Please read the remaining chapters of the Gospel of Matthew (Ch. 15-28). Pay special attention to Chapters 21-23, chapters that particularly well show Jesus' challenge to the religion of the scribes and Pharisees. Choose a verse or summarize a passage that seems particularly important to you and do one of the following:1. Explain why you think this verse/passage is the best/most memorable in the assigned reading.
2. Explain how this verse/passage ties to the theme that Mattthew is a "gospel for those who think they don't need the gospel."
25 comments:
Mat 23:27
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness.
This is memorable to me, because it is one of the harshest insults I have ever heard. "You look beautiful, but inside you're a rotting corpse."
I think the rest is sort of self-explanatory. If you're "good" on the outside and acting like you already have God, but your heart is far from him, you're just a corpse.
"He said to them You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Mt 22:37-40.
1. I believe this is the most memorable passage because it tells Jews and the Christians today the two greatest commandments. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. If we would follow this advice, the world would be a much happier and safer place to live. For 2000 years, we have been working to fulfill this expectation, but it hasn’t yet.
2. This passage is for those who believed they didn’t need the scripture. The Pharisees were more worried about following the law, so they made up different laws and would probably stone their own wife under accusations of adultery. The Sadducees could learn from this because they loved money more than God, and believed that they could do what they wanted to their fellow man. These two short commandments were easy to remember and drove home a very important point that both of these groups were not on the correct path to find God’s heavenly reward.
I would like to comment on the parable of the workers.
In this parable Jesus says that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
This is a great way to illustrate that there are no degrees, of position, power, prestigue, or honor in the kingdom. There are only degrees of responsibility.
Some may have been around longer and therefore have greater responsibility, but not greater position or honor or love from God. All rewards are equal.
Donna Baskins
Jesus defied the scribes and Pharisees for making a profit off religion instead of teaching them enlightenment from worship. Matthew Ch. 21:12 says Jesus entered their temple and tipped over the money tables chastising the priests for being thieves in the house of God. Jesus damned the scribes and Pharisees calling them hypocrites and blind men in Matthew Ch. 22. Chapter 26 discusses Jesus’ predictions of his own death during the last supper. Judas was said to deny being the disciple of Jesus three times. All these events are significant because they mark the birth of Christianity.
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves. And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Mt 21: 12-13
This verse is memorable because Jesus is making a point that money is not the most important thing in life. But instead what is important is their relationship with God through prayer.
Margaret Schiley
The story of the crowd choosing between Jesus and a common criminal (Barabbas)in Matthew 27:15-26 is memorable because it shows that the scribes and the Pharisees, the ones that Jesus denounced as hypocrites, were the ones that were able to stir up the mob and asked for Jesus to be crucified. Despite Pontius Pilate's pleas to spare Jesus, mob rule was enforced and in verse 24 through 26 shows that Pilate "washed his hands" of the situation. In response, the crowd and their descendants took responsibility of the death of Jesus.
The chants of "crucify Him" of an out of control mob, whipped up by the pharisees and scribes for revenge against Jesus and his denouncements, must have been the scariest scene of Pilate's rule as governor of the territory. Pilate gave in to the crowd's wishes because of tradition of releasing a prisoner, the the fact he had limited resources to pacify the crowd due to its long distance from Rome, and that the pharisees whipped the crown into such a frenzy that Pilate was unable to sway the crowd, despite his pleas for the release of Jesus.
Matthew 15:17-20
"Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?
18"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.
"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
"These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."
Jesus takes a simple question meant to stump him, turns it around, and accuses the pharisees and scribes. Later he is asked by Peter what the parable meant.
In this passage Jesus pinpoints an important part of our daily lives- speaking and thinking- and shows that what we use for good could also be for evil. It does not matter our actions, but our HEARTS are important. It returns us to the old saying, "It's what's on the inside that counts."
Rituals and traditions are the actions that hid what was in the hearts of the Pharisees and scribes. The audience listening to Matthew would understand (as we do) that the heart is more important.
-amber eich
Lets look at the Wedding Feast ParableMatt. 22:1-14.
The way I interpret this story initially, Jesus is talking to the Jewish rulers and leading priests, it says so earlier in Matt. 21:23, obviously this is the gospel of Matthew and we have already learned in class Matthew is addressing the Jewish Nation. Next there are several different characters:
the King- who I believe is the God Head, the servants- the OT Prophets and coming Apostles and Disciples, the people invited to the banquet who have excuses not to go to the banquet and sometimes beat up and killed the servants are the Jewish people who do not believe in Jesus as their Messiah. The rest of the people everyone the servants could find- this I believe is the rest of the world, AKA the Gentiles. Also the army of the King- would be the Angles of the Lord.
Lastly there is the man who was not dressed for the banquet- it is in my opinion that this man is personified as the self proclaiming followers of Christ who are not right in their heart with Him and only follow him in name, but not sincerely.
-Nate Mills
The passage that stuck with me the most while i was reading todays assignment was the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32). This shows that actions are just as powerful, if not more powerful, then words. Therefore it is one thing to say that your a Christian, but it's another thing to actually act like one.
Eric Saathoff
I am going to share with you my thoughts on Matthew 28: 18-20.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them saying,"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all thing that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
To many, as well as me, this passage is known as the Great Commission. These are the marching orders for Christians. He is wanting us to go out and tell others of the Good News and just know that He is with us always.
Jesus taught us many things during His time on Earth. Now, He asks us to share the Good News with otehr people. Its hard to believe that on top of how He tells us to live, He asks us to bring others to know Him.
In one of his presentations, Art mentions how he used to be one of those people who would debate with his Christian friends why they believed what they did and how true it is. Later on, he ponders why they didnt try harder to bring him to Christ, because friends don't let friends drive drunk...friends don't let friends go to SDSU... and friends shouldn't let friends go to hell.
Jesus was trying to nip situations like this in the bud. He was telling us that although its hard I need you, want you, to go out to the ends of the earth and share the Word of God with everyone. He never told us that everyone would listen or convert, although He did say that it would be hard sometimes. We are still to try though. Why should we give up when some of us don't even try very hard or have walked away from Him? He doesn't want us to be discouraged...press in during the hard times. He says in verse 20 that I will be with you until the end of times. So, press into Him for help.
Amanda Blood
1. it talks about jesus at the temple and what goes on there. i really liked the parable of the tenants
' the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the lord as done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.?
2. i think it explains why we need the gospel.
Ka'Nova Williams
In Matthew 22:41-45, it is significant that Jesus is establishing himself as David's son and David's Lord (Messiah. He trumps all the Pharasees. He is also pointing to the cross coming later in the OT passage "Until I put your enemies under your feet". He is really socking it to the pharasees for there lack of knowledge of the OT scripture. It shows there unbelief because they still don't see a need for a savior.
This follows the theme in the book of Matthew because he uses OT scripture to prove to the people that it is true.
Jessica Hinners
I think the whole section "Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees" is the most memorable and best exemplifies the challenge to the religion of scribes and Pharisees.
Jesus says, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" He uses different metaphors to show that the scribes and Pharisees are greedy, full of self indulgence, and have beautiful exteriors (such as temples or being an elite intellectual) but are lacking the important laws, which are "justice and mercy and faith."
Alyson Guthrie
I have to agree with Miranda...Mat 23:27
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness.
This to me is memorable because it is a huge insult it also makes one really think. This is what people tell us our whole lives that people are beautiful on the outside but are horrible people on the inside. This is where they must have gotten that from. It reminds me that just because one acts like they are a believer does not mean that they truely feel it in their heart. I think this was a good point for Matthew since he was dealing with people with differnt groups of people. For those who thought they were right this says to them do you really feel it in your heart. For those who do not believe it might encourage them to believe and see if it changes them into a beautiful person on the inside. I really like this passage.
Matthew 16:24-25 - Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to have his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."
I found these verses to be very memorable because they describe the attitudes of servitude and humility that we are to have as Christians.
I recall the scene from Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ where Jesus was literally made to carry his own cross, a practice imposed on convicted criminals of the time. In the movie, Jesus’ character is so tired and the cross so heavy that another man (named Simon—27:32) was made to help him carry his cross.
Back to the verses I chose—Jesus is asking us as Christians to voluntarily deny ourselves of any worldly pleasures and metaphorically take up this heavy, criminal’s cross, a representation I’m assuming of the “burdens” associated with being a Christian.
Take up your cross and persist through persecution, through trial, and through loss, because great is the reward! For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. If we act selfishly and hold on so tightly to our worldly pleasure and our perceived value of life on this earth that we ignore what it really means to be a Christian, we will in essence lose the great life in Heaven that is promised to believers. However, if we give up our life to Christ, we will enjoy eternal life with Him in Heaven. Thus we should all humbly serve Christ, take up the crosses we encounter as Christians, and persist through it all. God will give no person more than he or she can handle, and our reward will be great.
How more memorable can you get?
Rachelle Rasmussen
" Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea' it will be done. And whatever thing you ask in prayer, believing , you will recieve." Matthew 21:21-22
Although the Pharisees, and Sadducees believe that they worship God the best in their own individual ways, I think that this passage reminds both sides just knowing the bible from cover to cover, is not enough. Belief in everyword and dedication to God's word, is most important in the end. It does not mean that they have to do the right things all the time but rather believe that mistakes, and or accomplishments are apart of life. I liked the reminder in these lines about the importance of just belief itself.
Maggie Madrid
"Did ye never read in the scriptures , The stone which the builders rejected , the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lords doing, and it is marvolous in our eyes?" Matt. 21: 42
This is a good passage that stands out to me for two reasons. First, it gives me a comfort that the Lord accepts the rejected, the desiesed, and the lonely; which the "builders" or society might throw away or look down at.
The next thing that is interesting about this passage is that it is asking the people who read it to remember the Jewish scriptures. This is the concept that we talked about it class on Tuesday and more evidence that this book is written for the people that didn't think they needed the Gospel.
Matthew Scott
Mat 22:45-46
"If then David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?" "No one could say a word in reply and from that day on no one dared to ask him any questions."
For me this pasage stood out because it was at a time when the high priests were questioning Jesus and his authority. And Jesus answered them to where they couldnt even muster a reply.
This is a good example of how people didnt think they needed the gospel, because they thought they knew and understood everything about scripture. This proves that they dont understand at all.
in chapter 22, verses 34-40, matthew shows jesus giving a lesson to the pharisees that have gathered. he tells them that they shall love the lord with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their mind. as well as a second commandment, to love their neighbors. He says that these two commandments 'hang all the law and the prophets'. This passage is giving man a great way to live life. this is why this passage stands out in my mind, a big lesson that jesus puts across in just two laws....two laws to better man.
-Landon (Jeffrey) Lawson
22.41- Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David."... This passage is important because it makes the Pharisees questions their own answer and obviously make them question other answers they have because they asked no more questions after this one.
I think that Matthew 28: 1-10 is the best/most memorable part of the reading. It is the story of the resurrection. To me, Jesus rising from the dead is the most important part of Christianity, it's what differentiates Christians from other faiths. Without the resurrection, I personally don't think Christianity would have had the success it did.
I don't see the resurrection, though, as being directed towards the Pharisees and Sadducees. The part of Matthew that is clearly directed towards them are chapters 22 and 23.
The most memorable part of those two chapters is Matthew 22: 37-40 - the "Great Commandments." In these few verses, Jesus sees right through all of the smoke and mirrors of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and summarizes the "law" into two commandments: Love the lord and love thy neighbor.
Kevin Dahlberg
mat 22:21
give to caesar what is Caesar,and to God what is Gods'
This is memorable because that is one of the main teaching of Jesus. Material things are for this world you can't take them with. But being a creation of god we owe ourselves to him. We can create anything and everything but that is just material where as being servants to Gods will that is Gods.
Dave potts
Jin-Seop, Lee
"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."
"Love your neighbor as yourself".
Matthew 22:37, 22:39
These verses are the most memorable for me. We alawys consider and ask about which is the best way to belive the Jesus. However, the answer key is very simple and difficult. That is, "Love all my heart, soul, and mind."
This is not only the way to believe god, but the way to make our society peaceful. If we love friends, boy and girlfriend, family, neighbor and so on, the world should be peaceful without war and conflicts.
So, In my opinion,this verse ties to the theme.
Mat 23: 24-28
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
This is such stinging criticism concerning moral character. Such harsh words are necessary yet, in simple terms this verse undercuts all supposed moral people. He states that despite our best efforts to show purity, we are filled with corruption and greed. Isn’t this the status of current society? We wear certain clothes for show, we act a certain way in order to gain attention, but we cannot execute pure and undaunted faith. We can never “clean” ourselves if we cannot cleanse our inside faith and morals. You may look beautiful and faithful on the outside, but it does not account for anything. Furthermore, this verse helps illustrate the value that in order to understand faith, you must not show display in public. Pray in private, fast in private and show no signs of fasting. Do not claim that you are fasting and assert your frivolous public prayer. When you pray in private the Lord will reward for you are pure and humble and practice humility. Clean inside and we shall be pure outside. It is the most memorable, because we live in a society pierced by impression and I can understand and accept this harsh criticism.
Similarly, this verse is perfectly assessable to everyone is society. Despite our best efforts to cover our inner demons, we have daunting obstacles and evils to conquer before we can exhibit true faith. Our society is hypocrisy. It is such a funny thing that inner cleansing is one of the most difficult and personal barriers. Many people believe that outer appearances matter the most. There is no shame in this charade. Anyone who claims to be pure inside and out is the first person to be the most corrupted. Additionally, anyone who exhibits faithful resistance needs this verse the most. It is one of the harshest condemnations and should evoke a sense of shame in order to benefit moral character.
Kirsten Saunders
The parable of the wedding banquet was a chapter I found interesting in Matthew, especially Matt. 22:2-3 which says, "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet." and also Matt. 22:14 which says, "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
I Interpreted these two verse as everyone have the opprtunity to enter Gods' kingdom through strength and belief in God, but if your belief is not strong then you will not be able to enter Gods' kingdom.
Post a Comment