NOTE: Only 19 chapters are currently available.
More chapters will be added in the future.

  As indicated in the title, this is my commentary based on my personal study in the Holy Scriptures. In my teachings, I have warned Christians about the dangers of commentaries, and I would consider my notes no different, meaning that Christians ought to approach my commentary with the same amount of caution as they would approach any commentary. Knowing the great offenses against God I have committed in my life, and knowing that the salvation of my soul is by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, I am unworthy to work on such a project as this, but Christ's commandments to His church are clear that His elect are to teach His doctrine to those who will hear.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
-Matthew 28:19-20

And He assured us that the Holy Spirit, through His anointing, will teach us the knowledge of His Word:

These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
-1 John 2:26-27

That being said, this is a commentary on the King James Bible, the preserved Word of God in English. I will not rely on the worldly sources used by nearly all other commentators because I believe the doctrines of Scripture are sufficiently understandable on their own to those who have been born again through repentance and faith in Christ, having received the gift of the Holy Spirit who gives understanding and discernment, and who humbly seek God's wisdom through prayer. Specifically, I will not rely on so-called "early church fathers" (the vast majority of which were heretics), nor the so-called "Septuagint," nor lexicons, nor concordances.

For those who desire a deeper understanding of these matters, I recommend the following teachings here at Creation Liberty Evangelism: There is only one outside source I will occasionally use to help clarify some word definitions: Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. I do not consider Webster's dictionary equivalent to God's Word, nor do I rely on it as a source of interpretation. However, because Webster based his definitions primarily on the context of the King James Bible, his descriptions of word meanings are sometimes quite helpful. Even so, the definitions I use in this commentary are always based on the context of Scripture alone; whenever I reference his dictionary, I am double-checking Webster against the Bible, analyzing the verses to confirm the meaning in its context, refusing to cherry-pick definitions, as so many false teachers do.

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Brief Summary:
The Gospel According to Matthew presents the Lord Jesus Christ as the promised King and Messiah of Israel, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies. Written by Matthew (also called Levi, Luke 5:27), a former tax collector who became one of Christ's twelve apostles, this book was penned primarily for a Jewish audience to demonstrate that Jesus is the rightful heir to David's throne and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew uniquely records numerous "fulfillment" statements (e.g., "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet"), tracing Christ's lineage from Abraham and David, detailing His miraculous birth, authoritative teaching (especially the Sermon on the Mount), miracles, parables of the Kingdom, and His sacrificial death and resurrection. The Gospel repeatedly calls men to repentance and faith, warning against religious hypocrisy while revealing the grace of God toward sinners.

Above all, Matthew emphasizes the Great Commission, commanding the church to teach all nations the doctrine of Christ, proclaiming remission of sins through repentance and belief in the Gospel of the Kingdom.



 

  [v1] The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Though this book is called "Matthew" after the writer, as was also done with the writers of the prophecies of the Old Testament, so we can more easily distinguish them from one another according to their time, place, people, and context, this book would be called "The Generation of Jesus Christ" according to Matthew himself; the focus obviously being about the Lord Jesus Christ, His deeds, His doctrine, and His suffering. Matthew includes that Jesus was "the son of David," which every formerly educated Jew knows is their name for the Messiah, and "the son of Abraham" because he was the first to which the promise of the seed of faith was made (Gen 22:18), which gave more detail that aside from just being born of the seed of a woman in the first promise (Gen 3:15), Christ would be born as a descendent of Abraham.

  [v2] Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

Although Ishmael was born before Isaac, and others born after Isaac, God told Abraham that "in Isaac shall they seed be called" (Gen 21:12), which means the seed of the promise would come from Isaac's lineage. The seed did not go from Isaac to Esau because Esau despised his birthright (Gen 25:32-24), which also meant that he cared nothing for the Messiah who would come from the seed of promise, and so the seed passed from Isaac to Jacob, who God also named Israel, from which the country adopted its name. (Isa 49:3)

Although Joseph was a type of Christ, it is through Judah (or Judas, which is the same person referred to here) that the seed of promise came because the Scriptures tell us that "it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda." (Heb 7:14) And though it was from the tribe of Judah that the Messiah came, the Scriptures tell us that the seed of promise is considered to come from all Israelites. (Rom 9:4)

  [v3] And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

The seed came through Pharez (or Phares), the son of Judah, and though his twin brother Zarah (or Zara) is mentioned here, it is not because they were twins that Zarah is mentioned here (because otherwise, Esau would have been mentioned for the same reason, and he was not), but rather, it seems Zarah was mentioned because of Genesis 38:27-30, in which Zarah started to come out first, but withdrew his hand, and Pharez came out first instead. Pharez begat Esrom, who is also called Hezron in Ruth 4:18, which is the same name spelled two different ways, and he begat Aram, which is Ram (Ruth 4:19), and one of Ram's sons was Elihu, the same man who grew angry and rebuked Job and his other three friends when they tried to justify Job to be righteous in his own eyes. (Job 32:2)

  [v4] And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

This follows the account of the Ruth 4:20, that Ram (or Aram) begat Amminadab (or Aminadab), and that Amminadab begat Nahshon (or Naasson), who was captain of the tribe as documented in the book of Numbers, and that Nahshon begat Salmon, or Salma, as he is called in 1 Chronicles 2:11.

  [v5] And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

Here, it is confirmed that Salmon begat Boaz (or Booz) from his marriage to Rahab (or Rachab), the same Rahab who helped the Hebrew spies escape from Jericho. (Jos 2:1) Boaz and Ruth were married as indicated in the book of Ruth, and begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, although there may have been a few generations between Obed and Jesse, but it is through Jesse that the seed was to come as prophesied in Isaiah 11:1.

  [v6] And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

David was the youngest of the sons of Jesse, and was despised for it by his brethren, and overlooked by his father, who showed favor to his elder brethren, but as is the nature of God to show mercy and kindness on the downtrodden, God blessed David and made him king, and the first king of the tribe of Judah. David then begat Solomon through Bathsheba who was not named in this passage, likely due to the sins by both her (i.e. she was naked on the rooftop during a time of day that she should not have been, drawing in temptation from others) and David (i.e. he had Uriah [or Urias] killed to claim Bathsheba), and although David's first son with Bathsheba was slain by the Lord as punishment for their sins (2Sa 12:14-15), David and Bathsheba begat Solomon, who would claim the mantle of king after his father's death.

  [v7] And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;

Solomon begat Rehoboam (or Roboam), who became king after his father's death. (1Ki 11:43) Rehoboam begat Abia (or Abijam [1Ki 14:31], or Abijah [2Ch 12:16]), and Abia begat Asa, who was one of the few good kings of Israel.

  [v8] And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;

Asa begat Josaphat (1Ki 15:24), and Josaphat begat Joram (1Ki 22:50), and Joram begat Ozias (or Uzziah, 2Ch 26:1), but Uzziah was not the direct son of Joram; rather, he was the great grandson of Joram, and this is likely omitted by the Holy Ghost through Matthew because of the curse on the households, to the third and fourth generation, of those who practiced idolatry. (Exd 20:5)

  [v9] And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

Uzziah begat Joatham (or Jotham, 2Ki 15:7), Joatham begat Achaz (or Ahaz, 2Ki 15:38), and Achaz begat Ezekias (or Hezekiah, 2Ki 16:20) who was another of the good kings of Israel, and God added 15 years added to the days of his life. (Isa 38:5)

  [v10] And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

Hezekiah begat Manassas (or Manasseh, 2Ki 20:21), Manasseh begat Amon (2Ki 21:19), and Amon begat Josias (or Josiah, 2Ki 22:1).

  [v11] And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

Josiah begat Jechonias, or Jehoiakim, whose name was Eliakim before he was renamed by Pharaohnecho (2Ki 23:34), or Necho II. Jehoiakim's brethren (1Ch 3:15), Johanan, Zedekiah, and Shallum (or Jehoahaz, 2Ki 23:30), were likely mentioned here only to distinguish Jechonias (or Jehoiakim) from another Jechonias of the same name in the next verse, who did not have brethren, and it should be noted that neither Josiah nor Jehoiakim were carried away into Babylon because they were dead by that time, but rather, it was his brethren who were captive, which is what Matthew noted to help us with the timeline.

  [v12] And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

Jechonias (or Jehoiachin, 2Ki 24:6), was the son of Jehoiakim mentioned in the previous verse, and he begat Salathiel (or Shealtiel, Hag 1:1). Salathiel begat Zorobabel (or Zerubbabel, Ezra 3:2), which has caused some controversy since Zerubbabel was not the immediate son of Salathiel (i.e. he was the son of Pedaiah, 1Ch 3:19) so he was either his grandson, or he adopted his brother's son. (1Ch 3:17)

  [v13] And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

Zorobabel begat Abiud, who is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, but is likely the eldest son, Meshullam (1Ch 3:19), since it was common for the Jews to have two names while under Babylonian captivity, as did Daniel. (Dan 1:7) Abiud begat Eliakim, and from this point, the rest of the genealogical account listed in this first chapter is taken from the records of the Jews, and is not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture.

  [v14] And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

Azor > Sadoc > Achim > Eliud

  [v15] And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

Eliud > Eleazar > Matthan > Jacob

  [v16] And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Both Joseph and Mary were from the family of David, and both were poor, nor had any great reputation among the Jews because the family of David was in a poor condition at the time, and not highly respected. This was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 11:1, that there would come "a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots," symbolizing that the line of Jesse had been cut down from its previous splendor, and from the lowly roots Jesus would come with tenderness, but without attractiveness nor beauty (Isa 53:2), and "who is called Christ," meaning "Anointed" by God, who is the prophesied Messiah that would come through the seed of Abraham.

  [v17] So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Matthew summarized the genealogy into three parts, the first under the patriarchs, prophets, and judges, the second under kings, and the third under princes and priests, thereby dividing the 42 generations into groups of 14, as had been done by other authors in that day.

Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - Judah - Phares - Esrom - Aram
Amminadab - Naasson - Salmon - Boaz - Obed - Jesse - David

Solomon - Roboam - Abia - Asa - Josaphat - Joram - Ozias
Joatham - Achaz - Ezekias - Manasses - Amon - Josias - Jechonias

Jechonias - Salathiel - Zorobabel - Abiud - Ehakim - Azor - Sadoc
Achim - Eliud - Eleazar - Matthan - Jacob - Joseph - Jesus

  [v18] Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

The phrase "on this wise" means "after this manner," meaning that the following is a description of the events that proceeded. Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, but the marriage had not yet been finalized with a declaration since preparations had to be made by Joseph to bring a woman into his household, and during this time, she became pregnant with a child.

The account of an angel's visitation with Mary is not provided here, but is given in the first chapter of Luke. (Luke 1:28-35) Mary was informed by the angel of the Lord that she was pregnant with a child conceived by the Holy Ghost, while yet still be a virgin, and she would have relayed this information to her soon-to-be husband, as it may have caused a scandal, by which he might accuse her of adultery.

It is unclear whether or not Mary was showing, but it is likely that her belly was showing the signs of a child within her at the time she confronted Joseph since she had spent three months with her cousin, Elizabeth. (Luke 1:56) Thus, the likely version of events that Joseph and Mary were engaged, then she left to spend three months with her cousin while Joseph made arrangements, and upon her return, she was clearly pregnant, and had no choice but to explain the situation at that point.

  [v19] Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

This verse makes it clear that Joseph did not believe her story, and assumed she had committed adultery, as would any man, but since she had come to tell him these things before any damage had been done, he intended to break off the engagement quietly, without making a public spectacle, because if he had made a public announcement, it would have pressed the local magistrate to issue punishment, which according to Israeli law was death by stoning. (Deut 22:23) Even if, in the event she was raped, she did not tell anyone about it for months, knowing she was pregnant, and thus, it would have been concluded that she was a willing participant, and an execution would have been unavoidable, and Joseph, being just and kind, intended to show her mercy by providing a bill of divorce, which, although they were not yet officially married, was still required because their espoused word had already been given.

  [v20] But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Just as Joseph had thought of what he would do with Mary, an angel of God came to Joseph in a dream, and addressed him as a son of David, to emphasize his lineage from which Joseph knew (and had faith) the seed of the Messiah would come. Joseph feared to take Mary as a wife because of the reproach and scandal it might bring on his household, but the angel instructed him not to fear this because what Mary told him was the truth, and that their family would be greatly blessed by the Lord since the child was conceived of the Holy Ghost.

  [v21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

At that time, there was no other method of knowing that the child would be a boy unless by divine revelation, and Joseph was commanded to name him Jesus, which is interpreted "Saviour" (Acts 13:23) because He is the prophesied Messiah to save His people from their sins. The angel specifically noted that Christ would save "his people" from their sins, but it should not be taken to mean the entire world, nor the Israelites, for the great majority of them have died in their sins, faithless, or of a fake and prideful faith, the wages of which are death (Rom 6:23), but the elect of God is meant, the spiritual seed of Abraham, which are all those who come to repentance and faith in Christ alone, to be made saints by the washing of His blood on their souls to become new creatures in Him. (2Co 5:17)

  [v22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

This was not said by the angel, but by Matthew, pointing out that the events that took place would not have been done except by the guiding of the Holy Ghost, to fulfill the prophecies, that the world might know that these events were guided by the Almighty God to keep His promise to men.

  [v23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew mimics the method of Isaiah, drawing attention to the point by saying "Behold!" A virgin women has become pregnant, which would be impossible by any other method available to them at that time, and Mary would give birth to a son, who Joseph and his wife would call "Emmanuel," which means "God with us" because this child is the Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, and the Savior of men. This confirms the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 that "unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," and that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:14)

  [v24] Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

This dream may have been sleep induced by God on him for a short time, and so he awoke and did as the angel had instructed him, ridding himself of any thought of putting Mary away, and marrying her as originally planned.

  [v25] And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

This was a modest way of saying that Joseph did not have sexual relations with his wife until after Jesus had been born, so to maintain her virginity through the birth, to fulfill the Scriptures. Christ is called Mary's "firstborn" specifically because He was the first child to pass through her womb, but He is the "firstborn" of God in the sense of authority, that He is the King of Kings. (Psa 89:27)



 

  [v1] Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Bethlehem of Judea is mentioned specifically to distinguish it from Bethlehem of Zabulon mentioned in Joshua 19:15, and this was acknowledged by the Jews because they expected him to be born in Bethlehem as indicated in verse five. The name 'Bethlehem' is interpreted "house of bread," as Jesus is the bread of life which came down from heaven. (John 6:48)

This king is Herod I, also called Herod the Ascalonite according to Jewish scholars, and is to be distinguished from another Herod mentioned in later chapters. Herod I reigned 37 years, and Christ was born in the 35th year of his reign, in the year 3928 according to the Jewish calender, or in other words, 3,928 years after the creation of the universe.

It is unknown exactly where the wise men came from, and although some speculate they were magi (i.e. soothsayers, astrologers, magicians, wizards, etc) who came from Chaldea, that notion contradicts the passage because Chaldea was north of Judea, not east. When Matthew wrote "when Jesus was born," it is meant that the time of His birth was drawing near, not that the wise men would have departed after His birth, which (with their gear and animals) would have likely taken months to traverse, perhaps even a year depending on the distance and terrain.

  [v2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

The wise men of the east asked anyone they could find where they could find the King of the Jews, the context of which would have been generally known to the Jews. When they said they had seen his star in the east, it is not meant that the star was east of them, but that they were in the east when they had seen it.

Some have tried to write this off as a naturally occuring event, such as a comet, but these were learned men who would have been able to tell the difference. They recognized this was a significant star that was new, and did not show up on any of their charts. Furthermore, there was likely another magi or wise man in an eastern country who was of Jewish heritage, who knew the Scriptures from his childhood and the prophecies of the King of Kings, or perhaps a book from a Jewish author they had which summarized the prophecies, which is how the wise men knew to ask for Him, and why they sought to bring him divine honors.

  [v3] When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Word got back to Herod about the inquiries of the wise men, which did not excite him because he was not interested in the mercy and salvation of God, but rather, he was troubled because he feared losing his power, especially because he was a foreigner, who had no claim to the Jewish throne. The people were also troubled due to the fear of war that may come upon the city over battle for the throne, and they may also have been deeply concerned about Herod's response to this news, knowing that he was a superstitious and cruel lord.

  [v4] And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

This was an extremely large gathering of men, which included not just the sanhedrim (i.e. the 71 chief Pharisees and Sadducees), but also many other chief priests from various groups, including the "scribes of the people," which were scribes that were elected by the people (outside of the authority of the Levites, who were the priests) as copiers of the law, to produce written copies of the Torah for the people to read and study. Herod did not ask, but demanded with his authority to tell where the Messiah was prophesied to be born, so to have Him killed.

  [v5] And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

Without having to consult one another, it was quickly answered (because it was common knowledge among them) that Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judea, as foretold by the Holy Spirit through Micah.

  [v6] And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

This is a rough quote of Micah 5:2, which says "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah [fruitful, or fully, 'fruitful house of bread'], though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Despite the vicious denials of Christ by the Jews over the past 2,000 years, it is well known that the Messiah was to come out of Bethlehem, as they must admit, Christ did, else they embarrass themselves to deny the facts of their own historical accounts.

  [v7] Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Although it seemed rather unnecessary to call in every priest and scribe in the city, Herod wanted to be sure of the prophecy, that no religious figure might betray him with false information, and once he had confirmed it under the guise of innocent curiosity, he called the inquiring wise men to a meeting that they would give to him, to the best of their knowledge, the precise timing of the star, so he would know when to strike.

  [v8] And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

It is curious why Herod did not send officers with the wise men to Bethlehem, but not only was this the will of God, Bethlehem was only about 5 miles (8km) outside of Jerusalem, so for them to find the child and bring word back would only have taken a day, or two at most. Furthermore, if any of the priests or scribes went with the wise men, it may have been seen by Herod as an act of defiency, that they might seek to betray him to those sympathetic to Christ's cause, and some may have been glad to hear of the Messiah's arrival, and therefore, did not want to help Herod in any way by their participation.

Herod ordered the wise men to continue on their journey to Bethlehem to look for the child, and that his intention was to worship the child also, but this was a ruse to cover his violent plan.

  [v9] When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

The wise men listened intently to all the things the king had told them because he was pointing them in the direction of their goal. After they departed, the star, which apparently had disappeared from their sight for a time (which caused them to have to stop and ask for directions), had reappeared and led them in the direction of Jesus. This light, appearing to be a star, moved over where Jesus was resting with his family.

  [v10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

It would have been expected, after traveling such a great distance from a foreign land, that many Jews would have joined them in the search for the Messiah, and the wise men may have been surprised that no one else was looking for Christ when they arrived. This seems to be a reflection of the general prophecy that the Gentiles would seek that which the Jews would not. The community's apathy towards their quest may have been a great disappointment to the wise men, and they were saddened that their calculations may have been wrong, but when the star appeared again, they were delighted and renewed in hope to find what they came looking for.

  [v11] And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Mary was with the child in a house, which they were unable to find at first, upon entering the city, so she had to give birth in a stable, and laid the newborn Jesus in a manger, which is a trough for feeding animals. (Luke 2:7) It is presumed that after this point, Joseph left her to try and find lodging, and after he did, he came back to retrieve them and bring them into the house he had found for them to stay, the same house the wise men discovered them on arrival.

This account contradicts the pagan Christmas depictions of the wise men visiting Mary and Jesus in a stable. I have a free-to-read book called Christmas: Rejecting Jesus here at creationliberty.com that describes this in more detail.

This verse does not mention Joseph being in the house at the time, and he may have been out taking care of business, procuring food and supplies, which may have been providential, since the wise men would come in to see the Messiah with his mother, and no father, since He was conceived of the Holy Ghost. The wise men presented their gifts to the King, which may have been taken from a combination of Genesis 43:11 (i.e. myrrh) and Isaiah 60:6 (i.e. gold and incense). Gold is a precious metal, frankincense is a resin harvested from Boswellia trees and used in perfumes, and myrrh is a resin harvested from Commiphora trees and is used in medicine and incense.

  [v12] And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

It is presumed that the wise men found lodging for the night in Bethlehem, and during the night the Lord God communicated to them that they should not report back their findings to Herod. It is not known to us whether they had made a promise to Herod, but God gave the final command, and so they thought it best to depart, and that is the last we know of what happened to them, or if the Gospel of Salvation had any effect on them in the future.

  [v13] And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Soon after the wise men left, the angel once again communicated with Joseph in a dream, and gave him instructions to take his wife and "the young child" (who the angel did not call Joseph's son because He was the Son of God) and quickly move to Egypt for a time. Traveling with a new born baby a great distance is very taxing, and to take him to Egypt was likely the shortest and safest path. Joseph was commanded by God to remain in Egypt until instructed otherwise because Herod sought to kill Jesus before His time, in that Jesus was to be killed in ministry for mankind, but it was not to be at the hands of a childish and bloodthirsty king.

  [v14] When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

When Joseph woke up from his dream, he took Jesus and Mary in the middle of the night, not daring to wait until morning because, by then, Herod would have sent officers to seek the child. This time of year was likely the summer (since the people had to travel to pay taxes, and to issue a tax demand on the people during the winter months, while it was harder to travel, would not be as successful), and during summer months in Egypt were very hot, so traveling by night, or at least, in the evening to early night, when the temperature was cooler, would have been preferable when carrying a baby. It is unknown what part of Egypt Joseph decided to find a home, but it was likely one of the larger cities because it would be easier for him to find work as a carpenter, and it would be easier to blend in so they would not be found, since Jewish officers had no jurisdiction in Egypt.

  [v15] And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

The death of Herod came soon after this time, so that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus only spent a few months in Egypt. Thereby, the prophecy of Hosea 11:1 was fulfilled, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." This is meant that the nation of Israel was a child in the sense of selfishness, rebelliousness, and disobedience, and yet, God showed His great kindness by selflessly sending His Son, who should be known by many signs, one of them of being called out of Egypt.

  [v16] Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Herod perceived he was mocked in the sense of being disrespected and tricked by the wise men, which indicates they gave him their word, but departed before reporting their findings, he reacted in anger and fear that he might lose his crown. His overreaction to the situation is staggering to say the least, as few people in any nation have had to face something so horrifying and barbaric as having officers enter their homes, slay their babies, and leave, and it would take having soldiers of a vile sort, who had no natural affection.

The slaughter took place in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas, and some records indicate that even Herod's son was killed in the chaos. He chose the age of two years old and under because the child could not have exceeded that age according to the information he had gathered from the wise men.

  [v17] Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

This is referring to Jeremiah 31:15, as quoted in the next verse, "Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not."

  [v18] In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

Rama (or Ramah) was a town among the tribe of Benjamin (Jos 18:21, Jos 18:25), which was close to Bethlehem, that was of the tribe of Judah, and near both of them was the grave of Rachel. (Gen 35:19) Thus, Ramah, being near Bethlehem, was a victim of the massacre, and so Rachel is said in the sense of the daughters of Rachel, through her son Benjamin, and their grief was so great, it is fitting that this prophecy says that there was no comfort to be had among the mothers, and though not mentioned, I am certain that the wrath of the fathers was hot, but as men tend to suffer silently, the cries of the women are not withheld, which is why the women are emphasized in this verse.

  [v19] But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

According to Jewish records, Herod died on the seventh day of Cisleu, which is roughly November 5th according to the Gregorian calender, and this is documented by the Jews because it was a day of celebration. Josephus described Herod as having colic (i.e. painful muscular contractions), itching skin all over his body, dropsy (i.e. extreme swelling, most commonly in the arms and legs), respiratory problems, extreme fever, ulcers, and many other ailments all at once. The news of Herod's death was brought to Joseph by the angel of the Lord in another dream.

  [v20] Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

Joseph was instructed to depart from Egypt to go back to Israel, and does not specify where in Israel, but simply relays that it is safe to return to his country. The angel says "they are dead," indicating that there were others who may have sought to kill Jesus, one of them being Antipater, the son of Herod, who Herod had killed a few days before his death, and thus, any revenge that Antipater might have sought against Jesus died with him and his father.

  [v21] And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Joseph immediately took Mary and Jesus, and came back to Israel as instructed, which he was probably relieved to do, as it would be difficult to have to stay away from home for an extended time without knowing when you could return, but this should be seen as an act of strict obedience to the Lord, because Matthew does not indicate that Joseph took any time to settle any other business he had, and departed quickly as soon as he awoke from the dream.

  [v22] But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

Archelaus was another son of Herod, declared Herod's successor before his death, and Jewish records indicate that he was just as cruel as his father, which caused Joseph to fear for the safety of Mary and Jesus. However, not wanting to disobey the commandments of the angel of the Lord, he returned to Israel, but settled in Galilee instead (roughly 100mi or 160km north of Jerusalem), where another of Herod's sons, Herod Antipas, was governor, and was said to be a more temperate ruler, so Joseph and his family could hide and raise Jesus in peace.

  [v23] And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

This was done to fulfill the prophecy that the Messiah would be "a Branch" (Isa 11:1), and this is subtle because, although it is common (even among the Jews) that Christ was called "Jesus the Nazarene," or "Jesus of Nazareth," many people today do not understand that in Hebrew, the word 'Netzer' means "branch" or "root," and that Nazareth (or Natzareth) was named because of the many trees that grow there. Therefore, Isaiah's prophecy that "a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots" is fulfilled by the Messiah, a descendant of Jesse, being a Branch, or Nazarene.



 

  [v1] In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

Like Jesus, John's name was given to him by the Lord before his birth (Luke 1:13), and his mother was Elizabeth, Mary's cousin. John was the first to administer Christ's ordinance of baptism, and therefore he became known as "John the Baptist," as he was known to the Jews in that day.

By preaching in the wilderness, it is meant that John was preaching to towns in the wilderness, away from the main roads and larger cities, some of which are mentioned in Joshua. (Jos 15:61-62) The event recorded in this chapter happened when John and Jesus were both about 30 years old (Luke 3:23), which is when a male is considered to be an adult according to Jewish tradition.

  [v2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The doctrine of repentance (i.e. grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing) and remission (i.e. pardon/forgiveness) of sins was preached by John to all those in Israel who would hear (Mar 1:4), and it was a stark contrast to the doctrine they were used to hearing from the priests and scribes. The priests and scribes were teaching holiness through the works of the law, which they declared with their mouths to strictly keep, although they missed the weightier matters of righteous judgment, mercy, and charity (Mat 23:23), which means they did not keep the law because they ignored the culmination of the law, which was to love the Lord God and their neighbors as themselves. (Lev 19:18)
(Read There is No Saving Grace Without Repentance here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Because the leaders of religion among the Jews taught them that they were holy because of their works and lineage, the preaching of repentance was the opposite, meaning that they were not holy because of their works and lineage, and they should come in humility, with grief of their sin. When John said "the kingdom of heaven is at hand," it is not meant in the sense of the Kingdom of Heaven where God resides, but rather, it is meant the church, and with the church, the dispensation of the Gospel of Christ, which would begin with the promised Messiah.

  [v3] For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

That is, John is quoting from Isaiah 40:3, which says "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." John was not crying in the sense of tears, but of a strong and loud voice, calling them to repentance of their sins, then to have faith in the mercy of God, and then to conversion, which is to amend their lives by turning from sin and having their minds changed, which is the straight and narrow path that Christ will soon begin to preach. (Mat 7:13-14)

  [v4] And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

Matthew then continues by describing John the Baptist, which is important to demonstrate that he was a fulfillment of the prophesies of the Messiah, namely, that Elijah the prophet would preceed Christ. The prophets used to wear what the Bible calls "rough garments" (Zec 13:4), such as camel's hair, which provided an outer sign of inner humility (or presumably so, since people often faked being a prophet with rough garments, as indicated in Zechariah 13), and he wore a leather girdle, which Elijah also did. (2Ki 1:8)

John also ate locusts for meat, which should not be misinterpreted as anything except the insect, since locusts were permitted to be eaten under the Mosiac law, as the context of Leviticus 11:22 clearly indicates. The wild honey mentioned here would be that produced by bees, and it is not that John would have to break open a life-threatening hive to get it, but rather, honey occasionally falls to the ground, as indicated in 1st Samuel 14:25.

  [v5] Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

Not that the entire city and all of the country showed up at once, but many Jews, when they heard about John, went to visit him, and he often had large crowds surrounding him, since there had not been a prophet in hundreds of years. The multitudes came to see his strange dress, and hear the newly introduced doctrine of baptism with the message of repentance for the remission of sins, and some believed he might be the promised Messiah.

  [v6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

That is, they were baptized in the waters of the river Jordan (Mark 1:5), and this would have been done by full body immersion into the water, as opposed to the "sprinkling" of false religion. Baptism is a cleansing, not in the physical sense, but in the spiritual, and thus, baptism presupposes one's spirit to be filthy, and the participant is cleansed, not physically, but a cleansing of the soul and regeneration of the Holy Ghost. (Tts 3:5) The call to repentance comes to a general confession of sins, that they had a sense of their guilt, acknowledged it, and had sorrow of their evil deeds, which would only be done by those of age, having understanding of these principles, which excludes young children or babies, making the practice of "infant baptism" a nonsensical process of religious depravity.
(Read "The Biblical Understanding of Baptism" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

  [v7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

The word 'Pharisee' indicates a group "divided" or "separated," taken after the name Pharez in Genesis 38:29, which means to separate in the sense of "to make breach." The meaning of this is that the Pharisees saw themselves as a sect divided (or sanctified) away from the rest of society to be dedicated to the study of God's Word, to be strict observers of the law, and they became feared by the people since they did everything they could to always be seen of men to be pious, and they had such sway with the Jews who mostly revered them, even governments somewhat feared them.

The word 'Sadducee' is derived from a man named Sadok, who taught that there was no future rewards or punishments in the next life, and so his followers renounced the traditions of elders, denying the providence of God guiding man (i.e. that all men do are by their free will alone). Because of these principles, the Sadducees adopted many false doctrines, such as the rejection of the resurrection of the dead, and the rejection of spirits, including both angels and the souls of men.

When they saw many Pharisees and Sadducees, who could be identified by their attire, since they did their works to be seen of men (Mat 23:5), come to witness the baptisms of repentant men, it is presumable that (at minimum) some of them had a desire to be baptized by John, which would have only been for show, to increase their preeminence among the people. Therefore, John appropriately rebuked the impenitent hypocrites by appropriately labeling them a "generation of vipers," which is worse than a snake, in that vipers have longer teeth that sink deeper into the sink, and once a viper takes hold, it is very difficult to remove unless killed.

Vipers are beautiful outward, often having a mesmerizing and shiny skin, but they are deadly creatures by their nature, and likewise, in their malice and hypocrisy, the Pharisees and Sadducees were spiritually deadly (Mat 23:27), not only having no access to eternal life because of their pride and conceit, but also preventing those who would enter to go in. (Mat 23:13) The wrath to come is God's destruction on the world in the final days, which will be suffered by those who rejected the Gospel of Christ, from which they might have been saved if they had not persecuted God, who came (by His mercy) in the flesh to save them.

  [v8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

The "fruits" of repentance are works (Acts 26:20), and those should be works worthy of one who claims to have a penitent heart. (Luke 3:8) The fallacy of modern churchgoers is the false doctrine that repent means "to turn from sin" or "to change one's mind," which are not repentance, but rather, those are the "fruits of repentance," meaning that if a man sorrowful for what he has done against God, and has received God's mercy (i.e. the remission of sins), he should go and sin no more. (John 8:11)

This is why, upon receiving the Holy Ghost for the first time, Peter preached first repentance, then baptism afterwards (Acts 2:38), and it is also why Paul preached to Corinth that their godly sorrow not only led to their salvation in Christ (2Co 7:10), but it also produced in them the fruits of repentance. (2Co 7:11) Thus, John refused to baptize those who he knew, by the evidence of their doctrine in combination with their works, were impenitent, because without the humility of repentance, there is only pride, and God has declared that He will not save the proud of heart. (Jms 4:6)

  [v9] And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

The reason repentance for the remission of sins, and works to prove their repentant hearts, was an offense to the Pharisees and Sadducees (as well as others who followed their corrupt philosophy) is because they believed they were already secure in their salvation by being born into the Hebrew bloodline. By the mercy and gifts of the wisdom of God, John already knew how the hypocrites would respond, holding up blood relation to Abraham as their righteousness, and John preempted them by declaring the truth, that God can raise up faithful children from rocks, the same stones that were used to craft the idols of the heathen, and this argument destroys any notion that one can be baptized as birth, simply because the child's parents were believers, because each man and woman is held accountable to his or her faith and understanding, or lack thereof.

  [v10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

The tree in this example is the philosophy of wicked men, which includes the corrupt ideology of the Pharisees and Sadducees, in which they think themselves immune from the righteous judgment of God because of their lineage, but John assures them that "the axe is laid unto the root" of those trees. This means that God has begun the process, through His Son, Jesus Christ, to do a work that will put an end to the destructive, devilish religions, and cast those who follow them into hellfire after they suffer the Day of Wrath at the end of this world.

  [v11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

This indicates that, perhaps, some of the Pharisees and Sadducees were baptized by John, by coming to confess their sins, but he still refused to baptized those who clearly were impenitent. There are some who trick us into thinking they are repentant by speaking a recipe of words they think we want to hear, which the Holy Ghost allows us to be deceived for a time, according to His purposes, and even the apostles themselves were deceived at times, like when Peter had baptized Simon the sorcerer, but later, it turned out that he had no repentance of sin in his heart, and only followed Peter to gain influence. (Acts 8:12-23)

However, John told the Pharisees and Sadducees that, even though some of them may have been baptized by him under the doctrine of repentance for the remission of sins, they were in need of something much greater by the power of the Holy Ghost. The man who proceeded him would be the Lord Jesus Christ, the prophesied Messiah, who would baptize us with the Holy Ghost, which is what we need to be born again in Christ, to have our spirits born anew, and this cannot be done by circumventing repentance with crafty words.

John notes that he is the not the Messiah that many suspected him to be, because he said that the shoes of Christ "I am not worthy to bear," or as Luke noted, "whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose" (Acts 13:25), which means that he was not worthy to remove the shoes of Christ, to even handle the clothing covered in dirt that was worn by Him, and though this was the work of a servant to a Lord, he was not worthy to even do that much. Although this passage is often correlated with the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, in which the Holy Ghost gave them utterance with tongues of fire, it would make more sense that this passage is referring to Isaiah 66:15, which the scribes were familiar with, that declared that God would "come with fire" in furious anger, and "his rebuke with flames of fire," to indicate that this Messiah is the Lord God come in the flesh.

  [v12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

This is not meant as a fan that increases the heat of a flame, but a fan which was an instrument used to cleanse wheat from straw. The instrument had teeth, like a rake but fewer in number, that would sift through the fine grain and remove chaff, which is the dry, scaly parts of a plant, which are not good for consumption because they are undigestable by men.

This is an analogy that Jesus would come to judge righteous judgment to separate His disciples from those who feigned repentance, which is the purging of the threshing floor mentioned in Isaiah 21:10. The Lord Jesus Christ will fan them, and the wind shall carry them away. (Isa 41:16) It was tradition in Jewish culture to gather the chaff and burn it, and thus, God will do with the chaff of the unrepentant—those who have no understanding of their need for godly sorrow of sins—on the Day of Judgment, throwing them into the furnace of fire that burns forever. (Rev 20:10-15)

  [v13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

After that point, John continued to baptize and preach the gospel of repentance for the remission of sins, and after a time, perhaps months at the least, to prepare the way for the Lord to come, Jesus came from Galilee, specifically from Nazareth (Mark 1:9), where he had lived most of this life. This raises question as to why Jesus did this because Jesus needed no repentance since He had no sin (Num 23:19, 1Sa 15:29), nor does water immersion cleanse sin (as the zealots of false religion believe), but rather, the two reasons that can be reconciled in Scripture is that the baptism of Christ by John was to establish the truth of John's ministry, that he would precede and make way for the Messiah to come, and also to establish this ritual of baptism to be done when a Christian has been born again, as an outward symbol of inward repentance.
(Read "The Biblical Understanding of Baptism" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

  [v14] But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

We must presume that John knew that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, by having His understanding opened by the Lord God to know it, because this was before he witnessed the Spirit of God descend upon Christ. (John 1:33) John "forbad him," which is not to be taken that John was rebellious against the commandment of God, but rather, in humility, pleaded with Christ not to have him do this work because it was unbecoming of a sinner, as we are as men, worth less than the dust of the ground from which we are made, filthier than animals or rags, to even dream of doing such a thing as performing a cleansing ritual for the holy, sinless King of Kings.

  [v15] And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Though this was disobedience to His initial command, Jesus understood that John's hesitance was due to the greatest love and honor he could have for the Lord, that the majesty of God might not be tarnished by the hands of men, but Jesus gently commanded him to "suffer it to be so now," or to allow and endure it to happen out of charity towards men, that the righteousness of Christ would be fulfilled towards men, so that they could be imputed with His righteousness, not through water baptism, which is only a symbolic act, but by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. This is the Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega, humbling himself in an awesome display of his kindness and lowliness of mind, an example to all of us in the church, that anything we think is humility among us is nothing compared to Christ's, and thus, John performed his duty to baptize Jesus.

  [v16] And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

It would be common sense that if Jesus was in the water, that he would exit the water as well, but I can see two reasons that Jesus "went up straightway out of the water" may have been mentioned by Matthew. The first is that this indicates the Christ had work to do from this point, and that He began that right away, and the second reason is that this indicates Christ was in the waters of the Jordan completely, not standing with His feet on the shallow side of the river while John splashed water in His face, once again contradicting the false ideologies of the vile Catholic cult (and their various denominations), who believe they gain grace through the ritual of water sprinkling.
(Read Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

After exiting the waters of the Jordan, the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove, which would be to descend quickly, then slowly as approaching the intended destination. This not only moved in a similar fashion, but according to Luke 3:22, the light was in "a bodily shape like a dove," which is a symbol of innocence, purity, and humility, as well as a symbol of good tidings, as the dove that brought good news to Noah on the Ark. (Gen 8:11)

  [v17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

A great voice was heard, which is indicated because it came "from heaven," declaring that this man, the Christ, is the Son of God, which was written by Matthew as a declaration to John, while other apostles wrote it as a declaration to Jesus, namely, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11) This is not a contradiction, as it was said for all who were present, and we might consider that both may have been true, but written from two perspectives. God emphasizes His pleasure in His Son, as opposed to a created being, such as angels or men, distinguishing Jesus as being one with the Lord God, the very essence and entity of the everlasting Father. (Isa 9:6)



 

  [v1] Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Presumably, John returned to his work of preaching repentance for the remission of sins and baptism, while Jesus was led by the Spirit of God, and Mark 1:12 notes the Spirit "driveth," indicating that the Spirit of God led Him from an inner compulsion or urge to go to a location in the wilderness. This would have been the remote, mountainous regions of the wilderness, as opposed to the wilderness where John preached, which were the towns therein.

By "the devil," it is meant in the singular form, for there are many devils (i.e. fallen angels), and so it is meant Satan, the father of lies. (John 8:44) Being led by the Spirit of God, this means God arranged for both His Son and Satan to have this interaction.

  [v2] And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Moses fasted 40 days before delivering the law to the Hebrews (Exd 34:28), Elijah fasted 40 days before going on the quest the Lord tasked him to do, and now Jesus fasted 40 days before beginning His ministry. When the 40 days "were ended" (Luke 4:2), it seems obvious that Jesus would be hungry, but it seems this note was added by the Holy Ghost to relay to us that Jesus was hungered as a man would be after such a time, showing that He suffered as a man, disciplined Himself as a man, and had weakness in the flesh as a man.

  [v3] And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

That is, Satan, the devil (who is called "the tempter," 1Th 3:5), came to Jesus at this precise moment of weakness, striking with strategic precision, when Jesus had little physical strength left in His body. Satan had been tempting Jesus the entirety of the 40 days (Mark 1:13), but he chose this moment for his final attack to tempt Jesus to turn from His plan to be crucified for the saints. Although it may be confusing to some as to why Satan said "if," being that He knew that Christ is the Son of God, and the other devils also knew this to be fact (Luke 4:41), Satan wants to be glorified and worshipped, to be above that of Almighty, and so to tell Jesus what to do, even as something as absurdly simple for God to do, like turning stone to bread, and watch Him do as Satan instructed, would be enough to achieve that goal.

  [v4] But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Jesus is referring to Deuteronomy 8:3, and the reason for quoting this passage is not because the body lives by bread and the soul lives by the Word of God, albeit a true statement. The purpose of this passage is to convey the same as was convey to the Hebrews in Deut 8:3, that God can accomplish whatever He wills by any means He pleases, even creating bread out of nothing and raining it from the sky, so that changing the molecular structure of what already exists is not the limitation of His power, and thus, if He wanted food, He could make it so that His body would be instantly restored with a thought, yet, He chose to suffer to resist the temptations of the devil for our sake, that we would acknowledge that the Living God is the source of all goodness, truth, and mercy, and that we should look to no other for our help, especially in desperate times.

  [v5] Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

This does not indicate a trance or vision, but rather, Satan, by divine permission from the Father and Son, allowed him to take Jesus through the air into Jerusalem, and place Him atop the highest point of the temple.

  [v6] And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

This is the same manner of temptation, only in a different way, in that Satan did not throw Christ down of his own will and power, because he had no permission to harm Jesus, but wanted Jesus to do so of His own will, and used Psalm 91:11 to quote the Scriptures as Jesus did to him, to make himself appear holy in his philosophy, and goad Jesus into doing what he wanted. If Jesus had to prove that His angels, who did protect Him around the clock, would protect Him if he threw Himself down, it would only mean that He distrusted the Word of the Father (which is also His own Word, since Jesus is God), and there was no reason to do that, nor was there any reason to put on a show, which is why Satan chose to bring Jesus to Jerusalem, where there would be an audience, thereby having Jesus introduce Himself in a flashy manner, which contradicted the humble manner God the Father wanted Him to be seen and heard for the purpose of the Gospel.

  [v7] Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Jesus did not rebuke Satan for an incorrect usage of God's Word, nor any misinterpretation, but rather, Jesus used correlating Scripture (Deut 6:16) to expose his malicious intent. By the use of this Scripture, it is clear that Jesus is God because He applied it to Satan's temptation against Himself, and the word 'tempt' in this context is an attempt to test (or put on trial) the power, will, or mercy of God, so it was irrelevlant whether or not the devil spoke the truth because his purpose was to use the truth to tempt Jesus into doing something that was opposed to His charitable will that was for the good of men.

  [v8] Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

The Bible does not tell us to which mountain Satan took Jesus, but it would have been one of the tallest mountains in the region to show him "all the kingdoms of the world," which is not said in the sense of the entire planet, for no one can see all the kingdoms of the planet from a single mountaintop, but rather, this is said in the sense of the world of the Jews, across all of Israel, similar to how Luke wrote that "all the world should be taxed" by Caesar (Luke 2:1-3), which means only those within the kingdom of Rome, not those beyond its reach. The glory of them is said in the carnal sense, in which we view something as glorious, or rather, the devil may view it in that way, which are nothing but "small dust" in comparison to the glory of the Lord. (Isa 40:15)

  [v9] And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Satan pretends that these things belong to him, as if he is the Son of God (to whom all things were created by and for, Col 1:16), and as if he was all powerful to dispense ruling authority. The arrogance of this statement is so overwhelming, it falls into the category of comedy, and baffles the mind how such stupidity could come out of the mouth of a creature so strategic, but when we consider how a being is optionless in the presence of the Lord, stupidity is a default setting. Satan is not satisfied to be worshiped only of men, but he also wants to be worshiped by God, to take the throne of God for himself, which cannot be reasonably described in any other manner except blasphemous insanity.

  [v10] Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Jesus had spoken with extreme patience until this point, where He had enough of Satan's conceit and impudence, and would tolerate it no longer. Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 6:13, which clearly indicates that Satan is not God, nor could he ever become Him, and thus, we have no need to fear Satan, we should only fear the Living God, to tremble at His Word (Isa 66:2), and serve Him, as any servant who feared his Master would serve only His Master because, as Jesus will preach later, no man can serve two masters. (Mat 6:24)

  [v11] Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

After testing Christ when He was at His weakest in bodily strength, Jesus commanded Satan to leave, and he had no choice but to comply, until God may allow him another opportunity. It logically follows that by ministering unto Jesus, or rather, serving Him, the angels brought Him food to eat because that was His need, as angels also did for Elijah when he was in need. (1Ki 19:4-7)

  [v12] Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

There are more details about this later in the book of Matthew, but John had been imprisoned for speaking the truth to a public official who did not appreciate the open rebuke, as men rarely do. (Mat 14:1-5, Pro 27:5) When Jesus heard about this, He went to Galilee, which was not for safety reasons as Joseph had done when protecting Mary and Jesus, but for the purpose of gathering His disciples.

  [v13] And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

Jesus left Nazareth where He was raised, where He had taught the Word of God to the people (Luke 4:16), and He went to Capernaum, which was a city in Galilee. (Luke 4:31) Capernaum was a coastal city on the north side of the sea of Galilee, which bordered the land of the two tribes of Zabulon (or Zebulun) and Nephthalim (or Naphtali).

  [v14] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

This is referring to Isaiah 9:1.

  [v15] The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

Isaiah 9:1 speaks of the "vexation" of Zebulun and Naphtali in the days when Tiglathpileser, the king of Assyria, took them captive. (2Ki 15:29) Because of their tribulation, they would be greatly pleased that the Messiah would begin His public ministry in their land, and choose disciples from among their people.

  [v16] The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

The people of Galilee were in darkness, meaning that they were ignorant and blind, and there were many sinners among them, which means there were many who were in danger of hellfire, but Christ, being the light of the world (John 8:12), came to them in His great kindness without them having to ask, coming to them in their broken and filthy state, opened their eyes, and healed them.

  [v17] From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

When it says "from that time," it is referring to the time of Satan's temptation, not the first time He ever preached because He had preached before in Nazareth (Luke 4:16), and He had preached and made disciples before John was imprisoned. (John 4:1) Jesus preached repentance as John did, which is to call men to godly sorrow of their sin (2Co 7:10), and also that the "kingdom of heaven" had arrived, which is the church, and in correlation, the gospel of grace through repentance and faith that would be preached by the church. (Mark 1:14-15)

  [v18] And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Jesus was not walking on the beach for enjoyment, but for a specific purpose, to find two brothers, related by blood, Simon (or Simeon, Acts 15:14), who would later be called "Peter" (Mat 16:18), and Andrew. They were seen by Jesus either casting the net to catch fish, or to clean the net (Luke 5:2), or perhaps both, because they were fishermen, whose profession was to catch fish, which had few requirements other than endurance and patience, meaning that men who are in this line of work are often not well educated, and are typically lower class citizens who are looked down upon by the upper hierarchy of society, who scoff at the dirty and smelly work of the fishers, despite the fact that those of high status rely on that work for their food.

  [v19] And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

It is theoretical that Simon and Andrew were students of John the Baptist (John 1:35), and it is possible they had briefly studied with Christ for one day during their discipleship with John (John 1:37), which would make sense as to why they were heeding the voice of someone they knew, as opposed to a random man that appeared on the beach. If this theory were true, then they would have returned to their profession as fishermen after John had been put in prison.

Due to the lowly nature of their profession, Christ's calling to make them "fishers of men" was a higher calling, to do a work with a greater purpose. The analogy was that the "fish" they would catch were the souls of men (Mat 13:47), and that they would not be able to do this work on their own, rather, only by the blessings and permission of Christ, which was the purpose of showing them that they could catch fish if they followed His instructions. (John 21:6)

  [v20] And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

That is, once Christ had called them to work for the Kingdom of God, they immediately left their occupation, boat, supplies, homes, and families to follow Him.

  [v21] And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

As Jesus continued walking on the coastline, He came to the sons of Zebedee (which seems to be the same name as Zebadiah) at a time when they were making repairs to their nets; John, who would go on to write the book of John, as well as First, Second, and Third John, and his brother James. Jesus called them to become His disciples in the same manner as Simon and Andrew.

  [v22] And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

They not only left their nets as Simon and Andrew did, but they left more since their father had more wealth because he had hired servants on a larger ship. (Mark 1:20)

  [v23] And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Galilee was looked down upon by the rest of Israel for having poor, illiterate, and people full of sin and illness, which demonstrates the great mercy of Christ to go first to those who are the most sick and in need of a physician. (Luke 5:31) Jesus did not creep secretly into houses (2Ti 3:6), but He taught them boldly in the temples, preaching repentance and faith in the doctrine of grace for the remission of sins, while He miraculously healed them of "all manner of sickness," which is not to say that all in Galilee were healed; rather, it should be read that He healed every sort of sickness He willed to heal, not being limited in the scope of His power.

  [v24] And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Word spread in Syria about the deeds of Jesus, that he healed sick of all sorts, both in disease and other "torments" such as mad or retarded men. Jesus cast devils out of those possessed with them, lunaticks (which were at type of insane men who had mental afflictions with the change of the moon), and those with palsy, which is a loss of voluntary muscular control, all of which were (and still are) common among sinful people who did not have a mind that considered the Lord, being afflicted because their inconvenient practices were the cause of many of their ailments. (Rom 1:28)

  [v25] And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

Although some followed Jesus because of their faith, and they wanted to hear more of his doctrine, others followed him only to be healed, or to be entertained by His miracles, while others followed him with ill intent, seeking how they might stop Him, or bring Him under the submission to their worldly hierachy, that they could use Him for their own gain. Decapolis was a region of a few cities, one of which was Damascus, lands beyond Jordan, and of course, Jerusalem and Judea, all of which came multitudes to see Jesus for various purposes.



 

  [v1] And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

These are the crowds of people mentioned at the end of the previous chapter, and when He saw them, Jesus went up a mountain an unspecified distance, for an unspecified reason, but we might speculate that it was to be alone for prayer as He sometimes did, or because the crowds were tumultuous, which was not ideal for teaching. When Jesus sat down in the manner which was done to teach (Luke 4:20), "his disciples came unto him," which were not just the twelve, but rather, a multitude from Judea, Jerusalem, and other cities. (Luke 6:17)

  [v2] And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

This is not said because we do not know that one must open his mouth to teach, but rather, Jesus opened His mouth with purpose, to project a strong voice that could be clearly understood by all those listening. What He proceeds to teach is directed in part to His called disciples, while other parts are directed to the multitude.

  [v3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The world seems to constantly be in a state of depression, and desperate to find joy, but for those of us who have been born again in Christ, we do not need to look for joy, nor worry that others might "steal it" from us, because we have it in overflowing abundance from the Holy Ghost, even in times of persecution and tribulation. Jesus Christ gives instructions on how men might be happy, because to be blessed means to be happy in the world due to a spiritual happiness that comes to the saints as a gift from Him.

blessed (adj): happy; prosperous in worldly affairs; enjoying spiritual happiness and the favor of God
(See 'blessed', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Mar 19, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Although God has called vastly more who are poor in material wealth and lowly in life than those who have great riches and high station (Mat 19:24, 1Co 1:26-29), this passage is not talking about those who have little earthly goods, but rather, it is referring to those who "poor in spirit." This is not to say that some are "rich in spirit," for all men are poor in spirit, having come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), being wretched, miserable, blind, and naked (Rev 3:17), and unable to help themselves out of their vile state, but what Jesus is saying is that those who have had their understanding unlocked, to know their guilty condition, and to have shame, a broken heart, and a contrite spirit (Psa 34:18), and mourn for what they are in spirit because of their sin, are blessed because "theirs is the kingdom of heaven," which is the Gospel, the administration of it, the church, the authority within it, as well as the joy and peace of it, and the third heaven, where the saints will reside forever with the Lord. (1Th 4:17)

  [v4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

This is often taken out of context to mean that all who mourn, for anything in the world, shall have comfort, which is a general proverb that all who mourn in their grief will find a degree of relief in their hearts (Ecc 7:3), but that is not what is meant by Jesus in this passage. Jesus came preaching repentance, which is godly sorrow of sins, and so those who mourn because of their sins, whether current or past, is a persistent grief in their minds, knowing that their deeds were an outside sign of their inward violation of the law of grace, which in turn grieves the Spirit of God—furthermore to mourn the sin of the world, who daily dishonor Christ, having vexation that the world speaks evil of those who preach the goodness and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ (1Pe 3:16)—only they shall be fully comforted in this life by the Holy Ghost, and in the next life, to enjoy eternal peace and fellowship with Christ and the saints, where there shall be no more tears. (Rev 21:4)

  [v5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

The meek are those who are temperate, and slow to anger, as the Lord (Psa 145:8), who are courteous to others because they consider themselves to be base and lowly among men, to be vilest of offenders, and unworthy of the graces of others. Though prideful men generally hate thsoe who speak the truth about them, they often speak highly of humility, as it is a desired trait even among the world.

A meek man tends to be quiet in his duties, considering himself to be the most inferior among Christians, and anything good about his character or works is always attributed to the grace of God, for only the Lord Jesus Christ can make a man truly humble in spirit. These who have received the gift of humility by the Holy Ghost "shall inherit the earth," not in the sense of the borders of Israel, nor the entire planet in its current form, but the new earth to come after the second coming of Christ. (2Pe 3:13), where the saints will reign with Christ for a thousand years. (Rev 20:6)

  [v6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

This does not mean to desire righteousness in the sense of a rigorous observance of the law, or to achieve a moral superiority as the Jews or Catholics perceive of themselves, nor in the sense of general governing justice for the oppressed, but rather, it is a desire for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us by grace through faith, what Paul later calls "the righteousness of faith." (Rom 4:11) Those who look to it and desire it with a ravenous hunger "shall be filled" with Christ's righteousness, having that hunger satiated, being made happy with it, and never needing nor desiring to seek any other alleged form of righteousness among men.

  [v7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

That is, happy are those who show mercy to others, to sympathize with the poor in need, to give help when necessary, to readily assist with cheerfulness and affection, to show kindness to the ignorant, being apt to teach (1Ti 3:2), to rebuke their sin that they might know it and come to repentance (2Ti 4:2, Pro 27:5), forgiving the repentance of any injuries, overlooking offenses of the unrepentant when possible, praying for the kindness of God on our enemies (Luke 6:28), and comforting others in their time of affliction. This is the desire of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mat 9:13), and not only does He give us mercy when we are saved, but He also gives us the gift of a merciful heart, whereby we have desire to show mercy as we were shown mercy first by Him, and therefore, as we practice mercy, we will also receive it, not only in our time of need in this world, but in eternal abundance in the Kingdom of God.

  [v8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Not that a man in the flesh can be pure of heart in this life because the hearts of men are filled with lusts and deceit (Jer 17:9, 1Jo 2:16), and cannot be entirely purged from sin until after the death of the flesh, but we can be given the purity of Christ, having our spirits washed clean by His blood (Rev 1:5), and though we are imperfect in the sense that we will not be complete until translated into the Kingdom of God (Col 1:13), we have been purified by Christ, and by this gift, we desire to exhibit that purity in our words and actions. (1Jo 1:7) Therefore, being purified by Christ, we shall see God, not only in His generous mercy, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, beauty, and goodness, but also in the Kingdom of Christ to come, where we will be free from all the impurities of sin, darkness, and suffering.

  [v9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Not between God and men, for the only mediator between God and men is Jesus Christ (1Ti 2:5), but between all men, to live as peaceably among them as possible. (Rom 12:18) Whereas Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6), it stands to reason that those who follow the Prince of Peace would desire peace, and therefore, those who have been given a heart of peace by the Prince of it are called the children of God because they reflect the heart of their Father. (Gal 4:6)

  [v10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

persecute (adj): to pursue in a manner to injure, vex or afflict; to harass with unjust punishment or penalties for supposed offenses; to inflict pain from hatred or malignity; appropriately, to afflict, harass, or destroy for adherence to a particular creed or system of religious principles, or to a mode of worship
(See 'persecute', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Mar 19, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

This does not include actual wrongdoing, offenses, or crimes, for which proper civil or government action may be taken for punishment and restitution (Mat 5:24-26), but rather, when a Christian is persecuted for simply speaking the truth of God's Word and living according to the righteousness of Christ. Those who live for Christ are a standing reproach to all those who live in wickedness, and most especially to those who perceive themselves to be righteous by their own works, which fills them with hatred and malice, and moreso when we are kind to them, causing them to enter into a frenzy, as if one had poured hot coals on their head. (Rom 12:20) Happy is the man who has been given the righteousness of Christ and is persecuted for it, not because he is joyful of persecution itself because it results in many griefs and afflictions, but knowing that we are called to this suffering in Christ, he is happy knowing that this is prophecied to be the lot of the faithful saints, and that great reward will come with it, as Jesus goes on to say in the following verses.

  [v11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

This verse is not generalized as wisdom and understanding for all men, that they would be blessed if they come to repentance and faith in Christ, and is now targeted to His disciples. This indicates not only that they will be instructed to speak things that will result in men exhibiting contempt, but also that the disciples of Christ, despite them being the children of God, would be subject to reproach, railing insults, persecution, and "all manner of evil," and Christians have indeed been charged with false accusations over the past 2,000 years, with some of the worst things wicked men could invent, such as whoredom, torture, sodomy, incest, murder, and an assortment of other evils. These false accusations and persecutions are brought against Christians for the sake of Jesus Christ, or for the sake of His name and His interests, which is the Gospel and the church, and they will be blessed, in that they will walk away happy and assured in the truth of the Word of God, while their accusers will be unhappy.

  [v12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Be extremely glad and filled with joy, Jesus said, and cheerfully suffer it because the reward that follows in heaven is a gift of grace, given by the Lord who is merciful and kind, most especially to His faithful saints. Prophets such as Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and others were heavily persecuted and defamed, and as they now enjoy the eternal rewards for their suffering, so shall we, enduring it until the end. (Jms 5:11)

  [v13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Jesus compares His disciples to salt, which, being a common mineral, has well known qualities. Salt is good for one's health, and is vital to assist in the body's many functions, just as charity and alms. Salt is savoury, and brings out flavor, which is pleasing to the tongue, just as grace is pleasing to the soul. Salt also irritates open wounds, just as those who hear the preaching of the Word are often irritated.

Although salt does not lose savour, just as a Christian does not lose God's grace, if it were to lose it, or in the analogy, if a Christian were to have grace from God, but do no good works for the Lord, nor speak the truth of the Word, then they are useless as salt that has lost its savour. Thus the salt having no savour is indicative of one who has never been born again, not of one who would lose their salvation, which is impossible. (Rom 8:38-39)

If salt has no savour, what more is it than tiny rocks? Without its primary function, it would be useless to all creatures, and therefore ignored, to be walked over like any other common stone, and likewise, when someone claims to be of Christ, but has no grace, charity, mercy, or forgiveness, they become not only useless, but a burden, considered nothing by society, and eventually removed from the church.

  [v14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

This is not to say that we are light of ourselves, but rather, we have the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and because we are washed clean with His blood, we have His light, and therefore, we Christians are the light of the world because of His light. This is speaking not of physical light, which the world has by the grace of God, but rather, it is a spiritual light, which turns others towards the righteousness of Christ. (Dan 12:3)

A city that is constructed on elevated land cannot be hidden from view, which was meant for the disciples to understand that the Gospel was to be in plain view, not to be concealed by the instruction or influence of any man. They were intended to be on full display, for all to see, and they had no need to back down or try to avoid the accusations of religious leadership.

  [v15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

That is, there no sense in lighting a candle and concealing it by burying it, not under a "bush" as some have incorrectly interpreted, but a "bushel," which is substantial portion of dry measure, typically grain. Jesus is explaining that it would be nonsensical to light a candle and then hide it under a pile of grain, which not only conceals it, but extinguishes the light.

The candle analogy works well here since candles must be maintained, they are subject to theft (as was common in that day), and the light of candles most often burns brightest before the end of the life of the flame. Therefore, the ministers of the Gospel are not to be fearful or lazy, to stand boldly to declare the Gospel of Salvation even when surrounded by so much darkness (1Th 2:2), so the light of Christ can be seen by all, just as a candle is put into a candlestick, which is raised tall to provide light to the whole house.

  [v16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Jesus then explains the full meaning, that the light of the Gospel He gave them was not meant only for themselves, but for others to see and hear. This is done not only by the preaching of the Word, but the care of it, the dedication to the truth, an exemplary work ethic, and charity in all things, to glorify God the Father through Jesus Christ, that we would be examples to demonstrate the regeneration of our spirits given to us by grace, and that others would see that light and find the way to salvation.

  [v17] Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Knowing the hearts and minds of the crowd, Jesus addresses their growing concern that, by this preaching, He would push aside the preaching of the Mosaic law and prophets, whereby they would be rendered meaningless, and of course, the concerns of the scribes and religious leaders who dedicated their lives to the preservation of the Jewish commentary about the law and prophets, but He reassured them not to think in their minds that what He preached rejected or destroyed the law and prophets. Rather, Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies of the prophets, as well as their instructions from the Lord to keep the moral law of Moses, and the promises therein, because the law is established by faith (Rom 3:30-31), and charity is the end result of faith, as Jesus will speak of again later in Matthew 7:12.

  [v18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Jesus reassures them by saying "verily," or with certainty, not that the Lord cannot be trusted to His Word, for He cannot lie (Tts 1:2), but as a promise to those who did not believe who He is. Until the great noise and fervent heat of the end of the world should come (2Pe 3:10), every dot, dash, spike, or any other signifying features of the individual letters of the Hebrew language would pass, which is meant in the sense that even the smallest of details is taken into consideration, meaning that even the least among all the commandments should be accomplished in its fulfillment before the end.

  [v19] Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

This is said as a general rebuke of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees in Israel. For example, the sanhedrim (the council of Jewish leaders) gave themselves power to (with the exception of idolatry) temporarily grant immunity from a particular law, and exonerate that person or group from consequences (and supposedly, they even permitted the Gentiles to transgress laws done in private, apart from laws that carried the punishment of death), and because of this, they became hypocrites who not only broke the law when it was convenient for them, but also taught others that it was acceptable.

Thus, Jesus said they would be called "least in the kingdom of heaven," which is not to say that they would be least in the sense that they were in low of station within the church, but that these hypocrites would have no place in the church because to be least in this context means that they are thought about the least, and to be the least considered would to be completely unknown, being unworthy of the fancy titles they gave one another. However, to those who teach the fullness and truth of the doctrine, and put it to practice in obedience to the Lord, they shall be "called great in the church because the Lord loves patience, temperance, moderation, and humility, and rewards those who practice what they preach, both in this life and the next.

  [v20] For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The structure of this verse is clear that the crowd is being addressed because many among them highly revered the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, and so not only did the previous verse rebuke the religious leaders for their hypocrisy, but because the crowd viewed them as the pinnacle of religious living, Jesus warned them that their righteousness had to go far above and beyond those who they revered, most particularly the Pharisees, which was the strictest religious sect. Jesus warns that if they do not succeed in becoming more righteous than the Pharisees, then they will be rejected from the kingdom of heaven, which means they will end up in hell, and though this may have been puzzling to many in the crowd, by the grace of God giving us understanding through His Word, we know that the answer to the puzzle is the Lord Jesus Christ, who imputes to us His righteousness, which is not only infinitely superior to any righteousness a man could produce, but it is the ONLY righteousness one can receive to become part of the church and gain entrance to the Kingdom of God.

  [v21] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Jesus is referring to the Torah (Exd 20:13, which they heard by the reading of their elders generation after generation, and they also heard the commentary of the law by their elders, which reads that "A murderer who strikes his neighbor with a stone or with an iron so that he dies; if one pressed down a person while he is in water or in fire, preventing him from coming out, until he dies--he is guilty." The murderer would be put to death (via stoning) by the "house of judgment" which refers to the sandhedrim, who were the appointed judges, and that makes perfect sense.
(See Talmud, Book 8: Tract Sanhedrin, Michael L. Rodkinson, 1918, Mishna II, retrieved Mar 21, 2025, [https://sacred-texts.com/jud/t08/t0812.htm])

However, there are other stipulations added by this same Jewish commentator, in the same paragraph, such as, "If he sets a dog or a serpent upon him, he is not guilty of a capital crime." So if a man murders his neighbor directly, he is in danger of judgment, but if he murders his neighbor indirectly, by having an animal do the job for him, he is (according to their own teachings) not in danger of judgment, which is nonsensical, and there are many more strange addendums with ridiculous exceptions, whereby those Jews who knew the law's commentary (which was followed more rigorously than the Scriptures) could find loop holes to circumvent punishment for obvious criminal activity.

  [v22] But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Based on the hypocrisy I described in the previous verse, Jesus then pulls the rug out from under them by addressing the "thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb 4:12) The word 'brother' in this passage is intended to be a neighbor, used in the senses of the tribes of Israel, whose founders were "brothers," and so to be angry with one's neighbor without a just cause, meaning that there was no reasonable cause to the anger, "shall be in danger of the judgment," which is not referring to the sandhedrim, but rather, the danger that comes with the judgment of God, which is indicated in the context of the latter part of this verse.

When Jesus said, "whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca," this was a Jewish expression for which there was no English equivalent, but it was a term of contention reproach, signifying a stupid and worthless man. If this was spoken to the council of the sanhedrim in a murder trial, the criminal would be in danger of execution by their judgment, which demonstrates that even the hypocrites will not tolerate disrespect to righteous judgment.

fool (n): one who is destitute of reason, or the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a person who acts absurdly; one who does not exercise his reason; one who pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom; in scripture, fool is often used for a wicked or depraved person; one who acts contrary to sound wisdom in his moral deportment; one who follows his own inclinations, who prefers trifling and temporary pleasures to the service of God and eternal happiness
(See 'fool', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Mar 21, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

This last part needs to be addressed in detail because it is often misused by churchgoers to make a defense of themselves, any foolish false doctrine they might adhere to, or to any corrupt preacher they may foolishly follow, by claiming that the accusation of their foolishness means that hellfire awaits their accuser, which is not anywhere close to the context of this verse. This refers to a wicked man who is under righteous judgment for his wrongdoing, who condemns those that righteous judge his sin as "fools" in causeless anger, and thus, that contentious man, who rejects sound wisdom and understanding, and tries to make a mockery of that which is good, is in danger of hellfire, the prison of unrepentant and unfaithful, and therefore, those who show anger to righteous judgment are those who may very well face eternal damnation.
(Read "Hell is Real and Many People Are Going There" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

  [v23] Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Bringing a gift to the altar of the Temple was traditionally done as a free will offering of penance for a wrongdoing, but Jesus notes that, if while approaching the Temple, that man remembers the crime against his neighbor, and any contentious words he may have said against his neighbor, calling him a "fool" for righteously judging his crime, then he should proceed as instructed in the next verse.

  [v24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Either the gift can be left with someone trustworthy during the busy seasons of the Temple, or during off seasons, when there was little traffic, the man might leave it there and return later to partake in ceremony of the gift offering, but either way, he should drop what he is doing and first go to his neighbor to plead for forgiveness and extend his offering of good will and peace. Jesus said this because His nature, as God, is love, mercy, charity, peace, and reconciliation, and this shows us that the Lord prefers these things far more than sacrifice (Mat 9:13), so that a man should temporarily put his gift to the altar of God on hold to "first be reconciled" to his neighbor, and then after peace has been made, return to the altar to present the gift the to Lord.

  [v25] Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

The adversary here is not referring to God, although we should be in agreement with Him, but rather, the context tells us that the adversary is the offended neighbor, who the man wronged, and who is demanding restitution for loss. If the man is "in the way with him," meaning that the offender is in negotiation with the neighbor, or the neighbor brought in a mediator to settle the matters out of court, then the offending man should agree with his neighbor, lest things escalate and bigger consequences come down on his head.

If the neighbor brought the matter to the magistrate of a courtroom, he could force the offender to show up to court and be judged there, where he may be judged by the fullest extent of the law, and that is much harsher judgment and consequence than dealing with a neighbor on friendly terms. Although there is no such thing as a debtor's prison in the Mosaic law (because debtors must be able to be free to work in order to pay the debts they owe), the Jews and Romans obviously had them, and so whereas peace and reconciliation could result in forgiveness of some debt, a judge in a courtroom may result in full restitution, plus interest, plus court fees, plus pain and suffering to the neighbor, fines, and jail time.

  [v26] Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Although the corrupt Catholic cult abuses this verse out of context to a ridiculous claim of their imaginary "purgatory," in that one must spend time in a suffering limbo to pay for their sins until they can enter heaven (which violates countless doctrines of Scripture), the context is that a man who is in debt to his neighbor, and judged by the courts, shall remain in prison until all is paid, and if no one can come to pay on his behalf, he will be stuck there, which is an analogy for hell, in that those unfaithful, who were prideful and impenitent, and thought themselves to be just when they were guilty of sin, will be thrown in the prison of hell by the Judge until all debt is paid, but the debt is eternal, which means there is no escape. In other words, the demonic papacy has used a verse intended to warn them of hellfire as an excuse to avoid it, which philosophically makes them no different than the Jewish scribes and Pharisees.
(Read Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

  [v27] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

In like manner to the sin of murder, the Jews heard the law (Exd 20:14) from generation to generation, and commentary on adultery, which is the sin of sexual interaction of a married person with someone other than his/her spouse.

  [v28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

This was more condemnation of the Pharisees, who prided themselves in not looking at women, and in some cases, in over-the-top, ridiculous manners of avoidance, that they would not even look at a woman's finger, feet, or the clothing she wore, and avoid them completely in the paths they walked. However, the condemnation in this sense is that they thought the averting of their eyes from any part of a woman's physical body, or to even engage with them in friendly conversation, was sinful, going to a strict adherence to mandates that are far outside the realm of reason, because they ignored the fact that God judges a man's heart (Pro 21:2), and that, despite the fact that they averted their eyes, there was still lust within themselves.

  [v29] And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Jesus first describes the right eye (in the sense that it may be our most favored eye), which is our sense of sight, and when used without discipline, it leads us into the lusts of the flesh, which is what we ought to cast far from ourselves, and not the eye itself. There is no Scriptural commandment nor implication nor obligation nor doctrine to mutilate one's own body, and such a thing would be offensive to the Gospel of Christ, because to mutilate oneself for sin means that you may do such horrific things to your neighbor in like manner. (Mat 7:12) Rather, Jesus is explaining this in the figurative sense, that we should cast aside all those things that come into our view which would cause us to sin, to close our eyes and deny our flesh lustful gratification, and to understand the horror and devastation of losing one's eye pales in comparison to the spiritual understanding of the horror and devastation which sin brings.

  [v30] And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Jesus first describes the eye, then the hand, both of which are tools used in the process of adultery, and likewise to the eye, this is said in the figurative sense, not that a man should cut off his own hand, but to take sin with the seriousness it ought to be taken, as when a man has necrosis of the hand, and it turns black with gangrene, it is cut off to save the rest of the body. This seems also to be reference to the Jewish commentators, where they give very strict rules for certain rituals or behaviors, such as the prohibition of touching of one's genitals, but few modern commentators include the teachings of the old time, that "Any man who extends his hand below his navel [before washing his hands in the morning] should have it [his arm] cut off," claiming that his uncleanness will "split open" his stomach, and he will "descend into the pit of destruction," and thus, Jesus is condemning the religious leaders for their hypocrisy to threaten mutilation over stringent, fabricated rituals, but not uphold that same strictness over the sin in their hearts.
(See Sefaria, The William Davidson Talmud, Niddah 13b, retrieved Mar 21, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Niddah.13b.9?lang=bi])

  [v31] It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

Notice that Christ did not say "It hath been said of old time" in this verse, and that is because their forefathers did not have controversy about divorce that needed to be debated, and so this saying (which the people had been taught) was recent. This is not to say that the words themselves were not said in the Scriptures, because there was a method of divorcement in Deuteronomy 24:1, which was based on "uncleanness," and that is not said in the sense of adultery, which was punishable by death (Lev 20:10, and Jesus would judge such a situation later, John 8:3-7), but rather, it was based on a married woman who was flirtatious with other men, who is also the kind of woman who is not pleased with her husband, starts brawls, makes problems in the home, causing the man daily grief (Pro 21:9); although, divorce should still not be taken lightly in such cases, and counseling should be sought first.

However, modern sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees argued about whether or not a man could put away his wife for what they perceived to be "uncleanness" by their whimsical sentiments, or frivolous and uncharitable reasons, such as a woman burning or over-salting food, a woman who had succumb to disease, or others would argue that he could divorce a woman if the husband found another woman that was more agreeable to him. Jesus will later point out that divorce was only permitted by God because the hardness of the hearts of the Jewish people (Mat 19:8), which is one of the reasons a bill (or written document) was required in proper format, to be delivered to the leaders of the community, and a formal hearing made, so that with the passage of the time it takes to process such a request, one's anger might be assuaged, and reconciliation would bring the two together again.

  [v32] But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Although there are some religious cults that argue that divorce is not permitted under any circumstance, if that were the case, Jesus would have clearly said that in this passage, but that would have violated the permission in the law that He (as God) established in Deuteronomy 24:1, and therefore, He repeats that the permission was allowed, "That whosoever shall put away his wife," or that when a man does this, the following should be considered. The first consideration is that fornication (i.e. any sexual interaction outside of a marriage covenant) is a legitimate cause for divorce, and although there may be other valid causes for divorce not mentioned here (such as physical abuse, which may threaten the life of the spouse and/or children, or if the family is starved of needs due to neglect), in the context of sexual sin (which is the subject of this passage), divorcing a woman means that, if she were to commit adultery by accepting the embrace of another man, he is the cause of it, loosing her to a life where she would seek another man, and because she was the lawfully wedded wife of her first husband, outside of that covenant, she would be an adulteress by default, except (as Jesus said) in the case of her fornication, which (after divorce) would simply make her a harlot.

  [v33] Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

This was taught by their forefathers, which was based on Leviticus 19:12, which specifically refers to swearing by the name of the Lord "falsely," and that is what Jesus was also referring to in this passage, which was to put emphasis on what the Jews were concerned about when swearing, that what they said was truthful, despite the fact that they often used this for matters of no importance to give themselves an appearance of "holiness" by "fulfilling their oaths" to things which were normal, everyday occurances that would be fulfilled anyway. When Jesus added that they should "perform unto the Lord thine oaths," He was referring to Numbers 30:2, which the Jews took seriously, but the problem is that if they did not swear unto the Lord, they would not take their word seriously, and were apathetic to doing that which was not sworn specifically to God, caring not that they were liars for their wrongdoing.

  [v34] But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

I have made the mistake in times past of misinterpreting this in the strictest sense, that no one can ever swear an oath unto the Lord, which is not the contextual way this should be taken, but rather, because the Jews were using the swearing of oaths unto the Lord as a pretense of righteousness, Jesus said He would rather that they did not swear these frivolous things in His name at all, nor swear by heaven, which is the seat of the Lord, and a thing He created, not the Lord Himself, and so by doing this, the Jews were trying to exclude the name of the Lord in their oath, but swearing by His creation of heaven, which is childishness of thinking in which they thought it would make them appear holy by refering to the divine kingdom, and considering not that, as Jesus would preach later, doing such things is the same as swearing unto the Lord Himself (Mat 23:22), whether they wanted to consider that to be true or not, thereby pulling the name of God into their vanity for a show of righteousness.

  [v35] Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Jesus is referring to Isaiah 66:1, which indicates that the Jews also habitually swore by the earth in the same manner as heaven mentioned in the previous verse, and is also condemned by Jesus for the same reason. Because Jerusalem was declared in Scripture to be "the city of the great King" (Psa 48:2), which is speaking of the Lord, where the Holy Ghost came to sit in the Holy of Holies with the Ark of the Covenant, therefore the Jews would frivolously swear by the city as well, and again, is condemned by Christ for the same reasons.

  [v36] Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

According to Jewish records, it was also common to swear "by thy life, and by the life of thy head," which was also done in a frivolous manner in casual conversation, and in like manner to heaven, earth, and Jerusalem, the power and fate of something as simple as their hair was not in the control of men, because we cannot, by our thoughts or will alone, change the color of our hair, for that power belongs to the Lord alone.
(See Sermon Index, "Appendix 2 Extracts from the Babylon Talmud," Rabbi Jose, retrieved Mar 25, 2025, [https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/bible_books/index.php?view=book_chapter&chapter=50847])

  [v37] But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

That is, when we are in daily conversation, our word should be as "Yea" or "Nay," or rather, "Yes" or "No," and we should be held to the word that we have spoken because if we go back on our word for anything other than mercy and charity, then we would be found to be liars (Col 3:9), and in violation of the law. Therefore, if there is any conviction that emphasis should to be put on our words, saying "Yes" twice or "No" twice should be sufficient enough to establish the truth, that we be not rash with our mouths. (Ecc 5:2) To go above and beyond simple words for casual conversation in this regard, to put on airs for the sake of religiousity, does not come from the Lord, nor does it make a man holy, because those words are deceit (Rom 3:13), but rather, it comes from the devil, who is the father of lies. (John 8:44)

  [v38] Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

Although this is written in Exodus 21:24, because Jesus did not add in "of old time," and so it is likely that he is referring to the interpretations of that law by Jewish scholars, who offer some sound reason in this regard, because the argument would be that, if a man was injured to lose a third of the sight in one eye, how could the judicial system return a precise injury to the offending man to cause the loss of only one-third of the sight in one eye? Therefore, although the interpretation of this can still be direct (i.e. the loss of a hand can result in the punishment of the loss of a hand), it can also be interpreted to mean "an eye for THE COST OF an eye," and so, for example, in the case that a man might lose his foot, he may choose to have monetary compensation instead of having the other man's foot removed; therefore, the offending party would be required to pay a price equal to that as a slave at market, plus other compensations as the judge deemed fit for the loss of such a valuable and irreplaceable member.
(See Parshat Mishpatim, "Maimonides on 'an eye for an eye'", Rabbi Danzig, retrieved Mar 25, 2025, [https://www.mhcny.org/parasha/1210.pdf])

As we can see, Jesus did not object to this because, once again, He (as God) established the law, but rather, He is addressing their unjust application of monetary compensation, in that they would use it as a form of revenge, and would charge the offending party fees that were far beyond what should be owed for very minor offenses. If a Pharisee was in an accidental collision with a person in public that would cause the Pharisee a bruise or scratch, he might demand financial restitution for the sake of his pride, and as a means of acquiring wealth by wicked application of the law, oppressing the offender by threat of legal retaliation.

  [v39] But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

There are some corrupt religious cults who erroneously teach that this verse means that a man cannot defend himself, nor can a man sue another man to get restitution for loss, because those things are good and just, and governments were establish by God for the purpose of bringing justice to the oppressed. (Rom 13:1-4) However, we are not to try to seek personal revenge for a wrongdoing, to return evil in the same way it was inflicted on us, and we should ignore minor offenses for the sake of charity. (Rom 12:19)

Therefore if we had our eye plucked out, or our teeth knocked out, we should not immediately seek to have the same done to our enemy, but to seek restitution a lawful way through the courts, as established by God. If a Pharisee had a man slap him across the face, the Pharisee (according to the Talumdic tradition) would try to get personal revenge with monetary compensation, demanding 100 dinars (i.e. about 150 dollars in 2025 U.S. currency, or 170,000 sats [in Bitcoin] as of March of 2025), but Jesus is instructing them not to do such things, and to instead exercise longsuffering and patience, not to repay evil for evil and railing for railing. (1Pe 3:9)
(See Sefaria, Bava Kamma 90a, Mishna v13, retrieved Mar 25, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Kamma.90a.13?lang=bi])

  [v40] And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

The Jews had a list of many minor offenses with monetary fees, for example, "If he tore at his ear, plucked out his hair, spat at him and his spit touched him, or pulled his cloak from off him, or loosed a woman's hair in the street, he must pay 400 zuz. [i.e. dinar]," but if it was a poor man who could not pay, an "eye for an eye" put to a minor issue of material goods would demand a coat for a coat. Therefore, Jesus addressed this selfish ideology by paying revenge with kindness and charity, so that if a selfish and bickering man demanded to have your coat (or outer garment) taken away by force, it is better to not only give the outer coat willingly, but to offer the inner garment also as a means of reconciliation, that neighborly love would strike deep into his heart, causing the hateful and selfish man to act in a manner as if coals of fire were dumped on his head. (Rom 12:20)
(See Sefaria, Mishnah Bava Kamma 8:6, retrieved Mar 25, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/English_Explanation_of_Mishnah_Bava_Kamma.8.6.1?lang=bi])

  [v41] And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

This expands on the previous verse, which is not said in the sense of a friend who asks someone to walk with him, but in the manner of force, in which citizens were obligated by law to assist official messengers of the king. By law, messengers could commandeer transportation in an emergency, but if the people rejected the request and resisted by force, it would be difficult to identify them later for prosecution, which means the sharp teeth of the law was unlikely to reach the roads in the wilderness, and those who hated the law could simply refuse. However, Jesus taught that we should not only give the messenger what he asks, but take him farther than he requested for the sake of peace and charity, and this would be under the most obligatory situation, let alone those in need, which is what Jesus goes on to address in the next verse.

  [v42] Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

That is, "to every man" (Luke 6:30), to our neighbors, whether friend or enemy, deserving or not, be it supplies or money, be ready and willing to give cheerfully as we are able, but only within the bounds of our capability. For example, a man could ask you for a large amount of currency, but if you do not have it, you cannot give it, and furthermore, giving too much could force your children into starvation, so there are circumstances to be considered, and our duties are first to God, then to our household, then to the church, and then to our neighbors and strangers.

This same charity applies to those who ask to borrow, rather than to receive a free gift. Whether we know them or not, they should not be immediately turned away, but their request should be heard with a friendly demeanor.

Luke adds that we should lend, "hoping for nothing again" (Luke 6:35), which is often misinterpreted to mean that which was borrowed should not have hope of return, which would make no sense because then it would be a free gift. Rather, we should expect return of that which was borrowed, and we can go to the law if need be, but we should not hope for rewards or praise for lending because one who would borrow from a man of moderate means is typically a poor man. We ought to lend without usury, which is extremely high interest that are condemned in the Mosaic law (Exd 22:25), and is typically done by what our modern society calls "loan sharks," who prey on the poor, and go to extreme (often violent) lengths to get the money and interest back.

  [v43] Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

In this instance, Jesus is referring to Leviticus 19:18, but the reason He did not say "of old time" is because of the addendum, which is not in the law, but taught by Jewish rabbis, namely, to "hate thine enemy." It is strictly argued by many Jews today that this is a false accusation, that the Jews do not teach that it is permissible to hate one's enemy, but their own highly esteemed commentary says the following:
"When one person sins against another, he should not hate him and remain silent, as it is said of the wicked, 'And Absalom did not speak to Amnon' (2 Samuel 13:22). Rather, it is a commandment to inform him and say, 'Why did you do such-and-such to me?' as it is written, 'You shall surely rebuke your fellow' (Leviticus 19:17). And if he repents and asks for forgiveness, the one forgiving should not be cruel, as it is said, 'And Abraham prayed to God' (Genesis 20:17), just as we learned in [Tractate] Bava Kamma [folio 92a]. However, if a person sees someone commit a sin and rebukes him many times, and he does not accept it, it is permitted to hate him. As it is stated in [Tractate] Pesachim [folio 113b], 'When you see the donkey of your enemy lying under its burden' (Exodus 23:5)—this refers to this matter, where he saw him commit a sin, making it permissible to hate him. And so it is written, 'The fear of the Lord is to hate evil' (Proverbs 8:13)."
(See Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Negative Commandments 5, Sefaria, retrieved Mar 26, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Sefer_Mitzvot_Gadol%2C_Negative_Commandments.5.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en])

Again, to emphasize this point (because Jewish scholars have been notoriously blasphemous against Christ, attempting to accuse Him of lying about them), the rabbis made exception for hatred under circumstances they deemed justified, even going so far as to say that one who beats or insults his colleague is not guilty of hatred, which is said only to allow themselves leeway under the law to do what they pleased:
"Whoever hates a fellow Jew in his heart transgresses a Torah prohibition as Leviticus 19:17 states: 'Do not hate your brother in your heart.' One is not liable for lashes for violating this prohibition, because no deed is involved. With this commandment, Scripture warns us only against hating in our hearts. However, a person who beats a colleague or insults him, although he is not permitted to do so, does not violate the prohibition, 'you shall not hate.'"
(See Chabad, De'ot - Chapter Six By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"), retrieved Mar 26, 2025, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/910346/jewish/Deot-Chapter-Six.htm])

Furthermore, the term 'neighbor' was often deceptively misinterpreted by the Jews, for a neighbor is any fellow of a habitation, whether it be a neighborhood or a country, but they desired in their hearts to only consider "neighbors" to be those of the nation of Israel, and even in some regards, only those who were in agreement with a particular sect of religion among the Hebrews. Jesus would later correct a hateful Jewish lawyer with the parable of the good Samaritan (because the Samaritans had differences of religious belief from the rest of Jewish society), after the Jewish lawyer tried to justify his hatred of others by asking Jesus to define the word 'neighbor, despite the fact that he knew well what it meant. (Luke 10:25-29)

  [v44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Although hatred of a man's actions is completely justified because the Bible tells us we should hate evil (Psa 97:10, Pro 8:13), but one can hate a man's evil actions, while showing no hatred to his being, expressing to him pity and mercy. When the wicked rail and lash out, we can be sad for their state of affairs, for the destruction of their health that hatred brings, for the judgment of God they provoke, and that those of their household would suffer because of them. Therefore, we show them love, which not in the spiritual sense, for there is no reconciliation in the spirit without the regeneration of the Holy Ghost, but a love in the world, which is not in the sense of simply praying for God's mercy on them (albeit, is good to do as Jesus notes in this verse), rather, it is that we would bless them, that is, we would do good unto them that hate us.

Jesus gave us the ultimate example of praying for others who hate and persecute us when He was being crucified by His enemies. He prayed to God the Father that He would "forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34) which shows the kindness and mercy of Jesus, even during His most extreme suffering at the hands of those who hated Him without a cause.

  [v45] That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Jesus was not saying that they would become child of God by imitating Him in this regard, or that by their works they would be His children, because that only happens by regeneration of the Holy Spirit by grace through repentance and faith, but if the Jews professed themselves to be children of God, then they should act like it, and the way to do that is by showing love and charity to both good and evil, and the just and unjust. God commands the sun and the rain at His will, and thus, it is His will that evil and hateful men receive blessings in this dispensation of the world, that His goodness on them will be evidence against their wicked hearts in the Day of Judgment. (Rom 2:16)

  [v46] For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

This is not to say that we should not love those who love us, but that it is the easiest and simplest form of natural love, to retaliate good for good, which does not merit any special appreciation or reward. The publicans were the tax collectors (the occupation of the evangelist who authored this book), and were known to be the most hateful towards the Jews because it was not uncommon for them to charge more tax than was owed, that they might steal it for themselves, therefore, they were greatly hated for their hatefulness, so Jesus used this example to show them that even those who were considered the most evil of their society loved those who loved them.

  [v47] And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

This is not meant in the sense of a simple greeting, nor does it mean friendly embraces, which are not wise to do with one's enemy, but rather, salutations here are meant of those words which offer wishes of good, and to inquire of their welfare, to see if all is well in the prosperity and safety of their household. The "brethren only" is not meant in the strictness sense of the term, as in direct blood relative, but in the sense of the nation, that those outside of their tribe or of Israel should receive the same friendly gestures, and once again, Jesus compares this to what was considered the most hateful among them, the tax collectors, who saluted their brethren in the same manner.

  [v48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

This perfection is not said in the sense of flawlessness, as many pastors often erroneously preach, but in the sense of a boy growing into the man his father wants him to be, as the mustard tree is the perfection of the mustard seed (Luke 13:19), which is not to say that we can be as God, for God is flawless, but we can reflect His nature as children in the sense that we can be merciful, even as our Heavenly Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36)

mercy (n): that benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders
(See 'mercy', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Mar 26, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Mercy cannot be given to those who love us, but to those who hate us, and therefore, mercy is demonstrated when you "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you... pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you," and have well wishes of good on the households of your enemies. However, those who do not love their neighbors in that regard, who do not show friendliness, a willingness to reconcile, or even basic reasonable conversation with those who hate them, act in a contradictory manner to God the Father, and those who do so while claiming to be of Christ are hypocrites. (Jms 3:17)



 

  [v1] Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

This was a rebuke of the Jews who believed their righteousness was established by the action of alms, that is, the giving of resources to relieve the poor. Their understanding of righteousness in this regard was not in the sense of goodness, but in the sense of redemption, believing the performance of alms to be the salvation of their souls. (Isa 1:27)

This was not meant that we ought to hide our alms from the sight of men, for what we do is meant to be a light shining for others to see, as Jesus pointed out in the previous chapter (Mat 5:15), but rather, our purpose of giving should not be done to put on a show of righteousness for others, to gain the praise and applause of men, as the Jews often did. Many took offense to Christ's teaching on this because He taught them the opposite of what they had learned from their religious leaders; that doing this deed of alleged "righteousness" had a negative effect, rather than a positive one, crumbling their foundation of imaginary holiness.

This was not meant to condemn the action of alms in general, because it is a good work that should be practiced by all who follow the Lord Jesus Christ. However, those who give alms while secretly seeking the applause of men have the reward they sought, and will receive no other prize, while those who give from a heart of charity, in obedience to the Lord God, have infinitely greater reward than the fleeting attention of sinful men.

  [v2] Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Christ then teaches what we ought not to do when giving alms. We ought not, as the Jewish hypocrites, put on an appearance of "holiness" or a pretense of "righteousness," both of which can only be given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. Some may foolishly believe that the Jews were sounding literal trumpets when they gave alms, but this is a metaphor, describing the hearts of wicked men who secretly wanted their alms to be announced to as many as possible, that they might gain notoriety for their illusion of righteousness, and once again, Jesus emphasizes that the applause of men will be the only reward they will receive for it; neither gaining redemption or heavenly gifts.

  [v3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

This is a phrase meant in the sense of informing those who are close to you, as a king might have right hand and left hand servants, who are his closest friends and advisors. He may tell his right hand to take some of his wealth and give to a person in need, and while the right hand makes the delivery, the king leans over to his left hand to tell him about what he did for the person in need, to gain praise from others. This, Jesus says, we ought not to do, and keep our alms secret if possible.

  [v4] That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

If we can do alms in secret, then we ought to, but if we cannot, at the very least, we should keep them secret, not sounding a trumpet before us to declare our supposed "righteousness" in deeds to gain praise from men. God the Father, who sees the secrets of the heart to know the intent of the actions, will, in the sight of all men and angels on the Day of Judgment, have praise from God and great reward in heaven.

I believe it is no coincidence that Jesus addressed alms before prayer in order of importance, not to devalue prayer, but that we were given gifts to be productive, and through productivity, we should first help our family, friends, and neighbors with the things they need according to our ability, before we go to God in prayer, only then requesting of Him things over which He has not granted us control, or praising Him for His gifts of mercy that have allowed us to help the poor and needy.

  [v5] And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

The hypocrites, including, but not limited to, the Pharisees and scribes, chose to pray in public places that were in clear view of men, which happens to be one of the hidden reasons they "love[d] to pray standing." In the fifth chapter of the Jewish text, Fefilah and Brkat Kohanim, the author lists eight "prayer rules" that were traditionally taught, which were not instructed in the Scriptures, and the first of those rules is "standing."
(See Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides), "Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Five," chabad.org, retrieved Aug 20, 2025, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/920167/jewish/Tefilah-and-Birkat-Kohanim-Chapter-Five.htm])

Among the other rules were facing a direction, clothing, and control of the voice—none of which add any virtue or spiritual blessing to prayer, and likewise, neither does standing. Even the corrupt Jewish Talmud does not declare any special merit for praying stand on the street, and therefore, the activity was nothing more than a spectacle for men, to which they would receive nothing from the Lord because they already received that which they sought for their pageantry.

Although 21st century leavened pastors may think themselves clean of these accusations because they do not stand on the street corner, they do make a show of prayer in their church buildings. These men video themselves grandstanding in dramatically sanctimonious displays, airing it publicly to be seen of men, making them no different than the Pharisees they hypocritically condemn.
(Read "The Biblical Understanding of Prayer" at creationliberty.com for more details.)

  [v6] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Although we typically think of a closet to be a place for clothing and storage, its original meaning is a small room that goes beyond separation from the public eye; further implying a separation from the eyes of one's own household. Jesus adds a shutting of the door, which carries a private, secret meaning, as He used when prophesying through Isaiah. (Isa 26:20)

This is not meant to condemn all public prayer, as prayer together in the assembly of Christians is a practice established by Christ (Mat 18:19), but that our most earnest and passionate displays of prayer to the Lord should be done in secret, ensuring that the heart would not drift into pleasing men while entreating the Lord. We are also instructed to pray directly to God the Father, by the grace of mediation through Christ the Son (1Ti 2:5), who sees and hears in secret, and will reward us with those good things we have prayed for in due time, according to His gracious will.

  [v7] But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

For example, in 1st Kings 18:26, the worshippers of Baal repeatedly chanted from morning until noon the phrase, "O Baal, hear us!" This has been a long standing tradition of pagans, and today, there are pagans masquerading as "Christians" who do this same things.

Catholics will often repeat a prayer to their pagan goddess, saying, "Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!" while Orthodox churchgoers have a vain "Jesus Prayer," in which they repeat, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." They admit the repetitious nature of these prayers, but claim they are not vain because they truly mean them, foolishly believing that pagans do not have the same passion in their hearts when crying out to Baal.
(Read Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism & Corruptions of Christianity: Orthodoxy at creationliberty.com for more details.)

The problem, as Jesus so accurately pointed out, is that "they think they shall be heard for their much speaking," as did the Pharisees before them because, to this day, the Jews have a tradition called "Amidah," which is a series of 18 prayers that are supposed to be repeated daily. Whether Pagan, Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, or any other cult, the act of repeating prescribed prayers not only has no Biblical precedent, it is condemned as a useless waste of breath because only a lunatic would believe the omniscient God would be entertained by a recipe of words as if casting a spell of witchcraft, rather than being obedient Christians, communicating as children with our Heavenly Father.

  [v8] Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

As I noted in the previous verse, the Lord God is omniscient (Psa 139:1-4), and therefore, when we come to Him in prayer, He has knowledge of all that we will say before we say it, and considers all our needs before we speak. Knowing this, what value or purpose do rehearsed prayers serve? Without value or purpose, why repeat them countless times? The conclusion, as Jesus perfectly said, is that we should not be like the heathen (including those who disguise themselves as "Christians") because they trust in the vanity of their imaginations, rather than looking to the divine revelation of the Holy Scriptures.

  [v9] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

This is the beginning of what many churchgoers today have called "The Lord's Prayer," but in their willful ignorance, they often teach people to recite this daily in vain repetition, ignoring the instructions of the Lord Jesus Christ not to do such things. There is nothing wrong with memorizing these verses, but teaching children to recite this in daily prayers is teaching them bad, heathen habits.

When interpreted by the context, this is an example or framework of prayer, teaching us the manner in which we ought to address God the Father, and the first note is that we should address the Father. My statement may seem redundant, but there are many corrupt religious cults who teach that we cannot address the Almighty God directly, and must instead go to dead men, like the goddess they call "Mary," or the heretics they falsely label "saints" and "early church fathers," and pray to them in the fashion of their heathen brethren.

The next phrase, "which art in heaven," is a statement of sanctification, noting that God the Father resides in His glorious Kingdom of Heaven, unreachable by the efforts of mortal men. This distinguishes Him from any foolish notion that men have of false gods, or ideologies that craft worthless platitudes for vain religion, and includes the hallowness of God's name, acknowledging His holiness apart from us, which carries the logical implication that we rely on His holiness for our salvation.

  [v10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Jewish texts, like the aforementioned "Amidah," have long contained similar phrases that refer to the coming of God's Kingdom, but with the added notes of "Messianic hope," and the "Messianic Kingdom of God." However, Jesus removed the Messianic part of this phrase to indicate that the Messiah had come.
(See Joseph H. Hertz, Seder Tefilot Kol haShanah, 1942, Vol. 1, p. 129 & 421, retrieved Aug 21, 2025, [https://archive.org/details/sedertefilotkolhashanahvol1yoseftsvihertz1942/page/n129/mode/2up])

This is not of Satan's will, nor the will of angels, nor of the will of men, but of the will of God alone, which can refer to either his revealed will or secret will. God's revealed will is often ignored by churchgoers in favor of an imagined will based on a "god" they create from the fickle emotions of the heart and lusts of the flesh, rather than the Lord's revealed will He gave in His Word, while the secret will of God is for more specific matters, which are not revealed in His Word, that may concern immediate circumstances specific to the individual.

  [v11] Give us this day our daily bread.

Although some may think this contradictory to ask for that which Christ will promise at the end of this chapter (Mat 6:31-33), there is no contradiction because, as I mentioned in the previous verse, this is an example of praying for the revealed will of God. We entreat God in agreement with His charity towards us, showing that our prayers have an acknowledgement of the truth that we—day by day (Luke 11:3), focusing primarily on the things of this day (Mat 6:34)—rely on His great mercy and kindness, and by making request for it, show our faithfulness in the nature of His goodness.

  [v12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

The word 'debt' in this passage is meant in terms of sins or crimes, as indicated in Luke 11:4 (i.e. "forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us"), which is not to be taken as a blank cheque of forgiveness (as many churchgoers erroneously teach), but we readily and gladly forgive all those who repent (i.e. have grief and sorrow) of their wrongdoing. (Luke 17:3) This is another acknowledgment of the mercy of God on us, that we, owing the debt of eternal punishment to the Just and Holy God for our violation of His law, are forgiven those debts by repentance and faith in the Son of God, and likewise, being children of our Heavenly Father, we ought to forgive in the same charitable manner, which Jesus will expound on momentarily.

  [v13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

This prayer is not meant in the sense of all temptation, as there are temptations that God puts men into for a purpose, such as when Job was afflicted in his home, family, and flesh by withdrawing His protections to allow Satan to do his will for a time. There are many other temptations, such as doubt, fear, riches, and emotional whims of the heart. In this context, Jesus is referring to the temptation of sin, not that we will never be tempted into sin, for that is the nature of the flesh, but rather, that we would not be brought under its power, that it would control us as it does for reprobates, always having a way to escape from its lure, so we can discipline ourselves to do good for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Consequently, we rely on the mercy of God to "deliver us from evil," which can be from Satan, the lord of evil, to protect us from his temptations and save us from his snares. (2Ti 2:25-26) It can also be protection from notoriously or habitually evil men, who seek to do wickedness for self-gain or pleasure of satisfying hatred against their neighbors for imagined slights, because without the invisible protection of the Lord, such men can inflict boundless devastation.

The end of this verse is removed from modern, watered-down bible versions, but the King James Bible rightly leaves this sentence in place, as it reflects the sayings of the Jews, when they brought offerings to the Lord, praying, "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time." Again, this is not intended to be recited by heart, but as an acknowledgment of faith and praise to the glory of God—a reverence that should be carried through all our prayers to Him in whatever words we choose to use—declaring his power to fulfill the requests made in accordance to His will and promises, from something as simple as bread to eat, to things far more difficult, like the forgiveness of sins.
(See Mishnah Yoma, 4.1 & 6.2, Sefaria, retrieved Aug 21, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Yoma.4.1?lang=bi])

It is vital to note that Jesus did not wax poetical in this prayer. He did not drone on for a quarter of an hour to put on a show. He, being God, and the recipient of mankind's prayers, kept it brief and concise, demonstrating His preference. I do not point this out to devalue or condemn one's personal prayers, for you are at liberty to be as thorough as you wish with the Lord in the privacy of your closet, but He set an example of brevity, showing that in public, we ought to do the same, albeit, few 21st century pastors understand this.

  [v14] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Jesus emphasized this point because the Jews were a hard-hearted people, opposed to the gracious and merciful God they claimed to serve, who is slow to anger and of great kindness even to those who hate Him. (Neh 9:17) We who are the born again children of God, who (by grace through faith in Christ) have been adopted into the spiritual family of His Kingdom, ought to reflect our Heavenly Father, which means that we happily and freely forgive all who have sorrow for their wrongdoing against us.

Again, this must be taken in context of repentance preceding forgiveness because it is from leavened church buildings we hear corrupt preachers teach forgiveness without repentance, which can only allude to a false doctrine of universal salvation. (i.e. The false ideology that everyone goes to heaven no matter what.) Rather, forgiveness comes with repentance, but if the person in question has no repentance, we Christians have forbearance, which is the exercise of patience and longsuffering, leniency and mercy with those who injure us, in hope that such kindness will lead them to repentance of their sin, as the Lord's forbearance leads us to repentance. (Rom 2:4)

  [v15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is not to say that we will be denied forgiveness of sin because of our works. The Gospel of Salvation is not of works. (Eph 2:8-9) Rather, when we are saved through repentance and faith, having all trespasses of sin forgiven us, how could we deny others the same forgiveness that we freely received without merit?

If we deny repentant men this free gift of forgiveness, we demonstrate that our hearts have not been converted to Christ because, if we reject a man's sincere repentance, it can only be caused by pride, and the Bible tells us that God does not give His grace to the proud of heart. (Jms 4:6) If we men—being equal in our creation, having no spiritual sovereignty over one another—cannot forgive trespasses of one to the other, then how can we expect to believe a FAR more difficult scenario, that the Holy, Almighty, All-Powerful, Omniscient God would forgive men?

We Christians offer forbearance to the impenitent, but to the penitent, we offer forgiveness. As Jesus indicated, this is non-negotiable, and when encountering self-proclaimed Christians who lack a forgiving heart, we should question what they believe concerning the Gospel of Salvation because mercy is the core ideology of our redemption.

  [v16] Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Some may not consider this for public, congressional fasts, but this applies to public or private, as not all who participate in public fasts would know about it. Just as they would put on a show of prayer, they would do the same with fasting, to be seen of men as performing a ritual that makes them appear "righteous," and this is still done by various religious cults today.

They would force their face into sad or grumpy looks, allowing no joy to be seen in their countenance, and they would "disfigure their faces," which was not only abstaining from washing their faces (as Jesus will mention in the next verse), but other marks to discolor their face, such as the use of ashes to make their faces look darker. The Jewish commentaries of Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Simon taught that "anyone who blackens his face" will be blessed and shine brightly in heaven, and ashes were one of the ways they did this.
(See Sanhedrin, 100a, The William Davidson Talmud, Sefaria, retrieved Aug 22, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.100a.13?lang=bi])

Today, many hypocrites violate the commandments of Jesus, following corrupt religious institutions that, for example, mark ashes on the faces of their congregations in honor of their pagan Lent celebration during their heathen festival of Easter. Jesus said they will receive no reward for their works because they got what they wanted—attention from men.
(Read Easter: Abomination in Disguise at creationliberty.com for more details.)

  [v17] But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

This was a stark contrast to the traditional teachings of the Jewish commentators because, on the fast of Yom Kippur, they say "it is prohibited to engage in eating and in drinking, and in bathing, and in smearing oil on one's body," which angered those who used these prohibitions as a pretense for "righteousness." Obviously, Jesus was not contradicting the prohibition from eating or drinking, because that is the concept of fasting, but rather, fasting should be used to discipline oneself in abstaining from sin, solely for the Lord's sake, not as a show for men.
(See Mishnah Yoma, 8:1, Sefaria, retrieved Aug 22, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Yoma.8.1?lang=bi])

  [v18] That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Jewish tradition taught the opposite, that they should use these things as a sign to be displayed publicly. Mishnah Taanit 2:1 says, "on fast days they remove the ark to the main city square and place burnt ashes upon the ark, as a sign of mourning... each and every member of the community likewise places ashes upon his head."
(See Mishnah Taanit, 2:1, Sefaria, retrieved Aug 22, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Ta'anit.2.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en])

We Christians, if we fast, should strive to keep it subtle, that others would not know that we fast. This does not mean that some will not know, or find out by other means, but that we do not announce it to the world as the heathen and unfaithful churchgoers do. By keeping it secret (or private), the Lord will reward us openly for all to see, whether in this life or the next, for the reward of God is infinitely greater than applause from men.

  [v19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

This is not said in the sense of normal savings, whether money or resources, that are annual necessities. Farmers, for example, will store up what is needed for the year, but that action is not antithetical to the Scriptures, for it exhibits a good work ethic that is commended by God. (Pro 6:6-8) Likewise, the Bible commends those who save up an inheritance for their children and grandchildren (Pro 13:22), showing that storing up treasure is not wrong, but doing so for oneself, instead of doing it for others, is vanity.

Jesus condemned the covetous mindset, where a man seeks wealth or riches for the purpose of having it, thinking that by storing it up, no bad thing will ever befall him, ignoring or forgetting that it could all be lost in an instant by the decision of the Lord. Wealth can deteriorate by many means, thieves will always find a way to steal, and other riches will corrupt, such as moths eating clothes and furniture (Jms 5:2), or rust breaking down weapons and vehicles; demonstrating that these things cannot be relied upon for long-term treasure.

  [v20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Few people understand that the concept of investment has always been the struggle to find the most valuable means of long-term, non-depreciating or appreciating wealth storage. Although not entirely stable, gold has long been an option of non-depreciating storage because it has held value for thousands of years, while holding stocks in rising companies has appreciating wealth because, if the company does well, the stock value increases over time, albeit, to a limited degree. The rise of Bitcoin has become a much more viable option to store wealth because it has a limited supply with an infinitely increasing value (while being decentralized, almost impossible to steal with the right security, and immune to duplication), but even Bitcoin will not last forever because the world will perish on the day of the Lord's choosing.

Therefore, a wise investor will look to store up treasure that will last for eternity, unable to be stolen or corrupted. He wants his hard work to be worth the effort so he does not have to keep rebuilding it forever, and investing treasure in heaven is the only way to do that. To gain treasure in heaven, one must first come to repentance (i.e. the gift of godly sorrow) and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and then build up treasure by communicating charity to the poor and needy, first to the saints, and then to the world.

  [v21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

If your treasure is in barns, chests, vaults, or computer systems, then your heart will be ensnared by them, showing that your true love is that which is in the world. How can one claim to love the Lord God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, when their hearts are trapped in a storage closet? It is a sad state of affairs that so many have sought to gain the world, only to lose their own souls (Mark 8:36), but if we Christians place the fruits of our work in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in Him for reward with delayed gratification, by making sacrifices for others now, then the safety, comfort, and happiness the world hopelessly seeks today will be ours tomorrow.

  [v22] The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

The concept of the eye being the "light of the body" is said in the sense that, whatever the eye looks upon, the body reacts to it, and operates according to what the eye sees. Jewish commentators spoke of a "good eye, a humble spirit and a moderate appetite," compared to an "evil eye, a haughty spirit and a limitless appetite," which gives us some insight to why Jesus chose these words.
(See Pirkei Avot, 5:19, Sefaria, retrieved Aug 22, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.5.19?lang=bi])

Those who have the singleness of a good eye will be focused on the principles of the Lord, in humility and moderation. Their life will be guided by the doctrine of charity in all their words and actions, carrying the light of Christ within them.

  [v23] But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

If a man has an evil eye, he is prideful and immoderate in his words and actions, and his harsh judgments are a result of his self-serving philosophy. His mind and heart will constantly face distress and misery—always seeking joy, but never finding it—looking instead to temporary pleasures of the flesh for relief. When the light of reason and understanding in the eye is snuffed out, the entire body is engulfed in darkness, and without the grace of God, it will be eternal darkness with neverending misery in hellfire.

  [v24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

This is not said in the sense that it is impossible for a man to be appointed under two masters, as it as happened before, but the result is that he always prefers one of the masters. As time goes on, he will begin to despise the master he dislikes, while favoring the master he favors, although he may be obligated to publicly declare a pretentious allegiance to both.

The word 'mammon' essentially means "money," indicating that material wealth and God are two opposing governors who cannot be served in tandem. However, this is not to be thought in the sense that money itself is evil, for money is like any other tool, having no conscience, making it incapable of moral action; therefore it is better said that the love of money is evil, as the Bible instructs. (1Ti 6:10)

Although Irenaeus was a heretic who denied the Gospel of Salvation in Christ, in his book, Against Heresies, he noted that the Jews would use the word mammon when describing Samaritans in terms of their greed (while the Jews hypocritically ignored their own). This indicates that mammon carries a context of covetousness that goes beyond just the simple concept of money, which would correlate with the Scriptures I referenced in my comments over the past few verses, thereby leading us to conclude that we cannot serve the Lord and the greed of wealth at the same time, condemning the greedy priests of modern corrupt religions (Isa 56:11), who are idolaters that worship the heretics like Irenaeus as "saints."

  [v25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

This is not to say that we should not take thought for the essential needs of this life, because material provision for the body is not only needed, it is commanded. (1Ti 5:8) We need to consider the context, that a man "cannot serve God and mammon," meaning that the needs and wants of this life should not be sought in unbelief, as the heathen, where they become anxious in despair, and immoderate in their pleasures, seeking those things with the rigor they ought to have for the Christian God of the Bible.

Did we take great pains of worry and care to create our bodies? We had no thought to be born into this world. While our lives are much more valuable than food, drink, and clothing, it was given to us without our added concerns, and therefore, we should not have an unfaithful worry about lacking these basic needs, for the God that made us can provide much lesser things with ease.

  [v26] Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

There are countless wild birds in the world, which all have need of daily food and drink, and God provides for their needs (Psa 147:9), despite the fact that they do not sow seeds, reap harvests, nor store up food. Again, this is not to say that we should not sow, reap, and store up food, because these are necessities for us, but if He provides for those lesser creatures that have no eternal soul, even those that we consider to be nuisances, why would He not much more provide for us?

  [v27] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

Jesus continues to speak on the efforts that we make by our anxious concerns, referring in this regard to stature, which is a man's height. Many wish they were taller, which would give them opportunity, respect, ease of work, and defense against dangers, perhaps even a prolonged life in terms of fitness, but all the care and wishful thinking he can manage will do nothing to add one cubit (i.e. a length of measurement from elbow to fingertip) to it.

  [v28] And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

In addition to the unfaithful worries for food and stature, Jesus moves on to clothing, noting the flowers of the field, not of a garden, which have no caretaker other than the Lord. They grow in various colors and sweet smelling odors, only to be looked at, picked and thrown aside, or tread upon, and yet, they do not labor, nor do they "spin," meaning they do not have to weave something into cloth to be covered. Again, this is not to say that we should not work for our clothing, but that the anxious concerns that plague the minds of the unbelievers should have no concern in our minds, leaving the faithful in Christ without the stresses of the world.

  [v29] And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Solomon, the wisest, and one of the richest men in all the world, did not have the splendor of a field flower. This is reflected by the fact that, when someone is grieving from loss, beauty often comforts, and we seek the most natural beauty in such times, which is why the afflicted are given flowers, and not statues of Solomon. Even the artwork of flowers is no match to their natural beauty because a single, lowly, field lilly can far exceed the splendor of a king.

  [v30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

God makes the clothing of the field flower more glorious than us, but they remain only for a short time, blooming during the day, and withering during the night, quickly mowed down, or "cast into the oven," meaning that furnaces would be heated up using the straw and stubble of the field. If the Lord puts such great care into those things which are fleeting and meaningless in eternity, how much more care does He have for us, who were created in His image and likeness? (Gen 1:26)

If we become anxious in worldly concern that we may not be able to get the things we need, leaving us to starve and freeze to death, then how can we say we trust in the kindness, goodness, gentleness, and mercy of God? If we do not have confidence in the kindness of the Lord, then our faith is meaningless.

  [v31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Again, this is not meant to say that we should be completely thoughtless to the needs of ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. If we do not take thought to plan and prepare, we cannot give alms as Jesus instructed earlier in this chapter (Mat 6:1), nor could we lend to others (Luke 6:34) because without substance, we have nothing to give.

Rather, this is meant that in terms of faith, that nothing we have is guaranteed, nor is anything we have attained by our own ability. Although we work for what we have, God must provide the capability for our bodies, He must provide the materials for the tools, He must provide the soil and sun; He provides all things, that we may have what He has designed our bodies to need.

  [v32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

The Gentiles became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Rom 1:21), because they believed that when they died, nothing remained. Many believed there was no afterlife, or if there was, they were doubtful about what would happen to them. Therefore, their selfishness and greed increased, as it does still today, where most people only think of what they can get for themselves, rather than what they can build to charitably provide for others.

Stress and anxiety are frequent in a society that does not trust in the Lord, and if those faithless people do not believe they can get what they want to satisfy their lust, they will steal, injure, and kill for the greed of material wealth. This indicates that we Christians, first and foremost, should be content with what we have today (Heb 13:5), and secondly, we should trust in the Lord for those things we will need tomorrow, putting our focus on the Lord God and His Word while we do the work He requires us to do to secure resources, knowing that He cares for His children as any good father would do.

  [v33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

To seek the kingdom of God means we must look towards it, and keep our focus on it, which requires diligent study and meditation on the Word of God, and also to perform the duties of it, the preaching of the truth, which should take priority over food, drink, raiment, and even our very lives. The righteousness of God is found through His Son, who imputes His righteousness according to His Gospel (Psa 111:10), God graciously gives us all we need without our thoughts consumed by the acquisition of material things.

  [v34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Again, this is not to say that we should not plan for tomorrow, but this is taken from Proverbs 27:1, warning men not to boast of what they have prepared for tomorrow because it may not be there by that time. Each day may bring new troubles and vexations, having sudden things happen which we were not expecting, and thus, we should take care of the things today as we are capable, and trust in the Lord for things we are not, as well as for future things we cannot foresee, that He will give us all we need to handle whatever comes our way.



 

  [v1] Judge not, that ye be not judged.

If we were to accept these seven words as a lone proverb that applies to all men, in every circumstance, no matter what, then we would have to conclude that all courts of law are sinful and wrong, but that is preposterous and contradictory to the Holy Scriptures because God appointed judges, which were selected, frankly, to judge. Such a foolish interpretation would also condemn private judgments, which allow us to foresee the dangers of deceitful and violent men.
(Read "Unbiblical Cop-outs: 'Don't Judge Me!'" at creationliberty.com for more details.)

judge (v): to compare facts or ideas, and perceive their agreement or disagreement, and thus to distinguish truth from falsehood
(See 'judge', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Aug 27, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

For one to use this verse alone to say we should not judge anything or anyone is beyond absurd. Everyone compares facts or ideas, perceives their agreement or disagreement, and distinguishes truth from falsehood. For a man to accuse you of being "judgmental," is a self-defeating argument because he is forced to judge you to make the claim, making himself guilty of the very supposed "wrong" of which he indicts others.

In John 7:24, Jesus commanded us to "judge righteous judgment," which leads us to conclude that judgment is good (and something the Lord loves, Isa 61:8), and that it should be practiced. Therefore, Jesus is referring to something different that He specifies in the proceeding context, but we can still draw information from this verse alone.

In Jewish commentary, it was taught, "Do not judge your fellow man until you have reached his place," and this is meant that we should refrain from judging a person until we put ourselves in his position, only after "walking a mile in his shoes," which was a common 20th century phrase. At the very least, we should consider what it would be like to be in their situation, and then judge righteous judgment of ourselves in that place, before passing judgment on the man or woman in question.
(See Pirkei Avot, 2:4, Sefaria, retrieved Aug 27, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.2.4?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en])

  [v2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

In Jewish commentary, it was taught that "one who judges another favorably is himself judged favorably," and Jesus, using their words against them, taught that when we judge others, we ought not to make assumptions about that which we do not know. Once we have proper evidence, then we can judge righteously and draw conclusions (which is what Paul meant by saying that we should judge nothing before the time that we have evidence 1Co 4:5), but without evidence, it is charitable (according to the great commandment of Christ, Mark 12:31) to give the other person the benefit of the doubt.
(See Shabbat, 127b, Sefaria, retrieved Aug 27, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.127b.2?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en])

If we give others the benefit of the doubt, handling them with charitable judgment, then others (including the Lord) will deal with us charitably. However, if we judge them harshly, drawing hasty conclusions, without patience to wait for evidence, then others (including the Lord) will be quick to draw negative conclusions about us.

There are foolish churchgoers who misinterpret this to mean that if they never pass any judgment on anyone for anything, they will never be judged by God or men. This is simply not true because judgment comes to us whether we want it to or not, but also, in their hearts, they still judge matters, often rashly, without speaking their secret judgments with their lips, and the Lord will judge those secret thoughts. (Rom 2:16)

  [v3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

A 'mote' is a speck of anything, such as straw, dust, or a splinter of wood, which is an analogy to represent something that is small, having little impact; perhaps a wrong word being said, or an offense that was accidentally overlooked. A beam is a large plank of wood, something potentially deadly, which represents greater abominations, such as pride and conceit.

This analogy serves to show the difference between a righteous judge and a hypocrite. This is not to say that we should not judge mote-like matters because they are worthy of judging with consideration and charity, but those who judge such matters without consideration and charity are prideful by default, and they are the target of Christ's criticism.

  [v4] Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

If a man were to commit an offense without consideration of those he offended, it would cause some to judge that he did wrong, but if those who judge the wrong without consideration of what may have caused the man to unknowingly commit the offense, they become worse than the man they judged because, unlike the man under scrutiny, their offenses are rooted in the heart, rather than an accidental oversight. When the sins of the judge are greater than man under analysis, how can the judge expect to teach and change others when he cannot teach and change himself?

  [v5] Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Jesus then accurately accuses the judge of hypocrisy:

hypocrite (n): one who feigns to be what he is not; one who assumes a false appearance
(See 'hypocrite', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Aug 27, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

The hypocritical judge offers critique under a false appearance of righteousness, and because of his own sin, he cannot see clearly to help anyone else with their faults. In many cases, the hypocritical judge uses his accusations against others as a way to cover his faults, pointing people in another direction, so he will not be judged because he hates self-judgment (1Co 11:31), nor does he want anyone else to righteously judge him.

Jesus does not tell the hypocrite that he cannot or should not judge, but rather, that he should not judge as a hypocrite. If he first begins by judging himself, to remove all beams and motes from his own eyes, he will then see clearly to reprove others for their faults, and by doing things in the proper order, it creates understanding, whereby the judge (no longer a hypocrite) offers patience, wisdom, and forbearance when judging others.

  [v6] Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

In the law, whores and dogs were unclean, and not to be brought into the temple, nor should money used to purchase them. (Deut 23:18) Unclean things were fed to dogs (Exd 22:31), and dogs love unclean things (e.g. they will lick up their own vomit), mostly unable to discern the difference between clean and unclean. Pastors who preach for greed of gain are described as dogs in the same manner. (Isa 56:11)

That which is holy is the Gospel of Salvation in Jesus Christ, and it is of great price to us who believe, being as pearls to a merchant man. (Mat 13:45) The Gospel of Christ should not be communicated to those who, after righteous judgment, with proper evidence established (i.e. not by assumption), are determined to be vile and cruel people, having violent and destructive tendencies, and would cause us harm for our charitable preaching (Pro 9:7), wasting our time because there is no hope of their hearing the truth, having the animal instincts of pigs, that can turn vicious if reproved.

  [v7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Jesus then turns to instruction in prayer, after rebuking those who prayed in vain repetition, and reproved those who lived in faithless anxiety, teaching that if we come to God the Father as a beggar would come to the door seeking help, He will hear and open the door. This is under the condition that we come with the right intent of heart, not banging on the door, demanding privileges, or rights to what we want, but humbly and diligently, as a beggar would do, with penitence, fear, and proper manners, in accordance with the will of the Lord, in the name of Christ (who is our bridge to the God, 1Ti 2:5), by the guidance of the Spirit God, with reverence and submission to His will, then the Lord will answer with His grace, and grant mercy. (2Ch 7:14)

  [v8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Jesus emphasizes everyone, no matter their station, wealth, or lineage, because God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and if anyone comes in humility as the beggar who knocks, with a repentant heart (i.e. grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing, as the prodigal son Luke 15:21), they will receive remission of sins, the grace of justification, and Christ's imputed righteousness, having the door of Heaven opened to them, that they might come in and eat at the table of the Lord as family and friends. (Rev 3:20)

  [v9] Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

There are some horrible fathers in the world, who act as brute beasts, caring only for themselves and not for their children, but most fathers, who have natural affection for their children, would not do something so cruel as giving a stone to his hungry child, which obviously cannot satisfy the appetite.

  [v10] Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Christ was preaching in Galilee at this time, which had a large fish industry, and this example was more absurd than the previous. Only the most brutal and wicked of men would even consider giving a child a dangerous creature in place of a cooked fish for a meal.

  [v11] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

There is no man that is righteous or good (Rom 3:10-12), and we must rely on the righteousness of Christ and the mercy of God for good to exist in the world. Thus, we, "being evil"—in the flesh from birth, as well as in words and deeds, having a covetous nature—can still find the affection and charity in our hearts to give gifts to our children that are suitable for their good, then it is reasonable to conclude that God the Father, who is omniscient, and mighty in grace and mercy, will give all good things to His children, whether simple, carnal needs like food, drink, clothing, shelter, or any other thing that is necessary, such as our spiritual needs. (Luke 11:13)

  [v12] Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

This is what has been commonly called the "golden rule," which is a summary of all the law and prophets. In other words, the law and prophets can be fulfilled by following this principle of charity. Although the Jews had tradition that taught something similar, they limited it to "brethren" among themselves, but not to their neighbors, but Jesus corrected this error.

Whether brethren or strangers, whether we are loved or hated, we should judge righteously, by considering what it would be like to be in someone else's place (as opposed to the hypocrites Jesus rebuked at the beginning of the chapter), thinking on their struggles and how we would react in that situation. We ought to think: "How would I prefer others treat me?" All men want others to treat them with respect and charity, and thus, we should do the same for our neighbors, speaking and acting towards them in the same manner we would prefer them to speak and act towards us.

This is a simple, timeless concept. However, few men understand it, and fewer put it into practice.

  [v13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

A gate is a door, correlating with the doctrine Christ taught in verse seven, and this gate is called "strait" because there are many directional options around us at all times, but only one of those directions leads to the gate. To be a disciple of Christ requires more than just profession; it is conversion of our thinking, words, and actions, which comes with the cost of persecutions, afflictions, and tribulations that will turn the unfaithful and fraudulent (i.e. those who profess Christ with their mouths only) astray.

To distinguish this gate, Jesus warns of the broad path, which is a wide road, not only able to carry many travelers, but also convenient, as any driver would prefer the ease of a wide, flat road to a rough, narrow one that takes much more attention to detail. This wide path, full of sin and lusts of worldly pleasures, leads to destruction, which is eternal suffering in hellfire, and Jesus notes that many—not few—will follow this path and arrive at its destination.

It should be noted that this is not referring to those of the world in general, although they will follow that path all the same. Obviously, those of the world will end up in hell, so Christ had no need to redundantly preach that to the Jews. As Jesus will specify later in this chapter, this is referring to those who claim to be the servants of God, pointing out that many who profess to be followers of God and Christ will end up in the path to destruction.

  [v14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

In this regard, 'strait' needs to be understood as more than just directional:

strait (adj): narrow; close; not broad; strict; rigorous; difficult; distressful
(See 'strait', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Aug 28, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

This "strait" path is difficult to walk, filled with craggy stones and thorny hedges, causing us grief and vexation. However, there is a reward at the end of the road, which is life eternal, and it is guaranteed to those who have been saved.

Although the world believes that, when granted a choice to enter heaven or hell, one would automatically choose heaven, this is not the case, as many find the strait and narrow path to be repulsive, boring, lonely, and futile. Men prefer easy paths without constraint, being free to enjoy the pleasures of lust with many who traverse the wide road of mirth, scoffing at those few who take the road less traveled.

  [v15] Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

In this context, the word 'prophet' is not meant as a seer of future events, but as a teacher of Holy Scriptures, which is how the word is used in many places throughout the Bible. (e.g. "there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you," 2Pe 2:1) Jesus just told us that few would find the way to eternal life, and for that reason, we should beware of false teachers, for we were warned that there would be many of them (Acts 20:29-31), who would pretend to be on the narrow path, and for a fee, convince the wide-gate masses that they are also on the narrow path.

Before I was saved, as a young man attending leavened church buildings, I always had the impression that wolves were long ago or far away, and that they would be easily spotted, but that is entirely opposite to the meaning of this verse. Rather, these wolves are men who dress themselves up as Christians, wearing the clothing of what others perceive to be "Christian," transforming their speech and mannerisms to appear Christian, while holding up the Word of God as they speak fervently from a pulpit, to fool those who are not paying attention to the important warning signs.

Wolves may initially appear to be friendly pastors and elders, followed by many (2Pe 2:2), who put on a show to make merchandise of the people. (2Pe 2:3) In many cases, their disguises are woven together so cleverly, that without enough time and proper inspection of what they say, do and teach, you could not discern the difference, and today, most churchgoers are willingly blind to the fact that the vast majority of them are led astray by these false teachers preaching a false gospel.

  [v16] Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

The wolves in these leavened church buildings often erroneously teach that the "fruits" are the works of a man, and although works are a contributing factor (Jms 2:26), that is not what Jesus meant in this passage. The sheep (i.e. those born again in Jesus Christ) are fed in the metaphorical sense by the doctrines of God (Acts 20:28, 1Pe 5:2), and therefore, the fruit is a metaphor for the doctrine, which Jesus later instructs His disciples to beware. (Mat 16:6-12)

False teachers commonly make a show of their works, as the scribes and Pharisees did with their prayers and alms (which Jesus rebuked in the previous chapter), but they have a weakness. Without the Holy Spirit of God, a man cannot fully understand the Scriptures (1Co 2:14), and therefore, they could study that book for a lifetime and still preach a false gospel.

Therefore, the doctrines of these false teachers are like a man who gathers thorns and thistles instead of grapes and figs, offering pain, doubt, and misery under the disguise of love, faith, and joy. Without the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of the Lord, delivered properly by sound doctrine, no aspect of good, nourishing fruit, whether in word, deed, or doctrine, can come from it, and the generation that follows becomes worse (Mat 23:15), rejecting the truth of God's Word to heap unto themselves false teachers, prefering a generic version of the gospel, a mere imitation to make them feel good about their destination as they traverse the wide path. (2Ti 4:3)

  [v17] Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Jesus elaborates to help us understand that it is the tree which produces good fruit, not the other way around. A tree is not good because its fruit is good, but rather, the tree is first good, which then creates good fruit.

This is to show us that our words and actions do not make us good. The world tends to judge the goodness of a man by his words and actions, for we have no other method to make proper judgments, as we cannot see into the deep recesses of the heart as God can. (Pro 21:2) We can know the general disposition of a man's heart by what he says and does (Mat 15:18), but we cannot discern the thoughts and intents of the heart without the knowledge and wisdom of God. (Heb 4:12) Thus, goodness is not something that is created by our speech or deeds; rather, we must have goodness imputed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 4:22-25), and then our fruits will reflect that which was sown in our hearts by His grace of righteousness.

Likewise, if the tree be corrupt, then the fruit will be corrupt, and once again, the corrupt fruit did not make the tree corrupt, but rather, the tree was already corrupt, which made the fruit bad. Although this is directed at the hearts of men, to teach us that preachers who teach false doctrines are corrupt in their hearts, this also applies to corrupt religious institutions, the protectors of man-made doctrine, which were started on the premise of corrupt ideologies, and are made up of many corrupt preachers, evil men and seducers, deceiving and willingly being deceived (2Ti 3:13) for the sake of their pride, greed, and lust.

  [v18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

A man who has been born again in Christ, having the work of the Holy Ghost done in him to make him a new creature, even if he is newly saved and has little knowledge of the Word of God, cannot abide by, nor deliver, any doctrine that is contradictory to the grace of Christ by the will of God the Father. Any false ideology of heathen, or works-based doctrine of the Jews, or hypocrisy of churchgoers professing Jesus with their lips only, is rejected by the saints of Christ in the same way that spoiled food is rejected by the body.

Likewise there is no good fruit that can come from a corrupt tree, despite the fact that the fruit that appears on the tree may look healthy and delicious by only a passing glance. Upon inspection, by analyzing the doctrine closely, we can find the corruptions that stray from core principles of the Gospel of Christ, which are not good for any man to consume, and no matter how much a man may study the Word of God, if he is corrupt—without regeneration of the Holy Ghost—he cannot understand (1Co 2:14), and therefore, cannot produce good fruit.

  [v19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

In summary, every teacher of the Word of God who does not preach the Gospel of Christ rightly, faithfully, and plainly will be cast into hell and the lake of fire. (Mat 3:10, Mat 13:40-42) There are many preachers in my day who appear to the masses to be mighty oaks or giant cedars, with great reputation and high honors, who offer swelling words of vanity (Jude 1:16), charismatic speeches of sweet sentiments (Rom 16:18), and smooth prophecies that feel good flowing into the ear canal (Isa 30:10), but when their souls are required of them (Luke 12:20), they are cut off from the church and pay for their deception in eternal flames.

  [v20] Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The summary of Christ's teaching on this matter is in this phrase, that we shall know a man by the doctrine which he preaches. Certainly, the manner of his speech and his behavior are also indicators of good or bad fruit, but the core of the tree cannot be fully known unless we examine the doctrine a man believes and preaches, and I warn my brethren that debate of doctrine is a highly controversial subject in church buildings, and generally frowned upon because most churchgoers have no intent on finding the truth, revealing their own corrupt fruit by their refusal to listen, study, and understand. (2Th 2:10)

One of the reasons we should note that Jesus is not speaking of general words and actions in this passage is because those things are a given. It is not difficult to see that when a man speaks with perverse and vile language, and lives openly in a sinful manner, that he is not living according to Christ. It would be very easy to avoid such men. The difficulty comes with a man who transforms his appearance into a minister of righteousness (2Co 11:13-15), putting on the clothing and general façade of a sheep (as Jesus said in verse 7), pretending to live a holy life in the discipline of religion, while beneath the disguise there is a vicious creature, corrupt and vile, giving lip service to Jesus (Mat 15:8), while the corrupt preacher denies Him in secret, which can only be known to the saints by analysis of His doctrine.

  [v21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

The mistake of many churchgoers is to think that when someone says "I believe on Jesus" or "I am a Christian," that the person should be automatically believed and trusted to be of Christ. Although we might charitably afford someone the benefit of the doubt for the sake of friendliness in conversation, to assume someone is born again in Christ—simply based on the claim, without intent to examine or consider evidence to the contrary—is to deny this doctrine of Christ, which tells us that many call Him "Lord," but are not His disciples.

The name of Christ is used by many for pretense, to give the impression of affection and goodwill so others will warm up to them, but they have no love for Christ or His doctrine, thereby having no faith in Him. Their profession of faith is expressed only for camouflage; a cloak of deception. While they claim to be "Christians," they have no inward desire for His Gospel to be preached, no motivation to change their philosophy to match His (Col 2:8), no desire to please Him according to the instructions of His Word, nor any drive to promote His interests. Because their tree is corrupt, they shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, rejected from eternal life along with the church, and instead, they will be "hewn down, and cast into the fire" as Jesus stated in verse 19.

When Jesus said that those who enter the kingdom of heaven are those "that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven," this is not meant in the sense of works to salvation, for we know that such a doctrine is against the Gospel of Christ. (Eph 2:8-9) This is meant in the sense of the fruit being a result of the tree, so that those who do the will of the Father are those who put their trust solely in Christ alone for righteousness and salvation from sins, looking to Him for all grace, relying on Him for all blessings, and therefore, committing themselves to Him that the will of the God might be done through them in the world, not as menpleasers (seeking the applause of the audience, Col 3:22), but in obedience to the Word of God, having a spirit guided by the Holy Ghost to preach the truth even in the face of the hatred and wrath of men.

  [v22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

In the final Day of Judgment, in which all men are charged and made defendents in the Lord's ultimate courtroom, where they will be judged for all things, even every idle word they ever spoke (Mat 12:36), many churchgoers will be put on trial, including most of those who held a lofty position of leadership in church buildings, and revealed to be unbelievers in their hearts. In spite of the intimate and thorough evidence the Lord God will present, the hypocrites will plead their case by calling Him "Lord," not in the sense that they did on earth, claiming He was their Lord—for they will not be permitted to lie in His court—but rather, in the sense that they are obligated to confess His power over them in desperation to save themselves, having spent their lives being wise in their own conceit that they should be the first to enter the Kingdom.

Jesus also reveals some of the pleas they will make, claiming that they prophesied in His name, which should be taken not only as the foretelling of future events, but also in the ordinary sense, which is the preaching of the Word of God. (Rom 12:6) This is a true statement in the sense that they professed with their mouths to preach in the name of Christ, but this is a false statement in the sense that they actually preached in the name of Christ in their hearts. Nevertheless, they claim to have served Jesus by preaching in His name, and some for their entire lives, but they were not His disciples.

Another plea is that they cast out devils, and this also may be true, even of false religious cults, like Catholicism for example, in which priests pray in the name of Jesus to cast out devils, with some reported success. Whether actually successful or not remains to be seen, but we can presume they were successful in some regards because Jesus is merciful, even to those who hate His doctrine, and therefore, it is not unreasonable to think that He may show mercy to victims of demonic possession, even through priests of such vile religion, so long as they call upon His name.

That being said, casting out devils is done by the power of the Lord, not by the power men, and the Lord casting out devils does not indicate that the person who called on the name of Jesus was a disciple of Him. Recall that of the initial twelve apostles was Judas, who cast out devils in the name of Christ along with the rest of the true apostles of Jesus. (Mat 10:8, Mark 9:38) Furthermore, there were vagabond Jewish exorcists (Acts 19:13) who were not of Christ, but were frequently called upon to cast out devils, although they were not always successful, demonstrating that ability to cast out devils does not lie within power of men, and simply using the name of Jesus does not make one a child of God.

The defendents will also claim to have done wonderful works in name of Christ, not just of charitable deeds, but of the miraculous kind, such as speaking in tongues or healing disease, which are things that Judas was also capable of doing during his time in ministry with Jesus. Rarely do churchgoers consider that Judas prophesied to the people, he cast out devils, and did many wonderful works, but he was not of Christ, and Jesus chose him for that reason, to demonstrate that the power of these rests solely in God, according to His good will, which He sometimes chooses to do through corrupt men who are not His children.

If Judas, who was a traitor and enemy of Christ, could do all these things through the power of God, then why would churchgoers be so foolish to think they could use these weak and meaningless excuses as a justification for sanctification? They will use their tithe as a justification, but one cannot purchase a ticket to heaven. They will use rigorous study of the Bible as a justification, but the living waters of Christ do not come through works. They use the excuses because they have no choice, for in that moment, they finally and clearly see they are being sentenced to eternity in hell, and are desperate to cling to hope when all hope is lost by that point.

  [v23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Jesus then gives what I consider to be one of the most terrifying verses in all of the Holy Scriptures, that He will profess unto everyone—His Father, the angels, the saints, the vast majority of churchgoers rejected by Christ, and the rest of men destined to hell—that He never knew them. This is not to be taken in the sense of omniscience, because the all-knowing nature of Christ would make it impossible for Him not to know their person and works, and his declaration of their working iniquity demonstrates that He has an intimate record of their lives, most especially their hypocrisy under the disguise of so-called "Christianity."

Jesus is stating that, in that day, He will profess to them that He never knew them in the sense that He never had affection for them, nor satisfaction in them. He may have loved them in that He died on the cross to save them from their sins, but they rejected the humility of repentance that they might understand and be healed. (Mat 13:15)

They secretly loved their sin, and clung to it, while desiring the appearance of "holiness," using Christ's name for pretense, and therefore, Jesus never made an account of them belonging to Him, never approved of their conversation or conduct, and did not have fellowship with them, despite their lies on earth to claim otherwise, and their condemnation of the saints who preached the truth to them. Thus, Jesus never knew them in the covenant of His grace, He never knew them as sheep in His flock, He never knew them as His family (Luke 8:21), and He never knew them as His servants while they hypocritically administered pompous, ritualistic, man-made ordinances in His name.

These religious leaders and the churchgoers who followed them are all exposed to "work iniquity," which is wickedness in their hearts, abusing the name of Christ for a call to impress. Jesus said He will command them to "depart from me," which is not just to depart from His person, but from the Kingdom of Heaven where He resides with His saints (John 14:3), and that banishment comes with being thrown into the lake of fire, which burns forever. (Rev 21:8)

  [v24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Jesus concludes that whoever hears the truth of His Word, and consequently does according to His sayings (Luke 6:47)—for many men hear the doctrine, but few are doers of the Word (Jms 1:22)—receiving them, finding them agreeable even when experiencing internal rebuke and correction, and being obedient to them, he is likened to "a wise man, which built his house upon a rock." The faithful saints of Christ dig deep in study to find the truth, and when they encounter the solid rock of Christ, they know they have a good foundation on which to build, and so begin by standing on His Word, knowing it is the only way of salvation, the exclusive path to eternal life and happiness, and the sole justification for all reason, knowledge, and righteousness, trusting that the rock is immoveable and everlasting, with certainty that it is safe and secure to build upon.

  [v25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

My experience in 20th and 21st century church buildings taught me that these rains, floods, and winds were the standard troubles of this world which all men face, like difficulties in our jobs, or making sure we have money to make ends meet, but this is incorrect to the context. All men face the standard troubles of life and can overcome them despite their lack of faith in Christ, and so this cannot be referring to these day-to-day struggles. This is a metaphor for the wind of false doctrines and errors of men (Eph 4:14), the rain of lusts of the flesh and Satan's temptations, and the floods of persecution and tribulation we receive from the world, all of which we can endure by coming back to our refuge built upon the steadfast rock of Christ that can never be destroyed.

  [v26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

Jesus is referring to those who only hear His teachings through the mechanical processes of the ear, but do not understand them. They do not believe them, do not take them seriously, and hate them, perhaps openly, or else secretly, giving lip service to Jesus while caring nothing for the knowledge and practice of His doctrine. This is not to say that one goes to hell because they did not do works, but once again, as indicated in previous verses, this is about obedience, that works are a result of the cause, which is faith.

These churchgoers do not bother to dig deep to find a firm foundation and start building without proper planning, trusting the efforts of their craftsmanship alone will be sufficient to sustain them. They look to their own works for righteousness, and seek their own repentance (i.e. not the gift of repentance from the Lord, 2Ti 2:25). They will claim to have put their faith firmly on the Lord Jesus Christ, while never having dug into the ground to look for Him, and they will build a beautiful house on the soft ground, with walls made from their religious education, windows of alms, doors of courteous behavior, a porch of morality, floors of their worldly wisdom and learning, and furniture of wealth and pomp, but at the slightest test, it will crumble.

  [v27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

As mentioned in verse 25, this flimsy structure cannot maintain the wind of false doctrines and errors of men, the rain of lusts of the flesh and Satan's temptations, and the floods of persecution and tribulation that Christians must endure. (Mat 13:21) This is why many churchgoers get so upset when challenged or critiqued in the slightest way, because their weak foundation cannot handle resistance, and if they cannot maintain integrity when dealing with small resistances from men, how will they ever hope to stand during the hurricane of God's divine wrath?

  [v28] And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

The people were surprised at these teachings, for some of these things (like the details of divine judgments) they had never heard before, while others moral concepts had similarly been taught in the writings of Jewish commentators, but were not commonly taught orally by the scribes and Pharisees to the public, else they would be a rebuke unto themselves. This ended what is known as the "Sermon on the Mount," in which Jesus corrected their understanding of alms, prayer, fasting, worldly concerns, hypocritical judgments, false teachers, the foundation of faith, the wide path to destruction, and the narrow path to eternal life.

  [v29] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

This authority is not meant in the sense of standard religious authority, as men would preach in a religious institution, but in terms of divine authority. Jesus preached the truth of Himself, by His own name and authority, comparing the teachings of men (i.e. "ye have heard that it was said by them of old time") with the truth of His Word, correcting their error not by saying "The Word of God says," but rather, "But I say unto you," indicating that He is the authority behind the Scriptures, because He is the great I AM. (John 8:58)



 

  [v1] When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

Jesus descended from the high place where He preached to the people in the previous three chapters. It is noted here that "great multitudes followed him," which prefaces his healing of the sick, which was done in the sight of many people.

  [v2] And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

This did not take place immediately, but when Jesus had entered a nearby city (Luke 5:12), but Jewish ordinances forbid lepers from entering the walls of a city (according to Mishneh Torah, Admission into the Sanctuary, 3:8) unless they had first been declared clean by a priest, and any lepers who attempted it were beaten as punishment, which means this was an unwalled city in Galilee. Although the leper "worshipped him," it is unknown if he did so in faithfulness that Jesus was the Christ, or if he did it as a man, but came to him in lowliness and submission, trusting that Jesus could do for him what no priest could.
(See Mishneh Torah, Admission into the Sanctuary, 3:8, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 4, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Admission_into_the_Sanctuary.3.8?lang=bi])

  [v3] And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Most men in that day would not dare touch a leper (i.e. what is known today as "Hansen's disease") because it was thought to be contagious, even though we know today that leprosy is not contracted through brief physical contact. (It is contracted through prolonged close contact, mainly through respiratory means.) This display of touch showed the boldness of Jesus Christ, having no fear of such things, and a great mercy and kindness, having physical contact with a man who rarely (if ever) had any.

The leper was uncertain if Jesus was willing to cleanse him, but was certain that He could, so when Jesus said "I will," it confirmed it was the will of God that he be healed. Jesus made no show of works, no flashy rays of light, nor any loud declarations for all to hear, but rather, simply and kindly said, "be thou clean," and instantly, his leprosy was healed, which would have been confirmed by all injuries suffered from the disease being healed simultaneously for all witnessing the event to see the evidence.

  [v4] And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Although it seems on the surface to be that Jesus wanted him to keep this miraculous interaction a secret, it is more likely the case that Jesus instructed the healed man not to tell anyone what was done for him until he first visited the temple, and then, after he offered his gift, he could freely tell who he wished. Again, this was not done in secret; it was done in public, with eyewitnesses watching, so telling no one would have served no purpose since others had already seen it. After hearing the warnings of false teachers, who stubbornly refuse to hear reason when it conflicts with their religious authority, we should consider that the priests of the temple may have refused to declare this man to be clean in spite of Christ, preventing him from living a normal life in the city because they hated Jesus, so He gave the former leper this instruction for His good, as well as the good of the priests.

The gift that was to be offered was according to Leviticus 14:10-20, which included animal sacrifices (sin and meat offerings) and anointing oils. Because Christ had not yet gone to the cross, the ceremonial law was not yet fulfilled, so being under the law (which was Christ's own words), He was subject to them, and instructed the former leper to follow it in obedience, not just for a show of faithfulness, but "for a testimony unto them," that once the priests were thoroughly satisfied that the man had been made clean, when they heard how he was made clean by Christ, they might believe He is the promised Messiah.

  [v5] And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

After venturing through Galilee, Jesus returned to Capernaum and encountered a Roman military official, called a "centurion" because he was a low-ranking officer that oversaw (roughly) a hundred men. This man was a Gentile (showing that Jesus brought His mercy to the Gentiles as well as the Jews) and sought Jesus through messengers (as indicated in Luke 7:3) because he could not come himself, and these messengers pleaded on his behalf because he was well-respected by the Jews. (Luke 17:4-5)

  [v6] And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

This indicates that the centurion was a good master to his servant, and cared deeply for him, as he would for his own family. Being tormented with pain, and having partial paralysis and disfunction of motor controls (i.e. the symptoms of palsy), it seems he could not bear the pain of forcing him out of his bed to come and find Jesus, which also indicates that he was sick unto death, perhaps so much that moving him may cause him to die, and so he sought Jesus to prevent his beloved servant any further suffering.

  [v7] And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

This showed readiness and willingness to do this good work, hearing the prayer (i.e. humble request) of faith and making His promise to "come and heal him," which is not to say He would come and see him, or come and diagnose him, but would come and make him whole, having no need to offer prior investigation as would priests and physicians.

  [v8] The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

This is summarized, but the centurion, after he learned that Christ accepted his request from his messengers, was pricked in his conscience, considering his own unworthiness, he set out to find Christ in person (Luke 7:6), who was on His way to the centurion's home. The centurion did not stop Christ in rejection of His presence or company, but in extreme humility, knowing that this man, who is God, was too glorious to step foot in the home of a lowly sinner, which begs the question: How can we be worthy that Christ would come into our hearts via the Holy Ghost to abide there? (He does so by His mercy, nevertheless.)

This faith of this request of great because he did not ask Christ to pray that his servant would be healed, but rather, spoke to Him knowing His great power and authority, having full confidence that He was much more than a mere prophet. Being God, Christ has omnipotence (i.e. supreme power of everything and everyone), so that His spoken Word makes all things happen, as the Scriptures teach us (Psalm 33:9), and therefore, having faith in this understanding, the centurion requests only the command of Christ for healing, knowing that is sufficient for it to be done.

  [v9] For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

The centurion was under authority of the Roman Emperor, as well as officers under Caesar, and he was in a position of authority, having soldiers under himself, and he knows that soldiers do not argue or delay the commands of their superiors. The same goes for a servant to the master, and knowing that such authority was so simply done among men, how much more could the Son of God, who had all power in heaven and earth (Mat 28:18), command His creation at His will? I would contend the Lord has no need to even speak the command to make it happen, and that God speaking these things aloud is His kindness and charity for our benefit and understanding.

  [v10] When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

This is not to say that Jesus marvelled in the sense that this took Him by surprise, for there is nothing that has ever occured to the omniscient God, and furthermore, this encounter was planned by Him for this to be recorded for future generations, but in the sense of drawing attention from the crowd, and pointing to the faith of this man. He "said to them that followed," indicating what was detailed by Luke, that Christ was on His way to the centurion's home when this took place.

This is also not to say that the faith of Christ's twelve disciples (excluding Judas) was less than the faith of this man because it was likely they would have been included in the entourage of those who preached Christ and sought those with penitent faith. Jesus is emphasizing that, despite the fact that the Jews were the keepers and avid studiers of the Scriptures, their faith paled in comparison to this humble Gentile.

  [v11] And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Although in the previous chapter, Jesus said few would find the way to eternal life, we are now told "many" from around the world would enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the 'many' in this regard is to people who have faith like the centurion. The total number will be uncountable numbers by the eyes of men (Rev 7:9), as if one were looking at a crowd of tens of millions, but they will be few in comparison to the world, and fewer still in comparison to those who professed Christ with their mouths only. (Mat 7:13-14)

This also indicates that the same blessings, justification, and remission of sins that was given to us in Christ is also given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and vice versa. (Gal 3:9) This means that, although the name of Jesus was not known in their day, they still had the same faith that we do, the same rewards we are offered, and the same grace of salvation, that we all will fellowship together with one another, whether Jew or Gentile, and all with Christ forever.

  [v12] But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That is, the Kingdom of Israel, meaning that the Jews—the majority of which were unfaithful and impenitent—will be cast out of the church and the Kingdom of Heaven, just as they cast out the Gentiles in hypocrisy. Although the lake of fire is filled with brimstone and intense heat (Rev 20:10), the "outer darkness" is meant as a rejection from the evening lights and festivities, seeing it afar off, but not being able to partake, left to the dangers of the wild in the darkness. The "weeping and gnashing of teeth" signifies the demeanor of those who will be rejected on the Day of Judgment, either reacting to being sentenced to hell with wailing and crying in despair, or gritting their teeth in furious rage, as an angry wolf on the verge of attack. (Mat 13:40-42)

  [v13] And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Finished with His prophecy, Jesus answers the Gentile centurion, telling him to be on his way and grants his request, that as the man believed, that Christ would fully heal his servant by simply speaking it, it was done. Jesus adds, "unto thee," that it was for the faithful centurion's sake, in His full assurance and trust in who Christ is, being omniscient, omnipotent, and the kindest of the kind, the great and merciful God, his servant was healed the very moment Christ spoke it. (Luke 7:10)

  [v14] And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

This was the house of Peter (Simon) and Andrew (Mark 1:29), located in Capernaum, and although they were originally from the nearby town of Bethsaida, it seems they relocated here for the sake of Christ. The house likely belonged to Peter's mother-in-law, and he and his brother were living there for the time being. Peter's mother-in-law, who was kind enough to give them a place to stay, was sick with a fever that was of a high and dangerous temperature, as indicated in Luke 4:38.

  [v15] And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Sometimes Christ healed with a word, other times, He healed with a touch, as she was likely in no condition to speak or to hear, as extremely high temperatures can cause delirium. The fever was gone immediately (Mark 1:31), and having her health and strength instantly restored, she went about her normal duties, and showed her guests hospitality, as well as gratitude.

  [v16] When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

It seems the reason the people waited for "even" (i.e. evening, late in the day) was because it was the Sabbath (Mark 1:21), and they were to do no work until day rolled over, which was evening in Jewish culture. This also shows the mercy of Jesus, that he not only healed on the Sabbath day (proving the moral law of charity held priority over ceremonial and civil laws), but was willing to work into the night to help the poor and needy.

They brought to Jesus many who Satan had been permitted to possess them with strange behaviors (which are today most often, and erroneously, labeled "mental illness"), and He cast these devils out with only His command. He also healed all those who were sick, no matter their station or status in society, things which were otherwise incurable, showing His power to be far more than a mere prophet.

  [v17] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

This is referring to Isaiah 53:4, and ancient Jewish commentators agree that this passage of Isaiah in speaking of the Messiah, and Matthew rightly applied this to Jesus the Christ, but the Jews missed the fact that Isaiah is speaking not of healing the sick of physical infirmities, but of spiritual (Mar 2:17), suffering and bearing our sickness by dying on the cross. This is why it says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." The healing of diseases and casting out devils was symbolic of what Jesus was about to do on the cross, healing our souls and casting away sin, demonstrating that if He had the power to do one, then He also had the power to do the other.

  [v18] Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

There would have been various reasons for them to gather, whether to see the man they had heard so much about, or to witness His miracles, very few wanted to hear His doctrine, and this problem persists today. Just as the people had various reasons to come to Him, Jesus had various reasons why He departed from them; for consideration that His disciples might have time to rest, to set up their trial of faith at sea, and to show the carnal crowd that He was not the least interested in their entertainment or applause, for many of them had come to see healings without the least interest in His saving gospel.

  [v19] And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

Some may believe this scribe to have good intent, but his motives did not come from a penitent heart that desired understanding. Based on Christ's response in the next verse, this scribe naively believed that Jesus would be widely accepted as the Messiah, resulting in great fame and honor, and by joining Christ, the scribe thought he might be fast-tracked to a position of honor, which would bring him an easy life of prestige and wealth, knowing not the suffering that awaited the evangelists who traveled with Him.

  [v20] And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Knowing the greed in the scribe's heart, Jesus noted that the lowest creatures in the animal kingdom had more wealth and comforts than He did. The foxes had a hole to hide away from the dangers of the world, and the birds had a place of comfort high above the ground, but Jesus had no such luxury. Jesus once again affirms His place as the Messiah, calling Himself the "Son of man" as prophesied by Daniel. (Dan 7:13-14) This also demonstrates the imagined narrative of the Jews, in which they thought the Messiah would be readily accepted and glorified, but they ignored the prophecies that He would be mostly rejected by them, and even persecuted unto death, which was for their sakes, that their sins might be remitted.

  [v21] And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

This man is called a disciple, and if it was one of the twelve is unknown, but it is very likely not one of the seventy disciples because they were called and sent out until later. (Luke 9:60, Luke 10:1) Either way, he is called a disciple because he was one of the few who genuinely wanted to hear and understand the Gospel of Christ, and this request was made honorably, in humility, submitted to the will of Christ, first asking permission, that he might give honor to his father, who presumably was loved dearly by his son, and comfort his family in their time of grief, as was the tradition of the Jews to give relief of duties for those who must tend to their dead.

  [v22] But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

As Jesus will teach later in Matthew 10:37, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me," which means that if a man loves the creature more than the Creator, that man has no faith in the Giver of all life, and without faith, a man cannot please the Lord. (Heb 11:6) Christ was not ignoring the proper honor His disciple intended to pay to His father, but rather, to recognize the importance that God in the flesh was standing before them, and that preaching repentance for the remission of sins was of infinitely greater importance. Thus, Christ's response was to let the honor and duty of the carnally dead be performed by those who are spiritually dead, who were many, and would see to it in proper fashion, while he better spent his time in the ministry of the Gospel of Christ.

  [v23] And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

Once He had answered all those He intended, Jesus boarded the ship His disciples had hired for the journey, and the disciples joined Him on the ship. Christ chose this method of travel to separate Himself and His disciples from the crowd, and so that He might test their faith.

  [v24] And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

The word 'temptest' is used here not for poetic flare, but indicating type of storm or gale that was much greater intensity, often involving lightning, torrential rains, and hail, which (in this case) included waves so large, they engulfed the entire ship. This was not the doing of Satan, but a divine tempest, purposed by God to display the power of His Son to His disciples. Jesus "was asleep," which very likely came from physical exhaustion after a full day of healing and teaching, and being God, He is always awake, though His body succumbed to the same infirmities as our own.

  [v25] And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

Christ's disciples were likely assisting the crew in other parts of the ship, as would be required of all passengers in an emergency, except Jesus, who they were unable to wake up until this point. The crew and the disciples had given up hope, seeing no way to survive, and pleaded with Christ to save them, trusting that only His miracles could save their lives.

  [v26] And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Though they trusted in Christ, their fear about the circumstance was overpowering their faith, having no confidence that He could save them even while His body slept because He is the omniscient, omnipotent God. Jesus rebuked the sea, saying "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39), speaking in an authoritative manner to the wind and waters, that they had raged too long, and "there was a great calm," not in the sense that the wind and waves stopped completely, for these were necessary for the ship to travel, but that the weather was instantly transformed into a peaceful day on the waters.

  [v27] But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

The crew was shocked, and fearful (Mark 4:41) because a man who could calm the sea with a word, could also enrage it again, creating an uneasiness within them that such a man, with power beyond their capability or comprehension, was being transported under their care. Therefore, they questioned what "manner of man" Jesus was, for having such amazing divine authority, He could not be an ordinary man.

  [v28] And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

When they had finished sailing across the Sea of Galilee, they made their way to Gergesenes, sometimes called the Gardarenes, Mark 5:1), where the Girgashites resided, who Joshua had driven out of the land of Canaan by the will of God. (Gen 15:21) Apparently, Gardarenes and Gergesenes were not the same city, but two separate cities often conflated because of their close proximity to each other.

Though this story is often told with the perception of one, who is the primary possessed man, having a legion of devils in him, there were two, which is not to contradict Mark or Luke, who focus on the primary, but to note that there were two of them at the time. These two, being possessed and under the control of Satan, were unaware of Christ's arrival because Satan is not omniscient, and does not know all things Christ does, because if he had known, Satan would have taken precaution to avoid Him while He was in the area.

The two possessed men did not exit a tomb in the sense of laying in a grave, but they resided inside cave-like area hewn out in the rock of a plot of land. The Jews had laws requiring a certain amount of space to construct a catacomb, making "the inside of each burial chamber four cubits wide by six cubits long and open up into the chamber, by digging into its wall, eight burial niches in which the coffins will rest," which left plenty of space for one to walk inside.
(See Mishnah Bava Batra, 6:8, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 9, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Bava_Batra.6.8?lang=bi])

The devils in them chose this place for whatever nefarious purpose they had in mind, likely to drive their victim and surrounding neighbors into more distress, as is often the goal of Satan and his minions. The two possessed men were "exceeding fierce," meaning that they were a troublesome nuisance, malicious and mischievous as devils are, "so that no man might pass" without a fearful encounter with them, in which they would disturb or harm travelers.

  [v29] And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

It seems the word 'behold' was used here in amazement of the power of Jesus Christ, having put the devils possessing these two men into a state of terror and dread. The devils had no interest in repentance for the remission of sins and grace through faith for righteousness, and therefore, asked "what have we to do with thee?" This preempted the ridiculous and false claim by the Pharisees, who would later argue that Jesus was the prince of devils (Mat 10:25), showing that these devils had no part with Him by their own admission, and that, nonetheless, they were subject to His authority.

The second question asked by these devils tells us quite a bit more, acknowledging Christ's power as the ultimate Judge, who must issue punishment for crimes on the final Day of Judgment, and by not offering any argument against it, they showed us that they had foreknowledge and expectation of wrath. Their greatest concern was being restrained to their eternal prison, preventing them from causing mischief, which seems to be their only pleasure, and assuming that they had an appointed timeframe to do what they willed to impenitent men.

Another interesting point is the use of the word 'hither', which means "toward this place," demonstrating that the devils did not expect Christ to show up in a heathen land, inhabited by many Gentiles. The fullness of the Scriptures were not known to men, nor were they known to devils, and so their expectation was that their mischief in the land of the heathen would keep them safe from the punishment of God for a time, but now Jesus brought His Gospel of Salvation to all the world, leaving devils with nowhere to run from the Lord and His children, who would expose their deception and cast them out across the world.

  [v30] And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

Pigs can have various uses on a farm, but the primary purpose of such a large number would be for food, and the eating of swine's flesh was forbidden under Israeli law. (Lev 11:7) Moreover, Jewish commentators completely forbid the raising of pigs in Israel, saying that "one may not raise pigs anywhere," which was established after the law, indicating that it was acceptable to raise pigs for various non-consumptive purposes until this rule was established. Nevertheless, these pigs may have had Jewish owners because the Girgashites and other fringe communities did not necessarily abide by the Rabbinical teachings, while still being in line with the dietary restrictions of the Torah, keeping them primarily for the sale of meat and fat to the Gentiles.
(See Mishnah Bava Kamma, 7:7, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 10, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Bava_Kamma.7.7?lang=bi])

  [v31] So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

Through the mouths of the men possessed by them, the devils—being roughly a thousand of them (by the name "Legion" meaning thousand, Luke 8:30), and knowing that Jesus would not permit them to remain in these men—had no choice but to ask His permission to go somewhere else. The devils knew they would not get permission to go into another man, so they requested soulless, filthy creatures lacking rationale, and although many reasons could be offered why they asked to go into the swine specifically, the most strategic reason would be to use them to incite anger in the people against Christ.

  [v32] And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

These feeble spiritual beings can do nothing without divine permission, and knowing this, they should not be feared in the least by the children of God. In some cases, the Lord permits devils to torment those who call upon them, as well as those who turn to false gods and demonic ideologies, but for those who call upon the name of Jesus, God shows mercy, as He did for these two men possessed with a horde of devils.

With a single word, the devils did as they requested, entering into the pigs, and proving the reality of these spirits, forced the pigs to do what they would normally not do by nature, drowning themselves in the sea. This was likely a heard of around a thousand pigs or more, running violently, squealing in the ear-piercing manner of hyped-up swine, alerting the keepers as they watched them run down to the edge of a steep cliff and throw themselves off, and being unable to swim, died in the water below.

  [v33] And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

Not the owners, but the keepers, which are those employed to watch over the herd, and fearful that they might be blamed for the loss, they ran quickly into the city to give their testimony first, that the people might believe them. Mark and Luke add "and in the country," which would note that some went into the city, while others went a different direction to tell the neighboring farms. They testified how the devils went into the pigs, and they threw themselves in the water, which was their first concern to save themselves from blame, and then testified of what happened to formerly possessed men, that they were now clothed and of sound mind. (Luke 8:35)

  [v34] And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

Not every last person in the city, but a great number of them, so much that it seemed the entire city came out to see what was going on, as well as those in the country round about. (Luke 8:37) They did not come to meet Jesus because they wanted to hear His doctrine, but either out of curiosity to see what had happened, or out of frustration at the reported loss, with concern that something worse might happen if He were allowed to stay.

They demanded that Jesus leave, not out of humility, with a sense of unworthiness, as the centurion, but in fear because they dared not take Him for any kind of civil punishment. It seems they accepted what happened as a punishment for their sins, and as far as we know, made no objection of injustice, and therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude their objection to His presence was that they might suffer further loss as a consequence of their wrongdoing.



 

  [v1] And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

The Girgashites immediately rejected Christ before hearing Him out, showing themselves to be shameful fools (Pro 18:13), and by their conduct, judged themselves to be like unto the swine (Mat 7:6), therefore, Jesus departed from them by the way He came. Likely, this was the same ship that brought Jesus and His disciples across the sea, and returned to Capernaum (Mark 2:1), which is called "his own city" not because He was born there, but because this was considered His town of residence.

  [v2] And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Four men carried him (Mark 2:3), but the crowds around Christ were so compact, they had to climb the house, lift him up on the roof, and lower him down through the ceiling to reach Jesus. (Mark 2:4) Being sick of palsy, any movement was extraordinary pain, and the five men put into their quest was extreme if there was little chance of success, but they preserved to do whatever it took because they were of great faith that reaching Jesus would guarantee his restoration.

We should note that Jesus called him "son," which is a personal pronoun, declaring him to be close family in the adoption of grace, showing that the sick man was conscious of his many sins, and with a penitent heart, believed Jesus was the Son of God, trust in him fully for his spiritual and physical help. Jesus confirmed that his sin was the source of his illness, and told him to "be of good cheer," which would be hard to do in his faded state of mind, but having his sins forgiven would be of great value, and cause for joy.

  [v3] And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

If this had been any ordinary man, the accusation of blasphemy would have been accurate, for mere men have no authority to proclaim forgiveness of sins in that regard. The only way one could have his sins forgiven was by the power of God, and therefore, the scribe (by not believing who Christ was) reasoned that Jesus blasphemed, but Jesus did no such thing because He is God.

  [v4] And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Although we can know simple things in a man's heart by what he says (Mat 15:18), no man can know the deep recesses of the thoughts and hearts of any other man. This is a power only God has, and Jesus, being the omniscient God, had no need to confirm the scribes' thoughts and intents, for He already knew them before his words were spoken. Jesus rightly accused him of evil, not because only God could forgive sin, but that they insisted Christ was an ordinary man, refusing to understand His doctrine to know that He is the promised Messiah.

  [v5] For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

To answer the scribe's accusation of blasphemy, Jesus addresses the logic according to their own doctrine. The Jews believed that both the forgiveness of sins and the miracle of healing required divine power, but by asking him which one was easier, it left him with a conundrum.

From a spiritual perspective, we might say that forgiveness of sin is harder than healing physical infirmities because one requires the shed blood of the Son of God, however, from the perspective of men, it is easier to forgive a man of his wrongdoing than to do miraculous healing, because we do not have the power of the latter. However, both are accomplished by Christ because both require divine power, and it logically follows that if He can do one, He can also do the other.

  [v6] But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

Jesus did not heal as a display of entertainment to draw a crowd, but as a demonstration of His divine authority, healing the man sick of palsy so they would know that He also has the power to forgive men of their sins. Jesus also said He had "power on earth," which is not to say that His power was different here than in heaven, but that He is a mediator, working as a humble servant in the form of a man for the express purpose of fulfilling the work that He, His Father, and the Holy Ghost all agreed to do before the world began.

Christ commanded the man to stand up, and pick up the cot on which he was lowered into the room, carrying it by his newfound strength. This was not only a healing of the man's illness, but a complete restoration of muscle and nerves, giving him total control over his faculties, so the crowd would see what happened, understand the doctrine, and believe in their hearts that He is the Christ.

  [v7] And he arose, and departed to his house.

As soon as these words were spoken, the healed man stood, picked up his cot, and walked back to his house, presumably joined by his faithful friends, rejoicing together in praise of God, who gave them all so much mercy, not only to heal the man, but to forgive their sins.

  [v8] But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

This verse begins with 'but', indicating this was in stark contrast to the argument of the scribe, who attempted to turn the crowd away from Christ with his evil accusation. Instead, they were amazed at the miracle, never having seen such a thing before, however, the words are precise in that they glorified God, still thought Christ was a mere man, and that God had given Him divine power, not believing He was God in the flesh.

  [v9] And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Jesus walked out of the city to the sea side, where He taught a large crowd (Mark 2:13), and He saw Matthew, the writer of this Gospel. Both Mark and Luke call him "Levi the son of Alphaeus" (Mark 2:14), which is likely another name he was called, and it is presumed that they called him "Levi" instead of Matthew out of respect to their brother and friend, hoping no extra persecution would be brought against him for being a former publican (i.e. tax collector), but Matthew used his name boldly in this Gospel for the express purpose of glorifying Jesus Christ, who saves and transforms men by His mercy and power.

Publicans had booths constructed for them at the base of bridges and near the docks of the sea, to take "custom," which are taxes or tolls, for the use of public facilities. Such men were disliked, and fiercely by some, especially if they were Jews, hired by the Roman government, but Jesus boldly approached and called Matthew to the ministry of the Gospel of Christ, demonstrating that no matter a man's station in life, the grace of salvation and the great honor of serving the Lord of Glory is not withheld from any penitent man.

Matthew got up from his seat in the toll booth, and followed the Lord Jesus Christ. Such was the faith of Matthew that he left his profitable job to join Christ in poverty, trusting that the truth of the Gospel yields the greatest reward.

  [v10] And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

Matthew prepared a great feast in his house for Christ and His disciples, which was presumably done in gratitude for the great mercy that was given to him. Matthew was overjoyed to be among them, and having been given the gifts of repentance and faith, he wanted others to have the same, so invited many other of his fellow toll and tax collectors, and other sinners, friends, family, and acquaintances, to eat and hear the doctrines of Christ, to which Christ was amenable.

  [v11] And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

The Pharisees and scribes, who were the enemies of Christ, glorifying themselves in their piousness, stood aside and observed, rather than coming to the table to speak with Christ. They were afraid of having discourse with Jesus because He often answered in a manner which caused them great embarrassment, and so instead of bravely and openly engaging with Him in friendly discussion, they stood by, plotting how they might entrap him.

Jewish commentators lumped tax collectors together with robbers (i.e. Mishnah Nedarim 3:4), so the scribes and Pharisees considered the publicans to be among the worst of sinners. Furthermore, Jewish commentators said that "pious men," who were called "perushim," which are Pharisees, would take upon themselves "an extra measure of holiness and a path to piety: to be separate from people at large, to hold oneself apart from them, not to touch them, nor eat and drink with them. For setting oneself apart leads to the purification of the body from wicked actions. Purifying one's body leads to sanctifying one's soul from wicked character traits. And the holiness of the soul causes one to resemble the Divine presence." The rule of the Pharisees (and the scribes who stood in agreement with them), which they set for themselves because none of this was commanded in the Holy Scriptures, was that a clean person should not eat with the unclean, lest they themselves become unclean, and without first judging themselves in their own unrighteousness (Mat 7:1), the Pharisees looked on Christ and His disciples as unclean for eating with sinners and publicans, cowardly hiding an accusation behind a question.
(See Mishnah Nedarim, 3:4, Sefaria, retrieve Sept 11, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Nedarim.3.4?lang=bi]; See also Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Impurity of Foods, 16:12, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 11, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Defilement_of_Foods.16?lang=bi])

  [v12] But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

When Jesus heard the accusation disguised as a question, and the charges they brought against His humble disciples, He responded in brilliant fashion, cutting not just to the core of their argument, but into the deep recesses of their wicked hearts. A physician is typically clean, and must operate in a cleanly environment to work on sickly patients, who present themselves in their unclean state of disease, and if not in the state of uncleanness, having no illness, they—being "whole"—have no need for the physician in the first place; thus, in the context of Christ's words, the spiritual physician goes to those who are spiritually corrupt and in need of treatment that only Jesus can provide.

  [v13] But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The phrase "go and learn" was a common phrase used by the scribes and Pharisees in the first century, usually in reference to the Scriptures (i.e. that others should go and learn what the certain verses mean), but in modern translations of Jewish commentators, the phrase is often rendered "consider," or in many cases, is removed entirely from the context for the purpose of brevity. This information is not necessary to understand the meaning, but notes the impact of the statement, where Jesus spoke with authority over the scribes and Pharisees, using their own words against them.

Jesus then referred to Hosea 6:6, which says "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." This was enough to shame and silence them because this proved that the delight God had from a sinner coming to repentance (i.e. godly sorrow of wrongdoing) and hearing the truth to gain the knowledge of Christ was far greater than the performance of ceremonies, and so the Lord's preference was mercy instead of sacrifice, putting their rituals in low importance and value, especially in comparison to the work Christ did at Matthew's dinner table.

  [v14] Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

The students of John the Baptist had come when they received word that Jesus was back in town, and with their master being in prison at the time, they came to question Jesus concerning fasting, which, as they testified, they did often in private, typically twice per week (Luke 18:12), and were usually kept even during times of war or pestilence. In Luke's version, he says this question was asked by the Pharisees, but it would have been both the Pharisees and John's disciples, since both would have been in agreement with it, expecting Jesus to respond to the accusation of alleged wrongdoing.

  [v15] And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

This answer was directed more at the disciples of John the Baptist, who had taught them that he was not the Christ as they had supposed, but rather, he taught them Jesus is the Christ, who is the bridegroom in this analogy. (John 3:27-29) Thus, by mentioning the bridegroom, they would have known He was referring to Himself, declaring Himself secretly betrothed to the church, who is the bride.

The "children of the bridechamber" are the disciples of Christ, who are also (as John the Baptist taught) the "friend of the bridegroom," who "rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice," as John did, as Matthew did, and as all the disciples of Christ. Jewish commentators made strict rules around fasting, but there were exceptions, such as for a bridegroom during the wedding week (e.g. "a bridegroom, during the wedding week, should not observe a Yahrzeit [time of year] fast"), and the friends of the bridegroom, who joined him in the bridechamber, were also exempt from these fasts.
(See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, 221:6, "The Law of Fasting on the Day of Yahrzeit," chabad.org, retrieved Sept 12, 2025, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4298069/jewish/Chapter-221-The-Law-of-Fasting-on-the-Day-of-Yahrzeit.htm#v6])

This is why the Pharisees could not respond because everything Jesus said was in agreement with their traditions. While Jesus was present in the flesh, there was no need for his disciples to fast in mourning because they rejoiced with the bridegroom, but when the bridegroom is gone, or rather "taken from them," as Jesus would be taken from them for the purpose of His merciful sacrifice on the cross, and then they would resume their mournful fasting because of their distress, as John's disciples were in distress because their master was in prison.

  [v16] No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

This is called a parable (Luke 5:36), and because it contextually follows the previous verse, this is indicative of disciples, the friends and children of the bridegroom. These who are born again are likened to new cloth, having the robes of Christ's righteousness put around their shoulders, and it is inappropriate that such clean and precious new cloth should cut up and used to patch the holes of an old garment, which is an analogy to the traditions of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees condemned others based on rules they crafted around eating, drinking, conversations, appearances, distances, glances, and many other meticulous mandates. These ceremonial works are upheld as a banner of righteousness for those of corrupt religion, who think they can become righteous by their own efforts, but they "are as filthy rags" (Isa 64:6), and no reasonable person would use new clothing, strong and beautiful, to patch dirty, worn down clothes.

The old garment of man's delusion of works for righteousness must be thrown out because it cannot sustain the wear and tear. To put the new cloth of faith into the old cloth of works and traditions will only result in the old cloth being rent (or torn) further, so that the fallacy of works for righteousness would only be made more obvious.

  [v17] Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Jesus explains to us why He chose men who were lowly, foolish, and despised (1Co 1:26-31), instead of choosing men among the Pharisees. The Sadducees, Pharisees, and scribes believed in their self-righteousness, established in their ceremonial ways, and so became unsuitable to sustain the new wine of Christ's grace by repentance and faith in Him.

The grace of Christ cannot be contained in a vessel that believes in self-righteousness because grace and works are polar opposites. (Rom 11:6) Those who are the old bottles, that rely on church-ianity traditions instead of truth in the Scriptures, will reject the doctrine of repentance for the remission of sins and faith in Christ for righteousness, and thus, the bottle breaks and the Gospel of Christ is lost on that person, but if the Gospel of Salvation is put into penitent sinners, by grace through faith, they are made a new creature, and the newness of their spirits can contain the Gospel, preserving it perfectly, and preaching it in truth and sincerity. (1Co 5:8)

  [v18] While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

While Jesus answered the accusations of the Pharisees and John's disciples, a man named Jairus (Mark 5:22), a leader of the local synagogue, approached and worshipped Him, which was not just in word, but in deed, likely bowing himself low to the ground, which is more natural for one who was experiencing extreme grief, such as the loss of one's child. Between the testimonies of Mark and Luke, we know that this was the man's only daughter, and she was about the age of twelve, and also by their testimonies, it appears she was near death when he sought Christ, but had her death reported to him before he was able to return. This man had great confidence that, despite her death, if Christ were to come to her and touch her, she would return to life and be healed, which is a great faith, requiring one to believe that Christ is God, having power over life and death.

  [v19] And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

Jesus did not treat Him in the manner He was treated by the Pharisees and scribes, critiquing his lack of traditional works, but rather, Jesus recognized the man's faith, and immediately went with him. Though not the extraordinary faith of the centurion, who trusted that Christ need not be present to do such simple tasks, Christ did not rebuke him for his weakness in faith, but fulfilled his request as He desired, having plans for another interaction along the way, and was followed by his disciples, as well as the a crowd who also wished to see the miracle. (Mark 5:24)

  [v20] And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

As Jesus walked from the house of Matthew to the house of Jairus, a woman with an abnormal blood disease, having suffered with it for twelve years, sought Jesus. It is likely that she had gone through many processes, paid enormous sums over a long period to physicians, and endured many painful treatments and vile medicines to cure her illness, to no avail.

She "came behind" Jesus for the sake of modesty, believing herself unworthy to stand before Him in her unclean state, and also fearing she might be thrown out of the city in accordance with the law of unclean persons. She reached out to touch "the hem of his garment," which was a "ribband of blue" (Num 15:38) that all Jews were required to wear.

  [v21] For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

The woman had heard of people being healed by just touching Jesus (Luke 6:19), so she reasoned within her mind, and came to the conclusion of her belief, which was placed in her by the Spirit of God, that if she could get close enough to Him to simply graze the tip of his coat, she would be completely cured of her disease, finally receiving what no physician could give her.

  [v22] But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Although Matthew did not specify it here, the woman did manage to touch the hem as she intended (Mark 5:27), and once it happened, Jesus sensed it, for the "virtue had gone out of him." (Mark 5:30) Jesus "turned him about" to question who touched Him, not that He did not know, for He is omniscient, but asked for the purpose of getting a confession, to which the woman bowed herself to the ground, "fearing and trembling," and confessed what she had done. (Mark 5:33)

Jesus addressed her as "daughter," acknowledging her faithfulness in Him, that she had no need to be fearful, but rather, to be comforted with the commendation of her faith. This is not to say that faith itself healed, nor that there was some power of virtue within herself, but that Christ made her whole, immediately healing her illness, because she came with a contrite spirit and trusted in Jesus.

  [v23] And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

It was at this time, upon return to the house, that news of his daughter's death was brought to Jairus, and there was an uproar of grief, accompanied by minstrels, or flutists in particular. According to Mishnah Ketubot, "Even the poorest man of the Jewish people may not provide fewer than two flutes and a lamenting woman, which it was customary to hire for a funeral, as these too are included in the duties of burial," and thus, the minstrels were a sign of a funeral.
(See Mishnah Ketubot, 4:4, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 12, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Ketubot.4.4?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en])

  [v24] He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

Jesus commanded the grievers and minstrels to leave, because they were not needed for a funeral. He said the girl was "not dead, but sleepeth," which is not to be taken in the sense that her bodily functions had not ceased, for they had, as had been confirmed by those caring for her, but rather, she was not dead in the sense that they would consider the dead, to be gone and never return. Christ had power over life and death, and would momentarily raise her from the dead, to which the unfaithful scoffers laughed, not for the purpose of humor, but to mock Jesus because they did not believe He was God in the flesh.

  [v25] But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

The Bible does not tell us why Christ sent the people out of the house, but it seems logical that He was not interested in entertaining scoffers to seek their applause, nor were they worthy to witness such a miracle after spewing their baseless contempt. Jesus entered with Peter, James, and John, and "took her by the hand," to touch her with His hand, as her father had requested, said to her, "Talitha cumi" (Mark 5:41), which is interpreted, "Damsel, arise," and she arose from her bed alive and well.

  [v26] And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

Mark tells us that Jesus gave them two commands, the first was to give her something to eat, and the second was to tell no one what was done. (Mark 5:43) It logically follows that the crowd would witness her walking around, eating, and speaking, so they would conclude a miracle was performed, but as for the details, they were not shared with anyone because Jesus had no desire to satisfy the meaningless whims of a prideful and faithless crowd who saw Christ as a source of entertainment.

  [v27] And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.

After leaving the house of Jairus, two blind men followed him, and we can presume they heard the talking of the crowd about what Jesus had just done, raising a young girl from the dead. They believed He could heal their eyes, and so by sound, they followed him as best they could, crying out to Jesus "Thou son of David," which is well known among the Hebrews to be a declaration that Jesus is the Messiah, showing their faith in Him, that He was prophesied one to "open the eyes of the blind" (Isa 35:5), and thus were motivated to use this opportunity to reach Him if possible.

  [v28] And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

Being finished at Matthew's house, it seems Jesus returned to the house He stayed at in Capernaum, but ignored the pleas of the two blind men, which would have been done partly to avoid the crowd, and partly to test their faith. Being faithful, they came to him, likely directed by others to His location, and Christ permitted their entry. Their declaration of Him being the Son of David expressed their faith, but Jesus asked this question as a demonstration for others, especially after the crowd had just mocked Him prior to the last miracle He performed, and they firmly declared their trust in Him, that He not only had the power, but also the mercy, and despite ignoring their initial pleas, would do this great kindness for them.

  [v29] Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

The Lord had no need for physical contact to accomplish this task, but often, the blind are provided extra charitable consideration in the Scriptures, and so Jesus touched their eyes, likely in response to the thoughts of their hearts, in which they expected him to have this physical interaction with them. This is not said in the sense that one's faith that Jesus is the Messiah is the source of healing, but that they believed in who He is and that He was able to heal them according to this promised time that He would come to do so.

  [v30] And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

Their sight was instantly restored, and we can only presume that they could see with a restored newness, as a young man would have perfect vision. Jesus then commanded them not to tell anyone what He did for them, and this was a "strait," which is a strict charge in this context, meaning this commandment was not to be taken lightly, and it is possible He said this in a very severe manner because His commands had been disobeyed in many instances, that resulted in Him being followed by crowds who offered vain glory and constantly harassed Him.

  [v31] But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

This indicates that the two formerly blind men left the city, and perhaps kept this a secret until they had departed from the house and the city, understanding the purpose of His command, but eventually, they told many people in surrounding areas what Jesus had done for them. This was not done out of rebelliousness against Christ, but out of gratitude, and their fervent desire to glorify the Son of David to all those who would hear.

I should note that these men should not be commended for this as some might be inclined to do. Our feelings for Christ should not be the foundation of our actions, but rather, Christ's commandments, the Word of the Living God, should be the basis for what we say and do.

  [v32] As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

It is not clear if the formerly blind men brought the dumb man, or some in the crowd brought him, but either way, this was to show us that Christ was bombarded with non-stop tasks, which would be understandably stressful just from a physical perspective, and yet, I believe there was some frustration in this, for Christ came to preach the Gospel, and what time can He do this if he is busy healing the sick? Healing the sick is a good work, but healing the sick is temporary, while the doctrine will be recorded for all to hear and understand for thousands of years to come, which makes the doctrine more important than the miracles.

Though being deaf and dumb were considered one and the same in Jewish society (for to learn to speak clearly, one must be able to hear), in this case, it seems the man was possessed with a devil that left him unable to speak as he once had. It appears this man did not come to Christ of his own will because he was unable, but his friends, who cared for his well being, brought him, pleading for Christ's help.

  [v33] And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

It was not specified to us how the devil was cast out, not that a process was needed by Christ, but if Christ spoke or touched the man, leaving us to consider the possibility that the devil was cast out only by being in the presence of Christ. Whether by His mouth, or by some quiet communication, the devil fled, the man who could not speak now spake normally, and the crowd was shocked at the display, having never seen such things done, nor heard of them in all the records of Israel, not by the prophets, even Elijah, who was considered one of the greatest of the prophets.

  [v34] But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

Whereas Christ sought to preach the truth of repentance and faith to save mens' souls, the Pharisees sought honor and glory, and for this reason, they offered a deceitful and illogical argument against Christ's kindness and good works. The casting out of devils is clearly a good deed, and so no argument could be imagined to make it look bad, other than to say that it only appeared good because Christ Himself was under the influence of devils, working for the prince of devils. (Luke 11:15) Jesus ignored this accusation for a time, until He thought it prudent to answer such foolishness for the sake of others. (Mat 12:24-30)

  [v35] And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Though Jesus sought quiet away from the crowds, he continued to go into various towns throughout Galilee to preach His gospel when there were public opportunities, such as in the synagogues, which served as a community hub in that day, where it was permitted for teachers to preach on the Scriptures, especially on the Sabbath, when no work was to be done, and doctrine and debate were more readily accepted. As always, Christ continued to heal the infirmities of the diseased and lame, while offering a more valuable gift of healing their souls.

  [v36] But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

This is not to say that they fainted in tiredness of body, but rather, they were exhausted in their minds because of the manipulative speech of the Pharisees and scribes who hated Christ. This is the same exhaustion that is felt by the public today, as they are torn away from the truth of repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47) by multitudes of false preachers who lead them astray, leaving them confused, overwhelmed, and bogged down with religious traditions.

For this reason, they were "scattered abroad," being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and cunning craftiness of deception (Eph 4:14), "having no shepherd" to guide them, which is meant as a true shepherd, and not the pretended shepherds of Israel. Christ was "moved with compassion on them" because He is good, kind, and has a passion for the salvation of their souls, that He might provide them with the comfort of everlasting life.

  [v37] Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Being grieved at the misery of the people, He relayed this to His disciples because it was nearing the time that they would be sent out to the people to do the same work. There were a great number of faithful in Christ in this region at this time, which is not to be understood as a general proverb of harvest, as many preachers erroneously use it, for harvests are set for a specific season, having a limited window in which to gather, but rather, this is said for the purpose of understanding that few were willing to do the work of ministry, to preach the word in season and out of season (i.e. when it is expected, and when it is not expected, 2Ti 4:2), dedicating themselves to teaching the doctrine of Scripture faithfully, praying consistently for the wisdom and guidance of God, and still today, there are many lazy men who hold positions of leadership in religious institutions, having no care for souls of men, nor interest in the salvation of souls as they do for a show of piety, to secure their station and paychecks.

  [v38] Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

It is a curious consideration as to why Jesus, having come to save souls and send forth His ministers, would instruct His students to pray for the same, requesting God to do what He already established to do. This, I believe, was done that we might have an understanding that ministers are not made by the will of men, and despite what the world might lead us to believe, they are not created by religious institutions, nor are they mass-produced by the assembly lines of universities and seminaries; rather, they are appointed by God, in His time, according to His will, most often choosing the lowly, downtrodden, and weak, that no flesh should glory in His presence. (1Co 1:26-29)

By prayer, we must rely on the Lord God to give us the gift of His ministers in the season of the harvest, whenever and wherever a harvest is plentiful. These ministers are according to the definition of the word (i.e. servants), that serve the Lord Jesus Christ and His church with their time, intellect, strength, and various talents, having a love of the truth embedded deep in their hearts (2Th 2:10), and caring nothing for the riches of this world (Mat 13:22), only that riches might be used for relief of the poor and needy, for the benefit of others, and to further the Gospel of Christ, that as many as possible might receive the gifts of repentance and faith.



 

  [v1] And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Jesus had more disciples than twelve, but called these twelve, who He had selected to become apostles, which generally means a person who is deputized to carry out a mission of important business. The Jews traditionally called devils "unclean spirits" (Luke 9:1), and they can be the cause of corruption in many, being permitted by God to attach themselves to vile people and haunt unclean places.

Although there are few today who understand this, there are many who have come under the influence of devils, and this is often due to those who are involved in rebellious, reprobate activities, involving demonic arts of witchcraft, which were frequently practiced in Israel, as they are still done today in many secret places. This possession often results in unclean practices, which bring "all manner of sickness," and so to save the people from lethal torment, Jesus likewise gave them the power to heal the sickness as well as cast out the devils.

This power was permitted to the apostles that people might know Jesus is the Christ, that they might believe on Him for the salvation of their souls, which was more important than the restoration of their bodies.

  [v2] Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

The Holy Ghost needed us to have these apostles named for the purpose of a historical record, that we would know the true apostles from the fake ones, and not be led astray by the false doctrine of an imposter. The first is Peter, whose Hebrew name was Simon or Simeon (Acts 15:14), named first because he was the first called to the ministry, and likewise, "Andrew his brother" who was called at the same time (Mat 4:18), followed by James and John, who were called next in chronological order, and James was labeled "the son of Zebedee" to distinguish him from James the son of Alphaeus in the next verse.

  [v3] Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

Philip is a Greek name, and although his parents were Jews, they may have taken the name from the Greek influence in the area they lived. Bartholomew is thought by some to be Nathanael (John 1:45), and his name may have been Nathanael Bartholomew, the surname pronounced "Bar Talmai" or "the son of Talmai," a name used in Jewish culture. (2Sa 13:37)

Mark and Luke both mention Matthew first, but Matthew humbly mentions Thomas first, who is also called Didymus (John 11:16), and James "the son of Alphaeus," who is called called "James the less" (Mark 15:40) and "the brother of our Lord" (Gal 1:19), indicating a blood relation, which could be a variety of relations according to Jewish tradition because they used the term "brother" to indicate siblings, cousins, uncles, nephews, etc. Lebbaeus Thaddaeus was the brother of James, which is why they are mentioned together, and his surname is considered by some to be a root of Jude or Judas, indicating that he is the author of the book of Jude.

  [v4] Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Simon is labeled "the Canaanite" to distinguish him from Simon Peter, and this is not to say that he was an inhabitant in the land of Canaan (because all the disciples were Jews), but he was one of the "Zelotes" (Luke 6:15), which held such a title because the Zelotes (or Zealots) were those who carried out executions of those caught in adultery, idolatry, and blasphemy, and they seem almost reminiscent of the vile Catholic inquisitors in the sense that much hypocrisy existed among them (i.e. those who did the very deeds for which they judged others guilty), many feared them, and vile, unjust murders were frequently carried out by their authority. Like Matthew the publican, Simon carried the title of "Zealot" or "Canaanite" in Scripture as a testimony of what he once was before his conversion, and as a witness of the mercy of Jesus Christ, to demonstrate Christ's power to forgive the most corrupt of men if they come to repentance and faith.

Judas Iscariot is named last, and his surname is included to distinguish him from Thaddaeus, who was also called Judas (the author of the book of Jude), so there is no confusion between the traitor and the faithful apostles. Judas was selected by Jesus for the express purpose of teaching us that a man can appear in all visual respects to be the elect, a child of God and disciple of Christ, walking and talking with Christ, even receiving power to perform the greatest of miracles, but still be a corrupt and rebellious person who secretly hates the doctrine of the Son of God, claiming to serve Him with his mouth, but his heart is far from Christ. (Mat 15:8, Mat 16:6-12)

  [v5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

This names all twelve disciples who Jesus selected to be apostles, who received miraculous gifts from the Holy Ghost, and they were named in the pairs they traveled because He sent them "two by two. (Mark 6:7) They had spent sufficient time with Him at this point, and He entrusted this ministry to them with specific instructions.

Jesus instructed them not to go to the Gentile cities, which is not to say that they would never go in the future, but not at this time because the Christ's Gospel was to come to the Jews first, and then to the Gentiles after. This, in part, was to be done to demonstrate by reason of evidence that the Jews, who claimed to be the children of God, mostly rejected Christ as their Messiah.

The Samaritans honored the first five books of the Bible, although they corrupted the interpretations of them and participated in heathen practices. For this reason, they were hated by the Jews, and even though Jesus did preach in Samaria (John 4:4), He commanded His disciples to abstain from it for the time being to prevent unnecessary conflict.

  [v6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Jesus later affirms that He was sent by the Father (i.e. in agreement together, because Christ is God) to preach the Gospel to Israel (Mat 15:24), and by "house of Israel," it is meant the nation as a whole. Specifically, Jesus was seeking the "lost sheep," which are those who would gladly accept the gifts of repentance and faith in Christ (Luke 15:4-7), but at that time, were led astray by the false doctrines and corrupt traditions of the scribes and Pharisees.

  [v7] And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

As the disciples of Christ traveled throughout Judea, from city to city, not remaining in one place for long periods of time, they were to preach that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand," or more specifically, the church of Christ was upon them, and this came with the message of repentance, as John the Baptist taught (Mat 3:2), and as Jesus had also taught. (Mark 1:15)

  [v8] Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

These were miraculous gifts that Jesus gave to the twelve, to heal sickness without the aid of medicine, and to cleanse leprosy, which was an epidemic in Israel at the time, with those who contracted it being outcast by law, left without hope in many cases. They also raised the dead, which had never been seen before in Israel, and cast out devils, which is commonly done at a price, but they were commanded to charge no man a fee for this service.

Christ ends this by saying "freely ye have received, freely give," which was a commandment, but also proverbial in a sense, as the Holy Ghost through Solomon taught us that we should "buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." (Pro 23:23) This is not meant only for miraculous gifts, but for all things spiritual that we receive freely from the Lord, we should give freely. As we have received the Gospel of Christ freely, so the ministers of Christ should offer their services freely, teaching without charge to all who will hear.

Not only was this charitable, which could bring no reasonable accusation from the public, this also agreed with Jewish custom, so the scribes could bring no reasonable accusation either. Although scribes were paid for their work (as is just and lawful), Jewish commentators note that "it is forbidden to take a wage for teaching the Oral Law," which was taught in their culture as an interpretation of Deuteronomy 4:5, where Moses said he taught them, and it logically follows that it was done so freely, without charge.
(See Mishneh Torah, 1:7, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 21, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Torah_Study.1.7?lang=bi])

  [v9] Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

The apostles were not to take any kind of money (Luke 9:3), and these metals were coined and used as money in that day. The farthing was the smallest amount of money, made of brass, and this demonstrates to us that Christ wanted them to carry no money of any value whatsoever in their purses, which was not a separate carrying sack as some might expect (because that is mentioned in the next verse), but a pocket that was sewn into their garments to store whatever they wished to carry close to their person; a method of theft prevention.

  [v10] Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

A scrip is a large leather bag travelers would carry to store food and other necessities, indicating that the apostles were not to carry the smallest amount of money, nor were they to take any other provisions. They were not to take two coats, one to travel in, and one for normal wear; they should only have one coat for the sake of modesty. They were also not to bring shoes, which does not mean they were barefoot because Jesus instructed them to take sandals (Mark 6:9) that were often made with harder leather, and in some cases, wood covered in leather. They were not to take more than one staff, but one was allowed to help them walk. (Mark 6:8) These things were done to keep the burdens of travel to a minimum, and because "the workman is worthy of his meat," which is proverbial in the sense that they were due the necessities of life for their work, not only teaching the apostles that God would provide for them, but that they were to live of the Gospel (1Co 9:14), and it was the duty of others who received the gifts of preaching to provide the wages of their needs for the work they did.

  [v11] And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

When the apostles came to a town, they should ask who "is worthy," which is not meant in the sense of worthiness of the Gospel of Christ because no man is worthy of it (Rom 3:23), but rather, they should enquire who is hospitable and would take in strangers, in the manner of giving alms to the poor and needy. Jewish tradition teaches that a man who gives alms was a worthy man, so Jesus used language in relation to that tradition, and that they should "abide till ye go thence," or in other words, stay in that home until you leave the city, because if they were to move from house to house, it may give the impression that they were insufferable to the hospitality of alms-giving men, and others might see them as men who were taking advantage of charity for selfish gain.

  [v12] And when ye come into an house, salute it.

The common usage of salute in 21st century American society is typically seen as simply saying "Hello," or asking "How are you?" but this is not the way it was used in Jewish culture. Salutations in this regard would be the paying of respect in a customary way of giving reverence to the owner of the house, showing concern for their welfare, and expressing gratitude and kind wishes, which may have included physical custom, such as bowing submission and honor to the lord of the house.

  [v13] And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

Since the 'worthy' was used by Jesus in sense of alms giving and charity, He instructed them to judge if the house was indeed hospitable to strangers. If so, they should give the salutations of respect and honor to the house, and accept their alms with thanksgiving, but if the inhabitants of the house are not what they were reported to be, uncivil, uncaring, pretensious, and rigorous, the well wishes should be kept to themselves, and should be redirected to a home where that honor is more deserving.

  [v14] And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Anyone who would ignore or scoff at their salutations, despise their well wishing, and likewise, be angry with Gospel of Christ preached, when they departed from that man's house (or exited the city), they should "shake off the dust" of their feet, which was a testimony to them of their uncleanness. Jewish commentators taught that there was uncleanness in the lands of the Gentiles to the point that even the earth itself was corrupt, and if one were to walk a path of Gentile dust, "he is unclean."
(See Mishnah Tahorot, 5:1, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 22, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Tahorot.5.1?lang=bi])

This is not to say that the dust we stand on is important to Jesus Christ. Rather, the Gospel of Christ had come to the people of the house in that city, and they rejected that Gospel, unwittingly testifying of their own wickedness, loving their sin to such a degree that the saving of their souls is of no importance in their minds, and so by their rejection of repentance and faith, Jesus instructed that His apostles should have no part with those people, taking their healing and doctrine elsewhere that it might be understood and appreciated.

  [v15] Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

The departure of the blessings of Jesus through His disciples was not the full extent of their punishment, so Jesus continues to say it is certain that these people will not be tolerated as much as Sodom and Gomorrha, two cities that were filled with the most vile and brutal of sinners. This indicates that there are degrees of torment that are suffered in hell, and that Sodom and Gomorrha—though guilty and rightfully punished by God—did not have the fullness of the Gospel of Christ as was being delivered to the Jews, so with the knowledge of the law, the understanding of the prophets, and the blessings of the Messiah who was walking among them, they had less excuse, and so their punishments will be greater than that of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha, who did not have the advantages of those things. (Lam 4:6)

  [v16] Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Jesus follows up the last verse—indicating those who would scoff at them in hatred—with a warning that they would encounter many such people who would cause them trouble and afflictions. Jesus compares them to sheep in the sense that they are meek, humble, harmless inoffensive, and obedient, while being unable to protect themselves from harm of the wolves that surrounded them on all sides, putting them in a situation where they must rely on the Shepherd for their help.

The saying to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" seems to come from the proverbs of Jewish commentators because they describe the faithful children of Israel to be "like an innocent dove and they heed [God]." In contrast, they also describe the unfaithful Gentile nations of the world to be "as cunning as snakes," and one of the reasons for that is because they focused on self-preservation, avoiding danger when possible. Jesus combined these two metaphors, that they, on one hand, should take precautions and use strategy to protect themselves from unnecessary danger and rage of men, avoiding the snares of men as a serpent will lie silent and wait for a threat to pass, while at the same time, maintaining the character of a harmless dove, without the malicious fangs of hateful men who deceive as vipers. (Mat 23:33)
(See Shir HaShirim Rabbah, 2:14, Sefaria, retrieved Sept 22, 2025, [https://www.sefaria.org/Shir_HaShirim_Rabbah.2.14.1?lang=bi])

  [v17] But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

This is not a generalized warning against all mankind, but in the context, it is a warning about corrupt men of religious authority, such as the scribes, elders, and chief priests, and those who follow them, that they should beware not in the sense of being aware of their presence, but to beware about bringing them into their fold, and to lower their guard around them. If they had a chance to avoid the crowds who might defend the disciples of Christ who healed the sick, those wicked men would take them captive and deliver them to the highest religious authorities, who had governing rule in Israel, reveling at the thought of bringing pain to their enemies, and would whip them in the synagogues, which was their tradition, and was done to many Christians in that day, Saul being one of those who persecuted the saints before his conversion. (Acts 22:19)

  [v18] And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

In addition to suffering the wrath of the Jewish elders, the disciples of Christ would be arrested and brought to trials before Roman judges, as Paul was brought before Felix the governor. (Acts 23:24) Jewish leaders only had limited power over small matters, but Roman governors were given higher authority to issue greater punishments. The disciples of Christ were also brought before kings, like when Paul was brought before Agrippa (Acts 25:14), not for having done anything wrong, such as theft, murder, or conspiracy, but simply for preaching Christ crucified. The Lord God allowed this for the purpose of bringing testimony against rulers and the Gentiles who rejected the peaceful and charitable salvation of God.

  [v19] But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

It is reasonable to consider how any of us might respond when brought to a judge's court, or before a king in his court, who had the ruling authority to order torture and execution. Most of us are the same as the apostles, being simple men of little education, and because of that, we have no idea how to conduct ourselves in such places because we do not frequent them, let alone would we know what we ought to say to convey the doctrine of Christ in such a setting. To ease their minds, Christ said He would give them the words they should say, presenting the best arguments in the most appropriate manner, that they would have no need to study or prepare for the encounter, assisting them immediately in that moment.

  [v20] For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

This assistance Christ gave them would come through the Holy Spirit, speaking through them, not by their own intellect or strength, so they would not have to concern themselves with having to come up with their own words. This was demonstrated by the working of the Holy Ghost on Stephen in Acts 7, so much that his countenance appeared to be that of an angel (Acts 6:15), and by the working of the Holy Ghost through him, he gave what is, in my opinion, the greatest speech in all of Scripture.

  [v21] And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

After warning them that they would be taken and delivered to unjust punishments by strangers, Jesus continues to warn them that their closest relations will do the same, which demonstrates their grotesque hearts and minds, and how deeply sin corrupts. It stands to reason that siblings should have some concern to the good of one another, and so much more from parent to child and vice versa, but they will throw off their natural affection, and in a blind rage, will deliver their own flesh and blood to officers, that the disciples of Christ might be put to death, for the express purpose that they might cut off the message of repentance for the remission of sins, and justify themselves to be righteous by their works.

  [v22] And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Jesus did not mean that all men everywhere would hate us because, obviously, we are not hated by the church, and there are some unbelievers who are peaceful people, but that we would be hated in general by men of all ranks in various places, and that, as Jesus already expressed, this hatred would come from the closest of companions and relatives, as well as those who claimed to serve God. This is not good news, and so to comfort the disciples of Christ, He added that there would be an end to this suffering, whether at the end of their lives, or the lives of their persecutors, or the destruction of Jerusalem in that day, and that if we remain stedfast in our faith in Christ, He will save us and bring us to a place where there will be no more sorrow or tears. (Rev 21:4)

  [v23] But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Jesus seems to transition from His generalized warnings of persecution to all disciples, back to this specific instance with the apostles. When they were persecuted to the point that they could not do their work, they should depart for another city, to continue to spread the doctrines of Christ far and wide.

This was not said that they should avoid persecution altogether, but that they should endure it, and not be disheartened by it, continuing to bring the message of salvation to as many as would hear. Jesus also told them that there was much work to be done and many people to reach, so much in fact that they would not finish preaching to all of Israel before "the Son of man be come," which is not His second coming, but His death and resurrection from the dead, and the coming of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.

  [v24] The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

This is a very simple proverb that the servant cannot expect to have the same reputation, nor receive the same honor, as the lord he serves, and this proverb would apply much more drastically when comparing the Lord of Glory, the King of Kings, to us mere sinners saved by His grace. Therefore, it stands to reason that if the master is of low reputation in a society, how much less reputation will we have? If the lord has little honor, how much less will we have? If Christ's perfect character, kind demeanor, and charitable works could not shield him from scoffing, threats, and death, why should we expect that we would be treated better than Him?

  [v25] It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

That we are the disciples of Christ, born again by His gifts of repentance and faith, is sufficient for us to rejoice to belong to our Lord and Savior, making us extremely grateful and thankful for His mercy, so that when we are treated, at minimum, as terribly as He was treated, we consider it an honor simply to have His favor. The Jews rightly considered the gods of the Gentiles to be devils (1Co 10:20), and they viewed Beelzebub to be the prince of devils (Mat 12:24), so if the great, merciful, and kind Son of God was blasphemed to be chief of devils, which is Satan, why would it be any surprise for us to be frequently accused of being Satan, or a child of Satan, or an agent of Satan for simply preaching the truth of Christ's doctrine?

  [v26] Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

If we preach the truth of the Gospel of Christ faithfully and dutifully, there is no reason to fear men, specifically what they might say about us in attempt to destroy our reputations because their words will do no more damage to us than they did to Christ. In time, the truth will make itself known because the evil they do in secret will be exposed, in this life or the next, and no matter how much effort they make to cover up their maliciousness and wickedness, they are only permitted by the Lord to keep the façade of their deception for a time.

Eventually, the evil thoughts and intents of their hearts will be forced into the light of the truth, revealed for all to see. We Christians only need to have patience, sometimes for many years, even decades, but patience will win the battle because God reveals all things in due time.

  [v27] What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

This is not to say that Christ spoke to them in an evil or obscure manner, but "in darkness" is meant in the sense of privacy, or rather, what He told them in secret, away from the ears of others, they should preach "in light," which is openly and publicly, for all to hear, with nothing hidden, in clear view. Jesus follows this up by saying that whatever He taught them in secret, they should teach "upon the housetops," which were mostly flat in that day, unlike the angled roofs we typically have in America, which would make it near impossible, or perhaps dangerous to preach from, but in Israel, the rooftops of houses were used to make proclamations that could be heard by many, and therefore, we are commanded to use the methods of proclamation of our day to preach repentance for the remission of sins and Christ crucified.

  [v28] And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Although we have a natural, physical fear of pain because the body is designed by God to prioritize self-preservation and avoid harm, we who are born again in Christ should not be afraid when faced with the bloodthirsty persecution of wicked men, who would see us harmed, imprisoned, silenced, and/or executed. This does not mean we should not take proper precautions, because Jesus told us to beware of such men in verse 17, and instructed His apostles to flee into another city if things get too heated in verse 23, but rather, we should keep in the forefront of our minds the fact that our body is not the limitation of our existence because only our souls are eternal, and since men cannot destroy a soul (which, in this context, means to punish in terms of harm), they are no threat in the long term.

We should rather fear the Living God, who can punish both body and soul in everlasting torment, without them being destroyed if He so chooses. In the day of wrath, the Lord foretold that locusts (with the faces of men) would swarm the earth, and they would attack people with the sting of a scorpion, but their bodies would not die, even though they would seek death and not find it (Rev 9:3-6), and likewise, Jesus promised everlasting torment of hellfire to sinners who will not come to repentance and faith (Heb 13:4, Rev 21:8, Luke 16:24), which should terrify all men, causing us to be fearful of Him, leading us to take His Word with the utmost seriousness, to gain His knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. (Pro 1:7, Pro 1:29)

  [v29] Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

A farthing was a very small coin of money used by the Jews, and in terms of the dollar (according to inflationary rates in 2025) it would be worth about 10 cents, or what was referred to as a "dime," but the point is that it is an extremely small value of money. According to this verse, two sparrows could be purchased for a farthing, making the value of a single sparrow less than a low value coin. Despite this low value, there is not a single sparrow that is born, died, or shot and killed without the knowledge and will of God, emphasizing the providence of God over all creation, that all things persist by His will (Col 1:17), showing His great care for even the lowest of creatures.

  [v30] But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

This is to teach us that the span of our lives is already predetermined by the Lord, outside of time, and our days cannot be lengthened or shortened by any means apart from His will. Since every hair of our heads are taken into account, as a manager taking stock of his supply, then the care taken for our lives is obviously much greater, which should instill confidence in the minds of the faithful.

  [v31] Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Again, Christ emphasizes that we should not fear what men should do to us, for they are only permitted to do to us what the Lord wills, and knowing that the life of a man is worth more than many sparrows, the life of a Christian is worth far more in God's eyes. In summary, His doctrine here is that if God takes care for sparrows, having enough concern for their lives to take account for them all, then He will do far more for His faithful children, not allowing wicked men to take their lives until the work He set for His children to do has been finished.

  [v32] Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

It is imperative that we Christians clarify what this means because the world in my day (in the 21st century) has confused "profess" with "confess," thinking that both simply mean to declare, as if proclaiming "Jesus is Lord!" or "Christ is King!" with fervency is sufficient to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This conflation has caused much confusion, resulting in a false ideology, which teaches that someone can simply speak the name of Jesus to prove he is a saved Christian.

It is vital for Christians to understand that one can profess Jesus Christ, while not confessing Him, but confessing Him includes professing Him. In other words, one cannot confess Christ without professing Him, but one can profess Christ without confessing Him.

profess (v): to make open declaration of; to make a show of any sentiments by loud declaration

confess (v): to own, acknowledge or avow, as a crime, a fault, a charge, a debt, or something that is against one's interest, or reputation; to own; to acknowledge; to declare to be true, or to admit or assent to in words; opposed to deny
(See 'profess' & 'confess', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Sept 24, 2025, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

For example, I have seen instances where a man, in the presence of his buddies, would openly declare that he stole something valuable from his rival, but when law enforcement was contacted and questioned the man, he professed that he never stole anything. This is because the man professed his crime to his buddies, thinking he was justified in what he did, but secretly, in his heart, he knows that what he did was wrong, so instead of CONFESSING his crime, he professed something different to the police, because confession of guilt involves an admission of wrongdoing.

This is why the Bible does not commonly use the word "profess," but when it does, in the majority of cases, it is referring to those who claim one thing with their mouths, while hypocritically doing other things that contradict their declaration. For example, atheists are "professing themselves to be wise," but "they became fools" (Rom 1:22), or those who oppose the Scriptures with "science falsely so called" and with "profane and vain babblings" are those who "professing have erred concerning the faith" (1Ti 6:21), or anyone who would "profess that they know God, but in works they deny him." (Tts 1:16)

In contrast, confessing involves our humble acknowledgment and declaration of our transgressions against God (Psa 32:5), and thus, when "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil 2:11), it is a declaration of guilt before Christ and His law, that we are worthless and vile in His sight, that we are in need of His gift of repentance for the remission of sins, and for us Christians, He cleanses us by faith He authors in us, gives us His righteousness, and grants us the value that He has placed on us for the purpose of spreading the truth of His Gospel. Therefore, Jesus tells us, those who "confess me before men," which is that humble declaration of guilt and need of salvation through the regeneration of the Holy Ghost, which is of a genuine confession that is not a feigned profession for pretense, will result in Christ confessing this also, which is not to say that Christ is declaring any guilt of Himself, for He is God and incapable of sin, but rather, He will acknowledge our confession before His Father, that we are indeed His brethren.

  [v33] But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

This is not merely a denial of words, like in the case of Peter denying Christ three times, because if that were the case, then Peter would be in hell today. Peter was repentant (i.e. had godly sorrow) of his wrongdoing, and was forgiven his offenses by Christ, so this means Christ is teaching us about men who deny Him in their hearts.

For example, the vile popes of Rome have professed that "Jesus is Lord," but it is meaningless because they participate in their antichrist Eucharist ritual, which denies Christ's sacrifice on the cross, instead putting their faith and hope in a never-ending, cannibalist blood ritual in the cup. Thus, denial is not only accomplished by words, but by deeds, and by belief in a false gospel, which is not to say that a man cannot be saved and be fooled by a false gospel, for that happens to us all at times; rather, when a man denies Christ in his beliefs and deeds, He denies Christ in his heart, making his declaration a PRO-fession instead of a CON-fession, resulting in Christ professing that He never knew them, and to depart from Him forever. (Mat 7:23)

  [v34] Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

This is not to say that Jesus is not peaceful, for He is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6), but He is addressing the false interpretation of the Jews at the time, as well as the false interpretation of modern-day churchgoers, namely, that our regeneration in the Holy Ghost does not mean we will have ease in the world, nor does it mean that a religious institution would have authority from God to create a spiritual kingdom on earth, thereby creating some imagined utopia of tranquility. The peace Jesus creates is in the minds and hearts of contrite and faithful men, and by coming to this world to suffer and die on the cross as payment for our sins, Christ brought "a sword"—or rather, division (Luke 12:51)—to separate the children of God from the traditions and practices of men, which is not to say that Jesus incites the contention, but that contention is the natural reaction of sinful men when presented with the truth, and thus, Christ came to bring the sword of truth, which pierces into the deep recesses of the heart (Heb 4:12), causing most men to be offended (Mat 13:21) and lash out in hate (as Christ noted in verse 22) because they did not receive the love of the truth from the Spirit of God. (2Th 2:10)

  [v35] For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Jesus emphasizes again that He came to bring the truth of His Gospel, which will set men in opposition to some of their closest familial relationships, such as a sinful father pitted against his faithful son, or a sinful daughter pitted against her faithful mother, both of which should have natural affection towards one another, but results in only one retaining it because of the other's love for their sin. Christ also gives us the example of the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, which would have previously worked together and lived in harmony, but now the daughter-in-law creates animosity against her husband's blood relations, causing increased turmoil in the family, all in opposition to the peaceful and merciful doctrine of Christ.

  [v36] And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

This phrase in combination with the previous verse seem to be taken from Micah 7:6. A man who faithfully serves Christ will have many of his own household turn against him, despite the fact that he still maintains all that they have, providing for their food, clothing, and shelter, demonstrating that sin will drive people to do insane things they would not normally do, becoming fools unable to reason.

  [v37] He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Jesus did not say this to have us be rid of the natural affection we ought to have between parent and child, for it is the duty of children to love their parents (Exd 20:12), and the duty of parents to love their children (2Co 12:14), but we should consider that Christ has given us all things that we love, and therefore, the love we have for Jesus Christ should be infinitely above all things created, having given us the greatest gift of redemption, which means our intimacy with Him should be far greater than our immediate blood relations. It then stands to reason that if one would put aside the Gospel of Christ, and ignore His commandments to satisfy a parent or gratify a child, the same would be unworthy of the grace and righteousness of Christ, nor should be permitted entry to the Kingdom of Heaven.

  [v38] And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

It is a shame that there exist so many churchgoers today who believe that by wearing a necklace or a shirt with a cross symbol on it, or having one hanging on their wall or front door, it is somehow fulfilling this verse, and that simply demonstrates the lack of understanding of 21st century church-ianity culture. The cross symbol itself is pagan in nature, and does not represent the Godhead (i.e. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Acts 17:29), nor does it represent "Christianity," for such things are idolatrous, and should not be used by the faithful children of God, who demonstrate their faith by the doctrine they preach and good works they do.
(Read "Christian Symbols Are Not Christian" at creationliberty.com for more details.)

The cross was the method of Roman execution, and thus, in this context, it is a representation of the persecution, affliction, and tribulation we would receive, suffering the insults, threats, and hatred of men, even unto death. Every saint in Christ has his or her own "cross" to bear, in that their lives are filled with afflictions that are allowed to happen to them by the Lord, which should be gladly accepted and dealt with for His name's sake; not that we are glad to suffer, but to suffer for His sake, that we might be like unto our Master in that regard.

Therefore, those who preach His Gospel will suffer affliction. (Heb 11:25) If a man considers or professes himself to be a disciple of Christ, but has an aversion to suffering persecution and tribulation (Mat 13:21), he shows he is impenitent (Rom 2:4-5), lacking understanding of the Gospel (1Co 2:14), and has no place among the brethren in Christ.

  [v39] He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

The man who seeks temporary pleasures in this life, in the manner of being in open and receptive to the sinful ways of the world, having no discipline to deprive himself of lusts, and seek honor and glory among men, he will lose all which he sought to preserve, and will find no eternal life waiting for him after his death. In contrast, those who forego temporary pleasures in life, in the manner of being closed off and distant to the sinful ways of the world, having discipline in the Word of God to deprive himself of lusts, and have no need of the applause of men, he will find eternal life waiting for him after his death. This is not to say that a Christian does not fall into error or commit sins at times, but is repentant of that sin, and makes effort to keep himself from sin, and not set wickedness before his eyes. (Psa 101:3)

  [v40] He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

At this point in His instruction, the disciples might become sorrowful that this is all they would face, that there would be nothing but persecution without any success in their endeavors, but here, Jesus assures them (and us) that there would be those who will receive the message of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 6:12), and come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is also to assure them that the rejection that they would face is not due to any wrong they had done to the people, but because the people rejected the disciples, they rejected Christ, and they rejected Christ because they rejected God, as God told Samuel when he addressed the people. (1Sa 8:7) Likewise, if the words of the disciples are heard and followed, it is because they followed Christ, so that they should not take credit for themselves, and give all glory to the Holy Spirit for the work He does in them. (2Th 2:13)

  [v41] He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

The word 'prophet' here is not used in the sense of someone who foretells future events, but in its general meaning, which is a preacher of the Word of God. Jesus explains that if a man is hospitable to a preacher of the Word of God for the purpose that he is a faithful minister of the Word of God, and not for any other reason, then the reward he would receive would be comperable to a preacher of the Word because this man received them for the purpose of increasing the understanding of the truth of Scripture for his own sake, as well as his family and neighbors, which assists in the preaching of the Word.

Jesus adds a note about "a righteous man," which should not be taken to mean that a man is righteous of himself because no man is righteous (Rom 3:10) except if he has righteousness imputed to him by Christ. (Rom 4:24) Not all Christians are preachers of the Word of God, but they have all been given righteousness by Christ, and therefore, in the same regard as the prophets, if a faithful Christian is received simply for the fact that he is a faithful Christian, the man of the house will receive the same reward, that by hearing the Gospel of Salvation—repentance for the remission of sins and faith in Christ—he may receive eternal life through the gift of grace in Jesus Christ.

  [v42] And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Jesus then descends from the greatest of hospitality to the lowest form of charity, offering something so simple as a cup of cold water, to provide a little relief from heat and exhaustion, which might be all that a poor man has to offer, but he offers it nonetheless because they are disciples of Christ, then Christ takes even these small acts of kindness into consideration. Jesus counts these deeds done to His disciples as deeds done to Himself, and not only is there no loss of reward for offering only a small token of charity, such kindness is highly regarded by God, and will be taken into favorable consideration in the future.



 

  [v1] And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

Jesus commanded them in the sense that He gave them doctrine, taught them what He saw fit that they should understand, and then instructed them as to the manner and places they should go to preach His gospel. After sending them, Jesus went into their cities after them, to follow up their evangelism with the working of miracles to enforce its truthfulness, demonstrating in part that the working of miracles, though necessary as evidence in the days of Christ among the Jews, was not near as important as teaching sound doctrine. (Mat 16:4, Mat 16:12, 1Co 14:1)

  [v2] Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

This is John the Baptist, who was in prison at Machaerus (i.e. a hilltop fortress rebuilt in 30 B.C.) at the behest of Herod, who was slighted when John rebuked him for taking to wife Herodias, his half-brother's recently divorced wife (Mark 6:18), an offense contrary to the Mosaic law. (Lev 20:21) Though John sent these two disciples to Jesus, that they might be witnesses to His works and doctrine, they seem to be quite skeptical, even upon seeing His miraculous works and hearing his marvelous doctrine; perhaps because Jesus did not live a life so strict as John—for it is men who need discipline, not God—or perhaps because John's disciples decreased as Christ's increased, making them difficult to persuade.

  [v3] And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

John sent his disciples with a purpose, and perhaps due to their skeptical nature, they may have been instructed to ask this question for their own sakes. The phrase "he that should come" is referring to the Messiah, the King of Kings, the Wonderful Counsellor, The Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father who would come in the flesh to save them. (Isa 9:6) Since being sent to Jesus, they question if they should "look for another," that—if Jesus was not the Messiah—they would be released from their obligations that they could continue to seek the one they sought.

  [v4] Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

Jesus did not confirm anything for them one way or another, but instead instructed them to return to John in prison, and to tell him of all the doctrines they heard Jesus preach to the poor and needy, as well as the miracles they had witnessed, as well as other miracles they had heard from other credible witnesses.

  [v5] The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Jesus proceeds to reminding them what they had seen was in accordance with the prophecy of Isaiah. (Isa 35:6) With this, they had far more evidence than they needed to confirm that He was the Messiah they sought.

After encountering Jesus, the blind did see (Mat 9:29-30), the lame did walk (Mat 9:2-6), the lepers were cleansed (Mat 8:3), the deaf did hear (Mark 7:33-35), and dead were raised alive once more. (Mat 9:24-25) These were not those who were necessarily poor in terms of material goods, as some had wealth, but they were poor in spirit (Mat 5:3), recognizing their own wretchedness (Rev 3:17), and looked to Christ for cleansing and righteousness, to give them riches in spiritual things.

  [v6] And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Most Jews were offended by Christ's birth, both in his parents and his birth of a virgin mother, and the location of it, which they mistakenly thought was supposed to be Galilee. They were offended by Christ's lack of formal education; a lowly carpenter showing up with disciples and crowds following Him. They were offended by the company he kept, being of a poor and lowly crowd, and not like the perfumed scribes of elite religiousity. Most of all, they were offended at His lack of regard for their perceived sacred rituals; ignoring them to teach the people the doctrines of faith and charity, which made the educated religious leaders look foolish.

Even the disciples of John the Baptist were offended by Jesus because He did not fast as they and their master did. (Mat 9:14) Again, Jesus had no need to directly answer their inquiry because they had all the evidence they needed, and instead, simply told them that those who would be rewarded with blessings from God—eternal joy and comfort in their souls—are those who are not offended by Jesus, who listened and followed his doctrine.

  [v7] And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

As the two disciples of John left to return to John, doing as Christ instructed them, some in the crowd were witness to this, so He addressed all of them concerning their intentions and John's identity. Since He neither confirmed nor denied what they asked Him, it was wise to address the crowd, lest they formulate the wrong impression about the conversation in their minds, and to erase their doubts about John as well, since imprisoning a man often gives the public an impression that the arrested man is a criminal.

To restore their good opinion of John, Jesus reasons with them by asking "What went ye out into the wilderness to see?" A great multitude came from all over Israel to see and hear John the Baptist (Mat 3:5), and many of them were in this crowd, but John performed no miracles of healing or raising the dead, so why did they come to see him?

Did they travel a great distance to see a man sway back and forth like a reed in the wind, to put on a show for them? Did they come to see a man variably shaken like a reed—unstable and inconsistent in his ideology? Or, did they come to hear John's doctrine and witness a man who they thought may have been the one to preceed the coming Messiah?

  [v8] But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

The obvious answer to the previous question was "No," so Jesus continued to ask if they traveled to see "a man clothed in soft raiment?" This would refer to fine clothes made of cotton or silk, commonly worn by wealthy men, but it is not expected to see a man wearing such apparel in the wilderness.

Those who wear such fancy clothes are seen in courts of kings, not in living in the desert and baptizing in the river. John wore a coat of camel's hair, a leather girdle around his loins, and ate locusts with wild honey (Mat 3:4), which is unique among almost any culture, and certainly not customary of wealthy men. However, crowds do not travel from far and wide just to see gay clothing. (Jms 2:3)

  [v9] But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

Jesus reminds them that they went to see and hear a prophet, for they knew him to be a legitimate prophet, which is why Herod was afraid to have him executed, and why the Pharisees dared not speak up against his work of baptism. John was greater than the prophets before him because the others spoke of the Messiah for future generations, but John was privileged to be able to lift his finger to point them all to the Messiah directly.

  [v10] For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

This is referring to Malachi 3:1, and this messenger was John the Baptist, who was prophesied to preceed Christ, preparing the people to accept the doctrine and baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4), which Christ would complete by His work on the cross.

  [v11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Jesus said this phrase—"born of women"—in a general sense, that a man who is born of woman into this world, his days are few and full of troubles. (Job 14:1) In this context, of men born great would be those who are blessed by God, and of those men born prophets, there is none greater than John the Baptist, not even Moses, who the Jews thought to be the greatest among them.

Of course, we know that Jesus is the greatest of all born among women, but Jesus did not rank Himself among them, nor should He, for He is God. (John 10:30) For Jesus to list Himself among prophets is to say that He is in need of revelation, which is backwards, because He is the revelation, the Word of God made manifest in the flesh to us. (Rom 16:25-26, 2Ti 1:9-10)

When Jesus said that the "least in the kingdom of heaven" were greater than John, He is referring to His apostles. John preceeded Christ, spent very little time with Him, and lived out his final days in prison, while unlearned fisherman got to travel with Christ, learn directly from Him, were given the gifts of miracles, sent forth directly by His commandment to preach the Gospel, and received the Holy Ghost on the glorious Day of Pentecost.

  [v12] And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

From the time John the Baptist began to preach, until the coming of the "kingdom of heaven," which is the church and ministering of the Gospel, they were persued with violence. Both John and Christ came peacefully, but were, in the end, retaliated against with force: John suffering imprisonment and execution, and Christ tortured and executed.

However, this may also be thought of in a different way based on the context; that the force of violence is a fervence of those who wished to hear the preaching of the kingdom of heaven. Sinners of various kinds among the Gentiles—thieves, murderers, and harlots alike—are considered enemies of God and intruders, but because of God's mercy, and their faith in His mercy, they are given understanding, made friends, and come in with force, eagerly desiring the spiritual things which many Jews took for granted.

  [v13] For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

This is not to say that prophesying stopped with John, for others prophesied after him, including the apostles, but rather, this is said in the sense that the law and prophets all pointed to the Messiah in future tense. Jesus noted this because, in most cases, prophets can only be verified through some of their short term prophecies, while their long term prophesies cannot be verified in that generation, but with John, this major prophecy was verified in his day, allowing all to see the evidence of his words, giving them everything they needed to believe.

  [v14] And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

Jesus confirms that John the Baptist is the embodiment of the spirit and power of Elijah (or Elias, Luke 1:17), which was foretold by Malachi to preceed the Messiah. (Mal 4:5) John is not Elijah in the sense of a reincarnated person, but Jesus said "this is Elias" in the sense the Jews would recognize him, that he would share similarities with Elijah in preaching of doctrine, in dress, living conditions, mannerism, courage, integrity, discipline, and zeal for the Lord. Jesus adds the condition "if ye will receive it," knowing that many would not believe it, despite the overwhelming evidence and eyewitnesses.

  [v15] He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

This is something Jesus would say when it was a matter of great importance, to which the people should have turned their attention. In a very short speech, He informed them that John was more than a prophet, that his presence was fulfillment of the prophecy in Malachi, and that the end result prophesied in the prophets and the law was upon them, leaving them to freely conclude what they would according to the measure of faith within them.

It should be noted that all who had hearing could hear his words, but could not understand. Having ears is not the meaning of His words, but rather, having spiritual ears, a gift from the Lord, that unlocks the understanding and softens the heart, to bring men to repentance for the remission of sins and faith in the Son of God for salvation.

  [v16] But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

Jesus then follows this reminder with a rebuke, offering an analogy to describe the most of the Jews in that day—stubborn, selfish hypocrites. The children of the Kingdom of Heaven—Christ, John the Baptist, the disciples of Jesus—called out to their contemporaries to join them as friends, for either mourning or fellowship as was appropriate.

  [v17] And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

The allusion seems to be to the tradition of Jewish children, to play music and dance at a festival or wedding, or to call and respond accordingly in the grief of a funeral. Thus, Jesus notes that they have called to the Jews with the joyful message of the Gospel of Salvation, yet they neither mourned in sorrow of their sins, nor rejoiced at the message of faith, which is as a delightful song to repentant sinners.

  [v18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

In relation to the analogy, Jesus points out that John did not come to them "eating and drinking," which is the manner of a person in mourning, showing his penitence by living a disciplined life. John ate little, took nothing from any man, and made himself a burden to no one, yet, despite his humility and peacefulness among them, he was called a demonically possessed madman, as if he were an agent of Satan for preaching the truth.

  [v19] The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

In contrast to John, Jesus used Himself as an example, noting that he ate and drank as men in society typically do, and yet, they accused Him of being immodest in His appetite, and undisciplined in his drink. They also associated him with publicans (i.e. tax collectors) and other sinners, who love the company of unbridled indulgence of sin.

In logical terms, this is called "shifting the goalpost" or an "impossible standard," so that it does not matter what a man says or does, he is guilty. Such are tactics of liars and manipulators. The impossible standard's purpose is to condemn a man for being opposed to his opponents particular worldview, forcing him into a no-win situation where he must capitulate to his opposition's position or be outcast.

However, Jesus answers this by saying that the children of wisdom, who have been given a love of the truth—as are all those saved in Christ (2Th 2:10)—will not only accept Christ's doctrine, but vindicate Him. For some men, no amount of preaching will appease them. A man could be the greatest orator of the Gospel, but he will be reproached as wicked or a lunatic by those who hate the truth, yet those who have been given an ear to hear by the grace of God, will hear.

  [v20] Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

upbraid (v): to charge with something wrong or disgraceful; to reproach
reproach (v): to censure in terms of opprobrium or contempt [i.e. despising what is vile]; to charge with a fault in severe language
censure (v): to find fault with and condemn as wrong; to blame
(See 'upbraid', 'reproach' & 'censure', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Jan 1, 2026, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Once Christ had gone through many cities after His disciples, preaching and confirming His doctrine with miracles, He saw how many made these false accusations against Himself and John the Baptist; claiming one was lascivious, while the other was possessed of a devil. It should be noted that Jesus was also being accused of being an agent of Satan, and would soon face more of those vile and unjust accusations. (Mat 12:24) Although Jesus did not leave His heavenly throne to condemn the world (John 3:17), now it being due season to address their uncharitable nature, Jesus appropriately condemned them for their lies and hypocrisy.

Jesus healed the sick, cured the diseased, restored the lame, and raised the dead, but this was not the focus of their backbiting and gossiping. Without doubt, men loved to witness His miracles, and came from far and wide to see them. It was Christ's doctrine that they hated, which was evidenced by the fact that upon hearing the doctrine He preached that was vindicated by His miracles, they would not come to grief and godly sorrow (i.e. repentance) of their sins, proving that, the eyes of the vast majority of Jews, Christ's work was nothing more than an entertaining spectacle.

  [v21] Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

As far as I am aware, there is no other record of Chorazin anywhere else in the Scriptures, but outside sources say it was located in the region of Galilee, along with Bethsaida and Capernaum, which formed a triangle just a few miles apart from each other, making them easy to travel between. Jesus began His working of miracles in this region, and they being the first to witness it, should have also been the first to come to repentance of their sins, but Jesus cursed them for their faithless apathy.

woe (n): grief; sorrow; misery; a heavy calamity; a curse
(See 'wo', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Jan 10, 2026, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Tyre and Sidon were trade cities of the Phoenicians, located along the coast of the Mediterranean, who were looked down upon by the Jews due to the pagan influence of their culture. Jesus was not saying the entire city would have come to godly sorrow of their sins, but based on probability, many more would have, at the very least, outwardly put on sackcloth and sat in ashes for the purpose of immediate regret in fear, which would have invoked God's mercy and stayed any temporal punishments for their sin—a far cry difference from the Galileans, who were given the great privilege of being the first to witness Christ.

The emphasis of this verse should be consideration of privilege more than anything because the grace given to a man, that he might hear of the Gospel of Salvation, is dependent upon the humility of his heart. (Jms 4:6, Pro 3:34) God's grace falls on some in different ways it falls on others, but for those with the great and glorious privilege to be the first to hear and see Christ's ministry, it is deeply shameful that they were so nonchalant in response to Him, and worse still, that they would readily accept the rumors of wicked men without first hearing and considering the matter. (Pro 18:13)

  [v22] But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

What follows the phrase "but I say unto you" is in strict agreement with Jesus' previous statement, meaning that the "but" portion is to address the philosophy of the Jews, in which they considered themselves better than those of Tyre and Sidon. Though the unbelieving sinners of Tyre and Sidon will face their day in judgment, their crimes will be lesser because they did not have the advantage of hearing the Gospel of Christ.

Although uncertain due to a lack of detail in the Bible, there is some indication that there will be varying degrees of punishment in hell, a lesser and greater damnation. (Mat 23:14) This seems to indicate that those who had the knowledge of God from His Word and ignored it, or worse still, those who used it to exploit the people, will receive a greater damnation than those who did not have it, which is also indicated in the unbelieving sinners who had not the advantage of the Gospel being "more tolerable."
(Read "Hell is Real and Many People Are Going There" at creationliberty.com for more details.)

  [v23] And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Jesus had come to Capernaum many times, using it has a home base of operations, staying in the house of Peter's mother-in-law, who He also healed. God in the flesh dwelt among them, which made them "exalted unto heaven" because of the great privilege they had, and He healed many who were sick in this city to demonstrate His divine nature, yet the vast majority of them ignored him and did not believe.

It never ceases to amaze me how many churchgoers I have seen in the 21st century who act like they all follow Jesus, yet the vast majority have no interest in discussing the Gospel of Salvation. It is strikingly similar to the Jews in the days of Christ, who all claimed to be the children of God, but ignored the Gospel of Salvation preached to them. These groups of people are 2,000 years apart, but do the same things: use the name of God for pretense, and look to their rituals. (Ecc 1:9)

Jesus was not referring to the city of Capernaum going to hell, because inanimate, material objects do not have souls, and therefore, do not get sentenced to hell. He was obviously referring to the people therein, but it is interesting to note that the ancient city of Capernaum, despite being such an important location for the Lord of Lords, is today nothing more than ruins preserved for archeological research and tourists.

This accusation goes much deeper than Tyre and Sidon, for the city of Sodom was filled with the most vile and disgusting men, so much that the title of queerdom, the sodomites, were so named. Even they, Jesus says, may have outwardly repented with a worldly sorrow (2Co 7:10) that would have bought themselves some time by praying for the mercy of God to spare them. (Eze 33:11)

  [v24] But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Due to their horrific and repulsive sin, the physical punishment of Sodom was complete destruction (Deut 29:23), and the inhabitants therein are suffering hellfire to this day. However, God considers unbelief, most especially in the face of overwhelming evidence, to be a much greater crime (John 3:18), for to not believe the Lord in what He says is to accuse Him of being a liar, and knowing the father of lies is Satan, unbelief itself is an indirect form of blasphemy, which can be forgiven men if they repent. (Mark 3:28)

  [v25] At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

The "time" being referred to is when the disciples returned to Jesus after completing the tasks He gave them. (Luke 10:17) Jesus immediately thanked God the Father, which indicates He was discouraged at the unbelief of so many in the cities He frequented, yet encouraged by the faith of His disciples, and the successes God had granted them.

The "wise and prudent" are not referring to those given the wisdom of God, but to those who are wise and prudent in the ways of the world, in civil and natural things, scribes and elders with higher education, whose pride in their worldly accomplishments blinds them to the truth. God leaves such men to their willful blindness and instead gives His wisdom and knowledge to "babes," the foolish, unlearned, who have little wisdom of worldly matters, and as young children, are helpless and defenseless, to remove the darkness from their minds and give them spiritual understanding. (1Co 1:26-29)

  [v26] Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

The understanding of the Gospel of Salvation cannot be rightfully credited to the mental prowess of a man, otherwise men could glory, and there are many false converts who indeed pridefully glory of themselves in gross error. (Eph 2:9, 1Co 1:29) Although there are natural processes of reason which play a role in the mind's understanding—without which, the preaching of the Gospel would be impossible (Isa 1:18)—the fullness of understanding cannot be completed without God's gift of revelation through the Holy Ghost, penetrating the veil of darkness created by sin. Knowing that God will not share His glory with any man (Isa 42:8), it is good that His gift of understanding would be given almost exclusively to the poor, needy, despised, downtrodden, worthless fools, who have been humbled to repentance.

  [v27] All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Turning back to His disciples, Jesus explains that God the Father has given all things created to His Son, who created the world with the Father (Col 1:16), and thus, all things visible and invisible, including all creatures (i.e. men, angels, and devils), thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers are created by and for Him. With this in mind, "no man knoweth the Son, but the Father," meaning that the nature of the Son of God, what He has done, and what He does as a mediator between God and men, is known only to the Father.

None can know the Father except through the Lord Jesus Christ, who makes the Father known to us through the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Though men can know of God and Christ in general, their transcendent nature and glory, as well as their doctrine, will only be understood if the Son of God reveals it through the grace of the Father, and this is done according to God's good will and pleasure. (Exd 33:19)

  [v28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

After establishing that all things are given to Him by the Father, Jesus tells His disciples, for the purpose of recording this as a message for mankind, that if they want to find the Father, they must come through Jesus Christ alone, for no other has power to grant men spiritual understanding and salvation through regeneration of the Holy Spirit. To come to Jesus does not mean to physically come and hear Him speak, nor is this in reference to rituals of baptism or communion (the latter of which was not yet instituted for the church), but to come to Him in faith and hope, humbling our hearts and entreating Him in prayer.

All "that labour and are heavy laden" are those who have a deep guilt of sin, being broken-hearted and ashamed of their wrongdoing (Psa 34:18), and burdened with the pressures of the world to work to gain a little peace of mind. If they will lay all their burdens at His feet, Jesus will give them rest, to ease their minds with the free gift of justification and pardon of all sin, to be assured of eternal rest and peace in heaven. (1Jo 5:20)

The insanity of false so-called "Christian" religions to ignore this statement in its contextual understanding is staggering, but by design, it is kept from them, as was just explained by Jesus when He said that God has hidden this understanding "from the wise and prudent" of the world, who glory of themselves a feigned air of spirituality. Many self-professing believers reject this (Mat 7:13-14), though it is such a simple and wonderful concept, and they do so to their own destruction. (2Pe 3:16)

  [v29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

That is, we must take upon us the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the burden of a yoke that would be placed upon oxen for the tilling of a field. This is not to say that this yoke is required for salvation, as that is granted to the penitent who come to Jesus apart from works (Eph 2:8-9), but once we have been granted full pardon and eternal life in Christ, we should not sit around doing nothing because there is much to be done, for which there is great reward in heaven. (Luke 6:23)

Jesus seems to reference to Zechariah 9:9, the prophecy He would later fulfill, which also foretells the details of the Messiah's character. There is nothing else that can come close to comparing to Christ's lowliness and meekness, as He came down from the most glorious, heavenly throne to live without a home, to walk among sinners, to be mocked and ridiculed, and to suffer and die that even His enemies might be saved if they come to repentance and faith.

Therefore, we should learn of Jesus. We should learn of His conversations with men, not only what He said, but why He said the thing He did. We should learn of His submission to God the Father, His submisison to the ordinances of the church (i.e. baptism and communion), His obedience to God, why He chose to suffer and die in horrible manner, His resurrection from the dead, and His instructions to His disciples. All the things Jesus said and did, which were recorded for us by the Holy Ghost through the apostles (John 14:26), should be studied that we would learn the philosophy of Christ (Col 2:8), and find rest (Jer 6:16), which is the peace of mind that comes with salvation in Christ.

  [v30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The yoke laid upon the Jews by the scribes and Pharisees was a great burden, heavy and uncomfortable, full of toil, sweat, and misery, strikingly similar to the ritualistic burdens of many so-called "Christian" religions today, obligating their followers to strict observance of unjustifiable traditions. However, for those who come to Christ alone, by grace through faith, their yoke is easy to put on, and it is light to carry, not because it has no weight, but that the faithful servant of God is given strength through the power of the Holy Ghost, and it becomes a yoke that is pleasing and good in the sight of the child, which they cheerfully adorn knowing the joy which it brings to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:28)

This shows us that Christ's Gospel of Salvation—repentance for the remission of sins and faith in His mercy to save us—is quite simple. There are no complications or religious hoops one must jump through to acquire it. Yet, for all its ease of understanding, a great majority of those who claim to believe on Christ reject it for their pride and other sinful excuses (Mat 7:21-23), just as the vast majority of Jews still reject it to this day.



 

  [v1] At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

Jesus led His disciples through a field of corn, which would presumably be required to pass through on their way to some place of worship, since Luke adds that it was the "second sabbath after the first" (Luke 6:1), or in other words, it was the second day of the passover when the sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest were brought to the priests. (Lev 23:10, Lev 23:15) The Pharisees—likely being hired to follow and observe them, that their superiors might charge Jesus with a crime—noticed the disciples plucked off ears of corn, which may not have been the maize we commonly call corn in our vernacular, but wheat or barley (also called "corn" in the general sense), since they were "rubbing them in their hands" (Luke 6:1) to separate the grain from the husk.

This feast of the harvest was elaborate, since the first fruits were the best of a great bounty. This should be noted since the disciples, being hungered, and having nothing to eat before they traveled, ate a few meager seeds to briefly satisfy their grumbling bellies, while the Pharisees ate lavishly.

  [v2] But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

Jesus (and likewise, His disciples) were not accused of traveling on the sabbath, which was lawful and permitted to do if it was less than 2,000 cubits, nor were they accused of passing through the fields, since that was only restricted to the owners of the fields, not to sojourners passing through. Neither were they accused of plucking their neighbor's grain in passing, for that was permitted in the law. (Deut 23:25)
(See Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Negative Commandments 65, Sefaria Library, retrieved Apr 6, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Sefer_Mitzvot_Gadol%2C_Negative_Commandments.65.1?lang=bi&with=Mishneh%20Torah,%20Sabbath&lang2=en])

The offense was that these things were done on the sabbath day because it was considered reaping the harvest, a work forbidden under the law at this time, and punishable by death if done with foreknowledge. Furthermore, they would have raised issue with the timing of the morning, since their rules forbid a person "to taste anything or to do any work from dawn until after he has recited the Morning Prayer."
(See Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim, 6:4, Jewish Practice, retrieved Apr 6, 2026, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/920168/jewish/Tefilah-and-Birkat-Kohanim-Chapter-6.htm#v4])

  [v3] But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

When Jesus opened this question, it indicated that these men were not fit to be teachers of the law, let alone accusers of others, since they had neglected their duties to study and understand the fulness of the law. David traveled to Nob (the city of priests at the time), to Ahimelech the priest (1Sa 21:1), and Ahimelech inquired why David was "alone, and no man with thee?" which should not be taken in the strictess since, for there were some with him, but not near the number that should have been with him considering his rank, and thus, it were as if none were with him.

David then requested food, namely, "five loaves of bread" (1Sa 21:3), but Ahimelech informed him there was "no common bread (1Sa 21:4)—only "hallowed bread" or shewbread, which was restricted only to priests.

  [v4] How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

David entered the house of God, not the temple, which had not yet been constructed, and Ahimelech kindly offered David the shewbread in an act of charity to hungry men. (1Sa 21:6) David and his men ate the shewbread, and Jewish lawyers confirm this in their own writings, yet it was reserved only for the priests according to Levitical law (Lev 24:5-9), and furthermore, some Jewish authors argue David did this on the sabbath day, as it was safer for him and his men to flee during this time.

To summarize, Christ's argument is that David—who they saw to be a righteous man, as were those who followed him—ate the showbread, which was unlawful for any man to eat who was not a priest. This would have been a much more extreme crime than for Christ's disciples to eat a few ears of corn, which was lawful for them to eat. Thus, they praise David for a much greater offense than the disciples, showing their ignorance, inconsistency, and bias.

  [v5] Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Jesus goes on to defeat their claims more thoroughly by demonstrating that exceptions to the law were made for the priests. (Num 28:9) The priests could kill animals, cook, bake, and many other things which the average Jewish citizen could not do on the sabbath day, and these things were allowed because they were done in the Lord's temple, and in service of it.

  [v6] But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

This is not a "rather" statement, but a preemption of the arguments Jesus knew they would attempt to counter, with reasons for the temple's exceptions. The temple of Christ's body (John 2:19-21) was infinitely greater and more holy than a temple built by the hands of men, and therefore, if there was no offense in the priests performing service indirectly to the Lord in the temple, then it was far less an offense for the disciples to perform services directly to the Lord that walked among them.

  [v7] But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Jesus reinforces His charge of ignorance against the Pharisees, quoting from Hosea 6:6, that God desires charity, mercy, and kindness far more than observance of religious rituals and ceremonies. If they had this knowledge of God's will, and the compassion that should accompany it, they would never have condemned innocent people who did nothing more than rub a few ears of corn to gain some temporary relief from their suffering by the grace of God's creation.

  [v8] For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

This is not to say that Christ is a mere man, because to say such a thing makes no sense. An ordinary man, or son of a man, could not be Lord over laws, rituals, or morals in general. Rather, Christ is indirectly declaring Himself to be the Messiah by quoting from Daniel 7:13, and this indirect manner was often used by Him for the purpose of liberty, permitting the hearers to come to their own conclusions based on what they could see in combination with their knowledge of the Scriptures' description of the Messiah.

It is an absurd thought that the Creator of the sabbath day would be accused by men of being in violation of that which He created for men. The Lord of the sabbath day is not bound to it, has all power over it, and can abolish it when He sees fit. (Col 2:16) Though no law was broken, Jesus obliterates their argument by reminding them of His authority over man and law, to which, it seems, they were presumably baffled and unable to muster a logical or Biblical response.

  [v9] And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

Although we might be initially led to conclude that Jesus went to the synagogue on the same day, immediately after this encounter, Luke tells us the following happened on a different sabbath day (Luke 6:6), and Mark tells us it was a synagogue that He had been to more than once. (Mark 3:1) Jesus clearly had no fear of the Pharisees, nor would He allow them to stop Him from doing good works on any day of the week.

  [v10] And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

A "hand" in Jewish classification is the arm that extends from the elbow to the fingertips. In most cases, the Bible uses the word 'hand' in this way, and therefore, it was likely that most of the man's arm was feeble and unusable, perhaps shriveled up to his torso most of the time.

This man's hand was mostly void of moisture, having the muscles, nerves, and tendons contracted, so much that aside from being unusable, it would likely have caused him daily pain. Nonetheless, he presented himself boldly in faith, knowing that Jesus would heal him, which once again triggered the same foolish accusations from the Pharisees.

In this instance, the Pharisees were laying a trap, since the general doctrine of Jewish lawyers was that healing could only be done on the sabbath day for lethal ailments. This being a non-lethal condition, they either wanted Jesus to back down from healing the man's withered hand so they could divert faith of the people and accuse Him of cruelty, or witness Him heal the hand and accuse Him of violating the law.
(See The Talmud, Yoma 84b, retrieved Apr 13, 2026, [https://www.chabad.org/torah-texts/5446486/Talmud/Yoma/Chapter-8/84b])

  [v11] And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

Knowing their intentions and customs, Jesus provides an example to allow them to fall into a trap of their own making. Jewish sabbath custom dictates that if "an animal falls into a cistern or into a water conduit from which it cannot ascend on its own: If one can supply it with its needs while it is there, he should do so until Saturday night. If not, he may bring cushions and blankets and place them beneath it," demonstrating that one could care for an animal on the sabbath day.
(See Maimonides (Rambam), Hilchot Shabbat (Laws of Shabbat), 25:26, retrieved Apr 13, 2026, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/935247/jewish/Shabbat-Chapter-25.htm])

Jesus points out that there was not a single man there who would not show mercy to the animal on the sabbath day, doing work he was otherwise not permitted to do. He then used this premise to counter their hypocrisy...

  [v12] How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

If it is lawful and good to do things beneficial to the care of a soulless beast on the sabbath day, then it logically follows that it is lawful and good—even moreso—to do that which is charitable to men for their health and comfort. To provide blankets, food, and water to an animal, that it might not get sick, how much more is it good to cure one who is already sick?

According to their own doctrine and proverbs, the Jews showed mercy to men who were in need in violation of sabbath day law. In the Talmud, a story is told of a man who was injured and buried in snow, so Jewish men dug him out and nursed his wounds on the sabbath day, and thus, they know it is lawful for men to do charitable works on the sabbath.
(See The Talmud, Yoma 35b, retrieved Apr 13, 2026, [https://www.chabad.org/torah-texts/5446080/Talmud/Yoma/Chapter-3/35b])

  [v13] Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

Having thoroughly destroyed their foolish accusations that came from their sinful, uncharitable hearts, Jesus turned to the man with the withered hand and told him to extend his arm, which, under its current condition, may have been impossible, but by faithfully stretching it forward, trusting in the commandment of Christ, his withered arm was immediately made whole, healed completely with full function, having muscles, tendons, and nerves all corrected to match his other working arm.

  [v14] Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

The display of healing the withered hand was not simply a demonstration of charity, kindness, and goodwill being the highest law above all others; more importantly, it was a demonstration that the religion of the Pharisees could offer no spiritual help to the people. Being unable to answer Christ's arguments, and out of fear of people, the Pharisees exited the synagogue to scheme a plot to destroy Jesus, and this alone is proof of their great hypocrisy, since they had accused Jesus of doing good works on the sabbath day, while they were doing evil works on the sabbath day—plotting to take the life of an innocent man.

  [v15] But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

There is no indication that anyone informed Jesus of this plot to kill Him, but He gained knowledge of it through His omniscient power. It was not yet His time to be killed, so He departed back to the sea of Galilee, being followed by multitudes from every nearby city they passed—from Galilee, Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Jordan, Tyre, and Sidon (Mark 3:7-8)—healing all those who were in need.

  [v16] And charged them that they should not make him known:

This is a commandment that seems to be laid upon two groups. The first being those who were healed, for Jesus had no interest or need for popularity and the applause of men, nor did He want His enemies to be further provoked.

The second group seems to be unclean spirits (Mark 3:7-8), or devils, which had possessed some who came to Jesus. Seeing Him, the devils within the possessed had no choice but to bow before Jesus and declare Him to be the Son of God. Jesus would have removed the devils from the possessed, but also charged the devils, that wherever they may roam and enter into another, they were not to speak of Him and His works, lest they should slander the name of Christ to His enemies, and this charge would seemingly come with consequences if broken.

  [v17] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

This is referring to Isaiah 41:1. This is not directly in reference to the charge Jesus gave them; rather, this is in reference to Christ's rebuke of the Pharisees, His peaceful departure from them, and His miraculous charitable works among the people without interest in impressing men.

  [v18] Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

God the Father is speaking not only to the Jews, but to the church in Christ, who is the mediator between God and men (1Ti 2:5), not only having the Spirit of the Father put on Him, but being the Spirit Himself, He reflects the Spirit in His works and doctrine, showing His love, righteousness, faithfulness, longsuffering, temperance, and diligence. (Gal 3:22-23) The judgment spoken of here may be misinterpreted by some to be harsh judgment, like in the last days, but in this context, it is the fulfillment of the prophecy, and is meant in the sense of righteous judgment according to the Gospel, which brings mercy and good works to the poor and needy (Psa 72:2-4), teaching them repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47), and to live soberly and deny ungodliness. (Tts 2:12)

  [v19] He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

Christ did not strive, nor struggle for superiority over others, of which there is no profit (2Ti 2:14), but rather, He preached to destroy the corrupt philosophies, false ideologies, and pretentious imaginations of men. (2Co 10:5) This verse is often wrongly interpreted out of context to say that Christ did not "cry," so He did not cry as a child, but this is meant in the sense that He did not complain of injustice against Himself, nor threaten any evildoer, nor bring civil charges against any particular man, choosing to suffer the wrongdoing for the sake of glorifying God the Father.

Jesus also did not raise His voice in the streets with the intent of being seen among men, to gain worldly honor and popularity. He spoke nothing that commended Himself, nor praised Himself for His works, and as He stated a few verses earlier, even went so far as to tell others to speak nothing of His works among men. This verse should not be interpreted to say that His voice was not heard when He preached to men, for it was, but in the context of strife, His voice was not heard making conceited remarks of His character, as the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees would often do.

  [v20] A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

This is a reference to Isaiah 42:3. Some may interpret this to speak of Christ's gentleness, that He would do no harm to anyone until the final day of judgment, but the phrase "judgment unto victory" in combination with the context of the previous verses gives us a different perspective on this verse.

Under normal circumstances, a bruised reed would be broken off and torn out. These are the broken sinners, not just of the Jews, but of the Gentiles, who are poor in spirit (Mat 5:3) and need the Gospel of Salvation for regeneration and healing.

Flax has been used for thousands of years to light oil lamps, and the "smoking flax" would be that which is intended to light the lamp, but fails midway through. These do not yet have the necessary faith and understanding to light their path and lead them out of darkness, so Christ came with His Word to light their way. (Psa 119:105, Eph 5:14, Mat 5:14)

The victory of judgment is the mercy of salvation in the Gospel of Christ, which was sent forth after He was crucified and risen from the dead. The guidance of the Holy Ghost gives us light, to understand the Scriptures (1Co 2:14), to grow in affection for the church (1Th 4:9), to learn and exercise the ways of charity, to preach the glory of Christ, and to guide others to the Gospel of grace through repentance and faith.

  [v21] And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

In Isaiah 42:4, it says that "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law," which should be interpreted to be the isles of the Gentiles, as established in Genesis 10:5. What Isaiah calls "his law," the New Testament would call His Gospel, so that the law of mercy and charity would be the culmination of all law. (Gal 5:14)

What Christ was doing in this instance, having multitudes follow after Him from Gentile cities and teaching them, was the beginning of fulfilling the prophecy that "he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles." The work of bringing the Gospel to the isles of the Gentiles would be more complete with the efforts of the apostles, after Christ returned to Heaven.

  [v22] Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

This man was not blind and dumb from birth, but had these senses stripped from him through the malice of a devil, who acted only by divine permission. This man was unable to speak, which is often the case of those who cannot hear, but the Scriptures make no mention of being unable to hear, which likely indicates that he could hear, but could not speak or see.

Though it is not specified, Jesus would have removed the devil by speaking a word of commandment, as He had done in other cases. His speech is not required to remove a devil, as the Lord has complete power of all without having to speak a word, but the spoken word is a demonstration of evidence to the people of His power, that they would know that Jesus is the Christ.

  [v23] And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

The multitudes with Jesus at the time were astonished by such power that required no medicine, rituals, or fasting. (Mat 17:21) The lineage of the Messiah was prophesied to come through the lineage of David, so he is called "the son of David." (Mat 1:1)

Simple reasoning concludes that no other could have such miraculous power except the Living God, however, knowing that basic reasoning would lead to logical conclusions, Jewish lawyers later attempted to dissuade the Jews from believing it. In the 12th century, Book 14 of the code of Jewish law was published, which is still taught to Jews to this day, and it says, "One should not presume that the Messianic king must work miracles and wonders, bring about new phenomena in the world, resurrect the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is definitely not true." This should be unsurprising to any faithful disciple of Christ, since the Jews have attempted to thwart the Messiah since He first came to this world, which prefaces their wild accusations in the follow verse.
(See Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim uMilchamot (Laws of Kings and Their Wars), 11:3, retrieved Apr 15, 2026, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1188356/jewish/Melachim-uMilchamot-Chapter-11.htm])

  [v24] But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

The Pharisees had spies throughout the multitude, watching Jesus to find a way to destroy him, and it is likely that they saw the miracle performed, rather than just hearing about what happened. This was their reaction to the reaction of the people who witnessed the miracles, in attempt to dissuade the people from believing.

There was no logical way they could deny what they (and everyone else) had seen, so they came up with the quickest and most foolish way of bringing Jesus into contempt for doing good, and keep others from glorifying Him, which was to accuse Him of being the leader of all devils, which is what is meant by "Beelzebub." This is blasphemy, and a baseless charge that Jesus was used to hearing, as He had already addressed it in other instances. (Mat 10:25)

  [v25] And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Jesus not only heard their words, but understood their secret thoughts, and instead of charging them as hypocrites, which they were, He decided it was best for the sake of the multitudes to expose their contradiction, that they would be publicly humiliated. Christ's response to them was a parable, as indicated in Mark 3:23, which is to ask "How can Satan cast out Satan?"

Historically, every kingdom that has been divided and entered into war against its own civilization has fallen. Although some countries have survived civil war, it is only if they could make peace before passing the point of no return, as there must be some common, basic unifying features of a nation to prevent collapse.

It is also a proverb among the Jews that "A house in which is dissension will ultimately be destroyed," which means if the patriarchs of a family cannot peacefully work together, despite disagreements, the family will break apart. This prefaces the conclusion to Christ's argument in the following verse.
(See The William Davidson Talmud, Tractate Derekh Eretz Zuta, 9:24, retrieved Apr 15, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Tractate_Derekh_Eretz_Zuta.9.24?lang=bi])

  [v26] And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

If the head of devils casts out other devils, then his kingdom is divided against itself. The interest of devils is to possess and torment the bodies and souls of men, so to command against it goes against their goals and desires, which in turn subverts Satan's dominion as the prince of devils.

There is no way for Satan to maintain authority over a governing body of devils without being in unity with them. Furthermore, it is nonsensical to say that a cunning military genius like Satan would do something so foolish as to assist his enemy, the Lord Jesus Christ, in casting out devils, which would only give Christ more glory.

  [v27] And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

Jesus poses a hypothetical argument to test the reasoning of the Pharisees, that if it were true what they claimed of Him, then the same argument would have to applied to their own children, who pretentiously practiced the casting out of devils, some even doing so in the name of Jesus, while hypocritically rejecting Him. (Mark 9:38) The Pharisees were so rash in their unrighteous judgments, they inadvertantly condemned themselves and their posterity, the very posterity who Jesus said, as a punishment, would rise up to condemn their fathers for unrighteous judgment, or for ascribing their own exorcisms to be by the power of Beelzebub rather than the Spirit of God.

  [v28] But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Having thoroughly demonstrated the Pharisees' argument made no sense, the miracle remains, leading them to the only logical conclusion, that these things were done by the Spirit of God. Being three entities in one God, these miracles were performed by Christ, in the name of the Father, through the Holy Ghost, and therefore, the dispensation of the Gopsel from Heaven had come, which would weaken the kingdom of Beelzebub.

  [v29] Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Jesus not only destroyed the Pharisees' argument, but now stomped on the ashes of it by reasoning that He could only do what was done by acting with a power greater than Satan's. If a thief broke into the home of a man who was very strong, how could the thief use the strong man to assist in the ransacking and looting his own house? Satan and his devils are strong against men, as proven by his interaction with Job, leaving us without power to bind him, but Christ is infinitely strong, so that the Living God can easily bind him, demonstrating once again that this is the power of the Spirit of God.

  [v30] He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Contextually, this is a reference to Satan, as it would be likewise to all those who do the works of Satan. Christ is declaring that there is not just a philosophical and ideological disagreement, but an open war in which He and Satan are diametrically opposed, and only one can be the victor.

Christ is the good shepherd that gathers His sheep to Himself (John 10:14), into one fold (John 10:16), by grace through repentance and faith in Him. In contrast, Satan is a roaring lion seek whom he may devour. (1Pe 5:8) In such an open war, with completely opposing ideologies, people must choose a side, and to remain neutral is to choose Satan, so that those who do not do the good works of Christ—to build the church on the truth of His Word—are not with Him in this war.

  [v31] Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Blasphemy entails attributing to God that which is contrary to His nature. To accuse God of being Satan, doing the works of Satan, or having the qualities of Satan, is blasphemy.

When Jesus begins this sentence with "Wherefore I say unto you," He is saying that what follows is based on their false accusations against Him. By claiming the works of God were the works of the Devil, they had committed blasphemy against God and Christ.

Jesus begins with a comforting statement, that sin, including blasphemy, will be forgiven of men, which is not to say all men, for the vast majority are never brought to repentance of it, and likewise have no remission (i.e. forgiveness) of it. Rather, Jesus is referring to those who come to repentance and faith in Him will have all manner of sin, including blasphemy, will be forgiven by the saving grace of His shed blood on the cross at Calvary.

However, Jesus warns that blasphemy of the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, which is not meant in the sense of every ignorant person, such as an atheist, who mocks and blasphemes the Holy Ghost without knowledge. Jesus warned the scribes and Pharisees that their knowing, stark contradiction to the Spirit of God—opposition to gentle Holy Ghost and kind Spirit of grace, against their own consciences out of willful malice—to intentionally rob God of His glory and deliberately block others from seeing the truth of Christ for the satiation of their lust, was a sin that would not be pardoned in any dispensation.

For Christians, this can sometimes be confusing as to why God does not forgive a specific sin, but we need to understand that although God is love, and is the source of all kindness, mercy, grace, and understanding, He is not God of infinite patience. God has a limitation to his patience. There are some things men say and do that He will not tolerate, and the pernicious and blasphemous spirits of the Pharisees were on that list.

In Jeremiah 14:11, God told His people not to pray for the good of the people of Judah for their rebellion and impenitence. They practice idolatry of various sorts, purposefully strayed from God's commandments, rejected His prophets' warnings, broke their convenants with Him, oppressed the poor and needy, pridefully carried on the tradition of evil kings, and hypocritically cried out to God in plain view of their idols when they were in trouble. These were a people so wicked, selfish, and reprobate that He finally reached a breaking point with them, and decided He would no longer show them mercy.

Again, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost have limitations. We should examine our own hearts and minds, and take heed lest we fall into condemnation (1Co 10:6-12), for I would not wish that any man be denied God's wonderful gift of mercy.

  [v32] And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

In this regard, Jesus is addressing Himself in His fleshly body, that if someone were to speak a word against Him, not able to see Him as the Messiah in His undescribable glory, viewing Him merely as a debased man, speaking evil of Him, mocking Him for His earthly upbringing, and for His fellowship with penitent publicans and sinners, this would be forgiven by grace through repentance and faith. For example, the Pharisee known as Saul blasphemed against Christ and slew His church, yet came to repentance and faith in Christ on the road to Damascus, and became Paul, a child of God and servant of Christ that was forgiven of all his sins and blasphemies.

Christ reiterates this warning again, namely, that those who blaspheme the Holy Ghost will not have forgiveness, including the "world to come," which is eternal damnation. (Mark 3:29) Christ emphasized this world and the next for the purpose of using their own writings against them, as there is indication in some Hebrew texts that they might say "I will not forgive thee in this world or the world to come," which ultimately means, I will never forgive you, and Jesus used this to make the point clear to them.

  [v33] Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

By using the word "make" in this passage, Jesus means that they ought to declare both good, or both evil, because to say that one is good and the other evil is logically inconsistent nonsense. The fruit, by evidence of its attributes and characteristics, is a direct reflection of the tree from which it came, so to say that good fruit comes from a tree that is rotten, or that rotten fruit comes from a tree which is good, is a contradiction.

This would be like a good man saying "I do evil works" or an evil man saying "I do good works, neither of which make sense because the adjective to describe the man will be—in truth—the same adjective to describe the works. This is why the Bible tells us that all men are evil by their sin nature (Rom 3:10-12), thereby attributing goodness only to God, and that only from the nuturing of the good tree of the Holy Ghost can men become and produce good fruit.

It is common for mankind to attribute "good works" to the Catholic cult and their papists, yet the core foundation of their tree has resulted in hundreds of years of torture, rape, murder, and false doctrines leading millions to hell. It is common for churchgoers to label us Christians as being workers of evil for rejecting their pretentious fake preachers, for condemning their vain, ostentatious rituals and ceremonies, and for preaching the truth of repentance and faith in Christ that brings eternal life. These examples show the philosophical contradiction in labeling evil as good and good as evil, and that by ignoring this reasoning—to instead hold on to that philosophical contradiction—makes them liars, as the Pharisees were in this instance.

The Pharisees (as many corrupt teachers today) pretended to do good works, and provided a platform for men to appear religious and holy, but did evil deeds—some in darkness where their shame would not be found out, and some openly without shame, thinking themselves righteous above others. By tearing open the husk of the fruit, we find stench and rotten flavor, making their words, actions, and doctrine intolerable to digest, and therefore, the root of that tree is Beelzebub, making the Pharisees guilty of the very thing which they accused of Christ.

It should be noted that the stench and rottenness of a fruit is enticing to pigs. They find that which is false in the Gospel to be quite appealing and delicious, showing that they love the things provided by Satan's tree. (John 8:44-45)

  [v34] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Jesus is not engaging in simple name-calling, as sanctimonious men often do when they are unable to answer an argument made against them, but rather, He is describing the character of hypocritical men. In this instance, Jesus chose not to label them a serpent, but a viper, and the distinction between them is that vipers most often ambush their prey (as the Pharisees did to Jesus), are always poisonous, and have much longer fangs that dig deep, making them more difficult to remove once they latch on to their target. (Acts 28:3-5)

Notice that Jesus first refuted their false accusation before exposing their character, for to do things in reverse order would be an inappropriate and uncharitable approach. Certainly, Jesus would have been justified to simply call out their sinful nature, but He first reasoned with the Pharisees for the sake of the multitudes, that they might learn the truth, understand, and beware the danger.

The Pharisees boasted of themselves, that they were lineage of Abraham, but as Jesus pointed out in previous verses, it is nonsense to say that good fruit can come from an evil tree. Therefore, the question logical follows, "How can ye, being evil, speak good things?" Evil men often speak things which the public initially perceives to be "good," but in his heart and behind closed doors, his speech reveals his venomous nature.

Although the internet has its benefits and downsides, one of the reasons I am thankful for it is because it does a fantastic job in revealing the hearts of men—how they might claim to believe one thing, while speaking and doing things contrary to that belief. Once a person gains anonymity, in which they believe no one can know their name, face, or where they live, they feel more free to say whatever they please, which is why you will often see churchgoers become much more hateful and vicious than they would allow you to see when speaking with them face-to-face. Likewise, the Pharisees had to retreat and whisper among themselves how to kill Jesus, but would never say that aloud in public because it would reveal them for the vipers they are.

In my experience in exposing false teachers, I commonly hear churchgoers argue, "You can't know what's in a man's heart! Only God knows that!" Yet Jesus is explaining that the condition of man's heart can be generally known by what he says. (Ecc 5:3, Pro 13:16, Mat 15:18)

  [v35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

A good man, who can truly only exist when Christ has regenerated him by the Holy Ghost, will have within him that which God has stored in his heart. Therefore, what proceeds out of his mouth are the same graces he received from Christ, as well as the same mercy, the same kindness, the same patience, the same forgiveness, the same longsuffering, the same temperance, and the same meekness.

An evil man, who has not been renewed by the Holy Ghost and remains in his sinful, carnal nature, has no treasures of God stored in his heart. Therefore, what communication proceeds out of his mouth are what naturally exists in his heart, which is pride, hatred, strife, lasciviousness, blasphemies, heresies, and all other manner of evil that is vain and unprofitable.

  [v36] But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Jesus started this sentence with "But I say unto you," not as a response to an argument, but a response to the hearts of men, in which they consider themselves guiltless in the liberties they take with their mouths in idle talk. Jesus, knowing our hearts, preempts our sinful self-justifications. Idle does not mean lazy in this context, rather, it means casual or vain, and thus, those things which we say in passing, which are seemingly harmless to God and men, and are inconsequential to the speaker or hearer, will be judged if one is not given repentance for the remission of sins.

The Pharisees whispered secretly among themselves, saying things which did not have any immediate consequences for themselves or anyone else. These things, Jesus said, will have consequences, to be judged as evil because they came from the corruption of the heart.

  [v37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

As far as I know, this phrase or saying is not taken directly from the Holy Scriptures; rather, Jesus was quoting the common proverbs of Jewish lawyers based on their reasonable interpretation of the Scriptures. In Sanhedrin 30a, the judges make reference to Leviticus 19:16, saying, "You shall not go as a talebearer among your people," which is someone who casually tells stories about others, rather than giving direct testimony for a charitable purpose, and they conclude that "So-and-so and so-and-so deem him exempt, and so-and-so and so-and-so deem him liable, because otherwise the document would have the appearance of falsehood," which concludes that justification or condemnation were issued based on the words of the speaker.
(See Sanhedrin 30a, Steinsaltz Center, retrieved Apr 17, 2026, [https://steinsaltz-center.org/portal/library/Talmud/Sanhedrin/chapter/30.a])

Therefore, if the judges of Israel condemned men based on their idle speech, how much more would the Living God do the same with hypocrites? In any courtroom, words spoken matter, and documentation of a person's words can make or break a case. If we must be cautious with our words when it comes to a court proceeding, then how much more should we be cautious with our words when it comes to the flawless and perfect evidence gathering prowess of God the Father?

  [v38] Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

As indicated in Luke 11:16, these were not the same scribes and Pharisees that had just accused him, but others among them who addressed Jesus in a more crafty manner, calling Him a teacher, rather than a prophet, unless He would first provide a sign that He was a prophet. Obviously, Jesus had already shown these signs by curing the withered man's hand and expelling the devil from the blind and dumb man, but these sly scribes and Pharisees, despite Christ's devastating arguments against them, still upheld that these miracles were done in league with Satan.

The hypocrisy is unreal when we consider the references I made earlier in verse 23 to modern Jewish teachings, and to reiterate, they said, "One should not presume that the Messianic king must work miracles and wonders, bring about new phenomena in the world, resurrect the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is definitely not true." So when the Messiah was in the world, they demanded of Him great miracles to prove who He was (despite the fact that He had already provided them), as that was the expectation in Jewish society at that time, but now, the Jews teach the opposite, that such miracles are not required to prove the Messiah.
(See Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim uMilchamot (Laws of Kings and Their Wars), 11:3, retrieved Apr 15, 2026, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1188356/jewish/Melachim-uMilchamot-Chapter-11.htm])

  [v39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Jesus responded to this, but not directly to those who made the demand (because they were not worthy of a response to such a foolish request), rather, He preached to the multitudes as indicated in Matthew 12:46. Jesus once again used the Jews' own teachings against them, in which they openly admit that, "In the times of the approach of the Messiah... the monarchy shall turn to heresy, and there will be no one to give reproof about this. The meeting place of the Sages will become a place of promiscuity," and thus, Jesus was pointing out that only the hypocrites—who had murderous intent, took financial advantage of others, privately indulged in whoredoms, and divorced over trivial matters in adultery—sought a sign to appease them.
(See Mishnah Sotah, 9:15, retrieved Apr 17, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Sotah.9.15?lang=bi])

The scribes and Pharisees were given proof countless times through the many miracles Jesus performed, but could never be satisfied because they did not want to believe. They saw Jesus as a threat to their authority and status, which they loved infinitely more than God. Jesus judged them unworthy of such a display, but instead warned them that a sign of condemnation was coming to them, like the sign given through Jonah—except that this sign would not involve the prophet's own disobedience.

It should be noted that nothing has changed from the days of the Jews until today. There are still many churchgoers, corrupted by worldly ideologies, who seek signs and wonders and miracles, rather than things which are edifying in godly education unto righteous judgment and sound doctrine. (2Ti 4:3-4) It is a wicked people who seek after signs, and in the final days, those signs and wonders are going to deceive them into the hands of the son of perdition, the final antichrist. (2Th 2:8-10)

  [v40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Though Jonah 1:17 says it was a "great fish," the Bible classifies a whale to be a great fish, as God considers many finned creatues to be fish, as the Bible would consider many winged creatures to be birds. For someone to say the Bible is wrong in this classification is using presentism, which is a logical fallacy that involves judgment of past language or categories by fallacious imposing contemporary standards of classification, rather than considering context for meaning.

It is important to note that Jonah's experience was miraculous because being swallowed by a whale is lethal within minutes. Hypoxia (lack of oxygen), crushed bones from internal muscles, acidic burns, drowning in digestive fluids, underwater pressure changes, and sharp temperature changes, all in pitch black darkness, would cause extreme physical and mental anguish, followed by death in moments rather than days. This is why it says "the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah," meaning that it was specially prepared by God so Jonah could survive within its belly for three days and nights, otherwise, Jonah would be assumed dead as soon as he was swallowed.

Likewise, after being crucified, Jesus would be confirmed dead, especially since his disciples personally buried His corpse in a tomb. Just as it was a shock and miracle that Jonah was alive—retaining all his health and senses—after three days of being assumed dead, so the same would be viewed of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

The phrase "heart of the earth" has been interpreted by some to mean a tomb, but the heart is the central or core of the object in question. This would indicate that Jesus was in the core of the earth, where hell and paradise is located, not only to preach to the spirits in the prison of hell (presumably, from the vantage point of paradise, Luke 23:42-43, Luke 16:22-26, 1Pe 3:18-20), but also to take those saved spirits in paradise and bring them into the Kingdom of Heaven.

  [v41] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Though most of the people in Nineveh only had a temporal, worldly sorrow (as opposed to an inner gift of godly sorrow, which is repentance—or grief—to salvation, 2Co 7:10), it is extraordinary in the sense that they repented in dust and ashes immediately upon hearing the preaching of Jonah. Although they were given 40 days, they wasted no time, whereas the Jews would be given 40 years before the destruction of Jerusalem, yet the vast majority would not repent, even with the slightest prick of the heart.

Furthermore, Jonah was a mere man—a sinner like the rest of us. The Living God in the flesh was standing before the Jews in the days of Jesus, being high above all others in authority, office, doctrine, miracles, faithfulness, obedience, patience, suffering, life, and death, as well as the resurrection from the dead (which was to come), which should have triggered great repentance in them immediately, but they cared more for religious rituals and earthly stations.

Thus, in the final day, when the dead are raised, the people of Nineveh will judge Israel, not in the sense that they will have a seat in court over them, but in the sense of their practices, bringing shame to the Jews by example. In the same manner, the example we Christians set in our conversation and behavior towards all those who hate us is a judgment against their impenitent hearts, and that testimony will be a judgment against them, which brings the wrath of God. (Rom 2:5)

  [v42] The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Jesus is referring to the queen called "Sheba" (1Ki 10:1), who ruled over the southern parts of Arabia. She traveled from a far away country to seek the wisdom of Solomon, and brought him many riches in return, showing that she highly valued the wisdom of God. Again, her example is a testimony against the Jews because the source of all wisdom stood before them, infinitely superior to Solomon, yet they berated Him, blasphemed Him, and conspired to kill Him, demonstrating how little they valued the wisdom of God.

  [v43] When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

If we take the words "unclean spirit is gone out of a man" to mean Jesus or His disciples removing a devil from a possessed man, this verse seems like whiplash from the rest of the context. The context Christ's rebuke and instruction in this chapter has been to expose the pretentious nature of the Pharisees, who were fake in their vain scruples of religion.

Therefore, we should not take this to mean that a spirit has been forced out of a man in this context, rather, this is a devil voluntarily leaving a person for a time, and this could be for a number of reasons. A devil could leave because of the presence of Christ or His apostles, or it could leave simply because a person who has no godly sorrow—just a worldly sorrow—has cleaned up some of his behavior, and the devil is no longer getting the satisfaction of doing the evil it wants to do.

Since the devil can no longer satisfy its evil desire, it wanders "through dry places," and though not dry in our view, it would be barren to the devil's wicked senses, which only view sin as a lucious and bountiful. The devil may traverse through areas where there are peaceful people who refuse to do the evil deeds it desires, or worse in its eyes, among those born again in Christ, who those devils cannot draw near to because of the Christian's protection of the Holy Ghost.

In short, Jesus is describing how evil spirits become restless and frustrated when they cannot find easy targets for basking in sin. However, they do not give up their search, and will continue until they find what they are looking for.

  [v44] Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

In the previous verse, Jesus is describing the false teachers of religiousity, or what we today might call "church-ianity," and how they only cleanse the outside of the cup and platter, but inwardly, they are still corrupt. (Mat 23:25) They might speak about things of God to make themselves appear "righteous," but inwardly, nothing has changed. (Mat 15:8) They live in secret sin, they act charitable while swimming in, and are hateful while pretending to be loving. When the inner parts have not been cleansed—which can only be done by the Holy Ghost through repentance and faith in Christ—it leaves them vulnerable to devils returning to cause more havoc.

After searching and finding no place to satisfy his evil desires, the devil will eventually decide to return to the place it used to live, finding it "empty"—not in the sense that it is free from sin, but empty of the Spirit of God, having no other resident to prevent it from moving back in. Jesus also describes it "garnished," or decorated, not with grace, but with secret lusts and all manner of corruption, which the devil will find to be pleasing.

Although this man may observe religious rituals, take part in pious fasts, make shows of prayer, do alms to be seen of men, and have an outward abstinence from acts of sin, the devil can tolerate these things, knowing they are lies to deceive men. It is for this reason that so many preachers have put on a show of repentance—a worldly sorrow, rather than godly sorrow—and turned from their sin outwardly, by which they earn the applause of their peers, only to show signs of corruption and revert back to their first love.

  [v45] Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

It is unclear why Jesus suggested seven devils, but this may be connected to devils who sin of focus is "more wicked" than the first. Perhaps one has a greater affinity for pride, while another focuses on lying, covetousness, blasphemy, idolatry, adultery, theft, etc.

For instance, hatred without cause is sin (Mat 5:22), but murder is more wicked because it is the end result, which leads to greater sin that has dire effects on the victims. This is not to say that one sin is worse than another in the spritual sense, but in the worldly material sense, one sin is deemed worse than others, so that the initial devil causing havoc will bring seven others whose desires are focused on sins which cause more problems.

Though a man's sins are his fault, being part of his flesh (1Pe 3:18), they are amplified by the presence of devils within him, and as the devil invites others of his kind to join him, the final form of that man is a far worse condition than he was before he initially turned from his sin. (2Pe 2:20) Jesus then justly applies this parable to this generation of Jews, the scribes and Pharisees, having unclean spirits within themselves, who spew blasphemies in hypocrisy, erroneously projecting onto Christ their own sins, and proving their own stiffnecked, shameless, and hardhearted nature. (Exd 33:5, Eze 3:7)

  [v46] While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

While Jesus was warning the multitude about the devil-possessed nature of Israel's religious leaders, Mary came with "his brethren," which some say were Mary's other children, but may have been His cousins (i.e. Mary's sister's sons), who are also called "brothers" in Biblical classification. They did not desire to speak with Jesus for any nefarious purpose, but out of concern for His safety, they wanted to warn Him of the danger He was exposing himself to, perhaps even to warn Him of conspiratorial whispers.

  [v47] Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

This may have been a person close to by to Jesus, which related a message transferred through the crowd, or it could have been officially announced by His opposition with the intent to interrupt His preaching. The latter seems more plausible in my opinion because He addressed the multitude concerning the message, indicating they all heard it.

  [v48] But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

To the concern of His mother and brethren waiting to speak with Him, Jesus asks not for the sake of gathering information, but to engage the understanding of the audience. Jesus was careful with His words, so not to discourage those from honoring their family members, but Jesus was not of this world. His relations were with God the Father, and so He used this opportunity to help the multitude understand that spiritual family is far greater than blood lineage.

  [v49] And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

This was not mean just for the twelve, but for all those present who had repentance and faith in the Son of God, as it applies to all those throughout time who believe the same, especially to those who have believed and not seen. (John 20:29) Jesus declared that those who were near and dear to His heart are those men and women who are penitent of their sins and faithful to His Word, once again countering the malicious tricks of His opponent with the message of faith and love.

  [v50] For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

This is not to be taken in the sense of flawless obedience to all the law, which is not possible in any man and can only be acheived by the gift of Christ to impute righteousness to us. It is the will of God (from heaven) that we who are faithful to Christ's Gospel of Salvation are given eternal life (John 6:40), so that we who hear the Word of God, and with that foundation of repentance and faith, go forth to do as we are commanded—not without error, but with full trust in Christ and works to adapt ourselves to His Word. Those who do these things, not just cleaning the outside, but having the inside renewed by the Holy Ghost, which are spurred forward by a newfound desire for the good works of God, are the family of Christ. (Luke 8:21)



 

  [v1] The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

It is not clear what city Jesus was in at the time, but it is very likely Galilee, since that was His destination from the previous chapter, and my best guess is Capernaum, since it says "THE house" instead of "a house," which indicates the house that belonged to Peter's mother-in-law. (Mat 8:14) This is the same day Jesus cast the devil out of the dumb and blind man (Mat 12:22), and was blasphemed by the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus "sat by the sea side," likely for peace and refreshment from the contention, as men often do to relax their minds and hearts, and also to use the water as a border to force the crowd to one side for ease of speaking to them.

  [v2] And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Crowds of various sorts gathered to Jesus, some to witness miracles, some to be healed, some to be fed, some laying in wait to accuse Him, and some for His doctrine, to hear the message of eternal life. It is understandable that Jesus would be swarmed with requests, so for His sake and theirs, He boarded a ship docked nearby, so all could see and hear Him better as they stood on the shore.

  [v3] And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Speaking in parables was a common practice in the ancient Middle East, so it would have been a familiar practice to the Jews. Parables are short, simple stories or illustrations that convey wisdom and teach moral lessons, often using metaphors to common objects or practices in everyday life, and requiring the hearers to think on the matter for a while to gain a full understanding.

This parable is about a man who sows seeds, as indicated in verse 13, where Jesus explains this parable privately to His disciples. This is meant to be one who preaches the Word of God (Mark 4:14), and later, Jesus tells us that this parable is the basis for all the parables He taught. (Mark 4:13)

  [v4] And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

This is not necessarily a farmer planting seeds into a prepared field; rather, this is an open, wild field, and the sower is the evangelist, spreading the seeds of God's Word into random areas as he traveled along the road. Some seeds fall out his pouch and land on the dirt road, dry and exposed, to be trampled by men, and at some point, consumed by hungry birds.

Birds are creatures that have little concern for what they devour, so long as it satisfies their ravenous appetites. There are some breeds that are mischievous, and become a nuisance if not dealt with. They fly in large flocks, moving in swiftly to eat up any seeds they can find, which would be devils in this parable, coming with the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) to quickly snatch away the Word of God from those who might hear it.

  [v5] Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

The seeds of God's Word sometimes fall upon "stony places," or rather, are heard by those with hearts of stone, having little soil where the seed could be planted and take root. Unlike those on the way side, these people heard the Word of God, yet show only a little conviction of sin, some prick of natural conscience, a bit of speculation about the Holy Scriptures, and a surface level of natural affection for the Bible, while performing all the vain religious rituals instructed (e.g. sacraments, tithe, altar calls, etc) to present a form of godliness to the public (2Ti 3:5), but there is no penitence in their hearts because they have no understanding.

  [v6] And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

When the heat increases with rising temptations, persecutions, and tribulations, they burn up and wither, as do plants without proper root. To a plant with deep roots, the sunlight is great blessing that causes growth, but to those without root, the light of Christ is a burden to them, and they will not last, turning to priests and pastors as their source of nutrients to give them a temporal appearance of life to appease their guilty consciences.

  [v7] And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Some of the evangelist's preaching of God's Word fell on the ears of a thorny-hearted person, being overrun with useless plants—the growth of other seeds, which stifle the growth of God's Word. Perhaps the seed of the Word lands in what appears to be good ground at first, but there were other seeds already there in secret, resulting in other plants growing faster and thicker than the seed of the Word, overwhelming it, and choking any life that could come from it.

  [v8] But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

In these cases, the evangelist's preaching of God's Word fell into good ground, that was broken up and moist with honesty and sincerity, ready not only to hear and understand, but to absorb the wonderful doctrines of God. These seeds grew, matured to their perfect form, and produced fruit of souls, all of the same quality, but not of the same quantity—some being of old age, while some young, having their whole lives ahead of them to produce more fruit.

  [v9] Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The stony-hearted and thorny-hearted seeds heard the words, but they did not understand them. Therefore, this is not simply a matter of hearing the words audibly, but internally, having taken this understanding into the mind and heart, considering it with all seriousness, applying it to one's knowledge, and trusting in it to be truth despite what others might tell us.

  [v10] And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

These were other disciples besides the twelve, as indicated in Mark 4:10. They waited until they could speak to Jesus alone, so as not to interrupt Him, and asked Him this question not because they were unfamiliar with this style of teaching, but that this style of teaching was harder to understand, so much that they did not understand it, let alone the multitude.

  [v11] He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Jesus, as the Lord of Lords, has no obligation or need to explain why He does things the way He does them, but because He is merciful and kind, most especially to the humble of heart, He explains it to His beloved disciples. It is for those in the family of God to know the mysteries of the Gospel, such as the Godhead, the divine nature of Christ, eternal life, Christ's cleansing sacrificial blood, the remission of sins, and justification through His imputed righteousness, but it is not given to those who are wise in their own minds and prudent in their own sight (Isa 5:21), for those wise after the flesh, mighty in authority, and noble in rank, with popularity and wealth, are very rarely called to be the servants of God. (1Co 1:26-29)

  [v12] For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

That is, whosoever has the understanding of the parables, not by the external hearing, for any man can repeat that which he has heard from those with understanding, but by the internal understanding of the heart and mind, which was delivered and planted in him by the Spirit of God. Although spoken privately, Jesus obviously knew that His explanation of these parables would be heard far and wide as His perserved Word spread around the world, and thus, we must distinguish between those who have a heart understanding that has been transformed by the Spirit of God, verses the impenitent pretenders of religion, who only parrot doctrine they think sounds correct or appeals to the masses.

Those given understanding by the transformation of the Holy Ghost will receive more grace from the Lord, and in due time, have more knowledge, display more light, and give others more grace. However, those not given this understanding from the Holy Ghost, and instead parrot what they have heard from men, will not have the grace from the Lord, and only maintain an appearance of knowledge, feign unnatural light, and put on a show of grace.

Though the Jews were supposed to be the receivers of the Kingdom of Heaven, the vast majority would not receive the Spirit of God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, the grace of understanding was taken from them.

  [v13] Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

This is quoted from Isaiah 42:20, in which God rebuked them for their blindness, and which Jesus will point out later in Matthew 15:14. It is the good will of God that these hard-hearted people do not receive the grace of understanding. (1Co 2:14) Instead, He gracefully gives it to those humble of heart. (Jms 4:6)

The people saw Christ with their eyes, and beheld all the miracles He performed, but despite clear evidence, they did not discern Him to be the prophesied Messiah. The people heard Christ with their ears, listening to all the doctrine He preached, including His thorough destruction of hypocritical arguments made against Him with divine wisdom, yet did not discern Him to be the prophesied Messiah.

Jesus presents this in an oxymoronic format, that they are seers who do not see, and hearers that do not hear, which makes no logical sense, demonstrating that their sin makes them do and say inconvenient things contrary to sound wisdom. (Rom 1:28) Those things which Christ came to reveal to the Jews would be hidden from their eyes and blocked from their ears, so that He would remain sealed to their senses, as He is to this day.

  [v14] And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Jesus is referring to Isaiah 6:9, which was not only a rebuke of the Jews in the days of Isaiah, but a prophecy of the Jews in the days of Christ now being fulfilled. It was further fulfilled by the ministry of the apostles, who brought the working of miracles, even raising the dead, but were persecuted, many unto death. They saw with their carnal eyes and hear with their fleshly ears, but could not perceive what was before them in their spirits.

  [v15] For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

The hearts of the people were the problem, having become corrupt—rotten from the inside—with only a husk to prevent others from smelling the stench. Though they had the intellectual capability, their sin put their minds into a state of stupidity.

Jesus further describes their blindness, not in the normal sense, but a willful blindness, in which they closed their eyes purposefully so they would not see the glory of Christ, to have an imagined excuse not to consider the evidence. This is a common response from men and women faced with evidence that disproves their preconceived worldview; some refusing to hear, claiming it is beneath them to listen, and others physically turn their heads away from objective evidence to prevent having to be accountable to it.

Therefore, they will not understand and be converted, which is to say that they will not be turned from their sin, nor have their minds changed by the power of the Holy Ghost. Not only would Jesus not heal them of their physical ailments, in the hope that their suffering might humble them, but He also would not heal them in the sense of forgiveness of sins, because they would not witness the truth to be brought low in godly sorrow of their sins for remission, through faith in the Son of God.

  [v16] But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Blessed are the eyes and ears of the disciples of Christ, knowing their own wretchedness, being grieved of their offenses against God, willingly looked upon the evidence of the Messiah with excitement and joy, being honored to simply be in the presence of the Almighty King. They were happy to learn from Him, taking whatever crumbs of grace they might receive. (Mat 15:27) This was not just a physical seeing and hearing, but a spiritual sight and sound that was received in them because the Spirit of God opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

  [v17] For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Jesus says this assuredly, to confirm them in their happiness to hear the Gospel and trust in Him, that many prophets, righteous men, and kings (Luke 10:24), desired the same, but it was not given to them to see and hear it Christ directly. Isaiah, for example, had an indirect understanding of Christ and the Gospel of Salvation, (Isa 25:9), but it was a prophecy that was distant, as if seeing through binoculars in a dark storm. (1Co 13:12) Those who came before had only a vague idea, while the disciples were privileged to see Christ's miracles, hear His preaching, and understand His doctrine.

  [v18] Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

This is not to say that they had not heard it because they heard Jesus present it to the multitudes, but in this sense, they were to be given the gift of understanding. This is a marvelous thing that, in the future, so many would read not only the parable, but also Christ's explanation of it, and still not understand it, showing that the Spirit of God is a requirement for understanding, and that personal study and intellect cannot forge an avenue to understanding spiritual matters without help.

Now Jesus would explain the parable of the sower, or the parable of the evangelist that preached the Gospel, which is foundational to understand all other parables He taught. (Mark 4:13) This is a basic parable, whereas the others were more complicated, so in other words, if you do not understand this, then you will not understand the others, and will end up interpreting them in error.

  [v19] When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

In this sense, the seed is "the word of the kingdom," which is the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, or further expanded, the doctrine of Salvation in Christ of the church in this dispensation of the Gospel of grace. When any man hears the Gospel of Salvation in Christ—the remission of sins through repentance and faith in the Son of God—and does not react appropriately in his heart, indifferent and uncaring, with minimal thought, having no reaction of his soul to the realization of his own wickedness and wretchedness, but continues on his way unconcerned, or even annoyed that someone has interrupted his daily routines or pleasures, this is the result of Satan, or his minions, coming to prevent any thought from taking root in the mind of the hearer.

The Word of God was sent to the way side man's heart, but his understanding was unaffected. The words of the Gospel were as useless to him as a seed that falls on a paved road. The seed was placed in his heart, but the heart was dry ground, having eyes and ears only for the fulfillment of his lust, and the devil snatches it up completely, that the man would not spend a moment in thought on it, keeping his senses distracted on worldly business and fleshly pleasures.

  [v20] But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

The stoney-hearted man is not like the way side man. This man has heard the Gospel preached by the evangelist, and in fact, may be a consistent listener. He is not indifferent. He pays attention to the Gospel, has some understanding of it, and perhaps attends a church building where he hears weekly preaching of it.

Upon hearing the Gospel of the evangelist, he "anon"—quickly or immediately (Mark 4:16)—receives it joyfully in agreement, but the reaction is not what it should have been from the start. When Christ must be tortured to death on the cross to pay for our wretched sins, it is not a circumstance that calls for laughter and gladness of heart. Those joyful reactions come later, but the natural response of a man with understanding is deep grief and sorrow. The stoney-hearted man thinks his flicker of affection for the Gospel is enough to gain him spiritual access to the Kingdom of Heaven, but he was never humbled to repentance, to have godly sorrow of his sins and be brought low before God.

  [v21] Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

While many churchgoers and pastors believe and teach that "falling away" in Scripture means that one "loses their faith" and departs from the truth, Jesus tells us in Luke that these are unsaved people, who never took root in the first place. (Luke 8:13) The stone, being hardened, gives no leeway for the truth of the Gospel to form roots, and though the seed remains there, it is stagnent, and rots away without hope of taking root.

Stoney-hearted people make up the vast majority of churchgoers across the world, having no root of understanding in their hearts, and instead putting on a show of piety, thinking they can fake it until they make it. They "dureth for a while," professing religion, dedicating themselves to weekly attendance, speaking of it to a degree, and complimenting preachers of it in passing, but when "tribulation or persecution," or any type of conflict, might come about because of the preaching of Christ's Gospel, all boldness in them disappears, they shrink back to avoid controversy, and prove that their professions were meaningless.

It is not uncommon for us Christians to go through tribulations that make us the recipients of greater hatred than others might receive. We often encounter situations where wicked men slander us, defame our character, damage our property, injure our person, threaten our lives, attempt to have us imprisoned, or to manipulate the strong arm of government to remove us, and secretly in their hearts, want to see the most vile curses and evil tortures applied to us for nothing more than telling the truth and wishing them well. (Ecc 1:17-18) They act as if they are victims for having heard the truth, and want to see harsh punishments fall upon those who expose their sins. Though the Lord God sees the hearts of all, and will reward malicious men by making them reap what they sow in due time (Gal 6:7), these are also trials for the faithful, and stoney-hearted men shy away from these conflicts, being unwilling to suffer the slightest discomfort for the sake of the Gospel because there is no root in their hearts, and likewise, no roots in Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.

  [v22] He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

The thorny-hearted man does not persecute the saints, he has an outwardly reformed life, and is dedicated to his religion. In fact, thorny-hearted men are more deceptive because they often put on a show of sorrow, appearing to be broken-hearted for his sin, and having a display of affection for the Holy Scriptures, because in this instance, the seed did indeed fall into fertile ground, and took some root.

However, along with the Word of God, the thorny-hearted man has a deep-seated care of this world, being anxious about the concerns of business, government, economics, social issues, and conspiracies. This is not to say that a Christian cannot have some concern for these matters, but he is not anxious of them, and does not make them a priority in his heart. Rather than being primarily concerned with the salvation of souls, the thorny-hearted man is concerned about worldly matters, and dedicates his life to solving the world's problems, even in some cases using religion as a vehicle to drive worldly change.

There are riches which have no deceit in them, such as the riches of grace in Jesus Christ, but the riches mentioned in this passage are of a worldly sort, that feed fleshly prosperity. This is not to say that all financial riches are evil, for the LOVE of money is the root of evil—not the money itself (1Ti 6:10)—and that is due to the fact that money answers all sinful things the flesh might desire. (Ecc 10:19)

Few are resistent to the illustrious call of riches, which deceive them, cause them to err from the faith, and pierce their hearts and minds with many earned sorrows. These riches are useless and injurious to the Gospel of Christ because those who hold them often do not have a heart on good ground, and therefore invest worldly riches only for the purpose of gaining more worldly riches, rather than increasing the riches of grace in Christ.

Because the thorny-hearted man concerns himself primarily with worldly concerns, the seed of Gospel of Christ in his heart is choked, as thorns and weeds will do to a fruitful sapling, depriving it of the nutrients of the Spirit of God in the ground, blocking it from the light of Christ's righteousness, and stealing away the downpour of grace. Therefore, no fruit is born from the seed because all the thought and care for the increase of the Gospel goes to the thoughts and cares of the world, so that over the course of time, the thorny-hearted man has no spiritual benefit to show for all his work—not for himself, his neighbor, or Christ—but will do his best to convince his neighbors to trust in his feigned salvation and alleged good works. (Mar 7:6)

  [v23] But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The man of good ground has the seed of the Gospel of Christ come into his heart, and he understands it with tears of repentance—godly sorrow of his sins—and by his newfound faith (written in his heart as a gift, Heb 12:2), receives the grace of Christ. Jesus then gives him the gift of the Holy Ghost, which transforms him, turning him from his sin, changing his habits, and altering his philosophy to be in accordance with his Savior. (Col 2:8)

Having this security in his soul, the man of good ground will not depart with this gift for any reason. He may have times he is led astray, but always comes back to the Father in repentance of his sin. He loves the Word of God, and is joyful in the doctrines, because they are channeled into him by the kindness of the Holy Ghost, feeding his spirit with all things that are good, right, true, and just, knowing that the mercy of God and works of Jesus Christ has saved him from all death and despair.

This good ground cannot be faked because the Holy Ghost does the work of growing and bearing fruit within a born again Christian. We go forth to do the works and obey the commandments of our Lord, but the Spirit of God brings the increase. (1Co 3:6-7) Our hearts are shaped to love and trust in the kindness and grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and to endure all things for the sake of Him who saved us.

These are fruits of varying quantity, but of the same quality—not looking good only on the outside, but having a sweet smell and satisfying flavor inside. One Christian may have lesser resources and influence than another, and may not reach as many as his brethren, while some may have been saved young, while the other was saved at an older age, having less time to produce fruit.

In summary, the majority of people in this world seem to have a way side heart. Most people will not care of public preaching, and even find it irritating, having no patience or interest to retain a single word, because they are too busy seeking to fulfill their carnal pleasure sensors.

Though stoney-hearted and thorny-hearted men pop up in various places individually, they have a common relationship in most church buildings. Stoney-hearted men want to maintain an appearance of "holiness" to satisfy their desire to be seen as good men, and though thorny-hearted men have a similar desire, the thorny-hearted men often have a deeper drive and passion that motivates others. Thus, a thorny-hearted man joins a seminary (i.e. a "Christian" college) to get his pastoral degree, becomes the head of a church building, and brings a passionate confirmation bias to the stoney-hearted laity that pay him for his performance to make them feel "holy."

It is for this reason that the men of good ground, after a few months of being saved, often find themselves ostracized by church-ianity institutions. Those of good ground bring genuine passion for the Word of God, and are willing to call out error and wickedness when they see it, making the stoney and thorny-hearted men uncomfortable, resulting in born again Christians being outcast and/or ignored by fake Christians, playing church and pretending to be servants of God, who are always in greater number against us, as Jesus Christ explained in Matthew 7:13-14.

Therefore, the indifferent, along with those that believe themselves to be devout practicers of religion—who view themselves as good, holy, and righteous in the sight of God, but without the root of the Word of God taking place in their hearts—make up the vast majority of the world. Religious pretenders crowd temples, cathedrals, sanctuaries, and other places of worship on a weekly basis, all claiming to be the servants of God, but they are frauds. Meanwhile, few find the way to eternal life, and those few stick together to bear fruit alongside one another in genuine service to Christ.

This is the foundational meaning of all parables, and as Jesus continues to teach them, the interpretation must be made through this filter. Ultimately, all parables are teaching us the difference between true and false converts.

  [v24] Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

The first parable focuses on the perspective of the hearts of men, and teaches us that the majority of hearers will not be saved because they had no root of the Word of God in their hearts. Now the focus shifts from the evangelist spreading seed in random places as he traveled to the Son of God spreading the Gospel in a field prepared.

The "kingdom of heaven" in this context is the visible church on earth in the dispensation of the gospel of grace. In a prepared field, the farmer will plant the seed in good ground prepared properly, which interpreted means that Jesus Christ is the man sowing good seed, and that the field belongs to Him, so we Christians in the church are where He plants the seed, which grow to produce genuine and healthy fruit of grace and charity.

  [v25] But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

These are the men of good ground, who became too relaxed in their doctrine and duties, especially during times of outward peace and prosperity, becoming lukewarm so as not to offend anyone—somewhat indifferent to sin, and content with those who put on an appearance of religion for the sake of "getting along." The acceptance of sin for fear of controversy, a dwindling of fellowship in seasons of ease, a lackadaisical attitude while Christ's return is not imminent, putting attendence in place of good works, and apathy towards the Gospel of Salvation (i.e. having little concern for the specific details and Biblical requirements of it) cause Christians to sleep on the job of guard duty, which creates spiritual vulnerabilities in the church.

Because of these idle and careless Christians, the enemy of Christ—Satan and his devils—came to breach the vulnerabilities in the walls of the church, and "sowed tares among the wheat," which is to plant weeds among the good grain. Tares and wheat look identical in the early and middle stages of growth, and they still look similar at a distance when fully matured, requiring an experienced farmer to tell the two apart.

Those tares which infiltrate the church will not be Satanists, covered in goth makeup, tattoos, and piercings, and speaking all manner of blasphemies; rather, they will be well dressed, well manner people professing religion, but secretly live in their sins, having wicked conversations behind closed doors. They become members and look like the sheep of Christ's flock at first—appearing to love the Scriptures, singing songs, and having a form of godliness—but they are unfruitful, and eventually, hurt the church in a variety of ways.

Having successfully brought in his children to cause havoc in the church, Satan "went his way," to cause turmoil elsewhere. Tares cannot be removed without harming the wheat, so once the damage is done, there is oftentimes no choice but to leave the tares in place until the time of harvest, and thus, the devil, having done all the damage he can do, moves on to the next vulnerable church.

  [v26] But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

The blade of the wheat springs up, and this is meant in the sense of a Christian, born again in repentance and faith, having the fruit of grace growing within him, and exhibiting his salvation in word and deed. The Christian is humbled to godly sorrow, grows in understanding, and has a deep-seated love for Christ and His doctrine, but only when this growth takes place do the tares become more visible, so that their bad fruit is clearly seen, making their words and actions (or lack thereof) more discernable.

  [v27] So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

The servants of the householder are the Christians who serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and they brought to Him their concerns that the wheat, or other Christians, were in danger due to the presence of the fake Christian tares. They called Jesus "Sir" or Lord in reverence to Him, which was a reflection of their obedience to Him in this context, as opposed to calling Him "Lord" in pretense or desperation. (Mat 7:21-23)

The servants of Christ came to Him seeking understanding on this matter because they know for certain that nothing evil could come from Him. Therefore, if there were corrupt plants among the wheat, they sought His knowledge and understanding about where they came from.

  [v28] He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

Jesus confirms for His servants that He did not plant them, but the devil planted them there. The servants then inquired if He would have them pull out the tares from among the wheat, lest at any time they set a bad example for the church, or harm and hinder young Christians, or that the reputation of the church might be tarnished by association.

  [v29] But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

This is not to be taken in the sense that no person should ever be removed from the church, because we have commandments to send them out when we encounter impenitent sinners or heretics within. (1Co 5:11-13, 1Co 5:7) Rather, this is to be taken in the sense that when we suspect a tare is among the wheat, or that a fake Christian is among us, that we should not immediately remove them based on that suspicion alone.

An experienced, veteran Christian might be able to see the signs of a tare among the wheat very early on, but addressing it without hard evidence will only cause turmoil and confusion. If that person is generally quiet, offers little in conversation, and simply comes for an attendance record, doing only those things which makes them feel "holy" by being among the faithful servants, then we should patiently forbear them until hard evidence exposes them (and even then, discussions should be made and reconciliation attempted (Mat 18:15-17), or until Jesus sees fit to remove them by other means.

  [v30] Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

As Jesus will soon explain, the "harvest" is the end of the world, in which the angels will throw the wicked into eternal fire. In the time of a hand-picked harvest, workers must sort through that which is good for consumption versus what is not, and the reapers, or angels, in this regard will store the wheat in the barn, bringing Christians into the Kingdom of Heaven for eternity, while the fake Christian tares who played church in a show of outer righteousness will be burned in hellfire, for one can look like wheat on the outside, but the inside is still a tare which must be destroyed.

  [v31] Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Jesus offers another parable which focuses on what a true convert to Christ looks like. The man, who is Jesus Christ, sowing in his prepared field, in the good ground that is tilled and ready for the good seed, planted a mustard seed, which is seed of the Gospel and the grace of Jesus Christ planted within the hearts of His servants.

  [v32] Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

A mustard seed is quite small, and rest comfortably on a small finger tip, and yet, it grows into a mustard tree, which is large and often wide. This is not the least of all seeds across the world, which was not the meaning in this context, for there are seeds smaller than mustard, but in the region of Judea at the time, it was the least of all seeds.

This is meant that the children of God are insignificant at first—lowly, unseen, and valueless—but as the Gospel of Christ grows in their hearts, gaining understanding and wisdom from God's Word, the grace and charity they provide through the workings of Christ in them becomes more clearly seen, being a source of shade from heat and protection from rain that provide comfort and rest to travelers in need.

The church started out small, with just a few simple men without titles or education. However, the church grew into something much larger in due time as the Gospel spread, becoming a peaceful tree, bearing much fruit, and strongly rooted by the nourishment of the Holy Ghost.

The church becomes stable enough in the Lord that it provides safety, shelter, and refreshment to "the birds of the air," which is meant in this context to be other saints of Christ. They come to the church in their weakness, filled with happy songs of praise to God, and take up residence there, flocking together in joy and fellowship.

This is not to say that there will be only one location of the church, for there are many churches in physical location, but there is only one Shepherd, and all the saints of every church location are unified together under one Lord. This parable is a description of the overall church from its establishment in the days of Christ until today, and an inward description of the Spirit of God working in the saints to create a peaceful and graceful church that glorifies Jesus Christ.

  [v33] Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Jesus offers another parable using "leaven" as an example, which is frequently used in other places in the Bible as an analogy of false doctrine coming from a heart of wickedness. (Mat 16:6-12) However, in this passage, it is used in a positive sense to teach Christ's disciples of the coming growth of the church, because they had not yet seen how it would happen.

Just as the mustard seed, the leaven has a small beginning, and is hidden, as the apostles of Christ were hidden as they entered into a new city which had not heard the Gospel. The Gospel of grace, which is the leaven, is hidden in the meal, which are the elect of God, and is put in only a few measures, which represents the small number at the beginning.

The meal is made from the wheat, refined through the conversion process (i.e. turning and changing after being saved), fine tuned through sifting, and separated from the world as the grain is separated from the husk. This is Christ's powerful yet secret work, invisible to the naked eye, but seen by result in due time. Jesus places His grace into the men of good ground, transforming them into something pleasing to all the senses, and the end is more abundant than the beginning.

  [v34] All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

Though the explanations of the parables were given to the disciples in secret, this was not offered to the multitudes. This is not to say that Jesus always taught in parables from this moment onward, for there are many future examples where He did not teach in parables; rather, in this session of teaching, while the multitudes were on the shore and He preached from the ship, He would only teach the crowd in parables.

  [v35] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

This is a prophecy cited from Psalm 78:2, which was written not by David in this instance, but by Asaph, who was a prophet. (2Ch 29:30) The understanding of the law and prophets were now made clear to the disciples of Christ, which was hidden since the creation of the world, and though revealed to some, Christ spoke in parables that the masses would struggle to understand because their hearts were not good ground in which the seed of the Word could grow.

  [v36] Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

His disciples had many questions, so Jesus dismissed the crowd, and returned to the house from which He came. (Mat 13:1) This was not a demand, but His disciples came to him humbly, requesting a full understanding of the wheat and tares parable.

  [v37] He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

Without hesitation, Jesus answered them, showing His affection for them, and that it was the will of God for them to know these things. The Son of man is the Son of God, which is said in the sense of the seed of the woman, and the son of David. The good seed, as Jesus will explain in the next verse, is meant in the sense of those men who had hearts of good ground, upon which the seed of God's Word fell, took root, and grew by the nourishment of the Holy Spirit.

  [v38] The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

The field is the entire world, in all the lands of the Gentiles, not just Israel. The seed is the Word of God, but Jesus refers to seed falling into good ground as "good seed." Therefore, the wheat are those born again in Jesus Christ, regenerated by the Holy Ghost and adopted into the Kingdom of God.

Tares are weeds that look strikingly similar to wheat in nearly every plain visual aspect, and often cannot be discerned until they are fully grown—even then, it takes an experienced farmer to tell the difference. Tares are churchgoers—as opposed to Christians—the children of Satan, who profess religion, participate in religious rituals, and put on a show of holiness, but their hearts are far from Jesus Christ, being no better in moral standing to the carnal world, and worse than them in the sense that their pretense causes harm to the Gospel of Christ and reputation of His church.

  [v39] The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Satan, the enemy of Christ and mankind, planted these hypocrites and heretics into the church, to disrupt the comfort and fruitfulness of the saints, which they have done countless times since this parable was given. They cast doubt with false doctrine, split the church with contentions, bring contagious laziness, encourage apathy through worldly devices, and if the church is negligent in their duties, some will seek leadership, causing long-term damage.

The end of the world is the time when the earth will be destroyed by fire (2Pe 3:10), and this is also the time of the harvest, in which those who are the children of God, the true Christians, born again in Jesus Christ by the regeneration of the Holy Ghost, will be placed alongside those who are the children of the evil one to be judged. The angels will take up all, then separate them accordingly, with the sheep on the right and the goats (i.e. the churchgoers with feigned faith) on the left. (Mat 25:33)

  [v40] As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

As men would gather up the useless weeds, which have no nutritional or monetary value to the farmer, and throw them into a fire to be burned, so shall the Lord of Glory take the hypocritics and heretics, the apathetic churchgoers who only professed a love of Jesus with their mouths, and cast them into everlasting hellfire, which will also be thrown into the eternal lake of fire. (Rev 19:20)
(Read "Hell is Real and Many People Are Going There" at creationliberty.com for details.)

  [v41] The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

The angels will go forth and do as they are commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ, who act by the will of God the Father to gather up the offenders. This is not said in the sense that there are servants of Christ who offend and do iniquity, for their sins are cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus; rather, this is said in the sense of those in "his kingdom" by visibility only, who put on a show of piety but have no repentance, who live in their iniquity, and cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine of Christ. (Rom 16:17)

  [v42] And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The "furnace of fire" is a metaphor of hellfire, and the eternal lake of fire and brimstone. (Rev 20:10) The wailing and gnashing of teeth is commonly used by Jesus to describe the reactions of the tares, or the goats, or the false converts, who lay claim to having faith proven by their works, but are the workers of iniquity who never came to repentance (i.e. godly sorrow) for the remission of sins. (Mat 8:12)

There will be wailing, or weeping (Mat 25:30), which is not for their sins, nor for Christ's sacrifice on the cross, but for themselves, lamenting their punishment as impenitent criminals often do. Some react in this way, while others react with gnashing of teeth, like an angry wolf grits its teeth, infuriated that they spent their life doing the scruples of religion, only to have all their works meaningless in the end because their faith was not planted firmly in repentance for the remission of sins in Christ. (Luke 24:46-47)

  [v43] Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Not that we will shine of ourselves because we are (carnally speaking) no different than the hypocrites and heretics thrown into the eternal furnace, but only because we are cleansed by the blood of Christ and regenerated by the Holy Ghost, we will shine as the sun because of His righteousness imputed to us. Those saints that suffered the oppression of the world—the grief and anguish that comes from loneliness, poverty, and being treated as nothing more than garbage—will be given a royal welcoming into the glory of God.

As indicated earlier, all people have ears, and most can hear with them, but this is said in the sense of consideration. Let those who take the words of Jesus Christ seriously stop and consider carefully the meaning and importance of these parables.

  [v44] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

It is presumable that Jesus said "again" because this parable is comparable to the good seed that produces fruit (mentioned in verse 38). Once again, the "kingdom of heaven" is not said in the sense of heaven and eternal life in this context; rather, it is the Gospel of Christ, and by proxy, His church, which are the preachers of it, but more to the point of this parable, it is meant the Gospel of Salvation.

This treasure was hidden in a field, as the Gospel of Salvation was hidden in the Old Testament during a former dispensation. It is also hidden from those who are lost, being blinded by their sinful flesh and the devils who promote it. This is not to say that no one in the former dispensation was saved; on the contrary, salvation is guaranteed to the faithful in any dispensation, who also desired to see and understand what was given to Christ's disciples. (Mat 13:17)

A man can find this treasure through a number of means, whether by the hearing of preaching, reading the doctrines of the scribes pointing to the Gospel, by the reading of the Holy Scriptures, or even by prayer through conviction (and later being led to the Scriptures). Once it has been discovered, and its value ascertained to be higher than anything he could ever hope for, "he hideth," which is not said in an evil sense (as if he would not share the news with others), but in a manner of value, that he secures that treasure in his heart so that he will not lose it, or that someone will not come along and take it from him.

This is not to be interpreted literally, to say that one should go sell everything they have upon being saved (although some may choose to do that by their own conviction); rather, it should be interpreted metaphorically as intended, in that one is willing to depart with all his worldly substance, even life itself, to gain the infinite value of salvation, eternal life in heaven, the wonderful gifts of mercy from God the Father, the gift of imputed righteousness by the shed blood of Christ, and the joy of the Holy Ghost. This is also why we need to be cautious for new Christians, for when they are first born again, scammers disguising themselves as "Christian" preachers will pounce on such prey, to manipulate them in their vulnerable state, which is not to say that the Holy Ghost does not protect newly saved saints, but we, as a church, have a duty to Christ and our brethren, by which we should protect them, helping to guide them to sound doctrine and good understanding in God's Word.

  [v45] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

The Gospel, or the church of Christ who is called to preach it, is like a merchant man, who is a reasonable businessman, as merchants often are—objective, thorough, and understanding in their trade—in order to make a living, and never rash, lest foolish decisions leave them penniless. The merchant searches out goodly pearls, which is legitimate salvation founded on sound wisdom of doctrine.

  [v46] Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

In his search throughout various markets, he finds a pearl of such size, splendor, and beauty, which makes all other pearls worthless in comparison, which is to say that he finds the Gospel of Salvation from a small, relatively unknown vendor, one among many, which preaches grace through repentance and faith, with all works done for him by Jesus Christ—all gifts of mercy given freely, including the end of all suffering in the joy of eternal life—it makes all other gospels worthless. Knowing that there is nothing that will ever be like unto this wonderful pearl, he is willing to part with all worldly status, riches, honor, profit, and pleasures to gain it.

This helps us to understand that those who compromise with the world while claiming to be of Christ, are not wise merchant men. When preachers adopt the principles of the world, drawing in man-made ideologies, unbiblical religious traditions, and seek quantity over quality, they are tares among the wheat because they do not match the description of one who is of the Kingdom of Heaven.

  [v47] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

The Gospel, and also the church of Christ who are the preachers of it, is like a net, which itself is nothing complex. It is a simple device considered by most to be of low value, having no qualities which draw the eyes of most passersby, yet it is most effective for its intended purpose, which is to gather sinners who will hear and understand from the deep recesses of a vast ocean of worldly philosophies.

The sea (which is the world in this analogy) produces storms of affliction and waves of persecution against the saints while they cast the net of the Gospel. The net is cast across the sea in various places, catching those of high and low status, great and simple education, wealthy and poor, Jew and Gentile.

  [v48] Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

When the net of the Gospel is drawn up, there are some good fish, some bad fish, and other bits of plant and creature that are not fit for use. In the final days, the angels, having been given their instructions from the Lord, will welcome in the ship of the church who preached the Gospel, inspect the fruit of their labor, gathering in the good fish into storage, and throwing away the bad—the good-for-nothing churchgoers, who profess Christ with their mouths only—who do not have the grace of God and righteousness of Christ on them.

  [v49] So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

Just as a fishermen draw in a net, sifting out what is good from what is bad, so shall the angels, in the presence of God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost, separate the hypocrites and heretics from the presence of the faithful saints. The saints will go on to join the Lord in eternity, while the rest are prophesied to suffer what is said in the next verse.

  [v50] And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The hyprocrites and heretics, who troubled the saints with their shows of prayer and piety, will be cast into hell and the lake of fire and brimstone. Once again, there is "wailing and gnashing of teeth," which are those who cry for themselves and their everlasting torment, and others who grit their teeth in furious rage against the Lord for not respecting their impenitent religious works.

  [v51] Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

Jesus asked this question, not because He did not know it, but to put an end to the lesson, and in kindness, to allow them to think and answer for themselves after He had opened their understanding to know the full meaning of these parables. Their quick and collective answer of "Yea" shows us that their understanding was unlocked simultaneously, and was now useful to them, not only to teach to others, but to increase their discernment for the future.

  [v52] Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Now that they had a foundational understanding of what the parables of Jesus were describing, namely, the differences between true and false converts, as well as the true church verses fake Christianity, He presents one more parable about evangelical scribes, as opposed to worldly scribes. The scribes in this sense are authors, like what I am doing in this commentary, who preach the Gospel in writing. There are good authors for the kingdom of heaven, as well as bad authors, who profess religion to gain money and influence, and Jesus tells us the difference.

The genuine evangelical author preaching Christ's Gospel, or the "scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven," is like a man who is in charge of a household and family, which may be thought of as a church whose members gather for worship and fellowship. With affection for both Christ and the members of the church, he provides the spiritual food of the Gospel to be consumed for their wellbeing, and faithfully manages his responsibilities with solid foundation of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

This is not meant in the sense of the New and Old Testaments, as some preachers erroneously teach, and that I also erroneously taught for a time in my early days of ministry, because the law is not old in comparison to the Gospel. The Gospel was hidden from the foundation of the world (2Ti 1:9), and the law given much later in history, making the Gospel more ancient than the law. The Old and New Testaments are called such simply because they are covenants, one being made to the Jews, and the other based on the more ancient Gospel, a better covenant, which is made to all men. (Heb 8:6)

The context suggests that the writing of the evangelical scribe is nourishment to the fruit of the tree, as their teachings should be based on the Holy Scriptures, which are delivered to us from the Holy Ghost, who is the source of all wisdom and understanding for Christians. This is why Jesus added this parable to His disciples, giving them instruction that they were to go forth and teach others in the Gospel. (Mat 28:19-20) This wisdom and understanding from the Holy Ghost, bringing to us the Gospel of grace, is our treasure, and so we teach things that we have long known, the old things which are true, and also new insights discovered as we study and learn, making sure His disciples were focused on truth rather than tradition.

  [v53] And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

When Jesus was finished speaking to the multitude, dismissed them, and finished His private conversation with His disciples in the house, He left the city of Capernaum.

  [v54] And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Jesus returned to Nazareth where He was raised and educated, and He taught in the synagogue on the sabbath day, in which custom allowed others to preach in appointed times. The doctrine taught by Jesus was delivered with such grace, from a position of great authority, and with wonderous miracles, that they had never heard or seen anything like it, leaving them amazed.

They knew Christ's background. His parents had family in this town, and He had worked with Joseph among them when He was young. He had no formal training among the scribes and Pharisees. The fact that they posed this question, either verbally or within themselves, demonstrated that they did not know or believe who He is, that He is the wisdom of God, being one with the Father. (John 10:30)

  [v55] Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Some may have asked these questions in astonishment, as indicated in the previous verse, while others asked in a more accusatory manner, intending to demean Him, as is common with those in positions of power and influence when they see a threat to their rank. They also inquired of Christ's blood lineage, addressing Mary in an ordinary manner, as Jewish writers claim she was an ordinary woman who "braided women's hair" to make a meager living, thereby making Christ's lineage underwhelming in comparison to His great teaching and works of miracles.
(See William Davidson Talmud, Shabbat 104b, Sefaria Library, retrieved May 1, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.104b.5?lang=bi])

When the brethren of Jesus are listed, these are not strictly His direct brothers, but brothers in the sense of the term as it was used in Jewish society, so that cousins (i.e. the sons of Joseph's brethren) are also considered brothers in a general understanding. James, also called the son of Alphaeus, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus (Mat 10:3, Gal 1:19), and the author of the epistle of James.

Joses, or Joseph, may have been Joseph Barsabbass (also called Justus), nominated to replace Judas as an apostle. (Acts 1:23) Simon, or Symeon, was the son of Cleophas (i.e. the legal uncle of Jesus, Joseph's brother), and he later succeeded James as an elder of the church in Jerusalem. Judas, or Jude, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus (Mat 10:3), and later authored the epistle of Jude.

  [v56] And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

The sisters of Jesus were also likely cousins, and by asking "are they not all with us?" it is meant in the sense that the family lived in the same town as everyone present, and was known by nearly everyone. This led them to question how Jesus had gained such great wisdom and works of miracles, because He had no formal education from lawyers (of the Scriptures) and scribes, in which it would take a man intense work for a lifetime or more to learn what Jesus knew effortlessly.

  [v57] And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Rather than believe what they saw and heard to be the work of the Lord, sent from heaven, and that He was a divine person that fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah, they chose to be suspicious of Him, that He was of the devil, because He did not go through the customary channels of religious education that was expected by society. Those who preach the truth of repentance for the remission of sins in modern society will eventually find themselves facing the same afflictions and persecutions that Jesus faced in His days on earth in the flesh.

Knowing their stubborn hearts, Jesus expected this reaction, and responded appropriately, with what sounds like a common proverb that may have been well understood in Israel at the time. Prophets, or rather, teachers of the Word, are less often accepted in their own town and state, and more often accepted and esteemed by those of a foreign land.

To follow in the footsteps of Christ in this regard, it is often said in my day, "familiarity breeds contempt," which is to say that the more you get to know someone, the more you see their flaws and take them for granted. Because of that, you are likely to lose respect or admiration for a person familiar to you, which is why the Jews chose to see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to be nothing more than a "carpenter's son."

  [v58] And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Though Christ did some works, as indicated in verse 54 (and later in Mark 6:5), He did not do many of them as He did in other cities. It somewhat begs the question why He went to Nazareth in the first place—considering that Jesus is omniscient and knew their stubborn hearts in advance—and the answer to that could be, firstly, to give them a fair opportunity as everyone else to make their choice, and secondly, to avoid being accused of being uncharitable to His own countrymen, which the unbelievers would ultimately use as an excuse to justify themselves in their wicked unbelief.

Mark adds that Jesus "marvelled because of their unbelief" (Mark 6:6), which is not to say that Jesus was surprised in the sense that He did not have foreknowledge, but was surprised in the sense that we are, when we know someone will react in a certain way, and yet we express shock when seeing it live, how absurd it is for someone to ignore the facts staring them in the face. Therefore, Jesus, as the Lord over mankind, judged them unworthy of His healing because of their extreme stubbornness, and left to put His work to better use, where He could find more soft, tilled ground where to put the seed of His Word, that would bear fruit in due time.



 

  [v1] At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

This is not the same Herod the Great who slew the infants in search of Jesus; rather, this was his son, who was a king as indicated in Mark 6:14, but was also called a "tetrarch" because he was one of four rulers, the sons of Herod, over a kingdom divided into four parts. Luke 3:1 explains that Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, which was ruled by the tetrarch Archelaus, Herod was the tetrarch of Galilee, Philip was tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene.

  [v2] And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

This verse needs a bit of explaining because there are some intricasies that can be missed if read too quickly. First, there is Biblical indication that Herod the tetrarch was a Sadducee, which we can deduce if we compare Matthew 16:6 with Mark 8:15.

The key note about Sadducean doctrine is that they did not believe in spirits, neither in man, nor in the Holy Spirit. This tells us that it is very likely that Herod gathered his most trusted and loyal servants of his household, who knew his intimate secrets and kept them hidden, to express his fear about the potential that John the Baptist was risen from the dead, which was contrary to his Sadducean ideology, based on accounts that men were doing greater works than John, having been given those divine gifts by Jesus Christ.

Since Jesus was raising the dead, that posed the possibility that John the Baptist was raised from the dead, and then he could provide personal testimony of his innocence in a Roman court, which would have grave consequences for Herod. If not testimony, perhaps through these miraculous powers, he might be cursed to suffer and die as punishment for his sins, which are described in the following verses.

  [v3] For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

Not that Herod personally arrested John, but sent his officers to do that job, and as the head of the executive branch, his servants are an extension of his own hands. Herod had John the Baptist bound in chains, as if he were a criminal, for the sake of Herodias, the wife of his half-brother, Philip.

According to historian Flavius Josephus' records, Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, who was the son of Herod the Great, which means she was the niece of both tetrarchs, Philip and Herod. To say the least, this is a complex assortment of familial relations. Mark notes that Herod the tetrarch married Herodias (Mark 6:17), which he did after entering to an adulterous affair with her while she was still married to Philip, and the two divorced their spouses to marry one another, which angered Petraea, the King of Arabia, whose daughter Herod the tetrarch divorced, causing a war to break out between the two nations.

  [v4] For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

Having heard of the incestuous and unlawful marriage, John (by the guiding convictions of the Holy Ghost) visited Herod and rebuked him to his face "for all the evils he had done." (Luke 3:19) Although the law allowed marriage to a brother's wife in the event of his untimely death with no heir, the unlawfulness comes from Leviticus 18:16, which clearly states that this type of relationship was forbidden, in addition to the fact that he divorced his lawfully wedded wife to satisfy his lust.

Although some have suggested political motivation for imprisoning John, perhaps to avoid Jewish defection in time of war, this does not make logical sense because Herod's marriage to Herodias was public, and John's rebuke would not have much effect, if any, since everyone knew the offenses and did nothing. Therefore, Matthew's account that John's imprisonment was due Herod's selfishishness, "for Herodias' sake," to ease tensions in his marriage, to satisfy her anger, and to protect her pretended honor, is much more logical.

  [v5] And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

Herod, being a man of pride, and enraged by the complaints of his unlawful wife, would have executed John immediately for daring to question his decisions, which is likely the reason none of the Jews dared to openly rubuke his sin, but he feared the multitude of Jews, many of which saw John as a prophet. Herod did not believe John to be a prophet, which is why he had no fear of him, nor did Herod fear the Living God, but because the people did see John that way, killing him might be a cause for revolt, which would have been a serious problem, especially since the whispers of war were growing louder from the offended King of Arabia.

  [v6] But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

Birthday celebrations were highly revered among the Gentiles, as it was in Egypt (Gen 40:20), and Herod entertained many lords and captains at his table. (Mark 6:21) During the festivities, "the daughter of Herodias danced before them," that is, in the presence of Herod along with his lords and captains.

The text says "the daughter of Herodias," not the daughter of Herod, which means she was the daughter of Herodias' former husband. The dancing of his step-daughter pleased him, not only because her fluent movements may have come from years of training, but also because she offered this satisfication to her step-father on his birthday, rather than holding resentment against him for tearing her father away and defiling her mother.

  [v7] Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

Pleased with her dancing as a birthday gift, and that all the lords and captains were pleased as well, he not only offered her a single wish, of whatever she would ask, then confirmed it with an oath. This was the gesture of a fool and a simp, who had no thought of restraint when it came to women, because, as Mark 6:23 notes, he was willing to give her half of his kingdom on the whim of a fleeting emotion upon witnessing a simple dance. A good outcome from such a stupid offer could only be acheived if it was given to a man of upstanding moral fiber, who would only do good and not evil, as in the case of Esther (Est 5:3), but that was not the case in this instance.

  [v8] And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

This great, open-ended offer was given to the daughter of Herodias, and not knowing what she ought to do, Mark 6:24 notes that "she went forth... unto her mother" to inquire what she should ask for. The daughter's desire to please her mother is natural, and without sin, but there was great sin in Herodias because she could have instructed her daughter to ask for many things which would have secured her daughter's future and happiness, and yet, she was willing to sacrifice her daughter's welfare to satisfy her own hatred.

In modern vernacular, we might say that when something is easily obtainable, it is offered up "on a silver platter," and this is essentially what a "charger" in this context; a large, flat plate used for serving food or presenting offerings. Silver chargers, or large silver platters, were themselves presented as valuable offerings in Numbers 7. Thus, at the behest of her mother, the daughter cashed in Herod's oath by requesting the head of John the Baptist "in a charger," which may have been slightly concaved into a large bowl, since it uses the word "in" rather than "on."

  [v9] And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

Herod instantly regretted his oath, and was inwardly pained, knowing the daughter was used by her mother, that this was an evil action, that there would likely be public backlash, and that this would forever tarnish his name. Under normal circumstances, he may have considered this to be a greater request than half his kingdom, and could privately refuse, offering her something else instead, but he made this oath in the presence of his lords and captains, so to save face, that he would not be condemned as an untrustworthy ruler, and that he would not displease his audience who were well pleased with the young woman, he acquiesced to her request.

  [v10] And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

This was not a public execution, but a private one performed in the prison, which was presumably to avoid public outburst by those willing to give their life to protect a prophet of God. It does not specify if this was done in his cell, or if John was brought to a place in the castle dungeon over an open drain, but the order was given and performed without delay, and without a hearing or trial where John could speak for himself or call upon witnesses.

  [v11] And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

Soon after the order was given, during the time while Herod and his guests were present, the executioner beheaded John the Baptist, placed it in large plateware, and gave it to the damsel, a name that, at the time, was reserved for young women of high status. The young woman brought the charger to her mother, which must have greatly pleased her because she was so adverse to the truth, hatred was the dish she craved.

God promises in Galatians 6:7 that men will reap what they sow, and in this world, we often do not get to see when God issues men their just rewards. Soon after this incident, according to historian Flavius Josephus' records, Herodias' brother, Agrippa, received word that Herodias had convinced Herod to go to Rome to seek kingship over the tetrarchs, and he contacted his superiors in Rome about the conspiracy, resulting in Herod losing all his money and power, which was given to Agrippa, and Herod, Herodias, and her daughter were all banished as paupers to live out their days in Lyons, France.
-Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Chapter 7, retrieved May 5, 2026, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/ant-18.html]

Although unrelated to this passage, I thought it interesting to note that, in Flavius Josephus' historical account, Emperor Casius elected to show mercy to Herodias because she was the sister of Agrippa (even though she was the manipulative brains behind the conspiracy), and offered to give her back her wealth as a present. In so many words, she replied back with a kind and respectful decline of the gift, claiming that she could not abandon her husband in his time of need, which may seem sweet to those who may not consider that she could just give that money to her husband so they could all live comfortably; rather, it was her ploy to manipulate the Emperor's kindness, taking advantage of her relation to others in power, that he might show her favor by returning them to a position of power, and that angered him, so he banished her and Herod with nothing, demonstrating God's judgment on wicked people.

  [v12] And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

The disciples of John very likely had to get permission to retrieve the body from Herod through his officers, which was granted to them, and they buried his headless body out of respect to their friend and teacher. The act of finding Jesus and telling him of what happened showed honor to John's doctrine that Christ is the Messiah, that they should trust and follow Him, which they may have likely done at this point.

  [v13] When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Since John had preached in the halls of Herod's castle, the news of Jesus had been discussed there, which means that they may try to imprison Christ as well, especially since Herod believed that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, so Jesus departed to avoid Herod, not out of fear—for God does not fear men—but because it was not yet Christ's time to die. Likewise, we can avoid danger for the sake of the mission, and just like Jesus, it is not dishonorable to God, nor unfaithful, to prudently circumvent threatening situations when we can.

Furthermore, Jesus used this opportunity to allow His disciples to get some rest, since they were constantly bombarded with those who sought help, so much that they barely had time to eat, let alone quietly rest. (Mark 6:31) Without proper rest, we can easily be overwhelmed, stressed, and discouraged, especially after hearing such dire news about John; knowing this, Jesus made sure to remind them that rest and refreshment after hard labor was good in the sight of God, and that they should take consideration for their physical and mental condition.

When the multitudes heard that Jesus and His disciples had taken a ship, many departed from their cities of residence to follow Him. They were so desperate to be healed by Him, and to witness His miracles, that hearing of His destination, they beat Him to His location on foot before He arrived via ship.

  [v14] And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

That is, Jesus went forth out of the ship, from the inner parts of it, and according to verse 21, saw roughly 5,000 men, which were the count of the men alone, as there were more than that when counting the women and children. Though He brought His disciples to this desert area to rest, His compassion for the people showed the greatness of His mercy and kindness, having concern for the physical condition of the people, as well as their spiritual condition, as Mark 6:34 notes that "they were as sheep not having a shepherd," and thus, Christ healed them individually, and preached the Gospel to them.

  [v15] And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

The Jews had two types of evenings, the first being what we today call "afternoon," or as the word clearly indicates, "after noon," but before sundown, while other evening was at sundown. This would indicate that the "evening" in this context was afternoon, since the markets would still be open to buy food.

The disciples came to Jesus to make obvious statements, as they often did, since what Jesus did was often not part of standard operating procedure. The obvious fact was that the desert did not have much natural food for people to eat, and "the time is now past," which means it was past noon, and past the time when lunch was normally served in their culture.

Out of concern for the hunger of the multitude, they suggested to send them away by the traditional manner that the people were dismissed in the synagogues, that the people might find food. This, however, would interrupt His preaching.

  [v16] But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

The Lord that can restore their bodies and souls can easily provide them sustenance. Jesus then instructs them, "give ye them to eat," which is not to say that He was not fully aware of their provisions, but as a test of faith, that they might gain a better understanding of who He is, as well as the vital importance of the people hearing sound doctrine, which should be prioritized as more important than food.

  [v17] And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Jesus asked them for an account of their inventory (Mark 6:38), but as I noted on the previous verse, this was not a question to seek knowledge. This was a question for them to take account of the details, that they would have a better understanding of what was about to happen, especially since this event was to be documented in the Scriptures for future Christians to read and understand.

Andrew responded that they had "five barley loaves, and two small fishes" (John 6:8-9), but added, "what are they among so many?" This question demonstrated that they were not thinking about the power of Christ in that moment, who is able to create bread from nothing.

  [v18] He said, Bring them hither to me.

Jesus first instructed them to bring their supplies to Him, which is meant to test their obedience and faith to Him. This is a way to teach us that when our efforts and supplies are insufficient, we should bring them to Him in prayer, putting our faith in Him to provide what we cannot.

  [v19] And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Depending on the type of desert terrain, there are tufts of grass, which gave the people something a little more comfortable to sit on while they ate and listened to His doctrine. This command was also to keep things orderly, as the distribution of food in combination with their desire to personally interact with Christ would have caused chaos.

Jesus took the small amount of food and held it for all to see, then He looked up to heaven, to His Father, and blessed the food, expressing His wish that it may give nourishment for prosperity and happiness to the multitude. Christ did this in a particular order for our understanding, that the nourishment the church receives of the Holy Ghost first comes from Christ, which is then channeled through His apostles, by which we receive understanding from the Holy Scriptures.

  [v20] And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Not only the disciples, but all the people ate, as indicated in the next verse. The Scriptures are not specific as to how they ate, but that the food was duplicated by a miraculous process, and the fragments broken were so many, that after the people had eaten and been fully satisfied, there were twelve baskets full of food remaining. It is not certain where the baskets came from, but they may have been from those who carried baskets for travel (since they had come on foot from other towns), or from baskets that could be strapped to the back for carrying hay and straw, which some may have had on hand.

  [v21] And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

There were "about," or roughly, 5,000 men, which was just the approximate count of the men alone, for there were more women and children beyond that number. It is unknown how many may have been present, but it is not unreasonable to think that an equal number of women and children were present. All of them ate, and were "were filled," having their hunger completely satisfied.

  [v22] And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

The word 'constrained' is key in this verse because it gives us a little more detail about this situation. The overarching picture is a people who were looking for the Messiah, and after seeing this miracle of feeding the people, some in the crowd would have believed this was who they were waiting for to come.

If that is the case (and it very likely was), then the Jews would have sought a temporal kingdom setup under the reign of Christ, banding together to throw off the Roman government and establish Jesus as ruler. Christ's disciples would have greatly desired this as well, and perhaps encouraged it, so to prevent an uprising which would have contradicted the prophesied plan of dying for the sins of man, Jesus constrained His disciples with a strict order to go board the ship and go to the other side.

In the meantime, Jesus would disperse the crowd, which would not have been as simple to do if His disciples were present. Jesus also wanted a bit of time alone to pray, and if He had gone away to do this, the disciples may have amped up excitement, creating an unrealistic hope and expectation that Jesus would have remained with them in His physical form, so He sent the disciples first, then would catch up with them soon enough.

  [v23] And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

It is not made known to us what Jesus went to pray for on His own, but it is not for us to know, else the Holy Ghost would have made the information known to Matthew when writing this down. It is entirely possible that, because Jesus had compassion on the people, He knew that shedding His blood and dying was the only way to save them, and therefore, He may have pled with His Father to help the people see the error of having a temporal kingdom, most especially His disciples who were beloved to Him, that their grief might be somewhat reduced in the day of turmoil when Christ would have to be sacrificed.

Whatever the reason, Jesus wanted to be alone, and simply from a reasonable standpoint, a leader often cannot pour his heart out in the presence of others. This is not to say that Jesus had any doubts, but that the sufferings and pains of a leader must be kept quiet in the presence of those weaker, else their faith may falter. This would be especially the case with Christ, since, being God, He likely prayed for things that were beyond the understanding of anyone else, and possibly received spiritual refreshment in a way we cannot fathom.

The action of praying in a high place also defied Jewish tradition, in which it was commanded that, "One should not stand in a place three or more handbreadths high and pray." This demonstrated that Christ did not give any concern to these scruples, setting an example for us that we should not rely on them either, for holiness and righteousness are given to us by Christ alone, not through works.
(See Mishneh Torah, Prayer and the Preistly Blessing, 5:7, retrieved May 7, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Prayer_and_the_Priestly_Blessing.5.7?lang=bi])

Jesus stayed until "evening was come," which addresses my notes on verse 15 that there were two types of evening in Jewish culture. The first evening was afternoon, which was when He taught and fed the people, and the second evening in this verse is sundown.

  [v24] But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

In John 6:19, we are told they were roughly 25-30 furlongs away from the shore, which is roughly 3-4 miles (5-6 km). The sea was extremely rough, so much that the lives of passengers were in danger because the ship was being tossed to and fro by the waves and the wind, and worse still, the disciples did not have Christ with them, which made the situation more dire.

If we compare this situation to the analogy of the waters being the nations of unpredictable people filled with sin (Rev 17:15), and we—the church—are sailing in these rough seas without hope of rest under the constant berating of Satan attacks. We are never comfortable, and can never find rest, without Christ with us.

  [v25] And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

The Jews had four watches in the day, and four watches in the night, which is another way of ascertaining the time. Each watch consisted of three hours, meaning that Jesus approached the ship, casually walking on the sea, somewhere between the hours of 3AM and 6AM.

It is anyone's guess exactly what time Jesus appeared, but I would presume it would be later in the fourth watch, at the first signs of daylight, otherwise, it would be too dark to see. There is the possibility that the moon was out, and moonlight is brighter on the sea than on land, but we have no description of the weather to know for sure. Nevertheless, the disciples had been awake all night in distress, and Jesus did not come to them in the timely manner they wished, but in His due time, as we are waiting for Him even now.

  [v26] And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

Though they saw Jesus walking on the sea, they did not immediately recognize Him, rather, they saw only a silhouette of a man on the surface of the water, which was unnatural. The fear of a spirit is the fear of an evil spirit—a demon/devil—which may have come from Jewish tradition, as it was customary for the Jews not to greet people at night if they did not recognize them because that person could be a demon, which had been rumored to carry away young children and kill them.
(See Megillah, 3a:19, Sefaria Library, retrieved May 7, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Megillah.3a.19?lang=bi])

Their fear would have been understandably amplified by the waves and wind, in addition to the fact that they had been fighting this all night without sleep. To have suffered this many hours, only to see a dark figure walking across the water towards them would have frightened any man, no matter his stature.

  [v27] But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

The very moment "they cried out in fear," Jesus yelled back to them (as He would have done through the noise of the waves) to identify Himself, reassuring them they had nothing to be afraid of—neither storms nor spirits—when He is with them. Though they may not recognize Him, He was still with them, just as the Lord was with Jacob when He did not realize it (Gen 28:16), as He was with Mary Magdalene when she mistook Him for an ordinary gardener (John 20:15), and as He was with the disciples when they could not recognize Him. (Luke 24:15-16)

  [v28] And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Peter was faithful to the power and mercy of Jesus, but also cautious of danger, knowing that devils can transform their appearance to seem good, and that Satan can transform himself to appear as an angel of light. (2Co 11:13-14) Peter asks the question on the condition that it is Christ, and that he would faithfully risk the danger to come to Jesus, but only on His command, by His will, showing his full submission to the Word of God.

  [v29] And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

In loving manner, Jesus permitted Peter to come to him, which carries the strong implication that He would have Peter walk on the water, not intending for him to swim, since going into the water in such turbulent conditions was equivalent to suicide. Having assured himself that this was Christ, and being faithful in His power and kindness, Peter boldly descended the side of the ship, and supported by the will of Christ, he too walked on water for the intended purpose of going to Jesus.

  [v30] But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

As Peter walked on the water, the wind (by the will of God) blew with great force, sending more waves towards him, and because his faith was imperfect, he became afraid. His faith waivering, convinced he would sink into the ocean, he cried out and entrusted his life to Jesus to save him.

  [v31] And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Jesus, having already made steps towards Peter, reached out to take his hand, and lifted him up, so his feet rested on the water again. He did not accuse Peter of having no faith, but little faith, knowing that it was destined by the will of Christ for him to go forward to preach His Gospel, on what basis would Peter assume that Jesus would ever let him drown until the work was finished, or worse, that Jesus would deceitfully call him off the ship only to kill him, which would then shatter the faith of onlookers?

  [v32] And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

After Peter and Jesus walked on the water back to the ship, and boarded, the violent winds immediately stopped, as all things are obedient to the will of God. There was a perfect calm on the seas, just as the Holy Ghost works in our spirits as soon as we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and He enters our hearts, to cleanse us, giving us peace, comfort, joy, and rest. (Mat 11:29)

  [v33] Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Those in the ship, both the sailors and Christ's disciples, worshiped Jesus, fully convinced that He is the Son of God; not merely a man, but divine in His nature. This was their profession that Jesus is God, being the same essence and power of the Father, and deserving of all proper religious honors.

  [v34] And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

Once this trial had ended, Jesus had entered the ship, and they had a calm sailing to the other side of sea, they came to Gennesaret, which is said by scholars to be the same as Cinnereth (Num 34:11), located on the northwestern short of the Sea of Galilee. Historical records and rabbinic sources praise this region for being rich in its abundance of fertile soil, producing and exporting a great number of fruits and nuts, and following the analogy, once Jesus has saved us, He calms our hearts and minds, leads us through trouble, and at the end of our travels, He will bring us into a place of endless bounty.

  [v35] And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;

That is, once the men of Gennesaret/Cinnereth had seen Jesus for themselves, not merely heard rumors about Him, they sent word into all the city and surrounding areas so that as many as could come to see Him would do so. They faithfully brought their sick to be healed, trusting in the testimonies they had heard about Him, and Luke adds that they also came to hear the doctrine of God's Word (Luke 5:1), which was not as common in other places Jesus had first preached.

  [v36] And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

As a demonstration of their great faith in Jesus, they desired to simply touch the hem of his garment to be healed, as did the woman who had a blood disease for twelve years running. (Mat 9:20-22) This is in part a humility, that they are not deserving to speak with Jesus, to be before Him, face-to-face in His presence, while having faith that simply being near Him is a great blessing. Jesus, in His wonderous benevolence, most especially to the poor and needy, fulfilled the secret desire of their hearts, and all who touched the hem of His garment were cured of all disease, injuries, and infirmaties of any kind.



 

  [v1] Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

After feeding thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fish, among many other miracles, the word of Jesus' deeds spread throughout the land. The scribes and Pharisees—the enemies of Christ—came to observe for themselves and converse with Jesus. These were the scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem, who were the chief among their sect, being of higher education and skill in religion and customs than those of other cities.

  [v2] Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

The first attempted correction of the scribes and Pharisees was against Christ's disciples, not against Christ Himself, and furthermore, their rebuke was not based on any violation of the law of God; rather, it was based on the stringent rules of the scribes. The Jewish Talmud notes:
"Having quoted an allusion from the verse: 'For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread' (Proverbs 6:26), the Gemara offers another interpretation of that verse. Rav Avira interpreted a verse homiletically [i.e. preaching]; there were times he said this interpretation in the name of Rabbi Ami and there were times he said it in the name of Rabbi Asi: Concerning anyone who eats bread without washing his hands, it is as if he engaged in sexual intercourse with a prostitute,"
-Sefaria, The William Davidson Talmud, Sotah 4b, retrieved Aug 25, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Sotah.4b?lang=en]

The Talmud goes on to note that later rabbis would correct this obvious error, but this is what many believed at the time based on tradition and man-made hierarchy, rather than truth rightly interpreted from the Word of God. Though some may believe that the Jews held the Word of God as the highest authority, that was not the case in some instances, as the Talmud also teaches that the words of the scribes are better than those of the Spirit of God in the Holy Scriptures:
"The words of the scribes are related to the words of Scripture and are more pleasant than the words of Scripture. (Song of Songs 1:2) 'Since your friendship is better than wine'; Rebbi Abba bar Cohen in the name of Rebbi Judah ben Pazi: You can know that the words of the scribes are more pleasant than those of Scripture because if Rebbi Tarphon did not recite at all he would have transgressed only a positive commandment. But because he transgressed the words of the school of Hillel he should have suffered death since it says: (Proverbs 10:8) 'He who breaches a fence will be bitten by a snake.'"
-Sefaria, Jerusalem Talmud, Berakhot 1:4, retrieved Aug 25, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Jerusalem_Talmud_Berakhot.1.4?lang=bi]

We who are of Christ know the passages of the Songs of Solomon (or Song of Songs) are about Christ and His church, but the scribes in that day, who were arrogant in their station of life, thought it referred to themselves. They believed that to breach the fence they built around the Torah would endanger their entire religion, collapse the pillars of their culture, and could invite severe consequences such as illness or death. Thus, they exalted themselves to have words that were sweeter and better to be followed than the Holy Scriptures, which is an absurdity beyond my capability to describe.

Thus, their accusation was against the disciples for trangressing "the tradition of the elders," because that was considered to be a greater offense than that against the Torah. This was an indirect attack against Christ for not teaching the Pharisaical traditions to His disciples, implying a toll of obedience to their will which they expected Christ to pay before allowing Him to teach freely among the people.

  [v3] But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

Jesus responded by ignoring their claim, which was a simple but brilliant strategy. It is not that Jesus ignored them for any malicious purpose, but for a righteous one, because their argument had no bearing on right or wrong. Washing one's hands before eating a piece of bread might be encouraged for healthy reasons, but it is not a Biblical requirement, and would be as silly as condemning a man of sin for not washing his hands before putting a cracker in his mouth.

Instead, Jesus addressed their violations against the Word of God, exposing their sins, which would also expose their hypocrisy, leaving them without a foundation on which to make an argument in the first place. This question was a rhetorical accusation, and therefore, the natural response is defensiveness, inquiring which commandments He referred to, which Jesus answered without waiting for a response because He is the teacher, not the student.

  [v4] For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Jesus begins by reminding them that "God commanded," which gives Him an infinitely stronger standing than the scribes and Pharisees. He started with the Fifth of the Ten Commandments, which is to "honor thy father and mother." (Exd 20:12)

To honor one's parents is not only to hold them in high esteem, be respectful to them, and cheerfully obey their instructions, but also, when they are in need, to give them charitable considerations for the necessities of life, as any man would do for those he highly esteems. This is supported by Jewish commentators, which the Pharisees knew well.

This was the positive commandment, which came with positive rewards, but there was also the negative commandment that came with negative rewards. A man is worthy of death—both in this world and in eternity—not only for disrespect, disobedience, and other slights against his parents, but also for his lack of charity by ignoring them when they are in need and distress. Jesus prefaced His argument with this commandment to show the Jews their grave transgressions in the following verses.

  [v5] But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

It was in accordance with Pharisaical tradition that, if the parents of a scribe had requested his help, he was permitted to withhold charity. This justification was made on the basis of "Corban" (or Korban) as documeted in Mark 7:11, which literally translates to an "offering" or "gift" that is intended to belong to God.

In the code of Jewish traditions, it says:
"The most direct expression of a vow is when an individual says: This object is forbidden to me, or to others, like an offering. Additionally, the mishna states that all substitutes for the language of vows are like vows. Consequently, if one states that an object is forbidden to him like a konam instead of like an offering [korban], the vow takes effect, as konam is a substitute term for the word korban."
-Sefaria, Mishnah Nedarim 1, retrieved Aug 25, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Nedarim.1?lang=bi]

Scribes could claim all their wealth was "Corban," which means it was vowed to the Temple. However, it was sort of like escrow, where the funds were not required to be released to the Temple until certain conditions were met, which could even mean until the scribe was dead. All possessions under "Corban" were essentially in a life-long legal limbo, giving the scribe full access to those funds and property, while being default cleared of all charges of breaking the Fifth Commandment.

In short, it allowed a vowing man to give nothing to the service of God, and give nothing to the service of men. He kept his whole substance to himself, for his own benefit, and perhaps even to the benefit of others if he wished, but not to his father and mother, who should have been given his first charitable considerations.

  [v6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

If we have no charitable consideration to our parents, then how can we say we honor our parents? When they are abandoned in their time of need, no amount of seemingly respectful platitudes are convincing. Therefore, it stands to reason that by creating legal loopholes to absolve a man of charitable duties, it makes the commandment of God pointless, because a law without consequence is a meaningless suggestion.

  [v7] Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

Hypocrites are those who clean the outside to put on an appearance of righteousness, while the inside is corrupt, which is why we often apply the term to those who logically and morally contradict themselves. The scribes and Pharisees had the nerve to question the mote in the eyes of Christ's disciples while having a beam running through their own. (Mat 7:5) They did this to receive the applause of men, instead of looking for the approval of God. Thus, Jesus notes, "well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying," which is a prophecy written by Isaiah (Isa 29:13) as a rebuke to the nation that still applied to them in the day of Jesus, as it also applies in our modern day.

  [v8] This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

This is quoted from Isaiah 29:13, which means Jesus is quoting Isaiah quoting God, or in other words, Jesus is quoting His own rebuke to Israel long ago. With their mouths, they boasted of their knowledge of God, their dedications to Him, declared Him to be the Creator of all, and praised Him in their speeches and songs for His many mercies, but inwardly, they had no true love, fear, or faith in Him. As it does for so many still today, religion became a tool of secular fancy—a social club that elevated one's status—rather than regarding it internally, where the gift of repentance would take hold of their hearts and humble them.

  [v9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

As opposed to the general impression of modern churchgoers, worship is far more than song. Prayer and study are also worship of God because worship is anything which gives divine honors to the Lord.

Therefore, when the Jews would pray in the synagogues, teach from the law and prophets, and bring their offerings and sacrifices to the Temple, it was a waste of time and effort because there was no repentance for the remission of sins. Without it, there is no other purpose to their efforts than a fake appearance of righteousness, which does no good for anyone.

  [v10] And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

To this powerful argument, it seems the scribes and Pharisees were quickly silenced, and therefore, not seeing any value in addressing their hypocrisies further (which I am sure He could have done for many hours), Jesus turned His attention to the common people. He called the audience to "hear and understand," which carries with it two implied meanings: the first that the common people could understand this, and second that that the scribes and Pharisees could not.

  [v11] Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

No recipes of food or drink, nor manners of consuming them, defile a man's soul. However, Jewish scholars teach the opposite:
"Forbidden foods… defile and make abominable the holy soul of Israel in addition to the physical body, so that this impurity clings and adheres to both the soul and the body"
-Sefaria, Tzror HaMor, Parashat Re'eh on Deuteronomy 14:3, retrieved Aug 26, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Tzror_HaMor_on_Torah%2C_Deuteronomy.14.3.1?lang=en]

Although herbs were the first foods mankind consumed, after the worldwide flood in the days of Noah, God permitted the consumption of the flesh of animals. (Gen 9:3) The only restriction He gave was not to drink the blood (Gen 9:4), but there was no distinction on the kinds of animals that could be consumed. Only under Levitical law was there a distinction for the purpose analogy, but after Christ had fulfilled the law, there was no longer a distinction. (Acts 10:28)

The Lord ponders the hearts of men (Pro 21:2) because sin bubbles up from it. The source of sin is not what goes in the mouth, but the heart, which is deceitful and desperately wicked. (Jer 17:9) When a man speaks, his words reflect his sins; for example, a deceitful heart speaks deceitful words, a lustful heart speaks lewd and perverted things, and a hateful heart speaks cruel and violent things. Therefore, the tongue defiles a man, both in body and soul, because it is an extension of the heart, and no man can be cleansed of that defilement unless he is given the gift of repentance by the Holy Ghost for the remission of his sins.

  [v12] Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

The disciples came to Christ after He had dismissed the crowd and went into a house. (Mark 7:17) This was said in private, likely out of respect to Jesus, in proper order, so not to cause public confusion or create a public impression of discord among them.

Although Jesus knew the corrupt, prideful hearts of the scribes and Pharisees, who would not hear, and sought to deceive the masses to turn them away from the truth, the disciples questioned His interaction with them for what I would perceive to be two reasons. First, a concern for others: causing offense in the person you are trying to reason with will most often result in the person shutting down, and to do this among the Pharisees may cause others to do the same, making them curious why Jesus chose to handle it in the way He did. Secondly, concern for their safety: knowing the extent of the arrogance and wrath of the Jewish scholars, they thought it best to use discretion when addressing them, to avoid governing intervention, in which they might create a public criminal spectacle over their hurt feelings.

  [v13] But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Even though Jesus foreknew that he would later be betrayed, taken by Roman officials on account of conspiracy among the Jews, and executed in a most painful and terrible manner, He had no fear of their rage, for the Holy Ghost had taught that when God the Father is with us, there is no need to fear. (Psa 118:6) Thus, when the time was right, Jesus spoke boldly against them because every doctrine and instruction that was not delievered by God the Father to His children will be destroyed.

Sooner or later—in the moment within the mind of the hearers, or in the final Day of Judgment—all false ideologies, fake worship, erroneous doctrines, pretentious offices, and corrupt institutions will be pulled out by their weak roots—like the useless, invasive, and divisive weeds they are—and cast into a furnace of fire forever. (Mat 13:30) We should apply wisdom and use discretion, as is instructed by the Holy Ghost in other Scriptures, but knowing the end result, who should fear? We Christians fear the Lord in respect to who He is, but vile men expect us to fear them in the same regard, while simultaneously feigning the fear of the Lord they clearly lack.

  [v14] Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

In other words, Jesus said, leave them be and ignore them. Do not concern yourselves with their complaints or resentment. Do not worry if they take offense or make threats. If they retreat to lie, cheat, and spread rumors, let them go. Men who claim to be of God while openly living in hypocrisy, without the slightest hint of remorse, and retaliate when anyone simply tells the truth, they prove themselves to be worthless to the souls of men and civil society.

Using the analogy of being without sight being a great hindrance to functionality, in the same regard, those without understanding are blind to spiritual knowledge and the saving power of God. The scribes and Pharisees setup idols in their hearts (Eze 14:4-5), while hiding behind the name of the Lord for pretense, and God has answered them by declaring them blind and deaf. (Isa 42:17-20)

Those who would follow blind men are just as bad, if not worse, and this is a problem that persists still today among willingly ignorant and sinful churchgoers, who follow willingly ignorant and sinful preachers that are ready and willing to pour honey in their ears to spark pleasant emotions. They all will "fall into the ditch" together, as a blind man may lose his footing without foreknowledge of the danger, fall, and cause himself injury or potential death if he is not careful. The analogy here is that these self-serving, arrogant men, being void of spiritual understanding, will fall into more ignorance, error, sin, distress, ruin, and without a repentant heart, they will ultimately face eternal damnation in the lake of fire.

  [v15] Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

Though we may have a clear understanding today due to the mercies and blessings we have received from the Lord, to have His Word in full to study, the disciples in that day did not. However, in this particular instance, the analogy was not difficult to understand, yet the disciples, beginning with Peter (because he was the eldest among them), asked for clarification.

The doctrine of Jesus was seemed contrary to the traditions of the elders, which would potentially cause them a lot of trouble with powerful Jewish scholars and the public at large. Furthermore, this seemed (on the surface) to be contrary to the laws of God concerning the prohibition of eating unclean meats, and therefore, they called this a parable and humbly requested a declaration of clarification.

  [v16] And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

The disciples had been with Jesus for so long, and had learned so much from Him—privately in addition to publicly—they should have had a basic understanding of the principles behind this doctrine. Jesus was somewhat displeased with their slowness and ignorance on this matter, for something so simple that should have been easy for them to understand, that He made a comparison between them and the Pharisees, to remind them that they were in a more privileged position of knowledge and should exercise it with faithfulness for things quite plain to see.

  [v17] Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

When food goes into the mouth, chewed, and swallowed, it then enters the stomach, and not the heart. Once the stomach has performed its duty, the remaining substance is passed through the bowels and purged through the backside, so that what is retained by the body is only that which is good for nourishment.

It is impossible that this process could corrupt a man's heart (in the spiritual sense), that his soul would be tarnished. Meats do not have morals, nor aptitude to adopt them, and thus, we cannot be infected with immoral corruption via food, even if it is considered unclean or eaten with unclean hands.

  [v18] But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

This does not refer to flem or vomit because they do not come from the heart, and are the body's natural response to expelling toxic substances. What comes from the heart, or the seat of moral impurities, is communicated via the mouth, and that includes useless prattle, foolish expressions, lewd jesting, and any other words that are vain, disgusting, or morally depraved.

This also applies to mute persons because they still have expressions that are made from the heart in other ways. The mouth is used in this parable for common understanding, and is the most widely used method of communication, especially for false doctrines. In short, the heart is the river which channels moral corruption, and vile words and actions flow from it, just as a natural result of polluted waters.

  [v19] For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

In other words, pork does not produce evil thoughts about God. Although some false religions may teach contrary to Jesus on this subject, meats do not carry nor cause wicked imaginations.

Rather, the heart produces evil thoughts, plans, imaginations, and executions of adultery, fornication, lies, covetousness, theft, murder, and blasphemy because it is deceitful and desperately wicked. (Jer 17:9) All who put the feelings of their wicked hearts in place of the Bible as a justification are fools who will die in their sin without redemption. (Pro 28:26)

  [v20] These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

It is what takes place in the sinful hearts of men that condemns them to everlasting destruction. They "defile a man" in both the fleshly body and spiritual mind, which makes him guilty of sin before committing violations of God's law. (Mat 5:28)

Although not washing one's hands could, depending on the circumstance, not be good for the body, we can know with certainty that it transfers no filth to the soul. A man has no need to be ashamed of himself from a sense of guilt over something as trivial as unwashened hands. God has issued no penalty for such things. Men should take care that they be charitable to God and men, and focus their attention on avoiding the things Jesus mentioned in the previous verse, rather than hold ostentatious inquiries and trials over insignificant matters.

  [v21] Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

Jesus left Gennesaret, and it seems He departed in a private manner, since the multitudes had not followed Him. He may have wanted time alone for some quiet, to continue instructing the disciples privately, or a shun against the multitudes for their apathy of the Gospel—perhaps all of the above. Jesus and His disciples traveled to the borders of Tyre and Sidon, two primary Phoenician cities, but did not go therein, as He had already instructed his disciples "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not" (Mat 10:5-6), and for the time being, only stick to preaching to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

  [v22] And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

A Canaanite of the Phoenicians would mean this woman came from a wicked culture. It is unclear how she recognized Him, but it is reasonable to assume that others recognized Him as He traveled the coasts and mountains in attempt to avoid crowds, and word got around. While desperately trying to catch up with them, she yelled out to them, begging for mercy, and calling Jesus "O Lord, thou son of David," indicating that, as a Gentile, she knew the Jewish teachings and believed the prophecies, recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and fully confident in His power and dominion over all things.

This Canannite woman's daughter was possessed with a devil, who was causing her grief, affliction, pain, and perhaps disease. She ran to catch up with the group, yelling out the condition of her daughter, in full faith that Jesus, without needing to see or touch her daughter, could speak a word and do all things.

  [v23] But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Jesus clearly heard her cries, and would not have needed to since He is God, and knows all things. He was aware of where she would be and what she would say before the world began.

His lack of immediate response to her was not out of malice or irritation, but a test of her faith. A man who is prideful of heart will take offense at not being answered, seeing himself having more importance than the person ignoring him, and most often, will either hurl insults or depart in a huff. Thus, Jesus allowed her to continue her importunity as a test, and make the resolve of her confidence in Christ known to all. It is not uncommon for God to do this when dealing with us, and that is why He does not always answer our prayers immediately, which trains and teaches us to be faithful in His kindness and not give up our reasonable and humble requests for His gifts of mercy.

The disciples requested that Jesus "Send her away," not as a rejection of her request, for they had been with Him a long time, and knew He could and would heal her daughter with a simple word. Rather, they wanted Him to grant her request and send her away because "she crieth after us," being emotionally affected by her petition, and now knowing that she would not stop until Jesus healed her daughter.

Under normal circumstances, they could heal the woman's daughter themselves, since they were given the gifts to do so, but in this circumstance, they could not because they were commanded not to do these things in Gentile regions. However, Jesus is God and not limited to their restrictions, therefore they pleaded with Him to end the cries that they could not bear to hear any longer.

  [v24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Jesus said this in the sense that the Gentiles would perceive Him, not the fullness of His office and mission. Jesus is the Redeemer and Savior of all those who come to repentance and faith, no matter their station of life or country of origin, but in the sense of a prophet's duty, which is how He was viewed by the Gentiles, and what He was initially charged to do by God's commandment, He was a "minister of the circumcision" (Rom 15:8), which means He was sent to minister to the Jews first, and then to the Gentiles second, as He would also instruct His disciples. (Luke 24:47)

Though Jesus was sent for the benefit of all mankind, He did not say simply the house of Israel. He specifically noted "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" because salvation is not based on bloodline lineage; rather, it is based on repentance and faith in the Gospel of Christ, and only those few who would hear and understand with a humble heart would be saved (Mat 7:13-14), and it is for the sake of those few who Christ was sent to do this work.

  [v25] Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

According to Mark 7:24, Jesus was in a house at the time, and thus, it seems the disciples had opened the door for her after Jesus responded. Though most people would be offended at Christ's answer, the woman's faith and resolve strengthened at His response. She ignored discouraging thoughts or words, pushed past the disciples, and came before Jesus, kneeling and bowing herself to the ground in worship of Him as God.

Her request was not lengthy; rather, it was short and to the point, as one would do before a King of great power. She requested help, knowing Jesus was the only one who could help her, and that she could not help herself. It is also interesting to note that she acknowledges freely that by helping her daughter it was a help to herself, so she openly presented her selfish request to the Lord, hiding nothing from Him, but faithful that He is a merciful and kind Judge that looks favorably on merciful and kind requests.

  [v26] But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

Jesus took this test of faith a step further, responding in a way that would enrage most people. Some readers of the Bible may take offense to this as well, thinking it inappropriate to respond in such a manner, but they miss the fact that we are all dust, but worth less than the dust of the ground because the dust of the ground did not sin, and therefore, none of us are worthy of any kindness, nor deserving of any mercies.

In context, the "children" being referred to are the Israelites, who were the children of God in the earthly sense, and were blessed by Him, which was generally known to surrounding nations. The "bread" is meant the ministry of His Gospel, which initially and temporarily came with the working of miracles to confirm it.

The "dogs" are the Gentiles in this example, but as I noted in the previous verse, this was said based on the perspective that those in the region had at the time. It is not that Jesus views her as a dog, because that was the way the arrogant and willingly ignorant Jews perceived them. However, Jesus used their corrupt analogy to let the disciples witness how she would respond, and to prove to us what the heart of the truly faithful looks like.

  [v27] And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

The woman did not argue with Jesus, nor deny any accusation, no matter how demeaning it might be, because she was humble of heart, and knew she was indeed a poor and sinful creature unworthy of the least of the Lord's attention. She agreed with His statement that the feast of the table should not be taken from the children and given to the dogs.

Knowing the Jews referred to the Gentiles as dogs, and she being a dog in their eyes, gladly accepted this label, but in the analogy of family, the dogs are still loved. Though lesser priority than the children, the dogs are still loved and cared for. Though a crumb may not be much in comparison to the feast on the table above, this small crumb is gladly accepted by the dogs, and that crumb of His glorious power is more than enough to satisfy her humble request.

  [v28] Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Jesus ceased concealing His joy of her faithfulness, and expressed His pleasure of her strong faith in Him. She declared Him to be the Messiah in a day and age where even the Jews, with all their education, were in denial and uncertainty. She met His challenges to her with grace, and continued unphased in her quest for His mercy, believing fully that if she was successful in her plea, He could and would heal her daughter, requiring less effort than a man throwing a crumb to a dog.

Jesus granted her desire, and "that very hour," which was a Jewish saying that meant without delay, in that moment, without need for the passage of time or rituals performed, the devil was removed and her daughter was healed. In Mark 7:30, it is noted that she returned to her house and "found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed," which may indicate that her daughter was restless due to the devil, but now she rested comfortable and calmly on her bed.

  [v29] And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

Though Jesus traveled to this location for privacy, that He and His disciples might have some time for rest, this recent miracle would gain Him noteriety in the area, and thus, He departed to the coasts of Galilee. Jesus went "into a mountain," away from civilization for a time, and sat down to rest for a while.

  [v30] And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

Many people came from all around, based on reports of sightings of Him and His disciples, who were widely talked about around the country, and beyond. They flocked to him to heal their loved ones, and they carried them on backs, animals, or lended a shoulder to walk. These included those lame in their arms or legs, blind in one or both eyes, deaf (which includes dumb in many cases, for those who cannot hear have a difficult time speaking at all, let alone articulately), maimed (or severed) arms or legs, and other various diseases and afflictions. They took their ill, and relieved their burden carrying them at Christ's feet, which is a sort of dramatic display, hoping He would take pity on their condition, and how the healing could help relieve the burden of care on others as well.

It is a wonderous cruelty that modern fake "faith healers" can witness truly lame and ill people brought before them, but offer nothing except vain promises. These poor and needy people are sent away without a miracle, while convincing a willingly blind audience that healings had taken place.
(Read Speaking in Tongues vs Charismatic Gibberish at creationliberty.com for details.)

  [v31] Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

The people wondered, but not because they did not have the expectation of a miracle. One can have the expectation of wonderment in seeing the Grand Canyon in person, and still be amazed when witnessing it for the first time, and thus, seeing something is an experience apart from belief.

They witness dumb people speaking, deaf people hearing, blind people seeing (as was prophesied in Isa 35:5), maimed people restored instantly, and those who never thought they would walk again stand up and move around on their own two legs. The people glorified the God of Israel, as they were always inclined to do under such circumstances, but it did not necessarily indicate they acknowledge Jesus as the God of Israel, but He had compassion on them nonetheless.

  [v32] Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Unless instructed otherwise, the disciples always stayed near Jesus, to heed His teachings or commands at a moment's notice. He called them over to prepare for another miracle He was about to perform.

It is reasonable to assume that some people had brought a little provision with them, and perhaps shared some among those who needed it, but in most cases, many people had come to the healing quickly, not knowing how long Christ would stay in one place, so departed without any supply. Having thousands in need of healing, and handling them one at a time, the process took three days, which demonstrates Christ's love and diligence, but during that time, many went without food, seeing the opportunity to be healed more important than bread in that moment.

Furthermore, many had come from miles around, perhaps days if they could make the trip, so having nothing in this circumstance would require many to make a long trek, many hours or days, to return home. Jesus could not bear the thought of sending them away to suffer the strain of fasting while traveling, and if they fainted, there were no emergency services to call as we are privileged to have in our modern society; thus, they could die on the journey.

  [v33] And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

I confess it is a bit of a mystery to me why they would ask this question since, previously, in Matthew 14:21, Jesus fed 5,000 men (and also the women and children in addition to that). This was either not what they were thinking of in the moment, or perhaps because Jesus had been healing for three days straight, they thought He might be exhausted, and at the moment, unable to perform the task. However, from a worldly perspective, it was unreasonable to suggest because it was a barren area without much wild food, and the crowd (though smaller than the last, see verse 38) was great, making it impossible to fund or supply for their needs.

  [v34] And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

Ignoring what seems to be their stupidity—or at least a drastic lapse of memory—Jesus gently moved forward with the procedure, likely not considering it worth the time to correct them, which would delay the comfort of the people in need. Jesus asked what supplies they had for their group, and they responded that they had seven loaves of bread and small fishes, which would have been dressed, dried, boiled, or smoked for temporary storage.

  [v35] And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

Some among the multitude may have been considering departing, to leave and suffer the trip as soon as possible to get it over with, while others caused an uproar through various conversations and activities which were chaotic. Christ's command to be seated was likely more meticulous than this, or had an implied meaning in their culture, so they might form groups and/or rows, that each person might be served more efficiently.

  [v36] And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

The tradition of giving thanks in Hebrew culture was to lift up the bread and fish, that the audience might see them, and then give thanks to God for the provision. Though Jesus is God, He set an example, teaching us to do the same. The breaking of the bread was a Jewish tradition that was led by the master of the household, and He passed that which broke to the disciples, who in turn broke and gave to the multitude.

  [v37] And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

Each breaking of the bread and fish produced more, so that everyone had a hearty helping of food, giving them full satisfaction and plenty of energy for the travel ahead. Once everyone had eaten their fill, they had enough left over to fill seven baskets, multiplying their own supply. As in the previous chapter, the size of the basket is unknown, as baskets that were available came in different shapes and sizes for different reasons, and may have been gifted from the audience.

  [v38] And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

The number of people were much more than four thousand, but they only counted the men, who were easier to count, as they were often the closest to the activities, being the strongest to help the lame reach Christ's position. It is possible the total number could have been roughly double, but the text does not make that clear.

  [v39] And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

Jesus dismissed the crowd, likely with a prayer and/or an exhortation to be thankful to God for His many mercies, and live agreeable to that grace. Being near the sea of Galilee, Jesus and His disciples boarded a ship for Magdala. (Some have speculated this is the place from which Mary Magdalene derived her name.)



 

  [v1] The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

In this instance, the Pharisees and Sadducees would have been local, likely from Galilee, rather than from Jerusalem as noted in Matthew 15:1. The Pharisees and Sadducees are much like modern churchgoers: they have stark disagreements that set them against each other, but will unite when they share common hatred of any peaceful person who threatens their religious traditions.

They had no interest to engage in reasonable discourse, no interest in learning, nor interest in how they might benefit the people. Being unsatisfied with the lame healed, the blind to see, and the dead raised, they demanded a sign from heaven, such as when the sun and moon stood still in the days of Joshua (Josh 10:13), or the raining of manna in the days of Moses. (Exd 16:15)

  [v2] He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

In mid-latitude countries, such as Israel, prevailing winds and weather systems generally move west to east, and thus, a red sunset in the west means there is high-pressure and relatively stable, dry air, generally resulting in fair weather the following day. There is a common old saying among sailors that, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in the morning, sailor's warning." Extra dust under high-pressure air make the red more vivid, so the red in the morning means the high-pressure is leaving, while red in the evening means the high-pressure is incoming. This indicator is not necessarily a guarantee, but it very often is the case, and Jesus was simply pointing out their common practice of drawing conclusions based on evidence.

  [v3] And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

As I noted in the previous verse, red mornings indicate low-pressure systems that bring stormy weather, and the word 'lowring' is an alternative spelling of 'lowering' which means the sun is hidden behind dark and gloomy clouds. Thus, they use natural, non-miraculous signs in the heavens to make probable guesses and draw conclusions.

Jesus used this to prove their hypocrisy to the public, exposing their deceit and shaming their stupidity. The crowds, including the Pharisees and Sadducees, were drawn to Jesus because of word had gotten around about the many miracles He performed, which they came and saw, and yet, would not make probable guesses and draw conclusions based on evidence, which was easy to do for some Gentiles, like the woman with a devil-possessed daughter in the previous chapter. (Mat 15:22)

  [v4] A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

This is the same answer Jesus gave in Matthew 12:39, and He once again used the Jews' own teachings against them, in which they openly admit that, "In the times of the approach of the Messiah... the monarchy shall turn to heresy, and there will be no one to give reproof about this. The meeting place of the Sages will become a place of promiscuity." Thus, Jesus pointed out that only the hypocrites—who had murderous intent, took financial advantage of others, privately indulged in whoredoms, and divorced over trivial matters in adultery—sought a sign to appease them.
(See Mishnah Sotah, 9:15, retrieved Apr 17, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Sotah.9.15?lang=bi])

The scribes and Pharisees were given proof countless times through the many miracles Jesus performed, but could never be satisfied because they did not want to believe. They saw Jesus as a threat to their authority and status, which they loved infinitely more than God. Jesus judged them unworthy of such a display, but instead warned them that a sign of condemnation was coming to them, like the sign given through Jonah—except that this sign would not involve the prophet's own disobedience.

It should be noted that nothing has changed from the days of the Jews until today. There are still many churchgoers, corrupted by worldly ideologies, who seek signs and wonders and miracles, rather than things which are edifying in godly education unto righteous judgment and sound doctrine. (2Ti 4:3-4) It is a wicked people who seek after signs, and in the final days, those signs and wonders are going to deceive them into the hands of the son of perdition, the final antichrist. (2Th 2:8-10)

It is certain the Pharisees and Sadducees were not pleased with this answer. We are given no more details of the interaction, but it is reasonable assumed, based on the pattern, that they were quickly silenced, finding it safer to say nothing than to take another logical pummeling in front of a crowd.

  [v5] And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

Mark 8:22 notes that Jesus and His disciples came to Bethsaida, and had not secured extra food for the journey. It is not certain why that is the case, as it is very unlikely that 13 people forgot to bring food. This could have been due to giving extra to the poor, or by Christ's command, so that this conversation would take place for our good, or because the Pharisees and Sadducees were angered and conspiring against them, forcing them to leave quickly without time to prepare—perhaps all of the above.

  [v6] Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Using the situation to teach a valuable lesson, Jesus warns them against "leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees", which is clearly a metaphor. Leaven is a fermenting agent added to dough so that microorganisms consume sugars and release carbon dioxide gas. The trapped gas forms bubbles that expand the dough, giving bread its lighter texture and greater volume. Without leaven, the loaf stays dense and flat, resulting in unleavened bread, which is often used in Jewish rituals (by the commandment of God) for various purposes.

Although the metaphor of leaven is sometimes used in the positive sense (Mat 13:33), it is more often used in the negative sense; a metaphor which helps demonstrate the puffed up nature of man-made religion and ideology. (1Co 8:1) This, Jesus will hint at, allowing His disciples to discern the meaning for themselves momentarily.

  [v7] And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

The disciples tried to discern the meaning of Christ's caution, and why He would say this to them in this moment. They concluded (incorrectly) that Jesus said this because they had not taken bread for the journey.

  [v8] Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

It is not that Jesus physically heard them whispering among themselves, but by His omniscience He "perceived" their thoughts. The phrase "O ye of little faith" was commonly used by Christ to put emphasis on our backwards way of thinking, in which we all (at least, at times) take more anxious thought for supply than is necessary. (Mat 6:30)

Instead of kicking themselves for not bringing bread, or blaming one another for their forgetfulness, it should be reasoned why they have these thoughts in the first place. The "why" was intended to get them to take a step back from their simplistic way of thinking and see the full picture, to view their own philosophy behind their words and actions.

  [v9] Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

Jesus recalled their minds to the instance in which they had fed 5,000 men (and even more women and children) from a few pieces of bread and fish. The question is not posed because of their forgetfulness, as if they did not have the power to recall it themselves, but to consider the impact of such omnipotent power, and their distrust in Jesus to fulfill any need at any time in any place.

  [v10] Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

Although the first instance of 5,000 should have been enough, Jesus recalled them to a more recent instance in which they fed 4,000 men (and even more women and children) from a few pieces of bread and fish. From a worldly standpoint, it was perfectly reasonable to concern themselves with a lack of food, but from a spiritual standpoint, being in the presence of the Holy God in the flesh on earth, it was unreasonable, and demonstrated a lack of trust.

  [v11] How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

Jesus asked this to draw their attention to their own senselessness, that after everything they had witnessed and experienced, being in the presence of the Son of God who can make them infinite abundance from nothing, that they would take any concern for provision. He then taught them that this was a metaphor, which was to be taken figuratively—not literally. On what basis would Jesus distinguish that the literal leaven of bread, used by those in the families of Pharisees and Sadducees, was somehow different from leaven used by everyone else?

  [v12] Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

At that moment, their eyes were opened to His meaning, that by "leaven" Jesus meant "doctrine," in that their teachings were vain, corrupt, and vicious; only portraying a largeness of religion, but the substance being vile and not good for consumption. Jewish scholars taught that different "types" of leaven were acceptable or unacceptable—usually depending on who owned it (i.e. if a Gentile possessed the leaven at any point, it was forbidden), or if it was obtained via collateral for debt—however, this knowledge is unnecessary to our understanding of this passage, because it is the doctrine which corrupts.
(See Sefaria, Mishnah Pesachim 2, retrieved Sept 1, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Pesachim.2?lang=bi])

The "leaven of the dough" (or as the King James Translators put it, "leaven of the lump") was a common Jewish metaphor for inner corruption. Jewish scholars say, "Master of the Universe, it is revealed and known before You that our will is to perform Your will, and what prevents us? On the one hand, the yeast in the dough, the evil inclination that is within every person;," which is to say that the inherent evil of men (i.e. sin) gets in the way of doing the will of the Lord. In summary, the wickedness in a man's heart comes forth from His mouth, as Jesus told us (Mat 12:34-35, Mat 15:18), and the wicked man's vile tongue will wag in such a way to justify himself, even if it means spreading that corruption by his words, being willing that thousands of his neighbors would hear false doctrine and enter hell to accomplish a pretense of self-righteousness.
(See Sefaria, William Davidson Talmud, Berakhot 17a, retrieved Sept 1, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Berakhot.17a?lang=bi])

  [v13] When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

Caesarea Philippi was a city that had gone by several names, the first of which was Leshem (Josh 19:47), but once it was rebuilt by Philip the tetrarch, it was given a name that honored both Tiberius Caesar and his own name together, to distinguish it from another Caesarea mentioned in Acts. (e.g. Acts 8:40) Jesus and His disciples entered into the towns surrounding the city and taught them privately.

The Scriptures label Jesus the "son of man" (Psa 80:17), which is in part to being of the seed of woman in the flesh, but the question seems directed at the outward appearance; how men view Him. This is a generalized question aimed at public perception—people of various stations in life, rich or poor, educated or not—not to say that He did not already know public perception, for He is omniscient, but that He wanted His disciples to confess what they had heard from others, since people are generally willing to say things behind someone's back more readily than they would boldly to their face.

  [v14] And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

Some conjectures of the Jews claimed that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, which I covered in more detail in my commentary on Matthew 14:2. These rumors were propagated by members of Herod's court, that John had returned from the dead to get revenge on Herod.

Elijah was a prophet with many gifts from the Lord, and knowing that he was to come in power and spirit before the day of the Lord, some Jews believed Jesus was Elijah. However, Jesus already explained to us that John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy. (Mat 11:13-14)

Other Jews thought Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15, but that was fulfilled in Jeremiah. Therefore, some believed that Jesus was the spirit of Jeremiah, or that Jeremiah had risen from the dead.

If not these, other Jews claimed Jesus to be the spirit of one of the other ancient prophets, such as Isaiah or Hosea, but they knew Jesus had to be someone special, else He could not perform the miracles He did. Very few believed the truth: that Jesus was Himself the Divine Creator of Heaven and Earth. Rather, they just believed He was a special man. Nonetheless, there was no denying that a spiritual work was at hand, however, the Pharisees and Sadducees tried to convince the public that the miracles were coming from the devil, and not from God—a foolish argument, yet they had no other option.

  [v15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Jesus had no need to fight these arguments, or try to explain each one. The evidence of His divine nature was clearer seen by His disciples than anyone else.

Jesus asked His disciples directly what they believed. We should take note that Jesus left out the phrase "Son of man" in this question because the first question was posed based on the public general perception, while the second question is open-ended to the truth by faith based on evidence.

  [v16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Peter answered in his passionate and direct manner, but also as a speaker for the rest of the group, since he was the eldest among them. The group agreed by their silent consent.

This delcaration had many facets. The disciples confessed that there is a God, that there is only one God, that this God is the Living God (i.e. the source of all life), that this God is easily distinguishable from the idols of the heathen, that Jesus is the Annointed Messiah, that He is the Son of the Living God, that He is God Himself who Created all things, and that He is the prophesied Prophet, Priest, and King come to save the world.

  [v17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Without waiting for any other declaration from the others, knowing the hearts of them all, that they were in agreement, Jesus declared that they were blessed by addressing the speaker. Simon Barjona is written here in the sense of a first name (Mat 4:18) followed by a surname, although broken down, it would be said "bar Jona," or by interpretation, "the son of Jona" (or Jonas). (John 1:42) It is not directly noted why Jesus said Peter's birth name, but it is possible that this was to remind him of his heritage, and that Jona means dove, as in the symbol of peace, and that Simon means hearer, as to say that he is a peaceful listener to the truth in Christ.

However, this is not to say that Peter's nature within his flesh or spirit, nor his heritage, had any effect on his understanding of Christ. No part of the Gospel is of man's device or discovery, nor can it be deduced through carnal reasoning. (Jer 17:5) Men of various corrupt religions add to and/or take away from the Gospel of Christ, and though some may fool the masses by repeating some things that are true of the Scriptures (which they have heard from others), that does not mean they have an internal understanding springing forth from a foundation of a repentant heart.

By "my Father which is in heaven" is not meant to exclude Christ the Son and Holy Ghost from the process, for many correlating Scriptures can be provided to prove the matter. All three are one God, and it is only by the power of the Godhead that any man can peacefully hear and understand. (Col 2:9)

  [v18] And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Not only has God the Father revealed the truth of Christ to His disciples, but He gave a new name to Simon. The name Peter, which signifies a rock, symbolizes Simon's faith in Christ, that Christ is the bedrock foundation upon which the church is built, from which all the waters of our blessings flow (1Co 10:4), and the stone which the builders rejected, a rock of offense against those who stumble without understanding of His doctrine. (1Pe 2:7-8)

Upon this rock—the Lord Jesus Christ and His saints' firm faith in Him—He has built His church, which is not meant in the sense of a structure built by the hands of men, as many in false religions may interpret this. The context clearly shows us this is metaphorical in meaning, and refers to the faithful elect in Christ. This is a sturdy church, knit together perfectly in faith and charity, stabilized with spiritual strength by the mortar of the Holy Ghost, so that when the evils of the world and the tribulations of men beat upon the church, it will stand firm. (Mat 7:24-25)

Though many (especially in the Catholic cult) have erroneously claimed that this verse makes Peter into the rock, the simple reading of the passage never indicates that. Christ did not say, "upon thee Peter, I will build my church." Rather, He said "upon this rock I will build my church," indicating that He is the Rock, the chief corner stone upon which the church is built, and His apostles would then build upon that foundation, establishing the doctrine of the Holy Ghost for us in the Holy Scriptures, and then we, as faithful saints, would continue to build for Christ's sake. (Eph 2:19-22)

Furthermore, Jesus delivered these words in the presence of others, with Peter speaking on behalf of all the disciples as the eldest, which was in accord with Jewish tradition. Though Jesus addressed Peter, it was not said to him separately, but to the group as a whole, and thus, Christ included them all, giving them authority collectively. (Mat 18:18)

Although papists argue Christ's favor of Peter, it does not make him a pope, nor does it justify the office, to which Christ overtly expressed his disdain in the spiritual and religious sense. (Mat 20:25-26) This is a cherry-picked argument because they often ignore that, a few verses later, Jesus addresses Peter as "Satan" (Mat 16:23), and denied His Lord and Savior three times (Mat 26:75), whereas the other disciples did not.

Peter was neither the bishop of Rome, nor did he have any successor, nor does the Vatican teach his doctrine. The Rock is Christ, and in conjunction, the foundation of the church is our faith in Christ as the Rock of Salvation—the rock of ages in whom is all hope, strength, and eternal happiness. No man can fill Christ's role, and therefore, papists have no choice but to invent a fake office, built upon the sand, apart from the authority of the Rock. (Mat 7:26-27)
(Read Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism at creationliberty.com for details.)

The gates of hell, in which the souls of impenitent men are trapped, cannot prevail against Christ, nor His church, nor His doctrine, nor His commandments. Though God the Father allowed the pain of death to have temporal power over His Son, death itself—the wages of sin that Christ paid for us to give us eternal life (Rom 6:23)—cannot detain His glorious, holy being, nor deter His ultimate goal.

  [v19] And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Great confusion has been spread by false religious institutions, misunderstanding "the kingdom of heaven" to mean God's kingdom in the third heaven. (2Co 12:2) Whether intentional or not, this is error. Although there are instances in which the Kingdom of Heaven may be referred to as the location of God's throne, the primary contextual meaning used in the New Testament is the Gospel of Salvation in Christ and His church, who preaches it.

Using this short passage as justification, without any correlating verses to back it up, vile religious institutions claim that Peter was given sole responsibility to guard the gates to the Third Heaven, accept or rejecting entrance as some sort of divine door greeter. Thousands of depictions of this ridiculous fantasy now circulate worldwide. God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost are the only keepers of the Third Heaven, and it cannot be any other way because no other being is omnipotent and omniscient, nor holy of himself to make him worthy to be a divine arbiter.
(Read Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism at creationliberty.com for details.)

If we apply the contextual meaning, this is referring to the Gospel, and that Peter and the other disciples were given "the keys" to it, that they might know it, understand it, and teach it effectively. The disciples of Christ in that day were the first to be given "the keys" of evangelical knowledge—able to open them and retrieve information at will, which the prophets of old longed to have.

By going to correlating verses, we can know this was given to all the disciples, and not just Peter. This same phrase is used by Christ two chapters later, and it refers to all the disciples collectively because Jesus was teaching them all (Mat 18:18), adding more evidence that Peter was simply the spokesperson for the group, and that this was meant for all the disciples.

As for binding and loosing, this is not (as many corrupt religions are bound to say) that the disciples were given power to bind or loose sins, nor is this referring to the power of excommunications. Rather, this is a permission that, when dealing with scruples that concern the members of the church, they were given authority to declare what is lawful or unlawful, free or restricted.

The early apostles were directly guided by the Holy Spirit, so their declaration of what is at liberty or forbidden should be so, and followed by all the church throughout all generations. This gift and permission was given in part only to the apostles, while in part to the church as a whole—the difference being that the church is given it second hand through the written Scriptures, and thus, we rely both on the ordinary gifts of wisdom given to us by the Holy Ghost in combination with diligent effort through study to make it fruitful for the hearers. (2Ti 2:15)

For example, Paul—later made an apostle by Jesus Christ—loosed the church from the ceremonies of the law. (Gal 5:1) These ceremonies bound people to observance of days, months, times, years, holy days, new moons, and sabbaths—all which were declared to keep Christians "in bondage." (Gal 4:9) These things were a shadow, or expectation, of Christ to come (Col 2:16-17), and now that Christ has come and finished His work for salvation, we are no longer bound to them.

In another example, Peter declared the law on restricted meats was no longer applicable to Christians. (Acts 10:28) After all, Jesus told us in the previous chapter that the things which go into the mouth do not defile men. (Mat 15:11) The Lord showed Peter that the purpose of meat restrictions—clean versus unclean—were made to teach a lesson, that the Lord can make all things clean by His Word, and therefore, we no longer observe meat restrictions as a testimony that the Gospel has gone into the Gentile nations, to save all those who come to repentance and faith in Christ.

To put it short and simply: The apostles were given the gift of the Holy Ghost to instruct the church on the rules of the church, and we (as the church) need to follow, apply, and teach the same. Anyone who deviates from this basic understanding comes up with stringent rules that do not benefit Christ and His church, and instead embarrass congregations by convincing them to follow shameful, ridiculous, vain, and antichrist ideology.

  [v20] Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

After Peter (in agreement with the other disciples) had confessed in pureness of heart that Jesus is the Annointed Messiah, the Son of the Living God, but He commanded them not to tell people this truth. In my experience, this is not readily discussed in church buildings because it is a stark contrast to the modern, watered-down gospel.

Jesus preached "repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15), but did not tell them to preach "Jesus saves," which is the message of modern, apathetic church-ianity. People can believe "Jesus saves," and not be brought to the humility of repentance—godly sorrow of their sins—for the forgivness of sin (Luke 24:47), leaving them as "believers on Jesus," but without salvation. (Mat 7:21-23)

If the gospel to be preached was allegedly "Jesus saves" (as modern churchgoers insist), then what were the disciples preaching to the people after Jesus told them not to reveal that to anyone? They preached repentance for the remission of sins as they were instructed, and after some would show genuine repentance, they would instruct faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ for salvation, because it would be revealed to them through the Holy Ghost by the will of God the Father, not by the word of men.

Jesus instructed them not to tell the people who He is for good reason. Some of those reason may be: that the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees would trouble Him further, that some may seek His death before His time, and that rumors of His Lordship might not spread to the Romans who would fear a declared "King of the Jews" challenging Caesar's rule (even though He was a temporary prince, who did not come to overthrow earthly kingdoms yet).

The time for Christ to be preached openly was after His resurrection. Doing so at this time would only hinder His work.

  [v21] From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Due to the agreement of the disciples that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, he began to teach them in more detail of what He was there to do and why. He gave them more specific information about His sufferings and death, which prior to this point may have been shocking and depressing to them, but now would embolden them somewhat as the day approached.

He told them that He would eventually go to Jerusalem, where they would accuse Him of false prophecy and condemn Him to death. This, obviously, would be public, and on purpose, that the people would see and hear all that transpires, knowing that it was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

Jesus also told them of the sufferings that would take place at the hands of the chief priests, that they would show their wrath towards him with many false charges, wrath, and violence. He then told the disciples that these wicked men would toss aside reason and justice, and He would be killed in a cruel manner, but rise from the dead three days later.

  [v22] Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

When Peter "took him," it indicates that He beckoned the Lord aside, away from the ears of the younger disciples, and temporarily forgetting his place, he "began to rebuke him," or reprove and scold Jesus. After confession of the truth about the identity of Jesus, this was clearly not done in arrogance or ill will, but out of passion, speaking with emotion before thinking, rejecting the idea that such horrific things should ever be done to the Son of the Living God; ignoring the importance of the sacrifice for sins to save the world.

In his heightened state of emotion, from a worldly perspective, Peter could not envision such a valuable, gracious, and innocent man ever having to suffer in such a way. Therefore, Peter took it upon Himself to offer a prediction or assurance that was not His place to speak, saying that these things would never happen to Jesus.

  [v23] But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Either Jesus turned His face to Peter to emphasize His disapproval, or He turned Himself away from Peter to go back to the disciples, and called Peter "Satan." This seems to be spoken based on the omniscience of God, that He recognized Satan's influence, in which he took advantage of Peter's weakness and ignorance, manipulating him to persuade Christ against suffering for the salvation of the people.

The command to "get thee behind me" indicates that Jesus could not bear the spiritual sight of Peter while under the influence of the devil, having an abominable mix between beloved friend and despised enemy. Nothing would be more offensive to Jesus Christ than anyone who would dare to disrupt the work His Father sent Him to do, which He had agreed to do, and that so many souls were in desperate need of His shed blood on the cross.

Peter was not seeing the big picture, that the sufferings and death of Christ was appointed by God, and prophesied by His promises. The culmination of the Holy Scriptures hinged upon Christ's work. Instead, Peter was looking only to an earthly reign, that Christ would continue His natural life and be King over all nations, which the devil also desired, so that, by convincing Him not to suffer, Jesus would be defeated in this regard, leaving all souls without hope and making God into a liar—an impossible feat, and Jesus will always overcome such feeble temptations because He is the eternal God, trustworthy and faithful to all which He says and does.

  [v24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Knowing that all the disciples had the idea of a temporary kingdom under the reign of Christ, and were hypothetically expecting the honor He and they would receive for it, He made sure they prepared mentally to endure persecution, suffering, and death. If any man would "come after me," meaning that man wants to be a disciple who follows Christ, then He must "deny himself," which, in this context, means that He must abandon His own philosophy and adopt the philosophy of Christ (Col 2:8), to deny their fleshly desire and perceptions, which follow the lusts of the flesh.

When Jesus said for a man to "take up his cross," He did not mean to wear cross jewelry, get cross tattoos, or put on t-shirts with cross symbols on them, as is common in church-ianity. The cross symbol is pagan of origin, not Christian, and there are no commandments or precedent to use any symbolism to represent the Godhead or Christianity in general. (Acts 17:29)
(Read "Christian Symbols Are Not Christian" at creationliberty.com for details.)

Rather, this is meant in the metaphorical sense, that those of us who follow Christ would willingly bear the affliction and evil, cheerfully for the sake of Jesus our Saviour, knowing that with it comes great reward. (Luke 6:22-23) We answer His call to preach the truth of the Scriptures when the opportunity presents itself, to suffer the reproach of wicked men who mock us for our service to Christ, and for His sake, engage in debate when appropriate that as many as possible would hear the Gospel and come to repentance. We follow Jesus in that we exercise grace, charity, humility, patience, and zealous self-denial, that our duties would glorify Christ, His church, and His kingdom to come.

  [v25] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

This should not be taken in the sense of general preservation of life, for that is the natural way of life; to avoid unsafe situations, which even Christ and His disciples did when things got too heated. I would wish for the health and safety of every born again saint, no matter where you are in the world, and this is good and charitable to desire the wellbeing of ourselves for the sake of doing good works for God, church, family, and neighbors.

This is said in the sense of those who seek preservation of life by forsaking Christ and His Gospel to achieve a benefit from men. This is said for many that come crying in the name of Jesus, while dropping confession of Him and denying His doctrine in circumstances that would earn the favor of men, status among crowds, or any other honors, pleasures, and peace of mind. Those double-minded men earn for themselves everlasting punishment in the lake of fire because they never came to repentance for the remission of sins, which is why it was so easy for them to abandon Jesus when chasing clout and safety.

On the other hand, those who have come to repentance and faith in Christ—willing to sacrifice all the pleasures and comforts of this life, being subjected to distress, poverty, grief, anguish, and the many wicked attacks that come from sinful men—will not suffer in eternity. They find the Gospel to be the most valuable of all things, rewarding them with eternal life, free from all tears and affliction, and forever joyful with many pleasures provided by Jesus our Savior.

  [v26] For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

The hypocrites I mentioned in the previous verse seek only their own profit, but it is a wordly, fleeting profit, rather than looking to eternal profit that cannot be corrupted or destroyed. They look for the power, pleasure, and riches for themselves, and care nothing of the cost it brings to others, most especially the cost of the grief it brings to God the Father that the name of His Son is used deceitfully.

A man's soul is not lost in the sense that he ceases to have it, or that it is forever destroyed. A man's soul is eternal, but in this sense, the loss of his soul means he missed out on redemption of it (Psa 49:8), and thus, his soul becomes a detriment instead of a benefit, forcing him into eternal damnation and suffering without a method or hope to escape it. (Mat 25:46)

  [v27] For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Though it seems paradoxical to the world, the spiritual understanding is that this "Son of man"—as He was referred to by many, who saw Him as nothing more than another contemptible person—will return in the full power and authority of His glory as the Divine Mediator, to execute judgment with His heaven army of angels by His side, ready to attend to His every command. Good works are not the cause of salvation, nor will they be rewarded without the foundation of Christ laid in their hearts, but the works of men will be brought into judgment, with their accounts either having the shed blood of Christ's righteousness on them, or without it, which will result in eternal damnation proceeded by an overwhelming amount of evidence against them.

  [v28] Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Christ emphasizes with certainty that there will be some of His disciples, who were present for this speech, as well as others who Jesus had gathered to hear this message (as indicated in Mark 8:34), who would not die before seeing "the Son of man coming in his kingdom." This is not meant in the final days of His coming, as some cults have concluded, thereby creating a vast amount of heresy; rather, this is referring to His resurrection from the dead, His ascension to heaven, and the Spirit of God poured onto them.

These things were confirmed by hundreds of eye witnesses, and further confirmed by the miracles performed by Christ's apostles. Furthermore, His power was demonstrated by the destruction of the Jews and Jerusalem in 70 A.D., by the will of God for their disobedience, stubbornness, and rejection of Christ, which was executed by the hands of the Roman Empire, and John, one of the apostles of Christ, lived to witness it.



 

  [v1] And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

After the conversation at the end of the previous chapter, in which He provided details of His coming suffering, death, and resurrection, and His warning that their work for Him would cause them similar suffering, Jesus took Peter, James, and John "up into an high mountain apart," which was apart from towns and cities, where there was privacy, as Jesus often did. For clarification, this John was not the brother of Jesus, but the brother of James, because both James and John were the sons of Zebedee. (Mat 26:37)

Both Mark and Matthew say this was six days, while Luke 9:28 says it was eight days, which is not a contradiction, but a difference in how the days were counted. Matthew and Mark note only the traveling time between the events, while Luke includes the events themselves—both the day of revelation of Christ's death and resurrection, and the day of Christ's transfiguration, which the following verses describe.

  [v2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

A man's figure is his form, and thus, the form of Jesus was transitioned, not in the sense that the substance or shape of His body was changed, because His identifying features were still recognizable to the apostles, but rather, He showed them some of His glorious form. Jesus humbled Himself before men, but for a moment, He revealed the brightness of His majesty to them as proof of their faith that He is the Son of God.

His face shown with the brightness of the sun, but whereas men cannot stare into the sun, they could look upon Jesus in His gentle brightness. His clothing also shown with brightness, that the substance of who He is shined through His flesh and clothing, so much that Mark 9:3 notes that His raiment became "exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them."

  [v3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Moses, the giver of the law, had died roughly 1500 years before this event, and Elijah, one of the chief prophets, died roughly 900 years beforehand. The Scriptures do not make it clear how they knew the identities of these two men, but it is safe to assume that either it came through immediate divine revelation given to them by the Lord, or audibly through the conversation Jesus had with the two of them.

  [v4] Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Based on the testimony in Luke 9:32, it seems that this happened late in the night, and Peter, James, and John fell into a deep sleep, and when they awoke, Peter addressed Jesus. In Peter's mind, it was better to be here on the mountain with Jesus and company than to be among the misery of the multitudes, or Jerusalem, where wicked men schemed on how they might take and kill the Son of God, so he proposed a tabernacle, or small booths to protect from the rain, heat, or cold while a visitor came to rest, pray, and meditate.

However, in his ignorance, he offered three, one for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, which was a mistake because men should not be put on equal footing with the Living God. Furthermore, the tabernacle of the Holy Ghost would be those who were born again in Christ, not a building made by the hands of men. This mistake was not made with full understanding, but it appears Peter simply reacted in the only way he knew how, to put in some sort of effort to honor what he witnessed, while unsure how to process everything that just occured.

  [v5] While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

God the Father, in His graciousness, did not come with harsh rebuke, but with kindness and understanding to the humble and ignorant, He showed His presence in the form of a bright cloud that covered them, passing through them and surrounding them. (Luke 9:34) They beheld both the cloud and the voice that came from it.

God the Father briefly explained, "This is my beloved Son," not a servant as Moses and Elijah. Jesus is not a created being like men and angels. He is the Creator. (Col 1:16) He is not adopted as we saints must be adopted into the family of God. (Eph 1:5)

The phrase "in whom I am well pleased" was not included by Mark and Luke, but was verified in the writings of Peter himself. (2Pe 1:17) The sacrifice that Jesus was soon to offer was a sweet smelling savour of mercy, the highest act of grace, and so by receiving this gift of Christ's grace, we would have the same sweet smell, knowing that if we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, according to His philosophy, doing works based on His goodness and mercy, we will be pleasing to the Lord.

God the Father ends by saying, "hear ye him," which is to put His words above that of Moses and Elijah, that the disciples should follow Jesus, since Jesus is the King of Kings, and the fulfillment of all that was written by Moses and Elijah. If Peter, James, and John had considered carefully in that moment, they would know that God had already said this (i.e. "unto him ye shall hearken") in Deuteronomy 18:15, and that Jesus was the Great and Divine Prophet prophesied in the Mosaic law.

  [v6] And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

The Great Voice within the cloud caused them shock and fear, which resulted in their bodies going limp, falling on their faces as if half-dead. Though the voice of God was gentle, loving, and kind, He is still the Lord God—the Divine Judge who carries a presence (i.e. what the Jews call Shekinah) that is so glorious and powerful, that men cannot function normally when close to it. Nonetheless, the words were heard and remembered by them, as Peter later recalled. (2Pe 1:17)

  [v7] And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

Jesus demonstrates that He is not like them, standing and operating comfortably in the presence of God the Father without shock, fear, or reservation. Seeing their weakness and fear in the presence of God, Jesus acted as the only Mediator between God and men (1Ti 2:5), laying hold on them to raise them up from fainting, and gently instructed them there was no reason to be afraid, for they were blessed with the kindness of God, so no harm would come to them.

  [v8] And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

When they lifted their heads and opened their eyes, there were none other standing there, nor any cloud surrounding them—only Jesus remained. The ultimate lesson from this was that God the Father, the Divine Judge all men should have the greatest of fear, declared that we should look to His Son for our help, and when we look around for any man, dead or alive to save us, the one who remains there to offer His hand, lift us up, and open our eyes is the Mediator, Jesus Christ alone—no other. (Heb 9:15)

  [v9] And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

After they had come down from the mountain where all these events took place, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone about the "things they had seen" (Luke 9:36), which included their fellow disciples. They may not have been believed, or the other disciples may have grown jealous that the three were chosen, leaving the others without opportunity to experience the same. The three disciples were permitted to testify of the event only after Jesus had risen from the dead, in part because He promised the Jews that no sign would be given to them until He rose from the dead the third day. (Mat 12:39-40)

  [v10] And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

Before Jesus and the three disciples returned to the group, they asked Him questions which they would not be able to ask Him in the presence of the others without giving away information they were commanded to keep secret. Jewish scribes knew well the prophecies of Malachi, who declared that Elijah would return before Jesus (Mal 4:5), but in that day, some chief scribes offered an alternate interpretation that Elijah and the Messiah would come together at the same time, working alongside one another, which somewhat contradicts Malachi's prophecy, and it was upon that mistaken interpretation of Malachi that some Pharisees took the opportunity to declare Jesus a fake.

Having seen Elijah speaking with Jesus on the mountain, it brought to mind this erroneous interpretation of the scribes. From their perspective, it stood to reason that they could use this testimony against the scribes and Pharisees, that their mouths may be stopped (Tts 1:11), so they wanted to know Christ's understanding of these things, that their resolve might be strengthened in their silence.

  [v11] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

As the prophecy of Malachi rightly stated, the coming of Elijah preceeds the Messiah, and would, as Jesus said, "restore all things." The "things" being referred to are contextually understood to be (as stated in Malachi 4:6), to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers," which is further explained by Luke to turn "the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17) The huge mistake in the Jewish interpretation is that Elijah was being put on equal footing with the Messiah, rather than taking it with its contextual meaning, that he was a precursor to the Messiah, and would make the way for the Lord, which also relied on the Jews being humbled in their hearts by repentance (i.e. grief and godly sorrow) for the remission of sins to reconcile with God.

  [v12] But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

In contradiction to the corrupt doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus declared to Peter, James, and John that Elijah had already come to preceed the Messiah some time ago. The Jews should have recognized this, but they were blinded by pride, so "they knew him not," unable to see clearly who he was, nor acknowledge what the prophets of old had said, that he would be the harbinger of the Messiah's coming.

They did to Elijah what they wanted, neither repenting nor believing when he preached to them. Instead, they treated him with contention and spite, rejoicing when Herod put him to death. Therefore, Jesus prophesied that as they treated the spirit of Elijah returned, they would treat Jesus the same, reaffirming to His students that it was not beyond reason that a gentle and gracious man would have to suffer and die at the hands of the wicked.

  [v13] Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

By affirming that Elijah had come, and hinting at the horrible way he was treated, they quickly deduced that this was John the Baptist. Now seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy, this further reinforced the faith of the three men that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

  [v14] And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

The following day, when Christ come down from the mountain with Peter, James, and John, the other nine disciples were waiting for them, along with a large crowd that had gathered, seeking healing. One of the men in the crowd approached Jesus, kneeling before Him in honor and worship.

  [v15] Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

Although this man may have taken consideration not to impede the movement of one such as Christ, he boldly, earnestly, and humbly approached, trusting that his action might be forgiven due to his loving motivation to save his child. This was his only child (Luke 9:38), which intensified his desperation.

It should be noted that the words 'lunatick' or 'lunacy' refer to epileptic seizures, which were (in that day) commonly and erroneously assumed to be connected to the full moon; hints the word 'luna', meaning "moon." This is not to say that Matthew believed the moon caused the illness, but rather, he used the common term so the average reader at the time would understand what was being referred to. In our modern vernacular, we use the word 'epilepsy' to refer to violent seizures that, at the time, would often cause someone fall into water or fire, or choke on food or drink, making daily living dangerous.

Many people today use the word 'lunatick' to refer to someone who is a mad man, a person has lost his mind. That was not the case for the man's son in this context. However, the use of the word 'lunatick' in this passage helps us to understand that Jesus often showed mercy, overlooking the superstitions the ignorant poor and needy.

  [v16] And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

The man brought his son to the nine disciples while the other three were with Jesus on the mountain, and it seems his intent was to come to Christ first. With Christ absent, he had no choice but to rely on the disciples, but they were unsuccessful.

The man said this as a way to show the intensity and severity of the illness, as people often like to do because it garners more sympathy from the compassionate, and furthermore, to highlight the failure of the disciples, that his plea might be taken more seriously by Jesus. However, the fault was with both the child's father and the nine disciples; the man lacked faith in the healing power of the disciples of Christ, and the nine disciples lacked faith that they could perform it without Christ present, in addition to the three principal disciples being missing from the group.

  [v17] Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

This accusation was not directed at the disciples, for they were not faithless. They lacked some faith in this instance, both from the missing members of their group, and from the continual berating of the crowd who were upset they had come so far without getting the miracle they expected. The disciples were also not perverse; their faith was often small, but they were not stubborn and rebellious.

This description of "faithless and perverse" is more accurately applied to the Jewish nation as a whole, and had been done before many times by God. (Deut 32:5, Psa 78:8) It is very difficult for the Jews to offer a counter argument against something God has been saying about them for a very long time.

Jesus asked questions for them to consider what they would do if He were not present, knowing that His time with them would not last much longer. His physical presence should have resulted in much greater faith among all of them, yet they did not have faith despite seeing.

Furthermore, Jesus questions how long His patience with their faithlessness should last. The things He suffered among them would have greatly kindled the wrath of an earthly king, yet Jesus calmly and gently handled them—but for how long before His wrath would be poured out onto a nation of impenitent people?

Jesus then commanded that the epileptic child be brought to Him. He was not referring to the child's father, as indicated in Luke 9:41.

  [v18] And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

Though the child was epileptic, which was a natural illness explanable by ordinary medical knowledge, the child clearly had more to his case than just the illness. This disease was also affected by the possession of a devil in the child—by the direction of Satan, who can only act by God's divine permission—causing preternatural symptoms in addition to those that were already dangerous.

At Christ's command, the devil departed from the child, as it is impossible for a devil to resist the orders of God. Again, this phrase "from that very hour" was a Jewish way of saying immediately, without delay, the child was healed of his illness.

  [v19] Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

This was asked later, away from the crowd, as Mark put it, "when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately." (Mark 9:28) There was much to do when the multitudes surrounded them, so it was not the appropriate place and time to ask; thus they waited until later.

There was some fear that they had lost their miraculous gift, believing they had done something wrong by which it was taken from them. Therefore, they wanted to know more of the meaning behind what Jesus told the child's father.

  [v20] And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Jesus told the disciples that their failure came from their unbelief—the smallness of it, rather than a total absence. The child's father had already been convicted of his faithlessness after Christ's rebuke, as did the crowd, but now He turned His attention to their lack of faith, that they might also be convicted.

Jesus did not want them to think the gift of miracles had been taken from them, so He used a common Jewish proverb for something tiny: a mustard seed. For example, when referring to the tiniest drop of blood during menstrual bleeding, they said: "Jewish women were stringent with themselves to the extent that even if they see a drop of blood the size of a mustard seed, they sit seven clean days for it."
(See Sefaria, William Davidson Talmud, Niddah 66a, retrieved Sept 11, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Niddah.66a?lang=bi])

Mustard seeds are extremely tiny in size, but the tree that is produces from them is both tall and wide, providing much covering to protect others from harsh weather conditions. This analogy is used to indicate that a small amount of faith can accomplish great things.

However, Jesus did not say this to indicate that faith would allow them to shift literal mountains, just as it would be ridiculous to say that mustard seeds contain literal faith, or that we would increase faith by eating them. This was said so the disciples would understand that equally hard or seemingly impossible things could be accomplished (1Co 13:2), so long as they were in accordance to God's will, for His glory (as all things miraculous must ultimately do), and if it is required in a particular instance for the good of mankind unto salvation.

The disciples not literally moving mountains did not prove they lacked the gift of miracles, as Jewish critics have claimed, because they did other works of greater magnitude. Which would be more impossible: moving a mountain, or raising the dead? In summary, Jesus said nothing would be impossible to them (for the time of miracles, in that day), so long as it was for God's glory, the furtherance of His Gospel, and the building of His church.

  [v21] Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

By the words "this kind," Jesus indicated there was a spectrum of different devils, some worse than others. This has been verified in some modern, legitimate paranormal encounters (as opposed to many fakes and frauds), in which some ghosts (i.e. spirits, which are devils) are more violent than others.

Some of these more violent devils are documented in places like Acts 19:13-16, in which Jewish exorcists attempted use the name of Jesus to cast out a devil, and "the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded." Also in Mark 5:1-5, when Jesus came to Gadarenes, He encountered a devil-possessed man who lived in a graveyard, "and no man could bind him, no, not with chains" because "the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces," showing supernatural strength.

It should be noted that the Lord God is very kind and merciful, and has allowed some men who are not of Him to remove certain devils in some instances. Catholic priests—who adopt antichrist doctrine—have been effective in casting out devils on occasion, but I have heard some priests testify that they cannot banish certain devils of a violent sort, which makes sense because their alleged faith in Christ is fraudulent, preventing them from doing anything that first requires great faith.
(Read Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism at creationliberty.com for details.)

The type of devil that was possessing the epileptic child was quite fierce, the worst of this sort, which does not go out voluntarily, and must be removed by force. The only way to do this is through the exercise of strong faith, combined with genuine, dedicated prayers to the Lord, in addition to fasting, which is a denial of the satisfaction of the flesh.

  [v22] And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

Jesus and His disciples departed from the area, and while passing through Galilee (Mark 9:30) on their way to Capernaum, slowly making their way to Jerusalem for the feast of the passover, Jesus prepared His disciples for what was about to happen. He prophesied that He would be betrayed into the hands of wicked men (Luke 24:7), which would have left them wondering because the word 'betray' automatically indicates someone close to Jesus, whom He has placed trust.

Because Jesus would be handed over to a Roman court, He would be put into the custody of Gentiles, and Jewish commentators declare this to be the most vile of crimes. They say, "It is forbidden to inform [i.e. report to authorities] about a colleague to the gentiles and endanger his physical person or his property. This applies even when the person concerned is a wicked person who commits sins, and even if he causes one irritation and discomfort. Anyone who actually informs about a Jew and endangers his person or his property to the gentiles will not receive a portion in the world to come." However, when it came to silencing Jesus, they gladly ignored their own rules, by which they will be judged by the law, according to their own doctrine and hypocrisies, at the Great White Throne Judgment of the Lord. (Rev 20:11-12)
(See Sefaria, Mishneh Torah, One Who Injures a Person or Property 8, retrieved Sept 11, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_One_Who_Injures_a_Person_or_Property.8.13?lang=bi])

  [v23] And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

The Jewish men who would betray Jesus, as well as the Gentile authorities, and would put Him to death, specifically by crucifixion. However, He added that after three days, He would rise from the dead.

The disciples were extremely grieved at the thought that He would be betrayed into the hands of the Gentiles, taking away the wonderful, earthly kingdom of Christ they envisioned, and furthermore, that they would have to witness such a gruesome execution of their beloved Master, Savior, and friend.

Personally, I found it rather odd that they seemed to gloss over the fact that He would rise from the dead in just three days. They were so focused on the bad things to come, which they had already been informed of before this time, they failed to note that it was only temporary, and that vindication would come a mere weekend later.

Perhaps due to their melancholy at the news, or their anxiety after the events took place, they would forget the promise Jesus made of His resurrection. Jesus would later send His angels to remind them of it. (Luke 24:7)

  [v24] And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

Capernaum was considered the residential city of Jesus (Mat 9:1) because He had spent a significant amount of time there in a house that Peter had made available. (Mat 8:14) Therefore, when taking taxes or tribute, Jesus would be expected to pay, since others could testify to His living there, but instead of going to Christ Himself, the collectors of the tribute came to Peter, either because he seemed to be a spokesperson for the disciples, or because the house belonged to his family.

This was not standard taxation by the Jewish or Roman publicans, as many pastors today often misunderstand. Rather, this a special tribute that grew out of an annual tradition, based on a one-time half-shekel payment the Lord commanded Exodus 30:13, which later became regular collections under Joash and Nehemiah, and later became an established annual tribute to pay for temple expenses, which was expected of every Israelite male at least 20-years-old—fifteen pence, or about two days' pay, or what would be (in terms of U.S. dollars in 2026) roughly $200.

It was Jewish tradition to ask for the money first, to obtain it peacefully, rather than having to use force. They would enforce it later if there were problems, which is a pleasant way of saying it was expected or else. However, scholars were often exempt from such tribute, so it seems the questioner may have been treating Jesus as a scholar, rather than compelling him to pay.

  [v25] He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

Without need to inquire, Peter quickly answered "Yes," as that had been the practice of Jesus to do, and clearly, he believed Jesus would do it again. However, when Peter came into the house to inquire about the source of the money, before he could speak a word, Jesus—being omniscient, fully aware of all that had taken place outside—stopped him, and asked him to consider a question.

When a king of any country issues tax or tribute to the people, do they require collectors to take from the king's own children? In other words, must the family of the king pay the king's fee, or only strangers—the people who are not family?

  [v26] Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

Peter answered that "strangers" must provide payment, which refers to the citizens of a nation who were not members of the king's immediate family. Jesus was the "Son of David," and therefore, it was inappropriate to require the king to pay custom, tribute, or taxes, especially considering that Jesus is the Son of the Lord of the Temple, for which the tribute was to provide.

  [v27] Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Though Jesus could have rightly claimed exemption from Temple tribute, He declared it was better to pay them so they would not be offended in their ignorance. This sets a standard for Christians, that we should pay what our government reasonably demands of us, lest they should be offended, which does not mean that we are not permitted lawful protest against our American government over the many aggregious and unjust taxes we have (because according to our law of the land, the Constitution, we are grantd that right), but that we should do all we can to avoid offense, even at personal cost.

Peter was instructed to go to the Sea of Tiberias, cast a hook on a fishing line, and take the first fish he caught. In its mouth, he would find a coin equal to a shekel, or four drachmas, enough for two half-shekels, covering tribute for both Jesus and Peter; the other disciples were not considered residents of Capernaum, and would only be pressed for tribute in their respective home towns.

This is not a coin that God created out of nothing, but a coin that was lost in the water at some point, likely by a fisherman, which he had this fish retrieve for Peter. The Living God would not create money out of thin air in an established societal currency, as that would be theft of other men's wealth, or as we know it today, inflation, diluting their labor, which is sinful in nature.

This act clearly demonstrated Christ's omniscience and power over all creation, solidifying His claim to be the Son of the King of kings, infinitely superior to earthly rulers who gather tribute, yet humble, having not half a shekel to His name. He satisfied the collectors for the sake of the Gospel, that their mission would not be hindered, and as many as possible might be saved.



 

  [v1] At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

After Peter had brought the shekel to the collector as Christ had instructed, the disciples came to Jesus with a dispute they had been having since the time Peter, James, and John were brought with Jesus to see the transfiguration. The Bible does not give us much detail, but my best guess is that, because the three disciples were instructed to tell no one what they saw, it was perceived to be a special place of privilege above the others, which struck up conversation as to who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven—a kingdom they still believed would be established on earth before the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Because they still had an erroneous notion of an earthly kingdom, they wanted to know who would be in a greater position by Christ's side. More specifically, they wanted to know the criteria by which Jesus would make that decision, that they might better serve Him in competition for His favor.

  [v2] And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

This child was very likely one of the house, who lived at the residence. Jesus put the child front and center that everyone would see him.

  [v3] And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said, with certainty—truth that should be trusted without doubt—that except you "be converted," or turned from the idea that you will enjoy a temporal earthly kingdom of glory and comfort, erroneously thinking that you will have great honor and riches. Instead, Jesus says that we must "become as little children," which cannot be considered to be physical, because time moves one direction, and we have no power over it, nor of a state of understanding, as children are in desperate need of more wisdom and understanding, but rather, in terms of humility, which Christ will point out in the next verse.

If one is not humbled to repentance for the remission of sins, there will be no remission of sins, which indicates that humility is vital in laying a firm foundation on Christ. Jesus will not save the proud of heart (Jms 4:6), which means without humility, we will not receive the Holy Ghost, and have no hope to enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all—a lesson Jesus intended for His disciples to consider, lest they fall into contention against one another.

  [v4] Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever would consider himself lesser than those around him, whosoever would prefer that others should have greater standing than himself, whosoever would avoid dominion over others, whosoever would abhor demeaning brethren in Christ, and whosoever would place himself in a position of being lowest and least valued among his peers, without discrimination based on worldly standards—as is common in the behavior of children—will be considered the greatest in the church. Paul, who would later become an apostle, declared he was the least of all the apostles (1Co 15:9), and yet, the Lord saw fit to use Him as the primary teacher of the church. (Mark 10:31)

  [v5] And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

This is to be understood metaphorically—not in the literal sense by which churchgoers often erroneously interpret it. This is not to say that physically receiving boys and girls of a young age will grant one entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven; rather, it should be taken to describe those who are meek and lowly, and that to receive such in the manner of children would mean to befriend them, showing them kindness and compassion as we do with young children.

However, it is not simply kindness and compassion shown to the meek and lowly in the general sense; rather, specifically to those who are meek and lowly in the name of Christ, trusting in Him, and preaching His Gospel accurately with pureness of heart. Thus, Christ says, that to receive the preachers of His Gospel is the same as receiving Him, not in the sense that they will be saved by the action, for we are not saved by works (Eph 2:8-9), but in the sense that the favor of receiving His saints will be seen as a favor of receiving the Son of God, which in turn will elicit favor from the Living God, as neighbors would elicit favor from parents for protecting and caring for their children.

  [v6] But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

This is not meant in terms of age, as churchgoers often erroneously interpret this. Of course, it is reasonable and just to issue harsh punishments against anyone who would dare to prey upon children, but in this sense, the word "offense" is used because it is directed against those who would act incivilly, painfully, and injuriously towards the meek and lowly in Christ, disturbing them with harsh language and rudeness that causes them distress.

Therefore, the Prince of Peace declared that those who would bring contempt, vexation, attack, and/or persecution against those who are humble in Christ, would be better off taken to the deep part of the sea, in which men can scarcely dive under the surface without dying. This death was decidedly more grievous than others because it seemingly erased the person from existence, having no body to mourn by family and friends.

A millstone is a large, heavy stone wheel used to crush and grind grain, which, depending on the size, a strong man could hardly lift on land, but would have no chance in water. This burden is symbolic of the inner burden he placed on the necks of the humble children of God, and would send him into the depths of the water quickly, bringing him as close to the heart of the earth as physically possible, that his entrance to hell would be a short trip.

The purpose of this statement is to show what great compassion the Living God has on the meek and lowly in Christ, while His furious anger is aimed at those who would oppress the humble servants of His Son in any way. The sad part about this is that, not only do many churchgoers not understand this, it is primarily churchgoers, who think themselves faithful to Christ, who oppress the meek and lowly Christians that preach the truth, and Jesus will reject them to hell in the end because they never came to the humility of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mat 7:21-23)

  [v7] Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

This is not meant of sins in general, for a man can sin against his own body without directly harming another; although indirect harm can still result from things like gluttony, drunkenness, and fornication. (1Co 6:18) What is meant here are the direct offenses, such as temptation, persecution, reputational damage, and physical harm, which are a man's responses to the sin within him.

Offenses, as Jesus said, "must needs come," or in other words, offenses are inevitable because the Lord has allowed Satan and the world to be hostile against the Gospel of Christ and His church for a time. God the Father suffers this to demonstrate His power to keep and protect His children by His will, to expose the hypocrites (to make it easier for us to see, and so none will have an excuse on the Day of Judgment), and to test the saints, that we would prove our repentance and faith to the Lord by our works. (Jms 2:17)

However, just because the Lord permits the offenses does not mean He is pleased with them, and it does not give an excuse to those who cause them. God may bless the offended saints to give glory to His Son and give grace to His children, but the offender still bears the guilt and will face severe judgment in due time according to the will of the Almighty Judge. (Pro 16:18)

  [v8] Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

Jesus taught this exact phrasing from Matthew 5:30. In chapter five, He used the hand as an example, but in this instance, Matthew notes the foot, which does not seem to hold any additional meaning past the original intent of the analogy.

The hands and feet are both tools used in the process of adultery, and likewise the eye (in the following verse), which is used in the figurative sense; not that a man should cut off his own hand. This is said to take sin with the seriousness it ought to be taken, as when a man has necrosis of the hand, and it turns black with gangrene, it is cut off to save the rest of the body.

This seems also to be a reference to Jewish commentators, who set very strict rules for certain rituals or behaviors, such as the prohibition of touching of one's genitals, but few modern commentators include the teachings of the old time, that "Any man who extends his hand below his navel [i.e. before washing his hands in the morning] should have it [i.e. his arm] cut off," claiming that his uncleanness will "split open" his stomach, and he will "descend into the pit of destruction." Thus, Jesus is condemning the religious leaders for their hypocrisy to threaten mutilation over stringent, fabricated rituals, but not uphold that same strictness over the sin in their hearts; specifically to the context of this passage, it seems Jesus was contrasting the hypocrisy of religious leaders, having extreme strictness over their scruples, yet harbored shocking carelessness when violating the law of goodness and charity towards God and men.
(See Sefaria, The William Davidson Talmud, Niddah 13b, retrieved Sept 23, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Niddah.13b.9?lang=bi])

In the early 21st century, a great number of corrupt religions teach a watered-down gospel, transforming the horrors and suffering of hell into a temporal matter; either teaching a limbo state where one suffers for a time to then later enter heaven (such as the false doctrine of 'purgatory' predicated on heretical works-for-salvation ideology), or that only the fire itself is everlasting, but the torment is not, which is nonsensical for God to keep such a thing as hell around for no reason. This is preached only to remove from the minds of men the fear of hell and the lake of fire to come. The fire is everlasting because the punishment is everlasting, as Jesus will specifically note later. (Mat 25:46)
(Read "Hell is Real and Many People Are Going There" at creationliberty.com for details.)

  [v9] And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Likewise to the previous verse, Jesus taught this exact phrasing from Matthew 5:29. In chapter five, Matthew noted it was the right eye, which was commonly favored in use, but in this instance, no such specification was made.

Jesus describes our sense of sight that, when used without discipline, leads us into the lusts of the flesh, which is what we ought to cast far from ourselves, and not the eye itself. There is no Scriptural commandment nor implication nor obligation nor doctrine to mutilate one's own body. Such a thing would be offensive to the Gospel of Christ, because to mutilate oneself for sin means that you could and might do such horrific things to your neighbor in like manner. (Mat 7:12)

Rather, Jesus is explaining this in the figurative sense, that we should cast aside all those things that come into our view which would cause us to sin. We ought to close our eyes and deny our flesh lustful gratification, and understand the horror and devastation of losing one's eye pales in comparison to the spiritual understanding of the horror and devastation which sin brings.

  [v10] Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Jesus is not speaking of infants, or children of a young age; rather, Jesus is referring to those who are newly faithful in Christ, who are poor in spirit, humbled in mind and heart, pathetic and worthless in the eyes of the world, and least in the church. The disciples were debating among themselves who would be greatest, which requires (at least, in some regard) strife—to lessen others around you, while lifting yourself above others.

Jesus warned them (and us) against that sinful mindset, that we ought not despise brethren. He was kind enough to offer a logical argument to us concerning angels.

It was common Jewish teaching that each faithful person had a ministering angel, as Talmudic commentators said when referring to an angel they believed serviced Abraham, "That angel that happened to come and assist Abraham in that war." It is not wise to rely on the Jewish Talmud for doctrine, and as far as I know, there are no Scriptures indicating every individual saint has a guardian angel (so that we can neither confirm or deny it), but we know that multitudes of angels service the church as a whole by the behest of God the Father.
(See Sefaria, The William Davidson Talmud, Sanhedrin 96a, retrieved Sept 18, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.96a?lang=bi])

Jesus notes that the least of all saints, who may be despised by their brethren, have angels who watch over these humble children. Though God is omniscient, these angels do their duty, reporting to the Lord all offenses and injuries done to those over which they have watch, and we should keep this in mind, for the Lord knows all, judges all, and will not look favorably on those who treat His precious children with contempt in any regard. In short, Jesus is reminding them that if such exalted beings as angels are watching over these humble saints, then we too should be mindful of how we treat them, remembering the law of charity in all things.

  [v11] For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

After first addressing the general concensus of the Jewish commentators concerning angels in the previous verse, Jesus continues to make a much more powerful argument, based on the disciples' own faith in the Son of God. Jesus was sent to this world to save these "little ones." If God the Father loved these humble saints enough to send His own Son into a wicked world to suffer persecution, torture, and death for their sakes, great care should be taken not to despise, grieve, offend, or harm them in any way.

  [v12] How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

Jesus poses a question, "How think ye?" to test the logic of His disciples by considering for themselves a hypothetical scenario. Suppose there were a cattle farmer that had one hundred sheep, and one had strayed from the flock, as sheep often do, wandering with a single-track mind, which can result in it getting trapped or caught, unable to free itself to return.

It is standard operating procedure for the shepherd to leave the 99 sheep where they are to hunt down the one that was lost. This illustrates that God takes care for the most poor, vile, worthless, and penitent believer, not willing that any of them should perish, and will take careful notice of anyone who may harass, threaten, or harm that which He cherishes.

This seems to indicate a secondary meaning, that 99 sheep are like the Jewish nation, under care of the shepherd, but not on the forefront of his mind. They had no concern for the stray sheep, but the shepherd only, who left them to their vain faith in their works, and brought salvation to the lost remnant who believed.

  [v13] And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

The shepherd only has a chance of finding the lost sheep (hints the words "IF so be that he find it," which is the limitation of the analogy, since there is no earthly example that can express the guarantee of the Living God's omniscience to find His faithful children without fail. The shepherd, being heavily grieved at the loss of his sheep, greatly rejoices once he finds it.

The lesson here is more thoroughly expressed by Luke, that the lost sheep was fallen into a ditch, stuck with no way out, and repentant (i.e. grieved and sorrowed of a godly sort) of his past conduct which led him to this point. The sheep cries out for the shepherd, knowing he needs to be saved. Jesus is greatly pleased to find the one repentant sinner, rather than overseeing 99 that "need no repentance" (Luke 15:7), which is not to say that, in the general sense, they do not need to repent, because all men need to repent of the sins to be saved; rather, they "need no repentance" in the sense that they believe themselves righteous by their deeds, and blinded by their corrupt hearts, do not see any need to be sorrowful for their conduct.

  [v14] Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Jesus has presented two powerful arguments, with the latter more persuasive than the last. Now, He reaches the highest point: the will of the Father, greatest of all authority in heaven and earth; noting specifically that it is not His will that a single one of these humble, faithful saints, no matter how poor and meek, should perish.

This can be taken in the sense of a commandment, both to angels and men, that these humble saints should be guarded. Though God allows bad things to happen to His children at times for various reasons, all should be warned not to put a stumbling block in their way, or wound their weak conscience (1Co 8:12), or rob them of their peace, for we are all given caution that we will reap what we sow (Gal 6:7), and the nature of sowing is to reap more than we sow.

  [v15] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Jesus addresses this point to ensure His disciples that sins (and the sufferings of those affected by certain sinful actions) can and should be addressed, and that they should not fear offending the humble saints when it comes to doing their duty: providing proper instruction and private reproof, that they might be corrected and do good works of God in the name of Christ. By doing so, it is good for the soul of the brethren, and therefore, cannot be thought to be injurious in any way, unless the reproof does not come from a charitable heart, or is not received by a humble heart.

It should be emphasized that this initial step concerns correction of a private nature, that is known to few. If it is a private issue, it should be handled privately and lovingly, as a way of genuine concern and help. However, there are many churchgoers who erroneously believe that sin publicly presented must be first privately rebuked, but that is not the case for offenses that are publicly known to many. (Tts 1:10-13)

For example, if fraud is widely known (by many members) to have been committed, the entire church should handle the matter according to the conditions of verse 17. An example of this can be seen in Ananias and Sapphira, who (for the purposes of attaining clout) lied to the church and Holy Ghost, for which they were executed by God. (Acts 5:1-11)

In the matter of private rebuke, Jesus says, the offended party should go to the offender. Do not wait for the offender to come forward. If the offender is ignorant of his fault, he needs the victim to go to him first that he can understand the wrongdoing. Faithfully explain his sins or crimes to him, in gentleness and meekness, being a patient and wise instructor in the hopes that God would give him repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. (2Ti 2:25)

Assuming the victim is correct in his rebuke of the offender's error, he may accept that kind reproof, acknowledge the offense, and declare grief of his words and/or conduct. To gain your brother in this regard means that you have helped him to see the error of his ways, restored him to the right path, and reconcile friendship and favor with one another, and keeping the matter private often makes this process easier.

There is nothing more loving than the truth. A true friend will tell you the truth, even if it hurts, because they care about you. Those who sneer at humble brethren who offer kind and gentle private correction are, in fact, offending Christ, which may (in due time) come with dire consequences, as Jesus warned about it being better for such wicked people to be drowned in the depth of the sea in verses six and seven.

  [v16] But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Assuming the truth of the situation, that your assessment of the offender's words and actions is accurate, and you come to him in peace and kindness, but he will not listen, excuses it away, or defends the sinful position, showing arrogance, anger, or mocking instead of penitence, then you should arrange another discussion with one or two other members of the church who have good character, reputation, and understanding of the subject matter, who can listen to the testimony of each side, judge the truth, and lead the guilty party to conviction. Arguments are often more effective when multiple people in the church, who have no personal stake in the outcome of the discussion, can judge it from a neutral standpoint and draw a logical conclusion based on a third party perspective of the evidence.

The number of witnesses is drawn from Deuteronomy 19:15, so not only is there a stronger possibility of conversion for the offending party, but also that "every word may be established." This is to make sure that, if the matter has to be brought before the church, the honest party has evidence to back up their claims. Although audio/video recordings can be done which are more effective than eyewitnesses in most cases, the purpose of having brethren present for the second meeting is to first convince the offender of the truth in brotherly love, which electronics cannot do, or put another way, use electronic devices as a documentation tool, but while still following procedure as Christ instructed.

  [v17] And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

If the offender refuses to hear one or two others, who have heard the entire matter from both sides and concluded the offender is indeed in the wrong, but he remains impenitent, then it should be reported to the church. These offenses could include, but are not limited to, false accusations, abusive behavior, harsh language, lies, deceit, breach of trust, theft, fraud, drunkenness, assault, intimidation, laziness (i.e. refusal to work), infidelity, unforgiveness after attempts to reconcile, and unbiblical division. Such offenses could be embarrassing, and it is preferable that they are handled privately and amicably, but in some cases, resistance of reproof by a member of the church is so strong, it must be handled more openly.

If the offender refuses to hear the correction and advice of the local church as a whole, he should be treated as a "heathen man and a publican." Notice that Christ did not use language that indicated excommunication, or a formal removal of that person from the church; this is not to say that removal from the church is not necessary, because it is in some circumstances, but Jesus did not describe that here.

For instance, in Jewish society, if a Gentile were rebuked, and the Gentile refused to hear, the Gentile was not kicked out of Jewish society because the Gentile was never part of Jewish society. Thus, it stands to reason that he cannot be removed from a group with which he was never included. Rather, the Jews would simply have no intimate friendship with the Gentile, nor would share in meals or ordinary social dealings, and the Gentile, being excluded, would eventually depart of his own accord.

In this case, the offender has rejected a heart of charity and understanding, and because of this, the offender cannot be in fellowship with the church. It is simply not possible to have deep, intimate friendship with someone who holds an opposing moral philosophy. Because they act in a manner that is not in accordance with the commandments and example of Christ, they are to be treated as if they were never part of the church in the first place.

There may be instances in which a member would have to be removed; for instance, if they were causing disturbances, or inserting themselves where they were not welcome after refusing correction. However, in many cases, the offenders will act on their pride and depart on their own without the need for the church to use force.

Some churchgoers erroneously believe this process applies to preachers who teach false doctrines. The offense referred to is a consequence of sinful action, and although false doctrine is a result of a sinful heart, it is not the context of this passage. Due to this misconception, churchgoers have sometimes falsely accused me of being in violation of these verses for rebuking false doctrine and correcting a pastor who has posted his teachings publicly on websites and videos.

On the internet, preachers make his statements publicly, just as I have done with this commentary. Erroneous doctrine made public requires public correction because, without a public rebuke, the public is left to believe the false doctrine, even if the matter is discussed privately with the teacher.

There is also the matter of those who preach doctrines so diametrically opposed to the Holy Scriptures, in conjuction with their hypocrisies, that I cannot accept their claim to Christianity. These instructions are for the church, and in most cases, the local church of which we are members—not just any random online preacher who claims to come in the name of Jesus.

Worse still is that, in the early 21st century, it is extremely difficult to get any online preachers to respond to inquiry, correction, or engagement in debate on doctrine. In many cases, it is not possible to contact these pastors privately, and even if the option is available, an overwhelming majority do not return communication.

Furthermore, it is common for churchgoers to leave comments on my video rebuke of a pastor (in which I provide documented evidence to prove my case), and accuse me of not contacting that pastor privately first. Not only is there no requirement for me to do so, I still often contact them beforehand (despite being falsely accused of not contacting them), but to no avail because I very commonly receive no response. In my experience, it is nearly impossible to get in contact with online preachers, and of the extraordinarily few who have returned a letter or message, most scoff at or mock me (which I am sure they do in so-called "Christian love"), or make up excuses (i.e. deceits) as to why they refuse discussion. However, despite all the false accusation I get from the commenter, they fail to recognize that their public rebuke of me was not done privately, demonstrating that they hypocritically break the very rules of engagement for which they indicted me.

Thus, I encourage Christians to handle every situation in context. Assess the situation, and act according to what exhibits charity most effectively to the greatest number of people. The instruction of Jesus in this passage mostly concerns those who sin in a way that results in offense against another, that we would not bring offense in return, and although this could apply to teachers of erroneous doctrine in some circumstances, the context in this passage is that the humble and honest party in the church has unseen, divine protections that prevent them from becoming doormats by those with uncharitable philosophies.

  [v18] Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Jesus repeats this phrase from His instructions to the disciples in Matthew 16:19, and in that verse, He referred to the "kingdom of heaven," which many leavened religious institutions have commonly misunderstood to mean God's kingdom in the third heaven. (2Co 12:2) Whether intentional or not, this is error. Although there are instances in which the Kingdom of Heaven may be referred to as the location of God's throne, the primary contextual meaning used in the New Testament is the Gospel of Salvation in Christ, and His church, who preaches it.

Using this short passage as justification, without any correlating verses to back it up, vile religious institutions claim that Peter was given sole responsibility to guard the gates to the Third Heaven, accepting or rejecting entrance as some sort of divine door greeter. Thousands of depictions of this ridiculous fantasy now circulate worldwide. God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost are the only keepers of the Third Heaven, and it cannot be any other way because no other being is omnipotent and omniscient, nor holy of himself to make him worthy to be a divine arbiter.
(Read Corruptions of Christianity: Catholicism at creationliberty.com for details.)

If we apply the contextual meaning of Matthew 16:19, this is referring to the Gospel, and that Peter and the other disciples were given "the keys" to it, that they might know it, understand it, and teach it effectively. The disciples of Christ in that day were the first to be given "the keys" of evangelical knowledge—able to unlock the mysteries and retrieve information at will, which the prophets of old longed to have, but could not attain.

In this passage of Matthew 18, we can see that this was not just spoken to Peter, but to all the disciples. This demonstrates that Peter (in Matthew 16:18-19) was simply the spokesperson for the group in that moment, and that this was clearly meant for all the disciples.

As for binding and loosing, this is not (as many corrupt religions often say) that the disciples were given power to bind or loose sins, nor is this referring to the power of excommunications. Rather, this is a permission that, when dealing with scruples that concern the members of the church, they were given authority to declare what is lawful or unlawful, free or restricted.

The early apostles were directly guided by the Holy Spirit, so their declaration of what is at liberty or forbidden should be so, and followed by all the church throughout all generations. This gift and permission was given in part only to the apostles, while in part to the church as a whole—the difference being that the church is given it second hand through the written Scriptures, and thus, we rely both on the ordinary gifts of wisdom given to us by the Holy Ghost in combination with diligent effort through study to make it fruitful for the hearers. (2Ti 2:15)

For example, Paul—later made an apostle by Jesus Christ—loosed the church from the ceremonies of the law. (Gal 5:1) These ceremonies bound people to observance of days, months, times, years, holy days, new moons, and sabbaths—all which were declared to keep Christians "in bondage." (Gal 4:9) These things were a shadow, or expectation, of Christ to come (Col 2:16-17), and now that Christ has come and finished His work for salvation, we are no longer bound to them.

In another example, Peter declared the law on restricted meats was no longer applicable to Christians. (Acts 10:28) The Lord showed Peter that the purpose of meat restrictions—clean versus unclean—were made to teach a lesson, that the Lord can make all things clean by His Word, and therefore, we no longer observe meat restrictions as a testimony that the Gospel has gone into the Gentile nations, to save all those who come to repentance and faith in Christ.

To summarize: The apostles were given the gift of the Holy Ghost to instruct the church on the rules of the church, and we (as the church) need to follow, apply, and teach the same. Anyone who deviates from this basic understanding comes up with stringent rules that do not benefit Christ and His church, and instead embarrass congregations by convincing them to follow shameful, ridiculous, vain, and antichrist ideology.

One of the primary goals of Christ's instruction is to unify the church under the principles of the Holy Scriptures, given to us by the Spirit of God through the apostles of Christ. If a man comes along with a doctrine or philosophy contrary to this and will not hear the truth of the matter, choosing instead to oppose it by refusing discussion and mocking others who challenge him, then he cannot be in peaceful fellowship with the Godhead or the church, and should not be permitted to join in our social activities together, lest he corrupts others in the church.

  [v19] Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Jesus refers to that which He has told His disciples before, concerning decisions on these matters, repeating it for emphasis, that they might hold confidence in prayer and execution of duties. Specifically, this passage means that two (or three, according to the following verse) coming to agreement concerning any offense brought forth by the offended party is given heavenly permission without consequence.

Sadly, there are a great many churchgoers who erroneously believe that this passage is a blank check to get whatever they want so long as two or more pray together. That is not remotely close to what this passage is telling us. This passage is about authority, not about miraculously receiving anything we conceive or desire.

When "any thing" is noted, it is not referring to all things in existence or thought, but "any thing" in the context of this passage, which is the administrative judgment of members of the church in handling an offender. All things in this regard would be those things given by authority from heaven, such as judging righteous judgment concerning the offender (who might himself raise offense by the conversation), understanding to discern the truth, wisdom to address the faults, repentance of the wrongdoer, and exclusion of the impenitent if necessary.

Although the rebuke, correction, and possible exclusion of a member of the church is handled quite lackadaisically in many church buildings, it is no light matter. Thus, the ability to address these matters must be given by permission from heaven, which is granted not only to Christ's apostles, but to all of us.

This is not a cold, legal rubber-stamp to get whatever you want, nor a justification for false teachers to gather cohorts to gang up on meek and humble saints. All the requirements of correlating commandments apply, such as prayer (Eph 6:18), charitable considerations (1Co 16:14), proper restitution (Mat 5:25-26), and reconciliation in love. (1Pe 2:17)

  [v20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Jewish commentators consider "that a congregation consists of at least ten men." Jesus contradicts this, making it clear that if more than one is gathered, then it is a congregation of the church in the name of the Lord, showing His favor even to the most meek of gatherings.
(See Sefaria, Mishnah Sanhedrin 1:6, retrieved Sept 21, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Sanhedrin.1.6])

Thus, if any group so small as two born again saints gather together, the Spirit of God is there, so long as they gather for the purpose of study in the Scriptures, performing of Christ's ordinances, prayer, charity, or any other business that is set for the glory of God and ministry of His Word. By His authority, Jesus says, He presides over that meeting, directs their counsels, assists them in their struggles, increases their wisdom and understanding, and blesses their good works.

  [v21] Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Having heard the commandments concerning offenses and reproof of brethren, Peter asked specifically about "my brother," knowing that Jesus was referring to the faithful saints. Peter specifically noted "seven times" because it goes above and beyond what Jewish commentators taught.

Jewish tradition teaches that "God forgives his sins one after the other, i.e., the third sin is forgiven because it is considered as a first sin, for the two previous sins were already forgiven. Similarly, after the third sin is forgiven, the fourth sin is considered as a "first" sin and is forgiven according to the same principle." Furthermore, they add, "retribution for the first, second, and third sins is held in abeyance as implied by Amos 2:6 'For three sins of Israel, I will withhold retribution, but for the fourth, I will not withhold it.'"
(See Sefaria, Mishneh Torah, Repentance 3, retrieved Sept 23, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Repentance.3?lang=bi])

As typical with Jewish commentators, this is overly complicated, but in summary, in the context of groups of people in a community, Jewish commentators claim that God holds back punishment for the first three offenses, and then at the fourth, he does not hold back punishment. Amos 2:6 From that point the fourth sin is considered as the first in terms of punishment, and retribution for the prior three will be taken into consideration at the fourth, but once the third sin is reached (or in full counting, the sixth sin), that is the limit, meaning that (according to Jewish teaching) no sin is forgiven from seventh offense and beyond.

Therefore, Peter asked about the seventh sin, knowing the doctrine Jesus taught up until that point was that repentance for the remission of sins was unlimited. Perhaps he thought Jesus might have had a higher number in mind, since Jewish law made a limitation that Jesus never established for His Gospel.

  [v22] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus instructs Peter not to observe the teachings of the Jews, which put a limitation on forgiveness to six times (as I explained in the previous verse), but rather, to observe His commandment, "Until seventy times seven," which seems to reflect the penitent heart of Lamech, who had committed two murders, and saw himself as deserving seventy times the sevenfold punishment of Cain for the murder of his brother. (Gen 4:24) God gives grace to the humble, and gave remission to Lamech because he repented (i.e. had godly sorrow) of his sin, and therefore, if God would forgive someone the punishment worthy of 490 punishments, He can and will forgive any number, and expects us to do the same for those who come with a humble, penitent heart.

  [v23] Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

Based on His answer in the previous verse, Jesus says in this parable that His Gospel, the church designated to preach it, and the method of God's operation in it is like, or similar in analogy, to an earthly king that has a natural kingdom. The king takes account of his servants, which are only those he has selected to serve His household.

Servants are required to give account to the king of their time and alotted funds for the good of the house, and their attitudes, conduct, and behavior are monitored, that the good name of the king would not be tarnished in any way. If the king's servants have acted out of line, been lazy in their duties, or made no effort to help the cause of his household, he may issue punishment and affliction on them to bring them in accord to his will.

  [v24] And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

The king opened his books to consider the operations of the house, to reconcile the numbers and activities. During his investigation, he noticed a disparity in the numbers with a particular servant, so he called him forth, which God often does by awakening the conscience with guilt and fear.

Ten thousand talents is roughly 3,000 shekels, and though it is difficult to ascertain the exact value, this would be 30+ years of a man's labor. In terms of purchasing power in 2026 American dollars, this would be somewhere in the range of $1.5 million to $3 million of debt. This means that, for the common man without great wealth, he would spend the rest of his life paying off the debt, and very likely never accomplish it before his death; let alone if the entire debt were called in all at once.

If you can imagine the dread of such a burden, the terror of our sin is far worse, for our transgressions are far greater in number. A sinner having his eyes opened to his sin debt would also have a difficult time quantifying how much debt he owes, and impossibility of getting his ledger out of the red, so his heart would drop into horrifying despair. (Psa 40:12)

  [v25] But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Payment was immediately demanded, but he could never pay a sum so great, just as we cannot pay the debt of our sin with obedience and works. Our obedience and effort already belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, so we have nothing to offer Him that is not already His. A lifetime of flawless obedience is what the king already requires of his servant, so that cannot be used to pay an infinite debt.

In the parable, the king knew he would never fully get his money back, so to recoup some of the money, he commanded that the servant be sold into slavery. Furthermore, knowing that simply selling the man would not be anywhere close to sufficient, the king ordered that his family and possessions also be sold to pay the debt, which was a method creditors used in that day to enforce debt payments. (2Ki 4:1, Neh 5:5)

  [v26] The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

The servant fell down, on his knees, with his face to the ground, being unable to make eye contact with the king, because the demands of justice were too great and many for him at this time. The servant "worshipped him," not in the divine sense of the analogy, although it is proper for us to worship the Lord, but rather, in the ordinary sense of an earthly servant to a king, the word 'worship' is used in this passage to mean extreme submission and great civil reverence.

The servant pleaded his case with a promise that carries no weight, which is typical of men to do when they reach a point of desperation. When their debts are called in, and they face the wrath of the creditors, they imagine their vain apologies, displays of humility, and show of self-serving tears can get them what they want. Furthermore, the servant clearly did not understand the amount of debt, foolishly thinking he could pay it off, as is typical with those who see their debt of sin against God, and instead of coming to faith in Christ, they remain willingly ignorant, thinking they will pay the debt with diligent effort.

Infinite debt cannot be paid by a finite creature, and the notion that it somehow can is nothing more than a man's conceit, imagining that he has far more power and ability than is possible in reality. The servant does not consider that by attempting to pay this off, not only would it take more time than his life would allow, but during the process, he would not have the extra funds to provide for himself and his family, which would require him to borrow more against the debt, making the hole of debt deeper than when he first started.

Furthermore, what job could he get? He already works for the king full time as a servant, so he cannot use the service he already gives to the king as a method of payment on the debt without getting other work, which would dilute his work as a servant, which would only incur more debt.

The analogy serves to help us understand that even when dealing with finite money, the goal of overcoming such overwhelming debt is unreachable. Sin is a debt without number, and therefore, no amount of a man's money, time, or effort can clear that divine ledger.

  [v27] Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

The king was not moved by the servant's worship, nor by his cries or promises; rather, he was moved with compassion inwardly because he is a good and benevolent king that takes great pleasure in kindness. Our repentance and faith are both gifts from God (Acts 11:18, Heb 12:2), so that the requirements for saving grace must also be credited to the Almighty God by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The debt of our sin is paid by His compassion, His mercy, and His works—completely and unequivocally—making our works toward that debt an insult to (and arrogance against) His power and goodness to clear the debt in its entirety, removing all charges against us, and make us free indeed. (John 8:36)

  [v28] But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

Being ignorant of the massive debt, not understanding the full ramifications of it, offering foolish promises, and putting on a false outer appearance of repentance, he departed immediately from the benevolent king, and found a fellowservant. This fellowservant in the analogy is another professing Christian, but perhaps not of the same nature, for the servant is one who professes Jesus in vanity, without a transformed heart.

Whereas the debt owed by the servant in this example was between $1.5 to $3 million in 2026 U.S. dollars, the fellowservant only owed roughly $5,000-$6,000. The amount the fellowservant owed to the servant was miniscule in comparison to his own debt to the king.

Before a conversation was initiated, the servant assaulted the fellowservant, grabbing him by the throat, showing that, unlike the king, his wrath and malice was heavy against his debtors. The servant demanded that the fellowservant pay his whole debt immediately, which reflects many professors of religion who, having been offended in such small matters, have no forgiveness or charity in their hearts, seeking revenge rather than peace, even for imagined slights.

  [v29] And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

As the servant had done just a little while ago before the king, the fellowservant fell down at the servant's feet in submission. Ironically, the fellowservant used the same words which the servant had earlier expressed to the king, and in response, the king had given the servant forgiveness of all his debts.

  [v30] And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

The fact that the servant was forgiven all his overwhelming debt, but not would not forgive the smallest of debt to his coworker, demonstrated that he was not only ignorant of the gravity of his own debt, he was also completely unappreciative of what had been done for him. Immediately, the servant who had just been granted one of the greatest gifts a man could be given at the expense of another, only sought how he could acquire more for himself.

The punishment that the servant sought desperately to avoid was the very punishment he gladly laid upon another. Not only does this demonstrate great hypocrisy, but stupidity, because no man can pay his debt while sitting in a prison cell, indicating his desire to see punishment rather than resolution and reconciliation.

This analogy reflects some who are displeased with others in the church. Without some attempt of patience and reasoning, they immediately bring matters before the church, or find some way to cast them out until full satisfaction is given, and in those cases, useful members of the church are lost to a spiteful member standing on pretense.

  [v31] So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

When other servants saw what happened—how violently he was treated, being thrown in prison without hope for release—they were brought to great sorrow, being grieved and disturbed because they had more charitable and forgiving spirits. Therefore, they went to the king to express their concerns and plead the case of their fellowservant.

In the analogy, members of the church may not have the numbers or power to help the fellow Christian, but they are still hurt by what they have seen. Therefore, they go to the Lord Jesus Christ with their grief, to explain the matter, which is not to say that they do not believe in His omniscience, but to express their grief and plead for help.

  [v32] Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

The king ordered the servant to be brought before him again, and declared him to be wicked due to his cruel heart and ungrateful attitude. It is to be expected that when a judge shows mercy to a criminal, the criminal would learn his lesson and depart from his evil ways, showing others mercy in like manner that they would do the same.

This is not to say that the servant desired the king to pay his debt (which also shows his unfaithfulness in the king's benevolence to his subjects); rather, he desired the king to have patience with him, but the benevolent king, without being asked, went above and beyond, forgiving him the entire sum, that he and his family would not suffer. Such extraordinary generosity should have softened the hardened heart of any man, and through extreme gratitude, we would expect that to inspire his compassion on others, but the servant's cruelty towards a fellow debtor was shocking to say the least.

  [v33] Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

To the compassionate, the servant's reaction to the fellowservant was unreasonable and unjust, and I daresay that most sinful men would probably agree when the judgment is about others and not themselves. Sin is the source of the problem, and the sinful heart of the servant kept him blinded to what should have been an overt hypocrisy.

What option does the king have at this point? Should he again forgive him of all? As Jesus instructed Peter and the other disciples, forgiveness has no limitation so long as it comes with repentance. (Luke 17:3)

However, a display of repentance is sometimes only that: a display. Jesus is teaching us the difference of that which is fake from a genuine repentance. A show of repentance, such as falling on one's knees in tears, should be a response to the genuine change of heart, even if the change is in part, increasing slowly with time, but for the servant in this parable, the only change that will take place in his heart is the effort to not get caught when his greed flares up again.

When Jesus acts on us to give us repentance, faith, and salvation, an obligation of service is set upon us as well. That service, as Jesus explains in this parable, is a similitude of charity and mercy, to behave as children of God the Father, who is charitable and merciful in nature, giving to others that which we wished to receive from the Lord when we were in transgression against Him. (Luke 6:36, Mat 7:12)

  [v34] And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

The king was rightly angered at such a vile act, which is both insulting to his kindness and abusive against another servant, as well as grievous to the other servants of his house, so the servant was delivered "to the tormentors," which is an officer of the court tasked with enforcement of punishment. However, this begs an important question: why was payment later demanded on that which was already forgiven?

As I said earlier, there is no flawless analogy. There is no like thing on earth that perfectly explains infinite debt. That being said, the one thing we should note is that the servant was to "pay all that was due unto him," which did not specifically say that he was to pay all of his previous debts that were forgiven.

Keep in mind, sin has an infinite price tag, and one sin calls for infinite punishment. Therefore, the Lord is kind to forgive a degree of temporal punishments (depending on the circumstance), but full pardon of all sin comes only with the salvation offered by the Lord Jesus Christ through His shed blood on the cross.

  [v35] So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

The parable allows us freedom to judge the servant's actions, and clearly see that what he did was reprehensible. Therefore, if we can judge such a simple matter, not only is the Living God (who has omniscience) infinitely more justified to judge the matter better than we, but that we should be able to judge our words and actions as easily as we rightly judged the servant. (John 7:24, 1Co 11:31)

When we are born again in Christ, we are given a heart of flesh (i.e. a softened heart) as opposed to a heart of stone (Eze 36:26), which does not mean that we are flawless in our words and behavior, because it takes time to learn many lessons, that we might exhibit patience, wisdom, and charity. A foundation of repentance is laid in our hearts (Heb 6:1), so we should operate according to it.

Jesus not only teaches the church the way we should treat one another as brethren, but also provides a warning to those who pretend to be Christians. Works do not save us, and thus, the act of forgiveness itself does not give a man saving grace; however, those who refuse to forgive genuinely penitent men are confirmed to be in danger of hellfire, no matter how many platitudes they pretentiously sing in the name of Jesus.



 

  [v1] And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;

After Jesus had taught them about the humility of the saints, avoiding offenses against them, handling offenses among them, and forgiveness that is to be exercised towards them, "he departed from Galilee," and would not return there until after His resurrection. Jesus moved on to "beyond Jordan," or a country that bordered on Judea, as He slowly traveled to Jerusalem, where His disciples knew He would have to suffer and die.

  [v2] And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

Not just from Galilee, but from many other places surrounding the country beyond Jordan. Many were sick and diseased, while others followed to witness Jesus heal them.

  [v3] The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

The Pharisees also came from round about, also bearing witness, but for a different reason. They wanted a reason to accuse Jesus that the masses would turn against Him, so they observed and waited for an opportunity.

When the word 'tempt' is used in this passage, it is in used in the manner of trying to lure an animal into a trap with bait. The animal is tempted to get the food, but if he does, he is trapped, and in a similar way, the Pharisees were poachers of the Messiah, trying to trap Him in His words, that He might be condemned as a heretic and/or arrested by a governing entity.

The question of bait was: Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason, no matter how trivial? This was a trap laid to get Jesus to answer a heated debate between the Jewish schools of Shammai and Hillel in that day.

Shammai insisted that divorce was permitted only for fornication, while Hillel allowed it for minor faults such as spoiling food or finding a more attractive woman. The strategy was that Christ's answer to one would alienate the other faction, causing more contention among the crowd, or make Jesus appear to contradict Moses (who permitted divorce), or make Him contradict Himself in His earlier teaching that divorce was lawful in the case of adultery. (Mat 5:32)

The Pharisees' idea was that siding with the stricter, less popular view would anger Hillel's followers, while siding with the looser view would anger Shammai's followers. If He forbid divorce altogether, it would set the people against him as an opponent of the Mosaic law, but allowing it for every cause would earn disdain and complaints from the women, who would then be subject to desolation based on their husbands' daily whims.

  [v4] And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Instead of stepping into their trap by directly answering their question, Jesus brilliantly refers them back to the creation of marriage, bringing to everyone's mind the purpose and function of marriage from the beginning. By posing the question, "Have ye not read," it puts pressure on the Pharisees, turning their dichotomy back to them, that either they had not read it and had no business commenting on it, or they had read it and still do not understand it, revealing their ignorance.

Jesus quotes from Genesis 1:27, in which He, being the Creator, designed one male and one female, not many of each, nor in mixed and tangled relationships. There was no polygamy, nor divorce, and even if they wanted to, Adam could not take another wife, nor could Eve take another husband, because their children and grandchildren were the only other people in the world.

Even though Jesus is not yet finished demolishing their foolish question, He has already defeated their strategic deception. Either they had not read the verse (demonstrating negligence), they had not understood it (causing embarrassment, especially in front of a supposedly lesser-educated crowd), or they had indeed read and understood it, exposing their hostile motive.

  [v5] And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

These words are divine revelation given to Adam, spoken by him, and documented by Moses. (Gen 2:24) This shows that there would be fathers, mothers, and children, and that the children, once they were grown, would depart from their parents, marry, and start their own families in like manner to Adam and Eve.

The phrase "one flesh" notes the strict union of man and wife, that they cannot be so easily separated, in the same manner that a man would not willfully and peacefully depart with his hand or eye. This indicates that carnal knowledge should remain privately between man and wife, nor should a man put away his wife on every slight occasion, as if the members of his flesh could be cut off on a whim.

This would clearly apply to women as well. Sadly, I must address this matter because, in 21st century America, women have been granted much more default legal power than men when it comes to divorce, and over two-thirds of all documented divorces are initiated by females. Departing from one's husband to break up the family is not something that should be done on the flimsy and sporadic emotional whims of women, and the Lord Jesus Christ will judge all who have done so. (Gal 6:7)
(Read Feminism: Castrating America & Biblical Marriage Uncompromised at creationliberty.com for details.)

  [v6] Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Though they were two before marriage, they are no longer two, which is to be taken in the sense of familial bond are carnal knowledge, not in the sense of individual minds as distinct persons who will be judged individually by God. These two are now so closely united, in an institution created and sanctified by God, no man—neither an individual, nor state, nor religious institution, nor prince of a kingdom—should seek to break the bond of that union, or dissolve the relationship, which may result in the man and wife separating from one another.

At this point, the Pharisees should have accepted their doctrinal beating like men, stuffed their pride back under their coats, and departed peacefully. However, their arrogance was so overwhelming, they could not help but dive head-first into the trap Jesus laid for them.

  [v7] They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

Jesus purposefully did not answer this question in His first response, which I believe He did for two primary reasons. First, His mercy, giving them a chance to walk away before they suffered another doctrinal devastation, and second, to make them state the Mosaic law themselves, so they could not claim ignorance as an excuse to hide their malice.

The Pharisees referred to Deuteronomy 24:1, which they thought to be a contradiction, and though there is no contradiction in the Word of God, a contradiction does exist, but it is in the wicked, selfish hearts of the Pharisees who posed the question. This closed the jaws of the trap Jesus laid against them.

  [v8] He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

The contradiction of divorce was laid at the feet of the Jews, who were so stubborn and hard-hearted, so malicious and full of revenge, there was no reconciling with them after they felt slighted. Thus, if this exception had not been granted to them, they would have treated their wives in the most cruel manner, bringing upon their families greater sins, in both intensity and number, perhaps to the point of murder.

From the beginning, when God first instituted marriage, separation of that union was not allowed. Adam did not divorce, nor did Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or Moses. Sarah was unable to bear Abraham a child, yet he did not divorce her. The sin of wicked men and women are the cause of divorce, and it was only permitted to the Jews because they are a petty and spiteful people.

To summarize, the socially esteemed scholars posed a dichotomy to Jesus about divorce, and Jesus answered by bringing them back to His creation to understand the purpose of marriage. Knowing that there was no divorce at the beginning, they were forced to challenge Him on the exceptions in the Mosaic law, and in reponse, He said their wickedness was the reason for it, showing that their disputes were nothing more than stubborn and arrogant old men striving for clout.

  [v9] And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

This was not the same debate Jesus was having with the Pharisees; rather, this was said privately to His disciples later in a house, as noted in Mark 10:10. Some websites offer index notations for contextual assistance, but most of them do not put one here, which is an error of interpretation concerning where the conversation shifts.

To fully understand this verse, we need to understand the phrase "put away," which is often interpreted to mean "divorce" in our modern interpretation. Although it can and does mean divorce in some cases, in other cases it simply means to separate the wife from the man and his household.

For example, in Genesis 35:2, Jacob told all those in his household to "put away the strange gods that are among you," which did not mean they divorced the strange gods; rather, they separated them from themselves and the household. In like manner, God commanded the Jews in Exodus 12:15 to "put away leaven out of your houses," which does not mean to divorce leaven, for leaven was used at most times throughout the year; rather, it meant to, for a short time, separate it from themselves and their households.

Some readers may be confused by this, so in the interest of clarity, I will name a false preacher in my day named Kent Hovind who took on wives without divorcing his previous wives. He would marry a woman in a wedding ceremony, and typically within a year or so, would not formally divorce her, but would rather "denounce" his marriage to her (i.e. claim the marriage was not legitimate), then marry another woman soon after, repeating the process with a handful of women over the course of a decade.
(Read Wolves in Costume: Kent Hovind at creationliberty.com for details.)

By doing this, he thought he had found a loophole that allowed him to lawfully sleep with a variety of women, which is why I believe the words "put away" are used here as opposed to the word 'divorce'. Although I will continue to use the word divorce in my commentary on this passage, it should be noted that "put away" covers a wider range of offenses, divorce itself being one of them.

To the disciples, Jesus first notes that fornication and whoremongering (during the marriage; not beforehand) is an exception to what he is about to say. Defiling of the marriage bed destroys being one flesh, and in the interest of not continuing in the uncleanness, so the innocent man should not have to suffer in the sins of the woman, he may put her away, which would naturally come with a bill of divorcement. (Deut 24:1)

This does not mean that forgiveness cannot be granted to a repentant wife, who comes to plead the forgiveness of her husband in tears of sorrow. Charitable reconciliation is both good and wise if the offender is broken-hearted for sins committed, but in adultery, circumstances can make this extremely difficult. Nonetheless, adultery is lawful grounds for divorcing a woman, despite the corrupt doctrine of religious institutions who erroneously teach that divorce is not permitted under any circumstance.

There are other reasons that divorce may be justified that are not listed in this passage. Jesus was contextually addressing fornication and adultery. I discuss those in more detail in my commentary on Matthew 5:32, and in my book, Biblical Marriage Uncompromised, which is free to read on my website.

Jesus tells us this to not only indict adulterous women, but also men, who think they can circumvent the laws of God. An adulterous women may be living with the man she is fornicating with, and if her husband marries another, not only for his own sake, but also to spite her, he is also committing adultery because he married another while still married to his first wife.

  [v10] His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

The disciples, being surprised at this doctrine which was contrary to the things they had been traditionally taught by Jewish scholars, commented that, if the bond between man and wife had such strict rules, in which it could not be dissolved except under very specific circumstances, and that the wife could be a very disagreeable, brawling, drunken, extravagant female who does not properly attend to the affairs of her family, she cannot be put away, then marriage is extremely risky for men. They concluded that it would be much more expedient to live a single life than to take a chance of marrying a woman who makes the man's life miserable, and would be forced to suffer it all the days of his life, having no option to escape it.

  [v11] But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

Jesus did not deny their conclusions, for there was some sound reason to the argument, however, it could only be concluded in theory, not in nature. It is the created nature of men to desire a companion, and the created burning within themselves will drive them towards marriage and family. He notes that in few cases, by the gift of God, men are given continency, that they have no desire for a female companion, to remain unmarried with content.

  [v12] For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Jesus lists three kinds of men who can live unmarried without misery. These are called "eunuchs" (yoon-ucks), which is defined as a male who has no desire for intimate, carnal female companionship, and this can be done physically or by divine gift.

In the first example, Jesus refers to eunuchs by birth, which were born with defects that made them unfit for marriage. The second type are eunuchs castrated by the hands of men, such as Daniel, who was a castrated servant for Nebuchadnezzar (i.e. this is implied, rather than directly stated, since Daniel was among those who served under "Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs," Dan 1:3-7), which was done so the king's closest servants would not attempt to seduce members of the royal harem.

The eunuchs of the third type were not castrated (as heretics like Origen suggested); rather, Jesus meant this in the figurative sense, describing men who were given the gift of continence, and chose to remain single for the sake of Christ and the preaching of the Gospel. This is not a rule, as some corrupt religious institutions teach (i.e. that their priests must remain unmarried), but an allowance that departs from the created nature, so that any man who receives this extremely rare gift of continence should accept it with gladness, as the Lord wills.

  [v13] Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

This verse has, in some cases, been used in attempt to justify infant baptism, but there is no contextual indication that infants were brought to Jesus in this instance, nor for this reason. As Jesus says in the following verse, "forbid them [i.e. the children] not to come unto me," which indicates that the children were of an age where they could walk and approach Jesus on their own. Furthermore, there is no place in this passage that indicates Jesus baptized anyone; rather, He laid hands on them as a blessing, nothing more.

In the 21st century, we are not accustomed to this practice, so it will be foreign to many readers in the future, but in ancient culture, it was not uncommon for a father to laid hands on his children, typically placing his hand upon their heads, and speak their names in a prayer to the Lord God, asking for special fruitfulness and protection. By the first century, Jewish custom had evolved to a tradition of parents bringing their children to a respected teacher or elder for the same kind of prayer blessing.

In this case, the children were overseen by their parents, family, or guardians, because it says "were there brought unto him," so the children were guided to this location for this purpose. Because Jesus had previously accepted children into his midst, and offered grave warnings for anyone who might offend them, for they were symbolic to the newly saved Christians that come to the Lord in humility and faith (Mat 18:6), the disciples would not have rebuked the children, nor would have it been appropriate in a circumstance where the adults guiding them initiated the encounter, and thus, it stands to reason that the disciples rebuked the parents and guardians for interrupting Christ as He taught.

  [v14] But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus, being the King of kings, showed great humility as an example to his disciples, that they should have some consideration for the weakest believers, being as little children in their understanding. This is not to say that children of a young age are automatically part of the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who have humility and faith, Jesus said, should not be turned away, nor driven out from His presence on the basis of pomp and formalities.

Jesus uses these children as a example of the character required in those who enter His church, and likewise, those who enter His Kingdom in Heaven after this life. His silence about baptism in this regard is more evidence against infant baptism, and a testimony against prideful members of the church, snuck in unawares (Gal 2:4), who seek only clout, social status, or personal gain.

Again, Jesus is showing us the character of His saints, but keep in mind that some who enter the church can carry with them painful scars (both by their own making and from others) that cause them to be skeptical, bitter, or angry. These experiences can, at times, result in unexpected reactions that contradict the doctrine of Christ, and Jesus has already provided some method of reconciliation for that in the previous chapter.

By the guidance of the Holy Ghost, a Christian will overcome these bad characteristics in due time, repenting of the carnal philosophy that led him to make bad decisions, so we must show new members the same patience Christ has shown us. On the other hand, a veteran Christian's impatience and arrogance (though not necessarily proof of being a false convert) is evidence in support of an impenitent heart, which means we should be vigilant and take precaution when discretion tells us that their characteristics oppose the example Christ provided for us.

  [v15] And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

Jesus laid His hands upon their hands, and prayed to the Father for a blessing over them, as indicated in Mark 10:16. Afterwards, Jesus and His disciples left the house and continued on their journey to Jerusalem, that He might fulfill the prophecy of His suffering, death, and resurrection.

  [v16] And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

A man came to Jesus, but not just any man, a "certain ruler." (Luke 18:18) Because Christ had already left the house and was traveling the road, this civil magistrate came "running" and "kneeled to him" in respect, believing Jesus was a man worthy of high esteem. (Mark 10:17)

The ruler addressed Jesus as "Good Master," or a good teacher, believing that His doctrine came from God, which led him to ask what he could do that he could (as Mark wrote) "inherit eternal life." This shows us the man was not of the sect of the Sadducees because because he believed in the soul and afterlife, but on a foundation of works, seeking how he might earn that inheritance through the deeds of the law, which we know is an impossible task. (Gal 2:16)

  [v17] And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Jesus, being omniscient and seeing into the recesses of his heart, did not first address his question, nor did He tell him to "believe on Jesus" as we often hear from 21st century churchgoers. The reason for this, as we are about to find out, is for two reasons: the first being the man's lack of repentance for the remission of sins, and the second being his lack of faith in who Jesus is.

It is quite difficult to teach a man who thinks himself knowledgeable, and rebuke a man who thinks himself good. Though the simple-minded may think a direct answer is the best response, Jesus is infinitely wiser than that, and instead addressed the man on the foundation of his folly (Pro 26:5), which was his lack of penitence and faith.

Jesus addresses the wealthy young ruler's words point-by-point, first questioning why he would come to Him and call Him "good?" Jesus did not deny that He is good, for He is not only good, but He is the standard of all goodness, for goodness could not exist in this world without Him.

The reason Jesus asked this question was not to argue against the direct truth of the statement, but that the young man did not believe that Jesus is God. The young man only considered Jesus to be an ordinary man with great wisdom. By addressing Jesus as "good," he attempted to place ordinary men on the same level as God, which is a form of idolatry, and that alone will disprove the young man's claim to have kept the law from his youth in verse 20.

We Christians should take careful note of what Jesus said next because it is not the standard response that most churchgoers and pastors in the 21st century would tell someone; namely, that to "inherit eternal life," one must "keep the commandments," or the moral commandments of God, such as those in the Ten Commandments. This seems contradictory on the surface, that Jesus had been teaching that faith in Him was the foundation of the church (Mat 16:18), and that none may enter heaven except by Jesus (John 14:6), but as we will see in the proceeding verses, Jesus rightly tries to lead the young man to repentance, addresses the fallacy of his philosophy, and challenges his self-deception.

  [v18] He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

The wealthy young ruler asked which commandments he needed to keep to inherit eternal life, which is not to say that he did not already know the commandments of God in the Torah. He was quite familiar with them, and in fact, Mark notes that Jesus pointed that out. (Mark 10:19) This was said in reference to the ruler's functional knowledge of the law, not the nature and spiritual intent of it. However, he believed he had kept the commandments, so he wanted Jesus to specify which ones, so he could gain self-validation of his works.

Jesus did not mention ceremonies or traditions; rather, he only mentioned the moral precepts. He also did not begin with the first tablet of the law, but the second, which covered the duties with respect to neighbors, which are more commonly known.

For example, a pagan of a foreign nation may not understand God's commandments against idolatry (Exd 20:3), but he does understand laws against theft because his own country has them as part of civil regulation. Nearly every society around the world has laws against murder, adultery, theft, and lies, at least to some degree, depending on the circumstance.

The reason for this is not because Jesus puts our duties to God beneath our duties to men, but rather, if entrance to heaven is restricted based on how men treat other men, how much more impactful are the laws concerning our duties to God? If a man, from the time he is a baby until he dies, kept the law flawlessly, doing all that was required without fail, he could inherit eternal life, but because that is impossible for men, no man can inherit eternal life without having his debt paid for him by another.

  [v19] Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Jesus did not list these commandments in any particular order, and that is because there is no greater or lesser in the law. Though mankind places certain laws in greater offense over others in society, and rightly so because the punishment and restitution of one may be significantly greater than the other, ultimately, in the sight of God, and in judgment of the heart of the wicked, to violate one law is to violate them all. (Jms 2:10)

The final commandment is found in the Levitical law (Lev 19:18), but not in the Ten Commandments. It is, however, the fulfillment of the law, so that if the intent and purpose of the law could be summarized in one saying, it is to be charitable, kind, and considerate to your neighbor as you already give yourself charity, kindness, and consideration in all things. (Rom 13:9)

  [v20] The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Though he was wealthy and had a high station in life, he was still a young man who, it seemed, did his best to keep the whole of the law (at least, by the external understanding of it) as he was taught by his parents since he was a little child. From a societal perspective, he was likely a ruler who did good for the people, taking his duties seriously, and the type of person most men would want to be a politician with civil authority.

The problem with this answer is that he did not see his own sin for what it is. Despite his observance of the letter of the law, it is not sufficient to pay the debt of sin. The young ruler's response to Jesus demonstrated not only that he did not understand his sin and the corruption of his heart, his follow up question, "what lack I yet?" proved that he adopted the erroneous and foolish ideology that he could earn his spot in heaven by his own merit. (Eph 2:8-9)

The Holy Scriptures teach us that the law is perfect for conversion of the soul (Psa 19:7), because by the hearing of the law, a man is brought to his knees in tears of godly sorrow (i.e. repentance) of his conduct, which then hopefully leads him to seek Christ for full payment of his sin. (Gal 3:23-24) Thus, if we Christians are to follow the doctrine and example of Christ, we should preach the law to lost sinners, then preach Christ's crucifixion and resurrection to those who come to repentance, letting the Holy Ghost do the work within a man, rather than simply preaching the modern church-ianity trope, "Jesus saves," which brings men to a generic, fake faith that has no repentance. (Mark 1:14-15)
(Read There is No Saving Grace Without Repentance at creationliberty.com for details.)

  [v21] Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Mark adds "Jesus beholding him loved him" (Mark 10:21), in that he had compassion and affection on him because of his solemn, respectful attitude, as well as his desire to do righteousness. Jesus told the wealthy young ruler that if he wanted to be complete in righteousness, to rid himself of all evil and lust, there was one more thing he must do, which was a test to his love for God and his neighbor according to the royal commandment. (Mat 22:37-40)

The command to "go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor" is not a commandment found anywhere in Scripture, nor is it a requirement to be righteous, nor does it gain one access to eternal life. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that a man can give away everything he has to the poor and still lack charity. (1Co 13:3) Rather, this instruction was a test of faith, to demonstrate to the young man that if he were a disciple of Christ, the Son of the Living God, he would need to put his faith in Him, deny himself, take up his cross (i.e. the burden of suffering one endures as a faithful saint), and follow Him in obedience and imitation. (Mat 16:24)

Though this is not any kind of requirement Jesus puts on His servants, for which we give glory to God for His great mercy on us, He framed His instructions under the young ruler's own beliefs, according to Pharisaic presuppositions. Jesus challenged the young ruler's way of thinking by using the law in attempt to show him that he could never meet the standard that he himself accepted and sought to attain.

  [v22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

The wealthy young ruler had many possessions—money, property, and equity—as well as a lofty position of authority, which came with many social benefits. This would require abandoning everything he had been blessed with from his childhood, everything he had ever known, both money and power, to become a poor disciple, and suffer hardships willingly.

The young man departed from Jesus not with godly sorrow for his sin, imperfections, and spoiled philosophy (Col 2:8), but with the sorrow of the world which worketh death. (2Co 7:9-10) Although he was offered eternal life, he could not bring himself to do what Jesus instructed, and he further grieved because he thought he had arrived at the pinnacle of perfection, and despair set into his mind that the apex of perfection by works was far greater than he ever imagined.

Knowing he would have to part from the worldly substance that he enjoyed, he walked away from the source of eternal life. The treasure of his heart was his worldly stuff, not God (Mat 6:21), and so the young man failed the test of faith, as Jesus knew he would.

  [v23] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

After the wealthy young ruler had departed, Jesus turned to His disciples to note that a man with great earthly riches will hardly, or rarely, "enter into the kingdom of heaven," which means either the truth of the dispensation of the Gospel (i.e. that he will not submit to it), the assembly of saints who serve Christ, the Kingdom of Glory in the life to come, or all of the above since they all connect together. It is not the riches themselves prevent a man from receiving the grace of God, but because money answereth all things (i.e. the lusts of the flesh and desires of the heart, (Ecc 10:19), a rich man's trust is often put into his riches (Mark 10:24), rather than into the Living God, the source of all blessings. (1Ti 6:17)

  [v24] And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

The expectation of the Jews was that the Messiah would set up an earthly kingdom, so if that be the case, it would logically follow that the wealthy men of society would offer their riches to make His reign more splendid and glorious. However, by His previous statement, He had shocked the disciples that these men would reject God in favor of their riches, so He repeated the same thing in a proverbial way for emphasis, to ensure this was solidified in their minds.

Jesus used a common saying among the Jews to describe something that was impossible, or near impossible. They would say, "Perhaps you are from Pumbedita, where people pass an elephant through the eye of a needle," which, they note, are a people who use unsound arguments, or things that do not make sense, implying that the odds for their sayings to pass a logical test was the same as a man trying to fit an elephant through the tiny opening of a threading needle.
(See Sefaria, Bava Metzia 38b, retrieved Sept 30, 2026, [https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Metzia.38b.16?lang=bi])

In the same manner, concerning rich men, Jesus uses a camel, which is not to say that it is any easier than an elephant, but the creature was more commonly known among the nation of Israel. Furthermore, the hump on the back of the camel would increase the difficulty in such an impossible task, emphasizing the degree to which rich men trust in their riches, just like the rich young ruler, who had only a surface-level obedience to the Living God.

It should be emphasized that, nowhere in the Bible does it teach that a man with riches cannot be saved, nor does it teach that having riches is wrong. We are instructed that the love of those riches is the root of evil (1Ti 6:10), which is to not only have affection for riches, but to place one's faith in them.

What constitutes "rich" varies depending on the society, but the rich young ruler, a man who inherited great wealth from his family far above that from the rest of society, and held a position of power and influence, is an example on which we can draw a definition of what Jesus is explaining. From a purely statistical standpoint, rich men are uncommon, as are the born again elect of Christ (Mat 7:13-14), which means rich men who would come to repentance and faith in Christ are quite rare.

  [v25] When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

We are reading this passage with the great privilege of completed knowledge in the Word, but we must remember that the disciples were hearing these things without a full understanding, which would later be opened to them. (Luke 24:45) Their being "astonished out of measure" (Mark 10:26) was coming from their idea of an earthly kingdom of Christ, in which they imagined there would be many wealthy people.

Not understanding that Christ meant His spiritual kingdom, which is the church in a dispensation of the Gospel of grace, they question who might be saved, and in the past, I made the common mistake of thinking this verse is talking about the remission of sins in eternal salvation. From the perspective of the disciples, they saw this declaration from Jesus to mean that, in the imagined earthly kingdom, rich men would be opposing the Messiah, and by using their power and influence, they would also oppose all those who followed him, which would leave the faithful poor and needy without any path to happiness in that kingdom, if that were to be the case.

  [v26] But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Jesus, being omniscient, knew their secret reasonings without the need for them to first say them aloud. Beholding them, or rather, beholding the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts, knowing their misconceptions, it stood to reason that even if the scenario of this imagined earthly kingdom were to come to pass, there was no reason for them to worry, as that was a sign of weak faith.

Jesus said that what was impossible for men is possible for God, or in other words, whatever is in the nature of God is possible with him. Some have erroneously taken this to mean that God can do anything, but that is not true because God cannot lie (Tts 1:2), demonstrating that men can do things God cannot do; rather, this is only meant that God is infinitely more powerful and capable than men do to what is necessary according to His good, kind, merciful, and charitable nature.

For the perspective of the disciples, they worried that if rich and powerful men would not enter the Messiah's kingdom, poor and despised disciples could not stand against the world's power. Christ's answer to them was to reassure them that God can still uphold them, make their work succeed despite opposing forces, keep them safe, and will do so until His purpose is complete—all by His power alone, not by any strength of men.

  [v27] Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

After seeing that Jesus instructed the wealthy young ruler to sell all he had, give to the poor, and follow Him, Peter notes that they had done a similar thing. Although they did not have riches as the young man, they had left their parents, wives, children, houses, and employments by which they supported their families, and became disciples of Christ, submitting to His doctrines and orders, and suffering many hardships for His sake. Though the disciples followed Christ on principle and truth, seeking salvation, and obeying His Word for the sake of the Messiah in faith, not for earthly reward, Peter rightly questioned what was likely brought up in conversation among the disciples at certain times, what ultimate reward was there for this service?

  [v28] And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus responded to "them," not just Peter, as Peter was only a spokesman for the group. He told the disciples that, with certainty, they would receive great rewards that came with great power.

Jesus did not despise the little wealth and influence they relinquished as opposed to the great wealth and influence of the rich young ruler. He took notice only of their faith to follow Him, and subjection to His will, which is of far greater impact than material possessions.

There seem to be two primary interpretations of this, the first is that the "thrones" are somewhat metaphorical, representing authority in judging Israel during the initial work of the apostles in spreading the Gospel. Their judging is their preaching, charging Israel with unbelief, and turning to the Gentiles instead.

The other interpretation, which I more strongly adhere to, is that the twelve thrones are not metaphorical at all, and that this is referring to a similar scene to Matthew 25:31-32, which describes the final Day of Judgment. Although that reference is not enough to draw a conclusion, there is nothing in this verse that indicates a metaphorical meaning, as the verses which come before and after it are literal in their scope and intent.

These thrones may be established specifically for the first twelve apostles, with the exception of Judas, who was replaced by Matthias (Acts 1:26) before the Holy Ghost fell on the church on the Day of Pentecost. The judgment that is given to them may have a specific purpose during the saints' 1000-year reign with Christ on a newly formed earth. (2Pe 3:13, Rev 20:6)

  [v29] And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

The previous verse seems to be directed at the twelve disciples (minus Judas, plus Matthias later), but this verse seems to be the general reward for anyone who has followed the Lord Jesus Christ, starting with the twelve, and extending through all generations. There is a degree to which every Christian will have to make sacrifices of worldly substances, pleasures, and relationships, but specifically, when any of these things arises in strict contention with Christ and His Gospel, and the faithful saint is forced to choose, he is given divine grace and strength to stand on the Word of God, even if he stands alone.

Jesus reminds us that we inherit everlasting life, which is the greatest gift of all, and that all who come to repentance and faith receive it, but He also addresses the question of reward for those who have made sacrifices in their earthly lives, choosing a path of grief and suffering for His sake. Though there are aspects of this verse that can be taken to mean reward in the life to come in Heaven, Luke notes that we would "receive manifold more in this present time" (Luke 18:30), and the word 'manifold' means appearing at divers times or in various ways.

There is a promise of present spiritual things, which means that a man may be ostracized from his family, but family can be a benefit or detriment depending on the circumstances. The general, expected hope from family is camaraderie—mutual trust, loyalty, and warmth of fellowship—but often what we get is turmoil and contention. Jesus is not explaining that the loss of one wife would result in a hundred wives, or the loss of a brother would result in a hundred brothers, but that the loss of these things would be, in due time, replaced with a much greater and steady camaraderie with brethren in the church; a greater love and joy than that which was left behind.

These are given by the Holy Ghost, but the Holy Ghost also gives direct divine blessings. To be content with the things we have, to calm our hearts and minds, to give us strength to endure our sufferings with cheerfulness in the Lord Jesus Christ—all these are gifts given to us by the Spirit of God, for which the world has jealousy and difficulty understanding how we can achieve what they cannot.

The blessings of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and love and fellowship with the saints, is far greater than a hundred houses, or thousands of acres of land. However, this may also have meaning in eternal life in Heaven, for those who did not have the stability of a father receive a Heavenly Father (Psa 68:5), those who missed out on a spouse will have many closer companions in Heaven, those who could not have children or had children abandon them may receive many children in Heaven who died in the early stages of life.

We can experience the blessings of God in this present time by standing firm on the Gospel of Salvation in Jesus Christ. However, there are many great things we do not yet understand about God's Kingdom in Heaven, which Paul said that, when he saw it, it was so great and wonderful, it unlawful to even speak of by the mouths of men (2Co 12:4), but we do know there are many mansions (John 14:2), and no tears of grief will ever again be shed. (Rev 21:4)

  [v30] But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

The rich young ruler was first in this world, having great riches as a little child, and having great authority in the early years of his adult life, but Jesus notes, in the Kingdom to come, he will have no place, and in the thousand-year reign of Christ on the new earth, he will have no authority. This was not because he did not meet a quota of works, nor because he did not sell all he had, nor because he did not keep enough commandments; rather, his faith was not placed solely in the Son of the Living God, as he demonstrated in conversation with Jesus, showing that the treasures of this world were more important to him than the treasures of heaven.

In contrast, the disciples of Christ were last in this world—poor, despised, abandoned, and vilified—yet, they were given the gifts of miracles, putting them into a position of judgment over the Jews since it was clear these gifts came from Heaven. Paul, who was the last to see Christ and born out of due time (1Co 15:8), was given the great honor of authoring most of the books of the New Testament, and chosen to teach the church for many generations to come through his epistles that were inspired and guided by the Holy Ghost.

The Lord respects the humble and lowly, but the proud he knows only because of His omniscience, yet has no relationship with them and keeps them at a distance from Himself. (Psa 138:6) Because of this, He often brings the lofty down to nothing, as He did with Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:33), and he brings the lowly and downtrodden into a place of honor, as he did with Joseph. (Gen 41:40-44) This is not always done in this life, so that we cannot say that anyone who is poor becomes a prince, but ultimately, the exalted will be abased, and the abased will be exalted. (Mat 23:12)

In the following chapter, Jesus offers a parable to help us understand this.