Daily reading
Today’s reading is: Mt. 22:23-23:36; Mk. 12:18-44; Lk. 20:27-21:3
Video
Matthew Chapter Twenty-Two
(Outline continues from yesterday)
- The Sadducees also felt they could leave Him without answer, but found themselves silenced (Matt. 22:23-34).
- A Pharisee lawyer then took a shot at testing Jesus’ knowledge of the Law (Matt. 22:35-40).
- The Lord turned the tables on the Pharisees with a question from Ps. 110 that they could not answer (Matt. 22:41-46).
Matthew Chapter Twenty-Three
- Jesus’ final public sermon was another great discourse—pronouncing seven woes upon the scribe & Pharisee hypocrites.
- The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day had seated themselves in authority over Israel (Matt. 23:2).
- The disciples were admonished to listen to their words (as the authority of the Law was not based upon the Pharisees).
- The disciples were warned to not imitate their actions (as their conduct was different from their words).
- The general description of the Pharisees is one of pride and ambition. The general description of appropriate behavior for the disciples is one of humility and service (Matt. 23:5-12).
- Seven woes are given (Matt. 23:13,15-31). (Verse 14 would make an eighth woe, but does not belong in the text of Matthew. It was inserted in later manuscripts as a harmonization corruption).
- Rabbinic Judaism under Pharisee control was an obstructive institution to the Jews acceptance of Christ in His 1st Advent (Matt. 23:13).
- Rabbinic Judaism under Pharisee control was a legalistic institution that only grew worse with each passing generation (Matt. 23:15).
- Rabbinic Judaism under Pharisee control was an ignorant (blind) institution that insisted itself to be the authoritative institution regarding the Law (Matt. 23:16-23).
- Rabbinic Judaism under Pharisee control was a misguided institution with Satanically modified priorities (Matt. 23:23-24).
- Rabbinic Judaism under Pharisee control was a superficial institution intent on external purity without any internal purity (Matt. 23:25-26).
- Rabbinic Judaism under Pharisee control was a vain institution motivated by human esteem rather than internal righteousness for Divine approbation (Matt. 23:27-28).
- Rabbinic Judaism under Pharisee control was a Satanic institution of pride, deceit, and murder (Matt. 23:29-33).
(Chapter Twenty-Three continues on Day 300)
Mark Chapter Twelve
(Outline continues from yesterday)
- The Sadducees likewise tried to entrap Jesus with a question He could not answer (Mk. 12:18-27).
- Mark’s account of the Lawyer’s great commandment question is fuller than Matthew’s version (Mk. 12:28-34). This man was close to being saved, and the Lord’s patient answers were designed to get him there.
- Jesus had a question of His own for the Pharisees—one that left them speechless, and consequently delighted the crowds (Mk. 12:35-40).
- It is also on this busy Wednesday that Jesus observed the poor widow and her spiritual prosperity (Mk. 12:41-44; Lk. 21:1-4).
Luke Chapter Twenty
(Outline continues from yesterday with points 1., 1a., and 1b. repeated)
- The Adversary certainly couldn’t stand for any serious teaching, or the true gospel message to be proclaimed. Opposition to the Lord then came:
- From the chief priests, scribes, & elders (Lk. 20:1-19).
- Their spies posing as disciples (Lk. 20:20-26).
- The Sadducees (Lk. 20:27-40).
- The Lord turned the tables and posed a question that His critics could not answer (Lk. 20:41-44).
- The Lord used His present conflict to warn His disciples of future conflict (Lk. 20:45-47). [Chapters 20, 21, and 22:16 all take place on Wednesday, April 1st, 33AD.]
Luke Chapter Twenty-One
- The Lord observed many wealthy people bringing their gifts to the treasury, and one poor widow doing even more (Lk. 21:1-4).
(Chapter Twenty continues tomorrow)