Real Voices

Imagine that you’re part of the crowd in the northern part of Israel, Galilee, watching Jesus interact with the religious leaders. You’ve just seen Jesus say some striking things to them in a grain field. He says that he’s greater than the temple, the Son of Man, and the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12.1-8). […]

When we last heard Jesus, He was inviting people to come to Him to find rest. Now, the scene is the day of rest, the Sabbath, and what takes place between Jesus and the religious leaders. At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began […]

Try an experiment with me. Imagine you are burdened by life and seated alone on a park bench. Someone who you recognize to be Jesus walks up to you and says this. “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. “Take my yoke upon […]

Matthew 11.25-30 is a capsule summary of the message of the entire Gospel. Jesus’ words came after the unbelief of the Galilean villages and their rejection of Jesus and his message (11.20-24). At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise […]

In this section, the focus on Israel’s unbelief becomes sharper. The cities of Galilee are reproached for their failure to receive the message of Jesus. With the unbelief of Israel, a turning point in the story has been reached. For the first time, we encounter the fact of the failure of Jesus’ mission to Israel. […]

“This generation” is a key phrase in Matthew’s Gospel. It refers to the unbelief and rejection by the people of John and Jesus. “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;we […]

John the Baptist played a key role in the transition from the old era, which was the Law and the Prophets, to the new era of the Kingdom of God. Three times, Jesus asked the question, “What did you go out to see?” Each question has a suggested answer posed in the form of a […]

John believed that the coming Messianic age would usher in a time of salvation for the righteous and judgment for the wicked. Some of his emphasis fell strongly on judgment. “Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down […]

The religious authorities complained that Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9.11). They were taken aback by Jesus’ behavior because eating with such people implied acceptance and friendship. The Pharisees believed that separating from sinners was the path to righteousness. On the other […]

Jesus makes it very clear that witnessing is not optional. It is a requirement for His followers. He shows the great importance of witnessing with the strongest of statements. “Everyone, therefore, who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny […]