field. Because they are hungry they take a hand-full of corn each, to take the edge off their hunger. The Law of Moses permitted this as an act of kindness towards travellers. That was quite legitimate. Unfortunately there are two other ingredients to this situation: first there are also some Pharisees travelling nearby who see what is happening, and second it is the Sabbath.

     Now the Law expressly said there was to be no work on the Sabbath (Exo 20:8-11). The intention of that had been so that the Jews could rest from physical work and use the day to remember the Lord. The Pharisees had then added their own interpretation of what it meant to work, and had produced whole lists of things that ‘could' be work, and picking corn heads was one of them! What we have here is a perennial problem, of man adding to what God has said. Much of “church life” today involves concern over things that God has not spoken about. Pharisaism is still alive and well! Watch out for it!

D. Application:

1. Have you got lots of “must not” things that God hasn't said?

2. God's law comes to free and bless, not imprison!

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:3-8

A. Find Out:

1. Who did Jesus refer the Pharisees to? v.3a

He answered, "Haven't you read what David did

2. What had he done and why? v.3b,4

when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.

3. Who else did he refer to? v.5

Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?

4. Who did he say was with them? v.6

I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

5. What did he quote to them and say about them? v.7

If you had known what these words mean, `I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent

6. So what is his conclusion? v.8

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

B. Think:

1. Read 1 Sam 21:1-6 Why had David asked for the sacred bread?

2. Read Lev 24:7,8 How did priests have to break the work rule?

3. On what grounds does Jesus justify his disciples' actions?

C. Comment:

    Jesus now responds to the criticism of the Pharisees about his disciples apparently doing “work” on the day of rest. First of all he points them to the example of David, when he was on the run from Saul and took the sacred bread and ate it because he was hungry. The implication is that genuine need over-rides ritual.

     Then he refers to the priests who by obeying the Law itself had to expend far more energy than Jesus' own disciples had just been expending. The priests had to offer sacrifices on the Sabbath to sanctify the temple and that required much more effort, and says Jesus (by implication), I am much greater and more important than the temple!

     Finally he quotes Hos 6:6 where a principle is stated: that God is more concerned about a good and right heart than about outward show. If they had realised that truth then they would not have criticised the disciples. Finally he declares that he himself is Lord over the day of rest and HE decides what is to be done on it!!!

    Jesus' response is a) that NEED is more important than religious ritual, b) that WORSHIP requires more energy than work on the Sabbath, c) that HEART CONDITION is more important than ritual and d) he is LORD over even the religious rest day.

D. Application:

1. Do we face realities or prefer ritual?

2. Reverence AND recreational relaxation are all possible on Sunday.

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:9-14

A. Find Out:

1. Where did Jesus next go and who was there? v.9,10a

Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there.

2. Trying to do what, what did the Jews ask Jesus? v.10b

Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

3. What illustration did Jesus give them? v.11

He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?

4. What conclusion did Jesus draw? v.12

How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

5. So what did he then do? v.13

Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other

6. What was the reaction of the Pharisees? v.14

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the Jews asked Jesus about healing?

2. How did Jesus show the folly of their thinking?

3. How did the religious leaders obviously feel after this?

C. Comment:

    Continuing on, Jesus arrives at the next place and goes into the synagogue, because it is the Sabbath, the day of rest and the day of meeting together. The Pharisees who have already argued with him obviously follow him in. Seeing the man there with a withered hand, and knowing Jesus' tendency to reach out to the needy with healing, they immediately provoke Jesus as if to say, “Well it was all right for you to pick corn on the Sabbath. Are you going to tell us it's all right to heal on the Sabbath as well?”

     Jesus simply points out that if they had an animal in distress they would go to its aid, and a man is more important that an animal so he will go to the aid of this man. Yes, he could have waited until the next day but he is wanting to make a point and sees no reason to delay blessing anyone simply because of religious traditions! So he simply heals the man.

    The effect upon the Pharisees is way out! They are so angry at having been shown up again that they go out muttering among themselves, even suggesting that they should arrange to have Jesus killed. This is the first sign of this level of hostility but more will come. Goodness often provokes evil.

D. Application:

1. God doesn't want religious tradition to hinder His works.

2. Commitment to tradition often blinds us to the truth.

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:15-21

A. Find Out:

1. Where did Jesus go, why, and what happened? v.15

Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick,

2. What did he tell them? v.16

warning them not to tell who he was.

3. How did Matthew view this? v.17

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

4. How was Jesus described and what was he to do? v.18

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

5. What sort of ministry will he have? v.19,20

He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.

6. With what consequence? v.21

In his name the nations will put their hope."

B. Think:

1. What was it that made Matthew think of this Scripture in Isaiah?

2. What were the particular characteristics of Jesus seen here?

3. How might we apply those to us today?

C. Comment:

  The Pharisees' plot to kill Jesus but the time is not yet right so Jesus leaves them to avoid confrontation. Never the less many people follow him and as they still have needs, he continues his ministry of healing them. As Matthew observes and records this he feels that it is almost as if Jesus just has to carry on his ministry, for such was he called by the Father.

  Matthew sees this because he senses it is the direct fulfilment of the Messianic prophecy in the beginning of Isaiah 42. (See also the series “The Messiah in Isaiah” in Bible Alive). Because the Father has put His Spirit on Jesus in fullness, he just has to carry on proclaiming truth to the people and nothing will stop him (yet). The description of the Messiah from the first of the “servant songs” in Isaiah fits Jesus exactly.

He does not make a fuss and is not out to make a big demonstration in the streets against the oppressor. Instead he goes about his business with a quiet gentleness that receives the weak and weary. He gently receives those who feel bruised and almost “blown out” and as a result they will come to him from all nations of the world. He will show what is right (justice) by the way he treats people, and by the way he will eventually take their sin.

D. Application:

1. Will my service be non-belligerent like Jesus' ministry?

2. Will my service be gentle and attractive to the lost?

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:22-24

A. Find Out:

1. Who did they bring to Jesus and what was wrong with him? v.22a

Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute

2. What did Jesus do for him? v.22b

Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see

3. What was the response of the people? v.23a

All the people were astonished

4. What did they ask? v.23b

said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

5. But then who heard about it? v.24a

But when the Pharisees heard this

6. What was their response? v.24b

they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."

B. Think:

1. What link appears here between the demonic and physical affliction?

2. What was obvious about the spiritual state of Israel shown here?

3. Why were the Pharisees' comments clearly foolish?

C. Comment:

     Jesus had been healing the sick (v.16) and so now a man who was both blind and mute was brought to Jesus. Here is the classic “impossible case”, yet Jesus simply heals him. In fact Matthew seems to report it in a very matter-of-fact way and only uses it to show how it provoked the Pharisees.

     Now a key thing to note about this healing was that it involved deliverance from demonisation. Again and again we are told that they brought the demon possessed to Jesus to be delivered. Now a person does not get possessed unless they have opened their lives up blatantly to the enemy, so it is clear that the spiritual state of Israel was at a very low ebb when Jesus came. This is confirmed by the response of the people who are amazed at what takes place; it is obviously something they were not used to seeing.

     Then by stark contrast, Matthew shows us the Pharisees again, this religious group who thought that they alone were the holders of religious truth. They may know much but they are obviously powerless and have had little impact on the nation. Does this describe the sort of Christianity we know about? If so, it's time for a change!

D. Application:

1. Do we have much knowledge with little power or authority?

2. Jesus said those who believed in him would do the same things he had

     done (Jn 14:12). Are we?

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:25-29

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus know? v.25a

Jesus knew their thoughts

2. What 3 things did he use as illustration? v.25b

"Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

3. What did he say about Satan? v.26

If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?

4. What did he ask of them? v.27

And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges

5. But who did he infer helped him with what result? v.28

But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

6. What strategy does he speak about? v.29

Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

B. Think:

1. What general principle is Jesus speaking out here?

2. How does he apply it to himself?

3. How might it be applied today?

C. Comment:

     Jesus has just cast out a demon and has been accused by the Pharisees of being helped by Satan, so now he makes his reply. First of all he applies a general principle. Any group that is divided or turns against itself will fall. That is obvious, isn't it! Internal division brings downfall. Right, says Jesus, you have seen one of Satan's agents cast out and you say it is by Satan. He wouldn't do that! Go on, ask your own deliverance people what they think. No, deliverance from demons can only come by the work of God, and if it is that then you have just witnessed the rule of God coming to free this man!

     Then he further adds to it: if you want to plunder a strong man's house you have to first deal with him, and the implication by Jesus, is that he has already dealt with Satan and therefore has the power and authority to plunder his house, the world, freely as he will.

     Now how might this apply to life today? Well from time to time there are dissident voices in the church saying, “This can't be a work of the Spirit. It is of the devil”. Look to the fruit of that “work”. Is it a changed and blessed life? Satan doesn't make people more excited about Jesus, for that would be to defeat his aims. Let's be careful what we write off, or we may be becoming a Pharisee!

D. Application:

1. God brings blessing, Satan brings real evil. Be clear about it!

2. Never attribute to the enemy the work of God.

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:30-32

A. Find Out:

1. Who did Jesus say was against him? v.30a

"He who is not with me is against me

2. What does the person who doesn't gather do? v.30b

he who does not gather with me scatters.

3. What will be forgiven? v.31a

every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,

4. With what exception? v.31b

but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

5. Who will be forgiven? v.32a

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgive

6. But who will not be forgiven? v.32b

but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

B. Think:

1. How in v.30 does Jesus make everything clear black and white?

2. What do you think blasphemy against the Holy Spirit means?

3. Why do you think it is so serious to speak against the Holy Spirit?

C. Comment:

     We must observe the context here. Jesus has just been healing the sick and delivering the demonised and the Pharisees have come along and claimed that this is the work of the devil. Jesus has already sought to refute that and so now states some simple but powerful principles.

     First, you are either for or against Jesus. There is no such thing, according to Scripture as a neutral person. You are either in the dominion of darkness or in the kingdom of the Son ( Col 1:13 & 1 Jn 5:19 ), there are no in-between states.

     Second, it doesn't matter what you say in your ignorance about Jesus (assuming you later come to repentance and the truth) but if you speak again what God is doing, you will be speaking against God and if you carry on doing that then there is no forgiveness. Let's unpack that a little. If you speak “a word” (v.32) against the Son that is understandable; all people do that before they come to Christ and are then forgiven.

However, if you “speak” (v.32) and carry on speaking (implied by the word) against what God is doing by His Holy Spirit then you are obviously in rebellion against God and for ongoing unrepentant rebellion there is no forgiveness.

D. Application:

1. You are either with Jesus or against him. There is nothing between.

2. Rejecting the Spirit is rejecting what God is doing.

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:33-37

A. Find Out:

1. What principle does Jesus first declare here? v.33

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

2. What second principle does he declare? v.34b

out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks

3. What does he say about them (the Pharisees)? v.34a

You brood of vipers

4. Why according to Jesus is this? v.35

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him

5. And what warning does he give them? v.36

I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

6. What will be the basis of judgement? v.37

For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

B. Think:

1. Why are words important according to Jesus?

2. Why therefore can they be the basis of judgement?

3. But what is the crucial issue about our lives?

C. Comment:

     Jesus has been chiding the Pharisees. Now he goes to the very root of the matter: the state of their hearts. He first of all uses the illustration of a tree: the type and quality of the tree will determine its fruit. Then he turns directly on them: so how can you who are evil bring forth any good thing? Wow! That is plain speaking.

    Then he continues. It is as if he says, how do I know that you are evil, how do I know the state of your hearts? I simply listen to you! A person speaks what their heart says, so if your heart is bad, your words will be bad - and yours are bad! Then he continues, and it will be on the basis of your words that you will eventually be judged by God. Why? Because they simply reveal the state of your hearts and it is on the basis of the state of your heart that God really judges.

     The crucial issue here is what is the state of our hearts, and if we are not sure, listen to our words. Are our words hard, critical, unkind or even worse? Then that is the state of our heart! And IF that IS the state of our heart then we need to repent and ask God's forgiveness and ask Him to change us from the inside out.

D. Application:

1. Our words reveal the state of our heart.

2. We need to listen to our words and recognise the state of our hearts

    and repent when they are wrong. We need to be honest in facing up

    to the state of our heart as revealed by our words.

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:38-42

A. Find Out:

1. Who came and asked Jesus for what? v.38

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."

2. Who asks such a thing says Jesus and what will they be given? v.39

He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah

3. How will this work? v.40

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

4. Who will condemn this generation and why? v.41

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here

5. Who also will judge this nation and why? v.42

The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

B. Think:

1. How is the story of Jonah first of all a parallel?

2. How were the men of Ninevah an example?

3. How was the Queen of Sheba an example?

C. Comment:

     Perhaps in response to Jesus saying that words reveal the heart, the Pharisees and law teachers ask what they think is a good sounding question. It is as if they say, all right we'll believe you, show us a miracle as a sign of who you are. Jesus reply is as if he is saying, it's too late for that, you should have already believed! He describes them as a wicked and adulterous generation and then he uses three illustrations.

     First of all he speaks about Jonah, apparently “dying” in a fish. All they will get is the sign of his death and resurrection, just like Jonah in his fish (Jonah 1:17 ). You won't believe the miracles that I do so let's see if you will believe when I am raised from the dead!

    Second, he says look, the sinful men of Ninevah show you up, for at least they repented of their sins when Jonah came (Jonah 3:6-10). Repentance is what is needed, not nice sounding words!

     Third, not only that, the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-10) will also show you up, for she came with an open heart when she heard of the great things of Solomon and believed, and what you are seeing is much greater than Solomon. An open believing heart is what is needed, not critical, double edged words!

D. Application:

1. Jesus looks for repentance and open heartedness from us, not merely

     words that sound good.

2. Words without deeds is deception! (Jas 1:22)

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:43-45

A. Find Out:

1. What happens when an evil spirit leaves a man? v.43

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

2. What does it then decide to do? v.44a

Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.'

3. And what does it find? v.44b

When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.

4. So who does it find and what do they do? v.45a

Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there

5. With what result? v.45b

And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.

6. So how does Jesus apply that? v.45c

That is how it will be with this wicked generation."

B. Think:

1. What does the end of v.45 indicate about what Jesus is saying?

2. What was he saying in the illustration?

3. So how did that apply?

C. Comment:

      When people speak about this passage they speak about demon possession and deliverance principles, but that is NOT the main point of the passage. Jesus uses the illustration to say that even as it is with deliverance, so it will be with Israel ! Let's look at it.

      What Jesus is saying is that when a demon is cast out, unless the life is filled up with another occupier, the demon will come back - with friends - and the person will end up in a worse state than they were before. The key to preventing this happening is to ensure that an alternative occupier to demons is allowed to take up residence. As we have seen before, you will either have Jesus as Lord, or Satan will rule over you. If Jesus isn't allowed in then Satan will dominate. Now that is true of individuals and it is also true of nations.

     Jesus had come to Israel and, following John's ministry had been calling for repentance. Many people had come to him to have their personal problems dealt with; for many this had meant deliverance. Now, says Jesus, unless you allow me into your life - for ever - you will soon go back to where you were before. A half-hearted following of Jesus is almost worse than no following (see Rev. 3:15,16). Stop using words; make it a heart commitment!

D. Application:

1. Half-hearted commitment can be disastrous.

2. Jesus wants more than words. He wants a life lived for him.

Chapter: Matthew 12

Passage: Matthew 12:46-50

A. Find Out:

1. Who came wanting to do what ? v.46

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.

2. What was he told? v.47

Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."

3. What question did Jesus ask? v.48

"Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"

4. To whom did he point? v.49a

Pointing to his disciples,

5. What did he say of them? v.49b

"Here are my mother and my brothers

6. What general principle did he then lay down? v.50

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

B. Think:

1. What opportunity to Jesus take here?

2. What point was he making?

3. How was this a revealing of his divinity as against his humanity?

C. Comment:

     In your Bible your probably have a note that v.47 isn't in all old manuscripts, but somehow it seems like it is put there for double emphasis. It's as if it is saying, take it in, this is the family who have an earthly claim to Jesus, wanting to claim his time and attention. That is important to note.

     So Jesus takes this opportunity to declare something of his divine origin as against his human origin. As the Son of God he declares that anyone who does God's will is related to him. As God's Son he will not have any human being making a claim on his time or attention by apparent human relationships. As far as Jesus is concerned the only claim to know him can come from those who belong to the heavenly family, those who do God's will, who come to God through Jesus and who are given a new life from God who becomes their Father (see John 1:12,13).

     What we find here, therefore, is a call to observe spiritual realities rather than mere physical or material realities. There is not a rejection here of his earthly family, but an extension of thought to say, think in spiritual rather than temporal terms.

D. Application:

1. No earthly human being can claim Jesus' time.

2. When we are doing God's will we are then related to Jesus and have all

     the opportunities of family.

RECAP: Conflict with the Pharisees - Matthew 12

SUMMARY :

In this first group of 11 studies we have seen :

- Some Pharisees criticising Jesus' disciples

- Jesus eventually telling them that he is Lord of the

   Sabbath

- Pharisees & Jesus in the synagogue, healing a man's arm

- Jesus healing many sick people, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy

- Jesus delivering a deaf mute

- The Pharisees saying it was a work of Satan

- Jesus showing the folly of their logic

- Pharisees asking for a sign & Jesus' response and teaching

- Jesus' family coming looking for him

COMMENT :

      The Pharisees in this chapter should bring us a sharp warning. They were the “orthodox believers” of their day. Yet they misunderstood the Law, they showed their lack of compassion, they attributed the work of the Spirit to Satan, and they were blind to the wonder of his miracles. They revealed that their “biblical orthodoxy” was really just a cover for their hard hearts. We, who defend the Bible, also need to avoid such hard heartedness.

LESSONS?

1. We need to avoid legalism.

2. Jesus wants caring compassion in us, not ritual observance.

3. Jesus comes to heal the broken hearted.

4. We must beware writing off God's work we don't understand.

5. Jesus wants deeds, not mere words, from us.

PRAY :

      Ask the Lord to deliver you from any aspect of Pharisaism as seen in Chapter 12.

PART 2 : "Kingdom Parables"

     In this next Part we'll see Jesus using a number of parables to teach kingdom principles and explain why he uses parables. In each case seek to distinguish between the basic elements of each story and the point Jesus was seeking to make in each one.