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FORMED: The Gospel of Matthew - Dr Tim Gray and Dr Michael Barber

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FORMED: The Gospel of Matthew - Dr Tim Gray and Dr Michael Barber

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Bible Study: The Gospel of Matthew

Join scripture scholars Dr. Tim Gray and Dr. Michael Barber as they dive into the Gospel of Matthew. - 41 videos

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Join scripture scholars Dr. Tim Gray and Dr. Michael Barber as they dive into the Gospel of Matthew. This Bible study is part of a weekly series hosted on FORMED Now! We hope you enjoy this lively and faith-filled study of the first Gospel.

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Bible Study: The Gospel of Matthew - FORMED

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Join scripture scholars Dr. Tim Gray and Dr. Michael Barber as they dive into the Gospel of Matthew. This Bible study is part of a weekly series hosted on FORMED Now! We hope you enjoy this lively and faith-filled study of the first Gospel. Grab your Bible and follow along!

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 26:1-35 PART VII: THE PASSION AND THE RESURRECTION - The Last Supper

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 26:1-35 PART VII: THE PASSION AND THE RESURRECTION - The Last Supper

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Holy and Eternal Father, Help us to live as souls at prayer at all times, throughout the
activities of our ordinary days and in our various circumstances. You never
abandon us, Lord, and we can have confidence that You are constantly aware of
our daily efforts. We owe You that same vigilance in o…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 16-17 Narrative #4: The Opposition of the Old Covenant Church, Jesus Proclaims the Preeminence of Peter and The Revelation of the Divine Messiah

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 16-17 Narrative #4: The Opposition of the Old Covenant Church, Jesus Proclaims the Preeminence of Peter and The Revelation of the Divine Messiah

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Ornate Souls

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 12:22-13:53 Narrative #3 continued: Diverse responses to Jesus' Teachings and Actions (Mt 12:22-50) and Discourse #3: The Parables of the Kingdom (Mt 13:1-53)

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 12:22-13:53 Narrative #3 continued: Diverse responses to Jesus' Teachings and Actions (Mt 12:22-50) and Discourse #3: The Parables of the Kingdom (Mt 13:1-53)

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Eternal God and Father,
Give us, Lord, the faith of a little child that we may completely trust Your message of salvation made known to us through the words and works of Jesus the Christ. Help us to continually humble ourselves and submit ourselves to Your judgments that we might avoid the arrogance of the Pharisees who were blinded by their pride and could not accept St. John the Baptist's call to repentance and Jesus' call to salvation. Send us Your Spirit, Lord, to guide us in our study. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 29:18-19
Matthew 11:2-12:50 is organized in a triad of thematic divisions focusing on the unbelief of the people in two sections and followed by Jesus' invitation to come to faith and to accept Him as the Messiah in the third. Matthew 11:2-30 has the first of the three-part triads and 12:1-21 contains the second. In Matthew 12:22-50 we see the third 3-part division:

1. Unbelief/rejection (verses 22-37)

2. Unbelief/rejection (verses 38-45)

3. Invitation/acceptance (verses 46-50)

The Pharisees accused Jesus of violating the Law by "working" on the Sabbath ( Mt 12:1-2, 10). To willfully reject the covenant command and to be engaged in manual labor instead of worshipping God on the Sabbath was a death penalty offense under the prohibitions of the Sinai Covenant ( Ex 31:15). Jesus challenged the Pharisees' understanding of the covenant command by teaching that acts of mercy and ministry are acceptable "works" on the Sabbath ( Mt 12:1-14), and He told them He has the authority from God to offer such a teaching ( Mt 12:6-8). The Pharisees are so outraged by Jesus' actions and His teaching that, for the first time, the Pharisees went out [from the Synagogue where Jesus healed the man with the withered hand] and took counsel against him to put him to death ( Mt 12:14).

When the Pharisees left the Synagogue to plan His death, Jesus left that place but continued to heal the people who came to Him ( Mt 12:15). Unwilling to let the matter rest, the Pharisees tested Jesus again by bringing Him a man possessed by a demon who was both deaf and mute. It is likely the events in chapters 11-13 took place in Capernaum. In 13:36 Jesus dismisses the crowd and goes into "the house," probably Peter's house in Capernaum ( Mt 8:14).

Encouraged by the healing of the man with the deformed hand, the people brought Jesus a man whose possession by demons had left him both blind and mute and therefore completely cut off from his family and the covenant community. Jesus' healing of the deaf and dumb demonic man is a fulfillment of Isaiah 29:18-19: On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. It is also a metaphor for the healing Jesus is offering to the covenant people.

Jesus stands opposed to the Pharisees excessive legalism in their interpretation of the Law, emphasizing that God desires instead works of mercy and a contrite and repentant heart.(1) Jesus has already faced several challenges/accusations by the scribes and Pharisees:

1. He blasphemes (9:3)

2. He eats with tax collectors and sinners (9:11)

3. He does not fast (9:14)

4. He drives out demons by the prince of demons (9:34)

5. He allows His disciples to do what is unlawful on the Sabbath (12:2)

6. He unlawfully cures the sick on the Sabbath (12:10)

Matthew 12:24 is their seventh challenge, but it is the repeat of any earlier accusation.

Question: The healing of the demonic that was both blind and mute is a greater miracle than the healing of the man with the withered hand. The common people are astonished as ask"Could this perhaps be the Son of David?" But, instead of praising Jesus' miraculous healing as a work of God, what is the reaction of the Pharisees?
Answer: They accused Him of healing by the power of the prince of demons, Beelzebul.

The Pharisees made this accusation among themselves, but Jesus, being God, knew what they were thinking (verse 25). This is the second time Jesus has been accused of healing by the power of Beelzebul, "the prince of demons" (see 9:34). Beelzebul (or Baal-zebub) was the Philistines' name for the Canaanite god Baal worshiped at Ekron ( 2 Kng 1:2-3, 6 and 16). After the god El, El's son, Baal, was the chief deity of the Canaanite pantheon. The original name probably meant "lord of the lofty abode," but the Israelites altered the pagan deity's name to ridicule the false god in calling it Baal-zebub, "lord of flies." Later the name was altered again to Beel-zebul, meaning "lord of dung." Jesus has already been accused of blasphemy ( Mt 9:3). He has warned His disciples of being accused of being agents of Beelzebul ( Mt 10:25) and He has been accused of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, "the prince of demons" in this encounter with the Pharisees; it is a charge He denies (also see Mk 3:22-26; Lk 11:15-19).

Jesus uses three arguments to refute the Pharisees claim that He exorcises demons by the power of Beelzebul/Satan.

Question: The chief priests, Levites and Pharisees also had men with the power to perform exorcisms, therefore, Jesus asks: 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? What is Jesus' second argument in His own defense?
Answer: If a demon can only be driven out by the power of Satan, then their own exorcists also drive out demons by the same power. Jesus challenges the Pharisees to let their own exorcists answer their accusation. But, if they admit that they drive out demons by the power of the Spirit of God, then it must be concluded that Jesus has the same power and they must admit that the kingdom of God has come upon you (verse 28).

In His third line of defense Jesus asks: 29 How can anyone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Question: Who is the "strong man," what is his "house," and what is his "property"? How is Jesus "tying up the strong man"? See Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11.
Answer: The strong man is Satan ("the prince/ruler of this world"), his house is the earth, and his property consists of those who are not the children of God. By casting out demons, Jesus is tying up the "strong man's (Satan) power and plundering his "house."

This interpretation is made clear in Jesus' next statement in verse 30: 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (also see Lk 11:23). Those who are with Jesus belong to God and whoever does not follow Jesus is against God's plan for the coming of the Kingdom. He has come to shepherd His people and to proclaim the Kingdom by gathering the lost sheep of Israel ( Ez 34:11-16; Mt 2:6 [Mic 5:1]; Mt 15:24), while the Pharisees who stand in opposition to Him are the wicked shepherds who scatter the sheep ( Ez 34:1-6). There is no middle ground. Jesus' statement in verse 30 is the second of five authoritative statements Jesus makes in chapter 12 (the first was in 12:6).

... but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Under the old covenants ever since the Fall of Adam, the heavens were closed and all who died descended to the "grave" or Sheol in Hebrew (CCC 536, 1026). Sheol was a place of punishment for sins and purification for the wicked and a place of rest and waiting in the company of Father Abraham for the righteous as the waited for the "age to come" and the Redeemer-Messiah (see Jesus description of Sheol in Lk 16:19-31; the purification of the elect and the wicked in Wis 3:1-12 and CCC 633). Even in Sheol is was possible to be purified and to be forgiven one's sins. It was for this reason that Job prayed for his children ( Job 1:5) and Judas Maccabeus offered sacrifices for his young soldiers killed in battle who were discovered to have pagan amulets hidden under their tunics: Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin ( 2 Mac 12:46). See CCC 1032. It would have been startling for the people to hear that in the Kingdom Jesus was proclaiming that both blessings and punishments were now eternal and certain sins could not be forgiven after death.

This is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Sheol will exist and have a purpose until the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment when both death and Sheol will be destroyed because there is no longer any reason for either the state of physical death or a place of purification ( Rev 21:14). After His death, Jesus descended to Sheol (Hades in the Greek) to preach the Gospel of salvation to the souls imprisoned there and to liberated those made righteous by His sacrifice ( 1 Pt 3:18-20; 4:6). After the liberation of the righteous from Sheol, the righteous were no longer held there but all dying in a state of perfect grace without the stain of any sin or any penance for sin still clinging to their souls immediately entered the gates of heaven after their individual judgment. However, God in His mercy made allowances for those righteous souls who, although dying in a state of grace, still had to account for mortal sins that had been forgiven in the Sacrament of Reconciliation where penance was still required or for unconfessed venial sins. These souls were to be purified by God's fiery love until their souls reached the necessary perfection to enter into the divine Presence.

The Church now calls this state of purification Purgatory

1. All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven (CCC 1030).

2. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned ... (CCC 1031).

St. Paul wrote about the process of purification by the fiery love of God in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15: ... for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely Jesus Christ. If anyone build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day [of Judgment] will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire [itself] will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.

It is significant that the healing of the blind and mute demonic is the last miracle Jesus' works before altering His direct teaching on the coming of the Kingdom by teaching in parables. The condition of the last man Jesus healed is symbolic of the condition of covenant people.

Matthew 12:33-37 ~ Jesus Continues Answering the Pharisees' Accusation (Unbelief/rejection continued)
33 "Either declare the tree good and its fruit is good, or declare the tree rotten and its fruit is rotten, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil? For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, but an evil person brings forth evil out a store of evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. 37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks ... You will recall that in the Bible the heart of a person represents the total essence of that person "for good and for evil.

Jesus gives the Pharisees another warning using another of the covenant images of the Old Testament prophets "a tree and its fruit:

The four reoccurring symbolic images of the prophets representing the people's covenant relationship with God are (1) marriage, (2) the fruitful vine and tree, (3) domesticated animals, and (4) drinking wine (See the chart "The Symbolic Images of the Prophets").

Look for when these symbolic images of the Old Testament prophets that Jesus will use repeatedly in Matthew's Gospel, including His last act prior to giving up His life on the Cross.

St. John the Baptist's disciples wanted a Messiah breathing fire and judgment, as John predicted in his harsh condemnation of the Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew 3:7-12. In this chapter Jesus shows that He has come to fulfill all the prophecies associated with the Redeemer-Messiah, including His power and authority to judge the covenant people and their leaders. He has already rebuked His generation ( Mt 11:16-19) and called down a covenant judgment on three cities of the northern Galilee ( Mt 11:20-24). Now He rebukes the leadership of the Old Covenant people with the same words St. John used, calling them a "brood of vipers" ( Mt 3:7) "in other words, children of the great Serpent, Satan, who God prophesied would stand in opposition to the Redeemer-Messiah, the prophesied "seed of the Woman." In Genesis 3:15, God told the Serpent: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring [seed] and hers [her seed]; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel. Jesus will continue His condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees (who are already planning His death) for demanding to see a "sign" of His authority ( Mt 12:38-45).

Matthew 12:38-42 ~ The Pharisees Demand a "Sign" (Unbelief/rejection part 2)
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." 39 He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. 42 At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here."

A "sign" is not a synonymous with a miracle. The Pharisees are asking for a "sign" that is evidence of Jesus' divine authority to support the claims He makes. For example:

God gave Moses ten plague judgments as "signs" that his authority came from Yahweh (Ex 3:20).

In St. John's Gospel Jesus' miraculous acts are called "signs" because their reveal His divine authority (Jn 20:30-31).

The inspired writer of Hebrews recorded: God added his testimony by signs, wonders, various acts of power, and distribution of the gifts of the holy Spirit according to his will (Heb 2:4).

St. Paul wrote about the Jews desire for "signs": For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God ( 1 Cor 1:22-24).

Jesus mentions the Galilean prophet Jonah 6 times in 5 verses in Matthew's Gospel:

2. Matthew 12:40

Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

Jonah son of Amittai was the 8 th century BC prophet from Gath-hepher in the Galilee ( 2 Kng 14:25), a town located on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, in the territory of Zebulun ( Josh 19:13). St. Jerome identified Jonah's village and the location of his tomb two miles from Sepphoris on the road to Tiberius (Jerome, Commentary on Jonah).

Question: What was Jonah's mission? See Jon 1:1-3; 2:1, 11; 3:1-10.
Answer: Jonah's mission was to tell the non-Israelite, Gentile people of Nineveh to repent their sins or their city would be destroyed. At first Jonah resisted his mission, but when he relented God freed him from being entombed in the whale and he was free to carry out his mission to the people of Nineveh. When the people repented, they were saved.

Jesus identifies the "sign" His generation will receive with the three days and nights Jonah was entombed in the whale/great fish ( Jon 2:1).

Jesus in not in error, He is referring to the Scriptural significance of the number "three" and a symbolic link to the prophet Jonah. In Scripture the number three is one of the so called symbolic "perfect numbers." The number three signifies completeness or perfection and points to what is solid, real, and substantial. As a number which indicates completeness, the number three always identifies some important event in Salvation History.

In another reference to the Last Judgment, Jesus says the works of faith of the pagan people of Nineveh and the pagan Queen of Sheba will count on the Day of Judgment.

Question: What is the irony of the comparison Jesus makes between His generation and the Gentiles of Nineveh and the Gentile Queen of Sheba?
Answer: The irony of Jesus' statements increase in these verses as He names a Gentile people who repented after heading the warning of God's prophet ( Jon 3:1) and a Gentile queen who traveled across a continent to hear the "wisdom of Solomon" ( 1 Kng 10:1-13), and yet His own people are rejecting a prophet greater than Jonah and greater then Solomon.

1. something greater than the temple is here

2. there is something greater than Jonah here

3. there is something greater than Solomon here

Matthew 12:43-45 ~ Jesus' Warning Concerning Unclean Spirits (Unbelief/rejection part 2 continued) 43 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. 44 Then it says, I will return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil generation."
Jesus is plundering the "kingdom" of Satan and establishing His own kingdom "he is greater than the Jerusalem Temple, greater than the works of Jonah, and greater than Israel's greatest king, Solomon.

1. "something greater than the temple is here"

2. "whoever is not with me is against me"

3. "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned"

4. "there is something greater than Jonah here"

5. "there is something greater than Solomon here"

Chapter 13 ~ Discourse # 3: The Kingdom Parables Announce this to the house of Jacob, proclaim it in Judah: Pay attention to this, foolish and senseless people who have eyes and see not, who have ears and hear not.
Jeremiah 5:20-21
If Jesus' generation persists in resisting His call to repentance and purification, they will grow worse. He has come to heal them, but refusal to repent will only be an invitation to fall more deeply into sin and further away from God. What Jesus said is also true of those who reject the Gospel message of salvation today or rejects Christ's vehicle of salvation "His Church. If one doesn't make God the center of one's life, one will find other "gods" in a futile attempt to fill the empty space "material possessions, self-worship, work, alcohol and other addictions.

Matthew 12:46-50 ~ Jesus Defines His Family (Invitation/acceptance)
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. 47 Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you." 48 But he said in reply to the one who told him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers? 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Jesus' mother, Mary, and His kinsmen have traveled from Nazareth to see Him. It has always been a teaching of the Church that Mary remained a virgin all of her life and Jesus' other kinsmen were His step-brothers (and step-sisters) from St. Joseph's first marriage and His cousins (see the document "Did Jesus have Brothers and Sisters?").

Question: Was Jesus rejecting His family relationship with Mary and His kinsmen? See Lk 1:38; Jn 2:1-11; Acts 1:13-14.
Answer: No, He was expanding the definition of His family with the invitation that all who became His disciples also became His cherished family members. He was defining family by the covenant bond of obedience to God the Father. Mary is the model disciple, submitting herself to the will of God for her life and supporting Jesus in His ministry by petitioning Him in His first public sign. His mother and kinsmen became part of Jesus' New Covenant family community.

My people, listen to my teaching, pay attention to what I say. I will speak to you in parables (masal), unfold the mysteries of the past.
Psalms 78:1-2/78:2

Chapter 13 signals a turning point in Jesus' ministry "He begins to speak in parables.(2) In this third great discourse in St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus teaches seven parables. He gives the reason why He is teaching in parables as well as an explanation for two parables that His disciples found difficult to understand.

The Greek word for "parable" is parabole. In the usual sense in Greek literature, a parabole presents a "comparison" to inspire deeper thought. The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament uses the word parabole to translate the Hebrew word masal. In the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, masal is the designation given to a variety of literary forms including allegories, axioms, proverbs and similitudes ( The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 5, "Parable," page 146). In the New Testament, parables are primarily stories that are meant to illustrate a certain truth. Jesus uses parables that are comparisons between the truths of His teachings and the events of everyday life.(3)

Chapter 13 is divided into three sections, after the opening verses that set the scene (13:1-3a):

1. The Kingdom Parables (verses 3b-53)

1. Parable of the Sower (verses 3b-9, 18-23)

2. Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat (verses 24-30, 36-43)

3. Parable of the Mustard Seed (verses 31-32)

4. Parable of the Yeast (verse 33)

5. Parable of the Hidden Treasure (verse 44)

6. Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (verses 45-46)

7. Parable of the Sorting of Good and Bad Fish (verses 47-50)

2. Instruction on how to understand Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven (verses 51-53)

3. Jesus' Rejection at Nazareth (verses 54-58)

Notice that like the other discourses, the third discourse on the parables of the Kingdom is summed up with three Last Judgment (eschatological) teachings:

1. The Kingdom Compared to a Hidden Treasure (13:44)

2. The Kingdom Compared to a Pearl of Great Price (13:45-46)

3. The Kingdom Compared to the Sorting of Good and Bad Fish (13:47-50)

The location is probably Peter's house in Capernaum. Jesus coming out of the house and sitting by the sea is the signal that He is ready to teach. Such a large crowd assembled that Jesus relocates to one of Peter's boats. The boast is positioned just off the shoreline to give the crowd the best advantage to both see and hear Jesus speak. Like the prophets of old, He begins to teach in parables, using topics of everyday life and making comparisons to make His teaching points that reveal "the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven" (13:11). Jesus will use the word "kingdom" twelve times ( Mt 13:11, 19, 24, 31, 33, 38, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47 and 53); it is for this reason that the parables in chapter 13 are called "the seven Kingdom Parables."

His first parable is about sowing seeds in different kinds of soil. Every element in the parable is symbolic.

When the sower in Jesus' parable casts his seed, he casts it in every direction into every kind of soil condition. This was a common farming technique in which most, but not all, of the seed was expected produce healthy plants.(4) The technique used up a lot of seed, but the generosity in broadcasting the seed assured the area was well covered and that many plants would spring up resulting in a fruitful harvest.

The more difficult part of the parable concerns the comparison in the four different kinds of soil where the seed falls. In Scripture the number four represents the world. Later, Jesus will explain the meaning of the parable in verses 18-23. One of the keys to understanding the parable is that the produced fruit is far beyond a normal yield.

Jesus says a little proverb in verse 13 explaining why He now speaks in parables, and then, quoting from Isaiah 6:9-10, Jesus makes another fulfillment statement. Since the crowds have rejected His message, He speaks in parables so they will not readily understand in fulfillment of the judgment prophecy in Isaiah against an unrepentant people (see the harsher statement in Mk 4:12).

Matthew 13:18-23 ~ The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 "Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21 But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches chokethe word and it bears no fruit. 23 But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold."(emphasis added)

St. Luke explains that the disciples, failing to grasp the full meaning of the parable of the sower, asked the Master to explain: Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be. He answered, "Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand' ( Lk 8:9-10).

Jesus reveals the symbolic meaning of the four different kinds of soil that receive the seed/Gospel of salvation.

1. Seed sown on the path

This person hears the word of the kingdom without making any effort to understand and embrace the truth. Since he has failed to understand, Satan is able to separate him from the truth and from his place in the Kingdom.

2. Seed sown on rocky ground

This person receives the word of God with joy, but he has not applied the word to his life; he has no internal stability ("roots"). In a time of hardship, he abandons his faith in God.

3. Seed sown among the thorns

This person hears the word but does not love God above all else; the secular world pulls him away from faith and he bears no good fruit/works.

4. Seed sown on rich soil

This person hears the word, understands it, and applies it to his "heart"/life and bears the fruit/works of faith in abundance.

1. the activity of Satan (verse 19)

2. personal shallowness (verses 5, 20-22)

3. the ambition for worldly pleasures and wealth (verse 22)

Question: How many times does Jesus use "the word" in this passage? Why? What is Jesus referring to as "the word"? See 13:19 and the document "The Significance of Numbers in Scripture."
Answer: Jesus uses the "the word" six times in this passage. In the symbolic meaning of numbers in Scripture, six is the number of man, created on the sixth day."The word" refers to the Gospel message of salvation that will be manifested in Jesus' Kingdom.

The use of the phrase the word of the kingdom in verse 19 is a technical term Jesus uses for the Gospel message of salvation and prepares us for subsequent references to "the word" found in verses 20, 21, 22 (twice), and 23.

Matthew 13:23 ~ But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold.

Those who accept the "word" are known by the "fruit" deeds/works they bear. Although some bear more than others, in each case their fruitful lives in the service of the Kingdom far exceeds what might be expected. It is common to expect a very good crop might yield about ten-fold "the yields Jesus expects are far above what is average or even above average.

After Jesus has dismissed the crowds, the disciples will ask Jesus to explain this parable (verse 36). We will look at the meaning of the parable in verses 36-43, but for now it is sufficient to understand that like the Parable of the Sower, the sower of the wheat is Jesus, the wheat represents the children of the Kingdom of God, the weeds are the sinners sown by Satan, and the field is the world. The Greek word translated as "weeds" is darnel, a poisonous weed that, early in its growing cycle, resembles wheat. The only use for the darnel was to bundle the plants and burn it for fuel (see 13:30). It is a good metaphor for the unrepentant sinner who can masquerade as one of the righteous.

The Church teaches that in everyone, even in the community of the faithful, the "weeds of sin will still be mixed with the good wheat of the Gospel until the end of time" -- like the servants of the owner of the field, the Church gathers to herself sinners already caught up in Christ's salvation but still making their way on the journey to holiness (CCC 827).

The last three parables are grouped together.

Jesus uses hyperbole in describing the mustard seed as the smallest of seeds and its plant in full growth as the largest of plants/trees (a mustard tree could only grow as high as 8-12 feet). The contrast here is between the small beginnings of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and its future expansion to encompass the whole earth, sheltering all who come to dwell in the household of Jesus that is the Church. The allusion to the kingdom becoming so large that "birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches" is a reference to the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar in which he saw a huge tree that sheltered "birds of the sky" and other animals ( Dan 4:7). Daniel interpreted the tree and the animals to represent Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom and the many different peoples over whom he ruled. The comparison is that the Kingdom of Jesus Christ will be even greater than the Kingdom of the Babylonians (also see Dan 9:17-19)

Matthew 13:33 ~ The Parable of the Yeast
33 He spoke to them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened."(emphsis added).

Yeast is a fermenting agent that, when mixed with flour into a dough, causes the dough to rise and expand. In Scripture leaven/yeast is usually a negative image often representing sin ( Ex 12:15, 19; 13:7; Mt 16:6; 1 Cor 5:6-8) but not in this parable. Three is always a significant number in Scripture, symbolizing perfection, completeness, and an important event in salvation history. Three measures of wheat flour is a huge amount of flour and could produce enough bread to feed over a hundred people (Jeremias, Parables of Jesus, page 147). This parable, like the Parable of the Mustard Seed, illustrates the same point "the amazing growth of the Kingdom.

The quote is from Psalms 78:2; the Hebrew text uses the word masah which in translated in the Greek as parabole/parable. As in the other "fulfillment" statements, St. Matthew applies the fulfillment of this verse to Jesus' parable teachings. Psalms 78 is attributed to Asaph who is called a prophet in 2 Chronicles 29:30.

Question: What has happened to cause Jesus to stop teaching directly to the crowds and to begin only teaching in parables (aside from fulfilling the prophecy of Psalms 78:2)? It is the same reason other Old Testament prophets began to speak in parables during their ministries.
Answer: What has happened is the opposition of the Pharisees and chief priests "their questioning had turned to outright rejection and hostility. Jesus reacts to the opposition of the religious leadership in the same way that other prophets of God have reacted to the rejection of God's messenger or the failure of the civil and religious authorities to guide the people in righteousness "He begins to speak in parables.

As in the Parable of the Sower, when His disciples do not understand, he patiently explains His teaching. Jesus tells His disciples that the "field" is the world and the harvest is the judgment at the end of the age. There are five different people or kinds of people mentioned in the parable "six if you count the slaves in the first telling of the parable. Jesus identifies five different groups/persons:

1. The sower of the seed

He who sows good seed is the Son of Man

2. The good seed/wheat

the good seed the children of the kingdom

3. The darnel/weeds

The weeds are the children of the evil one

4. The sower of the weeds

and the enemy who sows them is the devil

5. The harvesters

and the harvesters are angels

It appears that the slaves and the harvesters are not the same group since the master tells the slaves in 13:30 that He will tell the harvesters to first collect the weeds.

Notice the contrast between "the children of the kingdom" and the "children of the evil one." Once again, Jesus teaches that there is no middle ground. If one is not a child of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, he has chosen to be a child of Satan.

These last three parables are a unit tied together by Jesus in His statement in verses 49-50. The focus of the last three parables is the Last Judgment at the end of the Age of Man at the close of the Messianic Era. This discourse is ending in the same way the other discourses end, in an eschatological teaching.

Matthew 13:44 ~ The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Both the laborer who found the treasure in the field and the merchant who discovered valuable pearl had the wisdom to understand what they had found and the determination to give up everything worldly to keep it.

Like the other discourses, the Kingdom Parables come to an end with the subject of the Last Judgment at the end of the age. The angels, who were the "harvesters" in the parable of the weeds among the wheat, will separate the wicked from the righteous.

The place of eternal damnation is describes as the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Jesus used the same expression, "wailing and grinding of teeth," to describe the unfaithful Old Covenant people being expelled from the kingdom in 8:12: but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth..

The theme of this passage is understanding Jesus' teachings. He asks His disciples if they have understood His parables. It is not only a question for them but a question for all generations of those who call themselves His disciples. Their affirmative answer is significant because they are identified as the "seed that fell on good soil" and "understanding" is what Jesus' said the crowds and the Pharisees lacked (13:13-15).
Endnotes:
Jesus uses the example of two kinds of men in describing the way His disciples should work to understand the mysteries of the kingdom. The scribes were the theologians of Jesus' time who were trained to interpret the Law and to understand the other volumes of Sacred Scripture written by the Holy Spirit inspired writers of what we call the Old Testament. Ben Sirach describes a true scribe as one who treasures the discourses of famous men, and goes to the heart of involved sayings; he studies obscure parables, and is busied with the hidden meanings of the sages ... He will show the wisdom of what he had learned and glory in the law of the LORD's covenant ( Sir 39:2-3, 8). Jesus teaches that the scribe is like the head of a household. Like the scribe who draws his knowledge from the books of Sacred Scripture, the head of the household has items in his storeroom that he has amassed over time and which he uses when needed. Some scholars count this passage as an 8 th parable.

Question: In this passage Jesus instructs His disciples on how they must study His teachings in order to receive the fullness of understanding. How does He tell them they must approach His teachings like the scribe and the head of a household? Also see Mt 5:17; 13:11.
Answer: They must bring forth from the "storehouse" of God's word both the old and the new. The Old Testament readings must be studied in the light of the revelation of Jesus Christ and His word that reveals "knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" if the disciples want to understand how He is fulfilling the Law and the prophets.

This teaching has always been the foundation of Catholic Biblical studies, as expressed by St. Augustine: For the New [Testament] is hidden in the Old [Testament] and the Old is unveiled in the New ( Quaestiones in Heptateuchum, 2.73).

Jesus' third discourse "the Kingdom Parables "ends with a similar formula statement used in the conclusion of the other discourses, using the verb teleo, "to finish."

Question: Summarize the teachings of Kingdom Parables in Matthew 13. Which of Jesus' parables resonates with you most deeply?

Question: Jesus said,"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. 37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Does Jesus' warning in Mt 12:36-37 give you a new perspective on the consequences of speech? Will this teaching bring about a change in your speech? What changes will you make and why?

1. Also see Jesus' teaching on mercy over legalism in the Sermon on the Mount in Mt 5:23 and 7:21.

2. The Old Testament "parables" were also told as allegories, wise sayings, and proverbs by God's prophets to teach the people or warn them of impending judgment. God's prophets reverted to teaching in this way when the people and the religious and civil authority rejected the message of God's prophet. The word masal (or parabole in the Greek Septuagint) is explicitly used for these parabolic or allegorical stories in the book of Ezekiel:Ez 12:22-23 (a proverb about the land of Israel); 16:43-45 (the allegory of Jerusalem as an unfaithful bride); 17:3-10 (parable-allegory of the two eagles); 20:45-49 (fire and trees). In other parables the wordmasal is not used and the stories are called "prophetic lamentations (for example seeEz 19:1-9 and 10-14). Some other examples of Old Testament parables are found in the Parable of the Rich man and the Ewe-lamb when the prophet Nathan confronted King David with his sin concerning Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:1-4); the Two Brothers and the Avenger (2 Sam 14:1-11); the Escaped Captive (2 Kng 20:35-40); the Vineyard (Is 5:1-7); the Lion Whelps (Ez 19:2-9); the Vine (Ez 19:10-14), the Forest Fire (Ez 21:1-5); and the Boiling Pot (Ez 24:3-5).

3. Bible scholars do not agree on the number of parables Jesus' teaches in the Gospels. The difficulty arises from a disagreement as to how the classify Jesus' stories as all parables or as sayings or as allegories. For example, some scholars designate "the Good Shepherd" discourse in Jn 10:1-18 and the "Vine and the Branches" discourse in Jn 15:1-7 as parables while others classify them as allegories. Some scholars estimate the number of Jesus' parables as low as 35 while others list them as high as 72.

4. See the non-canonical document 4 Ezra 8:41, written c. 100 AD: "For just as the farmer sows many seeds upon the ground and plants a multitude of seedlings, and yet not all that have been sown will come up in due season, and not all that were planted will take root; so all those who have been sown in the world will not be saved." Roman law forbade the sabotaging of a man's crop by planting darnel (zizania) in his field. The only use for darnel was bundling the plants and burning it for fuel.

5. Asaph was a gifted musician and vocalist appointed by King David as the liturgical director of the music and the Levitical choir serving in daily worship (1 Chr 6:39). When the Jerusalem Temple was built , King Solomon appointed Asaph to sing at the dedication worship service (2 Chr 5:12).

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson (*indicates that Scripture is either quoted or paraphrased in the citation)

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Eternal God and Father, Give us, Lord, the faith of a little child that we may
completely trust Your message of salvation made known to us through the words
and works of Jesus the Christ. Help us to continually humble ourselves and
submit ourselves to Your judgments that we might avoid the arrogan…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 26:36-27:36 PART VII: THE PASSION AND THE RESURRECTION - Jesus' Arrest and Trials

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 26:36-27:36 PART VII: THE PASSION AND THE RESURRECTION - Jesus' Arrest and Trials

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Eternal Father,
Your Son asked us to take up our individual crosses as we journey to salvation and to be willing to join our earthly sufferings to His. In accepting this call, we also drink from the cup of His cup of suffering in the hopes that we might one day also partake of His cup of glory. In the meantime, we gratefully accept the Cup of Blessing that is the Eucharist "the cup of His Precious Blood that sustains us on our earthly journey. Like the disciples who Jesus told to "stay awake" in the garden of Gethsemane, we know that we must also "stay awake," being vigilant to guard our souls from the stain of sin and prayful in our spiritual journey because we have Your promise that the prayers of those who "watch and pray" will be heard. Send Your Spirit to guide us, Lord, in our study of Jesus' submission to Your will and Your plan for man's salvation through His Passion. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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We know that the Father had set the hour of his Passion. For he said to his mother at one point, "My hour is not yet come." In another place, "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour! No, this is why I came to this hour." And else where, "Father, the hour has come! Glorify your Son, that you Son may glorify you."... He was in fact delivered up "to be crucified" so that, "disarming the principalities and powers," he might triumph over them on the cross.
Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 74 and 75

On the fourteenth day of the first month falls the Passover of the LORD, and the fifteenth day of this month is the pilgrim feast. For seven days unleavened bread is to be eaten. On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assembly, and do no sort of work. As an oblation you shall offer a holocaust to the LORD, which shall consist of two bullocks, one ram, and seven yearling lambs that you are sure are unblemished ... These offerings you shallmake in addition to the established morning holocaust [ olat ha-Tamid] ...Numbers 28:16-23 (emphasis added)

The sacred meal of the Passover on the first night of Unleavened Bread which Christians call the Last Supper.

Sundown =
Nisan 15 th;
sacred meal must end by midnight

Jesus is questioned by Annas.

Part I of Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate

The first Tamid lamb is led to the altar.

After dawn

Roman time =about the 6 th hour/6 AM

Pilate sends Jesus to Herod Antipas.

Part II of Jesus' trial before Pilate

Jesus is condemned to death and carries the Cross to Golgotha.

The crucifixion of the Christ.
The Temple doors are opened to the people for the morning worship service & the Sacred Assembly of Unleavened Bread as first Tamid lamb is sacrificed.*

9 AM

It was the third hour [9 AM] in the morning when they crucified him ( Mk 15:25)

All the world turned dark and remained dark from noon (sixth hour Jewish time) to 3 PM (ninth hour Jewish time).

At noon the second Tamid lamb is led to the altar.

Noon

From the sixth hour [noon] onward, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour [3 PM]

Jesus asks for a drink; He drinks and says "It is finished." It is the ninth hour = 3 PM.

*The second Tamid lamb is sacrificed at the ninth hour/3 PM

3 PM

At the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice ...
and breathed his last ( Mk 15:34, 37)

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

*Josephus writing about the Tamid sacrifice at the Temple: ... but did still twice each day, in the morning and about the ninth hour, offer their sacrifices on the altar ( Antiquities of the Jews, 14.4.3/65). Jewish-Christian scholar Alfred Edersheim: According to general agreement, the morning sacrifice was brought at the third hour, corresponding to our nine o'clock ( The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, page 108).
Jesus' Sacrifice and the Daily Liturgy of the Tamid Sacrifice in the Temple
The communal sacrifice of the Tamid was the most important ritual sacrifice of the Sinai Covenant. It was a single sacrifice of two yearling lambs, one offered in a morning liturgical worship service and the second in an afternoon liturgical worship service; each lamb offered together with unleavened bread and red wine ( Ex 29:38-42; Num 28:3-9). It was the compulsory communal daily sacrifice for the atonement and sanctification of the covenant people. However, Jewish philosopher and theologian Philo of Alexandria (d. 50 AD) wrote that the daily Tamid sacrifice was not only offered for the covenant people but on behalf of all mankind ( The Special Laws I, 35[168]).

The olat ha-Tamid, "whole burnt offering of the standing" ("standing" as in continual/perpetual) was the only compulsory communal sacrifice of the Sinai Covenant before the failure of Israel in the making of the Golden Calf and remained the premier sacrifice when the ritual of animal sacrifice was expanded after the Golden Calf ( Ex 29:38-42; 32:1-35). It was so important that no other sacrifice was to take precedence over it. All other sacrifices, including the Passover and Sabbath sacrifices, were offered in addition to the Tamid, a command repeated fifteen times in the Torah of Moses ( Num 28:10, 15, 23, 24, 31; 29:6, 11, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 38).

When St. John identified Jesus in His perfect humanity and divinity as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" to the Jewish crowd on the banks of the Jordan River, he was not identifying Jesus with the annual Passover sacrifice of lambs and kids ( Ex 12:5) but instead with the daily offering of the two unblemished male lambs of the Tamid sacrifice. According to rabbinic teaching, this single sacrifice of two lambs was to last so long as the Sinai Covenant endured and when it ended in the coming of the Messianic era only the "Thanksgiving" ( Toda in Hebrew; Eucharistia in the Greek) communion sacrifice of peace would continue (Joseph Ratsinger [Pope Benedict XVI], Feast of Faith, page 58; Baruch Levine, JPS Torah Commentary: Leviticus, page 43).
Friday, Nisan the 15th (c. midnight)
Under the light of the full moon, Jesus and the Apostles made their way out of the city of Jerusalem and across the Kidron Valley to the Mt. of Olives. Sts. Matthew and Mark (14:32) identify the site as Gethsemane which means "oil press," suggesting the presence of olive trees, while Luke only writes that Jesus and the disciples withdrew to the Mt. of Olives. St. John includes the information that Jesus and the disciples crossed the Kidron Valley to a garden where Jesus often met with His disciples ( Jn 18:1-2). There, Jesus began to pray to the Father concerning the covenant ordeal He was to face. St. Luke records that an angel was sent from heaven to comfort Jesus because He was in such agony and that He prayed so fervently that His sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground ( Lk 22:43-44). A covenant ordeal is when a servant of God is faced with the choice between obedience to the will of God that involves some sort of sacrifice and one's own very strong desires.

Matthew 26:37-38 ~ He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me."

Jesus' statement "My soul is sorrowful ..." may be an allusion to Psalms 42-43. Psalms 42-43 forms a single lament in three sections, with each section ending in the identical refrain in verses 42:6, 12 and 43:5.

St. Mark tells us the sons of Zebedee are the Apostles James and John. These three men, Peter, James and John, are the same Apostles who witnessed the Transfiguration of the Christ ( Mt 17). The selection of these three is not favoritism; it is hierarchy.

Matthew 26:39 ~ He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." The Jewish custom of prostrating oneself when praying (especially for penitential prayers) is derived from Moses' statement concerning his posture in his prayers to God ( The Jewish Book of Why, vol. I, page 149). In the book of Deuteronomy Moses told the people: Then as before, I lay prostrate before the LORD for forty days and forty nights without eating or drinking, because of all the sin you had committed in the sight of the LORD and the evil you had done to provoke him ( Dt 9:18).

Question: There is a close connection between Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane and the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. What similarities do you notice?
Answer: Both prayers are addressed to God as "Father" and both express the desire to do God's will.

Question: What petition does Jesus make to the Father in verse 39 and what is the significance of the petition? Why does He make the petition?
Answer: Jesus is fully man and fully God. It is human nature to turn away from physical suffering. The difficulty of the test makes Jesus' decision that much more poignant. Jesus asks the Father, if it is within the Father's will, to spare him from the suffering He must endure, asking"My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me' yet, not as I will, but as you will."

Matthew 26:42 ~ Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!" The "cup" Jesus refers to in each prayer is one of the images of the Old Testament prophets and refers to, in this case, the cup of suffering (see the chart "Images of the Old Testament Prophets"). In the symbolic images of the prophets, drinking wine is both a symbol of covenant union with God as in the four cups of the Passover sacred meal (also see Ps 23:5; 116:13; Is 26:6), and the cup is also a symbol of divine retribution and the judgment of God. Judgment images are usually spoken of as "drinking the cup of God's wrath" as in Isaiah 51:17-23 (also see references to the cup of judgment in Ps 75:9; Jer 25:15-29; 49:12; 51:6-7; Ez 23:31-34; Hab 2:16; Rev 14:10; 16:19 and 18:6). It is the same cup Jesus alluded to when He asked James and John Zebedee if they were able to drink from His cup ( Mt 20:22).

Question: Why would it be God's will for Jesus to drink from the cup of suffering/the cup of God's wrath? See Is 53:5-12; 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 4:25; Gal 3:13; Heb 2:10; 9:28; 1 Pt 2:24-25. Also see CCC 607, 612-13.
Answer: Jesus came to liberate man from the curse of sin and death. To accomplish His mission, it was necessary for Him to take upon Himself the debt mankind owed for sin. He was the sinless, unblemished victim offered up on the altar of the Cross, drinking the cup of God's wrath that each of us deserved so that we might be redeemed. As St. Peter wrote,... free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Pt 2:24b). He drank the "cup of suffering" so we might drink the cup of His Precious Blood in the New Covenant banquet of the righteous.

Matthew 26:45-46 ~ Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. 46 Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand."

In these verses we are again reminded that Jesus is in control of His destiny as He announces His betrayal and approaching death.The exhausted Apostles are physically unable to stay awake, as Jesus told them "the spirit is willing but the flesh is week" ( Mt 26:41). Jesus feels genuine sorrow and distress over the ordeal He is about to face in His "hour" ( Mt 26:46; Jn 12:27), but He is willing to submit in obedience to God's plan for man's salvation and to embrace the prospect of suffering as He passes out of this world into the arms of His heavenly Father for the sake of those He loves ( Jn 13:1-2). The Gospel of John refers to Jesus "hour" seventeen times and Jesus directly mentions His coming "hour" ten times ( Jn 2:4; 4:21, 23; 5:25, 28; 12:23, 27 (twice); 16:32; 17:1). The final countdown to His "hour" began on Wednesday of Passion Week (His last day teaching at the Temple), when Jesus declared that the "hour" of His glorification had arrived ( Jn 12:23).

In His appointed "hour" Jesus will submit to the agonies of betrayal and bodily suffering, the humiliation of an illegal trial by His kinsmen, and the excruciating pain of Roman crucifixion. But His humiliating death will be transformed into the "hour" of His exaltation in His bodily resurrection from the dead as He becomes the "firstfruits" of the Resurrection and the source of eternal life for the world ( 1 Cor 15:20-28).

Question: Who are the members of the crowd in verse 55? See Jn 18:3, 19
Answer: Judas is accompanied by Roman soldiers led by an officer and guards from the chief priests and Pharisees.

The Gospel of John includes the information that a cohort of Roman soldiers accompanied the guards of the chief priests, who are probably Levitical guards that serve in the Temple. A cohort is a detachment of several hundred Roman soldiers. The chief priests were fearful of attempting to arrest during the festivities with crowds of people surrounding Him. While arresting Jesus after midnight on the Mt. of Olives lessens the threat of interference, the chief priests are not taking any changes that His followers or that sympatric pilgrims might be present who could try to prevent His arrest. Perhaps Judas has also reported to the chief priests that some of Jesus' men are armed ( Lk 22:38).

48 His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him." 49 Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and he kissed him. To greet a kinsman with a kiss was customary behavior ( Lk 7:45), but Judas' sign to Jesus' enemies in kissing Jesus makes his actions even more repugnant. Notice that he calls Jesus "rabbi," which can be translated "sir" or "teacher." Judas does not call Jesus "Messiah" or Kyrios, "Lord," a title that speaks of more than respect " Kyrios it is a title of allegiance between Master and servant ( Mt 10:24-25); it is an allegiance Judas is unwilling to give.

The Gospel of John records that when Jesus asked those in charge "Whom do you seek" and they answered "Jesus of Nazareth" that Jesus used the Divine Name in responding"I AM" ( Jn 18:4-6). The power of unleashing the Divine Name "I AM" (see Ex 3:14) caused them to turn away and fall to the ground ( Jn 18:4-6). Jesus' claim to divinity inherent in "the Name" is substantiated by Jesus' demonstration of power over the laws of nature in calming the storm, walking on the sea, in raising the dead and in knocking His enemies off their feet by the power of His utterance.

Question: What was the name of the High Priest's servant and who cut off his ear? See Jn 18:10.
Answer: Malchus was Caiaphas' servant/slave and St. Peter cut off his ear in his attempt to protect Jesus.

Question: How did Peter happen to have a sword and what was the purpose? See Lk 22:35-39; 51-52. What does Jesus say to Peter in John 18:11?
Answer: Jesus encouraged him to take it with him before they left for the Mt. of Olives. Jesus was going to offer one more miracle before His arrest to bring those coming to arrest Him to believed in Him, the healing of the severed ear of the High Priest's servant "one last testimony of the power of the Messiah. Jesus says to Peter,"Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?", referring to His cup of suffering.

Imagine Peter's shock. Jesus refuses to protect Himself, and He will also not allow Peter to protect Him.

Matthew 26:53-53 ~ Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?"

Matthew 26:55 ~ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. The Greek word lestes can be translated "robber" or "bandit," but it can also mean "revolutionary" as Josephus uses the word ( Antiquities of the Jews, 20.8.5 [160-172]). This may be the way Jesus is using the word since the chief-priests are fearful that the people believe Jesus is the Messiah who will free them from Roman domination. Ironically at Jesus' trial before Pilate he will be accused of encouraging the Jews to revolt against Rome ( Lk 23:5, 14), and the man the Jewish crowd chooses to free instead of Jesus is a lestes ( Jn 18:40).

Jesus reassures His Apostles, saying "But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled" (verse 56), repeating what He states in verse 54.In their shock and confusion at the turn of events, all the disciples run away.
The Trial at the Palace of the High Priest
The Gospel of John records that the guards first took Jesus to the house of the former high priest, Annas ( Jn 18:13); see the chart the Rules of Judea in the 1 st century AD). A high priest was supposed to serve for life, but the Romans decided it was unwise to put so much power and influence into the hands of one man for a long period of time. The Roman governor of Syria, Sulpicius Quirinius, deposed the reigning high priest Joazar in 6 AD and installed Annas (Ananus), son of Seth. Annas ruled until 15 AD when he was deposed by Valerius Gratus. However, Annas may have managed to hold the reigns of power through his five sons and son-in-law Joseph Caiaphas, all who succeeded him in the high priestly office. St. Luke dates the beginning of St. John the Baptist's ministry to "during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas" in John 3:2.

The Great Sanhedrin was the highest judiciary and administrative authority of the covenant people (there were also local councils). It was composed of the reigning high priest, senior chief priests, and the elders of the covenant people. St. Mark identifies Joseph of Arimathea as a member of the council ( Mk 15:43). According to Acts of Apostles, both Pharisees and Sadducees sat on the council ( Acts 23:6). The Sanhedrin's function and composition is described in the Jewish Talmud in Mishnah: Sanhedrin. According to the Mishnah the council met in announced sessions within the Temple in the Chamber of Hewn Stones, one of the south-western chambers in the Court of the Priests ( Mishnah: Sanhedrin, 11:2). There the seventy-one members were led by the reigning high priest who served as the court's president. For this trial, the court did not meet in the Temple but at secrecy at night in the privacy of Caiaphas' palace.

Matthew 26:58 ~ Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest's courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome. The Gospel of John includes the information that Peter and another disciple (probably St. John Zebedee) followed Jesus and entered the courtyard of the high priest ( Jn 18:15).

Matthew 26:59 ~ The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61 who stated, "This man said, I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.'" The false witnesses must have been promised immunity for their false testimony since they knew the penalty for giving false testimony was death ( Dt 19:16-21). St. Mark writes that the false testimony of the witness did not agree ( Mk 14:56). Finally two men testified that Jesus threatened to destroy the Temple of God. St. Matthew does not record the first Temple cleansing that is recorded in John 2:19 when Jesus told the crowd, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." Either these men were present at that event or they heard about Jesus' claim from others.

High Priest Joseph Caiaphas challenges Jesus concerning the testimony against Him, but Jesus remains silent "a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7 ~ Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb let to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth.

Exasperated, the High Priest commands Jesus to answer in the name of God: 63 But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, "I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God." Obedient to the command of the anointed high priest, 64 Jesus said to him in reply, "You have said so. But I tell you: From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power' and coming on the clouds of heaven'" (emphasis added).Jesus only answers when put under an oath before God.

Question: What two significant passages from Psalms and the book of Daniel does Jesus quote to the high priest? Hint: the Psalms passage is the same Jesus quoted to the chief priests in Matthew 22:44 from the Septuagint when He asked them "Whose son is the Messiah?" The second passage is where Jesus takes His favorite title for Himself and it is the Scripture passage that identifies the divine Messiah as one who looks like a man.
Answer:

Psalms 110:1 ~ The LORD says to you, my lord: "Take your throne at my right hand, while I make your enemies your footstool."

Daniel 7:13-14 ~ As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven. When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, he received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him.

Matthew 26:65-67 ~ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what is your opinion?" They said in reply, "He deserves to die!" 67 Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, 68 saying, "Prophesy for us, Messiah: who is it that struck you?"

According to the Law, He who blasphemes is liable only when he will have fully pronounced the divine Name; if the blasphemy was proved then the judges stand on their feet and tear their clothing, and never sew them back up ( Mishnah: Sanhedrin, 7:5E). Jesus did not technically blaspheme, but claiming to be the Messiah and "making himself equal to God" ( Jn 5:18) is enough for Caiaphas who immediately tore his robes (also see Mk 14:63). The tearing of the judges' robes and the prohibition against repairing the garment symbolized that the offender had broken with the covenant in such a way that his membership in the covenant family could never be restored.

Knowing that the witnesses have failed to provide enough to condemn Jesus, Caiaphas says to the council, "He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?" In other words, the members of the council are now the witnesses against Jesus. Addressing the court Caiaphas asks what is their opinion and the members of the council condemn Jesus to death. They said in reply, "He deserves to die!" 67 Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, 68 saying, "Prophesy for us, Messiah: who is it that struck you?"

Jesus' Illegal Trial by the Jewish Sanhedrin

False witnesses were called to testify against Jesus, but their testimony did not agree. The council violated the commandment against bearing false witness in the Ten Commandments.

No witnesses were called to support Jesus.

The charge of threatening the Temple was brought against Jesus and then the charge was changed to blasphemy.

Jesus was charged with blasphemy, but technically He was not guilty of the charge of blaspheming God's name under the prohibition and the case cited in the Torah. Instead they found Him guilty of claiming to be equal to God.

Michal E. Hunt © copyright 2012

While Jesus is facing His ordeal inside the palace of the high priest, His Vicar is facing his ordeal in the courtyard.

Question: How many times does Peter deny his Lord in his refusal to acknowledge his connection to Jesus and where does each denial take place? Also see Mk 14:66-72 and Jn 18:26.
Answer: Three times Peter is questioned in three different locations: by a young woman servant in the courtyard, by the same girl at the gate, and a third time in the outer court by a man who probably recognized Peter's Galilean accent.

In the Gospel of St. John, one of the people who accuse Peter of being one of Jesus' disciples is a slave of the high priest who had been present when Jesus was arrested and was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off ( Jn 18:26).

Question: What betrayal took place in this same courtyard on Wednesday? See Mt 26:3 where the literal translation is "courtyard."
Answer: The chief priests, scribes and elders gathered together in the courtyard of the high priest's palace and agreed to arrest Jesus by treachery and to put Him to death.

There is no article associated with the Greek word for cockcrow in verse 74. The word "cockcrow" is Greek is formed from the Greek word for "cock" alektor and the word for "sound" phoneo. In Greek alektorophonia was a trumpet signal that announced the end of the third watch and the beginning of the fourth and last night watch. The "cockcrow" Peter heard must be the trumpet blast signaling the end of the third watch that was given at the Temple ( Mishnah: Sukkot, 5:4; M. Yoma, 1:8) and at the Roman fortress called the Antonia. Mark records that Jesus told Peter he would betray Him before the cockcrows twice ( Mk 14:30), and in the high priest's courtyard, as Peter denied Christ the third time Mark records Peter heard the second "cockcrow" ( Mk 14:72).

In 1 st century AD Jerusalem, as in all the cities of the Roman Empire, the nighttime hours were divided into 4 time periods called "Watches":

The end of each watch, and the beginning of the next was signaled by a trumpet blast. The Third Watch was from Midnight to 3 AM. At the close of the Third Watch a signal was given by the Roman guards at the Antonia Fortress next to the Temple. A trumpet was blown to signal the end of the Watch and the change of the guard. The Romans called the trumpet blast at the end of the Third Watch the "gallicinium," in Latin, "cockcrow." If Jesus was identifying the time of Peter's last denial at the time a rooster crow was heard, it could not be a specific time "roosters are notoriously unpredictable in their crowing. There was also a rabbinic ordinance against keeping chickens within the walls of the Holy City because it was feared that their scratching would produce "unclean things," thereby violating the purity laws (J. Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, page 47, note 44). However, if Jesus was referring to the gallicinium in Latin or alektorophonia in Greek, His time reference was to the trumpet signal of the "cockcrow"that was a precise military signal, and Peter denied Christ at 3 in the morning ( Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John, page 828).Jesus spoke of the four night watches in Mark 13:35: So stay awake, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming: evening, midnight, cockcrow or dawn ... (NJB).

Matthew 27:1-2 ~ When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. The chief priests and elders wanted to condemn Jesus to death, but they did not have the power to publically execute Jesus. As soon as dawn broke they officially condemned Jesus and took Him to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, who was visiting in the city from his headquarters in Caesarea Maritima.

Pontius Pilate was a member of the Roman equestrian class and had ruled Judea as the Roman Prefect since 26 AD. He was to become the second longest ruling governor of the province, being relieved of his duties in 36 AD.

Question: Why did they take Jesus to the Roman governor to be condemned to death? There are two reasons. See Jn 19:31 and Mt 26:4.
Answer: The Sanhedrin did not have the power to condemn Jesus to death. They also didn't want to turn Him into a martyr. They needed the Roman Empire to condemn Him as a common criminal and execute Him to discredit Him with the people.

In the provinces over which the Roman state ruled directly, only the Romans had the power over life and death. Herod Antipas was able to execute St. John the Baptist because he directly ruled Perea, even though he was a vassal of the Romans.

In the Jerusalem Temple the chief priests were preparing for the morning liturgy of the Tamid sacrifice and the compulsory Sacred Assembly on the first day of Unleavened Bread and its associated sacrifices ( Num 28:17-25). At the trumpet signal of the "cockcrow" a priest began to cleanse the altar of sacrifice while his brother priests rose, bathed and dressed in their liturgical garments ( Mishnah: Tamid, 1:2). At dawn as Jesus was sentenced to death and taken to Pilate, the unblemished male lamb of the morning Tamid was being led from the Lamb Chamber to be tied near the altar for everyone to judge it's perfection before the High Priest, Joseph Caiaphas (or his representative) pronounced it "without fault" and suitable for sacrifice, even though its perfection had been judged the night before ( Mishnah: Tamid, 3:3-3:4). In addition to the Tamid lamb and the communal sacrifices of the first day of Unleavened Bread, the people who were in a ritually "clean" state were expected to bring their individual festival communion sacrifices ( hagigah) that they would eat together in groups of family and friends in the city that day. The hagigah peace offering could not be offered by a person who had become ritually defiled (Mishnah: Pesahim, 6.3), and it was because of this prohibition that the chief priests and elders had refused to enter Pilate's Praetorium ( Jn 18:28; Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, page 200).

Judas loved money more than he loved Jesus, but perhaps he didn't consider that his betrayal of Jesus could lead to Jesus' death. Suddenly he seems to regret his actions and is concerned about the consequences of what he has done in condemning an innocent man and how it might affect his own life. He tries to return the money, but he does not plead for Jesus' life. How tragic that he does not understand that the remedy for his sin is confession and penance. Both Judas and Peter have betrayed Christ, but Peter will return to Jesus and will be strengthened by his experience. At the end of his life, Peter will die for Christ just as he promised Jesus he would the night of the Last Supper ( Mk 14:31). Judas, however, hung himself in his despair ( Mt 27:5) and later his rotting body fell and burst open ( Acts 1:18-19).

The foreigners they refer to are probably Gentile God-fearers who have come to Jerusalem to worship God but are not fully member of the covenant. These people do not deserve to be buried in pagan gravesites and yet cannot be buried in Jewish gravesites.

Matthew 27:8 ~ That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.

The burial ground was called "field of blood" because it was purchased with "blood money." The "field of blood" refers to Judas' blood and not to Jesus. Acts 1:19 gives the Aramaic equivalent "Akeldama/Hakeldama."

Matthew 27:9-10 ~ Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, 10 and they paid it out for the potter's field just as the Lord had commanded me."

This is the last of the ten "fulfillment statements" in St. Matthew's Gospel:

Jesus childhood: 1:23; 2:15, 17-18, 23

Galilean ministry: 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35

Jesus' last week in Jerusalem: 21:4-5; 27:9-10

It is difficult to know which Old Testament passage St. Matthew is referring to in verses 9-10. It may be that his reference is to two Old Testament passages, Zechariah 11:12-13 and Jeremiah 19:11:

I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, let it go." And they counted out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. But the LORD said to me, "Throw it in the treasury, the handsome price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the treasury in the house of the Lord (Zech 11:12-13).

... and say to them: Thus says the LORD of hosts: Thus will I smash this people and this city, as one smashes a clay pot so that it cannot be repaired. And Topheth shall be a burial place, for lack of place to bury elsewhere (Jer 19:11).

In the book of Zechariah the prophet tells an allegory of a prophet who becomes the "good shepherd" and defender of God's flock which is being slaughtered by the "sheep merchants" (failed shepherds/leaders of the people). The sheep merchants/failed shepherds contemptuously value the work of the prophet/good shepherd at thirty pieces of silver, the legal redemption price of a gored bloody slave in Exodus 21:32. The prophet/good shepherd in Zechariah's allegory is a "type" of Christ whose mission as God's prophet and his work of salvation for God's people is devalued by the chief priests/Sanhedrin. God tells His prophet to throw the money into the Temple treasury. In the case of the money paid to Judas for a bloody Jesus, the thirty pieces of silver probably came from the Temple treasury. There may be a play on the Hebrew words for "potter" ( yoser) and "treasury" ( oser) in the reference to the two passages and their link to Matthew 27:6-7. In the case of Judas' blood money, a grave yard is purchased from a potter instead of putting the money into the Temple treasury.
Jesus' Trial before the Roman Governor
Matthew 27:11-14 ~ Jesus is Taken to Pilate
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." 12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you? 14 But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Pilate was the Roman Prefect of Judea, but Matthew gives him the Greek title hegemon (governor). As in His questioning by the Sanhedrin, Jesus does not attempt to defend Himself, again a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7. Pilate asks Jesus "Are you the king of the Jews?" and Jesus responds "You say so" as He also responded in 26:25 to Judas and in verse 64 to Caiaphas.

Question: How is Jesus' statement of affirmation different from how it was perceived by Caiaphas and perhaps at first by Pilate? See Jn 18:36.
Answer: It appears to be an affirmation, but His response is couched in irony because neither Judas nor Caiaphas nor Pilate really understand what the title "king of the Jews" means for Jesus, although He will tell Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world ( Jn 18:36) and Pilate will believe Him.

The Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John record the various charges against Jesus that the Jewish leaders presented to Pilate:

The Jewish leaders also threatened Pilate when he tried to release Jesus, saying If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar, Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar ( Jn 19:12b). "Friend of Caesar" is a Roman honorific title the emperor bestowed upon high-ranking Romans for meritorious service to the emperor and the empire.

Question: Are any of their charges against Jesus valid?
Answer: It is a lie that Jesus opposed paying the Roman tax. In Matthew 20:20-26 Jesus said Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar... Their accusation that Jesus claims to be the Messianic king is not an admission Jesus has made directly, but they have understood His biblical references. There is, however, no Mosaic law as they suggest forbidding someone to call himself a "son of God" since kings, prophets, and even the children of Israel are called "sons of God." This charge is also invalid because they are suggesting Jesus is presenting Himself as a king of the Jews in opposition to Caesar.

The Gospel of John includes the information that when Jesus was first brought to Pilate that the chief priests and elders of the Sanhedrin refused to enter the Roman Praetorium (the Roman judicial law court where Pilate was in residence in Jerusalem) and instead insisted on remaining in the courtyard in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover ( Jn 18:28). Religious Jews could become ritually defiled through contact with pagan Gentiles. During the feast of Unleavened Bread that began at sundown after the Passover sacrifice, Jews could have no contact with anything made with leaven ( Ex 13:3, 6-7). If they became ritually impure, as in most cases of ritual defilement, it would be necessary to become purified by a ritual bath before sundown at which time ritual purity would be restored, as ritual purity was restored in most other cases of defilement by a person or defiled garment or object (i.e., Lev 15:17-19, 20-24, 27).

This verse has been misinterpreted to suggest that the Passover sacrifice had not yet taken place and those who had brought Jesus to the Gentile Romans were now worried about being ritually pure to take part in the Passover sacrifice and the sacred meal of the Passover victim. This cannot be the correct interpretation:

1. The Gospels agree that the Passover sacrifice took place on Thursday: as the ancients counted six days after Jesus' first dinner at Bethany (Jn 12:1); two after His second dinner at Bethany (Mt 26:2; Mk 14:1); the day He told His disciples to prepare for the Passover meal (Mt 26:17-19; Mk 14:12-16; Lk 22:7-13); and when He and His disciples ate the meal in the evening after sundown (Mt 26:20-30; Mk 14:17-26; Lk 22:13-20;Jn 13:2-17:26).

2. Since the Passover sacrifice was not a "pilgrim feast" it was not necessary for everyone planning to take part in the sacred meal to be present at the sacrifice. A family member or even a Jewish slave could present the sacrifice at the liturgical service (Mishnah: Pesahim, 8:2).

3. They could not have been referring to the sacred meal of the Passover victim because that meal took place after sundown and their defilement would have been lifted by then. Therefore, they must have been referring to the compulsory Sacred Assembly on the first daytime liturgical service of the feast of Unleavened Bread that began that morning in the Temple (Lev 23:6-7; Num 28:17). Covenant members had to attend this worship service, bringing their festival communion/peace offerings (hagigah) to the altar after which the sacrificed animal was cooked and eaten with family and friends in the city of Jerusalem. If the members of the council became defiled, they could not attend the Sacred Assembly nor could they present their communionhagigah sacrifices (Mishnah: Hagigah, 1:1-1:6).

4. The interpretation of this passage cannot be based on the use of the word "Passover" to mean the Passover sacrifice since St. John only uses the term "Passover" (seven times: John 11:55 (twice); 12:1;13:1; 18:28; 39; 19:14) as do the authors of the Jewish Mishnah and Jews today. Since the Gospel of John never uses the term "Unleavened Bread" to refer to the eight-day feast, the reference to "the Passover" inJohn 18:28 should be understood as referring to the morning Sacred Assembly and thehagigah communion sacrifice.

Question: What is ironic about the Jewish leaders' fear of ritual contamination by the Gentile Romans? What charge that Jesus made against them in chapter 23 is revealed in this false understanding/abuse of the Law?
Answer: It is ironic that those who had so unscrupulously defiled Jesus' rights and the Law of God were now concerned about ritual purity. It is as Jesus said about them in 23:25-28. They are like the filthy cups that are clean on the outside and like whitewashed tombs that contain dead men's bones. They care about appearances and not the internal condition of their corrupt souls.

Question: Why have the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate in the first place instead of stoning Him themselves? Pilate asks them this same question in John 18:29-32, since their charge against Jesus does not seem to Pilate to be a death penalty offense. What is meant by "fulfillment" in John 18:32? Also see Dt 21:22-23; Mt 20:19; 26:2 and Gal 3:13.
Answer: The Sanhedrin had the power to scourge Jesus and to imprison Him, but they did not have the power to legally execute Him. Only the Romans had the power over life and death in the Roman Provinces they ruled directly. The Jewish leaders want Jesus executed as a criminal and they want Him crucified as one "accursed" under the Law of Moses to discredit Him with the people.

Crucifixion was a Roman form of capital punishment that was abhorrent to the Jews. However, Jesus' death in this manner is what He has foretold and in it He will take upon Himself the curse of sin that all mankind deserves.

The bracket name "Jesus" associated with the name Bar Abbas (son of Abbas) indicates that this name does not occur in all MSS of Matthew's Gospel. Some scholars have suggested that where the name is absence in manuscripts of Matthew it might be an omission made for reverential reasons because it is also the name of the Messiah. In John 18:40 we are told that Barabbas is a revolutionary and Mark says he was both a revolutionary and a murderer ( Mk 15:7). As you may recall, when the guards came to arrest Jesus in the garden He asked them if they considered Him a bandit/revolutionary ( Mt 26:55; also see Mk 14:48).

Matthew 27:19 ~ While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him." The "bench"/ bema is the Roman governor's seat of judgment. The word bema refers to the tribunal/judicial bench or raised area from which an official decision was handed down. In John 19:13 Pilate's bema is located at a place called Gabbatha in Hebrew, "the Pavement." Some scholars suggest Pilate was residing at the Antonia Fortress next to the Temple on the Via Dolorosa (traditional site), but most scholars favor the theory that Pilate was staying at Herod's palace.

The name of Pilate's wife according to Christian tradition was Claudia Procula. In the Gospel of John we are told that Pilate proclaims Jesus' innocence with the words "I find no fault" three times (see Jn 18:38; 19:4, 6). These are the same words that High Priest Joseph Caiaphas (or his representative) will speak when approving the perfection of the Tamid lamb selected that morning for sacrifice.

The crowd calls for the release of Jesus bar Abbas, and 22 Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" 23 But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Let him be crucified!" Under the influence of their religious leaders, the crowd calls for Jesus crucifixion.

Matthew 27:24-26 ~ When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. Look to it yourselves." 25 And the whole people said in reply, "His blood be upon us and upon our children."

Then all the elders of that city nearest the corpse shall wash their hands over the heifer whose throat was cut in the wadi, and shall declare, Our hands did not shed this blood, and our eyes did not see the deed. Absolve, O LORD, your people Israel, whom you have ransomed, and let not the guilt of shedding innocent blood remain in the midst of your people. Israel.' Thus they shall be absolved from the guilt of bloodshed ... (Dt 21:6-8).

I will wash my hands in innocence and walk round your altar, LORD ... (Ps 26:6).

... Your hands are full of blood! Wash yourself clean! Put way your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil ... (Is 1:15b-16).

Question: Ironically, what does he say to the crowd and what is the irony of their response? See Mt 23:35-36; 2 Sam 1:16; Jer 26:15; Rom 3:25-26; 5:9-11; 2 Cor 5:18-19; Eph 1:6-7; 1 Jn 2:2.
Answer: Pilate tells them that Jesus' death is their responsibility and the crowd answers back with a self-cure on themselves and on the next generation, accepting the responsibility for Jesus' death and, unknown to them, in killing "the Lord's anointed." Ironically Jesus prophesied that the judgment for the death of all God's holy prophets would fall upon "this generation" ( Mt 23:35-36), but Jesus did not come to inflict a curse upon His people, He came to save the "lost sheep" of Israel and to take the curses of their covenant failures upon Himself. His blood would indeed be upon them and upon their children for the sake of their salvation.

In the Gospel of John, Pilate appeals to the crowd one last time, presenting Jesus to them and ironically saying "Behold, your king!" to which the crowd cries out"Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!" And when Pilate asks them,"Shall I crucify your king?" They chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar" ( Jn 19:14b-15). The gathered crowd of Jews and their priestly representative have rejected the true Son of God, the King of Israel and voiced their allegiance to the son of a false god who is a pagan king.

Matthew 27:26 ~ Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

Earlier in the trial Pilate had Jesus scourged in an unsuccessful the attempt to satisfy the Jewish leaders and to be able to release Jesus ( Lk 23:22; Jn 19:1-4). Now Pilate sends Jesus to be scourged again according to custom. The scourging of a criminal before execution was the established practice. The idea was to make a deep impression on those who witnessed the execution to prevent the repetition of the kinds of crimes against the state that necessitated crucifixion. Crucifixion was reserved for only foreign criminals but never for a Roman citizen.

Despite the lack of evidence, in the end it was the charge of sedition for which Jesus was condemned. The placard listing Jesus' crime that Pilate had put above Jesus' head on His cross (a common practice) read "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" in Hebrew, Latin and Greek and was ironically the complete truth ( Jn 19:19-20).

Perhaps the blood thirsty crowd at Jesus' trial were men and woman recruited by the Jewish leaders. Jesus had many supporters "so many that the religious leaders were afraid to arrest Jesus during the day when so many people were listening to Jesus teach "Jesus Himself mentioned this when He was arrested ( Mt 26:55). In these early morning hours, those who believed Jesus was the Messiah were probably still in bed after the long night celebrating the sacred feast of Unleavened Bread.

There is a problem concerning the account of Jesus' trial before Pilate beginning just after dawn on Friday, Nisan the 15 th, in Matthew's Gospel ( Mt 27:1; also Mk 15:1) and what is recorded in John 19:13-14 ~ Then hearing this word, Pilate led Jesus out. And he sat down on the judgment seat at the place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour (literal translation IBGE, vol. IV, page 311). If it is the sixth hour Jewish time, then Pilate would be condemning Jesus at noon and their trial would have lasted six hours since dawn. There appears to be a discrepancy in Scripture since St. Mark's Gospel records that Jesus was crucified at the third hour/9 AM and all the Synoptic Gospels record that the eclipse came at noon (the sixth hour Jewish time). However, if John's Gospel is using Roman time, the sixth hour is the hour between Dawn and 7 AM and is in agreement with the Synoptic Gospels. St. John's Gospel was the last Gospel written and according to Christian historians, it was written by St. John Zebedee in the Roman city of Ephesus for his mostly Gentile Roman community. Why would St. John use Jewish time? Most of the modern world, including the USA, keeps Roman time. The arguments can also be made that if the total eclipse of the sun came during Jesus' trial with Pilate, the superstitious Romans would not have continued with the crucifixion.

Then too, the words "preparation of the Passover" in John 19:14 can be interpreted incorrectly. "Passover" in the Gospel of John always refers to the entire 8-days of Passover/Unleavened Bread, and in John 19:31 we are told that "preparation" refers to the day of preparation (Friday) before the coming of the Sabbath at sundown (the beginning of the Saturday Sabbath). John 19:31 identifies the day as Friday, Preparation Day, of the Holy Week of the Passover, and all the other Gospels identify the day of Jesus' crucifixion as Friday, Nisan the 15 th, of the holy week of Unleavened Bread.

The Ironies Associated with Jesus' Trial before Pilate

Ironic event

Scripture

The Jewish leaders are concerned with ritual purity and not spiritual purity.

The Jewish high priest, chief priests, elders and the Jewish crowds pronounce Jesus deserves to die while the pagan Roman and his wife believe in His innocence.

The Jewish leaders falsely condemn Jesus to death for violations that are not included in the Law when all their actions and false accusations are violations of the Law that should incur the death penalty.

The Roman governor offers the people Jesus the righteous Son of God the Father and they chose Jesus Barabbas (son of the father) the murderer.

Pilate announces he is innocent of shedding Jesus' blood and Jesus' Jewish kinsmen utter a self-curse taking responsibility for Jesus' death.

Their self-curse concerning Jesus' blood is fulfilled but not in the way they intended. Jesus died so that His precious blood would wash away their sins and the sins of their children.

The people choose Tiberius, the son of the false god Caesar Augustus, to be their king instead of Jesus the son of David and the true Son of the only God and true King of Israel. Ironically it is the chief priests, God's representatives to the people, who cry out "We have no king but Caesar!"

The plaque that was supposed to list Jesus' crime was ironically a true statement of His identity.

In the Eastern Rite churches both Pilate and his wife Claudia are recognized as Christian saints. It is a tradition in the East that Pilate was forced to commit suicide by the Roman Emperor because he was a professed Christian. There are more paintings of Pilate in the Roman catacombs than any other person other than Moses. Pilate's wife Claudia may be the Roman Christian woman that St. Paul mentions in 2 Timothy 4:21.
Questions for group discussion: Endnotes:
1. The "afternoon" sacrifice of the Tamid lamb is usually called the "evening sacrifice" in the Old Testament. Since the Jewish day began and ended at sunset, their "evening" is our afternoon.

2. According to Josephus, a Roman consul named Quirinius was the legate of Syria, beginning in 6 AD. He may be the same Quirinius mentioned in Lk 2:2 during which census enrollment took place (c. 3/2 BC) when Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. In 6 AD Quirinius took temporary control of Judea until a Roman prefect could be established to govern the province when the Romans deposed Herod the Great's son Archelaus. In the chain of command, the Roman prefect of Judea reported to the Legate of Syria.

4. The Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem functioned as the supreme judicial body of the Jews until 359 AD ( The Jewish Book of Why, vol. I, pages 8-9).

5. Caiaphas was not wearing the high priest's liturgical robes; priestly vestments were only worn in the Temple ( Ez 42:14). The Law condemned a man to stoning for the capital offense of blaspheming God's Divine Name ( Lev 24:16; Mishnah: Sanhedrin, 7:1). Mishnah: Sanhedrin, 7:5states: He who blasphemes is liable only when he will have fully pronounced the divine Name. If it is proved, then the judges stand on their feet and tear their clothing, and never sew them back up ( Mishnah: Sanhedrin, 7:5E). It is interesting that they did not charge Jesus with breaking the Sabbath, a charge leveled against Jesus and the disciples several times (i.e. Mt 12:12; Lk 6:2; Jn 5:18) and which also carried the death penalty ( Ex 31:15).

6. Fr. Raymond Brown noted that the Franciscans conducted their own survey of rooster crows in the city of Jerusalem during holy week one year and discovered that roosters crowed at all hours of the night and morning. However, they were able to determine that the largest number of "crowings" occurred at about 2:30 AM, which is probably the reason the third night watch and the trumpet signal announcing the end of the third watch and the beginning of the 4 th watch at 3 AM was called "cockcrow"( Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John, Brown, page 828).

7. St. Peter is martyred c. 67 AD and asks the Romans to crucify him upside-down because he is not worthy to die in the same manner as Christ.It is for this reason that the Pope wears an upside-down cross on the lower back panel of his papal cloak. The upside-down cross is every current Pope's reminder that he sits on the "chair of Peter" and like St. Peter, he is expected to remain faithful to the Lord unto his death.

8. Claudia may have been a "God-fearer," a Gentile who believed in the God of the Jews, or she may have been a Jewish proselyte, or it is even possible that like Joanna, the wife of Herod Antipas' steward, she may have been a follower of Jesus. She may also have been the Roman matron St. Paul mentions who sent greetings to Timothy along with Roman Christians Pudens and Linus in 2 Tim 4:21. There is information outside of the Bible which supports the biblical account about Pilate. There are accounts concerning Pilate in the writings of Philo of Alexandria and Flavius Josephus, and the Roman historian Tacitus makes a brief reference to Pilate as the Roman ruler of Judea when the Christian God Jesus was crucified. There is also a dedication inscription carved into a stone column was discovered at Caesarea Maritima in 1961 that supports the title given to him in the Bible as "prefect" and not "procurator" as some detractors of the Bible had claimed was his correct title.
Primary resources used in this lesson:

1. Ancient Christian Writers, vol. 38: Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage, translated and annotated by George E. Gingras, Catholic University of America, Newman Press, 1970.

2. Christ in the Passover, Ceil and Moishe Rosen, Moody Press, Chicago, 1978.

3. Feast of Faith, Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Ignatius Press, San Francisco, 1986.

4. Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, Joachim Jeremias, Fortress Press, Philadelphia, 1968.

5. Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI, Ignatius Press, 2011.

6. The Jewish Festivals from Their Beginnings to Our Own Day, Hayyim Schauss, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York, 1938.

7. The Jewish Study Bible, editors Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, The Jewish Publication Society, Oxford University Press, 1999 edition.

8. The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions, Ronald L. Eisenberg, The Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 2004.

9. The Mishnah, editorJacob Neusner, Yale University Press, 1988.

10. The Jewish Book of Why, vol. I, Alfred Kolatch, Jonathan David Publishers, Inc. Middle Village, New York, 1995 edition.

11. The JPS Torah Commentary: Leviticus, Baruch A. Levine, Jewish Publication Society, 1998.

12. The Temple Haggadah, Israel Ariel, The Temple Institute, Carta- Cana, Jerusalem, 1996.

13. The Temple of Jerusalem, Simon Goldhill, Harvard University Press, 2005.

14. The Temple and the Church's Mission, G. K. Beale,InterVarsity Press, 2004.

15. The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, Alfred Edersheim, Hendrickson, 1994 edition.

16. The Temple Haggadah, Israel Ariel, The Temple Institute, Carta- Cana, Jerusalem, 1996.

17. The Temple of Jerusalem, Simon Goldhill, Harvard University Press, 2005.

18. The Works of Josephus, translated by William Whiston, Hendrickson Publishers, 1987.

19. The Works of Philo of Alexandria, translated by C. D. Yonge, Hendrickson Publishers, 1997.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson (*indicates Scripture is either quoted or paraphrased in the citation)

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Eternal Father, Your Son asked us to take up our individual crosses as we journey to salvation and to be willing to join our earthly sufferings to His. In accepting this call, we also drink from the cup of His cup of suffering in the hopes that we might one day also partake of His cup of glory.

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 11:2-12:21 Narrative #3: Diverse Responses to Jesus' Teachings and Actions

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 11:2-12:21 Narrative #3: Diverse Responses to Jesus' Teachings and Actions

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Beloved Lord,
There are times when Your plan for our lives is hidden from us, and we are uncertain which direction You mean for us to take as we journey toward salvation. Those times require us to respond in trust, in patience, and in faith that You will, in time, reveal to us those righteous choices that will move us forward on the path to salvation. It is in those times that prayer and listening for Your voice speaking to our spirits is more important than action. Send Your Holy Spirit to us, Lord, to guide us in our study of the growing opposition to Jesus and the trust and faith of the Apostles and disciples in listening with their hearts to Your Spirit and not to the aberrant and angry voices of their countrymen. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
+ + + As I live, says the Lord God, because my sheep have been given over to pillage, and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast, for lack of a shepherd; because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep; because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD [Yahweh]: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them ... Chapter 11: Opposition from the Jews
Ezekiel 34:7-10 Matthew 11:1 ~ When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
As Jesus' ministry moves forward we can see that He is becoming a cause for scandal among the people. He has already offended the Scribes and Pharisees and those Jews who thought of themselves as God's "righteous" by not seeking out their company and by eating with tax collectors and sinners ( Mt 9:10). When they complained about His conduct, He told them: I did not come to call the righteous but sinners ( Mt 9:13), suggesting that His mercy toward sinners reflects God's attitude toward them. He has also caused scandal by failing to observing the customary days of fasting ( Mt 10:14). He has even gone so far as to forgive sins. When the Pharisees accused Him of blasphemy ( Mt 9:3), Jesus told them that He was acting with divine authority ( Mt 9:6) and, since sin is universal, those who pretend not to need salvation are blind to their own spiritual sins ( Jn 8:33-36; 9:40-41).

Jesus' acts of mercy in forgiving the sins of those He healed presented the greatest dilemma for the religious authorities. When Jesus healed the paralytic and forgave the man's sins ( Mt 9:1-8), they challenged Him by saying Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins ( Mk 2:7)? Of course, in asking the rhetorical question, the Pharisees unknowingly provided their own answer. They must either conclude that Jesus is blaspheming by making Himself equal to God or they must conclude that He is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the prophet Ezekiel and is Jesus is God Himself come among His people ( Ez 34:10-16). However, if they conclude that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of Ezekiel chapter 34, they must admit that they are the corrupt shepherds of the same prophecy (see the quote from Ezekiel above; also see CCC 574-76).

Jesus' second discourse ends with a similar formula statement that ends each of His five discourses in the Gospel of Matthew, using the verb teleo: When Jesus finished [teleo] giving these commands ... ( Mt 11:1). After commissioning His disciples and sending them on their first missionary journey, Jesus separates Himself from them to give them the ability to do what He taught them to do in announcing the Gospel of the kingdom and in curing the sick: he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns ( Mt 11:1). In his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, St. John Chrysostom writes that Jesus did this because if He remained with them everyone would seek Him out and would not have approached His disciples (St. John Chrysostom, Gospel of Matthew 36.1).

Jesus probably sent His disciples and Apostles out several times on missionary journeys to the "lost sheep" of the house of Israel during the three years of His ministry. St. Luke records: After this the Lord appointed seventy[-two] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and pace he intended to visit. He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest ( Lk 10:1-2). The instructions that follow in verses 3-12 are the same instructions that appeared in Matthew 10:7-16, and it may be significant that Jesus sends them out in pairs ( Lk 10:1) as the Apostles are listed in Matthew 10:2-4 (it is the only list of the Apostles in which they are named in pairs). Later, the disciples return to Jesus, ecstatic with the success of their mission: The seventy-two returned in jubilation saying, "Master, even the demons are subject to us in your name" ( Lk 10:17).

Matthew 11:2-30 can be divided into three separate topics:

1. Jesus and John the Baptist (verses 2-19)

2. Jesus' judgment on three cities of the Galilee (verses 20-24)

3. Jesus' thanksgiving, revelation and invitation (verses 25-30)

Chapter 11 marks a major turning point in Jesus' ministry. The chapter begins by addressing the impact of Jesus' words and deeds on the people and what His actions reveal about His identity. In a section that extends from 11:2 to Matthew 16:16, the focus becomes the contrast between how the people either believe that Jesus is the Messiah or how they reject Him and His teaching. The division of the first three sections in Matthew chapter 11 can also be classified thematically: (1)

1. Unbelief/rejection (verses 2-19)

2. Unbelief/rejection (verses 20-24)
Invitation/acceptance of the Christ (verses 25-30)

The first section opens with the statement that St. John the Baptist is in prison ( Mt 11:2), an event already announced in 4:12 and which resulted in Jesus relocating to the Galilee to begin His ministry. Matthew 11:2-19 can be subdivided into three parts dealing with the subject of John the Baptist:

1. John's disciples inquire about Jesus' eschatological office and Jesus responds (verses 2-6)

2. Jesus reveals John's true identity (verses 7-15)

3. The response of "this generation" to Jesus and John (verses 16-19)

We heard that St. John the Baptist was arrested in Matthew 4:12. Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife" ( Mk 6:17-18). Herodias was the granddaughter of Herod the Great, Rome's client king of Judea at the time Jesus was born. He was fond of arranging marriages within his family. Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, the son of Herod the Great and Mariamme (Jewish Hasmonean princess), and she was the sister of Herod Agrippa I (ruled 41-44 AD). Her mother was Berenice, the daughter of Herod the Great's sister, Salome. John the Baptist condemned Herodias' marriage to her uncle, Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great and Malchace (a Samaritan woman). Herodias caused a great scandal when she divorced her husband Philip Herod (another son of Herod the Great) and married her uncle Herod Antipas, tetrarch of the Galilee and Perea (he divorced his wife, a Nabataea princess, to marry Herodias). Flavius Josephus records all the salacious details in his histories of the Jews. It is from Josephus' account that we known the name of Herodias' daughter who danced for her step-father-great-uncle Herod Antipas and as her reward asked for the head of St. John the Baptist. Her name was Salome. (2)

Herodias' husband, Herod Antipas, is the Herod mentioned most often in the Gospels. He was the ruler (tetrarch) of the Galilee and Perea. Both John the Baptist and Jesus were his subjects and carried out the majority of their ministries in his territories "John in Perea, on the east side of the Jordan River and Jesus in the Galilee.

Matthew 11:2-6 ~ The Disciples of St. John the Baptist Come to Jesus (Unbelief/rejection)
2 When John heard in prison of the works of the Messiah [Christos], he sent his disciples to him 3 with this question, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?" 4 Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, they dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. 6 And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."
[ ] = literal translation.

St. John was imprisoned at Macherus, Herod Antipas' fortress in Perea, located east of the Dead Sea ( Antiquities of the Jews, 18.5.2 [119]). He was apparently able to receive visitors while in prison. Hearing about Jesus' miracles of healing and raising the dead, St. John sent his disciples to the "Christos," which means "Messiah."(3)

"The One who is to come" was not a Messianic title but in Isaiah 59:20 the same verb refers to the Redeemer: He shall come to Zion a redeemer to those of Jacob who turn from sin, says the LORD. This is the covenant with them which I myself have made, says the LORD: My spirit which is upon you and my words that I have put into your mouth shall never leave your mouth, nor the mouths of your children nor the mouths of your children's children from now on and forever, says the LORD ( Is 59:20-21).

There are two interpretations concerning the significance of this passage:

1. In his suffering in prison, John began to doubt that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah. He was expecting the Messiah as the agent of God's wrath in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies, as John preached in Mt 3:7-8 and 10-12 (see the reference to "winnowing" in Is 41:16 and Jer 15:7 that John used in Mt 3:12).

2. Knowing that his death was near, John wanted his disciples to see for themselves that Jesus is the Messiah and to join Jesus in His mission.

Pope John Paul II interpreted the question John's disciples asked Jesus to mean that John the Baptist "had a different idea about the Messiah" ( Jesus, Son and Savior: A Catechesis on the Creed, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1996, 2.127).

Question: How did St. John describe the mission of the Messiah in his confrontation with the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism of repentance in Matthew 3:7-12? Also see Lk 3:7-9. Compare Mt 11:11-12 with Ez 36:25-27, Jer 15:7 and Is 41:16; also see Ex 34:1-24.
Answer: It his encounter with the Old Covenant Church's corrupt leadership/"shepherds," an angry St. John warned them and the crowds of the Messiah's mission of judgment and divine retribution in which He would renew the faithful remnant of the covenant people with God's spirit. He alluded to those passages of judgment in the books of the prophets, and warned that the Messiah would single out the wicked (like them) for divine retribution.

In his confrontation with the Old Covenant "shepherds" of God's "flock" who have become corrupt, John was fulfilling his role as the last of the Old Covenant holy prophets of God. The question is can we interpret John's angry confrontation with the corrupt leadership (in which he in effect called them the "seed of the Serpent" in Mt 3:7, an allusion to Gen 3:15) to mean that John did not understand the other aspects of the Messiah's mission described by the prophets? Or, in his anger, is St. John only addressing one aspect of the Messiah's mission that is relevant to the corrupt "shepherds of Israel" (see Ez 34:1-2) who have come to him not for a baptism of genuine repentance but to test John and his understanding of his mission (see Jn 1:19-27)? John's description of Jesus' actions as the Messiah in Matthew 3:7-12 will be fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2), in the judgment on the Old Covenant Church in the destruction of the Temple (prophesied by Jesus in Mt 23:2-24:22 and fulfilled in 70 AD), and in Jesus' role as the divine judge of mankind's sins, dividing the wicked from the righteous, which Jesus describes in His discourse on the Last Judgment ( Mt 25:31-46).

Question: What was the significance of Jesus' reply to John's disciples in verses 4-5? See Is 26:19; 29:18-19; 35:4-6; 61:1-2
Answer: The miracles Jesus listed were also signs of the Messiah prophesied by the prophets "signs that Jesus was fulfilling.

St. John Chrysostom (344/354-407) and St. Jerome (347-420) embraced the second interpretation.John Chrysostom wrote: Jesus knew the mind of John who sent them, for he knew, as God knows, our inner thoughts. There he was, actively healing the blind, lame, and many others. He healed not to teach John, who was already convinced, but those who had come to him doubting. Having healed them he said, "God and tell John what you hear and see ..." In this way Christ drew them all the more closely to himself ( The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 36.2).

St. Jerome wrote that John did not send his disciples to Jesus because he was beginning to doubt that Jesus was the promised Messiah: John asks this not because he is ignorant but to guide others who are ignorant and to say to them, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jerome, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, 2.11.3). Jerome points out that St. John knew he was going to die soon; therefore, he was sending his disciples to Jesus so they could have answers to their questions, come to know Him, and become Jesus' disciples.

Jerome believed the problem wasn't with St. John "the problem was that John's disciples doubted. Notice that in 11:2 St. Matthew records that in prison John heard about the works of "the Messiah" (verse 2) and not just the works of Jesus of Nazareth.(4)

Question: What evidence is there that John's disciples were confused about Jesus' identity? See Mt 9:14.
Answer: They were expecting that the Messiah would fast and exhibit other signs of piety like John taught them and like the Pharisees; therefore, they questioned Jesus about why He and His disciples did not fast.

Question: The question is was John's understanding of the mission of the Messiah only limited to the prophecies of the Messiah's role as deliverer of Israel and judge of the wicked? What does Scripture relate about the evidence St. John had that Jesus was the Messiah? See Lk 1:5-20; Mt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-22; Jn 1:26-34.
Answer: John knew from his father's encounter with the angel Gabriel that he was the forerunner of the Messiah, and he would have been taught all the prophecies concerning the Messiah. He also already had proof of Jesus' true identity:

The Holy Spirit revealed Jesus' true identity the day Jesus came to John to be baptized (Mt 3:14; Jn 1:32).

John also heard the voice of God from heaven identifying Jesus as His beloved Son (Mt 3:17; Jn 1:26, 34).

He knew of Jesus' pre-Incarnate state (Jn 1:30).

He knew Jesus was the Messiah who was promised to baptize with the Holy Spirit (Jn 1:33).

St. John's address to the failed leadership of the covenant and the crowds concerning repentance and divine judgment was in keeping with his mission to call the people to repentance as God's holy prophet and the messenger who was to herald the coming of the Messiah.

Question: What did Jesus mean when He said And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me in verse 6?
Answer: Jesus was referring to the inward offense the disciples of John were taking against Him in questioning if Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

St. John Chrysostom writes that Jesus was gently reprimanding John's disciples for doubting and being silently offended by Him: He made their case for them, leaving it to their own conscience alone to judge, calling no witness of his reprimand other than they themselves who knew what they had been thinking. For it was of their own inward offense that he was thinking when he said, "Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me" ( The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 36.2).

St. John's disciples, like many in Judea in the 1 st century AD may have been looking for the Messiah as a new Moses or a new David to liberate their people from the oppression of the Romans.

Jesus asks the crowds a series of six rhetorical questions. Jesus' reference to "someone dressed in fine clothing" living "in royal palaces" may be an allusion to Herod Antipas who had arrested and imprisoned John the Baptist. John wore course camel's hair for his garment and he was firm in his message of repentance; he was not a "reed swayed by the wind" of secular society.

Question: How does Jesus identify St. John in verses 9-10? See Mal 3:1-3
Answer: He identifies St. John as a prophet of God and a successor of the prophet Malachi.

Malachi was the last old covenant prophet. He lived in the post-exile period (5 th century BC).(4) Jesus quotes the prophecy of God's "messenger" from Malachi 3:1 in verse 10. The passage in Malachi 3:1 repeats the promise of the precursor of Yahweh that was already promised in the "prophetic voice" prophecy of Isaiah that St. John quoted of himself ( Is 40:3 quoted in Mt 3:3) and who Malachi will identify with the 9 th century BC prophet Elijah in Mal 3:23. Also see Mk 1:2-3 (quotes both Mal 3:1 and Is 40:3-5); Lk 3:4-6 (quotes Is 40:3-5) and Jn 1:23 (quotes Is 40:3).

Matthew 11:11 ~ Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

There is no personal slight to St. John in Jesus' statement. Jesus' statement concerns epochs of man rather than persons "John is part of the Old Covenant and will not live to see the inauguration of the New Covenant. However, St. John will also receive the Infinite Merit of the grace of salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and will also be admitted into the gates of heaven with all the other righteous souls in Sheol who will be liberated by the Messiah's perfect sacrifice on the altar of the Cross.

Matthew 11:12 ~ From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.

There are several interpretations of this verse concerning the "violence" and the "violent":

1. the days of John the Baptist until now is the period of the beginning of the end of the fulfillment of the old covenants. The gates of heaven have been closed since the Fall of Adam and Eve in the garden Sanctuary in Eden (CCC 536), but now, with the baptism of the Messiah, the gates of heaven are being violently torn apart (seeMk 1:10 that describes the heavens being "torn open"). In this interpretation, "the violent" would be the followers of Jesus who stand violently opposed to the rule of Satan and His forces and who will suffer violence in order to bring about the kingdom of Jesus Christ. It was a common belief of the times that a period of intense tribulation would usher in the Messianic Age. Jesus' statement in verse 13 points to the beginning of the time of spiritual crisis (also see Jesus' teaching about division inMt 10:34-36).

2. This verse might also refer to those Jews who want to rebel against the Romans with the hope that in doing so they might force the coming of the Messiah and to re-establish the kingdom of Israel (the misguided violence of the Zealots).

3. The reference might be to the violence of the powers of Satan and his agents on earth who seek to maintain their dominion over the earth and who perpetuate violence in their efforts to thwart Jesus and the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 11:13-14 ~ All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. 15 Whoever has ears ought to hear." See Mal 3:23; Mt 5:17-18.

Question: What significant statement is Jesus making in verses 13-14? See Mal 3:1 and 3:23/4:5-6.
Answer: St. John brings the Old Testament era of the previous covenants and missions of the prophets to a close. He is the only successor of the last prophet Malachi. John's mission is a continuation of Malachi's mission and he fulfills Malachi's last prophecy as the one who comes in the spirit of Elijah in Malachi 3:23. John is the last prophet before the fulfillment of "the prophets and the law."

It is interesting that St. Matthew inverts the phrase "the Law and the prophets," which is the usual way the New Testament refers to the entire volume of Sacred Old Testament Scripture (see Mt 5:17; 7:12; 22:40; Lk 16:16; 24:44; Jn 1:45; Acts 24:14; 28:23; Rom 3:1; 3:21). The reversal may be to shift the focus to the prophets since John is the last and the greatest of the Old Covenant prophets.

Jesus concludes His teaching on John the Baptist with the statement: 15 Whoever has ears ought to hear." This and similar statements are repeated by Jesus nine times in the Gospels ( Mt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mk 4:9, 23; 7:16; 8:18 in the negative; Lk 8:8; 14:35). It might also be a warning that is an allusion to God's command in the prophecy He gave Moses and the children of Israel concerning the coming of the great prophet in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. That passage concludes with the command that anyone who does not listen to God's prophet will have to answer to Him. Jesus has come as the supreme prophet, fulfilling the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15-19.

Matthew 11:16-19 ~ Jesus Rebukes His generation
16 "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 17 We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, He is possessed by a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by her works."

Question: How is John identified in the parable; how is Jesus identified? What is Jesus' teaching in this proverb? See Mt 3:4; 7:20; 8:48; 9:3, 10-11, 14-15, 34;10:20.
Answer: John ascetic lifestyle, living frugally and fasting in the desert, identifies him as the "funeral" game, while Jesus came eating and drinking and identifying Himself as the Bridegroom ( Mt 10:15) like the "wedding game." Those in opposition in "this generation" could not be satisfied with either John or Jesus, rejecting both John's aesthetic lifestyle, calling him crazy and demon possessed ( Mt 7:20; 8:48; 10:20) and rejecting Jesus' lifestyle, making some of the same charges against Jesus ( Mt 9:3, 11, 14, 34). It is clear that nothing can please the generation of John and Jesus.

In this passage, Jesus uses the word "generation" in the negative to describe those who stand in opposition to both John the Baptist and Jesus and therefore in opposition to God's plan for man's salvation (also see Mt 12:39-42; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36; 24:34).

Jesus concludes His proverb with the statement: "But wisdom is vindicated by her works." In refusing to accept the example of either John or Jesus, the Jews are turning away from the wisdom of the Messiah and His forerunner whose mission is vindicated in their works.

Mathew 11:20-24 ~ Jesus' Rebuke of Unrepentant Towns in the Galilee (Unbelief/rejection)
20 Then he began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. 21 "Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.' For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

In 11:20-24 the theme of unbelief continues, but now Jesus rebukes the towns where the people had not repented after witnessing His "mighty deeds." A "woe" is a curse judgment in a covenant lawsuit issued by a prophet of God against people or places who refused the prophet's warnings to repent their sins.(5) Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida are important towns at the north end of the Sea of Galilee (also see Lk 10:13).(6) These three Galilean communities not only had the privilege of hearing the Son of God preach and witnessing His miracles, they actually had the opportunity to see Him, to talk to Him, and to touch Him, a gift very few people would receive in salvation history. Each of these towns received a "corporate" judgment, but that does not mean that those few within the communities who accepted Jesus were condemned.

Matthew 11:21b-22 ~ For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

Tyre and Sidon were two prosperous pagan trading centers on the Mediterranean coast north of the Galilee. They were originally prosperous Phoenician cities where human sacrifices to Baal were offered, but after the conquest of Alexander the Great they became Hellenistic trading centers on the Mediterranean.

Question: Why was Jesus' statement about these Gentile communities shocking to the Jews? Give two reasons. See Is 23:1-17; Jer 25:22; Ez 26-28; Joel 4:4.
Answer:

1. These former Phoenician cities that were Greek culture cities in Jesus' time were considered to be centers of corruption and pagan worship. God had previously placed these cities under divine judgment in the time of the prophets. It was shocking to hear that these pagan centers would receive a less severe judgment than the Israelite towns of the Galilee.

2. The Israelite citizens of the Galilean towns were God's covenant people who had been taught over the centuries to recognize the Messiah when He came. The prophet in the spirit of Elijah came, calling the people to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah, and the Messiah came but many in those communities did not accept John's message of repentance nor did they recognize the authority of the Jesus, the promised Redeemer-Messiah

Question: Jesus' statement that if He had performed the same miraculous works in those Gentile towns the people would have repented and demonstrated their repentance by wearing "sackcloth and ashes" recalls the repentance of what pagan people who were warned of God's impending judgment by an 8 th century BC prophet from the town of Gath-hepher in the Galilee?(7) See 2 Kng 14:25 and Jon 1:1-2; 3:1-10.
Answer: God sent the prophet Jonah to call the people of the great Assyrian city of Nineveh to repentance (the book of Jonah). The people repented their sins and were spared.

Wearing course "sackcloth and putting ashes on one's head ( Jon 3:6-8; 2 Sam 13:19) were outward signs of inward repentance and contrition. Jesus statement also prefigures the acceptance of Jesus' Gospel of salvation by future Gentile communities.

Of Capernaum Jesus said: 23 And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.' The "netherworld" is Hades in the Greek text, which means the "abode of the dead."

Question: What was Jesus saying about the future of the people of the town? See Mt 10:32-33.
Answer: Had the town acknowledged Jesus' Messiahship and carried His message of the coming of the kingdom to the other towns of the Galilee because of what they had witnessed, their salvation would have been assured (see Mt 10:32-33). However, their failure to repent and to accept Jesus will contemn them to the grave.

In Hebrew "the grave" was Sheol. It was a place of purification where the wicked were punished for their sins and the righteous banqueted in the presence of Father Abraham (the "bosom of Abraham") while they awaited the coming of the Messiah (see Jesus' description of Sheol in Lk 16:19-31 and CCC 633).

Verses 23-24 contain the second reference to Sodom (and an implied reference to Gomorrah).

Question: When did Jesus speak of the Last Judgment and compare communities to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah earlier in Matthew's Gospel?
Answer: Mt 10:14-15: Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words "go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. 15 Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."

Matthew 10:14-15 is the reason Jesus cursed the three Galilean towns; however, this does not mean that the people of these towns were condemned to hell. They were still under the old Law in which the wicked were purified of their sins in Sheol and they still had the opportunity of repentance and conversion before the members of the communities died. Those who did die before Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross also had the opportunity to come to salvation when Jesus descended to Sheol to preach the Gospel of salvation and to liberate souls who heard His message preached to them there and who were still able to have His Infinite Merit applied for the sake of their salvation (CCC 632-37, 678).

Matthew 11:25-30 can be divided into three subsections:

1. Thanksgiving (verses 25-26)

2. Revelation (verse 27)

3. Invitation (verses 28-30)

Matthew 11:25-27 ~ Jesus' Prayer to the Father in Thanksgiving (Invitation/acceptance)
25 At that time Jesus said in reply, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

The Catechism teaches that what moves us to belief is not just being convinced of revealed truths that are intelligible in the light of our natural reason, but we believe "because the authority of God himself who reveals them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived." Moved by the Holy Spirit, our faith is more certain than our human intellect because it is founded on the Word of God who does not lie and is Himself "Truth" (see CCC 154-157).

Notice that Jesus offers the Father vocal prayer. We often focus on meditation and silent prayer and forget the necessity of vocal prayer. Vocal prayer was not only an essential element of liturgical life in the Synagogue and in Temple liturgy for the Old Covenant people of God, but it is an essential part of New Covenant Christian life (CCC 2701). This is not the first time Jesus has prayed aloud to the Father. Jesus taught His disciples the great vocal prayer that unites was as children in the family of God-the Lord's Prayer (see Mt 6:9-13). Jesus will offer a vocal prayer at the Last Supper which is usually called Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" (Jn 14-17; CCC 2604), and He will also speak aloud His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane in His time of agony when His soul cries out to the Father.

Matthew 11:28-30 ~ Jesus' Invitation to Come to Him (Invitation/acceptance continued)
28 "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Jesus' invitation recalls one of the reoccurring images of the Old Testament prophets for the people in covenant union with God: domesticated animals obediently following the commands of their master (see the complete chart "Symbolic Images of the Old Testament Prophets" in the chart section).
Chapter 12:1-14 ~ The Pharisees Challenge Jesus Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.
Mark 2:27-28
Question: In the Old Testament the rebellious Israelites were often accused of being "stiff-necked" by God and by His prophets. Keeping in mind the imagery of domesticated animals in the covenant imagery, what comparison is being made and what does "stiff-necked" refer to?
Answer: Domesticated cattle wear a yoke when being directed by their master. Obedient oxen do not strain against the yoke but follow the direction of their master. Disobedient animals are "stiff-necked" when they refuse to yield and be guided by the master's yoke, like the Israelites who refused to be obedient to God their divine Master (see Ex 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Dt 9:6, 13; 10:16; 2 Chr 30:8; Acts 7:51).

Question: Jesus' promise of "rest" recalls what event on the seventh day of Creation? (See Gen 2:1-3). What is the command concerning the Sabbath obligation for the members of the Sinai Covenant in Exodus 20:8-11; 34:21; 35:1-3; Dt 5:12-15? What is the significance of the Sabbath? What is the link to Jesus' invitation and promise in 11:28-30?
Answer: On the seventh day of Creation, God "rested." The Sabbath was a day of "rest." The purpose of the Sabbath was for members of God's covenant family to enter into His "rest" and to have fellowship with Him. Jesus' invitation to "come" to Him is followed by His promise that those who come to Him and obediently "wear His yoke" (follow the teachings of Jesus "the Master") will have "rest"/fellowship with God the Son.

Jesus' promise is an allusion to the New Covenant Sabbath. The Hebrew word for the seventh day of the week is the noun sabbat, and it is from the Hebrew root sbt [sabat], the verb which means "to rest" or "to cease." The combination sabbat sabbaton, "Sabbath of compete rest," is used for the seventh day in Exodus 32:5 and Leviticus 23:3, for the feast of Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] in Leviticus 16:312; 23:32, for the feast of Trumpets in Leviticus 23:24, and for the Sabbath year in Leviticus 25:4 ( The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 5, "Sabbath," page 849). In the next chapter Jesus will address the true application of the Sabbath "rest" obligation in the lives of the covenant people.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
Matthew 23:13

Chapter 12 repeats the three-part thematic division of chapter 11 but is presented in two 3-part divisions:

1. First Section

1. Unbelief/rejection (verses 1-8)

2. Unbelief/rejection (verses 9-14)

3. Invitation/acceptance (verses 15-21)

2. Second Section

1. Unbelief/rejection (verses 22-37)

2. Unbelief/rejection (verses 38-45)

3. Invitation/acceptance (verses 46-50)

Since Sacred Scripture was originally written without any chapter or verse divisions, it is possible to view the thematic divisions in chapters 11-12 as a triad.

The words, At that time..., that begin this chapter in verse 1 are a repeat of the same words in 11:25 that began the passage in 11:25-30 and point to the link between the two passages. The allusion to the Sabbath "rest" in 11:28-30 serves as a bridge to the first two events in chapter 12 in which Jesus explains why His "yoke" is a lighter burden than the heavy "yoke" of the Pharisees (for Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees' "heavy yoke" see Mt 23:13-36). The next two sections concern Jesus and the Sabbath:

1. The possible violation of the Sabbath "rest" by Jesus and His disciples when they picked grain in a field on the Sabbath (12:1-8).

2. The possible violation of the Sabbath "rest" when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath (12:9-14).

Together with the sacred meeting place between man and God (the desert Tabernacle and later the Jerusalem Temple), the Sabbath obligation was one of the two signs of the Sinai Covenant "a covenant that was continued in sacred time in a sacred place (see the Chart on "Yahweh's Eight Covenants"). The one holy altar of sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple and the holy Sabbath day separated the Jews/Israelites from the pagan communities who worshipped at many shrines and did not enter into God's "rest" on a special day set aside from all the other days of the week for fellowship and communion with the One True God.

Matthew 12:1 ~ At that time Jesus was going through a field of grain on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. It was not unlawful for the hungry to pick and eat some grain from a farmer's field while traveling ( Dt 23:26). The problem as the Pharisees saw it was that Jesus and His disciples were in violation of the prohibition against working on the Sabbath ( Ex 20:8-11; 34:21; 35:1-3; Dt 5:12-15).

Question: What two examples of lawful work associated with what is holy does Jesus give them from the history of the covenant people? See 1 Sam 21:2-7; Lev 24:8; Num 28:9-10.
Answer: When David was hungry and in need, he was allowed to eat the sacred "bread of the presence (of God)" from the table in the Holy Place of the Sanctuary. In their ministerial service in the Temple, the priests "work" in making offerings and sacrifices in the Temple on the Sabbath.

However, the example of David that Jesus gave did not take place on a Sabbath. Jesus' point, which He will elaborate upon in verses 11-12, is that the incident with David set the precedent that when mercy is a necessity it outweighs the letter of the Law. In the second example Jesus points out that the priests at the Temple violate the letter of the Law by working on the Sabbath serving God in the Temple, but the necessity of their ministry outweighs the violation. Jesus' disciples were hungry and He allowed them to eat on the Sabbath so that they might continue their ministry in proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom.

The Pharisees were strict adherers to the Law and saw Jesus' actions as a violation of the prohibition against doing a "work" on the Sabbath ( Ex 34:21). Then Jesus makes two significant statements: First He says: 6 I say to you, something greater than the temple is here... and quotes from the prophet Hosea (Ho 6:6): 7 If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned these innocent men. This is the second time Matthew quoted from Hosea 6:6 (see Mt 9:13). The quote from Hosea speaks of God's desire for the life of the humble and repentant offerer that was symbolized in the sacrifice of the animal. It is the spirit of the Law and not the letter of the Law that matters.(8)

Question: When Jesus says "...something greater than the temple is here," to what is He referring? Give several possible interpretations.
Answer:

1. Jesus may be referring to His own divine identity and His authority that surpasses the Temple authority.

2. He may be referring to His community of disciples who will become, led by St. Peter, the foundation of the New Covenant Church.

3. He may be referring to the ministry the disciples share with Him in proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom

Or His statement may be referring to all three.

Jesus was not hostile to the Temple; He completely supported the Jerusalem Temple and the Temple liturgy and rituals that were part of God's plan for man's salvation (see CCC 586, 590). However, He was opposed to abuses against the spirit of the Law by the Pharisees and the Temple hierarchy that resulted in abuses against the Temple and the people.

Jesus concludes this part of the confrontation with the Pharisees with the statement "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees in stronger in Mark 2:27-28 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." "Son of Man" is Jesus' favorite title for Himself. He uses this title for Himself about 30 times in the Gospel of Matthew alone ( Mt 8:20; 9:6; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8, 32, 40; 13:37, 41; 16:13, 27, 28; 17:9, 12, 22; 18:11; 19:28; 20:18, 28; 21:28; 24:27, 30 (twice), 37, 39, 44; 25:13, 31; 26:2, 24 (twice), 25; 26:64; 28:19). It is a title that not only refers to His perfect humanity but also to His identity as the divine Messiah of the vision of the prophet Daniel ( Dan 7:13), which Jesus will identify as Himself ( Mt 24:30; 26:64).

Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus and His disciples attend the prayer service at the local synagogue of the Pharisees who had challenged Him. The Pharisees are not willing to let the debate rest and ask Jesus if it is lawful to cure on the Sabbath "hoping to trap Him so they can again accuse Him of rejecting the Law.

To demonstrate His point, Jesus then heals the man with the deformed hand. It appears that whether or not it was lawful to rescue an animal on the Sabbath or to perform a humanitarian act that could be defined as a "work" was a debated point of the Law in Jesus' time. The 1 st century AD document from the community at Qumran takes the position that it was not lawful to lift out an animal from a pit on the Sabbath ( Damascus Document, 11:13-14). A later rabbinic document states that it is permitted to save an animal on the Sabbath ( b.Sabb. 128b; b. Mez. 32b) and the Jewish Talmud (c. 200 AD) concludes that it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath in certain cases: A case of risk of loss of life supersedes the Sabbath (law) ( Mishnah: Yoma, 8:6). However, the man's withered hand could not be concluded to be a risk to life. Jesus' stand is that an act of mercy, whatever it is, is permitted on the Sabbath.(9)

In these passages Jesus, as the authoritative teacher who is Lord of the Sabbath, answers the question concerning "work" on the Sabbath through two principles:

Mercy and compassion toward man and beast is an acceptable "work of mercy" on the Sabbath (Mt 12:1-7)

Doing good on the Sabbath is allowed because it fulfills the commandments concerning love of God and love of one's neighbor (Mt 12:12; also see 22:34-40).

After Jesus' Resurrection, the Jewish (Saturday) Sabbath that was established on the last day of the first creation ( Gen 2:1-3) was replaced by the "Lord's Day" (Sunday), the first day of the new creation in Christ Jesus ( Rev 1:10). It was a day of "rest" in which Christians joined together in the celebration of the Risen Savior and in the participation of the sacred meal of the New Covenant, the Eucharist. The Didache, the Church's first Catechism written sometime in the mid to late 1 st century AD, speaks of the Lord's Day as a time for Christians to gather together, break bread, and to offer thanksgiving for Christ's give of salvation ( Didache, 14:1). Christian bishop, Ignatius of Antioch (m. 107 AD), urged his mixed Jewish-Christian and Gentile congregations to set aside the Old Covenant Sabbath observance and to keep the Lord's Day of the New Covenant:...no longer observing Sabbaths but fashioning their lives after the Lord's Day (Letter to the Magnesians, 9:1). The same acts of mercy Jesus defined as acceptable for works under the Old Covenant Sabbath were then observed in the New.

Matthew 12:14 ~ But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death. The opposition of the Pharisees has taken a decidedly evil turn. These men, who believed in a strictly literal interpretation of the Law, are now planning on how to have Jesus killed.

Question: Why did the Pharisees decide to seek Jesus' death? See Ex 31:12-17; 35:1-3; and Num 15:32-36.
Answer: They believed He deserved to die for violating the Sabbath laws.

The setting aside of the seventh day of the week as a day holy to God extends back to the first week of the Creation event, but the command to worship on the Sabbath was not fixed until the formation of the Sinai Covenant ( Ex 20:8-11) when the Sabbath obligation became a "sign" of the covenant: Yahweh then said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say, "You will keep my Sabbaths properly, for this is a sign between myself and you for all your generations to come, so that you will know that it is I, Yahweh, who sanctify you ( Ex 31:12-13, NJB). It is at this time that profaning the Sabbath became a death penalty offense but that sentence was to be imposed on someone who intentionally profaned the Sabbath and rejected the sanctity of the Sabbath day which was not Jesus' intention.

It is uncertain where the confrontation with the Pharisees took place but it may have been in Capernaum. When Jesus read the wicked hearts and thoughts of the Pharisees, He left the Synagogue and perhaps the town, but He continued to heal many people.

The Old Testament prophecy quoted in verses 18-21 is another of the "fulfillment statements." This time the quote is from Isaiah 42:1-4 and is from the first of the four "Songs of the Servant":Song #1: Is 42:1-7 (5-11); Song #2: 49:1-6; Song #3: 50:4-9 (10-11); and Song #4: 52:13-53:12. Read the entire passage in Isaiah 42:1-7, NJB translation: 1 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have sent my spirit upon him, he will bring fair judgment to the nations. 2 He does not cry out or raise his voice, his voice is not heard in the street; 3 he does not break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick. Faithfully he presents fair judgment; 4 he will not grow faint, he will not be crushed until he has established fair judgment on earth, and the coasts and islands are waiting for his instruction. 5 Thus says God, Yahweh, who created the heavens and spread them out, who hammered into shape the earth and what comes from it, who gave breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: 6 I, Yahweh, have called you in saving justice, I have grasped you by the hand and shaped you; I have made you a covenant of the people and light to the nations, 7to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.

The word rendered "judgment" (see underlined word in the passage) in the Hebrew text is mishpat (translated krisis in the Greek Septuagint). In the Old Testament the Hebrew word mishpat signifies the divine statutes governing the relationship of God with mankind in so far as it is known through divine revelation. Jesus is the prophesied "Chosen Servant of Yahweh" who will be given authority to bring justice the nations of the earth, not just to Israel. Verse 6 reads: I have grasped you by the hand and shaped you; in the Hebrew text the word translated "shaped" is the same word as in Genesis 2:7 to describe God forming the body of Adam "Jesus, the Chosen Servant, has come as the new Adam. See CCC 713.

Question: How is the Chosen Servant in Isaiah 42:1-7 described?
Answer: The Chosen Servant is presented as a prophet chosen by God who has God's Spirit (vs. 1) and whose divine destiny is the mission to teach the entire world gently (not bruising the vulnerable and not quenching the faith of the faltering) and firmly as he presents fair judgment (vs. 2-3). In spite of opposition (vs. 4), he is to be the bearer of Yahweh's covenant (vs. 5-6) and a "light" to the nations as he heals the afflicted and liberates those in "darkness"/sin (vs. 7).
Endnotes:

Jesus received the Spirit of God at His baptism, the beginning of His mission.

He has come first to the covenant people of Israel, but His message of salvation is a "light" for the entire world.

He teaches gently (He is meek and humble of heart and His yoke is easy).

But He also teaches firmly (condemning the corrupt and the wicked).

He offers hope and healing to the poor and afflicted.

He offers fair judgment and forgiveness to sinners.

He is the bearer of a New Covenant that will bring salvation to the nations.

Questions for group discussion:
Jesus said the judgment for failure to recognize the Messiah as Savior and Lord would be harsher on the covenant communities of the Galilee where He preached and worked miraculous signs than on Gentile communities that never heard Him or saw His works ( Mt 11:20-24).

Question: What impact does that statement have on members of the Universal Body of Christ today as opposed to those who have never received the true Gospel of salvation? Question: How will those who never heard the Gospel of salvation be held accountable at their Individual Judgments? See Rom 2:12-16; CCC 846-8.

Question: How does Jesus statement "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more" ( Lk 12:48) impact the Christian individually and the Christian community?

Question: What command did Jesus give that takes effect for all Catholics at the Sacrament of Confirmation when one becomes an adult apostle of Jesus Christ? How are you fulfilling that command? See Mt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; CCC 1286-89, 2471-72

1. The International Critical Commentary: Matthew, pages 233-34.

2. See Antiquities of the Jews, 18.5.1-8.1; Jewish Wars, 1.28.1; 2.9.6. For his record of the events surrounding the death of John the Baptist seeAntiquities, 18.5.2. Herodias' daughter Salome, who seduced her step-father with her dancing and won for her mother the head of John the Baptist was the daughter of Herodias' first husband, Herod Philip (Antiquities, 18.5.4). Later she will be married to her great-uncle, Philip the tetrarch and afterwards to Aristobulus, the grandson of Herod the Great (ibid.)

3. Some MSS do record "Jesus" instead of "the Christ," meaning "the Messiah," but the better and older MSS have "Christos."

4. The book of prophecy entitled "Malachi" was composed by an anonymous inspired writer shortly before Nehemiah's arrival in Jerusalem (c. 455 BC). The book is full of sharp reproaches leveled against the priests for offering invalid sacrifices and the rulers who failed to deliver justice to the covenant people. This may be why his identity is hidden in the title "My Messenger," in Hebrew, Malachi, which is found in Malachi 1:1 and 3:1.

5. See Jesus' seven woe judgments against the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27 and 29; the four woe judgments against the rich inLuke 6:24, 25 (twice) and 26. For additional "woe" judgments in the Old Testament seeNum 21:29; the six woe judgments against the unjust in Israel inIs 5:8, 11, 18, 20, 21 and 22; the three woe judgments of the prophet Amos inAm 5:7, 18; 6:1; and the five woe judgments of the prophet Habakkuk inHab 2:6, 9, 12, 15 and 19. There are also woe judgments in the book of Revelation where the eagle/angel decaled "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth" (Rev 8:13). Each of the three woes pronounced by the angel represents a separate disaster about to befall the earth (see9:12; 11:14) and the final woe judgment released by the seventh trumpet blast includes the plagues in chapter 16 where the first woe is past with two more to come (Rev 9:12); the second woe is past (Rev 11:14), but the third woe is coming quickly (Rev 11:14). There is a final "woe" judgment against the inhabitants of the earth inRevelation 12:12.

6. Bethsaida (Gk Bethsaida, Aramaic bet-sayida = "house fishin"?) was the hometown of the Apostles Sts. Simon-Peter, Andrew and Philip (Jn 1:44; 12:21) before Simon-Peter and Andrew moved their fishing business to Capernaum where Simon-Peter lived with his family (Mt 8:14). Capernaum was where Jesus healed the blind man in Mk 8:22. Capernaum (Gk kapharnaum, Aramaic keparnahum, the meaning of the place-name is uncertain. The site identified as ancient Capernaum is located 23 miles from Nazareth. Most of the healings, encounters and discourses in the first parts of the Synoptic Gospels take place there.Mt 4:13 records that Jesus established his residence there and Mt 9:1 calls Capernaum "his own city." It was the site of the healing of the Centurion's servant (Mt 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10), the healing of the paralytic (Mk 2:1-12), the healing of Simon-Peter's mother-in-law and the payment of the Temple tax (Mt 17:24-27). The site of Chorazin (Gk Chorazin) is believed to be the ruins about two miles NW of Capernaum.

7. Gath-hepher was located in the eastern border of the tribal territory awarded to the tribe of Zebulun (Josh 19:13), on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. In his commentary on the book of Jonah, St. Jerome, located Gath-hepher two miles from Sepphoris on the road to Tiberias. The modern village of Mashad (c. two miles east of Sepphoris) is the location of a tomb that, according to local tradition, is the tomb of the prophet Jonah (Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 2, "Gath-hepher," page 909).

8. St. Mark includes an interesting addition to this passage in Mk 2:26 where Jesus names the High Priest who permitted David and his men to eat the sacred bread as Ahimelech, which most scholars point out is an error. The High Priest of the Sanctuary where David and his men ate the sacred bread was Abiathar; he was later executed by Saul for having helped the fugitive David. David took in Abiathar's son, Ahimelech. When David became King of Israel he made Ahimelech the reigning the High Priest of Israel. Later, Ahimelech betrayed David. Mark does not make a mistake in having Jesus name the wrong high priest. The point is Ahimelech betrayed David, his rightful king, in the same way the Pharisees are going to betray David's heir, their rightful king, Jesus the Messiah.

9. In 165 BC, Mattathias (the priestly father of the Maccabees) and other leaders of the Jews amended to Law to permit defensive warfare on the Sabbath (1 Mac 2:41). That such an exception was permitted under the Law must have been known to the Pharisees. Unless they stood opposed to this exception, it was hypocritical of them to condemn Jesus for performing a humanitarian work of mercy on the Sabbath when a work of warfare for self-defense was permitted. Jesus did condemn them as hypocrites on several occasions.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for Matthew chapters 11:2-12:21 (* indicates Scripture is either quoted or paraphrased in the citation).

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Beloved Lord, There are times when Your plan for our lives is hidden from us, and we are uncertain which direction You mean for us to take as we journey toward salvation.

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If the Sabbath in the Old Testament is the seventh day, why do Catholics rest and worship on Sunday, the 1st (or "8th" day) of the week?

Are Christians in general and Catholics specifically breaking the Ten Commandments?  If we can seemingly change the adherence to the Ten Commandments with a Sunday Sabbath, why not other ones of the ten commandments?

What does the resurrection and the new creation have to tell us about why the new Sabbath of the new covenant is now celebrated on Sunday?

In this video, Dr. Brant Pitre explains what Jesus' Resurrection and the New Creation have to do with this mysterious difficulty.

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Transcript:

There is a problem that many of us may have never thought about, but it's a significant problem. As Catholics, whenever we're growing up and being catechized, we all learn the 10 commandments, right? And one of the commandments, is what? "You shall honor the Sabbath day." Now for many Catholics they just assume, "Well, that's Sunday, and so I honor it by going to church on Sunday". But, if you're a 1 Century Jew (or if you have taken any of my classes and we have gone through all these Old Testament texts), you'll realize, well, no, no, no. The commandment is not about Sunday, it's about what? Saturday. So this is one out of 10 commandments, the only one which we as Catholics, what? We don't keep. We don't keep the Sabbath day, do we? I mean what are you doing on Saturday? Are your resting? No. Right? This is a very important point. So if that commandment is optional, are the other ones optional? What about the 6 commandment? Our culture seems to think that one is optional right? Which other commandments can I give up? It's an interesting question, right?

And in fact, a whole group of Christians, the Seventh-day Adventists, started a church on this very issue. The Seventh-day Adventists will claim that all Christian churches who worship on Sunday rather than Saturday are in state of apostasy. We are basically all in a state of mortal sin and in a state of error because we are not keeping the divinely revealed law of God to keep the Sabbath, and Shabbat is not Sunday it is what? Saturday.

So if someone came up to you and said "Why do you Catholics worship on Sunday? Why do you Christians keep Sunday rather than Saturday? Why do you break the commandment?" What would be your response? I can't hear you, I don't know how good your responses are, this place is too big. Well I'll tell you what my response was the first time someone asked me that. It was "uh well, uh I don't know, you know... tradition, how about tradition? Maybe that's the reason." Because it's interesting, if you look through the whole New Testament, will you ever find a commandment in the New Testament that says "you no longer have to keep the Sabbath, now you can worship on Sunday"? Nope. You will not, even though all of the Apostolic Fathers, the earliest Church Fathers, they all said that their worship was on the first day of the week. So the question is then, "how do we understand this?"

Well I would suggest to you that the Apostolic Fathers, even though it wasn't made explicit in the New Testament, recognized that Jesus had fulfilled the old Sabbath in his death and his resting in the tomb and had inaugurated a new Sabbath by being raised from the dead on the first day of the week. Look at the Church's teaching on this and we'll conclude by looking at what the Catechism has to say about this. It quotes two early Church Fathers.You heard Dr. Hahn talking about the importance of the early Church Fathers, these Christians who lived at the time of the Apostles, or shortly after the Apostles, and how they interpreted the Sacred Scriptures. What do they have to say about the Sabbath and our obligation (or lack thereof) to worship on Saturday as opposed to Sunday?

Well this what the Catechism has to say. I want you to see this. This is fascinating in answer to that question, it says:

Jesus rose from the dead "on the first day of the week." Because it is the "first day," the day of Christ's Resurrection recalls the first creation.

Think about that. If you were an ancient Jew and you knew that God had instituted the Sabbath on the Seventh day, and he had said "Let there be light on the first day". Well, just back up, do the math. What day does he say "Let there be light" on in Genesis 1? It would be Sunday, right. That's the first day of the week. So the Catechism is saying that because Sunday is the first day, the day of Christ's resurrection actually recalls the first creation; because it is the 8 day following the Sabbath, it symbolizes what?

...the new creation ushered in by Christ's Resurrection. For Christians it has become the first of all days, the first of all feasts, the Lord's Day ( he kuriake hemera, dies dominica) Sunday

We all gather on the day of the sun, for it is the first day [after the Jewish sabbath, but also the first day] when God, separating matter from darkness, made the world; and on this same day Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead.

Then again, continue.Sunday then is the fulfillment of the Sabbath:

Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God.

Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the sabbath, but the Lord's Day, in which our life is blessed by him and by his death

That is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church 21:7:5. Don't turn the page, because there are no other pages. We can wrap up here. What do we see then? When we put scripture and tradition together, when we put scripture and the Church Fathers together, when we look at New Testament in light of the Old and the Old Testament in light of the New, our answer to our second question becomes clear. Why do we as Christians worship on Sunday rather than Sabbath? Why on Sunday rather than Saturday? Because we (remember this, this is so important)...Sunday is the day, not just of Jesus' resurrection, but of the new creation. And as a Catholic, when you were baptized into Christ, guess what? You died to the old world. You were crucified with Christ. As Paul says in Galatians 6, I have been crucified to the world and the world has been crucified to me; It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. Behold, I am a new creation. And so on Sunday Christ didn't just raise from the dead and show that you can't keep a good man down, right? That was kind of a joke....can't keep a good man down.It is late; I am coming to the end. It wasn't just a vindication of his messiahship. On Sunday Christ was inaugurating a whole new universe, a whole new creation that began in his own resurrected and glorified body. Just as the Father had said "Let there be light" on the first day and there was light and the father saw it was good, so too the son now inaugurates the new creation in his own glorified body. And as Catholics, guess what we belong to? Not to this old world which is passing away, but to the glorified and risen body of Christ, which lives forever.

And so how do we as Christians then celebrate that feast? We don't just get together on the New Sabbath of Sunday and hear songs, and hear prayers, and say prayers, and listen to scripture. We come to the table of the Lord in celebration of the new Sabbath and we receive the fulfillment of the Jewish Sabbath sacrifice: the bread and the wine of Christ's presence in the Eucharist. What a great gift the Lord has given to us. You know, so many Catholics don't attend mass on Sunday. We have a crisis of Sunday mass attendance. Am I lying or am I telling the truth here? It's a real, terrible problem. I think the latest stats now are that 60% of Catholics in America are not attending Sunday mass regularly. And what do some people say? "Well, why do I have to go to Bass to be with God? I can be with God in my car. I can be with God on the deer stand." That's a popular one. "Out in the woods, in my boat, with a fishing rod". Well, yeah, you can be with God because he is present everywhere. You can be with God in a boat. You can be with God in a car. You can be with God in the woods in his spiritual presence.God's spirit is omnipresent. But last time I checked, the Father sent the Son to become incarnate, to become a man, so that we could be redeemed. And the Son went to the cross so that we might be forgiven of our sins. And the Son was raised from the dead on Easter Sunday so that we might have hope of a life beyond this passing world, of a life beyond this old creation and this fallen valley of tears. And it was on that day that he inaugurated a new creation, and it is on that day and into that new creation that we were grafted when we were baptized into Christ. And it's into that new creation that we are called to go and give thanks to God and receive the bread and the wine of his glorious and everlasting presence. Is it too much for him to ask of us to give thanks to him by going to Mass every single Sunday until we give up our final breath?

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If the Sabbath in the Old Testament is the sixth day, why do Catholics rest and worship on Sunday, the 1st or 8th day of the week? Are Catholics breaking the Ten Commandments? In this video, Dr. Brant Pitre explains what Jesus' Resurrection and the New Creation have to do with this mysterious difficulty.

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Does the Sunday observance begin on Saturday evening, in imitation of the Jewish Sabbath? 

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Does the Sunday observance begin on Saturday evening, in imitation of the Jewish Sabbath? 

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In ancient Judaism the sabbath was from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. If Sunday is the Christian sabbath, should we celebrate it from sundown on Saturday to sundown on Sunday? Is this why attending an anticipatory Mass on Saturday evening fulfills our Sunday obligation?

Catholic.com
The option of attending an anticipatory Mass on Saturday evening has nothing to do with the fact the sabbath began at sundown. This provision was originally introduced for Catholics who had to miss Sunday Mass for a good reason (for example, because they had to work). The 1983 Code of Canon Law simply states: “The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day” (can. 1248, 1).

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Question:

In ancient Judaism the sabbath was from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. If Sunday is the Christian sabbath, should we celebrate it from sundown on Saturday to sundown on Sunday? Is this why attending an anticipatory Mass on Saturday evening fulfills our Sunday obligation?

Answer:

The Sunday obligation applies to the modern Sunday, reckoned from midnight to midnight. This was established by canon 1246 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law.

The ancient Jews reckoned days from sundown to sundown, meaning that for them the first part of the day was evening. This is why Genesis 1 says things like, "And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day" (Gn 1:5). The same custom was observed by the ancient Phoenicians, Athenians, Arabs, Germans, and Gauls. Today Jews and other groups who keep the sabbath, such as the Seventh-day Adventists, continue to celebrate it from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. This way of reckoning time was not the only one in the ancient world. For example, the Romans reckoned days from midnight to midnight-the system we use today.

The option of attending an anticipatory Mass on Saturday evening has nothing to do with the fact the sabbath began at sundown. This provision was originally introduced for Catholics who had to miss Sunday Mass for a good reason (for example, because they had to work). The 1983 Code of Canon Law simply states: "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day" (can. 1248, 1).

Sunday is often spoken of as "the Christian sabbath," but this is not a technical description. Sunday is not a strict replacement for the sabbath (which has been abolished), but a day the Church instituted to fulfill a parallel function. Thus Ignatius of Antioch, the earliest Church Father to address this question, states that Christian converts "have given up keeping the sabbath and now order their lives by the Lord's Day instead, the day when life first dawned for us, thanks to him [Christ] and his death" ( Letter to the Magnesians 9 [A.D. 107]).

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Does the Sunday observance begin on Saturday evening, in imitation of the Jewish sabbath?

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The Sunday obligation applies to the modern Sunday, ...

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"Mystery of the Kingdom" is a refreshing Bible study on the Gospel of Matthew that focuses on the "kingdom of God."  Why is the kingdom at the heart of Jesus’ teaching?  What were Jesus’ contemporaries expecting?  What did Jesus actually say about His kingdom?  What is the relationship between the “kingdom” and the Catholic Church we see today?" - Formed.

https://watch.formed.org/mystery-of-the-kingdom-on-the-gospel-of-matthew-by-edward-sri

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The Sermon on the Mount

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Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition Powered by Bible Gateway, a non-denominational Christian organization Considered by many Catholic scholars as the clearest, most accurate

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Catechism of the Catholic Church. SECOND EDITION Revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II

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Imprimi Potest + Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church Libreria Editrice Vaticana omnia sibi vindicat iura. Sine eiusdem licentia scripto data nemini liceat hunc Cat echismum denuo imprimere aut in aliam linguam vertere . The Holy See reserves all rights to itself. No one is allowed to reprint this Catechism or to translate it in another language without the permission of the Holy See. Latin text copyright © 1994, 1997, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America copyright © 1994, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops-Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops-Libreria Editrice Vaticana. The English translation of the Alleluia Verse from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); excerpt from the English translation of Rite of Baptism for Children © 1969, ICEL; excerpt from the English translation of Rite of Marriage © 1969, ICEL; the English translation of the General Instruction, Antiphons, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of Rite of Penance © 1974, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Ordination of Deacons, Priests, and Bishops © 1975, ICEL; excerpt from the English translation of Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity © 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of Rite of Confirmation © 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of Order of Christian Funerals © 1985, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults © 1985, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. English translation of Laetamur Magnopere from L'Osservatore Romano. Glossary and Index Analyticus copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations contained herein are adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971, and the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Excerpts from the Code of Canon Law, Latin/English Edition , are used with permission, copyright © 1983, Canon Law Society of America, Washington, DC. Citations of official church documents from Neuner, Josef, SJ, and Dupuis, Jacques, SJ, eds., The Chris tian Faith: Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church , 5th ed. (New York: Alba House, 1992). Used with permission. Excerpts from Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, New Revised Edition edited by Austin Flannery, OP, copyright © 1992, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, are used by permission of the publisher, all rights reserved. No part of these excerpts may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without express permission of Liturgical Press. The design of the logo is adapted from a Christian tombstone in the catacombs of Domitilla in Rome, which dates from the end of the third century A.D. This pastoral image, of pagan origin, was used by Christians to symbolize the rest and the happiness that the soul of the departed finds in eternal life. This image also suggests certain char acteristic aspects of this Catechism: Christ, the Good Shepherd who leads and protects his faithful (the lamb) by his authority (the staff), draws them by the melodious symphony of the truth (the panpipes), and makes them lie down in the shade of the tree of life, his redeeming Cross which opens paradise. In 2016, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition , was updated to reflect the 2011 English translation of Eucharistic Prayers, Creeds, and other texts in the Roman Missal, Third Edition . United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 3211 Fourth Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017-1194 ISBN 978-1-60137-649-7 First Printing, November 2019

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Imprimi Potest + Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church Libreria Editrice Vaticana omnia sibi vindicat iura. Sine eiusdem licentia scripto data nemini liceat hunc Cat­ echismum denuo imprimere aut in aliam linguam vertere . The Holy See reserves all rights to itself.

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CCC 1609-1617
"How is the meaning of marriage different in the New Covenant?  The Catechism teaches us today that Christ elevates the gift of marriage to a sacrament and restores the original order of this powerful union between man and woman. Fr. Mike explains why marriage looked different in the Old Covenant and how God was preparing his chosen people throughout time to accept Christ’s law of marriage." - The Catechism in a Year.

https://youtu.be/0m_nS6S-S0w

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Matthew 19 Talk Notes II E1. "Except for unchastity" - porneia

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Matthew 19 Talk Notes II E1. "Except for unchastity" - porneia

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"Jesus on Marriage and Divorce" in the commentary on Matthew 19 in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible

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CCC 1609-1617
"How is the meaning of marriage different in the New Covenant?  The Catechism teaches us today that Christ elevates the gift of marriage to a sacrament and restores the original order of this powerful union between man and woman. Fr. Mike explains why marriage looked different in the Old Covenant and how God was preparing his chosen people throughout time to accept Christ’s law of marriage." - The Catechism in a Year.

https://youtu.be/0m_nS6S-S0w

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The Kingdom Is Here.

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 1-2 Prologue: The Birth and Infancy of Jesus

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 1-2 Prologue: The Birth and Infancy of Jesus

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: The Birth and Infancy of Jesus

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Beloved Lord, Thank you for speaking to us in the words of Sacred
Scripture through Your divinely inspired human writers. You chose to reveal
Your truths through these men in words and stories, consigning to them what You
wanted written and no more. As we begin our study of the Gospel of St.
Matt…

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Matthew Leonard and Dr Brant Pitre discuss:
- The secret identity of St. Joseph
- The important clues regarding Joseph in the genealogy of St.
Matthew
- The darkly illuminating backstory that explains the awful
Massacre of the Innocents Jesus barely escaped
- The vital importance of the census story in Bethlehem and the House of David
- How we know the royal line of David in Jesus' time even though all records had been destroyed
- The one powerful word Scripture indicates St. Joseph uttered

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Dr.  Brant Pitre Reveals the Scriptural Secrets of St Joseph

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Messianic Checkpoint: The Gospel of Matthew (with Jeff Cavins)

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Carrying The Cross

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Miracle Worker

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The Father's Generosity

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Preaching Without Practice

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Sins of Omission

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Son of the Father

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Herod the Great
Herod Archelaus
Herod Antipas
Herod Agrippa I
Herod Agrippa II

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Herod the Great
In the account of the Passion, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. Is this the same Herod who wanted to kill Jesus just after he was born?
No, this is not the same Herod who wanted to kill Jesus but rather his son, Herod Antipas. There are several Herods in the New Testament, all related to each other. In this column I will write about the Herod the Great, who was king when Jesus was born, and later about the others.

Herod the Great, or Herod I, was born around 74-73 BC and died in 4 BC. Obviously, being the one who wanted to kill Jesus, the year of Jesus' birth must be placed at 4 BC or earlier (see my book Question Time 3, q. 317).

Herod was born in Idumea, south of Judea, the second son of Antipater, an Idumaean, and Cypros, a Nabatean. His father's ancestors had converted to Judaism and hence Herod was raised as a Jew. His rise to power was due largely to his father's good relationship with Julius Caesar, who had entrusted Antipater with the public affairs of Judea.

Herod himself was appointed provincial governor of Galilee around 47 BC, when he was in his late twenties. During that time he came to have a good relationship with Sextus Caesar, the acting Roman governor of Syria, who appointed him general of Coelesyria and Samaria, expanding his sphere of influence. He enjoyed the backing of Rome but his brutality was condemned by the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin.

In 41 BC Herod and his brother Phasael were named tetrarchs by the Roman leader Mark Antony, in order to support Hyrcanus II, the ruler of Judea. When Hyrcanus was overthrown by his nephew Antigonus, Herod went to Rome where he pleaded with the Romans to restore Hyrcanus to power. To his surprise, the Senate appointed Herod himself King of the Jews in 37 BC. It is to be noted that the title King of the Jews was a civil title granted by the Romans, not a spiritual one granted by the Jews.

Herod then returned to Judea where, in a war lasting three years, he won back the kingship from Antigonus. He married Hyrcanus's granddaughter Mariamne in an attempt to secure his claim to the throne and to gain favour with the Jews. Since he was already married to Doris, with whom he had a young son named Antipater, he chose to banish Doris and her son. Herod remained king of Judea until his death. He was, in a sense, a vassal of the Roman Empire and was expected to support the interests of the Romans. Over the years he had 10 wives.

Herod suffered from paranoia and had several high-ranking people put to death who posed a threat to his reign. Among those executed were several members of his own family, including his wife Mariamne I and her son Antipater, her mother Alexandra, his brother-in-law Kostobar, and his own sons Alexander and Aristobulus. To protect himself he had a personal bodyguard of 2000 soldiers. In view of his deep-seated fear of being overthrown and his cruelty, it is not surprising that when the three Wise Men said they wanted to worship Jesus, the King of the Jews (cf. Mt 2:1-2), Herod sought to kill Jesus too (cf. Mt 2:16).

Although he publicly identified himself as a Jew, the authenticity of his faith was questioned by many and his decadent lifestyle and cruelty only added to the antipathy of observant Jews. He made attempts to conform to the traditional Jewish laws and customs, but there were more instances where he was insensitive. For example, he introduced foreign forms of entertainment and erected over the entrance of the temple a golden eagle, which was considered a pagan idolatrous symbol.

Herod was renowned as a great builder. He rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem along with such other projects as the harbour at Caesarea, the fortresses of Masada and Herodium, and the pagan city of Sebaste.

Before his death Herod provided for his succession by dividing his kingdom among three of his sons. Herod Archelaus was ruler of Judea, Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, and Philip tetrarch of territories north and east of the Jordan. Since he did not confirm his will, none of them received the title of king.

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Which Herod was which? Sorting out the five Herods | The Catholic Weekly

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The first is Agrippa I, whom we have just mentioned. A grandson of Herod the Great, he was born to Herod's son Aristobulus IV and Bernice around 10 BC and died in 44 AD

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 27:27-28:20 PART VII: THE PASSION AND THE RESURRECTION - The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 27:27-28:20 PART VII: THE PASSION AND THE RESURRECTION - The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: Jesus’ Passion and Resurrection

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Agape Bible Study, Study of the Gospel of Matthew. This lesson reflects uon the arrest and trials of Jesus

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 24-25 JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM - The Fifth Discourse: Jesus' Eschatological Sermon

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 24-25 JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM - The Fifth Discourse: Jesus' Eschatological Sermon

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Holy and Eternal Father,
You have promised us, Lord, that the end of this earthly existence is not the end of life. The soul You have given man is immortal, but whether or not we spend our immortality in Your divine Presence is a choice that we make. Give us the grace to accept Your redemptive temporal judgments that are meant to call us to repentance and to renewed fellowship with You, Lord. Help us to be mindful of St. Paul's warning to work out our salvation with fear and trembling "not fear of You our loving Father, but fear of offending You and the consequences of mortal sin. Guide us in our study of Jesus' warnings of temporal judgment and tribulation for the people of Jerusalem and His warning of the Great Tribulation all mankind will face before His Second Advent. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The magnificent splendor of the temple's design was shown to Christ immediately after he had warned of Jerusalem's desolation, as though to move him. Yet he said that everything had to be destroyed and the scattered stones of its entire foundation demolished, for an eternal temple was being consecrated as a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. This eternal temple is the man who is made worthy of becoming God's habitation through knowledge of the Son, confession of the Father and obedience to the commandments.
Hillary, Bishop of Poitiers (315-367 AD), On Matthew 25.1

Wednesday was Jesus' last teaching day in Jerusalem. The Pharisees had been continually frustrated in their attempts to discredit Jesus with the crowds and unknowingly spoke prophetically when they complained to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the whole world has gone after him" ( Jn 12:19). Their words were ironically fulfilled when some Gentiles came to Philip and asked to meet with Jesus ( Jn 12:20-22; in verse 21 "to see" has the implication of "meet with"). When Philip and Andrew, the two Jewish disciples who had Greek names, told Jesus some Greeks wanted to speak with Him, Jesus declares:"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified ..." ( Jn 12:23. In making this declaration, Jesus links His coming crucifixion to the extending of His Gospel message of salvation to the Gentile nations. It is also Jesus' announcement that the time for Him to personally gather in the "lost sheep" of Israel has come to an end. After a final homily, speaking of His Passion and glorification ( Jn 12:24-36) and with God the Father's voice from heaven affirming the glorification of His name in Jesus' coming "hour" ( Jn 12:28), Jesus left the Temple precincts and crossed the Kidron Valley with His Apostles to the Mt. of Olives.
Matthew Chapter 24 ~ The Beginning of Jesus' Eschatological Sermon: The destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Coming Structure of Jesus' Eschatological Sermon (24:1-25:46)

1. Introduction ~ 24:1-2
Destruction of the Temple

2. Signs of the Coming Disaster ~ 24:3-14

1. False messiahs

2. Wars, famines, earthquakes

3. Persecution of the elect, false prophets and growth of sin

4. Gospel of the Kingdom proclaimed throughout the world

3. The Great Tribulation of Jerusalem ~ 24:15-27

1. Desecration of the Temple

2. False prophets and false messiahs

4. The Parousia of the Son of Man ~ 24:29-25:30

1. Signs of His coming

2. Parable of the Fig Tree

3. Parable of the Two Stewards

4. Parable of the Ten Virgins

5. Parable of the Talents

5. The Last Judgment ~ 25:31-46

The Jerusalem Temple was a source of great pride to the Jews of Jesus' generation. To win the hearts of the people, Rome's appointed King of the Jews, the Idumaean Herod the Great, took the simple structure built by the Jews who returned from the Babylonian captivity in the 6 th century BC and turned it into one of the most beautiful buildings of its time (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 15.11.1-7; Wars of the Jews, 1.21.1).

In predicting the destruction of the Temple in verses 1-2, Jesus was not expressing hostility to the Temple. Jesus had the most profound love and respect for His "Father's house," as He called the Temple ( Jn 2:16).

It was at the Jerusalem Temple that His mother came with Joseph forty days after Jesus' birth to present Jesus, her firstborn son, to receive her prescribed ritual purification, and to present her sacrifice under the Law (Lk 2:22-24).

When Jesus was twelve, He stayed in the Temple three days to discuss theology with the priests and scribes (Lk 2:41-52).

He kept the holy days by attending the annual Temple feasts at their appointed times (Jn 2:13; 7:2, 10; 11:22-23; 12:1).

He paid the Temple tax to support the upkeep of the Temple (Mt 18:24-27).

He cared about abuses of the Temple, cleansing His "Father's house" three times during His ministry (Jn 2:13-21; Mt 21:12-13;Mk 11:15-17).

Jesus recognized the Jerusalem Temple as God's dwelling-place among men and even identified Himself with the Temple by presenting Himself as God's definitive "dwelling-place among men" ( Mt 12:6; Jn 2:19-21). But, on His last teaching day in Jerusalem, Jesus unites His prophecy of the Temple's destruction to the destruction of His own Body in His Passion. His death will become a sign of the future destruction of the Jerusalem Temple that will inaugurate the new and Final Age of mankind (see CCC 585-86, 593).

Jesus' prediction of the destruction of the Temple of His own Body and the raising up of His Body/Temple on the third day ( Jn 2:19) will be used against Him at His trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin, and He will be taunted with His claim as He suffers on the Cross ( Mt 27:39-40; Mk 14:57-58).

Jesus' prophecy, Amen, I say to you, there will not be left here a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down" was literally fulfilled when the Roman's destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.

After Jesus' prophecy concerning the destruction of the Temple, He and the disciples left the city of Jerusalem, crossed the Kidron Valley Bridge and came to the Mt. of Olives. The disciples have already been told about His Passion, death and Resurrection which they understand will mark the close of the present age, and so they ask Him about His Parousia ("coming," "appearance"). They know that the destruction of the Temple is connected to His Parousia: Behold, your house [the Temple] will be abandoned. But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord' ( Lk 13:35; also see Mt 23:38).

St. Matthew usually writes about the future "coming" or "appearance" of Jesus using the term parousia (see Mt 24:3, 27, 37 and 39). The Greek term refers to the "coming" of a person or his presence as opposed to his absence (see Phil 2:12), or the arrival of a person at a destination (see 1 Cor 16:17; 2 Cor 7:6-7; Phil 1:26). But in the ancient world it was also a technical term designating the arrival of a ruler to view his subjects and it is in this sense that the term is applied to Jesus' Second Advent/Coming at the end of the Final Age of mankind (see 1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thes 4:15; 2 Thes 2:1; 2 Pt 3:12).

In His homily Jesus speaks of both the end of the age of the Sinai Covenant that inaugurates the Messianic Age and the end of the Messianic Age that is the Final Age of Man and His Second Advent/Coming.

Question: Why was the Mt. of Olives an appropriate place for Jesus to speak of the end of the age? See Zech 14:1-9 and Acts 1:8-12. The Jews understood that the Age of the Sinai Covenant would end with the coming of the Messianic Age.
Answer: The 6 th century BC prophet Zechariah spoke of both the destruction of Jerusalem and the Parousia of the Lord God. He said at the end of the Age that the Lord will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will fall and half the population will go into exile. Then the prophet said Yahweh will go against those nations, and when He returns His feet shall rest on the Mt. of Olives and the mountain will be split in half from east to west "from the Mt. of Olives to Jerusalem. At that time God will come with His holy ones. The Mt. of Olives is also the site of the Ascension and the place to which two angels told the disciples Jesus will return.

Men will come deceiving people claiming to be the messiah

There will be many reports of wars

There will be famines and earthquakes

The disciples will be hated by the Gentileswho willpersecute and kill them because of their faith

Many of the faithful will be led into sin; evil doing will grow and love will diminish as there is betrayal within the community

There will be false prophets within the community

These terrors will be the "birth pangs" that precede the coming of the Messianic Age

Many of the signs like wars, famines and earthquakes are disasters that occur regularly throughout the course of human history. However, during Jesus' lifetime the success of the Roman Empire imposed a "Roman peace" over the territories they controlled.

When Jesus warns that All theses are the beginning of the labor pains, He is saying that the tribulation will not come suddenly but will build up over a period of time like a woman who feels the prolonged contractions of the coming birth of her child.

Matthew 24:9-11 ~ Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 And then many will be led into sin; they will betray and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and deceive many; and because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold.

It wouldn't have surprised the disciples to hear that persecution will come from the pagan Gentile nations, but it must have distressed them to hear that dissension and betrayal would come from within the community of the faithful, meaning both the Jewish community and the Jewish-Christian community (verses 10-12).

1. Those who persevere will be saved

2. The Gospel of salvation will be preached to the ends of the earth before the end comes

He wants them to continue their mission to the Gentile nations, which clearly makes this part of His homily about the temporal destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. St. Paul speaks of the Jewish persecution of Christians a part of God's plan until the "full number of the Gentiles comes in" at which time "all Israel will be saved" ( Rom 11:25-26).

Since Jesus speaks of both the end of the Age of the Sinai Covenant with the beginning of the Messianic Age and the destruction of Jerusalem as well as the end of the Final Age of Man and His Second Advent within the same homily, it is difficult to know if the sign that the Gospel will be preached to the ends of the earth is a sign of His Second Advent or a sign of the destruction of Jerusalem. By 70 AD, the Gospel of salvation had been preached to the ends of the Roman Empire "the ends of the known world for the Jews. However, with the invention of mass media and the internet, we can truly say that today the Gospel of salvation has been preached to the ends of the earth.

Verse 22 sets the events described during the lifetimes of the disciples. The "saved" refers to temporal salvation. In the return of the Messiah there is an end to time as we know it, but since Jesus says "for the sake of the elect" the tribulation will be shortened He is speaking of ending the tribulation for the sake of the Church so His disciples can continue with their mission to spread the Gospel of salvation.

The abomination of desolation in verse 15 is the Hebrew expression found in Daniel 9:27; 11:31 and 12:11, which was a parody on the name of the false god whose worship was set up in the Temple by the Seleucid king Antiochus IV in 167 BC (Harrington, The Gospel of Matthew, page 336). Matthew's parenthetical comment let the reader understand means the reader should try to find a historical link to that previous event recorded by the prophet Daniel. The Roman emperor Nero announced his intention of setting up a statue of himself in the Jerusalem Temple, but died before he could make good on his threat.

Matthew 24:20 ~ Pray that your flight not be in winter or on the Sabbath, 21 for at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will be.

Jesus' dramatic words depict the magnitude of the suffering. Travel in winter was difficult because of the seasonal rains, muddy roads, and the wadis (normally dry stream beds) travelers would have to cross being overfilled with water. Jesus mentions the Sabbath because it was a day for entering into God's rest in worship when no work and no travel was permitted "a religious Jew would face a crisis of conscience in choosing to keep the Sabbath or to ignore his religious obligations in order to flee disaster. Josephus, an eyewitness to the events, records that the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army in 70 AD was literally the end of the world for the Jews.

St. Matthew provides the detail that the abomination takes place "in the holy place" of the Jerusalem Temple. The Temple proper was divined into two sacred spaces:

1. The Holy Place held the golden Menorah (lamp stand), the golden table that held the twelve loaves of the Bread of the Presence (of God) and the golden Incense Altar.

2. The inner sanctum was a cube shaped space called the Holy of Holies. In the Temple of Solomon this space held the Ark of the Covenant over which God's Presence dwelt among His people, but in Herod's Temple it was an empty space (2 Mac 1-8).

St. Luke interprets the event that brings about the profaning of the Temple as imminent when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near ( Lk 21:20). Biblical scholars and biblical historians see this event fulfilled in the four Roman legions composed of soldiers from across the Roman world that surrounded and then destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD. This event was followed by the profaning of the Temple when General Titus entering the Holy Place with his commanders and the Roman soldiers carrying the pagan images of their ensigns into the Temple and displaying them there while they offered pagan sacrifices (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 6.4.7; 6.6.1).

The "abomination of desolation" in the Temple, the imagery of the coming of the "Son of Man" and now the wording in verse 21 all recalls images from the book of the prophet Daniel. The visions Daniel receives reach their climax in chapter 12: At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people. It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others will be an everlasting horror and disgrace. But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever ( Dan 12:1-3).

Matthew 24:22 ~ And if those days had not been shortened, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect they will be shortened. Jesus' implied promise is that those days of tribulation will be shortened so the faithful elect will be saved from destruction and the spreading of the Gospel of salvation will continue. Harrington points out that Matthew uses the grammatical structure known as the "divine passive" in this verse, pointing to an act of God ( Gospel of Matthew, page 337).

Question: In the Old Testament to whom does "the elect" or "the chosen ones" refer? To whom does Jesus refer to as His "elect"? See Dt 7:6-11; Rom 11:5-7.
Answer: "The elect" in the O.T. are the children of Israel who God called into covenant with Him and who must live in obedience to His commands. Jesus is referring to the "elect" of the new Israel "the "faithful remnant" of Jews who He chose to become the New Covenant community of believers.

Matthew 24:23-26 ~ If anyone says to you then, Look, here is the Messiah!' or, There he is!' do not believe it. 24 False messiahs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders so great as to deceive, if that were possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told it to you beforehand. 26 So if they say to you, He is in the desert,' do not go out there; if they say He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

In a repeat of verse 5 Jesus speaks again of false messiahs and prophets. Josephus records that there were false prophets and false messiahs (those Jews claiming to be God's leaders of the people) leading up to and during the revolt against Rome ( The Jewish Wars, 2.13.5; 2.17.1-10; 4.3.2, 8-9; 4.7.1; also see Acts 5:35-39). Verse 26 reveals that this will not be a hidden event.

Matthew 24:27-28 ~"For just as lightening comes from the east and is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."

Lightening in the sky is the sign of a coming storm. The sign of the coming judgment will be as clear an event as the lightening that announces a storm.

Matthew 24:28 ~ Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. The literal translation is "eagles will gather."

It is a common sight for birds of prey to gather over an exposed corpse. The point of Jesus' little proverb is to emphasis the clear and public viewing of the results of the tribulation when the Son of Man comes in judgment on Jesus' generation of Jerusalem as promised in Matthew 23:36. It is the place and the people who gathered around His corpse.

Matthew 24:29-31 ~ The Parousia of the Son of Man
29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from the one end of the heavens to the other."

Speaking of the future messianic hope, God told the prophet Haggai: I will shake the heavens and the earth; I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms, destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations ( Hag 2:21-22). In verse 29 Jesus uses apocalyptic language to express the serious consequences of the "Day of the Lord" when all creation will signal the coming of the Son of Man and the course of human history is altered. This is the same imagery the prophet Joel uses in Joel 3:1-5, a passage St. Peter quoted from in his homily on Pentecost Sunday when he said the day Joel wrote about had come: And I will work wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and cloud of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and splendid day of the Lord, and it shall be that everyone shall be saved who calls on the name of the Lord ( Acts 2:19-21). Also see similar language in the books of other Old Testament prophets ( Is 13:10; 34:4; Ez 32:7; Amos 8:9; Joel 2:10, 31; Hag 2:6, 31; 21).

The inspired writer of the letter of Hebrews wrote of Jesus as the mediator of the new covenant in context of the tribulation after His Ascension and later in His return: See that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much more in our case if we turn away from the one who warns from heaven. His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, "I will once more shake not only earth but heaven." That phrase, "once more," points to the removal of shaken, created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. Therefore, we who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should have gratitude, with which we should offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire ( Heb 12:25-29).

In using these phrases, Jesus may be referring to the prophecy in Zechariah 12:10-12 which refers to the Messiah's death and the nations of the earth mourning and to Daniel 7:13-14 in which a divine "Son of Man" ascends on the glory cloud to take His place beside the "Ancient of Days" as the ruler of all earthly nations.

The gathering of God's "elect" is also described in the Old Testament ( Dt 30:4; Is 11:11, 16; 27:12; Ez 39:27). God's elect, the children of Israel were gathered for each day's march to the Promised Land by the trumpet signal ( Num 10:1-7), but in this passage the trumpet blast is the sign of the gathering of God's elect from the ends of the earth where they have been scattered.

Question: In addition to gathering the elect, what other duty is assigned the angels in Matthew 13:41-42?
Answer: The angels are also charged with collecting the wicked for punishment. They are in charge of the harvest of souls.

A trumpet blast in Isaiah 27:13 describes in eschatological language the gathering in of the lost of Israel from the Gentile nations of Assyria and Egypt. And in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, St. Paul describes the Parousia of the Christ and the gathering of the elect: For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord.

In this next section of His discourse, Jesus will tell four parables. These are His last parables on His last teaching day in Jerusalem. The theme of each parable is "watchfulness."

Matthew 24:32-35 ~ The Time of His Coming in the Parable of the Fig Tree
32 "Learn a lesson [parabole =parable] from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leavens, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, know that he is near, at the gates. 34 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

Again Jesus is using an image of the Old Testament prophets in the image of the fig tree. Unlike most trees in the Holy Land, the fig tree sheds it leavens in winter. When the fig tree begins producing leaves and buds it is a sign that summer is coming.

Since the reference is to Jesus' generation in verse 34, the "these things" that must take place must refer to His death and resurrection after which will come the tribulation of Jerusalem followed by the Son of Man coming in judgment on Jerusalem and the Temple to fulfill His prophecy in 24:2.

Jesus solemn saying Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away in verse 35 are reminiscent of Isaiah 40:8: Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever. Verses 34-35, the references to "these things" and "heaven and earth," also recalls His promise in Matthew 5:18: Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place, a reference to His Passion, death and resurrection when the old Law of the Sinai Covenant will be fulfilled.

There are three possible interpretations:

1. The unknown time of the coming tribulation and judgment on Jerusalem for Jesus' generation.

2. The unknown hour of the Second Coming of the Christ at the end of time.

3. The unknown moment of one's death, when each person will face judgment.

It is therefore foolish for people to speculate about His imminent coming. It is better to live as though He is coming in the next minute and to keep one's life continually "right" with God. As Jesus warns in 24:22-23, if anyone tells you he knows when Jesus is coming, avoid that person because he is a false prophet.

Harrington notes that the verb paralambanetai "taken away" in verse 40 has eschatological overtones ( The Gospel of Matthew, page 342). The point of the two people doing the same tasks with one "taken" and the other "left behind" points out not only the common theme of daily life that will be suddenly ended in the crisis but also the division that will come about "when the Son of Man comes" in judgment (see Jesus' teaching on division in Mt 10:34-35). Protestants have interpreted this passage to suggest the faithful believers will be taken into heaven but the others who have not accepted the Gospel message of salvation will be left to endure the final tribulation. However, the passage does not say which are the better off "the taken or those left behind. This theory does not agree with other passages in Scripture about the Second Advent while will immediately be followed by the final judgment of both the righteous and the wicked (i.e., Rev 20:11-15). Then too, these verses may be referring to the end of the Jewish revolt. After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Romans sold almost a million Jews into slavery causing a catastrophic division of the people.

Matthew 25:42-44 ~ Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. 43 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. 44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."

Jesus urges vigilance since the exact time is unknown. The comparison of such an unexpected event to a thief plundering a man's house appears five times in the New Testament ( Mt 24:43; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pt 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15. In verse 44 Jesus urges all of us "men and women of every generation to be prepared for His coming "in the hour of our death and in the final hour for all mankind.

After prophesying the judgment of Jerusalem and the visible coming of His Messianic reign, Jesus will end His discourse by telling three more parables concerning the ultimate fate of all men and women. These parables focus on the need for constant vigilance before the promised end time event, the time of whose arrival no one but the Father knows ( Mt 24:36). Like Jesus' other discourses in the Gospel of Matthew this last discourses ends in an eschatological (end times) parable.

The adjective pistos/faithfulin the sense of one who is trustworthy and reliable is frequently used as the ideal characteristic of a Christian leader (see 1 Cor 4:1-2, 17; Col 1:7; Eph 6:21; Tit 1:9).

In Numbers 12:7 Moses is identified as the chief servant God placed over His household, the Old Covenant Church. In Hebrews 3:1-6 the inspired writer compares Moses and Christ. Jesus, "who was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all his house" but they goes on to say that Moses was faithful as a servant while Christ was faithful as a divine Son placed over God's house, the Church.

In ancient times, the chief servant who ruled in his master's name over the household was the master's steward or vicar in the case of kings.

Question: Please answer Jesus' question in verse 45: Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Who is the chief servant/steward who has the authority over Jesus' household, the Church? What is the "food" and what is the "proper time"?
Answer: St. Peter and his successors, the Popes of the Catholic Church are the stewards of the household founded by God, His Church; although the reference could also be to the stewards/pastors of each faith community. The "food" that is distributed is the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist and the proper time is the Mass.

The chief servant could be the leader of the universal household of God, the Church, or he could even be the leader of individual households that are faith communities within the Body of Christ.

The mention of "fellow servants" in verse 49 signals that the chief servant/steward is himself a servant.

This parable is a warning to all successors of St. Peter who are the chief stewards over God's household.

Jesus has spoken often of the eternal fire of Gehenna as the destination for those who reject God's gift of salvation. The Church affirms the existence of Hell and its eternity of separation from God (see CCC 1033-37).

The unfaithful Christian servant/steward will be cast out into Gehenna, the place of punishment where there will be "wailing and grinding of teeth. Jesus' warning is not only for the Popes of the Catholic Church but for all Christian leaders.

Question: What is the connection to The Pharisees and scribes in Matthew 23:15 and 33 and those persons mentioned in Matthew 8:11-12; 13:42, 50; 22:13 and 23:37?
Answer: Matthew places the unfaithful Christian leader in the same class as the failed Jewish leaders ( Mt 23:15, 33), the unfaithful Israelite "children of the kingdom" ( Mt 8:11-12), those who reject God's call to salvation and become the children of the evil one/Satan Mt 13:42), the wicked that the angels separate from the righteous ( Mt 13:50), and the wedding guest who came to the banquet but did not come in the garment of grace ( Mt 22:13) "when they face Divine Judgment, all these will be cast into the outer darkness, into the fiery furnace of Gehenna where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

Matthew will use the expressing "wailing and grinding of teeth" for Gehenna one more time in Jesus' description of the Last Judgment in 25:31, for a total of six times.
Matthew Chapter 25 ~ Eschatological Discourse Continued
The word used to describe the ten women in the parable is parthenos in the Greek, which means "virgin." It is the same word used for Mary in Matthew 1:23 and in the Greek translation of Isaiah 7:14. This is a parable concerned with the necessity of watchfulness but it is also another "kingdom of heaven" parable.

The virgins are waiting for the bridegroom to take them to the marriage feast. In the Greek text the word for marriage is plural, gamos. It is the Christian tradition that Christ is the Bridegroom of His Church who is His faithful and virginal Bride (see Mt 9:15; Jn 3:29; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-33; Rev 21:2, 9 and 22:17).

Question: If the Bridegroom is Christ, who are the virgins in the parable, what do the oil lamps represent, and where is the wedding feast? See Rev 19:5-9.
Answer:

The virgins are the Bride of Christ, the Christian communities of the Church

The oil lamps represent God the Holy Spirit

The wedding banquet is the heavenly wedding banquet of the Lamb and His Bride (Rev 19:7, 9)

The virgins represent the Christian communities waiting for the Bridegroom, who is Jesus, to take them to the wedding feast, which is the heavenly marriage supper of the Lamb: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment." (The linen represents the righteous deeds of the holy ones.) Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb" ( Rev 19:7-9).

In the parable, all the virgins have oil lamps which they must keep burning as they await the coming of the Bridegroom. The flames of the oil lamps probably represent the spiritual light of the Holy Spirit giving life to the Church. Fire is a symbol of the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Exodus out of Egypt, the children of Israel were guided by the fiery pillar, and in the Jerusalem Temple, the seven burning oil lamps of the golden Menorah represented the presence of God's spirit in the Sanctuary. In the New Testament, St. John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Christ who will "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" ( Lk 1:17; 3:16). Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said "I came to cast fire upon the earth and would that it were already kindled!" ( Lk 12:49). On Pentecost, God the Holy Spirit possessed the New Covenant community praying in the Upper Room in the form of tongues of fire ( Acts 2:3-4), and St. Paul warns Christians "do not quench the Spirit" ( 1 Thes 5:19; also see CCC 696).

In the parable the bridegroom is delayed in his coming. This delay is similar to the delay of the return of the Master in the parable of the two servants and is a reminder that we do not know when Christ, our Bridegroom, will return.

Question: What is the contrast between the virgins in the parable?
Answer: Five virgins, half the Christian communities, are prudent and watchful. They are the Christian communities or individual Christians who are vigilant in keeping their lives right with God in preparation for the Parousia of the Christ. But only half the virgins/Christian communities are prepared for the coming of the bridegroom "the ill-prepared virgins miss the coming of the bridegroom and cannot enter the wedding feast.

see Mt 22:11-14 for the parable of the wedding guest who was also not prepared).

Like the door of the Ark that closed at the coming of the flood, the door to the Kingdom of Heaven will be closed to those who do not prepare for the wedding feast of the Lamb and His Bride the Church.
11 Afterwards the other virgins came and said, Lord, Lord, open the door for us! 12 But he said in reply, amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'
Question: What warning did Jesus give in Matthew 7:21-23 that is repeated in this parable?
Answer: Not everyone who calls Jesus "Lord" will enter the gates of heaven but only those who do the will of God the Father.

In Matthew 7:23 the Greek verb is different but the meaning is the same.

Jesus response to those who failed in their obedience is that He never knew them. "Knowing" someone intimately in the Bible is either through sexual intimacy or the intimacy of covenant kinship. Jesus' rejection of the foolish virgins/failed Christians is because they never committed to the intimacy of covenant union with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

The warning that has been given throughout His discourse is repeated once again "be prepared and be vigilant because you do not know the day or hour when Christ will come for the Church as a whole and for you as an individual.

The "man" in the parable is referred to as kyrios, "Lord" ten times in verses 18, 19, 20, 21 (twice), 22, 23 (twice), 24 and 26.

The man is Jesus

His journey is His Ascension to the Heavenly Kingdom

His servants are His disciples of every generation

The talents represent the spiritual gifts God gives every believer

The Master/Christ will return in the Second Advent which will precede the judgment of His servants

A talent was a very large sum. One commentator has estimated a single talent was worth the wage of a common laborer for fifteen years. A talent was equal in value to 6,000 Greek drachmas (Fr. McKenzie, Dictionary of the Bible, "money," page 583). You may recall that the double drachma was the amount due for the Temple tax ( Mt 18:24-27); therefore, the talent amounts in the parable represent an enormous amount of money in the ancient world. God is generous in giving spiritual gifts to His covenant children, and like the man in the parable, He calibrates those spiritual gifts according to the abilities of the disciple/servant. However, He expects those gifts to be used to advance the Kingdom of Heaven on earth "the Church.

Notice that Jesus congratulated both the servant with many spiritual gifts and the one with less spiritual gifts. Each servant was judged according to his ability to use the gifts he had received. All the servants are professed believers and members of the covenant.

Both servants who used their gifts wisely were promised entrance into the Master's joy ( 25:21, 23). The Master's joy is eternal salvation and entrance into the life of the Most Holy Trinity

Matthew 25:26-27 ~ His master said to him in reply, You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

God calls men and women to salvation even outside the Church "where He did not plant and scatter seed. The failed servant knew the scope of God's call to salvation but ignored his obligation to help with the harvest. The least he could have done would have been to invest his wealth "the temporal gift of money that was also a blessing from God "into the spread of the Gospel by financially supporting the Church.

"Wailing and gnashing of teeth" is a term that Matthew has used seven times ( 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13, 24:51 25:30 and for the last time in 25:30). The expression vividly describes the frustration and anguish felt by those souls who have been, through their own unrepeated sins, excluded from the Master's joy in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus/the Master promises that those who use their spiritual gifts to serve the Church and to advance the Kingdom will receive more gifts to enrich their lives in the service of Jesus Christ, while those who neglect their spiritual gifts will lose what they were initially given.

The perspective of Jesus' homily now changes. The theme of watchfulness for the return of the Master and the final accounting that will take place when the Master returns in the last parable that sets the stage for Jesus' final teaching on Wednesday of His last week in Jerusalem "Jesus' Second Advent and the end of the world as we know it. Some scholars see this last part of Jesus' discourse as a final parable.

Jesus concludes His homily with a vision of the Last Judgment when the Son of Man judges all the people of every nation on the earth. This is the same vision the prophet Daniel witnessed: As the visions of the night continued, I saw one like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven. When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him. He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed ( Dan 7:13-14).

The Church teaches that there will be an individual judgment at the end of each person's life on earth ( Heb 9:27; CCC 1021-22). However, at the end of time, Christ will return in glory as He has promised. His return will signal the resurrection of the dead that will be followed by the Last Judgment (CCC 1038, 1040). This is the event St. John describes when he wrote: Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation ( Jn 5:28-29; see CCC 1038-41).

The words "all nations" suggests that is Last Judgment after the Second Advent of Christ and the resurrection of the dead at the end of the world (see Rev 20:11-15).

And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. It was the practice in the Holy Land and that region of the world today to keep both sheep and goats in the same flock, but the shepherd had to separate them at night and take the goats into a warmer enclosure since their coats were not sufficiently heavy to keep them warm (Jeremias, Parables of Jesus, page 206). However, these sheep and goats are from the same flock "either the same flock of covenant believers or the same flock of mankind. This teaching recalls the prophecy of Ezekiel: As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD, I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats ( Ez 34:17). In the Last Judgment all nations of the earth will face judgment including the Christians of God's flock and all others from the nations of the earth.

Question: Who is the Son of Man? Why does He sit in judgment over the nations of the earth? See Ez 39:21; Dan 7:13-14; Mt 25:31, 34, 40; Rom 2:9-10; 1 Cor 6:2-3; 1 Pt 4:17.
Answer: Jesus is the Son of Man and divine King of the nations in Daniel's vision in 7:13-14. Since He has been given power by God the Father over the nations of the earth, He has the right to judge the nations at the end of the Age of Man.

The declaration of Jesus' kingship began in Matthew's genealogy and the infancy narrative ( Mt 1:1, 20; 2:2, 13-14) and will be ironically proclaimed in the Passion narrative ( Mt 27:11, 29, 37, 42). Some scholars interpret this passage to mean that there will be a separate judgment for believers as opposed to non-believers. Others suggest there is a separate judgment for Jews and Gentiles which seems unlikely since the New Covenant puts an end to the Old Covenant under which the Jews were promised a future salvation through obedience to the Law (see Heb 10:8-10). Salvation under obedience to the commands and prohibitions of the Sinai Covenant is no longer possible since the Temple has been destroyed. If there is a separate judgment for the people of God and non-believers, this passage suggest the path to salvation for those who never heard the Gospel of salvation is their good deeds which they render to both Christ by service to the oppressed and poor, including Christians (see Rom chapter 2).

Question: What teaching from both the Old and New Testaments is the basis for the Last Judgment? See Lev 19:18; Dt 6:5 and Mt 22:34-40.
Answer: The obligation to love God and to love one's neighbor.

In His judgment Jesus lists six unfortunate conditions and six acts of compassion in response to those conditions:

1. hungry - gave food

2. thirsty - gave drink

3. stranger - welcomed

4. naked - clothed

5. ill - cared for

6. in prison - visited

He equates those acts of compassion for the unfortunate with acts of love extended to Himself and to the withholding of love from Him (verses 35-36 and 42-43).

Question: What is Jesus' message concerning humanity's relationship with Him?
Answer: If we truly love Jesus, we will express the love we have for Him by acts of compassion to those in need of love and compassion.

The Church lists the kind acts described verses 35-36 among "the works of mercy" (CCC 2447). The Church imitates Christ's love for the poor and oppressed as "part of her constant tradition" (CCC 2444). St. John Chrysostom reminded his congregation that all the material blessings we enjoy are from God, and we should not look upon them as ours alone: Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs ( Homilies in Lazaro 2.5).

Jesus identifies with the poor and the oppressed and makes the Christian's outpouring of active love toward those who suffer a condition for entering His Kingdom. We cannot hope of an eternal reward without loving God and love of God is tied to love and concern for our brothers and sisters in the family of mankind (CCC 2443). St. John wrote in 1 John 3:14-15: We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murdered, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him (see CCC 544, 1033).

Matthew 26:1-1 ~When Jesus finished all these words, he said to his disciples, 2 "You know that in two days' time it will be Passover, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."

Jesus' final homily in Matthew's Gospel ends like the other four with a statement using the verb teleo, "finished." Jesus and His disciples left their vantage point on the Mt. of Olives across from the beautiful Jerusalem Temple that was the symbol of Old Covenant worship. They withdrew to the village of Bethany where Jesus had His last dinner with His friends before the Passover sacrifice the next day and the beginning of His walk to the Cross.

Question for group discussion:

Each of us has been given spiritual gifts to advance the Kingdom, but it is our obligation to discover those gifts and put them to use. What are your spiritual gifts and what are you doing to use those gifts to advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ? At the Last Judgment, which servant judgment do you think you will receive?

Endnotes:

1. Jesus' parousia is not only promised in His Second Advent. His presence continues with His Church spiritually and sacramentally ( Mt 8:20; 28:20; Jn 6:53-58; 1 Cor 10:16). His sacramental parousia is acknowledged in the sacrifice of the Mass when the faithful proclaim "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD."

2. False messiah's are not men claiming to be Jesus men but claiming to be God's anointed; see Acts 5:6 and Josephus' list of men claiming to be the messiah during the Jewish Revolt against Rome ( Antiquities of the Jews, 18.85-87; 20.97-99, 167-72, 188).

3. Acts 11:28 reports a famine that is also recorded in secular histories in the late 40's AD (see Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 20.101). In the same period there were also a series of earthquakes in Judea, Syria, and other parts of the Roman Empire (see Tacitus, Annals, 12.43.58; Pliny the elder, Natural History, 2.84; Seneca, Natural Questions, 6.1; 7.28. In reporting on a huge storm and an earthquake during the Jew revolt against Rome, Josephus saw these as signs of disaster to come: These things were a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was put into this disorder; and anyone would guess that these wonders foreshowed some grand calamities that were coming ( The Jewish Wars, 4.4.5).

4. Translations that have the word "candles" are in error. The tallow candle was an invention of the Celts in central Europe.

5. The use of the monetary sum of the talent united to the theme of the parable resulted in the use of the term "talent" to describe the gift of a person's natural ability to do something (Harrington, page 352).

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson (*indicates Scripture is either paraphrased or quoted in the citation)

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Holy and Eternal Father, You have promised us, Lord, that the end of this earthly existence is not the end of life. The soul You have given man is immortal, but whether or not we spend our immortality in Your divine Presence is a choice that we make.

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Did Christ Become "Sin"? - Dr Brant Pitre explains 2 Cor 5:21

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Did Christ Become "Sin"? - Dr Brant Pitre explains 2 Cor 5:21

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"21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Cor 5:21

This verse is not quoted in Matthew study sessions but this is added to better understand Christ's Sacrifice for us on the Cross.

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What is the final judgment and why are there two of them?  What is the difference between the Particular Judgment and the General or "Last" Judgment?

The Last or General  judgment consists of Christ coming back in glory.  Secondly, it encompasses the resurrection of the dead in order to be judged.  Finally, judgment will happen on everyone.

But, why does God have to re-judge everyone when Christ returns, since many have already died and were judged immediately after their death?  Doesn't this seem redundant?

No, because there are two distinct elements about the General Judgment:  While the particular judgment will show us the final destination of our individual soul, the final judgment will disclose all of the consequences of our particular actions.  Secondly, we will also see the ultimate meaning of all history and of all creation, divulging how God's hand was at work throughout all of human existence.

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Death, judgment, heaven, and hell—the four last things—are popular enough topics among Christians discussing the end times; but there’s more to these things than just our own personal end. In this video​,​ Fr. Mike explains how, as the Catechism teaches, in the Last Judgment “the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation” will be made known to us (CCC 1040). All the good and evil you and I have done will also become known. Fr. Mike’s perspective on this reality is both fascinating and humbling.

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Matthew 16:13-19 - Peter's Declaration That Jesus Is The Christ 

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Matthew 16:13-19 - Peter's Declaration That Jesus Is The Christ 

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In Matthew 16 we see perhaps the clearest exposition of the founding of the Papacy by Jesus.  Jesus not only installs Peter to an office -- that of the papacy -- but does so with unique and specific words and images that, when read in light of the Old Testament, helps us unpack what Jesus' intention was on this occasion.  After all, that should be our goal with this and any other passage of Scripture: What was Jesus' intention when he used the words and actions he did, so that we can better conform our intellect and wills to what he asks of us and to what he intended to accomplish in his ministry.

In addition, Dr. Pitre also covers Matthew 23 where Jesus gives the other apostles similar authority to that of Peter and the office of the papacy, but notes one major difference that is lacking.

Check out this video with Dr. Brant Pitre and discover the Jewish Roots of the Papacy.

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Q2 What is the difference between the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian Sunday - "Sunday Sabbath?" - Dr Brant Pitre

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Q2 What is the difference between the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian Sunday - "Sunday Sabbath?" - Dr Brant Pitre

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If the Sabbath in the Old Testament is the seventh day, why do Catholics rest and worship on Sunday, the 1st (or "8th" day) of the week?

Are Christians in general and Catholics specifically breaking the Ten Commandments?  If we can seemingly change the adherence to the Ten Commandments with a Sunday Sabbath, why not other ones of the ten commandments?

What does the resurrection and the new creation have to tell us about why the new Sabbath of the new covenant is now celebrated on Sunday?

In this video, Dr. Brant Pitre explains what Jesus' Resurrection and the New Creation have to do with this mysterious difficulty.

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As you read the accounts of Jesus' Passion, you can have an idea of where the various events took place in Jerusalem.

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Agape Bible Study: The Gospel of Matthew - Introduction

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Agape Bible Study: The Gospel of Matthew - Introduction

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The Gospel of St. Matthew - Introduction

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Heavenly Father, Your beloved Son chose from among the men of His generation
a group of ordinary men who were called to live extraordinary lives in His
service. Those simple fishermen, tax collectors, farmers and laborers
literally changed the course of human history by fulfilling Jesus’ command t…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 3 Narrative #1: John the Baptist Proclaims the Coming of the Kingdom

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 3 Narrative #1: John the Baptist Proclaims the Coming of the Kingdom

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW Chapter 3: John the Baptist Proclaims the Coming of
the Kingdom

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Heavenly Father and Sovereign Lord, The hopes and longings of Your holy Old Covenant people have been fulfilled in
Jesus, the Messiah, and we are ever mindful that the great blessing of our
salvation is a blessing meant to be shared. As we study St. Matthew’s
theme of the Kingdom of Heaven, we rem…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 4 Narrative #1  Continued: The Temptation of the Son of God and the Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 4 Narrative #1  Continued: The Temptation of the Son of God and the Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

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Lord God,
Your Holy Spirit is our shield against the temptations of Satan; it is Satan who calls us daily to conform to the world instead of being transformed by the life of Jesus. Help us, Lord, to see that the things that appear to be pleasing in this world are only temporary. Give us a desire for that which is eternal and imperishable. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
+ + + Chapter 4: Satan Tests Jesus and the Beginning of Jesus' Galilean Ministry
So you say to Pharaoh: Thus says the LORD: Israel is my son, my first-born.
Exodus 4:22

St. Paul tells us that the human race takes its origin from two men: Adam and Christ ... The first man, Adam, he says became a living soul, the last Adam a life-giving spirit. The first Adam was made by the last Adam, from whom he also received his soul, to give him life ... The second Adam stamped his image on the first Adam when he created him. That is why he took on himself the role and the same of the first Adam, in order that he might not lose what he had made in his own image. The first Adam, the last Adam: the first had a beginning, the last knows no end. The last Adam is indeed the first; as he himself says: "I am the first and the last."
St Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 117

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4

At His baptism, Jesus was proclaimed the Son of God ( Mt 3:17). After His baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to face a three-fold covenant ordeal as Satan tested Jesus' loyalty and obedience to God ( Mt 4:1-3). A covenant ordeal is a test of faith in God as sovereign Lord and a test of one's obedience to the will of God for one's life. In each of Jesus' three tests, Satan tempted Jesus to rebel against God. Each test resembled the tests in which the Israelites, the "sons of God" ( Ex 4:22), lacked faith and rebelled against God during their 40 years in the wilderness. St. Matthew personifies Jesus as the true Israel and the true Son in contrast with Israel the rebellious and disobedient son. Jesus' covenant ordeal also reminds us of Adam's covenant ordeal in the garden Sanctuary in Eden when Satan, disguised as a serpent, tempted Adam, God's first-born son in the family of man, by inviting Adam and Eve to rebel against God by making their own choices contrary to the will of God ( Gen 3:1-13). Obedience is a characteristic of true sonship. Jesus is the new Adam and the new Israel; He is the obedient Son who rejected each of Satan's temptations.

Matthew 4:1-11 ~ The Temptation of the New Adam
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 3 The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread." 4 He said in reply, "It is written: One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you' and with their hands they will support you, least you dash your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, Again, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'"
8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." 10 At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall your serve.'" 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.

After Jesus' baptism, He crossed the Jordan River. Immediately after crossing from Perea into Judah, Jesus was led into the Judean desert by the Holy Spirit where He fasted for 40 days and nights. The number40is recognized as an important number in Scripture on account of the frequency of its occurrence and the uniformity of its association as both a time of consecration and as a period of trial and testing.

40 day epic periods during the great flood (Gen 7:4,12, 17,8:6)

40 years was the age of Isaac when he married Rebekah (Gen 25:20)

40 years of Moses in Egypt (do the math, see Ex 7:7; Dt 34:7; Acts 7:30 )

40 years of Moses in Midian before his return to Egypt (Acts 7:30)

40 years from the Exodus until Moses' death (Dt 1:3; 34:7)

40 years Israel ate manna (Ex 16:35; Dt 29:5)

40 days Moses was on the Mountain to receive the Law of the Sinai Covenant (Ex 24:18)

40 days the children of Israel were tested while Moses was on the mountain (Ex 32:1)

40 days Moses was on the Mountain after the golden calf. (Ex 34:28)

40 days after his birth a male child of Israel was dedicated to God at the Sanctuary (Lev 12:1-4)

40 days the Israelite spies reconnoitered the land of Canaan (Num 13:25)

40 years was Caleb's age when Moses sent him to reconnoiter Canaan (Josh 14:7)

40 years that Israel spent in the wilderness before they camped by the Jordan River (Num 14:33; Dt 1:1-3; 8:2)

40 years from the giving of the Law at Sinai to the conquest of the Promised land (Josh 5:6)

40 year intervals of peace in the age of the Judges (Judg 3:11; 5:31; 8:28)

40 years Eli judged Israel (1 Sam 4:18)

40 years of war between Israel and the Philistines

40 years David ruled as King of Israel (2 Sam 5:5;1 Chr 29:26-27)

40 years of Solomon ruled Israel. (2 Chr 9:30)

40 days Jonah was in the Assyrian city of Nineveh (Jonah 3:4)

40 years Josiah ruled Judah (2 Kng 12:2)

40 days Ezekiel lay on his right side to symbolize the 40 years of Judah's transgressions (Ez 4:6)

40 days Jesus fasted in the wilderness before His temptation (Mt 4:2; Mk 1:13; Lk 4:2)

40 days Jesus taught His disciples after the Resurrection. On the 40th day He ascended to the Father (Acts 1:3)

At the end of His ordeal of fasting and prayer, Jesus was hungry like any man. Recognizing His physical weakness, Satan saw an opportune time to test Jesus to see if He was indeed the promised Messiah. The Greek word diabolos (in the LXX and the New Testament) is usually translated "devil," but in Hebrew the word is satan, meaning "adversary" or "accuser" as in a court of law. An example from the book of Job is "the satan" standing in the heavenly court accusing the man Job ( Job 1:1-8); and also the use of the word "accuser/satan" in Ps 109:6-7: Find a lying witness, an accuser [satan] to stand by his right hand, that his plea may judged and found guilty, that his plea may be in vain. The most frequent use in the Old Testament, however, is in the metaphorical sense of an adversary (for example see 1 Sam 29:4) Every place the title "Satan" is found in the Old Testament it is preceded by the definite article "the;" the one exception is in 1 Chronicles 21:1 where it is a proper name.

Question: Who is Satan? See Rev 12:7-9 and CCC 391-95 and 2852.
Answer: He is a created being who was once an angel but who is now the adversary of both God and man. Revelation 12:9 identifies Satan as the same serpent who tempted Adam and Eve into sin and became the "deceiver of the whole world."

In Isaiah 14:11-15, God promised His people that the day would come when the King of Babylon would be held accountable for the suffering he caused the Israelites, and the people would taunt the Babylonian king concerning his downfall. Within the lines of the taunt, the king is compared to another evil force, a beautiful creature whose pride led to his downfall when in his 5 "I wills" he declared himself God's enemy ( Is 14:13-14). A similar passage is found in Ezekiel 28:11-19 where the lament over the king of Tyre also takes on a descriptive dimension of the fall of Satan: In Eden, the garden of God, you were, and every precious stone was your covering ... blameless you were in your conduct from the day you were created, until evil was found in you ... Then I banned you from the mountain of God; the Cherub drove your from among the fiery stones. You became haughty of heart because of your beauty; for the sake of splendor you debased your wisdom. I cast you to the earth, so great was your guilt ... ( Ez 13-17). In his first letter to the Church, St. John wrote: Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil ( 1 Jn 3:8).

Matthew 4:3 The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread."

Question: Satan begins the test by asking Jesus to give proof that He is the "Son of God." Does this mean Satan knows Jesus is God's divine Son? What is meant by the title "Son of God"? Who else in the Old Testament bore this title? See Job 1:16; Ex 4:22; Wis 18:3/4; Dt 14:1; Mt 5:9, 45; Ps 2:7; 89:26; 2 Sam 7:8, 12-14; 1 Chr 17:13.
Answer: Satan is not certain that Jesus is the Messiah, therefore, he tests Jesus. "Son of God" was a title that was also assigned to:

Angels of the heavenly host

The children of Israel and their leaders

King Solomon and the Davidic kings of Judah

Righteous believers.

Question: How will Jesus describe His rank of divine sonship as different the others who bore the title previously in salvation history? See Mt 4:11; 7:21; 22:42-46; Mk 1:13; Jn 10:15, 29-30; 14:9-10, 20; 16:15.
Answer:

Jesus calls God "My Father;" it is a claim not made previously by those who bore the title (Mt 7:21).

Jesus claims Psalm 110:1 proves that the Messiah is more than David's son; He is a divine son (Mt 22:42-36).

He is ranked above the angels (Mt 4:11; Mk 1:13).

He claims to have God for His Father in an intimate way that others can not claim (Jn 10:15, 29-30; 14:9-10,20; 16:15).

In His encounter with Satan, Jesus the Son of God is enacting both Adam's temptation by the Serpent in the Garden of Eden and Israel's temptations in the desert after leaving Egypt as God's "first-born son" among the nations of the earth ( Ex 4:22-23). St. Paul called Jesus the "last Adam" ( 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45-47), and the Fathers of the Church called Him the "new Adam" and the "second Adam" (CCC 359 and 504).

Question: St. John the Apostle wrote: Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world (1 Jn 1:15-16). St. John has summed up the temptations of the world into three categories: sensual lust (desires of the flesh), enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life (1 Jn 2:15-16). What comparisons can be made between the temptation of Adam and the temptation of Jesus, and how does John's list of the world's temptations compare to Satan's testing of both Adam and Jesus? Quote the significant verses.
Answer:

The Temptations of the First and Second Adams Contrasted

The devil's invitation to rebellion

"Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees...?"

The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God ...

Hunger, a desire of the flesh

The woman saw that the tree was good for food

command that these stones become loaves of bread"

Enticement for the eyes:

pleasing to the eyes, and

the devil...showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence

The pride of a pretentious life (power)

desirable for gaining wisdom

If you are the Son ...throw Yourself down ... He will command his angels concerning you ...

Israel is God's "first-born son" from among the nations of the earth ( Ex 4:22-23)

Jesus is the Son of God ( Mt 3:17)

The Israelites were baptized by passing through the waters of the Red Sea and then, accompanied by God's spirit in the pillar of cloud and fire, they went into the desert ( Ex 13:21-22; 14:21-22; 15:22)

After Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, the Spirit of God led Jesus into the desert ( Mt 4:1)

The Israelites were in the desert for 40 years where they suffered from hunger
( Ex 16:2-3)

After 40 days and nights in the desert, Jesus was hungry ( Mt 4:2)

The Israelites continually failed their tests of covenant obedience and loyalty, even to the point of worshiping a golden idol
( Ex 32:1-6)

Jesus passed His tests. He remained faithful and obedient to God, and He refused to bow down to worship Satan
( Mt 4:10)

Satan is Jesus' great adversary. Jesus describes the devil as "a murderer from the beginning" who "does not stand in truth because there is no truth in him" ( Jn 8:44). Jesus' mission is not only to free mankind from bondage to sin and death but to "destroy the works of the devil;" the most heinous of his works was to lead man to disobey God ( 1 Jn 3:8, CCC 394).

In Jesus' contest with Satan, the devil addressed Jesus three times, quoting Scripture once from Psalm 91:10-12 and using the formula statement "it is written" (verse 6). In reply, Jesus quoted Scripture three times from Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16 and 6:13, using the formula "it is written" twice in verses 4 and 7.

Test #1: Jesus was hungry, but He rebuked Satan: 4 He said in reply, "It is written: One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God' (Dt 8:3).

Test #2: Satan: 6b For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you: and with their hands they will support you, least you dash your foot against a stone'" (Ps 91:10-12).
Jesus: 7 Jesus answered him, Again, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test'" (Dt 6:16).

Test #3: Jesus: 10 At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall your serve'" (Dt 6:13).

Question: What do all of Jesus' quotations from Scripture have in common? Read those passages in context in the book of Deuteronomy. What three similar tests did the Israelite's face in the desert? See Ex 16:3-4; 17:7 and 32:1-6.
Answer: All Jesus' quotes from Scripture are from passages in Deuteronomy where Moses recalls Israel's testing in the desert journey from Egypt to Mt Sinai. Jesus' temptations recall how He was faced with three similar tests:

1. Israel was tested when the people complained of hunger (Ex 16:3)

2. Israel put God to the test at Massah and Meribah (Ex 17:7)

3. Israel yielded to the temptation to commit idolatry (Ex 32:1-6)

Question: Compare the three tests of the Israelites prior to the ratification of the Sinai Covenant ( Ex 24) to Jesus three tests. What is different about Jesus' tests?
Answer: Satan gave Jesus three similar tests; however, unlike the Israelite "sons of God," Jesus, the obedient and faithful Son, passed His three tests:

1. Israel was tested when the people complained of hunger; God gave them manna ( Ex 16:3, 4)

Jesus was hungry when Satan challenged Him to make bread out of stones ( Mt 3:2-3)

2. Israel put God to the test at Massah and Meribah to prove God was with them
( Ex 17:7)

Jesus refused to put God to the test when Satan challenged Him to prove He was the Son of God ( Mt 3:6)

3. Israel yielded to the temptation to commit idolatry in the sin of the Golden Calf
( Ex 32:1-6)

Jesus refused to bow down and worship Satan ( Mt 3:9)

Question: During the desert period, the Israelites often tested God's faithfulness. When they were ready to possess the land of Canaan what three warnings/perils did Moses give the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 6:10-16?
Answer: In Deuteronomy 6:10-16 Moses gave three warnings/perils the Israelites will face when they live in the land of Canaan. The Israelites will be in danger of losing the blessings God promised the Patriarchs and will be driven from the land if:

1. They fail to remember God's intervention in their history and their commitment to be obedience God's covenant treaty pledged at Sinai.

2. They follow other gods.

3. They continually test God's faithfulness

Jesus will not fail as the Israelites failed. He will fulfill all His obligations as an obedient Son of God during His covenant ordeal.

Test #1: 3 The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread." 4 He said in reply, "It is written: One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'

In the first test Satan, approached Jesus to test Him to see if He would reveal Himself as the divine Messiah by commanding a rock to turn into bread to feed His hunger "no ordinary "son of God" would have that power over the natural world. Jesus responded to Satan's test by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3. In that passage, Moses tells the children of Israel: Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments. He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD ( Dt 8:2-3; emphasis added).

Moses continued his address to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 8:7-9. In that passage, Moses told the people if they are faithful that God will give them the land He promised them. Then Moses describes the Promised Land as a new "Eden" where everything they need will be provided by God.

In the first test, Jesus rejected Satan's taunt; He did not come to serve His own fleshly desires but to do the will of the Father.

Question: How can the context of Moses' remarks in Deuteronomy chapter 8, which links the manna from heaven to a test in obedience to the "word of God" ( Dt 8:3), and the description of Canaan as a new Eden give us greater insight into Jesus' reply to Satan? Also see Ex 16:1a, Jn 1:1; and 6:28-35, 47-58 where Jesus refers to the manna of the fathers and then to Himself as "the bread which comes down from heaven." What is ironic about Jesus' response to Satan?
Answer: Jesus' reply is that it is not material bread which nourishes the physical body that ultimately gives life, but the Word of God. In the Old Covenant "life" meant obedience to the Law of God, but there is more in what Jesus responds to Satan than the meaning of "life" in the Old Covenant. The irony is that Jesus is Himself the "Living Word" and He is the "Living Bread come down from heaven." It is He who ultimately gives life that lasts to eternity, and the "bread" that He will give to provide eternal life is not like the manna that only gave temporal life. His "manna" is His Body which is "the Living Bread" and the future gift of the Eucharist. Jesus' Body becomes the true Tree of Life that sustains man's immortality, like the Tree of Life in Eden. Jesus will give man the necessary spiritual nourishment on the journey to the new Eden that is heaven.

Test #2: 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you: and with their hands they will support you, least you dash your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, Again, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'"

In the second test, Satan quotes from Psalm 91:10-12. This passage is proof that even the devil can quote Scripture and twist it to his advantage. Satan's taunt is for Jesus to demonstrate He is God's Son by testing God's promise to deliver His elect: Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever known my name I will set on high ( Ps 91:14). For a second time Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy, this time from 6:16, refusing to "test" God by demanding a supernatural show of power, unlike the Israelites.

Question: What did Moses tell the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:16? Also see Ex 17:7; and Dt 9:22-23. What is the meaning of the word "Massah" and how are those passages related to Jesus' response?
Answer: In Deuteronomy 6:16,Moses told the people: You shall not put the LORD, your God, to the test, as you did at Massah. He was referring to the events in Exodus 17:1-7 where the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD in our midst or not? ( Ex 17:7).The Hebrew word "Massah" means "testing" ( Ex 17:1-7 and Dt 9:22-23). At Massah the thirsty Israelites challenged God to provide them with water, behaving rebelliously instead of with faith and trust. Moses' message to the Israelites was that rather than testing God, Israel should be loyal, diligent and obedient. Yahweh's promised blessings in the Promised Land were conditional upon Israel's obedience. Jesus is God's faithful and obedient Son. Jesus' second test recalls the Israelites' failure at Massah. Jesus' response to Satan is that He will not test God; He will put His trust and faith in His Father's promises.
Test #3: 8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." 10 At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall your serve.'
In the last test, the devil offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth if Jesus will bow down and worship him.

Question: Does Satan have the authority to make this offer? See Jn 12:31.
Answer: Apparently he does have that authority; from the time of man's Fall from grace when Adam and Eve rejected God's sovereignty over them, Satan has been the "prince of the earth."
Matthew 4:12-17 ~ The Beginning of Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy chapter six again, as He did in the second test, this time quoting from verse 13. In Deuteronomy 6:12-13Moses told the Israelites: ... be careful you do not forget Yahweh who has brought you out of Egypt, out of the place of slave-labor. Yahweh your God is the one you must fear, him alone you must serve, his is the name by which you must swear (NJB).

Question: In Moses' warning to the Israelites, what contrast is he making and what is the significance of swearing by God's name?
Answer: In Moses statement, serving Yahweh stands in contrast to the fact that they had once served the Egyptian Pharaoh (worshiped as a god-king) as vassals ( Dt 8:12). The statement "his is the name by which you must swear" suggests a loyalty oath of allegiance to the Israel's new king who is also Israel's God.

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him. After completing His covenant ordeal, the angels of the heavenly court came to minister/serve Jesus. St. Luke has a slightly different order for the three tests and concludes Jesus' ordeal with the statement: Having exhausted every way of putting him to the test, the devil left him, until the opportune moment ( Lk 4:13, NJB).

12 When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the peoples who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death a light has risen.
17 From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Jesus stayed in Judea and Perea until St. John was arrested and then He withdrew to the Galilee. Herod Antipas ruled both Perea (on the east side of the Jordan River) and the Galilee in the northeast.

Question: Who arrested John the Baptist and why? John was baptizing repentant sinners on the east side of the Jordan River in the territory of Perea. See Mt 14:3-5.
Answer: Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great, arrested him because John publically condemned Herod's marriage to Herodias, his niece and the wife of his half-brother Philip.

Matthew 4:13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea ... After John's arrest, Jesus returned to His boyhood town of Nazareth in the Galilee. Then, He left Nazareth and went to make Capernaum His home and the headquarters of His ministry; in Matthew 9:1 Capernaum is called "his own city." Capernaum was a major port for the fishing industry on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee about 23 miles from Nazareth. One of the reasons Jesus relocated to Capernaum may have been because of its strategic location near the Via Maris, the major trade route that extended from Egypt, passing through the Galilee and on to other centers of trade in Syria, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia. Jesus didn't have to go the people; they came to Him on the Via Maris. Jesus began His public ministry in Capernaum by teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath ( Mk 1:21).

Matthew 4:13b-16 ... in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the peoples who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death a light has risen.

Matthew again uses the fulfillment formula, quoting Isaiah 8:23-9:1. In chapter 7 Isaiah promised that that God would deliver the King Ahaz of Judah from his enemies. But a year later, neither the kingdoms of Israel or Judah remember God's merciful intervention and their sins now cause the prophet to condemn them to judgment and to prophesy the rise of the nation of Assyria and the means of their punishment. The first blow was to fall on the Galilee, but the prophet also promised there would one day be restoration: First he degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end he has glorified the seaward road, the land west of the Jordan, the District of the Gentiles. Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness: for there is no gloom where but now there was distress. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light ... ( Is 8:23).

In the division of the land of Canaan, the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali occupied the lands north and west of the Sea of Galilee ( Josh 19:10-16; 32-39). When the United Monarchy failed, Zebulun and Naphtali became part of the Northern Kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel. In 733-32 BC the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser invaded the Galilee and took the conquered Israelites eastward into exile in Assyrian lands. The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali became the first Israelites conquered by a foreign power and taken away into exile ( 2 Kng 15:27-29). The 8 th century prophet Isaiah of Judah describes that terrible time as "darkness" and "death."

Question: Isaiah's promise is that after the judgment of the Assyrian invasion and exile there will be a future restoration that will like a "great light," and a "rising light." What is the rest of the prophecy in Is 9:5-6? Why does St. Matthew say this entire prophecy ( Is 9:1-6) is now fulfilled in Jesus and what is the connection to Isaiah's 7:14 prophecy?
Answer: Jesus is the "light;" He has risen from His baptism in the Jordan River to become the "rising light" that has come to renew and restore His people in the very first place where Israel was torn apart. Jesus is fulfillment of the rest of Isaiah's prophecy "He is the child born to Israel from David's line "upon whose shoulder "dominion rests;" He will be called "Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace." He is the child "God with us/Emmanuel" prophesied in Isaiah 7:14.

Question: In Christian liturgy and tradition, Isaiah 9:5-6 is used to refer to Jesus Christ. How are the 5 attributes of the "son" given to Israel in verse 5 of Isaiah's prophecy fulfilled in Jesus?
Answer:

1. "Upon his shoulder dominion rests": Jesus' authority comes from God

2. "Wonder-Counselor": Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus' wisdom and judgment are beyond the ordinary gifts of other men

3. "God-Hero": Jesus is a defender of Him people, like God Himself

4. "Father-Forever": Jesus is devoted to His people like a parent loves his children

5. "Prince of Peace": Jesus had come to establish the peace of God's kingdom among His people

Do not miss the part of Isaiah's prophecy that describes the Galilee as a land of the Gentiles ( Is 8:23; Mt 4:15). Gentiles did not begin to populate Israelite territory in the Galilee until the Assyrian invasion in the 8 th century BC, and their numbers did not begin to be significant until the 2 nd century BC.

Question: Why is it that Isaiah is prophesying a Galilee heavily populated by Gentiles that will occur long after his time? What is the connection to Jesus? What is the focus of Jesus' messianic mission? See Mt 10:6; 15:24; 28:19.
Answer: Jesus' messianic mission is to restore and renew Israel, as promised by the prophets. It will be the men and women of the new Israel of the New Covenant that will carry the Gospel message of salvation to the Gentiles. Jesus' ministry in the multiethnic Galilee foreshadows the Church's later mission to call the peoples of all nations to salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 4:18-22 ~ Jesus Calls His first Disciples 18As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. 19He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, 22and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:17 From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

This is the official beginning of Jesus' ministry. His message is the same as St. John the Baptist ( Mt 3:1). The formula saying "from that time on Jesus began," found in 4:17 and 16:21, divides the Gospel into three sections. The phrase in 4:17 signals the beginning of Jesus' ministry and the proclamation of the Kingdom.

Section I in 1:1-4:16 identifies the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

Section II in 4:17-16:20 is the proclamation of Jesus' ministry.

Section III in 16:21-28:20 recounts the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

Question: Was this the first time these men had come in contact with Jesus? What significant earlier exchange did Simon have with Jesus? See Jn 1:25-42.
Answer: No, earlier when Jesus was still in the south after His baptism, all four men had been introduced to Jesus on the shores of the Jordan River and had spent time talking with Him. Then, that same day in the Galilee when He called them to become His disciples, they had witnessed Jesus' supernatural powers in their harvest of fish. It was a demonstration that left little doubt for them about Jesus' true identity.
Matthew 4:23-25 ~ Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom and Ministers to the Multitude 23 He went around all of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. 24 His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. Question for group discussion 25 And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
During the earlier encounter on the banks of the Jordan River, Andrew and another of John the Baptist's disciples (probably John Zebedee) spent a day talking with Jesus at that time ( Jn 1:35-38, 40). The next day Andrew brought his brother Simon (Peter) to meet Jesus, telling Simon that he had found the Messiah ( Jn 1:41-42). At that time Jesus told Simon he was to be called "Kephas," meaning "Rock" ( 1 Jn 1:42).
Endnotes:
Note: John 1:39 records that it was the "tenth hour" that Andrew and his friend saw Jesus and stayed with Him "all that day." The tenth hour Roman time is 10 AM. It is unlikely that the time reference is Jewish time since the 10 th hour Jewish time is 4 PM and the Jewish day ended at sundown.

The call of the four fishermen to leave their occupation as fishers of fish to become fishers of men as Jesus promised in 4:19 may be a fulfillment of Jeremiah 16:14-16: However, the days will surely come, says the LORD, when it will no longer be said, "As the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites out of Egypt"; but rather, "as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of the north and out of all the countries to which he had banished them." I will bring them back to the land which I gave their fathers. Look, I will send many fishermen, says the LORD, to catch them. After that, I will send many hunters to hunt them out from every mountain and hill and from the clefts of the rocks (emphasis added).

Like other prophets of God before Him, Jesus cured the sick and cast out demons. His healing miracles were signs that His authority was from God. Syria was the Roman province north of the Galilee.

Question: How does Jesus' testing by Satan provide practical applications for Christians who are faced with circumstances that test their faith and obedience? Give three examples. See Eph 6:17; Heb 2:18; 4:12, 16; Jn 16:24; Mt 3:16; 28:19; Acts 2:38; Rom 6:4.
Answer:

1. Every time Jesus was tested, He used Scripture to ward off the devil's attack. St. Paul called Sacred Scripture the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Jesus' knowledge of Scripture and His commitment to live in obedience to the word of God that gave Him an advantage over the devil. In the every day struggles with the temptations of this world, every Christian should know Scripture well enough to use it as a defensive weapon in spiritual warfare.

2. We can be assured that Jesus will stand with us in our struggles. Having endured Satan's tests, He understands the temptations Christians face and He is able to aid in the struggle if we turn to Him in prayer. His grace is sufficient to sustain us in our hour of need.

3. We must remember that Satan has no power over us unless we let him, because just as the Holy Spirit rested upon Jesus at His baptism, through Christian baptism we too have become empowered by God the Holy Spirit.

Catechism references
1. Also see Job 1-2 where Satan has access to the heavenly court and where he is shown to be the opponent of man and God. Christian baptism is a renunciation of the devil (CCC 1237).

2. Herod Antipas was married to Herodias, a granddaughter of Herod the Great and his wife Mariamme, the last Hasmonean princess. Herodias was first married to her uncle Philip-Herod Boethus (Herod Antipas's half-brother) by whom she had a daughter named Salome (see Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 18.5.2). Herodias left her husband for Herod Antipas (also her uncle). Their marriage was forbidden under the Law of the Sinai Covenant (see Lev 18:16 and 20:21) and therefore was condemned by St. John the Baptist.

3. The Galilee was the homeland of several Israelite tribes until the Assyrian conquest in the 8 th century BC. It was an Assyrian practice to deport the population of a region and to bring in other conquered peoples to take their place; this was the beginning of Gentile populations in the Galilee and Samaria (Northern Israel; see 2 Kng 17:22-24). With the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 4 th century BC, the Gentile population increased. The Gentile population in the region grew significantly between the 2 nd century BC and the 1 st century AD. Ten Gentile Greek-culture cities west of the Galilee, in a region called the Decapolis (ten cities; see 1 Mac 5:15), were established as a federation of free cities under Roman rule after the Roman conquest of 63 BC, and the two largest cities in the Galilee in Jesus time, Sepphoris (the capital of the Galilee) and Tiberius, were heavily populated by Greek culture Gentiles.

4. Jesus will not officially rename Simon "Kephas" (rock in Aramaic) and "Petros" in Greek (masculine) until a significant event in the 16 th chapter of Matthew.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2010 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

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GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: Chapter 4 Narrative #1 Continued The Temptation of the Son of God and the Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

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Lord God, Your Holy Spirit is our shield against the temptations of
Satan; it is Satan who calls us daily to conform to the world instead of being
transformed by the life of Jesus. Help us, Lord, to see that the things
that appear to be pleasing in this world are only temporary. Give us a
desire…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount

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Lord God,
You gave the Israelites the outline of the ethical stipulations of the Law of the Sinai Covenant written on tablets of stone, but Your Son has given Your New Covenant people a new law that calls for an inner transformation that is reflected in outward actions of righteousness. He has circumcised our hearts of stone and has given us hearts of love and service as we travel the path to salvation. Send Your Holy Spirit, Lord, to guide us in our study of the new Law that internalizes, intensifies, and fulfills the good of the old Law. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. [...]. My heart has assured me and reassured me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be a divine reality. The Sermon on the Mount cannot be a mere human production. This belief enters into the very depth of my conscience. The whole history of man proves it.
Daniel Webster, Life of Daniel Webster, Curtis, page 684

The Sermon on the Mount contains the ethical stipulations by which New Covenant believers must be committed to live in obedience to the new Law of Jesus the new Lawgiver. This discourse is the first of the five major homilies by Jesus which appear in Matthew's Gospel:

*eschatology = etymology from the Greek eschatos = uttermost + logos = word or discourse; usually interpreted as meaning the "last things;" dealing with death, particular (individual) and general (final) judgments, heaven, hell and purgatory.

Structure of the Sermon on the Mount

1. Introduction (5:1-16)

1. Beatitudes

2. The Christian and the world (similes of salt and light)

2. Teaching on the Law with six examples of Christian conduct (5:17-48)

3. Teaching on right religious practices (6:1-18)

4. Teaching on material possessions, human relationships and our relationship with God (6:19-7:12)

1. Earthly possessions versus heavenly treasures

2. Dependence on God

3. Judging others

5. Conclusion (7:13-27)

1. The Two Ways

2. False prophets

3. The judgment that separates the true disciple from the false disciple

4. The two foundations

Jesus' first discourse in Matthew's Gospel, known as "the Sermon on the Mount," can be divided into five parts. The sermon has an introduction and a conclusion (Parts I and V), and the main body of the sermon (Parts II - IV) is defined by the phrase "the Law and the prophets" ( 5:17 and 7:12). It is this homily that lays the framework for the perfect precepts of the New Covenant Law written on the hearts of New Covenant believers that was promised by the prophet Jeremiah in the 6 th century BC ( Jer 31:31-34).

Jesus' teaching in this first discourse set the standard by which Christian life and character are molded. The Son of God's sermon on the "holy mountain" in the Galilee marked a rendezvous in time every bit as significant as God's first great rendezvous with Israel at the "holy mountain" in the desert of the Sinai when God formed Israel into His holy kingdom of the Old Covenant Church.
The Two Sermons: The Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain
St. Luke's Gospel records a different beatitude teaching. Please read Matthew 4:25-5:12 and Luke 4:14-15 and 6:12-26. Compare the Matthew Beatitudes ( Mt 5:1-12) to Jesus' Beatitudes in Luke ( Lk 6:12-26). There are three major theories that Bible scholars have developed to account for the differences between Matthew's Sermon on the Mount and Luke's Sermon on the Plain:

1. Both Gospels give accounts of the same discourse.

2. The Gospels reflect two different homilies spoken at different times during Jesus' teaching ministry.

3. The Gospels present two homilies delivered in close succession: one on the summit of the mountain to the disciples and then a second homily on the plain to the multitude.

Both teachings took place in the Galilee, but in Matthew's Gospel Jesus' Beatitude teaching took place on a mountain side (Mt 5:1) while the teaching in Luke took place on a plain after descending from a height:Now it happened in those days that he went onto the mountain to pray ... He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples, with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judea and Jerusalem... (Lk 6:12, 17).

In Matthew's Gospel, the Beatitudes teaching was directed to His disciples: When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them ... (Mt 5:1-2). Luke includes the information that on the mountain top Jesus chose some of His disciples to be His Apostles:Now it happened in those days that he went onto the mountain to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them apostles ... (Lk 6:12-13).

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus descended the mountain with His disciples after a night of teaching and prayer and then He directed His teaching to the crowds of people as well as to a larger group of disciples who came to hear Him preach: He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples, with a great crowed of people from all parts of Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases (Lk 6:17-18a).

In St. Matthew's Gospel, the message was a spiritual message composed of 7 or 8 blessings and resulting in 7 or 8 promises (depending on how you count them), while in St. Luke's Gospel Jesus addressed 4 social justice issues which were followed by 4 curses/judgments directed against those who perpetuated the injustice.

It may be an important distinction that the Beatitude teaching in St. Matthew's Gospel was presented to Jesus' disciples "to believers who had already come to acknowledge His authority ( Mt 5:1). They were ready to receive a "spiritual" teaching on how Jesus had come to transform the Old Covenant by intensifying, internalizing, and fulfilling the Law of the Old Covenant. The multitude ( Mt 5:1; Lk 6:17-18), the poor people and the crowds who came from near and far, could not have understood or accepted such a teaching. They were far more concerning with the temporal blessings and the justice that was promised to them through obedience to the Old Covenant Law ( Lev 26:3-13; Dt 28:1-14).

Question: In the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:20-26, Jesus gave His teaching in the Old Covenant style of the covenant treaty sanctions of the Sinai Covenant found in Leviticus 26:3-46 and Deuteronomy 28:1-46. What pattern do you see Jesus repeating from those passages?
Answer: Jesus was giving a series of blessings and curses just like the blessings for obedience and the curses/judgments for disobedience that God told Moses to give the Israelites. Jesus gave 4 blessings followed by 4 curses. However, the Old Covenant sanctions of blessings and curses/judgments were all temporal and Jesus' promised blessings and curses/judgments are eternal.

1. He promised the poor that they will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

2. He promised the hungry that they will be filled.

3. He promised the sorrowful that they will become joyful.

4. He promised those who are persecuted for following Him that they will be rewarded in heaven just as the prophets of God were rewarded.

1. They will have no "wealth" in eternity.

2. They may be full now, but they will be hungry for eternity.

3. They may experience joy now, but they will suffer later beyond this earthly existence.

4. They are compared to those who persecuted God's holy prophets.

Question: Are these curses relevant to us today? When should we review this teaching on a regular basis? See Mt 25:31-46 and Lk 12:15-20, 48.
Answer: Absolutely. In one's participation in the Sacrament of Penance these concerns should be a part of one's examination of conscience.

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus' Sermon on the Plain can also be divided into 5 parts:

Part I: Beatitudes and Curses/Judgments

Part II: The love of enemies

Part III: Judging others

Part IV: Good works versus evil acts

Part V: The parable of the two foundations

The slope of the land from the site of the Mount of Beatitudes to the Sea of Galilee presents a spectacular natural amphitheater. If Jesus stood on the level plain below the Mount of Beatitudes, He could speak and be easily heard by a multitude of people up along the hillside. Scripture and tradition also identifies this site as the place where Jesus chose the twelve Apostles ( Lk 6:12-16). Today pilgrims can visit a lovely domed Church (built in 1936) with peaceful gardens on the Mount of the Beatitudes that is maintained by the Franciscan sisters, who also operate a hospice on the grounds.
THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD
All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: Come, let us climb the LORDS' mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.'
Isaiah 2:2 c-3d

If you visit the Mount of Beatitudes in Israel today, you will be surprised to discover it is hardly more that a gentle hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

Question: Matthew 5:1 identifies the site of Jesus' teaching by using the definite article "the." What is the significance of identifying the site as"the mountain" as opposed to "a mountain?" What is the significance of "God's mountain" in Sacred Scripture? What was the first "holy mountain" in the Bible where man entered into fellowship with God?
Answer: Mountain imagery in the Bible is a reference to the original "holy mountain" that was Eden. Eden was the first "holy mountain" of God and a place where He had fellowship with His first children in the human family. From the time of Eden, the concept of the holy mountain is understood to be a place where God's redemptive acts and revelations take place, moving man forward in God's divine plan to call man to an eternal destiny. On the holy mountain of the Mt. of Beatitudes, God will again reveal Himself to man.

Some significant passages identifying Eden as the first holy mountain:

Genesis 2:10: A river rises in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it divides and becomes four branches ...

Ezekiel 28:13-14: In Eden, the garden of God, you were, and every precious stone was your covering ... With the Cherub I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God ...

That Eden was the original "holy mountain" explains the significance of the other mountains that will become important in the history of God's covenant people as sites for God's redemptive acts and revelations, calling mankind back to the relationship man enjoyed with God in Eden ( Gen 22:2; Ex 19:16-19; 2 Chr 3:1; Mt 28:16-20). God's holy prophets promised the restoration of "the mountain" to the earth:

In days to come, The mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths." For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not rise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again (Is 2:2-4).

In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever. And this is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain without a hand being put to it, which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold. The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future ... (Dan 2:44-45).

In days to come the mount of the LORD's house shall be established higher than the mountains; it shall rise high above the hills, and peoples shall stream to it: many nations shall come, and say, "Come, let us climb the mount of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, that we may walk in his paths. For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples and impose terms on strong and distant nations; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; one nations shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again ... But we will walk in the name of the LORD, our God, forever and ever ... And the LORD shall be king over them on Mount Zion, now on forever (Mic 4:1-7).

The prophets taught that the "holy mountain" signified the fulfillment and consummation of man's restoration to God through the Messiah's atonement when the Kingdom of God's universal peace would fill the earth: There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea ( Is 11:9). That Jesus called His disciples up "the mountain" in Matthew 5:1 is theologically significant to God's covenant people; it signals another revelation of God among His people and takes them a step closer to the fulfillment of the Kingdom.
HOLY MOUNTAINS OF GOD WHERE GOD'S PRESENCE WAS MANIFESTED

1. The Garden of Eden: Located on a mountain from which 4 rivers flowed.

2. Mt. Moriah:

Site of the substitutionary atonement of the ram in place of the sacrifice of Abraham's son Isaac.

The site where David saw the Angel of the Lord standing with his sword in his hand ready to destroy Jerusalem until David built an altar there and made atonement through sacrifice.

The site where Solomon built the Temple of the One True God.

Jesus made atonement for the sins of mankind and was crucified and resurrected on a lower elevation of Mt. Moriah.

3. Mt. Sinai/Horeb:

Giving of the Law, the formation of the Sinai Covenant and birth of the Old Covenant Church.

The site of God's appearance to Elijah.

4. Mt. Carmel: Site of Elijah's defeat of the prophets of Baal ( carmel is a Hebrew word for "garden").

5. Mt. of Temptation: The site where Jesus, the "new Adam," resisted Satan.

6. Mt. of Beatitudes: The commissioning of the 12 Apostles and the giving of the New Covenant law.

7. Mt. at Caesarea Philippi: Jesus' official commissioning of Peter as Vicar of the New Covenant Church.

8. Mt. of Transfiguration: Jesus appeared in His glory.

9. Mt. of Olives:

Jesus is arrested in a garden on the Mt. of Olives.

Jesus ascends to the Father from the Mt. of Olives.

It will be the site of Christ's return in His Second Coming.

Note: I did not include Mt. Ararat (see Gen 8:4) because, although God did place the redeemed family of Noah on that mountain, there was no visible manifestation of His presence or any single act signifying His presence.

Approximately 1,300 years before the Sermon on the Mount, after the Israelites escaped out of Egypt by crossing the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea) and enduring the tests of their desert journey Sinai, Yahweh called the children of Israel to the foot of the "holy mountain" of Sinai to establish His covenant with Israel. He told them to stay back because it was too dangerous for a sinful people to profane a holy God by coming too close ( Ex 19:23-25). Then God came down in thunder and fire to give them His word embodied in the ethical stipulations of the Law of the Covenant, later to be written on tablets of stone. In response the people willingly vowed their obedience to the covenant, acknowledging Yahweh as their sovereign Lord and their God and His Law as the path of life ( Ex 24:3). Jesus now calls His holy people to a new holy mountain to give them the ethical stipulations of the new covenant treaty that will become for them the pathway to the Kingdom of Heaven. He does not tell them to stay away but encourages them, and us, to draw near and to be transformed.
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes
The Old Covenant Law of Moses was meant to be a tutor and a guide to teach the people about holiness and prepare them for the coming of the Messiah (CCC 1962-63). The holy prophets of God promised that the coming of the Messiah would usher in a new age in which a new covenant would be formed between God and His people and a new law with new blessings would be written on their hearts ( Jer 31:31-34). The Sermon on the Mount begins with the introduction of this "new law" "the Beatitudes or Blessings of the New Covenant Law. It is the Son of God's spiritual plan for a radical transformation of hearts and lives.

The Hebrew and Greek words for "blessing" in the Old and New Testaments do not equate to our English word "happiness" "a feeling of general well-being. A "blessing" in Sacred Scripture evokes the supernatural creative power of God and can only come from God "either directly from God or through the mediation of His priestly representative who requests on behalf of the people, God's divine blessing. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word barak ("to bless;" barakah, "blessing") expresses this supernatural creative power but in the New Testament the word used for "blessing" is the Greek word makarious (ma-car'-e-os), which means the state of bliss experienced by the Greek gods or upon the mortals who receive their special favor becoming themselves semi-divine. Like other Greek words, the Christian community transformed this Greek word into one which carries a distinctive Hebrew-Christian meaning. In this case the "blessings" of the Beatitudes will give us the unique divine vitality, the bliss of God living in us.

The Beatitudes Jesus gives in Matthew's introduction to the Sermon on the Mount are the foundation of God's New Covenant Law, marking the road map or stairway that lights the path to Heaven. Like any road map there is a beginning point of the journey and a destination at the end of the journey, and like a stairway one step must be achieved in faith and obedience before stepping out in faith and obedience to the next. But this plan is more than a stairway or a road map to an intimate relationship with God on our journey of faith. Empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and applied through the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, the Beatitudes, as the Law of the New Covenant people of the Resurrected Christ, are the very hinges on which our moral and spiritual lives as Christian believers must turn on a daily basis. But this is a plan that cannot be achieved on a human level "only through the filling and indwelling of the Holy Spirit can this blessedness be empowered and celebrated in the life of the New Covenant Church. For what is impossible for man (human beings) is possible for God ( Lk 18:27; see the handout on the Progression of the Beatitudes).

Early in His ministry Jesus' fame had spread and large crowds were following Him everywhere, coming from the towns and villages around the Galilee, from the Greek culture towns and villages to the southeast of Galilee across the Jordan River known as the Decapolis (Greek for the "10 cities"), from Syria to the north, to the south from Jerusalem, Judea, and even from as far away as the Transjordan "including the south-eastern side of the Jordan River known as Perea ( Matthew 4:24-25). Just three kilometers to the west of the village of Capernaum, the home fishing port of the brothers Peter, Andrew, and their partners in the fishing trade, James and John Zebedee, was the village of Tabgha. This village was located along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and behind it was the highest hill in the area, today known as the Mount of Beatitudes. The Mount of Beatitudes dips as it nears the sea, the terrain creating the curved half circle shape of a natural Roman or Greek theater.

One fine morning, seeing the crowds moving toward Him, Jesus withdrew up the slope of this "holy mountain" overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

Matthew 5:1-12
1 When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He began to teach them, saying:
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Question: When Jesus withdrew from the crowds up onto the hillside, who are the men who came to Him to receive His teaching? See Mt 5:1 and Lk 6:12-16.
Answer: His disciples and Apostles.

In this teaching of the blessings of the New Covenant, Jesus began to prepare His Apostles and disciples for the second great Pentecost which would result in the birth and salvation of the New Covenant people through baptism by water and the spirit ( John chapter 3; Acts 2). In the Beatitudes, Jesus does not promise salvation only to an ethnic group of people called to holiness at Sinai who exhibit the qualities of faith of poverty of spirit, or pure hearts or those who encounter persecution in their quest for holiness. These blessings are instead the spiritual demands made on everyone who answered the call to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The call of the Beatitudes is to fulfill all the blessings and to reap all the promises. We must also keep in mind that the Beatitudes have an eschatological fulfillment. They promise eternal blessedness and salvation but not in this world. This is a promised blessing that was not possible under the sacramental system of the Old Covenant Church. See Catechism of the Catholic Church #1716-1724.
The first Beatitude: "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT"
The fool has said in his heart,
There is no God.'
Their deeds are corrupt and vile,
not one of them does right.
Yahweh looks down from heaven
at the children of Adam.
To see if a single one is wise,
a single one seeks God.
Psalms 14:1-2
Matthew 5:1-2 ~ When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying Blessed are the poor in spirit'...
The word Jesus used for "poor," ptochos in the original Greek,means "poor" but not as in "pauper" "one who works for a living but cannot rise above the poverty level ( penes in the Greek). Instead the Greek word ptochos [pto-khos] is better translated as "beggar," one who is completely dependant on someone else for support. In this blessing, Jesus taught His disciples that the first step on the pathway to Heaven is to admit that you cannot make it on your own "in this life or in the next. We are "poor in spirit," we are not self-sufficient "we admit our dependence on God and that we need Him in our lives, rejecting our natural desire for a "self-sufficient spirit."
Please read Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-5
In order to understand the significance of Jesus' statement, it might be helpful to look at incidents in Sacred Scripture when men and women rejected or failed to acknowledge their dependence on God.

Question: What was the first sin committed by our first parents in the Garden of Eden? What was the goal and desire of Adam and Eve in yielding to this temptation and what was the result?
Answer: God told Adam if they ate from the forbidden tree that they would die. Satan lured Adam and Eve into sin with the lie that they wouldn't die if they ate from the forbidden tree. He promised them if they ate the forbidden fruit that they would become like gods themselves, telling them,"the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad." Adam and Eve desired this greater knowledge that they could acquire for themselves and which Satan promised would make them like God. Their act of rebellion was a rejection of God's sovereign authority over them as His human children.

Satan, the serpent-deceiver and "the father of lies" ( Jn 8:44), failed to tell them that although death would not be immediate they would indeed experience not only physical death but they would also experience spiritual death. Their sin would end of their immortality and would separate them from their intimate fellowship with God.And so, influenced by the serpent, their goal and desire was to be like gods in deciding for themselves what was good and what was evil. When they ate from the Tree of Knowledge they were usurping the sovereign authority of God to decide for them what was good and what was evil. The result was that they declared their independence and rejected guidance from God in their desire to be self-sufficient. This was the first sin "Adam and Eve's failure to remain "poor in spirit" and dependant upon God. It was the first sin and is in essence the root of all future sins when men and women, lacking faith in God, attempt to make decisions concerning right and wrong based on their own "feelings" and governed by their own conscience (see CCC# 397-8).
Now someone approached him and said, Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?' He answered him, Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.' He asked him, Which ones?' And Jesus replied, You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother'; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.' The young man said to him, All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?' Jesus said to him, If you wish to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Also consider the story of the rich young man in his encounter with Jesus the Messiah in Matthew 19:16-22. This wealthy and privileged young man had everything he could possibly want materially in his life. However, after listening to Jesus' spiritual teachings he was troubled. He could control just about everything that happened to him in this life but what about the next life after his death? And so he questioned Jesus about what he must do to achieve eternal life:

After the young man sadly turned away, Jesus turned to His disciples and said, Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished and said, Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible' ( Mt 19:23-26).

When Jesus said this the disciples were astonished. In the way they had come to interpret the promised blessings of the Old Covenant, wealth was considered a sign of God's blessing, and now Jesus had told them that great material blessings could be a great hindrance to salvation.

At the time Jesus lived most people were either very wealthy or very poor. Jesus' point was that the problem with wealth is that it gives a false sense of control over one's destiny, creating the allusion that one's fate rests entirely in one's own hands instead of in God's hands. The Greek word Jesus used in the "camel" metaphor is kamlon, which is the accusative form of kamlos. This word means "camel" and can also mean "pack animal." However, Jesus is speaking in Aramaic and the Aramaic equivalent is the word gamlo. The word camel/ gamlo in Aramaic has a double meaning. It is also the word used for the thick rope made from camel's hair which was resistant to rot that was used by fisherman. Bar-Bahlul, a 10 th century Aramaic lexicographer, identified gamlo as a thick rope which is used to bind ships. Speaking to His Apostles, several of whom were fishermen and familiar with such a rope, Jesus was using hyperbole and may be comparing the impossibility of the thick camel hair rope passing through the tiny hole in the end of a needle with the wealthy attaining salvation ( Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of Mark, page 304).

It would indeed be impossible for a large rope/ gamlo to pass through the eye of a needle. This interpretation of Jesus' statement gives no hope of eternity for the wealthy without the divine intervention of God. However, another story is told, but often disputed by modern scholars, that may help to illustrate the significance of Jesus' statement concerning the difficulty of the rich in obtaining salvation compared to a camel passing through the "eye of a needle." At the time that Jesus lived the walls of Jerusalem had eight large gates. At night the great doors of all the gates were closed and barred at sunset. However, one smaller door, within the Damascus gate, was left guarded and could be opened so a late traveler might enter. But it was only a small door "only the height of a man. As the story goes, this door was called the "Eye of the needle." You can see such a small door in the large gate in Jerusalem today. Although it is too small for a caravan camel to walk through, it is still possible for a camel to pass through the door but only if it can crawl through on its knees. Yes, it is hard but it is not impossible "as Jesus tells His apostles, "with God all things are possible" ( Mt 19:26)!

This is the same way we must approach God; we approach with humility, acknowledging our weakness and our need, coming to Him on our knees to surrender all of ourselves to Him in childlike faith. In Matthew 18:1-4, the disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

Question: Why does Jesus use the example of a little child in Matthew 18:1-4? What characterizes a child's relationship with a parent?
Answer: A child is completely trusting, a child is completely dependant, and a child looks only to his parent for his care and wellbeing.

Compare the Rich young ruler's encounter with Jesus to Simon Peter's experience in Matthew 14:22-31. It was after the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 that occurred earlier in the day. While they were sleeping in a boat, the Apostles were surprised by a sudden storm on the Sea of Galilee during the night: Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. It is a ghost,' they said, and they cried out in fear. At once [Jesus] spoke to them, Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.' Peter said to him in reply, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.' He said, Come.' Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?

If Peter had "little faith," what about the faith of the other Apostles who didn't dare to walk out to Jesus like Peter? Peter only began to sink into the water when he took his eyes off his Master and did not completely trust Jesus to protect him.

Question: What was Adam and Eve's sin in Eden? Yes, they were disobedient in eating from the forbidden tree, but their disobedience was more than a simply physical desire for the fruit. What was the fruit of their desire? See Gen 3:5.
Answer: It was: You will be like gods knowing good from evil; the fruit of their sin was their desire tousurp God's sovereignty and authority " rejecting "poverty of spirit."

Question: Now, compare the wealthy young man's response to Christ with Peter's actions when he began to sink into the raging sea. What was Peter's immediate response? Did he turn to swim back to the boat when he began to sink? What was the wealthy young man's sin? See Eph 2:5-10.
Answer: Peter did not hesitate but immediately reached out and called on Jesus to save him and surrendered himself to the Master. He freely acknowledged his poverty of spirit and his need for Jesus, but the rich young man suffered from the false sense of control that his wealth gave him. This is the sin of self-sufficiency. His wealth helped to provide for his every physical and material need and so he became blind to the truth that although he was materially wealthy, he was spiritually improvised. It wasn't that his wealth was evil, but his wealth, which came from God as everything comes from God, could not be more important to him than his relationship with God. He had to be willing to place his need for God before the self-sufficiency available to him through his material wealth. It was a test he did not pass. He feared losing his wealth more than he feared the possibility of losing the gift of eternal life.

The simple truth is that like Peter we must admit that we cannot make it on our own "we need to surrender our lives to God. We cannot buy our salvation or even work to earn it ( Eph 2:5-7:8). Instead, we must accept God's gift and make it our own so that the works of God can work through us ( Eph 2:9-10). We must respond to the reality of who Christ is and who we are. The result will be that we realize we simply cannot make it to Heaven on our own. We surrender and become "poor in spirit," and like Peter in childlike faith, we become ready to reach out to take the Master's hand in the storm of life.

In our spiritual journey, we must strive to be like Peter, admitting "poverty of spirit" and constantly reaching out for Christ. It is this first blessing which identifies and defines our relationship with God, placing us on our knees before the throne of our Lord. It is first step on the path to Heaven.
FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.
Mark 10:14b-15
And if we achieve this blessedness the promise is:

On the Resurrection side of Salvation History, it is often difficult for us to image the impact Jesus' words and teachings had on 1 st century AD Israelites and Jews. We are very familiar with the terms which describe Jesus as the "Lamb of God" and concepts like the essential elements of the New Law instituted by Jesus Christ that are communicated to New Covenant believers in invisible grace and in visible sanctification through the Sacraments which are necessary for our salvation. But how often do we realize that the statement by John the Baptist that Jesus is the "Lamb of God" ( Jn 1:29, 36) identifies Jesus of Nazareth as a human sacrifice "a shocking statement to the crowd assembled on the banks of the Jordan River the day St. John pointed out Jesus to the crowd. We fail to understand that for 1 st century AD Israelites and Jews that many of Jesus' teachings shook their understanding of their covenant relationship with God. Prior to the miracle of the Resurrection and the coming of God the Holy Spirit at the second great Pentecost ( Acts chapter 2), the broader implication of many of Jesus' teachings were beyond their understanding.

We have discussed in Lesson #1 that the term "Kingdom of Heaven" is unique to St. Matthew's Gospel. St. Matthew uses the phrase "Kingdom of Heaven" about thirty times, but it is obvious that in Matthew's Gospel the phrase "Kingdom of Heaven" can be understood to be the same as the "Kingdom of God," the phrase which is used in the other Gospels of the New Testament and which is also found in the books of the Old Testament prophets.

We understand that our inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven as a convert is first dependant upon our response to God's grace through faith, which is followed by rebirth through "water and the spirit" of baptism when we cease to be children of the family of Adam and become children in the family of God. For those born into the Church and baptized as infants by their parents, the journey has already begun with their rebirth in Christian baptism, but that is only the first step on the journey to salvation.

Question: What did Jesus' disciples understand about the Kingdom of God from the writings of the Old Testament prophets? See Ex 24:9-11; Job 38-39; Ps 22:27-28; 47; 95-99; 104; 145; 147; Is 45:1-13; Jer 1-11; Ez 10-16; Dan 4:3, 17, 34-35; Jon 1-4; Amos 1:3-4:13; Tob 13:1-2. Give examples and select some significant passages to read aloud.
Answer: The Old Testament expressed the dwelling of Yahweh in terms of a royal court where Yahweh sat enthroned in the court of the heavenly Sanctuary, ruling and judging men, nations, and all of creation, similar to the way earthly kings rule their kingdoms. Sometimes men are even allowed to come into Yahweh's presence and view the heavenly court:

Moses is taken from Mount Sinai into the royal heavenly court to view the sacred furniture in the heavenly Temple in order to duplicate them in the earthly Tabernacle (Ex 25:10-27:21; 30:1-31:11), to be instructed in the vestments for the ministerial priesthood (Ex 28:1-43); to be instructed in the consecration and investiture of the priesthood, the order of the daily sacrifice for the people, and the Sabbath worship (Ex 29:1-46; 31:12-17); and to receive the Ten Commandments (Ex 31:18).

At the ratification of the Sinai Covenant Moses, Aaron and his sons, and seventy elders of Israel ate a sacrificial meal at the foot of Yahweh's throne and beheld the God of Israel: Under his feet there appeared to be sapphire tile work, as clear as the sky itself. Yet he did not smite these chosen Israelites. After gazing on God, they could still eat and drink (Ex 24:9-11).

Isaiah is among those few great prophets who are called up to Heaven and into the heavenly court: In the year king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they veiled their faces, with two they veiled their feet, and with two they hovered aloft. Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts!' they cried one to the other. All the earth is filled with his glory' (Is 6:1-3; note: King Uzziah died circa 740BC; this is a vision also witnessed by the Prophet St. John in the Book of Revelation 4:1ff).

Ezekiel, the 6th century BC prophet, also experienced a vision of the heavenly court:I saw the glory of the God of Israel, like the vision I had seen in the plain. The cherubim were stationed to the right of the temple ... I looked and saw in the firmament above the cherubim what appeared to be a sapphire stone; something like a throne could be seen upon it (in New American from10:4 until the verse after 17; in New Jerusalem 9:3-10:1).

Please read Mark 10:35-45 ~ The Ambition of James and John
The phrase "Kingdom of God" appears most often in the writings of the Old Testament prophets and concerns prophecies that look forward to the coming of the Messiah when Yahweh's rule will extend over all earthly nations and when the Messiah will establish His earthly kingdom as in the Book of the Prophet Daniel: In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it will break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever ( Dan 2:44). This is a promised 5 th kingdom that will succeed 4 previous earthly kingdoms which can be identified historically as the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great (including the four Greek kingdoms that were established after his death), and Roman Empire, with the "intermarriage" alliance ( Dan 2:43) being Rome's union with Judea as a Roman province. In the days of the Apostles, suffering under Roman rule, it would have been their fondest hope that Rome was the prophesied 4 th kingdom which the Messiah, according to Daniel's prophecy, would destroy, establishing His own everlasting Kingdom of God on earth.

The earthly Messianic kingdom is what every Jew and Israelite hoped and prayed for, and yet New Covenant believers now understand that they have become heirs of Christ and inheritors of the Kingdom of God through the Sacrament of Christian baptism. Perhaps Mark chapter 10, which links the coming of the Kingdom as the disciples and Apostles understood it to be from the writings of the prophets, and Jesus reference to His baptism linked together with His

Passion, will help us understand what the Apostles understood about the promise of the Kingdom of the Messiah and what Jesus meant when He spoke of the Kingdom of God.

Usually biblical interpreters address this passage as an example of the Apostles' complete misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. However, in light of the teachings of the prophets with which the disciples and Apostles were completely familiar, this was a request that was presumptuous but not unsupported by what they understood about the Messianic kingdom. Their request is probably linked to the vision of the Prophet Daniel in Daniel chapter 7, a passage which describes the Messiah using Jesus' favorite title for Himself: "Son of Man." Please read Deanil 7:9-22.

Question: What kind of Messiah is pictured in Daniel's vision in 7:13-14?
Answer: A Messiah who has the appearance of a man but who is a divine Messiah who will receive from God dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion... In other words, an earthly kingdom of the type already prophesied by Daniel in chapter 2 "an earthly kingdom like the one God established for Israel in the time of King David "ruled by the Messiah-King and His ministers (the Holy Ones in Dan 7:18, 22, 27).

Question: The Prophet Daniel was troubled by the visions he received, especially the visions of the "beasts" in 7:1-8. Daniel approached one of the heavenly beings in the Court of Heaven and asked the meaning of his vision. What did the heavenly being tell Daniel in 7:17-18?
Answer: The beasts represent 4 earthly kingdoms but they will be conquered and the "Holy ones" of God who shall receive the authority to rule.

In Daniel 7:19-22, Daniel's vision revealed a period of tribulation for the "Holy ones" of God until God delivered judgments against the oppressors and the "Holy ones" possessed the Kingdom. Elaborating on this period of tribulation, Daniel is told in 7:23-27 that this powerful 4 th kingdom will conquer the known world with its confederation of 10 kings (Rome controlled 10 provinces and client kingdoms in the 1 st century AD). After a period of intense tribulation for 3 ½ years, kingship and dominion will be given to the holy people of the Most High, whose kingdom shall be everlasting: all dominions shall serve and obey him ( Daniel 7:27).

Question: How is it likely that James and John interpreted these passages in light of what Jesus promised them in Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30 when He told them that the Apostles were to judge the 12 tribes of Israel?
Answer: They understood that these passages would be fulfilled in Jesus the "Son of man" and they also would understand that, as the "holy ones" of the Messiah, they would sit in judgment with Him in the promised Kingdom of God. It is likely that James and John were speaking of seats of judgment when they asked to sit at Jesus' right and left and not of a divine banquet; in a divine banquet they would be reclining (see Jn 13:23).

Question: Returning to Mark chapter 10, what is Jesus' response to the Zebedee brothers' request? Does He rebuke them for making a foolish request or for misunderstanding the meaning of the Kingdom? What does He ask them in return?
Answer: He did not rebuke them. Instead Jesus told them they did not know what they were asking, and He asked them the question: Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?

Question: What baptism was Jesus referring to and what was the "cup"? See Lk 12:50; Rom 6:3-7.
Answer:In the Old Testament the metaphor of "drinking the cup" is used to refer to God's judgment, whether drinking the cup of God's wrath or the cup of suffering. In Jesus' case, it is both, which was to be expressed in divine judgment on the sin of man that Jesus, the Lamb of God, was to expiate through His Passion on behalf of the guilty (see Is 53:5 and Mk 14:24). Jesus' baptism was not the baptism He received from St. John the Baptist. St. John's baptism of repentance was to prepare Israel to receive the Messiah. Jesus submitted to St. John's baptism as an example for believers, and St. John's baptism of Jesus signified the anointing of the Messiah by the Holy Spirit. The baptism of which Jesus spoke of to the Zebedee brothers in this passage was to be His bloody crucifixion, death, and Resurrection for the salvation of humanity

Question: Jesus told the Zebedee brothers that the authority of assigning places of honor in His Kingdom was reserved to God the Father, however what did He tell them was necessary for them in order to have a share in His glory? See Mk 10:39-40.
Answer: Sharing in the glory of the kingdom must involve a share in Jesus' sufferings.

Question: Is this a warning for us as well? To become inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven through our baptism must we also have a share in His suffering? What statement of Jesus supports this concept of sharing in His suffering? See Mt 10:38; 16:24; Mk 8:34; 10:21; Lk 9:23; 14:27.
Answer: In each of the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus repeats the doctrine of uniting with Him in suffering twice. For example:

Mark 8:34-35: Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.

Luke 9:22-23 Jesus told the disciples: The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.' Then he said to all, If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'

Question: What takes place when one receives the Sacrament of Baptism? See John chapter 3 & CCC# 405; 1212-14; 1227-28; 1265.
Answer: Through the sacrament of baptism we have received "new life" in Christ "we have died to sin and we have been raised to a new life, having been forgiven original sin (and all other previous sins if baptized as an adult), and the promise that if we persevere in faith we shall receive the gift of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

We cannot work to achieve our own salvation; only a heartless and indifferent or uncaring God would sell such a precious gift "only a loving Father does for his children what they are unable to do for themselves. In Romans 8:3 St. Paul teaches: For what the law was powerless to do God did for us. God's gift of Heaven is granted to the victor who has persevered in faith " To the victor I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God ( Rev 2:7 b).

But this is a gift that is not awarded to the "victor" upon conquest but instead it is a gift awarded upon our complete surrender "through "poverty of spirit." The first step in the journey toward salvation is to surrendering your life to God humbly in childlike faith, and your reward will be as God's child you will inherit the Father's Kingdom "His Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life, and His Kingdom of Heaven on earth, the Kingdom that the prophet Daniel prophesied would succeed all earthly kingdoms, the Kingdom of the New Israel, the Universal Catholic Church ruled by God's Holy Ones ( Dan 7:18, 22, 27). This is the earthly kingdom that guides and prepares us to inherit the eternal Kingdom of the Father.

Question: Wasn't the inheritance of the heavenly Kingdom available to the Old Covenant Children of God? See CCC # 536; 1026 and Heb 9:8-10.
Answer: No, it was not. The gates of Heaven were closed from the time of Adam's sin until the perfect sacrifice for sins could be offered. The animal sacrifices offered under the Old Covenant Church system could not forgive sins but could only "cover" sins. They were an imperfect and temporary measure to prevent eternal death "eternal separation from God.

The sacrifices of animals for sins was so imperfect in fact, that animal blood sacrifice could only be offered for unintentional sins (see Num 15:22-31); only the perfect sacrifice of Christ could atone for intentional sins. In Jesus' infinite mercy "even for his executioners, His cry from the Cross was Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing ( Lk 23:34). In His perfect sacrifice He had come to apply His sacrificial blood for all sins, including those past sins under the Old Law. After Jesus' perfect sacrifice on the Cross, He descended into the depths of the grave and released the captives imprisoned there: Christ himself died once and for all for sins, the upright for the sake of the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life, and in the spirit he went to preach to the spirits in prison. They refused to believe long ago, while God patiently waited to receive them, in Noah's time when the ark was being built. In it only a few, that is eight souls, were saved through water. It is the baptism corresponding to this water which saves you now-not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience given to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has entered heaven and is at God's right hand, which angels, ruling forces and powers subject to him ( 1 Pet 3:18-22).

It was through the Sacrament of Christian Baptism that we have ceased to be children of Adam and have been reborn as children in the family of God. It is through that rebirth that the inheritance of the Kingdom of our Father is ours "the Kingdom of Heaven in all its dimensions:
Questions for group discussion:

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, Father!' The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ... (Rom 8:14-17).

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, Abba, Father!' So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God (Gal 4:4-7).

It was this divine son/daughter-ship that was lost to our original parents in their fall from grace in the Garden of Eden when they became dis-graced and dispossessed of the Kingdom. It is this eternal Kingdom of Heaven that has now been restored to those who are reborn into the family of God. From the Fall of Adam until Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension to the right hand of the Father, the gates of Heaven were closed (see Heb 9:8-10; CCC# 1026). But Jesus came not only as the new Moses leading the "new exodus" out of bondage to sin and death but also as the new Joshua (the Greek name Iesous, from which we get the English word "Jesus" is from the ancient Hebrew Yah'shua, or in the 1 st century Yeshua or Joshua), leading the "new exodus" into the true Kingdom of the Promised Land of Heaven. He threw open the gates of Heaven, His perfect sacrifice for our sins having been accepted by God the Father, so that when the Apostle John was called up to the heavenly throne room in Revelation 4:1, the door to Heaven stood open: Then, in my vision, I saw a door open in heaven... It is through this door that we have the promise, if we persevere in faith and submit ourselves in "poverty of spirit" to the will of the Father, then we will enter the gates of Heaven and claim our Father's Kingdom as our home.

The first step on the road to salvation and the first promise:

Question: Do you feel you are self-sufficient and can handle life's struggles on your own or do you acknowledge "poverty of spirit" and turn to God in the struggles and well as in the joys that life can bring. Give some examples.

Question: Can you think of some strategies that would be helpful in our daily walk that will remind us of our need to acknowledge our childlike spirituality and "poverty of spirit"?

Question: What are the dangers in trusting to one's conscience in determining right from wrong? Can a conscience be completely trusted or can a human conscience become damaged and untrustworthy through exposure to sin?
Endnotes:
Question: Do you yield to "poverty of spirit" and the sovereignty of God in the teachings handed down by Christ to St. Peter and the Apostles and through them to their successors, the Pope and the Bishops who form the Magisterium of the Holy Roman Catholic Church? Do you follow and support the doctrines and dogmas of the Church or do you pick and choose, deciding for yourself what is "good and what is evil" in the matters of birth control, abortion, the covenant obligations of worshiping on the Lord's Day and all Holy Days, the perpetual Virginity of Mary, and celebration the Sacraments of the Church?

Question: What are the dangers associated with deciding for ourselves which dogmas and doctrines of the Church are acceptable or not acceptable? In doing so are we following Jesus or are we following another example? Whose child do we become when we decide for ourselves good versus evil, usurping God's sovereignty?

Question: Why is this blessing of "poverty of spirit" absolutely necessary to achieve before one can continue with the other blessings Jesus has promised us?

1. A literal gate known as "the eye of the needle" is disputed by modern scholars because no written evidence has been found to identify the existence of such a gate by this name in ancient Jerusalem. Whether Jesus is speaking of a large rope or a small gate, His meaning is clear "with out the mercy and grace of God no man can obtain salvation "but it is especially hard for those who are wealthy and who rely more on their wealth to solve their problems than they rely on God.

2. The fourth watch in the 1 st century AD was from 3 AM to dawn. The Roman division of four night watches of three hours each was kept across Judea and the Galilee. Previous to Roman occupation, the Jews kept three night watch divisions of four hours each from dusk to dawn.

3. In ancient times every Jew was an Israelite but not every Israelite was a Jew. A "Jew" was either a member of the tribe of Judah or the nation of Judah. Today, however, the modern State of Israel makes no distinction between being a Jew and a citizen of the State of Israel.

4. For more passages concerning the descent of Christ to Hades (the grave), between His death and Resurrection see Mt 12:40; Acts 2:24, 31; Rom 10:7; Eph 4:9; Heb 13:20.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism References:

Mt 5:1-3 CCC 397-98, 405, 536, 581, 710, 716, 1026, 1212-14, 1227-28, 1265, 1962-63

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Lord God, You gave the Israelites the outline of the ethical stipulations of the Law of the Sinai Covenant written on tablets of stone, but Your Son has given Your New Covenant people a new law that calls for an inner transformation that is reflected in outward actions of righteousness.

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Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount Continued - God's Plan for a Transformed Heart and Life

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Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount Continued - God's Plan for a Transformed Heart and Life

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: Chapter 5: The Sermon on the Mount (continued)

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount Continued 2

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount Continued 2

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: The Sermon on the Mount (Continued)

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Merciful Heavenly Father, You took pity upon a world torn and bleeding from the ravages
of sin “a world desperate for deliverance through the grace of a pure and holy
God and a world hungry for Your love and Your redemption. In Your great
love for us, You sent your Son “He who spread open His arms…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount Continued 3

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Sermon on the Mount Continued 3

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Eternal Father of peace and justice,
Thank you, Lord, for sending Your Son to transform us through the righteousness He imparts to us through His death and resurrection. Through Him we become spiritually renewed children in whom new hearts have been implanted "hearts called to purity, peace, and self-sacrificial love "hearts to love as Jesus loves us. As new creatures in Christ, make us instruments of Your peace, Lord. In Your name, we want to banish strife and discord in order to bring harmony and love. We can only do this, Lord, if our lives are filled up with the love of Christ. The more our lives are a reflection of His life, the more peace and love radiates from us out to a troubled world. Help us to be militant about peace and violently opposed to any and all things in this world that stand in the way of brotherhood and justice. Send us Your Holy Spirit to be our teacher, Lord, as we study the promises made to us in the Law of the New Covenant. We pray in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
+ + + "BLESSED ARE THE CLEAN OF HEART"
We must begin by purifying ourselves before purifying others; we must be instructed to be able to instruct, become light to illuminate, draw close to God to bring him close to others, be sanctified to sanctify, lead by the hand and counsel prudently.
St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 2, 71 as quoted in CCC 1589

Blessed are those who observe his instructions, who seek him with all their hearts... Psalm 119:2 (New Jerusalem translation)
Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place? The clean of hand and pure of heart...
Psalm 24:3-4
When we submit to the sovereignty of God in "poverty of spirit," we take the first step toward our rebirth as sons and daughters of God. In acknowledging God's sovereignty over our lives, He promises us eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, and in our rebirth through baptism we come as His New Covenant children before the throne of God. Face to face with a pure and holy God, we become aware of our imperfections, and taking the next step we mourn our sins and the sins of the world. Our sincere contrition purifies us, and He comforts us and strengthens us in our struggle to conquer sin. Drawing close to God, we desire to be more perfectly conformed to His will. We yield our selfish will to His eternal will, and in a spirit of renewal our Father gives us our inheritance "as His children we conquer in meekness as we serve Him as members of the Body of Christ " His Church, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth "an earth that no longer can intimidate or dominate us because we serve the Lord who dominates the earth.

United with our Father in spirit and in will, He gives us a hunger and thirst for righteousness as manifested in His Son. This is the turning point in the spiritual journey, when we turn from what we need to give God to our focus on the Son of God and what He will give us. In Christ we die to sin and are raised to righteousness, and Jesus feeds us on our journey with His very flesh and blood. Such is the depth of His love for us that He continues to more deeply and spiritually transform us to His image "an image that calls for a pure and holy heart as our Savior is pure and holy. We feel the need to empty ourselves of worldly attractions and concerns and to fill our entire being with the love of Jesus our Savior, as our lives become a reflection of Christ. Our cry becomes the cry of David "the beloved" in Psalm 51:12 (verse 10 in some translations): A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit.

Blessed are the clean of heart for they will see God...
Under the Old Covenant Law, ritual purity prepared the Covenant people for the coming of a pure and holy Messiah, but in his homily on the Beatitudes, St. Augustine points out that the external ceremonial purity as expressed in the Old Law was not enough. We cannot live the "New Law" of the Beatitudes without Christ any more that the Jews under the Old Covenant could perfectly keep the Law of Moses. In the Old Covenant, the circumcised flesh of every male child was a blood sacrifice which symbolized the sacrifice of the life of that child, who was to be a father to the next generation, to Yahweh, but it was not the circumcised flesh or the sacrifice of animals that pleased God.

The Greek word for "pure" or "clean" in this verse is katharos. It is an adjective meaning "pure as in being cleansed." The heart, or kardia in Greek, is the most vital organ in the human body. We think of our hearts as the internal instrument of our emotions but the ancients did not understand the function of a heart in this way. For the peoples of ancient times, the Jews, Greeks and Romans, different body parts had different physiological functions. The Jews believed that anger was situated in the nose and that love, compassion and most other emotions in the kidney, liver and bowels. To the people of Jesus' time the heart reflected the total substance of a man or woman; the true inward essence of a person as opposed to what is visible.

Please read Psalms 24:3-10
3 Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place? 4 "The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely. 5 They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God. 6 Such are the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of the God of Jacob." 7 Lift up your heads, O gates; rise up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. 8 Who is this king of glory? The LORD, a mighty warrior, the LORD, mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O gates; rise up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. 10 Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts is the king of glory.

This passage defines the character the worshippers who are clean of heart.

Question: How does Psalms 24:4 identify those of "clean" or "pure hearts?
Answer: They are those who observe the commands and prohibitions of the Law and who give God their covenant oath of undivided loyalty.

The literal translation of verse 4 is "the one whose hands are clean." The singular is used but the identification is for the entire class of worshippers. To seek the face of the God in verse 6 is a euphemism for seeking communion with God by renouncing sins and offering peace "thanksgiving" sacrifices followed by the sacred meal that restores fellowship with God ( Lev 7:11-15).

Question: How does Psalms 24:3-6 define the rights and the character of those of pure hearts "the righteous believers who are worthy to come to Yahweh's Temple and offer sacrifice? Five conditions are listed.
Answer: As for the clean of heart:

They can stand before God and offer Him worship.

They do not worship idols (material or spiritual).

They do not lie or make false promises.

Their reward will be blessings and justice.

They love God and "seek His face" through confession of sin and restored peace with God through the sacred communion meal.

Question: In Psalms 24:7-10 who is the King of Glory for whom the faithful covenant people of pure hearts wait?
Answer: The LORD is pictured as a mighty king who is returning from battle.

The LORD is identified as the Lord of the heavenly hosts, commander of the heavenly army of angels who is returning from battle with the forces of evil on the earth. The Old Covenant faithful came to understand this aspect of Yahweh's authority to be embodied in the promised Messiah of Daniel 7:13-14: eternal, holy and mighty "the true ruler of the nations of the earth! This psalm was one of the Messianic psalms that looked forward to the coming to the Davidic king who would rule Israel and the people of God forever! We know Him as Jesus of Nazareth.

According to Jewish tradition, Psalms 24 was sung by the Levitical choir on the first day of each week during the two daily worship services of the Tamid lambs in the Jerusalem Temple (The Jewish Talmud, Mishnah: Tamid 7:4A).

Question: If this psalm was indeed sung on the "first" day of the week, what was that day and what was its significance in the Messianic Era in which we now live and what is the connection to Jesus? Hint: the last day of the week was the 7 th day, the Old Covenant Sabbath, Saturday.
Answer: The first day of the week is our Sunday. For the Old Covenant people it was the day Creation began in Genesis; for the New Covenant people it is the first day of the New Creation when Jesus arose from the dead as the victorious King declaring His victory over sin and death!

In Scripture the condition of one's heart determined the direction for good or evil a person was likely to take in their relationship with God and with men. One's outwardly righteous actions could not deceive God because He read the hidden parts of the human heart:

Yet there too you shall seek the LORD, your God; and you shall indeed find him when you search after him with your whole heart and your whole soul (Dt 4:29).

Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength (Dt 6:5).

But the LORD said to Samuel: "Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart" (1 Sam 16:7).

Read Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; and David's plea to God in Psalms 51:18-19 below.

Question: What is meant by an "uncircumcised heart"? For other references to "uncircumcised hearts" see Lev 26:41; Jer 9:25; Ez 44:7, 9. For additional commands to circumcise hearts see Jer 4:4 and Rom 2:29. What is the personal sacrifice of every believer that is pleasing to God?

Dt 10:16: Circumcise your heart then and be obstinate no longer...

Dt 30:6: Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love Yahweh your God with all your heart and soul, and so will live.

Ps 51:18-19: For you do not desire sacrifice; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, God, is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart.

Answer: An "uncircumcised heart" is a heart that is unreceptive to God's guidance and divine grace. God requires repentant, humbled /"circumcised" hearts. A clean or pure heart is the singleness of heart which submits itself in perfect love to God's will as opposed to one's human will and that is the purity of heart that God desires. This means it is God's desire that we give Him our complete, undivided selves, yielding our "hearts" (our entire being) in obedience to His will and His plan for our lives.

The inspired writers of Scripture also recognized that depravity and deceit emerged from the human heart.

Question: What did Jesus tell the crowd of Jews about evil in the human heart in Matthew 15:19-20 when He and His disciples were accused of being ritually "unclean" because they didn't always wash their hands, according to the Law, before they ate?
Answer: He said it wasn't the external that defiled a person but the sin that was first generated as thoughts that came from an impure human heart: "For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile."

Sin generated within an "impure heart" is where sin does its greatest damage by attacking the inward life from which sin then defiles the whole man or woman when expressed in actions contrary to the will of God. The inspired writers of the other New Testament books also recognized that the heart represented the hidden depths of one's spiritual being and regarded the heart as the focus of divine influence from which a man or woman could be purified by God from the inside out.

Question: What did St. Peter say about the purification of hearts in Acts 15:9 and what did he write in his letter to the universal Church in 1Peter 3:4?
Answer: Peter said that the purification of the heart was a divine act of God when a person, Jew or Gentile, professed faith in Christ Jesus ( Acts 15:9). He also wrote that the hidden character of a pure heart expressed an imperishable beauty that is precious to God above any external attribute.

Question: How did Jesus identified the heart in Matthew 18:35?
Answer: He identified the heart as the seat of forgiveness when He warned the crowds in the parable of the Merciless Servant of the punishment that will be inflicted on one who refuses to forgive: So my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.

Jesus also identified the depths of one's heart as the place where the pain inflicted by others in our lives is either bound in suffering or loosed in forgiveness. Jesus taught that the covenant believer who offers his heart to the Holy Spirit is released from the earthly power to continually feel a hurt. Instead the Holy Spirit turns that hurt into compassion and purifies the believer's heart by turning that hurtful memory into intercession and prayer for the offender, as we forgive those who trespass against us ( Mt 5:12), for it is our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, ...by his stripes we were healed ( Is 53:4-5, prophecy of the Suffering Messiah). Also see The Lord's Prayer, Mt 5:43-44, and CCC 2842-44). Therefore, when Jesus spoke of the blessedness of a cleansed heart, His 1 st century AD listeners understood He was speaking of the total reflection of a person called to purity in every aspect of his or her life.

Question: What else does Scripture teach about the heart?
Answers:

1. What does the Bible teach about the heart in Psalm 17:3; 1Samuel 16:7; and Psalm 44:22 (21)?

2. What does the Bible teach about the heart in Ezekiel 36:26-27; Psalms 51:12(10), 19 (17); andJeremiah 4:4; 31:31-33?

3. What does the Bible teach about the heart in Deuteronomy 4:29; Psalms 105:3; andPsalm 119:2, & 10?

4. What does the Bible teach about the heart in 1Kings 3:9; Hosea 2:16; and Deuteronomy 30:11-14?

5. What does the Bible teach about the heart in 1 Samuel 12:20, 24; Deuteronomy 6:5-6; andPsalm 111:1?

In your answer, quote from at least one passage in each section.

1. God knows the depth of each human heart: You have tested my heart, searched it in the night. You have tried me by fire, but find no malice in me (Ps 17:3).

2. The heart represents the center of religious/spiritual awareness and morality: I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you. Taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees (Ez 36:26-27).

3. It is from the heart that we must seek God: Yet there too you shall seek the LORD, your God; and you shall indeed find him when you search after him with your whole heart and your whole soul (Dt 4:29).

4. It is from the heart that we listen to God and to hear Him speak to us: Give your servants, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong (1Kng 3:9).

5. It is from the heart that we must serve Him, praise Him, and love Him:

Do not fear,' Samuel answered them. It is true that you have committed all this evil; still you must not turn from the LORD, but must worship him with your whole heart.' [...]. But you must fear the LORD and worship him faithfully with your whole heart; keep in mind the great things he has done among you.' (1 Sam 12:20, 24).

Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today (Dt 6:5-6).

I will praise the LORD with all my heart in the assembled congregations of the upright (Ps 111:1).

The word "spirituality" is one of the most poorly defined and most often abused words in the Christian vocabulary; after all, even Buddhists and Hindus are "spiritual" people.

Question: Biblically is it correct to define "Christian spirituality" or "the Christian spiritual life" as simply a "feeling" of closeness to God? Look up the word "spiritual" or "spiritual life" in a Catholic dictionary.
Answer: As defined by the abridged edition of the Modern Catholic Dictionary "spiritual life" is:...the life of the Holy Spirit, dwelling in the souls of the faithful and enabling them to praise and love God and serve him in the practice of virtue. It is called the spiritual life because: 1. its animating principle is the Spirit of God, the "Soul of the soul" in sanctifying grace; 2. it is the supernatural life of the human spirit; 3. it is mainly lived out in the spiritual faculties of intellect and will, although affecting the whole person, body and soul ( Modern Catholic Dictionary, abridged edition, page 417).

It is the "spiritual" believer who seeks to serve God with a clean heart "a sanctified heart kept "clean" and free from sin through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist in which sin is forgiven and hearts are cleansed. Scripture tells us it is those of "clean hearts" who will turn to God with no reservations, with no hypocrisy, but with only genuine repentance for sin and with love and obedience. St. Jose-Maria Escriva wrote: A man is worth what his heart is worth, and St. Paul the Apostle's prayer for the community at Ephesus was: May the eyes of [your] hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones ... ( Eph 1:18). [Note: most translations have "eyes of your mind" but the literal translation is "heart;" see the New Jerusalem Bible, page 1933 note "r"].

Jesus' standard for purity of heart requires that the piety of the believer depends on an inward transformation and not only on an outward show of ritual piety. In Matthew 6:21 Jesus will teach that one's heart must be in heaven, where one's treasure is to be found: For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Purity of heart then identifies the true internal self of the believer in union with God. Purity of heart is to will only one thing and that is conformity with God's will with all of one's being "internally and externally in one's thoughts, words and actions. This is the kind of man or woman who "knows the heart of God."

Question: Of all the Old Testament heroes and heroines who is identified as one who was "after God's own heart?" See 1 Sam 13:14 and 16:1-13. Describe this person.
Answer: David the shepherd-boy, musician, poet-warrior, lover of beautiful woman, adulterer, and murderer who was King of Israel. He was an imperfect man who yearned throughout his life to present himself to his God in perfect purity of heart.

Question: With all his imperfections, why did God love David? There are many incidents in the Bible stories of David's life which illustrate his relationship with God. Give some examples; see 1 Sam 17:47; 24:1-23; 2 Sam 11:1-2:25; 24:1, 10-17, 25.
Answer: Despite his many sins, David always came back to God in sincere repentance and in submission of his life to the will of God.

David gave credit for his victory over Goliath not to his own skills as a warrior, but to God's providence.

When given the opportunity to kill King Saul, who was David's sworn enemy, he refused to kill God's anointed.

When confronted with his sin with Bathsheba and his complicity in the death of her husband, he repented his sins and submitted himself to God.

When the census David ordered brought God's judgment of sickness to the people, David repented his sin and offered to sacrifice his own life and the covenant promise God made to his family for the sake of his people. David's offer of self-sacrifice for the sake of his people lifted the plague judgment.

David in Hebrew [ DWD in proto-Hebrew and dawid, with vowels] means,"beloved" ( Dictionary of the Bible, John L. McKenzie, S.J.). Despite his many faults, God loved David because it was David's sincere desire to conform his will to the will of God that gave him the kind of "heart" that was completely with the LORD ( 1 Kng 11:4).

But purity of heart cannot come simply from our own internal cleansing. Jesus told his disciples: You are pure because of the word which I have spoken to you ( Jn 15:3). We can only have a clean heart through the supernatural grace of God. Purity of heart can only come about through the work of God the Holy Spirit. The first gift of purity of heart is granted to us in the Sacrament of Baptism.

Question: How can we reclaim "cleanness of heart" when we fall into sin? What is the supernatural gift of grace by which our hearts are healed of the stain of sin and cleansed?

See CCC 1421, 1432-33. What can we learn from David's example in 2 Samuel 12:7-25?
Answer: Our sin is purged and our hearts are cleansed by God's grace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When David was confronted with his sins concerning the woman Bathsheba, he confessed his sins and he submitted himself to God's judgment. His willingness to submit himself to God and to accept the death of his child conceived in adultery with Bathsheba resulted in the blessing of another child who became Israel's greatest king, King Solomon.
"FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD"
The Holy Spirit is our gift from the Father and the Son to be the source of living water welling up from the heart of Christ and flowing out to every believer (see Jn 7:38). The Holy Spirit puts Christ in our hearts, circumcising our old hearts and giving us new hearts that conform us to Christ's image. It is Christ dwelling in us who gives us a truly purified interior self. When St. Paul wrote I live now not I but Christ lives in me in Galatians 2:20, he wanted us to understand that our deepest identity is to be Christ "it is the only way we will be able to return to the pre-Eden "image of God." And what is the result? It is that whatever you do, or say, or see reflects the image of God. St. Paul wrote to St. Titus in Titus 1:15: Everything is pure to the pure! A pure heart beats to the living revelation of Jesus Christ! Cleanliness of heart is not a one-time blessing; it is a blessing that must be constantly renewed. Sin damages the purity of our hearts; repentance and reconciliation restores our hearts, purifies our hearts and fills our hearts "our entire beings " anew with the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
The LORD is just and loves just deeds; the upright shall see his face. Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble through which many may become defiled ...Matthew 5:8 ~ Blessed are the clean of heart for they will see God.
Hebrews 12:14-15
Psalm 11:7
David struggled with cleanliness of heart and often failed. But in his failure he always knew where to turn "repeatedly he turned back to God. For us the call for a cleansed heart is so much easier because Christ's sacrificial death has purified us through His precious blood. Through the work of the Holy Spirit He has "circumcised" our hearts "He has given us new hearts conformed to His precious sacred heart and this transformation has given us a unique promise "to see the face of God.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." It is true, because of the greatness and inexpressible glory of God, that "man shall not see me and live;" for the Father cannot be grasped. But because of God's love and goodness toward us, and because he can do all things, he goes so far as to grant those who love him the privilege of seeing him...for "what is impossible for men is possible for God."
St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, IV.20.5

The promise of this beatitude is that the clean/pure of heart will have the privilege of seeing God. In Old Testament Scripture to see the face of God referred to that unique intimacy that was restored to believers through the peace sacrifice that restored communion with God through a sacred meal.

Question: In Sacred Scripture who are the few given this very special privilege of seeing God? Can you name a few such encounters and did that person or persons literally "see" God face to face? See Ex 24:9-11; 33:11, 20; Jn 1:18; 14:9-10.
Answer: Moses, Aaron and his two sons, and the 70 elders of Israel ate a sacred meal in God's presence during the sacrificial meal that ratified the Sinai Covenant in Exodus 24:9-11. Verse 10 records that they beheld the God of Israel, and in verse 11: After gazing on God, they could still eat and drink. In Exodus 33:11, Scripture records that The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. But it is uncertain if these men literally saw God's face or only a vague form because in Exodus 33:20 Yahweh warns Moses: But my face you cannot see, for no man sees me and still lives, and St. John writes in John 1:18: No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. However, everyone who saw the face of Jesus of Nazareth literally saw the face of God, as Jesus told His disciples, Whoever has seen me has seen the Father ... do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? ( Jn 14:9b-10).

We were created, after all, in the image of God "it was our spiritual likeness to our divine Father that image was damaged in our original parent's fall from grace.

For example, in the Old Testament the title "son(s) of God" was applied to those members of the human family who were where in covenant with Yahweh:

Those men who continued in covenant with God through the family of Adam's righteous son Seth (see Gen 6:2-4, literal translation "sons of God")

The descendants of Abraham, with whom God formed a three-fold covenant that continued through Abraham's son Isaac and his son Jacob and Jacob's sons who were the physical fathers of the 12 Tribes of Israel (Ex 4:22; alsoHo 11:1)

The kings of Israel from David's line who were God's sons who were chosen to lead the covenant people (2 Sam 7:12-17; Ps 2:7).

Despite the partial restoration under the old Law, mankind remained linked to Adam's sin, and that perfection of grace that was lost to humanity in the Fall was not completely restored until Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection. In the New Covenant in Christ, our likeness of God is restored by divine will through the Sacrament of Christian Baptism, liberating us from the family of Adam and giving us new birth as pure sons and daughters of our divine Father: ... the Holy Spirit enables one whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ (CCC 2345). St. John promised the faithful in 1 John 3:2-3: Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he [Christ] is pure. It is Christ dwelling in us who makes us pure sons and daughters who have the promise of seeing our Father face to face (also see the promise for believers as children of the divine Father in Mt 5:9 and Jn 1:11-13).
Questions for group discussion:
It is a special gift of the New Covenant, Jesus tells His disciples, that those of "clean hearts" will have the special privilege of seeing God. This is a promise that can have two fulfillments; one in the present and another in the future.

The Dominican scholar Father Raymond of Capua, the spiritual director, friend, and biographer, of St. Catherine of Siena [1347-1380] records St. Catherine told him at one time she had a devotion to repeating Psalm 51:12 (verse 10 in some translations): A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit. Then one day she had a vision in which the Lord came to her, removed her physical heart and inserted a new heart, telling her that He was giving her His own heart. Later, when Catherine was gravely ill, Father Raymond visited her. As he sat by her bed he saw her countenance change and he suddenly realized that he was looking into the face of Christ Himself ( Life of Catherine of Siena, byRaymond of Capua).

St. Catherine had what St. Paul of Tarsus had discovered and that is purity of heart means dying to self and living for Christ. To have purity of heart, we must claim what St. Paul claimed for himself in Galatians 2:19b-20: I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. Mother Therese of Calcutta also understood what it truly meant to die to self and live for Christ. The Christ living in her heart allowed her to see the face of Christ in the face of every suffering man and woman she washed and clothed and bathed and helped to die with dignity.

The inspired writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews links "seeing God" with holiness which comes through purity of heart with peacemaking: Seek peace with all people and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Filling our hearts/ our whole self with Christ produces a purity of spirit that produces a peace that overflows out of our hearts and touches each person we meet " a right relationship with God leads to the desire for a right relationship with others. When our clean hearts overflow with Christ's love we are promised...the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus ( Phil 4:7). The result is that we become His emissaries; bearers of Christ bearing peace.
"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS"
The sixth step on the road to salvation and the sixth promise:

Blessed are the pure of heart:
our old hearts are replaced
with the pure heart of
Jesus our Redeemer à we will see God's face in the faces of everyone with whom
we share His love and we
will recognize Him in the
Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Question: Is what comes out of one's mouth a good way to determine "purity of heart?" What are those words coming from one's mouth that indicate a "heart cleaning" is in order through repentance and prayer?

Question: Is what one's mind and eyes are drawn to also a factor in determining "purity of heart?" Why?

Question: Some family traits are inherited: eye color, hair color, natural abilities. Other traits are learned: truthfulness, sincerity, honesty, dealing with anger, etc. What traits have we inherited through our baptism from our Heavenly Father? What traits are learned from Mother Church? How should we struggle against that inherited trait from the family of Adam called "concupiscence"? Concupiscence is a word from the Latin meaning con = thoroughly + cupere, to desire. As defined by the Modern Catholic Dictionary concupiscence is The insubordination of man's desires to the dictates of reason, and the propensity of human nature to sin as a result of original sin. There are two aspects to concupiscence:

1. Concupiscence of the Eyes = Unwholesome curiosity and an inordinate love of this world's goods. The first consists in an unreasonable desire to see, hear, and know what is harmful to one's virtue, inconsistent with one's state of life, or detrimental to higher duties and the other is

2. Concupiscence of the Flesh = The inordinate love of sensual pleasure, to which fallen man is naturally prone.

The peacemakers are those who, standing apart from the stumbling block of disagreement and discord, guard the affection of fraternal love and the peace of the Church under the unity of the Catholic [Universal] faith. And the Lord in the Gospel particularly urges his disciples to guard this peace, saying, "I give you my peace; I leave you in my peace." David earlier testified that the Lord would give this peace to his Church, saying, "I will listen to what the Lord speaks in me, for he will pronounce his peace to his people and upon his holy ones and to those who turn to him."
Chromatius (c. 400) quoting from Jn 14:27 and Ps 85:8 (84:8 in the LXX),
Tractate on Matthew 17.7.1-2

The peace shown by peacemakers brings a harvest of justice.
James 3:18
Answers:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
St. Augustine wrote that the peacemakers are not only peace filled but that they are active makers of peace. They encourage peace around them by healing alienations and discord and bringing about reconciliation. This peace begins within the lives of the clean of heart as they conform themselves to the image of Christ, and then the peace they generate diffuses from them to the world (Augustine, Sermon on the Mount, Book I chapter 2.9). This is the kind of peacemaking we all must seek. Internal peace transformed into militantly spiritual and joyously unquenchable peace shared with our family, our friends, and the world as our witness of a life conformed to the Prince of Peace!

The peace of Jesus Christ is His gift to us.

Question: When did Jesus give the gift of peace to His followers? What event took place that led to the giving of His gift of peace? See Jn 14:25-27.

Question: This gift was bequeathed by Jesus to His disciples prior to His Passion. He told His disciples in His last teaching discourse in the Upper Room after the Last Supper: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid ( Jn 14:27).

Peace, or Shalom in Hebrew, is the traditional Semitic salutation. Jesus' usual greeting was the typical Semitic,"Peace be with you," found 5 times in the Gospels ( Lk 24:36; Jn 14:27; Jn 20:19, 21, 26).
Lord Jesus Christ, You said to Your Apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you.' Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.
Question: How do the three New Testament passages in Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15; and Romans 15:33 speak of "peace"?

Philippians 4:7: Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.= peace of God

Colossians 3:15: And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. =peace of Christ,

Romans 15:33: The God of peace be with all of you. =God of peace

Peace in the context of these 3 passages is a gift of God. But in John's Gospel when Jesus speaks of "peace" He also defines the concept of peace by linking "peace" to His mission.

Question: In John 14:27; 16:32-33; 20:19-29, Jesus speaks of peace. How does Jesus define "peace" in each of these passages in the context of His mission?
Answer:

John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. This is the promise of peace defined as the gift of salvation.

John 16:32-33: Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have troubles, but take courage, I have conquered the world. This passage promises the peace that comes from faith in Christ.

John 20:19-29: On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be with you." [...]. "Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, Peace be with you." [...]. Blessed are those who have not seen and believed. This is the typical greeting again, but it takes on a message of rejoicing in the miracle of the Resurrection of the Messiah and the promise of salvation as it is given through the breath of Christ from which the Apostles receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22).

1. When the priest in the Introductory Rites, "in the person of Christ" extends his hands to the congregation and says "Peace be with you" in the same way that Jesus greeted His disciples.

2. In the "sign of peace" which comes after the words of Consecration.

As we move into the Communion Rite we, as the Body of Christ, recite the Lord's Prayer and then we are called by the priest to make the "sign of peace." All the preceding prayers in the celebration of the Mass have been directed to God the Father. But now, after washing his hands to show his ritual cleanliness and purity of heart, the priest for the first time directly addresses God the Son. As the congregation continues to stand after the Lord's Prayer the priest, with his hands extended toward the faithful, quotes Jesus' words from John 14:27 and prays for peace:
"FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD"
After the priest, on our behalf, makes the petition for peace to Jesus our Savior, the congregation responds with a mighty "Amen!"

1. our personal peace

2. peace for our faith community

3. peace for the universal Church.

But to those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God..
John 1:12-13
Note: The sign of peace, also known as the "kiss of peace" is an ancient rite that can be traced back to the very earliest years of the Church. St. Justin, in his letter to the Roman Emperor Antonius Pius c. 150-155AD wrote a description of Christian worship in which he mentions the "sign" or "kiss" of peace" (see Apologies, St. Justin Martyr, Book 1.67).

After our "Amen," meaning for us, "we believe" or "it is true," we receive the priest's greeting: The peace of the Lord be with you always, to which we respond: And also with you. Then the priest encourages us to: Let us offer each other the sign of peace. At this invitation the congregation exchanges some sign of love and peace with families and then to the extended members of our covenant family sitting next to us. But this is more than just an opportunity to express love, friendship, and unity.

Question: What other last opportunity is there for us in this rite that precedes Communion? See Mt 5:23-24 and 6:12
Answer: It is a last opportunity to mend hurt feelings and to forgive and be forgiven before coming forward to receive the Lord Jesus in Holy Eucharist. In this rite we are in effect carrying out the 5 th petition of the "Lord's Prayer:"...forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, or in some translations, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us..., just as Jesus instructed us in Matthew 5:23-24: Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you. Leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

At this point in the Mass we should feel our very souls flooded with the sense of peace and faith that is a consequence of our desire to be united with Christ and His Church. As the priest breaks what was the bread, but which is now the Body of Jesus our Savior, and as we sing our hymn to the Lamb which ends with the phrase Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace, our hearts should be beating loudly within our breasts. This is the time of the victory song of the Lamb when the heavenly choirs of angels and saints are singing: Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, God, the almighty. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready! ( Rev 19:6b-7).At this moment, as we prepare to go forward to the altar to "see the face of God" in holy Communion, we should abandoned ourselves completely into the will of God through Christ Jesus who imparts to us a peace beyond understanding, as with great joy we prepare ourselves to receive Christ as children of the Most High God!

The peacemaker is the one who demonstrates the harmony of the Scriptures, where others see only a contradiction: the Old with the New, the law with the prophets, Gospel with Gospel. Accordingly, having imitated the Son of God, "he shall be called a son," having by his work grasped the "spirit of adoption."
St. Cyril of Alexandria (375-444) Fragment 38

Where there is no contention, there is perfect peace. And that is why the children of God are peacemakers, because nothing can finally stand against God. In this way the children possess a likeness to God the Father.
St. Augustine (354-430) Sermon on the Mount 1.2.9

Matthew 5:9: ...for they will be called children of God.
The Greek text literally reads "sons of God," a title that occurs only here in Matthew's Gospel and which is understood to include both men and women.

1. Humanity lost that degree of intimacy known as divine sonship/daughtership which had not been experienced since the time of our first parents before the Fall.

2. It is this restored likeness to God, a child "in the image of the Father," that Christ gave us in Christian Baptism " the image of grace that was the condition of Adam and Eve in the garden before the Fall from grace.

It will help to understand the dimensions of this promise to look carefully at what St. John wrote in his Gospel concerning rebirth into the family of God: But to those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name who were born not from human stock or human desire or human will but from God himself ( Jn 1:12-13, NJB).

Think of the power of the statement in this verse!

What does this phrase mean? Hint see Question: ..to those who believed in his name... Jn 20:31 and 1Jn 5:1
Answer: To those who believed Jesus is the Son of God the Messiah of Israel. To these who believe God gave the power of divine son [and daughter]-ship. The best explanation is found in 1John 5:1: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God...

It is also important to understand that to the ancients one's name expressed the sum of the qualities that marked the nature or character of that person. To believe in the name of Jesus Christ is to accept as true the revelation contained in that name: that Jesus is fully man and fully God come to redeem the world. St. Thomas Aquinas, the great biblical scholar and theologian wrote about this passage: ...those who believe in his name are those who fully hold the name of Christ not in any way lessening his divinity or his humanity (St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary of St. John, 1:12-13).

John 1:12: But to those who did accept him, he gave the power to become children of God... The word in Greek that is translated here "power" is exousia. In other Bible translations it may be rendered as "right." The use of "exousiaquot" in this passage does not indicate only the possibility or the ability to become "children of God" but the legitimate right derived from the authority of the Word. And it is only through the Word that we have this power.

That Christ gave us the "power" is the same way of saying that He gave us a free gift and that gift was sanctifying grace.
Question: How is this "free gift" extended to us through the Church?
Answer: This gift is a supernatural infusion of grace, which is extended through the sacrament of Baptism to everyone. The only condition is that we have faith. The great St. Athanasius explained it this way: The Son of God became man in order that the sons of men, the sons of Adam, might become sons of God.....He [Adam] is the son of God by nature; we, by grace... (St Athanasius, The Incarnation). This is the gift of divine son-ship and we cannot truly call ourselves "Children of God" until this miracle regenerates us with "new life" into the family of God. It is what Jesus will reveal to Nicodemus in chapter 3 of St. John's Gospel.

John 1:13... who were born not from human stock, or human desire or human will but from God himself (NJB). The more literal translation is: were begotten not of bloods [plural], nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man."

Question: In the John 1:12-13St.John defines the supernatural birth into divine son/daughtership in the negative by listing 3 ways we were not born into God's covenant family. What are they?
Answer:

The Greek word for blood is actually in the plural form = "bloods." To the ancients all bodily fluids were part of the life force. In other words this is not a birth by the standards of nature: not by human descent or DNA, not by desire or lust, and not generated by procreation through human power. This is purely a supernatural birth from above; a free gift of faith and grace.
Question for group discussion:

CCC 1265 of the Catechism states: Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte "a new creature", an adopted son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature," member of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.

CCC 460 of the Catechism teaches: The word became flesh to make us partakers of the divine nature': For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man' so that man, be entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.' The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.

Also see the other CCC references on the Sacrament of Baptism #1213-1274.

It is interesting that peace making and sonship/daughtershhip are brought together in this blessing. In 1 Chronicles 22:9-10 peacemaking and sonship are brought together in King David's son Solomon when Yahweh promises David: However, a son is to be born to you. He will be a peaceful man, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. For Solomon shall be his name, and in his time I will bestow peace and tranquility on Israel. It is he who shall build a house in my honor; he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish the throne of his Kingship over Israel forever. The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, is reflected in Solomon's name, which in Hebrew is Shelomo. The "son" or "daughter" who is reborn through baptism into the New Covenant family of God must be a son or daughter who manifests the peace of God in Christ and this peace of God in Christ is manifested in us through a supernatural power.

Question: Through what supernatural power is this peace of Christ manifested in us?
Answer: Through the 3 rd Person of the Most Holy Trinity, through God the Holy Spirit.

Question: In Galatians 5:22-23 St. Paul speaks of the "fruits of the Spirit." How is the blessing of peace and divine sonship connected to that passage?
Answer: St. Paul speaks of "peace" as the third fruit of the Spirit. The "fruits of the Spirit" are perfections that God the Holy Spirit forms in the children of God as the first fruits of eternal glory. Galatians 5:22-23 lists 9 "fruits of the Holy Spirit:...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit as God's children, we are commanded to bear much "fruit" by Christ who has grafted us onto Himself as the "true vine." The "fruit" or works we bear is an outpouring of the gifts the Holy Spirits imparts to us. The peace we generate is part of that outpouring. As co-heirs of the "Prince of Peace" we are called to imitate Christ in the earthly kingdom of our Father. Imitating the love and peace generated by Jesus Christ is a family characteristic we as Christians are called to demonstrate. St. Basil wrote: Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God Father' and to share in Christ's grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory (quoted from CCC 736).

The seventh step on the road to salvation and the seventh promise:

Blessed are the peacemakers:
with Christ living in us we
become conformed to His
image of peace and loveà
in the image of Christ we
become divine children of
His Father

For New Covenant believers it is necessary that we die to this world and its self-centered doctrine of what constitutes happiness and that we instead live for Christ and the blessedness that comes from being a child of God: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure ( 1 John 3:1-3). When as a child of God, the Christian dies to self and lives for Christ, he is elevated to the position of Christ's Apostle of peace and love.

Question: Why is one of Jesus' titles the "Prince of Peace?" By "peace" Jesus doesn't mean "absence of conflict" (see Mt 10:34-36; Lk 12:51-53). With Christ there is no middle ground; either He is "the Gate" and "the Way" ( Jn 10:7-10; 14:6-7) or you reject Him and choose your own way. What kind of peace was Jesus referring to in His homily at the Last Supper in Jn 14:27 and 16:33? What was Jesus' greeting to the disciples after His Resurrection? See Lk 24:36; Jn 20:19, 21, 26. What kind of peace was Paul speaking of in Phil 4:6-7?

Question: In His Beatitudes Jesus speaks of the blessings of both mercy and peace. Mercy is one of the fruits of charity and so is peace (CCC 1829). Peace is listed as the third fruit of the Holy Spirit after love and joy ( Gal 5:22-23, CCC 736, 1832), and is a precious gift from God (CCC 1424, 1468). Read what the Catechism says about safeguarding peace in CCC 2302-06. What is the Christian's obligation as a peacemaker in a troubled world?

Question: After discussing our obligations as Christ's ambassadors of love and peace, discuss some strategies we can employ in our families, in our communities, in our nation, and in the world to fulfill our role as peacemakers.How do you practice the virtue of internal peace, and what are some strategies that promote spiritual peace within your life? How do you express the peace that comes from an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ externally in your interaction with others?

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references:

Matthew 5:8 CCC 1589, 1421, 1432-33, 2345, 2842-44, 1421,

Matthew 5:9 CCC 460, 1265,736, 1213-1274, 1424, 1468, 1829, 2302-06.

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Eternal Father of peace and justice, Thank you, Lord, for sending Your Son to transform us through the righteousness He imparts to us through His death and resurrection. Through Him we become spiritually renewed children in whom new hearts have been implanted "hearts called to purity, peace, and self-sacrificial love "hearts to love as Jesus loves us.

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Conclusion of the Beatitudes and The Sermon on the Mount Continued 4

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 5 Discourse #1: The Conclusion of the Beatitudes and The Sermon on the Mount Continued 4

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Merciful Father,
You sent Your beloved Son to suffer and to die for the salvation of mankind. You did not send Him to do away with suffering in the world but to unite His suffering to ours so that "through His stripes we might be healed." It is when we unite our suffering to His that our suffering is transformed and becomes redemptive suffering unto salvation. You did not promise us that the road to eternal life would be easy, Lord, but You have promised that we would never make the journey alone so long as we unite our lives to the life of Your Son. Send us, our Father, Your Holy Spirit to guide us in our study; we pray in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
+ + + BLESSED ARE THEY WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS To you who hear me, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you and pray for those who maltreat you. Then he said to all, If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23 Matthew 5:10-12 ~ Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"BLESSED ARE YOU" And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna [hell].
Matthew 10:28 Luke 6:27
In the "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus calls His 1 st century AD disciples and all Christians of every generation to live the transformed life of the New Covenant Law, empowered by the supernatural grace of God the Holy Spirit filling and indwelling the purified heart each believer. To begin our transformation, we reject a proud and independent spirit and admit "poverty of spirit," yielding to the sovereignty of God over our lives and admitting that we need to depend on God. Yielding to God in "poverty of spirit" defines our relationship with God and places us before His throne. Submitting to a rebirth through the supernatural power of Christian baptism by water and the spirit, He promises us an eternal inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven. Coming face to face with a pure and holy God, we become aware of our sins. Our natural reaction is to mourn our sins and the sins of the world. He promises to comfort us when we respond in sincere contrition, to give us the strength to resist personal sin, and the strength to stand against sin in the world. The result is we are purified and renewed as we yield our selfish wills to the will of God working in our lives. When in meekness and humility we yield our will to Him, He gives us dominion over the earth "a earth that no longer has power over us, and we become heirs to the earthly Kingdom, the Universal Church which has the power and dominion to bind and loose the power of sin on the earth.

The first three beatitudes have addressed our relationship with God the Father. The next four beatitudes turn from what we need to give to God to what God is going to give to us through the work of His Son and our Savior. Our submission to His will brings about in us a hunger and thirst for righteousness; a hunger and thirst which can only be satisfied by the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus our Savior. We eat Him but He consumes us and places in us a pure heart "His heart which cleanses us and makes us instruments of peace. As children of God we become new creatures in His image and we see the face of God in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and in the faces of every soul we meet. We are called, through the supernatural gift of God the Holy Spirit, to allow our souls to be a conduit of His love flowing out to a world so desperately in need of His love.

Jesus' warning is that if you chose to live the beatitudes you will receive the eternal blessings of the righteous, but you will also experience the temporal enmity of the wicked. The enmity the wicked bear the righteous is a reoccurring theme in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament (see Wis 2:12-24), and Jesus revisits this theme in Matthew 5:10-12. If the Beatitudes are the conditions for Christian character that Jesus establishes for gaining entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven, then verses 10 and 12 are the invitation to put these spiritual precepts of the New Covenant Law into practice.

The rewards of living the Beatitudes are eternal but to reach that eternal reward may involve suffering. We must be ready and willing to endure suffering for the sake of our salvation. If God did not spare His Son or His Son's Mother suffering, why should He spare us? According to St. Anthony: No one can enter the kingdom of heaven without being tested; it says, take away temptation and no one will be saved (St. Anthony quoted in Sayings of the Desert Fathers, as quoted from The Beatitudes: Soundings in Christian Tradition, page 104).

Matthew 5:10b: ... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Scholars who count the Beatitudes as a list of 7 point out that this blessing and promise is a summation of the entire list of the Beatitudes. Jesus again gives the blessed righteous the assurance of the promise of eternal life. It is a promise that is fulfilled when "by His death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has 'opened' heaven to us" (CCC# 1025). It is an opening of heaven that began on the day Jesus was baptized (see Mt 3:16 and CCC #536).

Matthew 5:11-12 ~ Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In Matthew 5:11, Jesus repeats the previous beatitude with a significant alteration.

In directing this blessing personally ("you") to the disciples and the Apostles, Jesus is acknowledging them as successors to the holy prophets of Yahweh who in their obedience to the will of God perished for their faithfulness. This is a fate that will befall all of the Apostles with the exception of John Zebedee who will suffer imprisonment and other forms of persecution for his commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus does not make the job description for "Emissaries [ Apostolos]of God" particular appealing in this life, but there can be no doubt the promise of the long term benefits are eternally great.

St John Chrysostom points out in his homily on the Beatitudes that to be insulted or libeled by someone is not enough to qualify as the blessing of religious persecution.

1. When the insult is said because of one's belief in Jesus.

2. When the things for which a believer is accused of saying concerning Christ (or His Church "the Body of Christ) are false.

His message is that we should not avoid earthly suffering but accept it for the sake of the Kingdom. In Mark 8:34-35, He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, Whoever wished to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.' And, as the time of His Passion drew close, Jesus warned the disciples that those who "believe in His name," meaning believing all that He has taught, will be persecuted and possibly killed but they will receive justice in the final judgment when Jesus comes again. The key verse is Matthew 24:13 where He promised them: But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

Jesus' message is clear: to follow Christ and to do what He commands means risking everything in this present life to gain a future eternal reward. Those who refuse to "take up" their crosses to follow Christ and who act for their own satisfaction and temporal gain endanger their eternal salvation. It is only when a person dies to self and lives for Christ that he or she unselfishly gives his or her life to God and to others whether in marriage, or in parenting, or in acts of love and charity to others. The Christian life is based on self-denial: There is no Christianity without the Cross! (CCC 459), or as St. Rose of Lima wrote: The only ladder to heaven is the Cross.
The Sermon on the Mount Continued: The Teaching on the Application of the New Covenant Law
The result of being a conduit of His love is that those in the world who resist His love will take their rage and hurt out on the righteous. The only retaliation the righteous are allowed for such mistreatment is to mourn the sins of the world, to "turn the other cheek" in offering the world Christian love for His sake as a beacon of truth. Christians will face persecution of the sake of the Savior, but when they do suffer He promises that their reward will greatly outweigh their sufferings, and they will claim their reward in the loving arms of the eternal Father in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Metaphors of Salt and Light
The Beatitudes contain 7 or 8 (depending on how you count them) successive fundamental spiritual states that every Christian must strive to achieve. The Beatitudes must be lived fully and completely just as the Ten Commandments have to be lived in their entirety, just as all 7 of the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be claimed to be opened in our souls ( Is 11:1-2; CCC 1831), and just as all 12 "fruits" of the Holy Spirit must ripen within us in order for us to bear the "good fruit" of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:22-23; CCC 1832). But the Beatitudes, as the New Covenant Law, represent both a present and a future fulfillment. Just as Jesus was a present reality in His Resurrection as the "firstfruit" of the Resurrection that is promised to all of us ( Colossians 1:15) in a future reality, Jesus wants us to be strengthened and encouraged by the "firstfruits" of these spiritual gifts even though the great harvest He will reap is yet to come when Christ returns to gather His elect ( 1 Thes 4:16). The 1 st Beatitude we must achieve on this spiritual journey to heaven, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, both sets the spiritual tone of His homily and suggests the present reality.

Question: The blessing-promise of the first beatitude is expressed in what verb tense?
Answer: In the present tense: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Question: The final blessing-promise, which addresses persecution, is expressed in what verb tense?
Answer: The promise of this Beatitude: Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, is also expressed in the present tense.

It is through the universal Catholic Church and especially the sacraments, the visible signs of God's grace given to the Church through the works of Jesus the Messiah, that our Lord and Savior blesses and encourages us in this life as we look forward to the next:
The Christian and the Church versus the World in the Salt Metaphor

1. It is now through the Sacrament of Baptism that we are reborn into the family of God, and that we receive the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

2. It is now through the Sacrament of Reconciliation that we are purified of our sins comforted in mourning for our sins

3. It is now through yielding our lives to God in meekness and humility that we obediently follow the teachings of Mother Church, and through the Sacrament of Confirmation that we are strengthen in our struggle and place ourselves in the hands of God as Apostles for Christ. When we allow the works of God to work through us, our lives are useful to ourselves, useful to our families, useful to our local communities and to the spread of the Gospel in the world.

4. It is now through the Sacrament of the Eucharist that Christ the Righteous One gives all of Himself to us filling us with His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

5. It is now that through the corporal works of mercy that we are called to show the same kind of mercy and forgiveness that God has given us to everyone we meet.

6. It is now that Jesus cleanses our hearts so that we can love with the same kind of love with which Jesus loves us. It is through acts of mercy that we have Jesus' promise that we will see His face in the sacred meal of Holy Communion and in every person who is hurt or suffering. Jesus also gives us the healing of our physical and emotional suffering through the Sacrament of Anointing.

7. It is now that we are called to let "the peace of God rule in our lives" (Col 3:15). In response to His call we let that peace diffuse through us into the world as ministers of peace called to a royal priesthood in Christ, while others of us are called to the ministerial priesthood and holy orders.

8. And finally, there is the promise of persecution, which may be a summation of the 7 Beatitudes, but it is in any case clearly a present reality which promises the future reality in the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven.

In His call to a transformed life, Jesus asks us to daily live the spiritual reality of the beatitudes. He asks us to walk in His footsteps, spreading His love and giving His mercy, but we must also keep our eyes on heaven for that is our future and eternal reality! The last promised blessing is also a bridge to the continued teaching on living the spiritual love of the Beatitudes. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you, is immediately followed by the salt and light metaphors, illustrating the blessing of the spiritual fertility that comes from living the beatitudes and bearing the fruit of our faith which is the good deeds that glorify God.

The summation of living the Law of love on the journey to salvation and the repeat of the first promise:

Blessed are they (blessed are
you) who are persecuted:
we take up our crosses and
follow Jesus, committing
ourselves to everything He
has taught us " even enduring
persecution for His sake

but joyfully because we know
He has promised us eternal
life in our Father's Kingdom.

The People of God is marked by characteristics that clearly distinguish it from all other religious, ethnic, political, or cultural groups found in history ... Its mission [the Church] is to be salt of the earth and light of the world. This people is a most sure seed of unity, hope, and salvation for the whole human race.'
CCC# 782

Please read Matthew 5:13 ~ The Salt Metaphor
13 You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

If the Beatitudes outline the steps to achieve spiritual Christian perfection, then the salt and light metaphors begin the teaching on the application of that perfection.

This is a difficult assignment. Jesus commands that Christians live the Beatitudes for the good of a world that stands in opposition to Christian values and beliefs. He approaches this teaching by using a very useful and practical metaphor. Every home in the first century, and every home today "rich and poor alike, has both salt to season food and give a more pleasing taste and light to illuminate the house at sundown.
The Christian and the Church versus the World in the Light Metaphor:

1. Preservative: In ancient times as in modern times, salt is used as a preservative. In the days before refrigeration salt was especially important; for example salted fish was a staple of the Roman Empire.

2. Health: So much of our processed foods contain salt that we probably do not consider salt as necessary to good health, but the ancients certainly understood the benefits of adequate amounts of salt in a diet for the sake of one's health.

3. Purifier: We also do not think of salt as a purifier but just drop a little salt on a wound and you will understand the "purifying" effects of salt. It is the salt in the oceans of the world that act as a natural cleaning agent, and most water purification systems use salt as a "purifier."

4. Non-slippery agent: The ancients wouldn't have wasted salt on a slippery path "as a commodity it was too valuable to them to be wasted that way unless the salt had lost its flavor and was no longer salty "something that could happen to Dead Sea salt that was full of impurities. It wouldn't be the true salt that had lost flavor, sodium chloride is a very stable compound, but instead the impurities that were left in the container that had once held the salt crystals. The powdery impurities would only be good tobe thrown out and trampled underfoot on some road or dirty footpath.

1. The world is in a state of spiritual decay and has no "flavor" for holiness.

Christian influence for righteousness preserves and encourages what is holy and good, saving the world through the "salt" of faith and righteousness and providing a moral standard based on a "taste" for the righteousness of Christ in the Eucharist.

2. The world promotes unhealthy behavior both physically and spiritually. Sin is harmful to living creatures.

In teaching the Law of God and the Gospel message of salvation the Christian promotes temporal health for the body and eternal health for the soul.

3. The world is a corrupting influence; the material and selfish values of the world are in complete opposition to the values of the Christian.

The Christian example is one of purification of body, mind and spirit in giving the self-sacrificial love of Jesus to each other and to the world in general.

4. The world is on the slippery slope to eternal damnation.

The Christian example provides stability through the God given institutions of marriage, family, and the Church. It is the Church as our mother who teaches us the way to salvation and eternal life. It is our obligation as Christians living the Beatitudes to share this teaching with the world.

M. Hunt, copyright October 2005

Please read Matthew 5:14-16 ~ The Christian as the light of the world.
14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. 16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly father.

In the Gospel of John Jesus identifies Himself as the "light" three times:

Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (Jn 8:12)

Jesus said them, "The Light will be among you only a little while. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overcome you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light"(Jn 12:35-36)

I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness (Jn 12:46).

However, in Matthew 5:14 He identifies the Christian as the "light of the world."

Question: Is this a contradiction in Scripture? See Jn 12:36
Answer: Certainly not! The Christian does not generate his own "light;" it is Christ Himself who generates this supernatural internal light of the Christian soul. We reflect the burning love of Christ within us. In John 12:36 Jesus tells the disciples "...believe in the light so that you may become children of the light." Jesus Christ is "the light" and it is Christ who empowers us to be "children of the light."

Positive: A Christian and his faith community should be like a city clearly visible on a mountain top, or like a lamp set on a stand that gives light to the whole house just as a the righteous life and good deeds of Christians witnessing the life of Christ in acts of love and charity that are visible to all who know or observe that Christian or the works of the Christian community.

Negative: A light put under a basket is a Christian or a faith community that suppresses the Gospel and quenches the power of the Holy Spirit within the community. Such a Christian or community does not teach and uphold the doctrine of the Church and works of charity in outward signs. This person or community is not sharing the light of Christ and is doing nothing to illuminate the darkness of those who have not heard the Gospel or who have not seen Christians acting Christ-like.

Jesus is the Light of the world and we are called to reflect His light so that we can live as "children of the light." As St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness... But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and built one another up, as indeed you do ( 1 Thes 5:5-11).

The world is in darkness

It is the Christian's duty to let the light that is Christ and the Gospel message of salvation shine through the Christian soul and Christian community to illuminate the earth as a beacon of truth and mercy.

The Christian must remain distinctively Christian in all aspects of life. If Christians become indistinguishable from non-Christians then the Church has lost her distinctive call to lost souls to come out of the sinful influences of the world and into God's covenant family. The Church should be an instrument that promotes "social justice" but social justice is only an outgrowth of the works of faith to which the Church is called. The main focus of the message must always be salvation through Jesus Christ.

When a Christian or a faith community becomes influenced by the world and the teachings of Christ become diluted, conforming to what the world supports in its changing values suited to the changing times (for example: abortion, birth control, same sex marriages, divorce, etc.), there is a price to be paid.

Question: If a Christian becomes something contrary to what the Church and Sacred Scripture teach, what is the value of their Christian witness? See Mt 5:13.
Answer: In that case, a Christian goes from "righteous disciple" to useless "road dirt;" as Jesus says,"no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." We must transform the world without the world leaving its mark on us. Preserving the uniquely Christian character of the Church as passed down to us by Jesus Christ is the call to Christian responsibility and obedience.

If the Christian is the salt that preserves, purifies and improves the world as well as the light that enlightens mankind, then those who are attached to the world destroy rather than purify, and they live in darkness unlike the Christian who provides the light of Christ that illuminates the world. Jesus tells us it is the New Covenant believer who will save the world through the salt of faith and who will provide the internal light that guides hearts and souls out of the darkness of sin and despair and into the light which is Christ. In our Christian mission that is contrary to the teaching and wisdom of the world, we must be ever mindful of Jesus' warning to us as we struggle against worldly influence: If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you ( Jn 15:18-19).

Please read Matthew 5:17-20 ~ Teaching about the Law
17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches other to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus begins this part of His discourse with the assurance that He has not come to abandon the earlier revelation of the commands and prohibitions of Yahweh's Law until "all things have taken place" and the Law has been "fulfilled" (verses 17-18). By referring to "the Law and the prophets" Jesus' reference is to the entire content of Sacred Scripture from first of the book of Moses (Genesis) to the last book of the prophets (Malachi).

will be abolished until "heaven and earth pass away" and until "all things have taken place."

In verse 18 Jesus says [literally] until heaven and earth pass away not an iota, not a keraia will pass from the law until all is accomplished." The "iota" [ee-o-tah] is the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew yod, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet which is about the size of a comma, and the keraia [ker-ah'-yah], or "something horn-like," refers to one of the tiny hooks or projections which distinguish some Hebrew letters from other letters. Luke records the same use this word in Luke 16:17: It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away then for the [ keraia] smallest part of a letter of the law to become invalid. Although in this statement Jesus does not mention "the prophets" as He does in the previous verse, Jesus is probably using the "the law" as a comprehensive term for the entire body of divine revelation in the Old Testament.

But what exactly would Jesus fulfill and what does the reference to "all these things" mean? To answer that question it is necessary to examine what is contained in the sacred books of what we call the Old Testament. The Old Testament contains:

1. Doctrinal teaching: The Old Testament instructs humanity about God: the revelation of His relationship with man and the promise of man's salvation. It is, however, an incomplete revelation.

2. Ethical precepts: The moral law is revealed throughout the Old Testament, instructing God's people in holiness.

3. History and Predictive prophecy: Predictive prophecies are warnings of God's judgment and the promise of the coming of the Messiah from King David's line. Predictive prophecy anticipates the coming of Jesus the Messiah either in direct prophecy or foreshadows Him in biblical "types" (for example, the story of God's command to sacrifice Abraham's son Isaac inGenesis 22:1-18). Predictive prophecy anticipates a future fulfillment.

There are modern scholars who would take exception to including "predictive prophecy" in this list, but to deny the validity of predictive prophecy in Sacred Scripture is to deny that God had a comprehensive plan for the salvation of humanity. Please note that a biblical "type" is "a biblical person, thing, action or event that foreshadows new truths, new actions, or new events. In the Old Testament, Melchizedech and Jonah are types of Jesus Christ. A likeness must exist between the type and the archetype but the latter is always greater. Both are independent of each other. God's call for the return of the Israelites from Pharaoh's bondage typifies the return of Jesus Christ from his flight into Egypt. In the New Testament the destruction of Jerusalem, foretold by Christ, was the antitype of the end of the world." [ The Catholic Dictionary, abridged edition of Modern Catholic Dictionary, sub category: " Types, Scriptural", page 441.

Question: What key statement does Jesus make and repeat with slightly different wording in Matthew 5:18 and 20, and what is its significance?
Answer: Verse 18: "Amen, I say to you..." and verse 20"I tell you..." Jesus is issuing commands in His own name and under His own authority. No other prophet or scribe had ever spoken with such authority.

The Law of the Sinai Covenant, given by Yahweh through His prophet Moses and reinforced by the prophets of God throughout the Old Testament, was a gift of God to His holy covenant people. It was the Law that bound the Israelites to Yahweh, and it was the Law that bound Yahweh to the Israelites. But, it was also a gift in anticipation of the more perfect Law that the promised Messiah would usher in, beginning with His reign over the Church "the "new Israel": "The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah..." ( Jer 31:31).

The Magisterium of the universal Church interprets the Old Covenant Law in this anticipatory light as looking forward to Jesus as the new lawgiver, an interpretation which is expressed in the documents of the Council of Trent and in the Catechism:

If anyone saith that Jesus Christ was given of God to men, as a Redeemer in whom to trust, and not also as a legislator whom to obey; let him be anathema (Dogmatic Canons and Decrees: The Council of Trent, "On Justification", Canon XXI pg.54).

The Old Law is a preparation for the Gospel. "The Law is a pedagogy and a prophecy of things to come." It prophesies and presages the work of liberation from sin which will be fulfilled in Christ: it provides the New Testament with images, "types," and symbols for expressing the life according to the Spirit ... (CCC 1964).

With Jesus' announcement "I say" and not "God says" He is declaring his superiority over Moses and the other Old Testament prophets. Jesus is declaring that He is the new lawgiver, the promised One who is "greater than Moses" prophesied by Yahweh in Deuteronomy 18:18-19; the prophet to whom God commanded the Covenant people they must listen and obey. Speaking to Moses Yahweh had revealed:"I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it."

When Jesus says "until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law..." His promise is that none of divine revelation, in the smallest part, will pass away or be discarded until it has all been fulfilled in Him. His statement that none will pass away"until heaven and earth pass away" affirms that when they do "pass away" a mighty rebirth will take palce and time as we know it will change. The final fulfillment of the "passing away" of the one and the birth of the other will coincide.

Question: When does Jesus say this event will take place?
Answer: Not until "all things have taken place" ( Mt 5:18).

Many would say this reference is to the end of time and the cosmos as we know it, but this question requires further examination. Jesus' reference may not concern the end of the world in the sense of the dissolution of the existing universe.

In the beginning of his homily in Acts chapter two on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, St. Peter quotesfrom the Old Testament book of the prophet Joel 3:1-5. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter declares that Joel's prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth and on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which celebrated God's gift of the Law and the covenant at Mt. Sinai, God the Holy Spirit has come down upon the New Covenant people praying with the Virgin Mary in the Upper Room, filling and indwelling the believers of the New Covenant and that these events are... what was spoken through the prophet Joel. Peter is declaring that Jesus' death and resurrection has ushered in a New Age and a New Creation. His resurrection and this supernatural event in the Second Great Pentecost is, in fact, the promised "Day of the Lord" that has signaled the beginning of the Final Age of man "the age in which we all now live.

St. Paul affirms this teaching when he writes in 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 that the events in the Old Testament "happened as examples for us" (verse 6)and that the events that unfolded in the lives of the Old Testament men and women were written for our benefit: These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come" (verse 11).

Question: What is the key phrase found in Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:17-20?
Answer: The key phrase is verse 17 in which Jesus promises that He has not come to abolish but to fulfill: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Question: What in the Old Law will Jesus fulfill through His sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection that will bring New Covenant believers through their baptism by water and the spirit into the family of God and usher in the eternal Kingdom on earth, the universal Church, as prophesied by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 2:44 and 7:27?
Answer:

Jesus will fulfill the purification rites of the Old Covenant. For Old Covenant believers to touch someone who was ritually impure left them ritually impure, but when Jesus' touches the sick or sinners or the dead He does not become impure, instead He purifies the impure.

Jesus will fulfill the old sacrificial system. Jesus purifies us and purges us of our sins through His perfect sacrifice on the Cross. His perfect sacrifice eliminates the necessity of imperfect animal sacrifice necessary under the Old Covenant Law.

Jesus' statement "until all things have taken place" before the Law is "fulfilled" is a reference to Jesus' Passion, death, and Resurrection. In one of Jesus' last statements from the Cross, He will speak of fulfillment/completion: After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I thirst." There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, "It is finished." And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit ( Jn 19:28-30).

In the Greek text Jesus said "Teltelestai" = It is finished or It is fulfilled, or It is paid in full. The Old Covenant Law that prepared us for His coming is fulfilled. It cannot be His work of salvation because that will not be fulfilled until His glorious resurrection. It is the Old Covenant sacrificial and purification system that has been fulfilled in the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. He became the ultimate, the perfect sacrifice for sin. Jesus came to "finish" or "fulfill" God's work of salvation, as he told His disciples in John 4:34: My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work (also see Jn 17:4), and to "pay in full" the penalty for our sins. With His perfect sacrifice on the cross, the Old Covenant animal sacrifices and the ritual purity rites, which were an imperfect, temporary measure, ended. The Law contained in the Sacred Scriptures ( Jn 19:28) was perfected and fulfilled.

Question: In Matthew 5:19 what warning does Jesus give concerning the Law and what promise? How does Jesus say greatness is measured in the Kingdom of Heaven?
Answer: He warns in verse 19: Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus teaches that greatness in the kingdom will be measured by obedience and correct teaching of the Law.

Using the conjunction oun, which can be translated as "certainly", "accordingly," "then", or "therefore," Jesus makes the vital connection between faithful obedience to the Law and entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus also makes it clear that personal obedience is not good enough. The faithful Christian disciple must also teach others the permanently binding nature of God's commands. Greatness in God's Kingdom will be measured by living and teaching in obedience to the laws of God "teaching our children, our extended families, our neighbors, and the world.

In Matthew 5:20 Jesus declares: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

The scribes, most of whom were of the order of the lesser Levitical ministers, were the 1 st century AD theologians and teachers. God's kingdom is a kingdom of the wholly righteous!

Question: Why does Jesus use the Pharisees as the minimum standard? Were they 1 st century AD religious liberals who "winked" at the Law?
Answer: Quite the contrary; the religious/political sect of the Pharisees prided themselves on their righteous and rigid adherence to the "Law."
The Six Antitheses: Six Examples of Conduct Jesus Demands of the Christian Disciple
Their very name came from the Hebrew word for "separate." Their goal was to completely separate themselves from the sinner and to use the Law to "build a wall" of holiness around the Covenant people. Pharisee teachers of the Law had calculated that the Law of Moses contained 248 commandments and 365 prohibitions; totaling 611 articles of the Law (it was the great Rabbi Moses Maimonides (1135-1204 AD) who added the two additional commands to total 613 articles of the Law). Jesus would have amazed those listening to His statement that they must exceed the holiness of the religious experts and the rigorously observant Pharisees who were so formally correct in their external observation of the minutest detail of the Law!
Jesus' "You have heard [It was also said] / I say to you" Formula
But what Jesus is calling for as a standard of perfection of righteousness that is not the rigid external holiness of the Pharisees. Instead, He is calling for a deeper, spiritually intense holiness that comes from the inner most spiritually pure heart of Covenant believers "a perfection of holiness and obedience to the Law that was promised by Yahweh through the 6 th century BC Prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel ( Jer 31:3331-34 and Ez 36:25-27).
#1: Teaching about Unrighteous Anger Matthew 5:21-26 ~ "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. 23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, 'you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.'"

"The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the LORD. All, from the least to the greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more." Jeremiah 31:31-34.

"I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees." Ezekiel 36:25-27

These two passages that look forward to the Messianic Age link the New Covenant to a New Law and a new heart generated by the Spirit of God. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is inaugurating the New Law founded upon an inward righteousness that is manifested by the Spirit of God and evidenced by external acts of mercy " for Yahweh loves a heart of holiness! The link between His Spirit that God will put into our hearts, and His love clearly shows that we cannot have one without the other. It is the Spirit who circumcises the heart of the children of God. This is why entry into the Kingdom is impossible without holiness deeper than that of the scribes and the Pharisees "it is because such righteousness is evidence of the new birth through water and the Spirit the one must be reborn from above to enter the Kingdom of God.

John 3:3: [Jesus] "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."

John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and who is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, You must be born from above.'

Old Covenant Liturgical Worship

New Covenant Liturgical Worship

The centralized Church hierarchy ocated in Jerusalem

The centralized Church hierarchy located in Rome

The ministerial priesthood

The ministerial priesthood

Altar of sacrifice

Altar that represents the table of the Last Supper, the empty tomb, and the sacrificial altar.

Holy water for ritual purification

Holy water to signify interior purification

Incense in worship representing the prayers of the people rising up to heaven

Incense in worship representing the prayers of the people rising up to heaven

Hymns from the Psalms and music

Hymns including those from the Psalms and music

Prayers and petitions of the faithful offered to God

Prayers and petitions of the faithful offered to God

Readings from Sacred Scripture: the Torah, Writings, and the Prophets

Readings from Sacred Scripture: the Old Testament, the New Testament Gospels, Acts and the epistles

Annual Holy Feasts remembering the history of the Sinai Covenant

Annual Holy Feasts remembering the birth and history of the Church

The Tamid, a single sacrifice of two lambs daily for the atonement and sanctification of the covenant people was the most important of all sacrifices and was commanded to be a perpetual sacrifice for all generations

The Eucharist, a perpetual sacrifice of the risen Jesus in His humanity and divinity, offered every hour of the day around the world for the people for all generations

Confession for sin to a priest

Confession of sin to a priest

Michal E. Hunt © October 2005

In fact, Catholic liturgy has more elements of Old Covenant worship that modern Rabbinic Judaism. Modern Judaism has no altar, no sacrifice, and no priests.
#2: Teaching about Sexual Immorality Matthew 5:27-30 ~ "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. #3: Teaching about Divorce Matthew 5:31-32 ~ "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.' 32 But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. #4: Teaching about the Swearing of Oaths Matthew 5:33-37 ~ "Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.' 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. #5: Teaching about Retaliation Matthew 5:38-42 ~ "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on [your] right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41 Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. 36 Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. #6: Teaching about the Love of Enemies 37 Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one." Matthew 5:43-48 ~ "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna."
The Old Testament was only a partial revelation of God. Jesus of Nazareth "fulfilled" all the Old Testament in the sense that He brought the Law given to Moses and the teaching of the prophets to completion in His Incarnation, His ministry, and His work of redemption: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe... ( Heb 1:1-2; also see CCC 1962-1974).
Questions for group discussion:
It is the Moral Law that Jesus addresses in the 6 antitheses which are the higher standards of conduct Jesus demands of the Christian disciple living the Beatitudes of the New Covenant Law.

The six examples of Christian perfection in Matthew 5:21-48 are referred to as the six antitheses. An antithesis is a contrast or opposition of words or sentiments. Using the repeated formula"You have heard it said / But I say to you" and "It was also said to you / But I say to you," Jesus makes the contrast between the accepted interpretation of the Mosaic law and His teaching which internalizes and intensifes the Law of Moses to yield a new standard of obedience. Jesus will use this formula to teach six examples of New Law Christian conduct, and He will use the formula six times in 5:21-22; 27-28; 31-32; 33-34; 38-39; and 43-44 but in verse 26 His additional"I say to you" makes His use of the authoritative "I say to you" number seven times. Six is the number representing man and rebellion in Scripture while seven represents fullness, completion, and especially spiritual perfection [see the document The Significance of Numbers in Scripture in the Resources section of Agape Bible Study]. The seven times repetition of Jesus' command "I say to you" emphasizes the spiritual perfection to which He calls Christian disciples of all generations.

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall

not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I

say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment..."

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman

with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a

bill of divorce.' But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife [unless the marriage is unlawful] causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

"Again, you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,

'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that

you vow.' But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven,

for it is God's..."

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a

tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one

who is evil."

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your

neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you..."

Note: "gifts" for Yahweh brought to the altar of sacrifice at the Jerusalem Temple were animals for sacrifice, grain offerings/unleavened bread offerings, and wine libations.

In this passage Jesus is addressing the destructive power of unrighteous anger. Righteous anger directed toward injustice and sin is permitted, within limits. It is permitted to hate a sin like abortion and to feel righteous anger with those who participate in the murder of babies. Righteous anger can be constructively generated into taking a public stand against such sins. However, it is not permitted to let that anger fuel personal hatred against abortion doctors or destroy abortions clinics with bombs or fire. Jesus begins this teaching about unrighteous, destructive anger by referencing the Old Covenant commandment You shall not murder ("murder" is a more accurate translation than "kill" because this action refers to the shedding of innocent blood; see Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17). Jesus raises the bar on the Mosaic commandment "You shall not murder" by addressing the root of the act of shedding innocent blood, which is unrighteous anger.
Endnote:
There are 4 words that deserve our attention in this passage: raqa, moros [fool], Gehenna, and Sanhedrin.

1. Most Bible translations interpret this Aramaic word raqa/raca as "insults." It is a Semitism that scholars tell us is not an easy word to translate. It can mean "foolish," "stupid," "blockhead," or "crazy;" but in any case, it is an expression of reproach and conveys contempt for a person. That this Aramaic word is used in the Greek New Testament text without any explanation or translation is probably evidence that it was widely used in Jesus' time as an insult (usually when Semitic words are used in the New Testament an explanation of the word is given).

2. The other word translated as "fool" is in the Greek moros, from which we get our word "moron," one devoid of any sense. But most scholars believe this Greek word does not give the full force of the meaning of the Aramaic word Jesus used. From the progression of the severity of judgment in this passage we are led to understand that this word carries more force thanraqa. It is believed that the Aramaic word was one which conveyed the meaning of one who is devoid of all moral and religious sense so as to become an apostate "one who separates from the Covenant. For the Jew the degree of contempt for such a person approaches hatred and condemnation for such a person in this life and in the next, for example the contempt for the Samaritans.

3. The word Gehenna is not found in the Old Testament and is used by Jesus in the New Testament to identify the "lake of fire" also called the "bottomless pit" created for Satan and the fallen angels. It is a place of eternal punishment. In the Old Testament blessings and punishments were temporal, but in the New Covenant blessings and punishments are eternal!

4. The Sanhedrin was the highest judicial body of the Old Covenant people. In the 1st century BC, Judah had become the Roman province of Judea, but the Romans allowed the Jews to control their own civil and religious judgments. The Sanhedrin, however, was not permitted to impose the death penalty "only the Roman overlords had the power over life and death.

In this passage Jesus points to three degrees of faults and their corresponding punishments or judgments which are committed against charity (charity is defined as love in action). St. Augustine notes that our Lord points to three faults we commit moving from internal irritation to showing a total lack of love (Augustine, Homilies on the Sermon on the Mount, II.9).

Jesus' teaching is that anger that comes to the point of endangering our immortal souls is generated by a sin that begins in the heart. The heart must be purified before the sin is manifested in an action that can have eternal consequences.

One must not come to God's sacrificial altar with the sin of anger in one's heart. The Rite of Peace in the celebration of the Mass allows us one final opportunity to make amends before coming forward to receive the Lord in the Eucharist. Jesus tells a short parable in verses 25-26 to illustrate the dangers of the sin of anger. The sever judgment of the Judge in the parable is a warning of the fate in store for unrepentant sinners when they stand before the judgment throne of God.

Question: The judgment in the parable is not eternal punishment but what kind of punishment for an angry and unforgiving heart? The "prison" mentioned by Jesus is a metaphor for what place of purification from sin? See Mt 5:25-26; CCC 633, 1030-32 and Lk 16:22-26.
Answer: It is either the punishing side of Sheol for those who died prior to Christ's Passion and Resurrection or the purification available to the Christian soul in Purgatory.

Jesus cannot be referring to Gehenna, or eternal punishment (Hell), because there is no "release" from Hell/Gehenna, whereas in Jesus' parable there is the promise of a release: "Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny" ( Mt 5:26). For more references to Purgatory see CCC 1033-36; 1 Cor 3:10; 1 Pt 3:19; 4:1; 4:6, 12). Sheol, the abode of the dead, is often referred to as "prison" in the Old and New Testaments (see 1 Pt 3:19 and CCC 633). Jesus will use the Hebrew word "Amen/emen" when He wants to emphasis a statement. It is a Semitic acrostic meaning "It is true" or "I believe" formed from the Hebrew words for "God is a trustworthy king."

St. Paul warned the Christian faith community at Ephesus of the danger of unrighteous anger.

Question: What advise does St. Paul give the Christians of Ephesians 4:27-32?
Answer: Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sunset on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil. [...]. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Once again Jesus refers to the Ten Commandments, this time concerning the prohibition against adultery (see Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18), and once again He raises the standard of conduct by addressing the interior root of the sin using the formula"But I say to you."

Under the Old Law only adultery and coveting one's neighbor's wife were considered sinful. Now, Jesus is teaching that to have impure thoughts about a woman who is not one's wife or to look at a woman with lust (disordered desires) not only soils the soul of the man but is also a design toward denigrating the holiness of the woman. There is a difference between right desire between a man and a woman joined in a covenantal union who give themselves to each other unselfishly in love as opposed to lust which is a disordered desire that is selfishly motivated to use the other person for sexual gratification. Notice that Jesus says the sin begins in the heart. It is the heart which represents the total character, intellect, and will of a person. Then in verses 29-30 Jesus uses hyperbole (an exaggerated statement) to emphasize that no sacrifice is too great in order to avoid the judgment of an eternity in Gehenna (the hell of the damned).

Divorce for other reasons was not permitted under the Sinai Covenant until Moses permitted divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-4.

Although God allowed Moses to make this exception, Jesus is clearly teaching that divorce is a sin in God's eyes. The great Rabbi Maimonides wrote that Moses only permitted divorce in order to prevent a greater sin "the murder of the older wives as the means which allowed men to dispose of their obligations to their wives in order to marry younger women. This interpretation is supported by an exchange Jesus had with some Pharisees in Matthew 19:1-9 where He stated that any disillusion of a marital covenant union as a sin with the exception of unlawful marriages. In that passage, the Pharisees asked Jesus why then did Moses allow divorce. Jesus replied Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. Then, using the formula statement emphasizing His authority, Jesus said, I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery; repeating His statement in Matthew 5:32.

The Catholic Church has remained faithful to Jesus' teaching concerning the sanctity of marriage: Divorce is a grave offense against the natural law. It claims to break the contract, to which the spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death. Divorce does injury to the covenant of salvation, of which sacramental marriage is the sign. Contracting a new union, even if it is recognized by civil law, adds to the gravity of the rupture: the remarried spouse is then in a situation of public and permanent adultery...(CCC # 2384; also see CCC #s 1650-51; 2382; 2385-86).

This teaching is often misunderstood. Jesus is not forbidding all oath-swearing but is instead cautioning against frivolous oath-swearing. To swear an oath is a serious affair because it invokes the divine. An oath calls upon God to be the judge of the oath-maker and his oath "in the event that the oath-maker fails in his/her obligations God delivers the judgment. In courts of law in our nation, it has been our tradition to place our right hands on a Bible and swear to "tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God." Such an oath invokes God as the judge of our truthfulness and even if we deceive the State we are acknowledging through the oath that we cannot deceive God. Evidently in Jesus' time oath-swearing and the use of God's name was being abused.

1. Truthfully say what you will or will not do;

2. Being sincere in your promises, and

3. Solemnly carry out what you have said you will do.

The act of oath-swearing in fact to some extent presupposes untruthfulness. Jesus reminds His disciples that to tell a lie places us within the realm of the "prince of lies" " the devil. Jesus is calling the Christian to a higher standard of truthfulness that makes oath-swearing unnecessary. See the CCC 2150-54 for more information.

The expression an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is found in the Law codes of Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21 and is called the lex talionis, the law of reciprocity or equivalent compensation. Most people regard the Old Testament command an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth as unreasonably harsh and barbaric. On the contrary, this commandment was meant to moderate vengeance, to protect the innocent family members of an accused or convicted perpetrator of a crime, and to ensure that the punishment visited on the offender did not exceed the crime. It was common in ancient cultures for a man's entire family to suffer the death penalty or to be sold into slavery for his offense. The law of reciprocity or equivalent compensation, found in the Law Codes of the Sinai Covenant and also in the Code of Hammurabi, a Babylonian law code dating to the 17 th century BC, demands that the punishment fits but does not exceed the crime. This law became the mark of a civilized society.

Question: What is Jesus asking beyond seeking equivalent compensation for the commission of a crime?
Answer: Jesus is demanding of the Christian seems an almost impossible standard of conduct, to"offer no resistance to evil."

The response Jesus asks is beyond seeking equivalent compensation for the commission of a crime, or for an injustice or for an inconvenience.
Question: What four examples of acting in love rather than in retaliation does Jesus give?
Answer:

1. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. Offer meekness and love in place of violence and evil.

2. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. This example refers to someone taking you to court for not handing over your tunic as collateral for a loan.

3. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. The Roman occupiers of Judea had the right to press ordinary citizens into service.

4. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. Be generous with your material possession with someone who wants to borrow.

What He is demanding of the Christian seems an almost impossible standard of conduct; He asks the Christian to "offer no resistance to evil" and to "go the extra mile" in extending love and compassion. Jesus is not demanding that Christians become the "footstools of the wicked," and He is not rejecting the law of reciprocity, but what He is rejecting is vengeance or meanness on a personal level. In Romans 12:19, St. Paul teaches, Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath [of God], for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

That is not to say we do not seek civil justice for wrongs. Without civil laws society would be in anarchy for there would be no other deterrent for the behavior of the unrighteous non-believer. But when the civil laws do not bring justice, we are promised God's divine justice and His vengeance on our behalf. Whenever we are seeking redress for wrongs inflicted upon us we must be willing to acknowledge that ultimately justice must be left in the hands of our just and true God to deliver justice either temporally or eternally. We must also acknowledge that when we are being asked to be merciful, that in the repentance of our sins and in our individual judgment before the throne of God we will be pleading for His divine mercy. The way the meek and merciful peacemakers of the Beatitudes strike back at their enemies is through love by praying for their enemies, and the way we show our gratitude for God's mercy is by extending our mercy to others.

You don't love in your enemies what they are, but what you would have them become by your prayers.
St. Augustine (354-430AD)

To hate your enemy (verse 43) is not a teaching found in the Old Testament. There is, however, a command to love one's neighbor in Leviticus 19:18 which Jesus will repeat in Matthew 19:19; 22:39 and Mark 12:31. Jesus will also repeat this teaching concerning love of one's enemies in the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:27-35.

In Leviticus 19:18 God commanded, Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The Old Covenant people of God interpreted one's "neighbor" as only extending to a member of the covenant people of Yahweh, and hatred of one's enemies as natural and therefore acceptable.

Question: This passage contains the key teaching of the Sermon on the Mount. What is that key verse?
Answer: It is Matthew 5:48. The Christian must be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

In the gospels this Greek word, teleios, "to be perfect," occurs only 3 times; here in this passage [twice] and in Matthew 19:21 where Jesus tells the Rich Young Ruler to go and sell what he has and give it to the poor if he wants to be "perfect." This standard is an impossible demand without the action of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's life.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is calling His disciples to a higher standard of faithfulness than was require of the faithful who had lived under the Law of the Sinai Covenant. St. Paul taught in Romans 10:4: Christ is the end of the Law for the justification of everyone who has faith, which means that yielding to the sovereignty of God only through obedience to the Law is not enough. The old Mosaic Law has been superseded by God's action in the Incarnation of Jesus of Nazareth who is the goal or true meaning of the "Law of God" and without whom the true meaning of the Law cannot be understood or lived.

In Romans 13:8-10 St. Paul also speaks of how "love," as defined by Christ, has fulfilled the law of the Old Covenant. In this passage Paul writes: ... for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law, and Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. Christ is the end and the fulfillment of the Old Covenant Law in two ways:

1. He fulfills the purpose and goal of the Old Covenant Law. As He stated in Matthew 5:17, I have not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. He does this by perfectly exemplifying God's desires for man created in His image; no other man except the Son of Man could perfectly keep the Law without sinning.

2. He is also the termination of the Old Covenant Law because without Christ the Old Law was powerless to offer the gift of the Holy Spirit and eternal salvation (CCC 1963, 1966). The Law, in essence, prefigured the Christ. The sacrificial system was a temporary measure of salvation meant to instruct and prepare humanity for the coming of the Messiah (see Heb 10:1-4). Christ was the reason for animal sacrifice and the ritual purity laws "the Law pointed to Christ in whom it was fulfilled. Only through Jesus Christ is the gift of salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit given to mankind (CCC 601-04, 729,1287).

Under the New Covenant, when the love of Christ directs our moral decisions and our relationships to one another, the intent of the continuing moral law expressed in the Old Covenant is safeguarded and fulfilled. In fulfilling and transforming the Old Covenant Law, God requires in the New Covenant that the New Law of obedience of faith be lived in the love of Christ. That love of Christ must be demonstrated by charity to all men and women and fulfilled by the Holy Spirit dwelling in each Christian heart which beats with the life of the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth!

Question: What are some of the differences or similarities that you have noticed between the Old Covenant Law as presented in the Ten Commandments and the New Covenant Law as presented in the Beatitudes?
Answer: The Ten Commandments presents the moral law while the Beatitudes present the spiritual law. The Ten Commandments are negative commands: You shall not, while the Beatitudes are positive statements: Blessed are the..; however, a negative is implied if the blessing is not embraced. In both sets of the Law, the first three statements address our relationship to God, but in the Ten Commandments the remaining commands which address our relationship to others while the remaining 4 Beatitudes move us spiritually into the life of Christ.

Question: What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church teach about "love of enemies" in CCC 1825? How is it possible to love those who do not love us?

Question: What is the Church's teaching in the Catechism concerning love in marriage as opposed to lust? What is the difference between right-ordered desire and disordered desire? Please see CCC 1604; 1643; 2351

Question: What does the Church teach concerning the love of God and neighbor? Please see CCC 2011 and 2196.

Question: Is sin an offense against love? What does the Catechism teach on this matter? Please see CCC 1849; 1855.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson ( Mt 5:10-48): * indicates that Scripture is either quoted or paraphrased in the citation

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 6 The Sermon on the Mount Continued - Teaching About the Private Life of the Christian Disciple and the Practice of Righteousness

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 6 The Sermon on the Mount Continued - Teaching About the Private Life of the Christian Disciple and the Practice of Righteousness

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Holy God, our Father,
In the covenant at Sinai, You betrothed Yourself to Your Bride, Israel, expressing Your love for Israel in the gift of the Law and receiving Israel's returned love in her obedience to Your Law. But the Law that the Old Covenant Church received as her betrothal band was also a law in anticipation of a future greater Law. In the fullness of time, You bound the New Israel of the universal Catholic Church to her Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, through the fulfillment and transformation of the Old Covenant Law in the ministry and the sacrifice of the Messiah. Jesus' New Covenant Law was also conceived in love that was to be put into action through the obedience of faith. It is a Law that is applied to the hearts of the faithful through the work of our advocate, God the Holy Spirit. Send Your Holy Spirit to us now, Lord, to guide us in our continuing study of the application of the New Covenant Law in the lives of Your Christian children. We pray in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
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From the Sermon on the Mount onwards, Jesus insists on conversion of heart: reconciliation with one's brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies, and prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart, and seeking the Kingdom before all else. This filial conversion is entirely directed to the Father. CCC 2608
JESUS' TEACHING ON THE PRIVATE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE
In chapter 6 Jesus continues His homily, moving from teaching on the commands of the Old Testament law to teaching on other standards of Christian discipleship. Jesus warns His disciples against external actions that are not generated from a sincere heart but offered in order to be seen and admired. He gives three examples of acts that should be offered in secret in the private lives of Christians in order not to divert glory to God into glory to self:

The interior penance of Christians can be expressed in many ways, but Sacred Scripture and the Fathers of the Church insist that the most important expressions of interior penance, aside from the purification of Christian Baptism and the purification of martyrdom for the faith, are found in the practices of almsgiving, prayer and fasting.

Question: These three acts of Christian virtue express continual conversion in turning away from sin in what three ways?

Answer:

1. Almsgiving: conversion in relation to others

2. Prayer: conversion in relation to God

3. Fasting: conversion in relation to oneself

Each of these acts of religion offers the Christian the means of obtaining expiation of sins (CCC 1434).

Jesus will continue to use the authoritative "I say" in Matthew 6:2, 5, 16, 25, and 29 as His homily continues with His teaching concerning the hidden motives of the heart and interior holiness. He discusses the righteous Christian's obligations in giving to the poor, in prayer, and in fasting. These three acts continue to be the hallmarks of Christian penance (CCC 1434, 2043, 2447, 2462, 2744-45), and the Catholic Church continues to encourage these three necessary acts of holiness: The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others... (CCC 1434).
JESUS TEACHES ABOUT AMSGIVING Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.
Matthew 6:1-4 ~ "[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." 1 Corinthians 4:5
Jesus' teaching to His disciples and the twelve Apostles continues on the Mt. of the Beatitudes as Jesus defines genuine acts of righteousness.

Jesus is not questioning the giving of charity to the needy. This is an obligation commanded in the Law of the Sinai Covenant (for example see Ex 21:2; 22:20-26; 23:10ff; Dt 15:11). Jesus is instead criticizing the intent of giving "the misuse of charity for self-glorification. He is contrasting the insincerity of the "hypocrite" with the right conduct required of His disciples.

In verse 2 Jesus condemns the blowing of trumpets: When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. This may or may not have been a practice of the wealthy when going to the Synagogue or the Temple to give alms in the 1 st century AD. It also may have been an exaggeration on Jesus' part to condemn the ostentatious way in which some wealthy Jews and Israelites drew attention to themselves and flaunted their alms-giving. Jesus' use of the word "hypocrites" is interesting because there is no counterpart for this Greek word in Hebrew or Aramaic (the common language of Jesus' time). In Greek the word refers to "playing a part" in Greek drama. In other words, the insincere almsgiver is only "play acting" for an audience and not sincerely giving from the heart.

St. Augustine writes: A hypocrite is one who pretends to be something one is not. This person pretends to be righteous yet shows no evidence of righteousness ... they receive no reward from God the searcher of the heart "only reproach for their deceit. They may have a human reward, but from God they hear, "Depart from me, you workers of deceit. You may speak my name, but you do not do my works" (St. Augustine, Sermon on the Mount 2.2.5).
JESUS TEACHES ABOUT PRAYER
Some scholars have suggested that Jesus' use of this Greek word indicates that He spoke the Greek language. If Jesus spoke Greek that would not be unusual; Greek was the international language of the Roman world at this time in history and had been for more than two centuries.

Matthew 6:3-4 ~ But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."
Matthew 6:5-8 ~ "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 7In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Jesus uses hyperbole to make His point as He did earlier in verses 29-30.

Question: Giving alms to the poor was an obligation under the Sinai Covenant. Is it Jesus' suggestion that the giving of alms is only an option for the Christian?
Answer: No. Jesus says "When you give alms" not " if you give."

Almsgiving becomes a form of penitence for our sins

It is part of our obligation in sharing of the love of God with others under the New Law

Almsgiving is a work of mercy in which we can thank God for the mercy He has shown us by extending His mercy to others

In the book of Tobit, the archangel Raphael praises prayer, fasting and almsgiving as virtuous acts, but he especially commends almsgiving saying: Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies ( Tobit 12:8-10).

Let us tell Him we love Him. We might ask Him what He wants of us, what are His wishes. Sometimes we might ask Jesus something for ourselves and something for others. One can speak to Jesus as brother to brother, as friend to friend, more so, since it often happens that men do not understand us, whereas Jesus understands each of us always. Such conversations are pleasing to Jesus.
St. Maximilian Kolbe

Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly damned (St. Alphonsus Liguori)
Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Speaking to an Israelite and Jewish audience, Jesus' words "When you pray" not only refers to communal prayer in the local Synagogues but probably also refers to the observed traditional hours of private prayer, both of which corresponded to the daily Temple liturgical worship services. Before the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD, religious Jews observed both morning prayer and evening (our afternoon) prayer in association with the most sacred sacrifice of the Sinai Covenant, the daily offering of the Tamid lambs in God's holy earthly Sanctuary: one lamb brought to the altar at dawn and offered in the morning service from 9-11 AM, the third to the fifth hours Jewish time, and the second in the "evening" service (their evening is our afternoon) with the lamb brought to the altar "between the twilights" or noon and offered in sacrifice in a liturgical service that lasted from 3-5 PM, the ninth to the eleventh hours Jewish time ( Ex 29:38-42; Num 28:3-8).
Matthew 6:7 In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
In Acts 3:1 Sts. Peter and John attended the afternoon liturgical service at the Temple: Now Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the three o'clock hour of prayer. The term "hour of prayer" refers to a part of the day devoted to prayer. The hours of prayer were determined by the "perpetual sacrifice" of the Tamid lambs around which the entire day's liturgy in the Temple revolved).
THE PATER NOSTER [in Latin "Our Father"] also called THE LORD'S PRAYER
For those not attending the Temple service, private morning prayer (in Hebrew Shacharit, meaning morning) was acceptable until noon, as was observed by St. Peter while visiting in the city of Joppa: Peter went up to the roof terrace to pray at about noontime ( Acts 10:9). While the Jews were in exile in Babylon, they continued observed these prayer times, as did the prophet Daniel: I was still occupied with my prayer, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, presenting my petition to the LORD, my God, on behalf of his holy mountain "I was still occupied with this prayer, when Gabriel, the one whom I had seen before in vision, came to me in rapid flight at the time of the evening sacrifice ( Dan 9:20-21). Note: their "evening" was our "afternoon" since one day ended and the next began at sundown. The "holy mountain" refers to the Jerusalem Temple that stood on Mt. Moriah.

Question: Do you notice something interesting about the two times for prayer in association with the offering of the two lambs of the daily Tamid worship services in the Temple: 9AM and 3PM? Hint: see Mk 15:25; Mt 27:45, 46.
Answer: These times correspond to Jesus' hours on the cross from 9AM when He was crucified (according to Mark 15:25) 3PM when He gave up His life.

Once more Jesus addressed the necessity of seeking an interior desire to please God rather than exterior actions gaining the attention and approval of men, and once more Jesus used the Greek word "hypocrites." Jesus first used this word in Matthew 6:2. He will use this word 12 times in Matthew's Gospel "six of those times in Matthew 23:13-29, applying the insult directly to the "teachers of the law" and the Pharisees.

Question: Can you think of a time when Jesus practiced the example of private prayer? For a few of many examples see Mt 14:23; Mk 6:46; 14:32, 34-35; Lk 6:12, 9:28; 22:40-46 and Mt 26:36-46.
Answer: He illustrated the importance of withdrawing for private prayer with God before beginning the Sermon on the Mount when...he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God ( Lk 6:12). At many times during Jesus' ministry He found it necessary to withdraw from the crowds and from His disciples to pray in solitude to His Father as He did in His last prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Question: What does Jesus teach about prayer offered to God in these passages: Mt 6:5-8; 7:7-11; 18:19-20; 21:22; Mk 12:40; Lk 11:9-10; 18:1-8, 10-14; Jn 14:13-14; 15:7, 16; and 16:23-27?
Answer: Throughout His ministry Jesus taught His disciples:

1. Prayer offered to God should come from a humble heart whether offered in private prayer or while praying with others.

2. When two of more of us pray together in agreement on a petition, He gave us assurance that God hears our prayers.

3. Prayer should come from the depth of one's heart rather than only from the lips.

4. In our prayers we should make our petitions trusting not in our needs but in God's goodness because our Father knows what we need before we ask Him.

5. We should be direct and persistent in our prayers.

6. Prayer must be made with faith and offered in the name of Jesus, asking only for what is good and trusting God to meet our needs. Whatever we ask in prayer with faith, we will receive what we need.

7. Those who pray with a false heart or in pretense of righteousness will receive a severe judgment.

In his commentary on this passage, St. John Chrysostom wrote about the spiritual healthy practice of continuous prayer: Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy .... For it is impossible, utterly impossible, for the man who prays eagerly and invokes God ceaselessly ever to sin. And the Catechism teaches:

Prayer is a vital necessity. Proof from the contrary is no less convincing: if we do not allow the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of sin. How can the Holy Spirit be our life if our heart is far from him? (CCC 2744).

Question: What did Jesus mean when He said go your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret?
Answer: When not praying as a faith community, Jesus may be recommending that we literally pray in a confined space to avoid earthly distractions, or He may be referring figuratively to the "inner room" of our inner-most hearts and minds when we shut out the distractions of the world and focus entirely on speaking with God.

The second interpretation is the way St. Augustine interpreted His words: What are those bed chambers but just our hearts themselves ... Hence the door is to be shut, i.e. the fleshly sense is to be resisted, so that the spiritual prayer may be directed to the Father, which is done in the inmost heart, where prayer is offered to the Father which is in secret. Whether literally or figuratively, we must be able to pray in a way where one's complete attention can turn to God.

In the conclusion to His teaching on prayer, Jesus contrasts desired Christian conduct in prayer with the conduct of the pagans who "babble" in their prayers.

Question: Is Jesus forbidding public prayer or repetitive prayer like the rosary in this passage? See Mt 6:9-14 and Lk 11:2.
Answer: Jesus obviously does not mean to forbid repetitive prayer because in the very next passage He gives His disciples the most often repeated prayer in the history of salvation, and in Luke 11:2 before praying Luke's version of this prayer He commands His disciples to repeat it as an introduction to prayer saying"When you pray say:..."!
The invocation: "OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN" "For in Him we live and move and exist."
Acts 17:28
Jesus was also not banning public prayer which He often led during His ministry (see Mt 11:25ff; Mk 6:41; Lk 11:1; Jn 11:41-42) and which was an important part of liturgical worship in the Temple and in communal worship in the local Synagogues. Nor can Jesus be referring to the reciting of the rosary which is not "meaningless babble." Praying the rosary fills the mind of the individual with the life, ministry, passion and glorification of Jesus Christ as experienced in the life of His mother, Mary of Nazareth. The beads of the rosary do not distract us in our prayer but focus our attention on our prayers in order to concentrate our minds on the visions of the events in the lives of our Savior and His mother. It is only prayer that is self-centered instead of God-centered and the meaningless chanting of repetitive words or sounds in pagan prayer which often consisted of repetitive chanting of the god's name in order to compel the deity to respond to the worshipper's desired petition that Jesus is condemning. His point is that prayer is for God alone and the Christian soul in prayer must be turned to God alone.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, "Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:14-16

The New Law practices the acts of religion: almsgiving, prayer and fasting, directing them to the "Father who sees in secret," in contrast with the desire to "be seen by men." Its prayer is the Our Father. CCC 1969

In His teaching about prayer, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray by giving them a prayer to unify and identify themselves as His disciples.
"OUR FATHER"
Matthew 6:9-15 ~ "This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; 13 and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. 14 If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

This is the prayer that our Lord Jesus gave to us, His beloved disciples of every generation, and therefore we give the prayer the title "the Lord's Prayer." Christians have also given this prayer the title taken from the first two words of the prayer "the "Our Father," in Latin, "Pater Noster." This prayer has been part of the Church's liturgy since apostolic times, and the petitions of the prayer, made in the name of God the Father, and are a concise synthesis of Christian faith in the Fatherhood of God. It was part of the profession of faith for the reception of catechumens into the Church and is the best known bond of unity between all Christian denominations.

Scholars have suggested that it was common for Rabbis to teach their disciples a specific prayer to unify and identify them as a community. It is this prayer of the Son that unifies and identifies us as children in the family of His Father. It has been the central prayer of the Catholic Church from the time Jesus first taught it to His followers. Together with the "Hail Mary" prayer, it is one of the first prayers we learn as little children and it will undoubtedly be the last prayer that we will pray when we come to the end of our lives on this earth. From childhood to death, the prayer which begins with the intimate words "Our Father" is the prayer which fills us with faith, hope, and consolation.
Answer:
St. Augustine says that the Lord's Prayer is so perfect that it sums up in only a few words everything man needs to petition God.For the righteous Old Covenant men and women who were Jesus' disciples, The "Lord's Prayer" is similar to the "Eighteen Benedictions" [ Shemoneth Esreh], prayed by righteous Jews three times daily. The Didache, the first catechism of the Church, also required that the "Lord's Prayer" be prayed three times a day ( Didache, 8:3). The first part of the prayer, apart from the intimate invocation to God as "Father," also shows similarities to the Aramaic Kaddish, a prayer used in the Synagogue liturgy with its central petition calling for the coming of God's kingdom to earth by establishing His peace and justice through the exercise of His divine will. The last line of the Kaddish is a petition to God who makes peace in the heavens to bring peace to all mankind ( The Jewish Book of Why, vol. I, page 72). The prayer of the Jewish Kaddish was answered in the coming of Jesus the Messiah and the establishment of the Kingdom of heaven on earth "the New Covenant universal Church, in which God's peace and justice for all eternity is extended to all humanity.

There are two versions of the "Lord's Prayer" in Scripture. The prayer in Matthew opens with an invocation followed by seven petitions. There is also a shorter version found in the Gospel of Luke 11:2-4 that opens with an invocation followed by five petitions. Jesus probably taught this prayer many times during His three year ministry. In Luke's version of the "Lord's Prayer," Jesus stresses the "fatherhood" of God, acknowledging Him as the One to whom we own our daily sustenance ( Lk 11:3), our forgiveness ( 11:4a), and our deliverance from a final covenant ordeal ( 11:4 b). The Navarre scholars write in their commentary on the Gospel of Matthew that "there can be no brotherhood without parenthood." It is the Fatherhood of God that gives us the grace to extend true Christian brotherhood to all men and women of all races.

A Comparison of the Lord's Prayer in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke

Invocation: Our Father in heaven

Invocation: Father

Petition 1: Hollowed be your name

Petition 1: Hollowed be your name

Petition 2: Your kingdom come

Petition 2: May your Kingdom come

Petition 3: Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Petition 4: Give us today our daily bread

Petition 3: Give us each day our daily bread

Petition 5: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

Petition 4: And forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us

Petition 6: And do not subject us to the final test

Petition 5: And do not subject us to the final test

Petition 7: but deliver us from the evil one

Michal E. Hunt © 2011

Up to this point in salvation history, no human being had enjoyed Jesus' unique relationship to God. It is a relationship He extended to those who believed in His name, meaning believing everything Jesus taught about Scripture, about Himself and about the Most Holy Trinity and who, through the sacrament of Baptism, became sons and daughters in the family of God. Key passages which explain the extension of this relationship are found in Matthew 11:25-27 and Hebrews 2:13.

Question: How do the passages in Matthew 11:25-27 and Hebrews 2:8-18 explain the extension of Jesus' unique relationship with God the Father to His disciples? How is this relationship different from what Moses experienced in Exodus 3:5? Note: Heb 2:13 is a quote from Is 8:17-18.
Answer: In Matthew 11:25-27, Jesus prayed to the Father: I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. In the revelation of God from the burning bush, Moses heard a voice saying to Him, Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet for the place on which you are standing is holy ground ( Ex 3:5). It was only God the Son who could cross that holy threshold, a crossing into the presence of God the Father that He has made available to us through His suffering. As the inspired writer of Hebrews tells us, when Jesus made purification for sins, He brought us into the Father's presence to proclaim Behold, I and the children God has given me' ( Heb 2:13). It is only through our relationship to Jesus that we can called "holy brothers" ( Heb 2:11) who call God "Father" because God the Father is revealed to us by His Son-become-man, through the power of God the Holy Spirit.

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has brought us into the Father's presence to proclaim "Here am I and the children You have given me." Article # 2780 of theCatechism of the Catholic Church states: The personal relation of the Son to the Father is something that Man cannot conceive of nor the angelic powers even dimly see; and yet, the Spirit of the Son grants a participation in that very relation to us who believe that Jesus is the Christ and that we are born of God.

The Father, Creator of the Universe, and the Word Incarnate, the Redeemer of humanity, are the source of this universal openness to all people as brothers and sisters, and they impel us to embrace them in the prayer which begins with the tender words: Our Father.'
Pope John Paul II, Letter to Families 4

The opening invocation of the "Lord's Prayer" places us in the presence of our Father. The prayer is usually seen as consisting of an opening address or invocation followed by 7 petitions which are divided into a set of 3 petitions followed by a set of 4 petitions (see the chart below). In Scripture 3 is the number of fullness and importance and for Christians 3 is the number signifying the Trinity. The number 4 in Scripture, however, usually represents the number of the world (see the document "The Significance of Numbers in Scripture" in the Documents section of the website). St. Matthew makes rather frequent use of the number 7 in his Gospel. It is interpreted in the oral tradition of the covenant people as one of the four "perfect" numbers (along with 3, 10, and 12). The recorded expression of this symbolism not unexpected from an Apostle who was, according to tradition, a member of the Levitical priesthood ( Mk 2:13-17; Lk 5:27-32).

Examples of St. Matthew's use of 7 as a "perfect number":

Matthew begins his Gospel with Jesus' genealogy in 3 x 14 or 6 x 7 generations with Jesus' name as the seventh seven.

The list of 7 Beatitudes in 5:3-10.

The 7 petitions of the Lord's Prayer.

The 7 loaves and seven baskets in the miracle feeding of the four thousand in 15:34-37.

7 parables of Jesus beginning in Matthew chapter 13.

Jesus' command to forgive one who offends not just 7 times but 77 times in Matthew 18:22.

7 curses against the Pharisees in Matthew 23:13-32.

The Division of the Petitions in "Lord's Prayer" found in Matthew 6:9-13

The Invocation:

Our Father in heaven

The division between the address to God followed by our needs

Referring to the chart above:

The new man, reborn and restored to his God by grace, says first of all, "Father!" because he has now begun to be a son.
St. Cyprian

In the first words of the prayer we should express the blessing of our adoration before we express our supplication. It is by the grace of God that we can recognize Him as "our Father." This recognition is a gift and we should give Him thanks and praise for having revealed the intimacy of His name as "Father."

Question: In what three ways are we blessed to address God as "Father" that we should give thanks?

1. We give thanks to God for having revealed His name to us

2. We give thanks for the gift of believing in His divine Fatherhood

3. We give thanks for the indwelling of His divine Presence in us that makes us His children

St. Paul wrote: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God ( Gal 4:4-7). We adore the Father because, through the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, He has caused us to be reborn to His life by adopting us as His children and by baptism He has incorporated us into the Body of Christ (CCC 2782).

1. We have been created in His image but we are restored to His likeness by the grace imparted to us by the Holy Spirit, and we must respond to His grace by continual conversion in living our new life "in the Spirit."

2. As children in the family of God, we must continue to behave as sons and daughters of our heavenly Father by showing mercy to others as He has shown mercy to us and by dying to self in order to live in Christ.

That Jesus should directly address God as "Father" was shocking to 1 st century AD Jews. Sacred Scripture had addressed angels, Davidic kings, prophets and the children of Israel collectively as "sons of God," but never had anyone dared to address Yahweh publically as "Father" "for the 1 st century Jewish authorities, this was blasphemy, an accusation leveled against Jesus and one of the reasons His enemies sought to kill Him: But Jesus answered the, "My Father is at work until now, so I am at work." For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God ( Jn 5:17-18). Tertullian, the 3 rd century Roman jurist who surrendered his life to Christ to become a priest and Christian apologist, wrote that before Jesus... the expression God the Father' had never been revealed to anyone. When Moses himself asked God who He was, he heard another name. The Father's name has been revealed to us in the Son, for the name Son' implies the new name Father.'

Question: When did God become God the Father? Was it in the Incarnation of the Son? Hint: what is the second line of the Nicene Creed?
Answer: No.God the Father did not become "Father" only after the Incarnation of the Son. He has been "Father" for all eternity because the Most Holy Trinity has always lived in perfect communion through all eternity "3 in One " God the Father with His Son and united with the Holy Spirit. It is what we profess in the creed: I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God eternally begotten of the Father ...

It is not God who has changed but through our baptism we have changed and as a result our relationship with God has changed. God is Father to Jesus, but it is Jesus who shares His divine Sonship with us. It is through Jesus that we are made "sons in the Son" through our baptism and become partakers of the divine nature, no longer to be called the sons and daughters of Adam but the sons and daughters of God. St Peter wrote: Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. And St. Cyprian wrote, The new man, reborn and restored to his God by grace, says first of all, "Father!" because he has now begun to be a son ( 2 Pt 1:4; also see CCC#2782).

God the Father is Father because He has eternally "fathered" the Son. He was a "father" before there were human fathers. St. Ephraim noted that earthly men are called fathers, but He is the true Father. He also wrote of the earthly relationship of "fathers" and their "sons" that The terms father' and son' by which they have been called are borrowed names that through grace have taught us that there is a Single True Father and that He has a Single True Son."

Question: Why is God "our Father"?
Answer: God is our Father because He has gathered us together in one family in Christ " established in a universal human family in the Catholic [catholic means universal] Church. It is our shared Sonship with Jesus which gives us the right to address God as "Our Father" because through the Son we are indeed His children.

The words of the invocation express this unique relationship which we can only claim through the Son. Before we make this first exclamation we must repent our sins, cleanse our hearts and with humility recognize that no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Each of us becomes the little child' that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 18:3-5: Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. Before repeating the prayer Jesus taught us we must step forward in the humility of childlike faith to address "our" Father.

Through the regeneration of our baptism in Christ Jesus, we became reborn and through our spiritual rebirth we became adopted children in God's family:

John 3:3, 5: Jesus answered and said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above ... Amen, amen, I say to you, on one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."

Ephesians 1:3-5: Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ. Thus He chose us in Christ before the world was made to be holy and faultless before Him in love, marking us out for Himself beforehand, to be adopted sons, through Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:14-16: All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, Abba, Father!'

Galatians 4:5-7: God sent His Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law, so that we could receive adoption as sons. As you are sons, God has sent into our hearts the Spirit of His Son crying, Abba, Father'; and so you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir, by God's own act.

Question: What verb precedes the word adoption' in Romans 8:16 (twice) and Galatians 4:5? Why is this word significant?
Answer: It is the word"receive." We did not earn this adoption, nor did we purchase it "it was a gift of God's grace that we "received."

To be adopted into a family is not a feat one achieves, but rather it is a gift one accepts. In an adoption the parents are the active parties. The same is true with God. He doesn't adopt us because of what we have. He doesn't give us His name because of our attitude or our bank account. He has caused us to be reborn to His life by adopting us as His children in His only Son. By our Baptism, he incorporates us into the Body of His Jesus and receives us through the anointing of His Spirit who flows from the head, which is Christ, to the members of His Body, the Church. This free gift of adoption requires on our part continual conversion manifested as new spiritual life and on His part, our Father, like any earthly father, calls us to come to Him.

We gather in His house (the Church)

We come to His table (the altar) where we are nourished (the Eucharist)

We are loved, taught and disciplined (by Mother Church), and we grow in knowledge and understanding in His presence.

In other words, He creates a home for us, first in Mother Church who instructs and guides us and later in our heavenly home. Sacred Scripture guides us in our understanding of this relationship. The following passages are from the New Jerusalem Bible translation:

John 14:23: (Jesus said) All those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them, and make our home with them.

Ps: 90:1: Yahweh (LORD), you have been our home since the beginning.

Ps 27:4-5 & Ps 23:6: One thing I ask of Yahweh, one thing I seek: to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life... I will live in the house of the LORD (Yahweh) forever! In my Father's house there are many mansions. I go to prepare a home...

Acts 17:24: He does not make his home in shrines made by human hands. Nor is He in need of anything, that He should be served by human hands; on the contrary, it is He who gives everything "including life and breath "to everyone.

"IN HEAVEN"
"who is in heaven"
Petition #1: "HOLY BE YOUR NAME"
[Christians] are in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh. They spend their lives on earth, but are citizens of heaven. CCC#2796
You will not swear by my name with intent to deceive and thus profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh. Leviticus 19:12
The Catechism of the Catholic Church does not identify the mystery that is "heaven" in earthly terms as a space or a place but as a way of being in which God transcends time and space to be ever present. When we pray the "Lord's Prayer" we are expressing our union with God through the Covenant family established in Christ. United with Him in the Covenant, earth no long has a hold on us and heaven becomes our home. Sin is the force which exiles us from our true home but repentance and conversion of heart enables us to come to God our Father through the blood of Christ in which heaven and earth are reconciled. "For the Son alone descended from heaven and causes us to ascend there with him, by his Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension" (CCC# 2795).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church answers this question in article #2796: Our God is not distant. He is a father whose place is with His family. In Christ heaven and earth are reconciled and "who art in heaven" refers not to a place but to God's majesty and His presence in the hearts of those made righteous in the blood of Christ. When the Church prays "our Father who art in heaven" she is professing that we are the People of God, already seated "with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" and "hidden with Christ in God; (Eph 2:6) yet at the same time, "here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly dwelling.

Sacred Scripture defines the concept of heaven:

Yahweh is His holy temple! Yahweh, His throne is in heaven; His eyes watch over the world, His gaze scrutinizes the children of Adam (Ps 11:4).

The heavens declare the glory of God, the vault of heaven proclaims His handiwork... (Ps 19:1a-b).

...who would not find it an impossible task to build a house for him, when the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain Him? (2 Chr 2:6).

Thus says Yahweh: with heaven my throne and earth my footstool, what house could you build me... (Is 66:1-2).

Then the sanctuary of God in heaven opened, and the Ark of the Covenant could be seen inside it (Rev 11:19).

In the following verse our Father makes a promise that we can claim when we, His children who are away from our heavenly home, become frightened and feel alone.

Question: What are the promised contained in these verses when we acknowledge that our Father rules over heaven and earth: For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nothing already in existence and nothing still to come, nor any power, nor the heights nor the depths, nor any created thing whatever, will be able to come between us and the love of God, known to us in Christ Jesus our Lord ( Rom 8:38).
Answer: Nothing can separate us from the love of God. He is always with us and will never leave us.

Question: What promise did Jesus also make to us after His resurrection in Matthew 28:20b?
Answer: And behold, I AM with you always, until the end of the age.
Questions for group discussion:
Note: in Hebrew "I AM" is God's Covenant name, YHWH (Yahweh).

God is both creator and father. How should we respond to Him as both Creator and Father in our lives?What standard of behavior does God require of His children? See Exodus 20:11b; Ps 46:11(10) and Matthew 5:48:

Exodus 20:11b: ...Yahweh made the heavens, earth and sea and all that these contain...

Ps 46:10 Be still and confess that I Am God.

Matthew 5:48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Answer: God is not a permissive parent. We must listen and respond to Him in obedience and in love, acknowledging His sovereignty as Creator and His loving authority as Father over us. He is a good Father, but we must be good, obedient, loving, children. We must honor "our Father" the commandments teach us.

Question: Ps 46:11-12 is both a command and a promise. What are the commands? Be still and confess that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Answer: The first command is to "be still," meaning to pay attention, to be obedient and listen to the Father. The second command is to confess belief in the One True God who has authority over our lives. The promise is when we are attentive to His words and His commands that we will know we have an intimate relationship with the eternal and supreme God who is always with us.
Endnotes:
A Holy Father deserves holy children. No matter how "mature" we grow as God's children, we are never too "mature" to accept parental correction from our heavenly Father or from Mother Church. We never "mature" to the point where we can make our own rules and our own laws apart from the Law of God and His will for our lives.

St. Thomas Aquinas defined the Holy Trinity as the Lover (Father), the One Loved (the Son), and the Love that binds them (the Holy Spirit). St John the Apostle also defined God, eloquently and simply in 1 John 4:16 God is love.

You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who misuses His name. Exodus 20:7 ( Deuteronomy 5:11)

The Greek word for hallowed or holy is hagiastheto. It is the aorist passive imperative of hagiazo, the verb meaning "sanctify." So this prayer literally reads: Let Your name be sanctified. It is significant that this is the first petition of the Lord's Prayer. This petition is the primary petition of all petitions. We should first pray that God's holy name will be sanctified everywhere "on earth, in the heavens, throughout creation in both time and space. But we also need to make it personal and relevant. Our cry should be: "Let Your name be sanctified in my life today!"

The Greek word onoma corresponds to the Hebrew word shem, meaning "name," but not as we have mentioned previously, simply as the identification of someone by a label to differentiate one person from another. Instead biblically, and in other cultures in ancient times, the "name" of a person encompassed everything that the named individual represented "his entire character and personality, including his work, power, authority and reputation. This petition for sanctification of God's "holy name" can be expressed in two ways:

1. We sanctify His holy name by His command to us to live holy lives, through obedience to His will (Lev 11:44-45;Mt 5:48), and by our reverence and praise offered to God. If our lives are not holy, we desecrate that sacred family name by which we are called. We remind ourselves that we are called by our Father's most holy name every time we make the sign of the cross:In the Name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. His Name is our name because He is our Father.

2. But also included is this petition is that God make holy His own name by manifesting His power and glory in our lives and in the lives of all members of the family of man by establishing the fullness of His Kingdom.

3. It may help to understand the dimensions of God's holiness by looking at some of the names/titles of God used in the Bible. You might also consult the article The Many Names of God in the Resource section of Agape Bible Study.

4. For ancient peoples one's "name" encompassed everything there was to know about a person: what that person stood for and what that person believed. Jesus' name in Hebrew, Yahshua (ancient Hebrew) or Yehoshua (in Jesus' time) means "Yahweh saves" or "Yahweh is salvation."

Question: What is the promise of Jesus' "name" in Acts 4:12?Also see CCC 432.
Answer: The "name" of Jesus signifies the very "name" of God who is united with and present in the person of the Son. Belief inJesus Christ is the only path to salvation: Only in Him is there salvation; for of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.

Question: What is the promise in Romans 10:12-13? What does "calling on the name" mean in this passage?
Answer: The same Lord is the Lord of all, and His generosity is offered to all who appeal to Him, for all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. "Calling on the name" means all those who claim Jesus' promise of salvation by accepting everything Jesus taught and believe in everything that He did for man's salvation will be saved.

It is not enough to simply acknowledge that there is a God or that there was a man or man-God named Jesus. Even Satan acknowledges that there is a Jesus who is the Son of God. His demons even addressed Jesus as the "Holy one of God" during His earthly ministry ( Lk 4:34).

St. James writes critically of those who think simple "belief" is enough without faith evidenced by acts of mercy. Please read James 2:18-24.

Question: What does St. James say is the value of faith without works?
Answer: Writing forcefully and plainly, James assures us that genuine faith is living, active faith. He writes: You believe that God is one? You do well, even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? ( Jam 2:19-20), and in 2:24 St. James concludes: See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Note: this is the only verse in the New Testament which includes the phrase "faith alone." Martin Luther, in attempting to promote his doctrine of "faith alone" without works changed the Bible text and added the word "alone" to Romans 3:28. "Saving faith" then requires believing in everything associated with God's Holy Name, including the "name" of God the Son "what Jesus taught us in His ministry, believing in His sacrificial death, in His Resurrection, in His Ascension and in the body of revelation He has revealed to us through the teachings of Mother Church. Simply acknowledgement is not enough.

Question: Does showing mercy include the giving of alms? See Sir 3:29; Tobit 12:9; Mt 6:1-4; Lk 12:33.
Answer: It has always been a teaching of God's covenant people that to give alms to the needy greatly pleases God. Sirach 3:29 includes the promise Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins. Mercy as an act of atonement endears that sinner to God and atones for sin.

Did you know that the Church instructs those who do not abstain from meat on Fridays to do an act of charity in place of a meat sacrifice? See CCC# 1434; 1438; 1969; 2101; 2447; 2462.

Jesus told a parable which illustrates the importance of the giving of alms to the disadvantaged in the parable of "Lazarus and the Rich Man" in Luke 16:19-31.

Question: What was ironic about the state of these two men in Sheol? How did God give justice to Lazarus and does this justice remind you of Jesus' curses of the wealthy in the Sermon on the Plain in Luke chapter 6?
Answer: It is ironic that in Sheol, or Abraham's Bosom as the grave was called in the 1 st century AD, the roles of Lazarus and the rich man were reversed just as Jesus had warned would be the case in the Sermon on the Plain.

Question: What are some of the different kinds of prayer?

1. The people of Asia Minor and the Levant admired and in many cases embraced Greek/Hellenistic culture. The ruins of many Greek style theaters have been found in the Roman provinces of Asia Minor, Syria, the Galilee, Samaria, and in Judea. For example, the cities of Sepphoris (administrative capital of the Galilee), Tiberias (on the west side of the Sea of Galilee), and Caesarea (on the coast of the Mediterranean and the residence of the Roman governor) had large 1 st century AD theaters where Greek dramas were performed. The theater at the Galilean regional capital of Sepphoris seated 3,000 citizens and was built during the time Jesus was growing up in neighboring Nazareth. St. Joseph and his son, trained in the skills of the tekton (a worker in hard materials), may have been conscripted to work on Sepphoris' theater.

2. Every Jew was an Israelite but not every Israelite was a Jew. An "Israelite" was one who was a member of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, but to be a "Jew" originally meant one who was a member of the tribe of Judah (Judah was the fourth son of Israel). Later, the designation "Jew" came to mean one who was a citizen of the Southern Kingdom of Judah (composed of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin) as opposed to the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (composed of the other ten tribes). St. Paul, who was a member of the tribe of Benjamin, identified himself as a "Jew." However, many of the residents of the Galilee were probably Israelites who had returned to the land of their ancestors after the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. Jesus' disciples were both Jews and Israelites. Jesus identified Nathan, a man from the Galilee, as an "Israelite" and not a "Jew" ( Jn 1:47). In the modern state of Israel, there is no such differentiation; every Israeli is a Jew.

3. Originally there were only two "hours" of prayer observed by righteous Israelites and Jews. Today Rabbinic Judaism observes three different periods of prayer:

"Shacharit" Morning Prayer is the first "hour" of prayer

"Minchah" (gift-offering) is the second "hour" of prayer

"Ma'ariv" or Evening Prayer begins at sundown

(for the hours of prayer in the Jewish Talmud see Mishnah: Berakhot).

Morning and afternoon prayer correspond to the hours of the Tamid morning and evening/afternoon sacrifices (Schurer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus, II, vol. 1, pages 290-291, n. 248).Ma'ariv or Evening Prayer was not observed during the Temple period butis a later addition after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. The Jewish Talmud records the late addition of the Ma'ariv service, which is not connected with the sacrificial system ( Jewish Book of Why, volume I, page 148; for the times of prayer see A History of the Jewish People, pages 190-91, note 248).

4. God told David He would be a "father" to David's son Solomon ( 2 Sam 7:14), and in David's Messianic Ps 89 there is a reference to God's "chosen David, my servant" ( verse 21) who shall cry "You are my father, my God, the Rock that Brings me victory!" ( verse 27), but these verses do not refer to David but to David's descendant who is Jesus, the promised Messiah, "the firstborn, Most High over the kings of the earth" ( verse 28).

5. The Hebrew text of the Bible, there are many different names or titles by which the One True God is called. The most frequently used names are YHWH (the Tetragrammaton, a term meaning "four letter name"), usually rendered as Yahweh (c. 6,800 times); Elohim, the plural of the word "god" (c. 2,600 times); Adonai, "Lord" (c. 439 times); and El, "god" singular (c. 238 times). Most of the other names are combinations of these names like El Shaddai, El Eloah, and Yahweh Elohim. The most commonly used names for God in the modern Jewish and Protestant Bibles, which are used as substitutes for the divine name YHWH, are Ha-Shem (meaning "the name") and used in the modern Jewish Massoretic Text translations of the Bible called the Tanakh, and Jehovah (used in both Protestant and Jewish translations), a name for God that only dates back to the Middle Ages. The names Ha-Shem and Jehovah areinvented named that arenot found in the ancient Hebrew or Greek texts of Sacred Scripture. The use of "Jehovah" arose from the addition of the vowels from the Hebrew word Adonai, meaning "Lord," that were added to the Tetragrammaton YHWH in Germany in the Middle Ages by Jewish scholars (J is the German Y) to avoid impiously speaking the divine Name when reading Scripture aloud. "Jehovah" was never meant to be a spoken name but only to indicate that in the biblical text this word was in actuality the holy four consonants which were God's holy Covenant name, YHWH. The Protestants, however mistakenly adopted this false reading as God's Covenant name into their Bible translations. Hebrew was originally written only in consonants.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for Matthew chapter 6:1-14 (*indicates Scripture is either quoted or paraphrased in the citation).

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: The Sermon on the Mount Continued

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Holy God, our Father, In the covenant at Sinai, You betrothed Yourself to Your Bride, Israel,
expressing Your love for Israel in the gift of the Law and receiving Israel’s
returned love in her obedience to Your Law. But the Law that the Old
Covenant Church received as her betrothal band was also a…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 6 The Sermon on the Mount Continued - Teaching About the Private Life of the Christian Disciple and the Practice of Righteousness 2

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 6 The Sermon on the Mount Continued - Teaching About the Private Life of the Christian Disciple and the Practice of Righteousness 2

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Father,
Your Son taught us to pray to You with this most intimate form of address, and so we come to You as little children seeking the tender guidance of a beloved and honored Father. Lead us in the path of righteousness, our Father, as we humbly kneel at Your throne, looking toward heaven as the home You have prepared for us. Send us Your Holy Spirit to guide us in our study Jesus' great prayer of love and unity that is prayed by all Christians from childhood to death throughout all generations. We pray in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
+ + +
For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.
St. Therese of Lisieux

Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.
St. John Damascene

In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus is teaching on the virtues of discipleship in the Christian's private and public life. He begins by focusing on the practice of almsgiving, prayer and fasting. In His teaching about prayer, Jesus gives His disciples a prayer of unity and identity that we call "The Lord's Prayer" or the "Our Father." This special prayer, like all prayer, is one of the great mysteries of the faith:

1. Prayer is a gift from God in which humans are invited to communicate with God when they come to Him with humble and contrite hearts.

2. Prayer is an act that demonstrates the privilege of the New Covenant relationship between God and man in Christ.

3. Prayer, offered in the name of Jesus, is a New Covenant communion of life in which the living relationship of God's children is experienced with their Father, with His Son Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit "it is an act of living in the grace of the Kingdom which is "the union of the entire holy and royal Trinity... with the whole human spirit" (St. Gregory of Nazianzus).

Continuing with the study of the Lord's Prayer
A review of Last week's lesson

Our Father in heaven
[Invocation]

We become children of God in our baptism into the family of God when we receive the gift of divine son/daughter-ship extended to us through God's only begotten Son. God is "our" Father because He has gathered us together in one holy, universal family "the Catholic Church. Heaven is the home of our Father and therefore our true home. Sin exiles us from our true home but repentance and conversion of heart enables us to come home to God our Father through the blood of Jesus in which heaven and earth are reconciled.

Holy be Your Name
[petition #1]

We sanctify His holy Name by living holy lives. This petition also includes the plea that God make holy His own Name by manifesting His power and glory in our lives and in the lives of all members of the family of man by establishing the fullness of His Kingdom.

The Divisions of the Petitions of Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13

The division between our address to God followed by our needs

Petition #2: "YOUR KINGDOM COME" The LORD's [Yahweh's] throne is established in heaven; God's royal power rules over all.
Psalm 103:19
Then the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, whose kingdom shall be everlasting: all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Daniel 7:27

Question: What is the kingdom of God in this petition? Use Psalm 103:9 and Daniel 7:27, listed above, as well as Matthew 9:35 to help you with your answer: Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news [gospel] of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.
Answer: One aspect of God's kingdom is heaven, as expressed in the verse in the Psalms, but the kingdom of God is also linked to the "good news" " the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which establishes Jesus' Davidic Kingdom of Heaven on earth "the universal Catholic Church.

The Kingdom of God is so identified with the life and work of Jesus Christ that the Gospel or "good news" of the Kingdom of God promised in Isaiah 40:9-11 is in the New Testament referred to as the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his block; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom and leading the ewes with care. It is St. John the Baptist who first links this Isaiah passage to the coming of the Messiah and God's Kingdom in Matthew 3:3 when he claimed to be the "prophetic voice" of Isaiah 40:3.

As we discussed in an earlier lesson, the kingdom of heaven has a present as well as a future reality. That present and future reality was expressed in the Beatitudes which began and ended with a present tense verb in the promise of the Kingdom while all other blessings and promises were expressed in the simple future tense. The coming of the Kingdom of God is the realization of God's plan of salvation in the world. The Kingdom establishes itself in the core of our being, raising us up to share in God's own inner life. This elevation has two stages:

The 1st stage is in this life where the kingdom is brought about by grace in living the sacraments of our faith in the kingdom of heaven established by Christ on earth which is His Church governed by His Vicar, the Pope (as promised inDaniel 7:27).

The 2nd definitive stage is in eternal life, where our elevation to the supernatural level is fully completed when we experience union with the Most Holy Trinity in the heavenly Kingdom.

For our part we need to respond to God with humility, love, trust, and obedience and service to His Church. It is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth that is His vehicle to help advance the faithful to that state of grace that will make entrance into the heavenly kingdom possible.

St. John Chrysostom teaches in his homily on the Lord's Prayer that the Kingdom of God comes in the life of the Christian whenever he or she willing takes up the "yoke" of Jesus Christ (Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, 19.7). In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invited the faithful: Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

A yoke was a device laid across the necks of domesticated draft animals (particularly oxen) by which the master could control the animal and the path that master wanted the animal to travel. The Israelites, like stubborn oxen, were often "stiff-necked" and refused to bend to God's "yoke" "His divine will ( Ex 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Dt 9:6, 13). To teach the people to submit to God's plan for Israel's prosperity and to cooperate with God's plan for salvation history, God sometimes disciplined the Old Covenant people by allowing them to bear the "yoke" of other nations when they resisted His "yoke."
Petition #3: "YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IN HEAVEN"
Question: What is the "yoke" of which Jesus speaks in Matthew 11:28-30 and what is the "rest" He promises? How does what Jesus promised relate to the "yoke" of judgment? See Dt 28:48.

Answer: As opposed to the heavy "yoke" of oppression of earthly kings, Jesus calls us to take upon ourselves the "yoke" of obedience to His word and to live out the blessings and promises of the Beatitudes in which we will find the "rest" of eternal life; this is the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God in our lives.

(Jesus said) Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21

Yes, I know what plans I have in mind for you, Yahweh declares, plans for peace, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 [NJB]

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Psalms 143:10

This 3 rd petition expresses two desires.

Question: What is the first desire of the petition:"Your will be done..."?

Answer: The petition concerns God's "will" and the fulfillment of His "will." The first desire of this petition is that we identify humbly and unconditionally with God's will "to abandoned ourselves in the arms of our Father and to the fulfillment of His plan for our lives.

Question: If you believe God has a plan for your life, how do you access God's plan?

Answer: We become partners in God's plan through continual prayer, in living the Beatitudes daily, in participating in the life of Christ through the Sacraments He has given us, and faithful obedience to the teachings of Mother Church.

To pray "Your will be done" is to seek the heart of God, meaning to seek all that humans, in their limited capacity, can experience of God in their lives. How hard is it for you to submit yourself to the will of God in every aspect of your life? Read the following verses to help you seek the heart of God and to trust Him with your life:

Everything now covered up will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. 30 Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid... (Mt 10:26b, 30).
(Jesus said)It is my Father's will that whoever sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and that I should raise that person up on the last day (Jn 6:40).

Do not model your behavior on the contemporary world, but let the renewing of your minds transform you, so that you may discern for yourselves what is the will of God... (Rom 12:2).

So be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like intelligent and not like senseless people. Make the best of the present time, for it is a wicked age. This is why you must not be thoughtless but must recognize what is the will of the Lord (Eph 5:15-17).

God wills you all to be holy. He wants you to keep away from sexual immorality, and each one of you to know how to control his body in a way that is holy and honorable, not giving way to selfish lust like the nations who do not acknowledge God. God called us to be holy, not to be immoral; in other words, anyone who rejects this is rejecting not human authority, but God who gives you His Holy Spirit (1Thes 4:3-5; 7-8).

Always be joyful; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks; this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus (1Thes 5:17-18).

Question: What is the second desire of this petition in the phrase: on earth as it is in heaven... and in what three aspects?

Answer: In the second part of the petition, it is our prayer that just as the angels and saints in heaven are fully at one with God's will, so too, it is our desire that the same union of will should true on earth:
Petition #4: "GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD"

For us individually

For each faith community

For the universal Church as a whole

To be part of this union we cooperate with God's will for us in full freedom; for example God's will is to be found in the moral aspect of the divine law "but this law is not forced on us. One of the signs of the coming of the Kingdom is our loving fulfillment of God's will from an internal desire to conform to the image of Christ.

I am the bread come down from heaven... I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. John 6:41, 51

This is the turning point in the prayer. The first set of 3 petitions address God: "Your name," "Your Kingdom," and "Your will."

Question: Looking at Matthew 5 verses 10c-13 what does the second set of 4 petitions concern and what is the subject of each petition?
Answer: The second series of 4 petitions concern us: "give us," "forgive us," "lead us not" (or "let us not be led") and "deliver us;" the subject is "us".

In the petition Give us today [or this day] our daily bread, the Greek word, which most Bible translators have translated as "daily," is the Greek word epiousios. This word is a grammatical anomaly and the derivation and meaning of epiousios is one of the great unresolved puzzles of New Testament lexicography. The word epiousios is only found here in Matthew 6:11 and in Luke's account of the Lord's Prayer in 11:3. This Greek word does not occur anywhere else in Greek literature except in Christian documents related to this prayer or the subject of the Holy Eucharist. This word is so unique that it was unknown even in the times of the early Church Fathers. Origen of Alexandria, designated by Christian historians as the greatest biblical scholar of antiquity, suggested that epiousios is a word invented by Matthew and adopted by Luke since there was no Greek word in existence that would adequately described the supernatural character of the "heavenly bread" [Origen, De orat. 27.7]. Nor does there seem to be any link in the Exodus passages referring to the manna from heaven: lehem minhassamayim = "bread rain down from heaven for you" or debar yom beyomo = "a daily portion" or the Aramaic pitgam yom beyomeh.

Scholars have proposed 4 different meanings for this word:

1. daily

2. necessary for existence

3. for the following day

4. for the future.

St. Jerome's definition was "super-substantial" or "necessary for existence." In any case, from the times of the Fathers of the Church this word has always been taught as a reference to the Holy Eucharist:

The Father in heaven urges us, as children of heaven, to ask for the bread of heaven. [Christ] himself is the bread who, sown in the Virgin, raised up in the flesh, kneaded in the Passion, baked in the oven of the tomb, reserved in churches, brought to altars, furnishes the faithful daily with food from heaven (St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermo 67).

The Eucharist is our daily bread. The power belonging to this divine food makes it a bond of union. Its effect is then understood as unity, so that, gathered into his Body and made members of him, we may become what we receive....This also is our daily bread: the readings you hear each day in church and the hymns you hear and sing. All these are necessities for our pilgrimage
(St. Augustine, Sermo 57).

Question: What miracle in the Old Testament prefigures the first promise of our super-substantial bread? Quote the passage from the book of Exodus.
Answer: In the miracle of the manna from heaven: Yahweh then said to Moses, Look, I shall rain down bread for you from the heavens. Each day the people must go out and collect their ration for the day... ( Ex 16:4, NJB).

Question: Where in the New Testament does Jesus promise "bread from heaven"? Hint see John chapter 6 and quote a significant verse.

Answer: In the Bread of Life Discourse: So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" ( Jn 6:32-35).

Question: When does Jesus fulfill this promise?
Petition #5: "AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS"
Answer: It is fulfilled at the Last Supper in Jesus' statement, "This is my Body..." and it is fulfilled at every Mass when the priest stands "in the person of Christ" and says the words of consecration which begins the transformation by God the Holy Spirit of our gifts of bread and wine into the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Savior, Jesus! This is our heavenly bread that our heavenly Father provides to nourish us on our spiritual journey to the promised land of heaven, just as He gave manna to the Children of Israel on their physical journey to the Promised Land of Canaan.

Do we interpret this petition as the daily nourishment that we need to survive physically or spiritually? The Church Fathers do acknowledge that all "bread," heavenly and materially, does indeed come from God, and we do provide, in cooperation with God's creation, the bread that supernaturally becomes the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. However, the Fathers warn this interpretation of bread for our physical nourishment must also include the acknowledgement that this petition also refers to the heavenly bread that is Christ our Savior. In sacred Scripture, "table bread" is always an anticipation of the heavenly banquet ( Mt 26:26; Mk 14:22; Lk 22:19; Lk 24:30-31). Every meal over which Jesus presided in the New Testament had deep eschatological significance "every meal was a salvation meal which looked forward to the "final feast." The material bread that God provides for us daily on our own tables symbolizes and foreshadows the heavenly reality that we see in the real presence of Christ in the holy Eucharist which is the visible reality of a heavenly promise when we are called bodily to the heavenly Communion of Saints.

Who but God can take away sins. Mark 2:7

5 th petition: forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors ...

This petition probably refers to:

1. Our continual repentance and conversion as we seek forgiveness for our sins on our journey toward salvation.

2. Our plea for God's forgiveness when we face our individual judgments after death (Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Heb 9:37)

The Greek word opheilema which can be translated "trespass" or "debt" is found only here in Matthew chapter 6 and in Romans 4:4 in the New Testament. The transliteration of this Greek word is "what is due" or "an obligation, a debt." But here it clearly has a moral connotation, meaning "the debt of sin." This interpretation is supported by Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer where he uses the Greek word hamartias' which means venial sins. Jesus was probably speaking in Aramaic and in Aramaic the word hobha means debt or sin. In the Old as well as in New Testament times, sin was conceived of in terms of a debt. Since for his Greek readers Luke translated the Aramaic word into the Greek word hamartias, meaning "sins" we should obviously understand it in that sense.

Question: According to the Bible what is the only way in which a "debt of sin" can be paid?

Answer: In the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament a "debt of sin" can only be paid with blood: [please note: NJB = New Jerusalem translation]

Exodus 29:38 ~ (God said) This is what you must offer on the altar: two yearling male lambs each day in perpetuity. The first lamb you will offer at dawn, and the second at the end of the day... [NJB]

Leviticus 17:11 ~ For the life of the creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you for performing the rite of expiation on the altar for your lives, for blood is what expiates for a life. [NJB]

John 1:29 ~ The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Hebrews 9:22, 26b ~ According to the law almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness...But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice.

Revelations 1:5 ~ ...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood...

Acts 3:19 ~ Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out [NJB].

It is interesting that the last words of the Passover celebration were It is finished or fulfilled, these were the same words ( teltelestai in Greek) that Jesus cried out on the cross before He gave up His spirit ( Jn 19:30). In the time that Jesus lived, the word "teltelestai" was also an accounting term that was announced when a debt was paid. Jesus paid our debt of sin on the Cross.

Question: What is the penalty that we pay for sin in our lives? How can that penalty be removed? See Rom 6:3-9; 6:22-23; Phil 3:10-11; CCC 1006.

Answer: Since Adam and Eve's fall from grace, through sin death has reigned over man's life which, ever since, has been measured by time. But, Christ has claimed victory over sin and death and has shared that victory with those who believe in Him. All those who die in Christ's grace become participants in the death of the Savior with the promise that they can also share in His Resurrection.

Question: Read Matthew 6:14-15 and Matthew 18:34-35. According to these verses what is it that we will suffer if we refuse to forgive others?
Petition #6: "AND DO NOT SUBJECT US TO THE FINAL TEST"
Answer: In loving gratitude for the debt He paid for our sins, we in turn forgive others. If we refuse to forgive others our sins of unforgiveness will separate us from God's forgiveness.

The "Eighteen Benedictions" of the Jews also has a petition for forgiveness, but no condition is attached to that petition unlike the Lord's Prayer. Once again, Jesus has "raised the bar" or intensified the righteousness required of the New Covenant believer. This is the only petition to which Jesus will return and reemphasize at the end of the prayer.

Lean upon Him, because if the Lord is not your support and your strength, then you will fall and you will be afraid of everything.
St. John of the Cross, Sermons, 9, first Sunday of Lent

But the souls of the upright are in the hands of God, and no torment can touch them. [...]. God was putting them to the test and has proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a perfect burnt offering." Wisdom 3:1, 5-6 [N.J.]

In this petition we recognize that our human efforts alone do not take us very far in trying to cope with temptation, and we must turn to God to get the strength we need. St John of Avila, wrote God is strong enough to free you from everything and can do you more good than all the devils can do you harm.

Question: But all the same, should we expect trials? Does God send us into evil to test us? See Sir 15:11-20; Mt 5:10-12; Jam 1:12-15.
Answer: Yes, we should expect trials but God does not tempt us with evil; God wants only what is good for us.

The "final test" can mean:

1. The final temptation to sin just prior to one's death before one has the opportunity to repent.

2. The final period of tribulation prior to the return of the Messiah.

3. The Final Judgment at the end of the Age.

St. James, first Christian Bishop of Jerusalem and kinsman of Jesus wrote: Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. No one experiencing temptation should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one. Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death ( Jam 1:12-15).

St. James was put to the test. In the interim between the death of one Roman governor and the installation of the next governor who was in route from Rome, the High Priest saw his chance to rid himself of the troublesome Christian Bishop of Jerusalem who was bringing many Jewish converts to Christianity. James, kinsman of Jesus of Nazareth, to whom Jesus had appeared after His resurrection ( 1 Cor 15:1-8), was recognized as one of the pillars of the Church along with Sts. Peter and John the Apostle (see Gal 1:19; Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; and the Letter of St. James to the universal Church). This pious man was even regarded by the Jews as a man of great holiness and was affectionately called "old camel knees" because of the condition of his knees after many, many hours of prayer before God for the sins and salvation of his people.

In his account of the martyrdom of St. James, Bishop of Jerusalem, Bishop Eusebius, writing in the 4 th century AD, records the account of Hegesippus, who Eusebius cites as "living immediately after the Apostles" and the account of St. Clement, disciple of St. Peter and 4 th Bishop of Rome (martyred 96AD). He records that James was told his life would be spared if only he would renounce Jesus as the Messiah. When James refused, he was cast down from the height of the Temple. After surviving the fall, the people, at the instigation of the High Priest, began to stone him. James' dying words were those same words uttered by his Savior from the Cross, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do ( Lk 23:34). James did indeed pass the final test and the courage of his martyrdom won many Old Covenant Jews into the New Covenant in Christ Jesus (see Eusebius, History of the Church, chapter XXIII and also see the account of James martyrdom in Antiquities of the Jews by the 1 st century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus [circa 37-100 AD]. See Antiquities Book 20, chapter 9.1).

Question: If God does not tempt us, then why do we even pray And do not subject us to the final test or as this petition is sometime translated, And lead us not into temptation; a better translation is And let us not be led into temptation ... ? See Wis 3:1-9 and Ps 37:23-24

Answer: God would never tempt us to do evil, but He will allow Satan to tempt us and when we rise above that temptation we are strengthened and purified by the experience: But the souls of the upright are in the hands of God, and no torment can touch them. [...]. God was putting them to the test and has proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace...Wisdom 3:1a, 5.
Petition #7 "BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE"
Take courage when you are tested and remember Psalms 37:23-24: The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. When my children were little and we were walking on an icy surface I would admonish them "Don't run; you'll fall!" Invariably they wouldn't heed my words; they'd run and they'd fall and after I had picked them up and dried their tears they would take my hand and say, "Don't let me fall, Mommy." This is our plea in this petition: "You warn me of the pit-falls of sin Lord. I will try to avoid them but when I fall, please forgive me and pick me up that I might try again, Lord."

Question: Temptation is part of this world and we must face it every day, but what promise does God make us as we face temptation and trial? Read 1 Cor 10:13 for your answer.
Answer: It is God's solemn promise that He will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it. We must turn to God to get the strength we need to resist the temptation to sin, and through the work of the Holy Spirit to fight the battle against sin in order to live the victory of a holy life. Such a battle and such a victory are only possible if we remain vigilant, if we remain obedient, and if we are strengthened through prayer and the sacraments Jesus gave to His Church.

Jesus' prayer to the Father on behalf of His disciples: I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. John 17:15-16

This petition asks that we be delivered from the "evil one," also known as the devil or Satan who is the author of all the evils and sorrows to which we are subject in this world. In 1 John 3:8, St. John writes: Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil.

These verses from Scripture describe the Adversary, Satan:

Ezekiel 28:12-15 ~ You were an example of what was perfect, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, in the garden of God. All kinds of gem formed your mantle...Your behavior was exemplary from the day you were created until guilt first appeared in you... [NJB]

Isaiah 14:12-15 ~ How have you fallen from the heavens, O morning star, son of the dawn! How are you cut down to the ground, you who moved down the nations! You said in your heart: I will scale the heavens; above the stars of God I will set up my throne; I will take my seat on the Mount of Assembly, in the recesses of the North.I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will be like the Most High!'

Revelation 12:3, 9 ~ Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. [...]. The huge red dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world. Was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it [NJB]

The Fathers of the Church wrote that the 5 "I wills" of Satan in Isaiah 14:12-15 were answered by the 5 wounds of Christ on the Cross!

In the book of Revelation the angel/messenger of the Church at Smyrna warns the congregation of the dangers they, and we, will face from Satan: Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison that you may be tested and you will face an ordeal for ten days*. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life ( Rev 2:10). *This is not a literal number but is symbolic of the length of time prescribed by God according to His plan "a very short time compared to the blessings of eternity; see the document"The Significance of Numbers in Scripture in the Resources section.

And Jesus warned Simon Peter, and all of us, about the enmity of Satan toward those who belong to Him: Simon, Simon! Look, Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers ( Lk 22:31-32).

But we also have this promise from the Apostle John to encourage us in the struggle: Children, you are from God and have overcome them [those who belong to Satan], because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world ( 1 Jn 4:4).

Question: Does the Devil have any power over God?
Answer: No, he is still essentially God's servant as he was before he fell from heaven.

Question: What promise does God make to us in Romans 8:28 that gives us comfort in the times when evil seems to surround us?
Answer: Romans 8:28 ~ We are well aware that God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with His purpose, and turns everything to their good [NJB].

We must remember that Jesus is victorious over sin, death, and Satan. The victory is ours but we must continue to claim our victory by resisting sin and thereby, resisting Satan. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is stronger than the devil. When Jesus first sent the disciples out to preach the Gospel He congratulated them on the dramatic results of their mission: The seventy [two] returned rejoicing, and said, Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.' Jesus said, I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you ( Lk 10:17-19). Jesus is characterizing the preaching of the Gospel of salvation as a symbolic fall of Satan. Then as now, as the kingdom of God is established and sustained, evil in all its forms is being defeated and the dominion of Satan over humanity and the earth has come to an end. He can still cause trouble but he cannot take away our salvation unless we, through the exercise of our free will, give it up ourselves!

Question: Look once again at Romans 8:28. Does the "everything" in Romans 8:28 include suffering? See Rom 8:17.
Answer: Yes it does! We must be ready to suffering to gain the Kingdom of Heaven. Suffering for the Kingdom of Heaven is a result of fully living the Beatitudes, for nothing makes Satan more enraged than a holy life used by God to bring a greater harvest into the storehouse of heaven.
The doxology: "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever."
In a way this petition sums up all the other petitions. We are asking our Father to free us from everything our enemy does to tempt us into sin, but we cannot be free of him unless God Himself frees us in response to our prayers. The sacraments, which Jesus gave us strengthen us on our journey through this life and protect us from sin. Along with the sacramental grace that is ours in living the Sacraments of our faith, prayer is our most powerful weapons against Satan. It is important for us to remember that it was through prayer that Jesus vanquished Satan throughout His public ministry and in His last struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane! We can be sure that our prayers will be heard because Jesus, when He was on the point of leaving this world, prayed to the Father for the salvation of all of us. In John 17:15 Jesus prayed to the Father, I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth.

This last petition is the end of the Our Father prayer, but there is a doxology (not found in Scripture) that we add to this prayer:

At some time in the liturgy of the first century Church this doxology was added to the final petition of the Lord's Prayer. It is found in the Didache, also called "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," the first catechism of the Church, which may have been written as early as 50 AD. Most conservative scholars place the writing of this document in the 1 st century AD after the Council of Jerusalem, but it could not be written later that the mid 2 nd century because we have manuscripts dating to that period in which the Didache is quoted. The Greek word didache means "instruction or teaching." This document contains instructions for gentile converts to the New Covenant faith. Included in these instructions the Didache commanded that Christians recite the Lord's Prayer three times daily: Say this prayer three times a day [ Didache, article 8:3]. The second century AD Roman lawyer turned Catholic priest/apologist, Tertullian, wrote that Christians prayed at 9AM, noon, and 3 PM, which corresponds to the Jewish prayer times and the Tamid sacrifice in Jesus' day as well as the hours of His sacrifice and death (Ancient Christian Writers: The Didache, pages 19 & 158-159). The command to pray the Lord's Prayer 3 times a day is also found in the later Latin translation of the Didache known in English as the Apostolic Constitution in article 7.24. The practice may attest to the age of the document. In the very earliest years of the Church the majority of Christians were indeed former members of the Old Covenant Church, and to these former members of the Old Covenant Church reciting the Lord's Prayer three times daily at these times may have seemed a reasonable continuation of an old custom with a new custom that recalled the hours of the Passion of Christ, replacing the prayers of the "Eighteen Benedictions" which righteous Jews prayed 3 times daily and the hours of prayer associated with the daily liturgy of the Tamid sacrifice.
Matthew 6:14-15 ~ If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.
It cannot be denied that from the birth of the Church this beautiful prayer, given to us by Christ Himself, has been faithfully recited down through the centuries and is contemporary to every generation of Christian believers. It is one of the first prayers we learn as children, it will be one of the last prayers on our lips at the end of our exile on this earth, and it will continue to be faithfully recited by succeeding generations of Christians until Christ comes again in glory to call His Bride home to His heavenly kingdom.

Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2565 beautifully expresses the dimensions of Christian prayer as taught to us by Jesus in the Lord's Prayer: In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit. The grace of the Kingdom is the union of the entire holy and royal Trinity...with the whole human spirit.' Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him. This communion of life is always possible because, through Baptism, we have already been united with Christ. Prayer is Christian insofar as it is communion with Christ and extends throughout the Church, which is his body. Its dimensions are those of Christ's love.
Jesus continues to teach on the private practice of Christian virtues: TEACHING ABOUT FASTING
Question: After concluding His example for perfect prayer Jesus returns to what petition from the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:14-15? Why does He emphasize this petition?
Answer: He returns to the subject of forgiveness in petition #5.

These verses reflect a set pattern which theologians call the "Principles of Holy Law." The main thrust of this passage is that forgiveness of our fellow man/woman is crucial to our relationship with the Father through the Son. We cannot ask God to forgive us if we withhold our forgiveness of others. Jesus wants us to understand that unwillingness to forgive means that we have withheld our love and therefore we condemned ourselves in the Final Judgment, for the refusal to forgive is the antithesis of love (also see Mt 18:21-35). St. John wrote to the universal Church on the power of Christian love in 1 John 4:16c-19, giving us this assurance: God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. Love comes to its perfection in us when we can face the Day of Judgment fearlessly, because even in this world we have become as he is. In love there is no room for fear, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear implies punishment and whoever is afraid has not come to perfection in love. Let us love, then, because he first loved us.
Matthew 6:16-18 ~ When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, Read Acts 13:1-3 and 14:23 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
A review of the Lord's Prayer in this lesson:

Your Kingdom come
[petition #2]

The coming of the Kingdom of God is the realization of God's plan of salvation in the world. The Kingdom establishes itself in the 1 st stage in the core of our being, raising us up to share in God's own inner life which we live by God's grace through the sacraments of our faith in the kingdom of heaven on earth "the Church. The 2 nd stage is the promise of eternal life, where our elevation to the supernatural level is fully completed. For our part we need to respond to God with humility, love, trust, and obedience and service to His Church, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
[petition #3]

This petition concerns God's "will" and the fulfillment of His "will." First we must identify humbly and unconditionally with God's will "to abandoned ourselves in the arms of our Father and to His plan for our lives. To pray Your will be done is to first seek the heart of God. The second part of the petition: on earth as it is in heaven, means that just as the angels and saints in heaven are fully at one with God's will, so too, it is our desire that the same union of will should true on earth "for us individually, for our faith communities and for the universal Church as a whole.

Give us today our daily bread
[petition #4]

From the times of the Fathers of the Church, the rare word epiousios (only here and in Lk 11:3) translated as "daily," has always been taught to be a reference to the Eucharist. It is the "bread" our heavenly Father provides to nourish us on our spiritual journey to the promised land of Heaven, just as He daily gave manna to the Children of Israel on their physical journey to the Promised Land of Canaan. But our bread from heaven is the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus our Savior.

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
[petition #5]

The Greek word translated as "debt" has a moral connotation, meaning "the debt of sin" ( Lk 11:4). Forgiveness of our fellow man/woman is crucial to our relationship with the Father through the Son. We cannot ask God to forgive us if we withhold our forgiveness of others. At the end of the prayer, Jesus returns to the subject of this petition in 6:14-15 and teaches that unwillingness to forgive means that we have condemned ourselves to God's Judgment. Jesus warns: If you forgive others their transgressions your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

And do not let us be subject us to the final test
[petition #6]

In this petition we recognize that our human efforts alone do not take us very far in trying to cope with temptation and sin. Therefore, we must turn to God to get the strength we need to resist the temptation to sin and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, to successfully fight the battle against sin to live the victory of a holy life. Such a battle and such a victory are only possible if we remain vigilant and obedient and if we are strengthened through prayer and the Sacraments, we need not fear the Final Judgment.

But deliver us from the evil one
[petition #7]

This petition asks that we be delivered from the devil or Satan who is the author of all the evils to which we are subject in this world and over whom we have been promised victory.

Michal E. Hunt © October 2005 www.AgapeBibleStudy.com

The world only admires spectacular sacrifice, because it does not realize the value of sacrifice that is hidden and silent.
St. Jose-Maria Escriva, The Way, 185

Jesus now turns to the third topic of the exercise of Christian virtues, fasting.

Once again Jesus uses the Greek word "hypocrites" "one who "plays a role." It is not a coincidence that the teaching about fasting should follow the teaching about prayer. Fasting was meant to be a bodily cleansing that accompanies a spiritual cleansing in concentrated prayer. According to the Law of the Sinai Covenant, God's people were required to fast on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (see Lev 16:31). However, in Jesus' day the practice of regular fasting and prayer was common, especially in a forty day period that led up to the Feast of the Day of Atonement.

The Didache, also called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, addresses the importance of prayer and fasting for the Christian. In article 8:1-3 the Didache instructs the Christian: Your fasts should not coincide with those of the hypocrites. They fast on Mondays and Tuesdays; you should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. And do not pray as the hypocrites do, but pray as the Lord has commanded in the Gospel. The reference to "the hypocrites" in the Didache may refer to the scribes and Pharisees or to all the Jews who refused the New Covenant in general. After this statement the Didache records the Lord's Prayer according to Matthew's Gospel with the doxology (See Ancient Christian Writers: The Didache, pages 19 & 158-159).

Acts 13:1-3 ~ Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 14:23 ~ They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.

Question: How did the early Church use the practice of fasting?
Answer: In both passages, fasting is associated with prayer. In Acts 13:1-3 the Christian leaders of the Church at Antioch fasted and prayed when making a petition for divine assistance in an important decision "the election of Paul and Barnabas for a missionary journey. In Acts 14:23 at the end of their missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas fasted and prayed when appointing the leaders of the newly founded Christian communities.

Question: When did Jesus fast during His ministry? What great Old Testament prophet fasted in Exodus 34:28?
Answer: Jesus fasted for 40 days after His baptism by John the Baptist and before beginning His ministry. Moses fasted during his 40 day encounter with God on Mt. Sinai.

The Church Fathers saw Jesus' period of fasting as a resemblance to the fasting of Moses in Exodus 34:28 (which also probably occurred in Ex 24:18).
Questions for group discussion:
John the Baptist and his disciples practiced the discipline of fasting. Jesus was questioned by John's disciples and criticized by the Pharisees for not imposing fasting upon His disciples ( Mt 9:14). Jesus told His critics that fasting was not appropriate in times of joy. His reply was that while He was with them, He wanted His disciples to be joyful; they would have plenty of time to fast after His "departure." In His reply to John's disciples and the Pharisees, Jesus was speaking of fasting as a sign of mourning and was comparing the lack of fasting as a sign of joy as in the celebration at a wedding feast. He used this imagery to contrast what He was bringing in His new Gospel of salvation with the Old Covenant in the metaphor of the old and new wineskins (see Mt 9:14-17; Mk 2:18-22; Lk 5:33-29).

Jesus knew that there would be a time when fasting would be appropriate for His disciples and He wanted to prepare them for that time.

Question: With another authoritative Amen, I say to you in Matthew 6:23, what does Jesus define as the correct Christian attitude toward fasting?
Answer: Once again the emphasis is on being God-centered and not on being self-centered. Christians are to fast secretly in order to receive a heavenly reward.

Fasting is a form of penance in which a person imposes limits on the kind or quantity of food or drink consumed. Abstinence is defined as refraining from certain food or drink as an exercise in increasing one's spiritual welfare or as prescribed by ecclesiastical law (universally or locally). From the earliest years of the Church (as noted in the quote from the Didache listed above), Christians have observed days of fasting and abstinence, notably during the season of Lent, in commemoration of Jesus' Passion and death. As commonly understood, abstinence is the action which inclines a Christian to the moral virtue of the moderate intake of food and drink as dictated as an act of faith inclined toward his own moral and spiritual welfare, i.e., to refrain from eating meat as a personal sacrifice offered to Jesus. See CCC 2043; 1387; 1434, 1438.

Question: What are the requirements for fasting and abstinence for Catholics in North American as set down by our Bishops? See the catechism references above.
Answer: Abstinence on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent and to fast one hour before and approximately 20 minutes after receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The obligation of the Catholic to observe days of fasting and abstinence is the 5 th Precept of the Catholic Church.

CCC 2043b: The fourth precept ( You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.') ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart. The Church's universal law, which is found in the Code of Canon Law, states that all Fridays of the year are days of abstinence unless the local bishops' conference has made other provisions (with the approval of the Holy See). The American Bishops' Conference has ruled that abstinence is required only on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent. Abstinence on other Fridays of the year is, however, encouraged and this devotion may also be expressed by an act of mercy which replaces the penance of abstinence from meat.

Today for American Catholics, fasting is limited to one hour before receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist. In the early Church, however, fasting was much more severe. In the East and in the West the faithful Catholic abstained on fasting days from fleshy meats and from wine. In the ancient Latin Church the celebration of the Mass was in the late afternoon into the evening during Lent and the fast was not broken before sunset. Prior to 1966 the regulations on fasting prescribed taking only one full meal a day during fast days, along with some food for breakfast and a collation. The days of abstinence and fast for the universal Church were Ash Wednesday, the Fridays and Saturdays of Lent, Ember days, and the vigils of certain feasts. The days of fast were observed the rest of the days of Lent, except on Sundays "a day of rejoicing. The constitution Paenitemini of Pope Paul VI in 1966 instituted changes in the old norm. The penitential nature of the law of fasting remained but the extent of the obligation was redefined. Under the reform the laws of fasting allowed only one full meal a day, but did not prohibit taking some food in the morning and in the evening. This law of the fast was extended to the faithful who had completed their eighteenth year and up to the sixtieth year for older adults. Prescribed days of fast and abstinence for the universal Church are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Question: The passage from the Catechism in citation 2565 defines prayer as the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God. How often do you pray outside of Mass? How does one develop a healthy prayer life?

Question: St. Ignatius of Loyola once said Pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended on you. What did St. Ignatius mean by this statement?

Question: Sometimes it helps to have a plan for prayer in one's conversation with God. Do you have a plan that helps to stimulate your prayer life?

When you begin to pray, remember Jesus' promise in Jn 14:13-14: And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it. One plan that helps to stimulate open and heartfelt conversation with God is based on the word ACTS. A = adoration, C = contrition, T = thanks, and S = supplication. Using this plan, you begin by expressing your love for God as you welcome His presence in your time of prayer. Coming into His divine presence, you mourn your sins, the sins of your community and the world. Having been purified by confessing your sins and expressing the intention of taking any grave sins to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you offer up your thanks for Christ's promise of salvation, for all the good in your life, and also for your personal suffering in those times when you have obediently taken up your personal cross to follow Christ. Finally, you offer God your petitions for good things that will increase your faith and that will be helpful in living a good life as well as making supplication for the needs of others.

Question: Fasting intensifies prayer and worship. When are we required to fast? Do you keep these covenant obligations or do you take on additional acts of penance in the form of abstinence or fasting? Why or why not. See the Catechism citations for 538-40; 2043; 1387; 1434 & 38.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Endnotes:

1. The Greek word epiousios and other words like it that occur only once in the Bible are designated hapax legomenan (Greek for "said once"). There are about 1,500 of these in the Old Testament; but only 400 are, strictly speaking, hapax legomena (plural), meaning the word is absolutely new coinages of roots or cannot be derived in their specific meaning from other occurring root stems. The other approximately 1,100 words, while occurring only once as a form in the corpus of the biblical text, can be connected with other existing words.

2. The Lord's Prayer is inscribed on the walls of the Pater Noster Church in Jerusalem in over 50 different languages. The original church was built in the 4 th century AD over the grotto where, according to tradition, Jesus taught His disciples this beautiful and ageless prayer.

3. See the study on the Didache in the Topical Bible Studies section of the website.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson: see the chart for catechism references for chapter 6 in the previous lesson.

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: The Sermon on the Mount Continued

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Father, Your Son taught us to pray to You with this most intimate form of address, and
so we come to You as little children seeking the tender guidance of a beloved
and honored Father. Lead us in the path of righteousness, our Father, as
we humbly kneel at Your throne, looking toward heaven as the…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 6:19-7:28 The Sermon on the Mount Concluded - Teaching About the Public Life of the Christian Disciple and the Practice of Righteousness 3

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 6:19-7:28 The Sermon on the Mount Concluded - Teaching About the Public Life of the Christian Disciple and the Practice of Righteousness 3

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Beloved Heavenly Father.
In the Sermon on the Mount Your Son has laid out for us the path to heaven. It is a path that demands a holiness of heart and a firmness of character. It is not an easy path, but it is the path to glory and its destination is our true home. Treading this narrow path to salvation requires both spiritual abandonment and intellectual knowledge on the part of the faith filled disciple. As Christians we must trust completely on Christ to lead the way as He gives us His own life in the Eucharist to nourish us on our journey and the teachings of Mother Church to keep us on the right path. Guide us now, most beloved Holy Spirit, as we study our last lesson on the Sermon on the Mount, as we pray in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
+ + + TEACHING ABOUT THE PUBLIC LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. [...]. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides. Do not be afraid any longer little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Luke 12:22, 31-32.

In His teaching about almsgiving, prayer and fasting ( Mt 6:1-18), Jesus was addressing the private, hidden life of the Christian disciple (CCC 1969). However, in Matthew 6:19-34 Jesus is concerned with the Christian disciple's public life, addressing issues concerning material possessions, food and drink, clothing, and worldly ambition. He addresses these issues by contrasting the choice between:

and intimately the choice between

Matthew 6:19-21 ~ Treasure in Heaven: (Jesus continued addressing His disciples, saying) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroy, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will be your heart be."

In this passage Jesus is contrasting earthly treasures as opposed to heavenly rewards.

Question: What is Jesus prohibiting when He tells us Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...? Is this verse in contradiction to Prov 6:6-11?
Answer: Jesus forbids the selfish accumulation of goods which flaunts the needs of the poor. He is not imposing a ban on all possessions, nor is He forbidding us to "stock up" and save in time of famine. Scripture praises the ant that stores up in the summer for what it will need in the winter and criticizes as foolish those who make no provisions for their families or the future.

Question: What does Jesus mean when He says For where your treasure is there also will you heart be?
Answer: It is a fantasy to believe that security and happiness lies in the abundance of worldly possessions. If your "heart" is set on material goods, that will be your "treasure" as opposed to setting your "heart" on God and His heavenly kingdom as your "treasure."

Referring to the heart (as Jesus has frequently done in His sermon as a metaphor for the true reflection of a person), Jesus is telling Christians that our "hearts" always follow what is dearest to us. If your heart follows the world, you belong to the world, but if your heart is turned to heaven, heaven is where you belong. Jesus will repeat this teaching in Luke 12:33-34, using the same images as He used in this passage but He will encourage an even higher standard: Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For wherever your treasure is, that is where your heart will be too.

Matthew 6:22-26 ~ Light versus darkness in serving God versus serving the world:
(Jesus continued)"The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be. 24 No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

He uses the figure of speech the eye is the lamp of the body to illustrate that our eyes make the world visible to us in the same way a lamp makes a dark room visible. In this verse the "eye is the lamp" is a metaphor used in the same way Jesus used the heart as a metaphor for the true depth of a person's being. Just as blindness leads to darkness, a person who turns away from God is also in "darkness" "so too the eye gives "light" to the body just as one who walks with God is in the light. It is a question of right and wrong "vision" whether we have our eyes on God who illuminates our lives or we live in darkness without God and are subjects of the world.

Question: This passage in Matthew 6:19-23 gives two reasons for laying up our treasure in heaven and not on earth. What are the two reasons?
Answer:

1. The first is that heavenly treasure is more durable; it is not subject to decay but is eternal, as we have already mentioned.

2. The second is that our "vision" will be one of walking in the "light of Christ" and not in the "darkness" of this world.

Question: What is the key verse in this passage (and the key verse in this entire section) that speaks of a third contrast in addition to earthly treasure versus heavenly treasure and light versus darkness? What does it mean?
Answer: Matthew 6:24 is the key verse of this entire section: No one can be the slave of two masters... God and the values of the world are not compatible. We must choose one or the other for God must be served with a sincere and exclusive devotion.

Matthew 6:25-34 ~ Depending on God: (Jesus said)"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, What are we to eat? Or What are we to drink?' or What are we to wear?' 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these will be given you besides. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

Jesus' "Therefore," oun in the Greek, indicates that this passage is a summing up and a conclusion on His teaching on the public life of the Christian disciple and the accumulation of earthy possessions. The Christian must compare the security of the two treasures, the usefulness of the two eye conditions, and the worth of the two masters:

The Two Treasures:

Earthly possessions:
corruptible, insecure

Heavenly treasures:
eternal, secure

The Two Eye Conditions:

Blindness:
darkness to the body

Sight:
a light to the body

The Two Masters

The World:
the false, temporary master

God:
the true, good and eternal master

And when we have made the choice for heavenly treasure, for the light of Christ for good sight, and for God as our true Master then, Jesus says, this is how we behave: Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life... ( verse 25).

Jesus teaches that God created and now sustains life just as He created and now helps us to sustain our bodies. The logic is if God takes care of our lives can't we trust Him to take care to the needs of our bodies, and if we trust God to take care of our lives and our bodies cannot we also trust Him to take care of the less important matters like our food and clothing?

Question: Jesus reinforces this logic by asking what question in verse 27?
Answer: Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

The last word in this Greek phrase can be translated as either "life-span" or "stature." To add an extra inch to our height or an extra minute to our lives is not in our hands. If we must leave these issues to God, shouldn't we also leave the greater issues over which we have no control in His hands? But this passage does not mean:

1. Christians are not exempt for earning a living, or wearing clothes, or providing food for their families.

2. Christians are not exempt from living up to their responsibilities to others.

3. Christians are not exempt from experiencing trials.

In verse 34 Jesus says that we must ...not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself, meaning that we do the best that we can with the circumstances we are given and leave the rest up to God, refusing to become a slave to worry. If we become a slave to worry we are not trusting in God to provide for us.

Question: What does Jesus mean when He says: Sufficient for a day is its own evil ( verse 34)?
Answer: Hemeans one day's trouble is enough for one day. Take one day at and time, living that day in full obedience to God. Worry is not compatible with a Christian's trust in God.
A CHRISTIAN'S RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMITMENTS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD WORKS
Love without truth is blind "truth without love is empty. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, April 2006, from the Mass prior to the concave which elected him Pope Benedict XVI
But the LORD's kindness [hesed = faithful covenant-love] is forever, toward the faithful from age to age. He favors the children's children of those who keep his covenant, who take care to fulfill its precepts. Psalms 103:17-18
The connecting thread that runs through chapter 7 of Matthew's Gospel is that of relationships. Jesus has taught on a Christian's character, on a Christian's influence in the faith community and in the world, on the responsibility of the Christian to lead a righteous, holy life and on the destructive force of ambition and self-glorification. Now, in the conclusion of His homily to His disciples, He will focus on the Christian's commitments by discussing seven kinds of relationships:

1. Matthew 7:1-5: to our brothers and sisters in the faith community in whom we may discern a "splinter" of sin, and to whom we have a responsibility to help and not to judge unless we are innocent of the same sin.

2. Matthew 7:6: to a group of people designated as "dogs" and "pigs" who in their animal nature refuse a share in the Kingdom.

3. Matthew 7:7-11: to our heavenly Father to whom we are commanded to pray in confidence.

4. Matthew 7:12: to everyone in general with the "golden rule" as the guide in our attitude and behavior towards them.

5. Matthew 7:13-14: in our relationship with our fellow pilgrims who in this earthly exile enter with us through the Narrow Gate and walk the more difficult and less traveled Narrow Path to heaven.

6. Matthew 7:15-20: in our encounter with false prophets who we are to recognize and avoid.

7. Matthew 7:21-27: in our relationship with Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is His teaching that we are commanded to faithfully commit ourselves and to unswervingly obey.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, least they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces."
(Jesus continues, saying)Matthew 7:1-6 ~ Judging others in our attitude to our brothers and sisters in the Christian community"Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden bean in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden bean is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye.

Although Jesus has called us to a standard of "perfection" in Matthew 5:48 when He said, "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect," He understands that this is not a perfection that we are likely to achieve in this life, nor does He anticipate that the Christian community as a whole will be perfect.

Jesus knows that within each individual faith community and within each Christian family there will at times be disharmony and disunity. In this passage Jesus directs how Christians should behave in the community toward a fellow Christian who has fallen into error and toward others who have fallen into sin. In cases of disharmony Jesus forbids two actions and encourages a third in how Christians act and react to other Christians and to "our neighbor" "who is now identified in the New Covenant as everyone with whom we come into contact in our walk of faith:

1. The Christian shall not judge sin in someone if he/she is guilty of that same sin or other sins in his/her own life (7:1, 5).

2. The Christian shall not be a hypocrite who pretends to be holy while living with unconfessed sin in his/her own life; such a person will receive a harsher judgment themselves because they are fully aware of the sin (7:5).

3. The Christian shall be a loving and concerned guide to brothers/sisters in the Christian family, in helping them avoid sin and to live righteously (7:3, 4 & 5).

Note: the Greek word for brother or brother's in these verses is the word adelphos, whichmeans "from the womb." In the plural it can refer to both brothers and sisters.

Jesus commands us to stop judging that you may not be judged. Remember the rule in correctly interpreting a Biblical passage: Scripture must be studied in light of other Scripture; interpretation must not conflict with or contradict other Bible passages nor can interpretation conflict with the doctrine of the Church passed down to us through the Apostles and interpreted by their successors, the Magisterium.

He can not mean that we never judge. Jesus is not suggesting that civil law courts be suspended nor does He mean that we shouldn't critically judge sin or that we should ignore faults in others that are harmful to themselves and to the community.

He does not want us to refuse to judge between truth and error or between good and evil.

The Church teaches that sin is like a contagious disease and that we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we ignore them or cooperate in them.

1. When we participate directly and voluntarily in another person's sin.

2. When we advise or approve or praise another person's sins.

3. When we protect the sin by not disclosing or hindering the person from committing the sin when our action to prevent the sin could make a difference.

4. When we protect someone who has committed an evil act and prevent them from being brought to justice.

In Matthew 18:15-20 Jesus will address the steps one needs to take within the faith community when a brother or sister sins (either in a sinful act or a false teaching). Jesus' teaching during this entire homily is based on the assumption that the Christian disciple should use his/her critical reasoning powers to discern between righteous and unrighteous behavior and then to avoid unrighteous behavior.

St. Paul, writing to the Church at Corinth concerning problems with sexual immorality within the community advised: I have written to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you( 1 Cor 5:9-13). If we are commanded to "be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect" ( Mt 5:48) then we must be willing to discern what constitutes sin in order to avoid sin in order to live a righteous life and to protect the faith community from sin.

In the Corinthians passage Paul is addressing our responsibility to judge sins within the covenant family "those outside the covenant are the concern of the civil authorities and God as the ultimate judge. Jesus will teach on this same subject in Matthew 18:15-18.

Question: Do we or do we not have a duty to judge between right and wrong and between good and evil?
Answer: If we do not judge between what is good and what is evil how can we strive to "be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect" as Jesus commanded inMatthew 5:48? After all, isn't the search for holiness the primary purpose in our lives?

Perhaps the key word is "judge." We are to assess sin, then critically examine the consequences of the sin and call the sinner within the community to repentance. If the person refuses to repent and persists in sin that is damaging to the community, the Church can take the drastic action of excommunicating that person from the covenant family as an extreme measure to call the person to repentance (CCC 1463, 1 Cor 5:13). However, we are not to judge the condition of that person's soul or the person's ultimate eternal condition--that is a judgment reserved for God. St Paul wrote to the Church in Rome and applied the teaching of Jesus in this passage in Romans 14:4: Who are you to pass judgment on someone else's servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. The point is we can critically analyze and judge actions but we cannot judge hearts and motives "only God can judge the intent of a human heart.

If we take on the responsibility of judge then we cannot plead ignorance if we fall into the same sin; in fact, we will be judged more harshly. Jesus' command not to judge, therefore, is not a command to be ignorant or blind but a plea to be merciful because there for the grace of God we might also tread. Father Luis de Leon writes in his commentary on the life of Job: God measures out according as we measure out and forgives as we forgive, and comes to our rescue with the same tenderness as he sees us having toward others [quoted from the Navarre Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, page 80].

Jesus is telling the Christian not to be a hypocrite and in verses 3-5 Jesus tells another little parable contrasting specks of dust with large wooden beams. There is the saying that "it takes a thief to know a thief" and "there is no honor among thieves." In other words, the sinner is the first to suspect another of the same sin. In this parable Jesus exposes human hypocrisy as the reason we should take care to judge the sin but not the soul of the person. Not only are we are fallible humans but we are fallen humans. It is our fallen nature and our concupiscence, our own tendency to sin, that disqualifies us. In mercy and in humility we should help our brother or sister to remove the "speck" of sin from their lives and in gratitude look to our heavenly Father to forgive the log of sin in our lives. In St John Chrysostom's homily on this passage he writes: Correct him but not as a foe, nor as an adversary exacting a penalty, but as a physician providing medicines. And St. Josemaria Escriva wisely advises us To criticize, to destroy, is not difficult; any unskilled laborer knows how to drive his pick into the noble and finely-hewed stone of a cathedral. To construct: that is what requires the skill of a master ( The Way, page 456].

Matthew 7:6 Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, least they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces."

Then in Matthew 7:6 Jesus makes a strange comment about dogs and pigs. There are, He tells us, people who behave like dogs and pigs. The people of God were to observe ritual cleanliness laws that included only eating foods that were ritually "clean" (i.e. see Lev chapter 11). The wild packs of "unclean" dogs who roamed the trash dumps were despised as were the ritually "unclean" gentiles who lived such immoral lives, and so gentiles were usually given the label "dogs" (see Jesus reply to the Canaanite woman in Mt 15:26). Pigs, of course, were also "unclean" animals to the righteous Jew; pigs wallowed in filth like a sinner wallows in sin. We are not to judge the intent of sinner's heart but we must not ignore their sins and faults when they act like dogs and pigs. St. Peter, perhaps thinking of this passage in Matthew 7:6, would bring these two animals together in his letter to the universal Church in two proverbs in a teaching concerning those who turn away and abandon the teaching of Christ: What is expressed in the true proverb has happened to them, The dog turns back to his own vomit, and the bathed sow returns to wallow in the mire.' ( 2 Pt 2:22). The point is that unbelievers who reject the gift of rebirth and eternal life and possess the only physical, like animals instead of spiritual life, will return to their old sinful and immoral habits and should therefore be avoided.

Question: But what does Jesus mean when He tells the Christian (1) not to give what is holy to dogs and (2) not to throw our pearls before swine? Hint: "holy food" for the covenant people were the sacrifices offered to Yahweh which He graciously shared with His people in a sacred meal (i.e., Lev 7:1-6, 11-15, 19b-21; 22:1-9). Dogs and pigs were classified as "unclean." To what does Jesus compare a pearl in Matthew 13:45-46?
Answer:

1. "Holy food" to the Old Covenant people was food offered in sacrifice to Yahweh that the faithful or the priests were permitted to eat. Pigs and dogs were classified as "unclean" food not fit to eat or to offer in sacrifice.

2. Any sensible person would not give pearls to pigs. Pigs, not appreciating their value, would probably destroy the pearls and might even in their wrath assault the giver. Jesus will later compare a valuable pearl to the Kingdom and by extension to the Gospel message of salvation.

With the exception of a holocaust or whole burnt offering (the compulsory Tamid sacrifice and all voluntary whole burnt offerings made by individuals), all the sacrifices were "holy food" eaten either by the priests and their families (sin sacrifices) or by the covenant community as in the case of the Passover sacrifice and the Toda sacrifices. A member of the covenant would never give such food, even the scraps, to the unclean dogs. Like the definition of "holy food" in the Old Covenant, the Church fathers taught that in this passage that which is holy referred to the "holy food" of the New Covenant communion "the Eucharist. It was the Church's teaching that only those made "clean" in the blood of the Lamb could receive the "holy food" of the Eucharist. The unbeliever, not discerning the nature of the sacrament as the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ would distain the holy gift and therefore should not be allowed to partake of the sacrament. The Church's oldest catechism entitled "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," more commonly known by the Greek word for "teaching" as the Didache, adopts this interpretation. In the middle of the section on the Eucharistic prayer ( Didache, 9.1-10:6), the Didache reads: Let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, but those baptized into the name of the Lord; this too, the saying of the Lord is applicable: Give not that which is holy to the dogs' ( Didache, 9.5).

The pearls may be linked to Jesus' later parable of the "Pearl of great value" in Matthew 13:46 in which the pearl is the Kingdom of Heaven, or by extension the Gospel message of salvation. But we are commanded to actively and indiscriminately share the message of salvation with unbelievers so Jesus could not be telling us not to waste the Gospel on sinners. But perhaps the "swine" aren't simply the sinners or unbelievers but those who have persistently and belligerently rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation, preferring to remain "unclean" like swine and dogs "the Christian apostates of St. Peter's teaching in 2 Peter 2:22 (see quotation above).

Matthew 7:7-12 ~ Jesus teaches about the effectiveness of our prayers to the Father and our obligations to others
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, 10 or a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. 12 Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the prophets.

It is natural that Jesus should move in His homily from the relationship of the Christian with brothers and sisters within the faith community to the relationship of the Christian with God the Father. He wants His disciples to understand that living the Christian duty of righteous behavior is much too difficult without the divine grace of our heavenly Father. Addressing the effectiveness of prayer to the Father, Jesus does not put any restrictions on prayer. St. Jerome commenting on this passage notes: It is written, to everyone who asks it will be given; so, if it is not given to you, it is not given to you because you do not ask; so, ask and you will receive (Jerome, Commentary of Matthew, 7).

1. Our personal dispositions are not righteous because of personal sin.

2. What we have asked for is not a righteous and unselfish request.

3. Because now is not the time for us to receive such a petition.

Jesus has already warned us against the sin of hypocrisy in prayer and has already given us His own model prayer in the Lord's Prayer. Now He encourages His disciples to pray by giving some commands and some very loving promises. In Matthew 7:7-8 Jesus gives three direct commands and three promises if one follows these commands in connection to how we should pray.

Question: What door? Quote the significant passages. See Mt 3:13-17 and Rev 3:8; 20-21; 4:1; CCC 536 and 1026.
Answer: The door to heaven and eternal life which had been closed since the Fall and had not been opened until the coming of the Christ:

After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (and) coming upon him (Mt 3:16).

I know your works; behold, I have left an open door before you, which no one can close (Rev 3:8).

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house and dine with him and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne (Rev 3:20-21).

After this I had a vision of an open door to heaven, and I heard the trumpet like voice that had spoken to me before, saying, "Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards" (Rev 4:1).

Jesus illustrates His promise in another parable in Matthew 7:9-11 of a child coming to a father with a request, something with which everyone hearing the sermon can relate "everyone having been either a child or a parent themselves.

Question: What are the contrasts in this parable? What is the relationship between the bread and the stone and the fish and the snake and what is the point? Hint: the fish is a smooth, scaleless fish called a barbut that is found in the Sea of Galilee and its appearance is somewhat like a snake.
Answer: The contrasts are between a stone and a round loaf of bread, between a snake and the fish without scales, and between the unrighteous father and the heavenly Father:

The loaf of bread and a round stone or the fish without scales and the snake look somewhat alike, but they are not the same; one is definitely better for a child than the other.

The stone and the round loaf of bread and the smooth snake and the smooth fish are somewhat similar in shape and in the case of the fish and snake are similar in substance, but one is obviously better to give a child then the other. The point is that even the unrighteous know the difference between what is good parenting and what is not good; therefore, can you trust your Heavenly Father to give you the best gift when you pray, even if you don't know yourself which gift is best? It is interesting that the force of this parable lies in the contrast rather than in the comparison between the Father who is God and the human father. Jesus acknowledges that even the unrighteous can perform good acts when He make this statement: If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.

Because of the human condition, even when humans are doing good and following nobler instincts like good parenting they cannot escape the designation "wicked." It is only when we are reborn as God's children that, through the sanctifying grace of Jesus' sacrifice, that we can live as the "good," holy sons and daughters of God.

Question: How does Jesus sum up the teachings of the Law of Moses and the teachings of the Prophets "in other words the core teaching of the entire content of Sacred Scripture "as it addresses our obligation to others and the love we should show them in Matthew 7:12 (also see Lk 6:31)? What do we call this "rule" of behavior?
Answer: In this verse, which has come to be known as the "Golden Rule," Jesus sets the standard of behavior for Christians when He says "to do to others whatever you would have them do to you."

In the literal Greek text this rule is prefaced by the Greek word oun, meaning "therefore" or "so," indicating that this rule refers back to the previous verse and implies that if God the Father is good to all His children who seek Him in prayer, then His children must exhibit the same goodness to others. It is a fact that God's own love is one of the "good things" He gives us through God the Holy Spirit in answer to our prayers. Such love is certainly beyond human will or understanding and is only possible through the divine grace of God our Father.

This rule, however, is not to be interpreted superficially as a "tit for tat" obligation in which we do a certain good to another with the expectation that they do the same or one better for us in return. Instead, the obligation is that we should do what is good unconditionally and in this way we serve God and bring His justice to our fellow man. In Tobit 4:5-6, the saintly father Tobit instructs his son Tobias, saying"Through all your days, my son, keep the Lord in mind, and suppress every desire to sin or to break his commandments. Perform good works all the days of your life, and do not tread the paths of wrongdoing. For if you are steadfast in your service, your good works will bring success, not only to you, but also to all those who live uprightly."

Question: How does Jesus define this rule of Christian conduct again in John 13:34-35?
Answer: Jesus says, "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Note: Biblical critics point out that this rule of conduct is not unique to the New Testament and can be found in similar forms in the writings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius, in the writings of the Greek Stoics, in the Book of Tobit in the Old Testament ( Tobit 4:15), and even in the Jewish Talmud. However, these similar rules of behavior are always expressed in the negative and not in the positive command used by Jesus in Matthew 7:12, which is more demanding ""to do" requires more effort that to "not do." The other literary examples of this rule only require inaction where as Jesus' command is to actively "do good." For example, Rabbi Hillel taught: What is hateful to you, do not do to anyone else. This is the whole law; all the rest is only commentary ( Talmud: Shabbath, 31a).

This final section of Jesus homily in verses 13-29 is composed of a series of antitheses which contrasts the choice between living in obedience to the teachings of Jesus and going one's own way:

The Narrow Gate/Path versus the Wide Gate/Broad Path

The False Prophets versus the True Disciple

The Wise Man and the House Built Upon The Rock versus the House Built on Sand and the Fool

Matthew 7:13-14: The Narrow Gate and Narrow Path versus the Wide Gate and the Broad Path
Jesus continued His teaching by saying:"13 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. 14 How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few."

From the beginning of God's relationship with man, through the gift of free will, man has always had the choice between two paths: to travel the path of obedience to God or to go one's own way. Moses spoke of the two ways in his last homily to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 in choosing the path of life in obedience to the commandments of the Lord or the path that leads to death, and the Psalmist wrote: The LORD watches over the Way of the Just, but the Way of the wicked leads to ruin ( Ps 1:6). In fact, in the early Church, before the name "Christian" was applied to believers at the Church of Antioch in Syria, the followers of Jesus were referred to as the followers of "The Way" ( Acts 9:2) and the same name was applied to Christians in the Church's early Catechism, called the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, also known as the Didache (see articles1-6).

In this teaching there are 3 definite, inescapable choices each of us must make. The choice between:

Two ways or paths: The hard, less traveled way/path which is entered through the narrow gate, and the easier, more popular wide way/path.

Two gates: The wide gate leading to the more popular and seemingly easy way/path and the narrow gate leading to the harder and less traveled way/path.

Two destinations: Eternal damnation or eternal life.

Question: Who or what is the gate and the path [or way]? See John 10:7-9 and John 14:6.
Answer: Jesus the Messiah.

Question: How "narrow" is the gate that leads to the narrow, less traveled path? See Matthew 19:24 (also found in Mark 10:25 and Luke 18:25). What does Jesus tell us about this narrow door in Luke 13:24?
Answer: For some of us it can be as narrow as the eye of a needle! In Luke 13:24 Jesus says: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough." We cannot force our way into heaven for Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" ( Jn 14:6).

Question: What makes the less traveled, narrow path harder? What is the faithful Christian who chooses this path carrying across the threshold of the Narrow Gate? See Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21; Luke 9:23; and 14:27.
Answer: He carries the Cross of Jesus of Nazareth.

The metaphor of the two paths is also found in the Didache in Articles 1-6. Notice the references to Scripture passages as you read these instructions from the first catechism:

Two Ways there are, one of Life and one of Death, and there is a great difference between the Two Ways. Now, the Way of Life is this: first, love the God who made you; secondly, your neighbor as yourself: do not do to another what you do not wish to be done to yourself. The lesson of these words is as follows: bless those that curse you, and pray for your enemies; besides, fast for those that persecute you. For what thanks do you deserve when you love those that love you? Do not the heathen do as much? For your part, love those that hate you; in fact, have no enemy... (Article 1-3)

The Way of Death is this: First of all, it is wicked and altogether accursed: murders, adulteries, lustful desires, fornications, thefts, idolatries, magical arts, sorceries, robberies, false testimonies, hypocrisy, duplicity, fraud, pride, malice, surliness, covetousness, foul talk, jealousy, rashness, haughtiness, false pretensions, the lack of the fear of God. It is the way of the persecutors of the good, haters of the truth, lovers of falsehood; of men ignorant of the reward for right living, not devoted to what is good or to just judgment, intent upon not what is good but what is evil... (Article 5).

See that no man leads you astray from this Way of the Teaching, since any other teaching takes you away from God. Surely, if you are able to bear the Lord's yoke in its entirety, you will be perfect; if you are not able, then do what you can.... (Article 6).

Matthew 7:15-20 ~ The False Prophet versus the True Disciple
Jesus said:"15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them."

The reference to thorns and thistles call to mind the judgment against Adam and the curse of the ground after the Fall: Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, as you eat of the plants of the field, by the sweat of your face ... ( Gen 3:18).

False prophets pose a threat through their false teachings. They distort the true teaching of the message of the Gospel of salvation and make it difficult to find the entrance to the narrow gate. Therefore, it is logical that Jesus should warn the faithful about the danger of believing false prophets immediately following His teaching about the two gates, ways and destinations. False prophets are dangerous because they are deceptive. Posing as legitimate prophets and teachers they are harder to detect than the "dogs" and "pigs" of verse 6 who are outwardly hostile to the message of salvation. The false prophet puts on the guise of the righteous but is in fact a "wolf" with an agenda among the sheep of the Shepherd.

In the Old Testament, God's prophet Jeremiah warned the covenant people of the dangers of false prophets who lead the people astray. Please read Jer 23:9-40.

1. Their impiety led the people astray

2. They fill the people with vain hopes

3. They lie to the people, speaking of their own visions that are not from God

St. Jerome identified false prophets in the New Covenant Church as heretics within the ranks of the faithful who appear pious but who in fact do not teach Jesus' doctrine and instead have their own peculiar doctrine influenced by the world and not faithful to the teachings of Christ (Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, 7). St. John Chrysostom identified the false prophet as anyone who appears to be virtuous but who is "acting a part" to lead the righteous astray (St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew).

In Matthew 7:15-20 the contrast between the false and genuine prophets is also a contrast between what one says and what one does.

Question: Who then is the genuine Prophet? See Dt 18:21-22; Mt 10:41 and 23:34.
Answer: A genuine prophet is a righteous Christian disciple who speaks the truth in the name of Jesus when he proclaims the Gospel and is willing to endure suffering and to even give up his life in defense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Question: How does Jesus use animals to characterize the false prophet from the genuine Christian prophet in verse 15?
Answer: The false prophet comes as a wolf in sheep's clothing. He looks like a "sheep"/faithful believer but in his heart he is a ravenous wolf.

The false prophet is not obedient to the teachings of Jesus and supports his own interpretation of the Gospel. He is a liar who charms by his false display of piety while pursuing his own selfish ends. In Matthew 24:4 Jesus warns the Church, saying "Take care that no one deceives you, because many will come using my name and saying, I am the Christ,' and they will deceive many."

St. Jude's letter to the universal Church is entirely devoted to warning the faithful against the teaching of false prophets. He begins with his reason for writing: Beloved, although I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I now feel a need to write to encourage you to contend for the faith that was once for all handed down to the holy ones. For there have been some intruders, who long ago were designated for this condemnation, godless persons, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ ( Jude verses 3-4). And he closes his letter with the exhortation: But you, beloved, remember the words spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they told you, In [the] last time there will be scoffers who will live according to their own godless desires.' These are the ones who cause divisions; they live on the natural plane, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life ( verses 17-21).

Question: How does Jesus tell us to distinguish the false prophet from the genuine Christian in verse 16?
Answer: They are distinguished by the "fruits" or works they produce.

Question: In this passage,Jesus makes a series of contrasts between the false prophet and true disciple concerning the "fruit" they bear; what are these contrasts?
Answer:

Jesus will return to the metaphor of the rotten tree bearing rotten fruit contrasted with the good and fruitful tree several times during His three year ministry ( Mt 21:18-22, 33-46; Mk 11:12-14, 20-24; Lk 13:6-9; John 15:1-2). The symbol of the fruitful tree or vine held special significance for the Old Covenant Church, especially in the books of the prophets (see Is 5:1-7; Jer 2:21; 12:10; Ez 15:1-8; 17:3-10; 19:10-14; Ho 9:16; 10:1). Throughout the books of the prophets the fruitful tree or vine was a symbol of faithful Israel while the barren tree or vine or the tree or vine bearing wild grapes or rotten fruit was a symbol of an apostate Covenant people who do not bear the works of God.

Question: In Matthew 7:19 Jesus uses a metaphor to describe what will happen to the tree bearing rotten fruit. What is the symbolism in this metaphor?
Answer: The rotten tree will be thrown into the fire/the false prophet will be doomed to the eternal fire of Gehenna.

Throughout His ministry Jesus will teach that faith must be evidenced by the works of God working through us. "Faith alone" or "faith based on false teaching" will not produce candidates for the Kingdom of Heaven (see the parable of the Unfruitful Servant in Mt 25:14-30). The words "faith alone" only appears in sacred Scripture in one verse and no other, and that verse is found in James 2:24. Beginning in 2:14 St. James warns My brothers what good is it to profess faith without practicing it? Such faith has no power to save one, has it? and in 2:24 he writes, You must perceive that a person is justified by his works and not by faith alone.

Jesus continues in this theme of judgment

Matthew 7:21-23 ~ The True Disciple.
Jesus said:"21 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'

In Scripture "to know" someone refers to either intimate sexual knowledge or to covenant family relationships. It is not that God/Jesus did not know that person existed, but that person did not live in obedience to the covenant union that he/she was invited to share in the life of Christ.

Question: What is Jesus' message in 7:21-23 concerning those hypocrites who only play at piety? Who is it that will enter the gates of heaven? Also see Jesus' teaching on the subject of the Last Judgment in Mt 25:31-45.
Answer: On Judgment Day the morally corrupt and false teachers will hear Jesus say:"I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers." Entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven is only for those who obediently do the will of the Father.
The conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount
At the end our lives each of us will face an individual (also called the "particular") judgment. At that time whether our lives were a success or a failure will be judged as we stand before the great white judgment throne of God with Jesus as our advocate. At this judgment each of us will be rewarded according to our faith and works (see CCC# 1021-22; 1 Cor 3:12-15).

Matthew 7:24-28 ~ The Contrast of the Two Foundations and the Importance of Works of Faith
Jesus said:"24 Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined." 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Question: In Matthew 7:15-23 the emphasis was on "saying" and "doing" but what is the contrast now?
Answer: In verse 24 the emphasis is on "listening/hearing and doing."

The true Christian is the one who listens to the words of Jesus and does what He tells them as in the prophecy God gave Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18-19: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. The True prophet/disciple is one who listens to the words Jesus speaks and obeys them. Jesus told his disciples:"The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from my hand" ( Jn 10:27-28, New Jerusalem; also see Mt 17:5; Mk 9:7; Lk 9:35).

There is also another contrast; this time it is between the one who built his house on the rock as opposed to the one who built his house on the sand.

Question: Who is like the man who built on the rock? See 7:24
Answer: The one who listens to Jesus' words and does what He says.

Contrasts in this teaching:

Listens and hears = does the will of God

Does not listen = does not fulfill God's will

Builds on Rock which lasts forever

Builds on sand which collapses

Question: Who is the "man" who built His house upon the rock? Who is the "rock" and what is the "house"? See Mt 16:13-20 and Jn 1:42 (Kephas is the Aramaic word for "rock" and the Greek word is petra but is rendered "petros" if applied as a masculine name).
Answer: The Man is Jesus, the rock is the Apostle Simon who Jesus renamed Kephas/Peter (meaning "rock" in Aramaic/Greek), and the house is the Church!

The Temple in Jerusalem was built upon the rock of El Shakrah [Arabic] or the eb(v)en s(sh)etiyah in Hebrew, the holy "rock of foundation" on Mt. Moriah upon which the holy covenant name of God was engraved. But the New Covenant Temple is the body of every believer in whom the Holy Spirit dwells with the name of Christ engraved upon each Christian heart, and the Catholic Church, which is Body of Christ, is built upon the firm foundation "the rock that is Peter! "The Rock" is a title in the Old Testament which was used for God and for the pre-incarnate Christ. St. Paul identifies the pre-incarnate Jesus as "the Rock" in the New Testament (i.e. see Deuteronomy 32:4; 15; 18; 30; 31; 1 Corinthians 10:4). In Matthew 6:16, along with His power and authority, Jesus gives the Apostle Simon His title of "rock" as a sign of that authority just as He also gives Simon-Peter the keys of His kingdom like the prime ministers [vicars] of the old Davidic kings ( Is 22:20-22)!

Matthew 7:28 ~ When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

The word "crowds" probably refers to the 70 disciples who stayed with Jesus on the mountain and from whom He chose the 12 Apostles ( Lk 6:12-13). After His finished addressing His disciples, He came down from the mountain ( Mt 8:1; Lk 6:17) and gave His "Sermon on the Plain" to the people waiting below the summit of the mountain ( Lk 6:17-7:1).

This is the same way we should judge those who teach us. Does their teaching agree with the entire deposit of Sacred Scripture or do they take Scripture out of context and twist verses to conform to their own understanding. If the interpretation of one passage of Scripture contradicts another passage, that interpretation is in error.

CONCLUSION:

Question: What verse would you identify as the central theme of the Sermon on the Mount?
Answer: The central theme of the Sermon on the Mount is summarized in Matthew 5:48: So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount His statement in Matthew 5:48 is a key summation of the whole teaching in His first great homily. In the Gospels this Greek word, teleios [tel'-i-os], meaning "complete, of full age, perfect" (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance # 5046), occurs only 3 times, twice in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:48, So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father isperfect and once in Matthew 19:21 in Jesus' call of discipleship to the rich young man seeking eternal life: Jesus said to him, If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'

It is important to understand that the word "perfect" in Matthew 5:48 does not refer to sinless or moral perfection. Instead it indicates spiritual perfection "the completeness or wholeness of men and women united with God in the state of grace and divine son/daughter-ship first enjoyed in the Garden of Eden. This is the goal for which we strive "to live our Christian lives in a state of grace empowered through the Sacraments and living the Beatitudes daily in our walk of faith. This standard of perfection or completeness is, of course, impossibility without the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but it is the standard to which Jesus has called us.

In His call to faithfulness in living the Beatitudes and the expanded teaching that followed in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus identifies the righteous believer who lives the New Covenant Law as one who loves God and exhibits that love by:

Obedience to God's commands appointed to man in the moral Law of the Sinai Covenant and the love-intensified Law of the New Covenant (Mt 5:17-20; 47-37).

Faithfulness to the Law as an interior commitment that is expressed in the actions of our lives even when that commitment brings us persecution (Mt 5:10-12; 43-48; 6:33).

Included in the actions that reflect faithfulness to the Law must be acts of peace, mercy and charity without thought of compensation (Mt 5:7, 9, 15-16; 38-42; 6:1-4).

Complete obedience to the commands of almsgiving, prayer, self-control, and our Christian responsibility to bring the light of Christ to a world in darkness (Mt 5:14-16; 5:21-26; 6:2, 5-18; 7:7-11).

Jesus will continue to teach on these major themes throughout His ministry.

CCC# 2608: From the Sermon on the Mount onwards, Jesus insists on conversion of heart: reconciliation with one's brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies. And prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart, and seeking the Kingdom before all else. This filial conversion is entirely directed to the Father.
Questions for discussion:
St. John-Marie Vianney expressed our call to love and serve God in his humble declaration I love you O my God, and my only desire is to love you until the last breath of my life. I love you, O my infinitely loveable God, and I would rather die loving you, than live without loving you. I love you, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love you eternally...My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love you, I want my heart to repeat it to you as often as I draw breath (St. John Marie Vianney, as quoted in CCC 2658). In the end the entire Law is based on a response to love; our love for God in Christ and how we diffuse His love to others. It is this love that we are asked to give freely and without thought of compensation to our brothers and sisters in the family of humanity. For in God's great symphony of life, faith and love must be lived in a harmony of community as well as sung by a single voice.

Question: Jesus did not come to do away with our earthly struggles and suffering but came instead to unite our suffering to His. Even in times of trial and suffering what comfort can you receive from claiming these verses: Mt 28:18; Gen 50:20 and Rom 8:28?

Question: What does St. Paul identify as fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:16-17 that will be harvest of right conduct from the righteous disciple?

Question: What instruction does Jesus give us concerning correction of a brother or sister within the faith community? What are the 3 levels of correction and if those measures fail what is the final solution? Keep in mind that the final judgment is meant to be a final measure in order to bring about reconciliation and redemption. How would you go about carrying out such a correction or have you ever had such an experience that you would like to share? See Mt 18:15-20.

Question: What does sound teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ produce as opposed to false teaching according to St. Paul? See 1 Tim 1:4-5; 4:7; 6:3-5; 2 Tim 2:16-18, 23; 3:16-17; Tit 1:11; 3:9; and in Jude verses 3-4, 16-25.

Question: We are encouraged to look for righteousness and love in our teachers and to reject the teachings of the unrighteous and unloving. But to these moral tests we must add a doctrinal test to ensure that the teacher's message is in accord with the original apostolic instruction passed from Christ to the Apostles and from them to their disciples, the first Bishops of the Church, and finally down to us in the Magisterium today. How does the Apostle John encourage us to discern true teaching from false in 1 Jn 2:22-24; 4:2-3, 6; and 2 Jn verses 7-9?
Endnotes:
Question: In the writings of the Fathers of the Church, they were fond of repeating this saying: Born once, die twice; born twice, die once. What did they mean by this statement? See Jn 3:3, 5; Jm 1:18; 1 Pt 1:23 and Rev. 20:6, 11-15 (especially verse 14); 21:8.

1. Adelphos is the only word used for "brother" in the Greek New Testament. Therefore, when certain of Jesus' kinsmen are referred to in the New Testament as "brothers" of the Lord it cannot be assumed the meaning is "blood-brothers" born from Mary. In Hebrew and in Aramaic, there was no distinction between kinsmen who were siblings or cousins or even "brothers" within the bond of the covenant (see Mt 12:46-49 and 13:56 and compare with Mt 23:8; Acts 1:16; 2:29, 37; 21:17, 20; and 22:1 where the only word used is adelphos "even for the Apostles and disciples). Covenants create family bonds and everyone within the covenant is considered a kinsman. When Scripture refers to the "brothers" of Jesus, the Church has always taught that these "brothers/sisters" are kinsmen/women who are either cousins or half-brothers/sisters (CCC 502).

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson: (* = Scripture quoted or paraphrased in the citation)

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Beloved Heavenly Father. In the Sermon on the Mount Your Son has laid out for us the path to heaven. It is a path that demands a holiness of heart and a firmness of character. It is not an easy path, but it is the path to glory and its destination is our true home.

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 8-9 Narrative #2 Jesus' Ministry in the Galilee Continues

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 8-9 Narrative #2 Jesus' Ministry in the Galilee Continues

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Almighty Lord,
The miracles worked in Your name remind us that You are not bound by the laws You created for the natural world. But the greatest of the miracles at Your hand are those of the miracles of grace where men and women experience a sudden and unexpected conversion from ignorance to belief, from doubting and confusion to the certainty of faith, and from a life full of sin to a life defined by holiness. Send Your Holy Spirit to guide us, Lord, in our study of the miracles of healing Jesus demonstrated in His Galilean ministry. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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For not even after he went down from the mountain did the hearers leave, but even then the whole audience followed him because of the great love that was shown in what he had said. But most of all they were astonished at his authority. For when he said these things, he did not refer to another, as even the prophet Moses did, but everywhere he showed that he himself was the One who had the authority to decide ... And when he was reminding them of the final day of judgment, he showed that he himself is the One who will bring justice, both through the punishments and through the honors.
St. John Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 25.1

And he came down with them [the disciples] and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.
Luke 6:17-18
Matthew 8:28-29 ~ When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Matthew 7:28-29 is the end of the first of Jesus' five discourses in the Gospel of Matthew. The phrase in verse 28, When Jesus finished these words ..., or a similar formula, is used by St. Mathew to conclude each of Jesus' five discourses (see 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1 and 26:1).

Question: Look at the last three teachings in the Sermon on the Mount:

What is the theme that links all three teachings?
Answer: Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with an eschatological teaching on the "end times" and the Last Judgment that will result in either eternal salvation in heaven or eternal condemnation in hell.

This is a pattern that will be repeated in the other discourses. Discourse #2, the Missionary Discourse ( 10:5-11:1), ends in three eschatological teachings:

Discourse #3, Parables of the Kingdom ( 13:1-53), ends in three eschatological teachings:

Discourse #4, the Sermon on the Life of the Community ( 18:1-19:1), breaks the pattern of three short teachings and ends in one long eschatological teaching:

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (18:23-35)
Chapter 8 ~ Jesus the Healer
Discourse #5, known as the Eschatological Discourse ( 24:1-25:46, also ends is three eschatological teachings:

Matthew chapters 8-10:4 contain the second narrative section and Jesus' second discourse, entitled "the Missionary Discourse" is found in 10:5-10:42. The second narrative-discourse section is completed in 11:1 with the formula statement: When Jesus finished giving these commands ... The narrative section contains ten miracle stories. The miracles take place in or near either the town of Capernaum or by the shores of the Sea of Galilee:

1. The cleansing of a leper (8:1-4)

2. The healing of the centurion's servant (8:5-13)

3. The healing of Simon-Peter's mother-in-law (8:14-15)

4. The healing of people possessed by demons and the sick in fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53:4 (8:16-17)

5. The calming of the storm at sea (8:23-27)

6. The healing of the Gadarene demoniacs (8:28-34)

7. The healing of a paralytic (9:1-8)

8. The healing of the official's daughter and the woman with a hemorrhage (9:18-26)

9. The healing of two bind men (9:27-31)

10. The healing of a mute (9:32-34)

After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' acts of healing take on the theme of Jesus fulfilling "the law and the prophets" as He promised in Matthew 5:17-18: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law until all things have taken place. Some may interpret this statement to mean that "to fulfill" the law means a literal enforcement of the exact letter of the law. However, in Jesus statement that until heaven and earth pass a way nothing of the law will pass, His meaning becomes clear. The end of heaven and earth is not the end of the world but the turning of the ages which comes with an apocalyptic event that will be revealed in Jesus' death and resurrection which will inaugurate the new creation and final Age of Man that was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah:

Lo, I am abut to create new heavens and a new earth; the things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind (Is 65:17).

As the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall endure before me, says the LORD, so shall your race and your name endure. From one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind shall come to worship before me, says the LORD (Is 66:22-23).

A miracle is defined as: A wonder or wonderful thing; something that excites astonishment; a sensible deviation from the known lows of nature, held to be wrought by a supernatural being; a supernatural event ( New Webster's International Dictionary, vol. 1, page 537). Miracle stories were common in the literature of the ancient world, but unlike the miracle stories found in secular literature, the miracles in the Gospels never affect anyone adversely and Jesus never uses His powers to advance His reputation as a "miracle worker," unlike other "miracle workers" whose main motivation was to demonstrate their power to advance their reputations (see Acts 8:1-11). The purpose behind Jesus' miracles was to relieve the suffering of individuals and to fulfill prophecy.

Matthew 8:1-4 ~ Cleansing a Leper
1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, "Lord, if you wish you can make me clean." 3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, "I will do it. Be made clean." His leprosy was cleansed immediately. 4 Then Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them."

The Gospel of Luke provides the information that when Jesus came down from the mountain a great crowd of people awaited Him, coming from as far away as Judea and Jerusalem and the Gentile costal region of Tyre and Sidon. Luke records that they came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean sprits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all ( Lk 6:17-19).

St. Matthew tells us that among those in need of healing was a man suffering from leprosy. He approaches Jesus humbly and respectfully, addressing Jesus as "Lord."

Question: What was the law concerning leprosy, and other contagious skin diseases? See Lev 13:1-3, 45-46; 14:1-19; Num 5:1-3.
Answer:

The victim must be brought to the priest who will examine the person outside the camp/town.

If the priest determines the skin lesion is indeed a contagious disease like leprosy, the person will be declared "unclean" and will be expelled from the community and prohibited from communal worship.

If the person believes he is healed of leprosy, that person will present himself to the priest for a physical examination.

If the priest determines that he is indeed healed, the person will submit himself to a seven day ritual purification ceremony.

On the eighth day the person can be declared ritually "clean" and can be readmitted to the community and to liturgical worship in which he will offer a sacrifice of one unblemished male lamb and one log of oil as a guilt offering in a ritual ceremony. He will also offer one unblemished yearling ewe lamb as a sin offering and then another unblemished male lamb as a whole burnt offering with three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering.

All who continued to suffer from a contagious skin disease were expelled from the camp and remained isolated from the community and worship.

Question: What happened if an "unclean" person came in contact with a ritually "clean" person? See Lev chapter 15 and Jn 19:28.
Answer: The condition of "uncleanness" could be transferred to the other person. One could become ritually "unclean" and therefore unfit for worship in a number of ways, including contact with a Gentile or by entering a Gentile residence.

In verse 4 Jesus tells the man to tell no one except the ordained priests of the Church. This command will be repeated five times in Matthew's Gospel ( Mt 8:4; 9:39; 12:16; 16:20; 17:9).

Question: Why does Jesus tell the man to go to the priests? See Mt 5:18-20; Lev 14:1-31.
Answer: Only the priest can pronounce the man "clean" and free to return to the community and to communal worship in the Temple.The Old Covenant Law is still in effect, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18. Jesus supports the Law. It isn't until He has paid the price of mankind's sins that the ritual purify laws will no longer be binding on members of the New Covenant.

Matthew 8:5-13 ~ The Healing of the Centurion's Servant
5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, "Lord, my servant [pais] is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." 7He said to him, "I will come and cure him." 8The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, Go,' and he goes; and to another, Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour [his] servant [son] was healed.

Capernaum was the headquarters of Jesus' public ministry ( Mt 4:13). In Hebrew it means "village of Nahum." It is a town on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, located about two and one-half miles from the mouth of the Jordan River and was the headquarters of Peter, Andrew and the Zebedee family's fishing business. St. Peter lived in Capernaum with his family and his wife and her mother. Outside of the Gospels, the town is mentioned by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, by Jewish Talmudic sources, and in the accounts of Christian pilgrims from the Byzantine period.

In this case, the title the Roman uses is more than a title of politeness "it is a title which suggests he considers Jesus to "out rank" him "to have greater authority. It would have been very unusual for a Roman to address a common Jew in this manner.

The Romans had occupied the Holy Land since 63 BC. The Roman centurion was an officer who was typically in command of a hundred men in a Roman legion. He was a Gentile "God-fearer" "a Gentile who professed belief in Yahweh but had not submitted to the covenant ritual of circumcision or the ritual bath of conversion, thereby not fully entering the Old Covenant Church. This same story appears in Luke 7:1-10 in which the Jewish elders of the Capernaum Synagogue approach Jesus to vouch for a Gentile Roman centurion they considered to be a friend and to act as the intermediaries between Jesus and the righteous Gentile, saying He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us ( Lk 7:4).

Such Gentiles as the centurion were permitted to receive instruction in the synagogues and were permitted to bring sacrifices to the Court of the Gentiles at the Jerusalem Temple, but did not consider themselves bound by other regulations such as the observance of the dietary laws. The Roman centurion Cornelius, in Acts 10:1-49, is described as a "God-fearer" ( Acts 10:2). Since these men were not fully members of the covenant, they were still considered to be ritually unclean, as were all Gentiles. If the man had been a Gentile convert to the Sinai Covenant, he would have not hesitated in inviting Jesus to his home.

In verse 6 the Centurion refers to the paralyzed person in his household as his pais in the Greek text. Biblical scholars identify this as an ambiguous word which can mean both "child" and "servant" (Harrington, The Gospel of Matthew, Sacra Pagina, page 113). A minor child was considered to be his/her father's servant until the child either came of age or married.

Jesus' response is also ambiguous in the Greek text. It is possible to translate His response to the Centurion as either as promise, "I will come" or as an offer, "shall I come?"

Question: Why does the Centurion refuse Jesus' offer to come to his home and what is familiar about verse 8?
Answer: The man's response has to do with both his faith in Jesus to heal his son/servant and his sensitivity to the ritual purity problem for a religious Jew entering a Gentile home, which is why he tells Jesus he is not worthy for Jesus to "enter under my roof." Verse 8 is a response of the priest and the congregation in the Communion Rite of the Mass.

In the Communion Rite of the Mass, the priest elevates the Host, saying "Behold the Lamb of God; behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." As the priest breaks the Host, the people, together with the priest say: " Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed," repeating part of the Centurion's response from Matthew 8:8 (see the underlined words of the Scripture passage).

Entering a Gentile residence is the same problem that the priests and Pharisees will have in their refusal to enter Pilate's Praetorium/Court of law when they bring Jesus to the Roman governor to try him for treason and blasphemy ( Jn 19:28). If a Jew becomes defiled by contact with a Gentile, he becomes ritually unclean and must perform ritual purity rites. Until the rituals of purity were completed, the person was barred from the "camp of God and from worship at God's altar; such a person remained "unclean" until sundown.

Jesus commends the Gentile's faith and his recognition that Jesus' power and authority came from God as a model for all believers who will one day come to faith from the corners of the earth. The Centurion's faith foreshadows the gathering of the Gentile nations into the family of God.

In Matthew 8:11 Jesus says: I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children [sons] of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." The phrase alluding to the gathering of the Gentile nations to worship the Messiah and depiction of those who reject the Messiah as being condemned to a place of "wailing and grinding of teeth" is found both in Matthew 8:11 and Luke 13:28-29: Then he will say to you, I do not know where [you] are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!' And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God ( Lk 13:27-29).

Question: Who are the "children [literally "sons"] of the kingdom" who will be driven out into the outer darkness in verse 12? For other biblical references to the place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in the Gospel of Matthew see Mt 22:13; 24:51; 25:30.
Answer: These dispossessed sons are those Jews to whom the kingdom has been promised but who, in rejecting their Messiah, receive not the "kingdom of light" but the "kingdom of darkness" that is the domain of Satan and his fallen angels.

The community of Qumran was located on the shores of the Dead Sea near the site where a library of over 900 ancient scrolls were discovered in 1947 in a series of 11 caves. The community of Qumran may have been a ritual purification site for pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem (only c. 16 miles to the east). The site was destroyed by the Roman army in 68 AD and after a short period as a Roman outpost, was never inhabited again. Among the Bible texts, the commentaries on Scripture, and other secular documents discovered in the caves was a document believed to have been the community's "Manual of Discipline" or "Community Rule" that has been dated to the 1 st century BC/AD. The text teaches that God has sovereignty over Creation and that "He allotted unto man two Spirits that he should walk in them until the time of His visitation" referring to the coming of the Messiah ( Manual of Discipline, 3:18). The document continues by distinguishing between the two Spirits that offer the choice of two paths or life goals to the "sons of Light" who walk in the ways of light under the guidance of "the Prince of Light," as opposed to the "sons of Darkness" who walk in the ways of darkness under the guidance of the "Angel of Darkness," Satan. The teaching in that document is similar to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 8:11.

Matthew 8:14-15 ~ The Healing of Peter's Mother-in-Law
14 Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him.

This healing takes place in Peter's house in Capernaum.

Matthew 8:16-17 ~ Healing in fulfillment of the Scriptures
16 When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, 17 to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: "He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases."

This is another of the ten fulfillment statements in Matthew's Gospel. In verse 17 St. Matthew quotes from Isaiah 53:4.

1. Jesus' healing miracles are signs that are evidence that He is fulfilling the Law and the prophets as He promised in Matthew 5:17.

2. The passage in Isaiah is the prophecy of the Lord's "Suffering Servant." Matthew's message is that Jesus is the Suffering Servant who takes upon Himself the sins of the people.

3. The end of the Isaiah passage in 53:12 reveals that the miracles Jesus performs are signs that point to the fulfillment of God's plan that will be revealed in the Passion of the Christ.

The crowds had grown to be so great they may have become unsafe. Jesus gave orders to withdraw to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. Before they depart, Jesus is approached by two men, one desiring to become a disciple and a man who was already a disciple who wanted to make a request for a leave of absence.

The first man was a scribe. Unlike other scribes in the Gospels who are usually united with the Pharisees in opposition to Jesus, this man appears to be sincere in his expressed desire to become a disciple, addressing Jesus as "teacher" ( didaskale). Scribes were originally men with the writing skills to draw up legal documents. When many Levites became trained scribes, the professional scribe developed skills in advising in legal matters and in the interpretation of the Law of the Torah. See Matthew 13:52 and 23:24 for positive references to scribes.

Under the Law, children were responsible for mourning and burying their parents and other relatives ( Tob 1:16-20; 4:3; 6:15; Mishnah: Ber. 3:1).

Question: When the second man, a disciple, asks Jesus for permission to bury his father, a religious obligation under the Law, why does Jesus not give the man His blessing to go and bury his father? Also see Lk 9:59 where Jesus says to the disciple"Let the dead bury the dead. But you proclaim the kingdom of God."
Answer: Jesus did not give the disciple permission to leave and bury his father because the time allowed to Jesus to announce the coming of the Kingdom and the Gospel of salvation to the Jews is very short. He must use all the time He has to prepare His disciples for His Passion and to carry the Gospel of salvation to the ends of the earth.

Question: What did Jesus mean when He said:"Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead."
Answer: It sounds harsh, but Jesus is probably using hyperbole to shock His disciples and to impress upon the urgency of His mission "without the gift of eternal life, everyone alive can be considered the "walking dead."

In this translation the crisis is a sudden storm. However, in the Greek text, the crisis that causes the huge waves is not a storm "the word in Greek is seismos, meaning "earthquake" (also see Mt 27:51-53). This is a word that has apocalyptic overtones and recalls the prophecy of Ezekiel:...and in my jealousy, in my fiery wrath, I swear: On that day there shall be a great shaking upon the land of Israel. Before me shall tremble the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, the beasts of the field and all the reptiles that crawl upon the ground, and all men who are on the land ... I will prove my greatness and holiness and make myself known in the sight of many nations; thus they shall know that I am the LORD ( Ez 38:19-23).

Question: Notice Jesus' rebuke in verse 26: He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Why does He rebuke them?
Answer: The rebuke is not for their petition but for their panic. They have some faith but only a little.

Matthew 8:26b-27 ~ Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. 27 The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?"

At this point, the disciples may have recalled the psalmist's words in Psalm 107:28-30: In their distress they cried to the LORD, who brought them out of their peril, hushed the storm to a murmur' the waves of the sea were stilled. They rejoiced that the sea grew calm, that God brought them to the harbor they longed for.

Matthew 8:28-34 ~ The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniacs
28 When he came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarene, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. 29 They cried out, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time? 30 Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. 31 The demons pleaded with him, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine." 32 And he said to them, "Go then!" They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. 33 The swine herders ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

Jesus and His disciples crossed to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. The town of Gadara was about five miles southeast of the sea (see Mk 5:1-10 and Lk 8:26-29). Flavius Josephus refers to this town as possessing the territory that extended to the sea coast (Josephus, Life 9 [42]). This side of the Sea of Galilee was composed of mostly Gentile communities; Gadara was one of the Greek culture cities of the Decapolis ("ten cities").

The two demon possessed men were living in the chambers of rock hewn tombs. Jesus' confrontation with these two men recalls Isaiah 65:2-4: I have stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in evil paths and follow their own thoughts; people who provoke me continually, to my face, offering sacrifices in the groves and burning incense on bricks, living among the graves and spending the night in caverns, eating swine's flesh with carrion broth in their dishes ... Contact with the dead made one "unclean" as did eating unclean animals like pigs ( Lev 11:7; Dt 14:8).

Question: What are demons? See Rev 12:8-9; CCC 391-92, 414.
Answer: They are angels who allied themselves with Satan when he rebelled against God. For their sin, they were cast out of heaven.

Even if the Jews do not recognize their Messiah, the demons know His true identity (also see Mk 1:24; 3:11; Lk 4:41; Acts 16:17; 19:15). Jesus has the power over demons. He will communicate this same power of exorcism to His Apostles along with the power to forgive sins and to heal the sick ( Mt 18:18; Jn 20:22-23; CCC 1506).

Question: How do the demoniacs challenge to Jesus in verse 29b and what does their challenge suggest? See Mt 12:28; Lk 10:17-19; Jn 12:31-32; Rev 20:7-10.
Answer: They ask what He has to do with them at this point in salvation history. It suggests that they have some knowledge of the defeat of Satan at the end of the final age of mankind, and they apparently knew that this way not yet that time.

When Jesus casts the demons into the herd of pigs, the pigs drown themselves in the sea and the townspeople who are probably both frightened and angry at the loss of revenue ask Him to leave.

This miracle story may also be a fulfillment the prophecy of carrying the message of salvation to the pagan Gentiles in Isaiah 65:1-5: I was ready to respond to those who asked me not, to be found by those who sought me not. I said: Here I am! Here I am! To a nation that did not call upon my name. I have stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in evil paths and follow their own thoughts, people who provoke me continually to my face, offering sacrifices in the groves and burning incense on bricks. Living among the graces and spending the night in caverns, eating swine's flesh, with carrion broth in their dishes, Crying out, "hold back, do not touch me I am too sacred for you!" Pork, an unclean animal to an Israelite/Jew that they are even forbidden to raise, is what the people in this prophecy claim have made them holy. Gentiles where pork consumers and offered swine in sacrifices to false gods. The prophet ridicules them in their claim that their practices have made them "sacred."
Chapter 9 ~ Jesus Returns to Capernaum
News of Jesus' miracle on the Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee spread through the towns of the Decapolis and encouraged Jews as well as Gentiles living in the region to seek out the Jewish rabbi and healer. St. Mark records that one of the men Jesus healed asked to remain with Him ( Mk 5:15-10). Jesus urged him to go home and to announce to his family and community everything "that the Lord in his pity has done for you" ( Mt 5:18-20). In obedience to Jesus' command, the man began to proclaim Jesus' works of healing in the Decapolis. We know from Matthew 4:25; 5:20; and 7:31 that people from this region were already coming to hear Jesus preach and this man's testimony only increased the numbers of people who were willing to come to Jesus.

Matthew 9:1-8 ~ The Healing of the Paralytic
1 He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. 2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven. 3 At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, Rise and walk'? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" "he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." 7 He rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

Jesus and His Apostles crossed to the northwest side of the lake and retuned to Capernaum. There, some people brought Him a man who was paralyzed.

Question: What is the significance of Jesus' statement concerning the faith of the man's friends: When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.
Answer: It wasn't the paralytic's faith that generated the healing, but the faith of his friends. We should never take for granted the power of our petitions made on behalf of someone else.

Notice that Jesus linked the man's condition to his sins. Jesus may have been appealing to the cultural assumption that there was a link between sin and sickness ( Jn 9:2), but it is more likely that He is demonstrating His authority to heal body and soul.

Question: Why do some of the scribes accuse Jesus of blasphemy? Hint: the Law defined blasphemy as consisting in misusing the Divine Name Yahweh; see Lev 24:15-16 and Num 15:30. What other miracle has taken place in this exchange?
Answer: The scribes, who are also in many cases teachers of the Law, believe Jesus has usurped God's divine prerogative by declaring the man's sins are forgiven. Their accusation was not voiced publically, but Jesus knew their thoughts and challenged them.

Question: The miracle story of the paraplegic and his friends reveals what other power Jesus possess in addition to healing the sick, His power over nature and His authority to forgive sins? See Jer 11:20; Ps 7:9; 2 Chr 6:30; Sir 43:18-19.
Answer: His power to read hearts, a divine power attributed only to God.

St. Matthew, as was the duty of all tax collectors ( telonai), was sitting at his customs post ( telonion), probably a tollbooth at which fees were collected on goods (especially barrels of salted fish) as they were transported out of the tetrarchy of the Galilee to other parts of the provinces. His name is the Greek form of the Hebrew name meaning "gift of God." Like the other Apostles called by Jesus to "Follow me," St. Matthew, also known as Levi ( Mk 2:13-14; Lk 5:27-28), leaves his profession and his comfortable life to follow Jesus. Like Elisha ( 1 Kings 19:21) Matthew appears to be saying goodbye to his old life by giving a feast and sharing his decision to follow Jesus with his friends, exposing them to what could be a life altering experience in sharing a meal with the Messiah and His disciples (verse 10). The literal Greek translation records that the guests "reclined" at the banquet table. It was at that time the custom to observe the Greek form of formal dining by resting on a couch with the couches radiating out from a banquet table in a U shape or resting on a bank of couches in a U shape around small tables (also in Mt 26:20 at the Last Supper). A room in this formal banquet arrangement was called in the Latin a triclinium.

Matthew 9:10-11 ~ While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

Since the Pharisees are observing the banquet, it may be that the Pharisees had stationed themselves where they could see the arriving guests, or the banquet may have been held in an open courtyard. The second scenario seems more likely since Jesus "heard" their criticism.

Question: Why did the Pharisees rank the tax collectors with sinners? Hint: the Pharisees were strict observers of the Law.
Answer: Tax collectors were ranked with sinners because they were suspected of overcharging the taxes collected from the common people for the hated Romans. It was a sin to take advantage of one's fellow covenant member. Their sin was regarded as theft.

They collected taxes for the Romans and were allowed to keep whatever they could collect above the required minimum due the Romans. Sinners were those who, because of their profession, life-style or actions failed to meet the standards of righteousness under the Law. St. Mark's addition "for there were many who followed him" ( Mk 2:15) suggests that many of the other the tax collectors and sinners at the banquet were also either followers of Jesus or supporters.

The Pharisees refer to Jesus as "teacher" so as not to offend the disciples, but they were trying to diminish Jesus in the esteem of His followers.

Question: Why in His rebuke does Jesus quote Hosea 6:6, For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts?
Answer: Instead of only external performance in obedience to the Law, God prefers the inward quality of genuine humility, love, and contrition "this is the kind of personal sacrifice that is pleasing to God above the material sacrifice of whole-burnt offerings.

Jesus' response to the Pharisees is similar to the rebuke the prophet Samuel gave King Saul, "Does the LORD so delight in holocausts and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the LORD? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams" ( 1 Sam 15:22). Then He says, "I did not come to call [kaleo] the righteous but sinners." Jesus makes a pun using the Greek word "kaleo," which has the dual meaning "to call" or "to invite" (as to a meal). The sense is of a religious calling to salvation and the sacred meal it symbolizes which Jesus will establish at the Last Supper: the "thanksgiving" communion meal of the New Covenant, the Eucharist.

Matthew 9:14-17 ~ A Question about the Practice of Fasting
14 Then the disciples of John approached him and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast [much], but your disciples do not fast?" 15 Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. 17 People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

The Pharisees' criticism of Jesus may have prompted the disciples of John the Baptist to question Jesus on the different rules of fasting observed by His disciples as opposed to John's disciples and the Pharisees. Jesus answers their question with a parable.

Jesus' point is that mourning rituals are not appropriate to a joyful wedding celebration "compared to the joy of God the Son's visitation to mankind.

With Jesus' Passion and death, it will become appropriate for His disciples to fast and mourn. In this exchange we get the sense of the urgency of Jesus' mission. Then Jesus offers the comparison between old and new cloth and old and new wineskins in verses 16-17.

Old versus new cloth and wineskins

Old versus New Covenant

Old cloth cannot be patched with new cloth; the new, unshrunken cloth will not properly fit the old garment when the garment is washed and shrinks.

The Old Covenant was necessary for its time to cover the covenant people in righteousness, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a new garment that cannot become a patch for the Old Covenant.

Old wineskins have already stretched to capacity with the fermentation of the wine. If new wine is poured into old skins, the fermenting wine will expand and burst the skins and both will be destroyed.

The eternal gifts of the New Covenant cannot be contained within the limits of the Old Covenant. The eternal gifts of God's grace that fill the children of God in the New Covenant must fulfill and transform the Old Covenant.

Matthew 9:18-26 ~ The Official's Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage
18 While he was saying these things to them, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." 19 Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20 A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. 21 She said to herself, "if only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." 22 Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. 23 When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, 24 he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. 25 When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. 26 And news of this spread throughout all the land.

Here we have two healing miracles told within one story. The linking of the stories is significant. Please read St. Mark's more detailed version of the story in 5:21-43. Mark includes a number of additional details that reveal the significance of the story and its relationship to the nation of Israel. We discover from Mark's account that the girl Jesus raised from the dead was 12 years old ( Mk 5:42). We also discover that the name of her father was Jairus ( Mk 5:22).

While Jesus was on his way to the home of Jairus, a woman with a bleeding condition sought His help.

Question: When the woman reached to touch the tassel on Jesus' cloak, what was she touching? See Num 15:38-39 and Dt 22:12.
Answer: She was touching the tassel that all righteous men of the covenant were required to wear on their outer garments.

She grasp the tzitziyot of Jesus' talit in her desperation to receive a healing.

Matthew 9:23 ~ When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion ...

When Jesus arrived at Jairus' house, the mourning for the dead girl's funeral was already in progress.

The official's daughter and the bleeding woman ( Mt 9 and Mk 5:21-43) are both biblical "types" of Israel.

Question: What comparisons can you make between the two stories and the relationship between those stories and the chosen people of Israel?

The official calls her his "daughter" ( Mt 9:18; Mk 5:23)

Jesus calls the woman "daughter" ( Mt 9:22; Mk 5:34)

Both the girl and the woman are "daughters" of Israel

The official's daughter is 12 years old ( Mk 5:42)

The woman bled for 12 years ( Mt 9:20; Mk 5:25)

12 is the number of Israel "originally composed of 12 tribes

Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead ( Mt 9:25; Mk 5:42)

Jesus healed the bleeding woman ( Mt 9:22; Mk 5:34)

Jesus came to heal the faithful remnant of Israel and raised the faithful remnant of Israel from bondage to death to new life in Christ Jesus.

In Bishop Eusebius' 4 th century AD Church History, he records that the woman with the uncontrolled bleeding lived in Caesarea Philippi and that she spread the Gospel message in her city, made her home a Church-home and erected two statues, one of Jesus and the second of herself reaching out to touch the fringe of His garment to commemorate the event of her healing ( Church History, Book 6, chapter 18).

After Jesus heals the men, He again asks them to keep the miracle a secret. However, they joy cannot be contained and the spread word of Jesus' great act of mercy.

Matthew 9:32-34 ~ The Healing of a Mute
32 As they were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, 33 and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel." 34 But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the prince of demons."

This unpardonable accusation highlights the Pharisees growing hostility to Jesus. When the Pharisees make a similar accusation in Matthew 12:24 Jesus rebukes them, calling their accusation that He heals not by the power of the Holy Spirit but by the power of Satan a sin against the Holy Spirit ( Mt 12:31-32). The Pharisees and the chief priests have become the failed shepherds of Israel.

Matthew 9:35-37 ~ The Distress of the People and the Compassion of Jesus
35 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. 36 At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, 38 so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

Jesus could see that the hierarchy of the Old Covenant Church had failed the people "they were "sheep without a shepherd." Jesus' compassion for the people and their condition recalls similar metaphors in Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17; Judith 11:19, and especially the passages from Ezekiel chapter 34.

Matthew 9:35-10:4 establishes the setting for the Missionary Discourse that is to follow, serving as a bridge between Jesus' acts of power in chapters 8 and 9 and His instructions to His disciples who begin to share His mission in chapter 10 when Jesus, the Good Shepherd, provides Israel with His shepherds to gather the people in the good news of His Gospel of salvation.
Questions for group discussion:
Thus the word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel in these words prophesy to them [to the shepherds]: Thus says the LORD God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! ... Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As I live, says the LORD God, because my sheep have been given over to pillage, and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast, for lack of a shepherd; because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep; because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the LORD God: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves, I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths. For thus says the LORD God: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark ... I will appoint one shepherd over them to pasture them, my servant David; he shall pasture them and be their shepherd. I the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.
Ezekiel 34:1-2, 7-12, 23-24

Question: According to Matthew 8:18-22, what are the costs of discipleship?

Question: What does the miracle story of the storm at sea tell you about how to approach difficulties in your life?

Question: In the miracle story in 9:18-24, there are three principal characters in addition to Jesus: the father (Jairus), the bleeding woman, and the dead girl. Describe how each person encounters Jesus and with which person do you identify most? Why?

Question: In 9:34 we begin to see the tension between the bearers of the "good news" of the Messiah and His message of the coming of the Kingdom and those who stand in opposition to Jesus' message. Where do you see this tension in today's society?

Endnotes:

1. Normally, the period of time a person remained "unclean" and separated from the community lasted until sundown (i.e., Lev 11:39-40; 15:5-27; 4-7; Num 19:21-22). However, if a member of the covenant came in contact with a dead body, he remained unclean for a period of seven days ( Num 19:11-16), and that person must undergo a ritual purification on the third and seventh days of their contamination ( Num 19:17-20). All those members of the community who were suffering from contagious skin diseases or from discharges, or who had become unclean by touching a corpse were to be expelled from camp until they became ritually purified, God commanded, "so that they do not pollute their encampments, in the heart of which I dwell" ( Num 5:1-3). Entering into a Gentile courtyard was not considered to be an area of contamination, this is why the Jews remained in the courtyard for Jesus trial.

2. The ruins of a 1 st century AD synagogue have been discovered beneath the ruins of a synagogue dating to from the late 2 nd century to the 5 th century AD. A few yards to the south are the remains of a triple octagonal 5 th century AD Christian Church constructed over a 4 th century AD house-church which incorporates and preserves the remains of a 1 st century AD home believed to be Peter's house, based on inscriptions of early Christians and early pilgrim accounts.

3. Augustus Caesar gave the city to Herod the Great in the 1 st century BC. In an inscription dated to the Hellenistic period, the city is referred to as a "cultivator of the arts." While it was a mostly Gentile community, there was a small Jewish population. One of the love poems of Meleager of Gadara in the 1 st century BC mentions the Jewish Sabbath. Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (c. 77 AD) listed the ten towns as Damascus, Philadelphia, Raphana, Scythopolis, Gadara, Hippos, Dion, Pella, Gerasa, and Canatha.

4. Bishop Eusebius' account of the statues erected in honor of the healing miracle of the woman who suffered from an issue of blood is repeated by several other early Christian writers including Sozomen in Church History, 5.21, andPhilostorgius in his Church History, 7.3. Both Sozomen and Philostorgius record that the statues in Caesarea Philippi were destroyed by order of the apostate Roman Emperor Julian in the late 4 th century AD. Archaeologists excavating in the ruins of the old city of Caesarea Philippihave discovered a 1 st century AD Roman period dwelling with Christian symbols on the interior walls. It is believed that this house was the site of a 1 st century AD Christian "church home," or "domus ecclesia," a place of Christian worship before the time of the Christian Roman Emperor Constantine. It is possible that archaeologists have discovered the home of the woman whose faith in Jesus Christ cured her of an illness from which she had suffered for twelve years, and in her gratitude she not only erected statues to commemorate her healing but provided her home as the meeting place for the early Christian disciples of Jesus the Messiah

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Almighty Lord, The miracles worked in Your name remind us that You are not bound by the laws You created for the natural world.

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Agape Bible Sudy: Matthew 10 Discourse #2 The Missionary Discourse

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Agape Bible Sudy: Matthew 10 Discourse #2 The Missionary Discourse

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mlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> Merciful Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to cure the sick, to offer forgiveness to sinners, and to comfort the afflicted. His mission of mercy did not end with His earthly ministry. He continues to call the faithful to receive healing for their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal.

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 13:54-15:39 Narrative #4: More Responses to Jesus' Teachings and Actions

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 13:54-15:39 Narrative #4: More Responses to Jesus' Teachings and Actions

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: Narrative #4 More Responses to Jesus’ Teachings and Actions

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Holy Father, Give us the grace to respond with faith and love to Jesus in
our daily walk to eternity. Keep us ever aware in the smallest details of our
daily lives that we have been called to a discipleship of service from which we
take no vacations. Help us to be patient with others, as You are…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 18 Discourse #4: The Sermon on the Life of the Community

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 18 Discourse #4: The Sermon on the Life of the Community

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Heavenly Father,
At the mountain top experience of the Transfiguration of the Christ, You spoke to the Apostles declaring Your pleasure in Your beloved Son and commanded Jesus' Apostles to "Listen to Him." At the mountain top experience of every Eucharistic sacrifice, let us hear your Divine Voice in our hearts, Lord, as we share our pleasure in the life of Your Divine Son and our Savior in the Eucharistic banquet. Open our ears, Lord, in the Liturgy of the Word and in our private study of Sacred Scripture that we might "Listen to Him" and conform our lives to His teaching. Send us Your Spirit to guide us as we "Listen to Him" in today's study of Jesus' teaching on living in faith and love within the Christian community. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the kingdom. For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become "children of God" we must be "born from above" or "born of God." Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us. Christmas is the mystery of this "marvelous exchange"...
Catechism of the Catholic Church 526 (quoting Mt 18:3-4 and Jn 3:5)

It may even be ... that the Kingdom of God means Christ Himself, whom we daily desire to come, and whose coming we wish to be manifested quickly to us. For as His is our resurrection, since in Him we rise, so He can also be understood as the Kingdom of God, for in Him we shall reign.
St. Cyprian of Carthage, De Dominica oratione, 13
Chapter 18 ~ The Ecclesial Discourse (Jesus' sermon on the life of the Community)
At Caesarea Philippi, the site that had once been the northern border of the Kingdom of Israel, Jesus confirmed St. Peter's profession of faith that Jesus is the promised Messiah and divine Son when He established the physical presence of His Kingdom manifested in His "called out" ones, Peter and the Apostles, as the leaders of His Church (ekklesia = Greek; ecclesia = Latin). The revelation of His true identity was followed Peter's elevation as the Vicar of Christ's Kingdom with the same power and authority of other vicars of the Davidic kings of Judah ( Is 22:20-24). This event was followed by the first prediction of Jesus' Passion -a prediction that Peter, as the spokesman of the twelve, attempted to deny. Divine confirmation of Peter's confession of faith was experienced by Sts. Peter, James and John Zebedee in the event of the transfiguration of the Christ. In that event the Apostles heard the Divine Voice speak from heaven, confirming Jesus' true identity and warning them to "Listen to Him," a possible rebuke of their failure to grasp Jesus' first prediction of the events of His Passion and Resurrection.

While three of the Apostles were privileged to witness Jesus in His divine glory, the others were left behind in Capernaum trying to unsuccessfully heal a demon possessed boy. After Jesus' successfully healed the boy, He gave the second prediction of His Passion. This time the Apostles believed Him and were filled with grief. The fourth narrative ended with Jesus performing another miracle, defining the privileges of the sons of the Kingdom and paying the Temple tax for Himself and for His Vicar.

Chapter 18 is Jesus fourth discourse. It is His sermon on the life of the Community of the faithful that is also known as the "Ecclesial (Church) Discourse." The discourse is divided into two sections with each section ending in a parable teaching. The discourse ends, like the others, with an eschatological/judgment teaching. The first section of the Ecclesial Discourse in 18:1-14 is divided three parts:

Section I:

1. Greatness in the Kingdom defined as humility (verses 1-5)

2. Temptations to sin (verses 6-9)

3. Parable of the Lost Sheep (verses 10-14)

Each of the three parts of verses 1-14 has significantly repeated words:
Part I: "child/children" (verses 2, 3, 4 and 5)
Part II: "causes sin" (six times in verses 6, 7 three times, 8 and 9)*
Part III: "little ones" and "heavenly Father;" both occur twice "once at the beginning and again at the end of the passage but in reverse order in verses 10 and 14; ("little ones," referring to believers, is used in verses 6, 10, and 14).

* the verb is scandalizo and the noun is scandolon, meaning "to stumble," "cause to stumble," "cause to offend", or "stumbling block, "an offense." The noun is the same word Jesus used in 16:23 when He rebuked Peter, saying: Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle [skandalon] to me.

The opening words in verse 1 "At that time," literally, "in that hour," links this passage to the previous passage and action in 17:24-27 when Jesus spoke of the privileges of the sons of the Kingdom and paid the Temple tax for Himself and Peter. The Catholic Commentary on Scripture's study on the Gospel of Matthew suggests that the elevation of Peter as leader of the Apostles at Caesarea Philippi, the special authority he was given, the separation of the three from the others and their privilege of witnessing Jesus in His glory in the Transfiguration experience has made the other Apostles uneasy about where they stand in the Kingdom of the Messiah. Jesus has even paid Peter's tax, but He has not paid theirs,and so they have come to Jesus with a question about rank in the Kingdom (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, page 226). This argument is supported by the Greek word that begins their question. The Greek word ara means "so then" or "well then" (Mitch and Sri, page 226, footnote 1) and serves to link what follows with the statement that preceded it. It is the same Greek word that preceded Jesus' statement in 17:26 when He said"So then [ara] the sons are exempt" (literal translation). It is also significant that as He speaks to them, Jesus uses "you" in the singular "addressing His comments to each one of them. In His question to the Apostles in 16:15 at Caesarea Philippi He asked But who do you say that I am? Jesus used "you" plural, referring the question to the Apostles as a group but used the second person singular when He blessed Peter, saying"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah ...."

It is Jesus' teaching in this passage that those standards of greatness in the world are not what count in His Kingdom. Jesus uses the visible metaphor of a little child as His teaching point. The Greek word in the biblical text is paidion, a word used to refer to a child under the age of twelve (Harrington, The Gospel of Matthew, page 264).

Notice the repetition of the word "child/children" in the passage. Jesus' teaching is an expansion of His teaching in on the conditions of discipleship in 16:24-26 where He said that self-denial was a condition of true discipleship (verse 24). A little child has no concern for rank or status and only seeks to please his parent.

Matthew 18:4 ~ Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Question: In verse 4Jesus emphasizes the importance of the necessity child-like humility in the Kingdom. Jesus links this desired behavior to what event? See verse 3.
Answer: He links child-like humility to one's eternal salvation.

As we have mentioned previously, Matthew continually links Jesus' teachings back to the first discourse in the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7).

1. Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (verse 3).

2. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (verse 4).

3. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me (verse 5).

Verse 3: Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven is perhaps an echo of God's judgment against the Israelites of the Exodus generation who were not child-like but were disobedient and rebellious and therefore were barred from entering into the Promised Land ( Num 14:22-23). Those disciples of Jesus who fail to achieve child-like obedience and faith will not only fail in being "great" in the kingdom (verse 4), they will also fail to enter into the Promised Land of heaven!

With Jesus' declaration in verse 5: And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me, there is a shift in His visible metaphor of the child. Previously the child only served as a model to imitate (verses 2-4). Now the child becomes the center of the action with "one child such as this" referring not to children in general but to those who declare themselves as Jesus' disciples who in humility accept the non-status of a little child and are therefore living in imitation of Jesus (one's "name" expresses the complete essence of that person). Those who receive such a Christ-like disciple as an emissary (meaning of the word "apostle") of the Lord receive Christ. Also see 10:40 where Jesus told the disciples"Whoever receives you receives me and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me" and Jesus' teaching on humility and service in Mark 10:35-45.

In this passage the Greek verb skandalizo and the noun skandolon refer to what causes one to stumble into sin. These are Greek words from which we get our words "scandalize" and "scandal."

In verses 2-5 the Greek word paidion (child under twelve) referred to a real child. But now the metaphor functions as a synonym for the disciples who are the "little ones" who believe.

The judgment Jesus pronounces against those who cause His believers to "stumble" into sin or to lose their faith is found in all three Synoptic Gospels (see Mk 9:42 and Lk 17:2). The judgment imagery of a millstone being thrown into the sea is also found in Revelation 18:21-22. The sinner being drowned in the sea recalls the fate of the pigs possessed by the demons in 8:32. Such ultimate destruction is the judgment awaiting all unrepentant sinners who add to human suffering.

In verse 7 a "woe" [in Greek = ouai] is an expression of grief that is often used in Scripture in curse judgments (see Jesus' use of this same word in the judgments against the three Galilean cities in 11:21-24 and later in chapter 23). In verse 7 Jesus admits there will be sin within the community and laments that because there is sin in the world scandal/suffering from must follow.

Question: Where have you heard Jesus use similar hyperbole and the same warning of eternal judgment in the Sermon on the Mount?
Answer: He expressed the same teaching in 5:29-30 and also speaks of Gehenna as the place of ultimate and eternal judgment.

In verses 8-9 Jesus describes Gehenna as a place of fire ("eternal fire" and "fiery Gehenna"). In Mark 9:43 it is called a place of "unquenchable fire." For other references to Gehenna in Matthew see 5:22, 29, 30, 10:28; 23:15 and 33. Jesus uses the word Gehenna as a metaphor for the place or state where the wicked are doomed to an eternal fiery punishment which we refer to as the Hell of the damned (see CCC 1033-36, 1861 and the study entitled: " The Eight Last Things").

1. Jesus says that anyone who causes one of His disciples to sin will face divine judgment (verse 6).

2. Jesus expresses grief over sin that brings suffering to the world and grief over the consequences for those who tempt others to sin (verse 7).

3. Jesus sums up His comments on sin by saying that sin not only causes others to stumble into sin and brings suffering to the world but one must avoid sin at all costs because sin can ultimately lead to eternal death in Gehenna (verses 8- 9).

Matthew 18:10-14 ~ The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. 11 [For the Son of Man has come to save what was lost]. 12 What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? 13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. 14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." [...] = this phrase is not in all the ancient manuscripts of Matthew's Gospel but is nearly identical with Luke 19:10.

Notice that this passage begins with "little ones" and "heavenly Father" in verse 10 and ends with the same words in reverse order in "heavenly Father" and "little ones" in verse 14. The words "little ones" and "little child/children" are also used for believers in the Gospels of Mark and Luke ( Mk 9:42; 10:14, 15; Lk 17:2; 18:16, 17). "Little children" is the term that St. John uses for believers spoken by Jesus in his Gospel and is a favorite term St. John uses for believers in his first letter to the Church ( Jn 13:33; 1 Jn 2:1, 12, 13, 18, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21).

Matthew 18:10 ~ See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

Children were completely without status in society in the ancient world and were even referred to as the "servants" of their father. Jesus states that this is not the case in His Kingdom and links the status of the disciples, the sons and daughters of the Kingdom, to their guardian angels in heaven.

Question: What do you know about guardian angels from Scripture and what does the Catholic Church teach about guardian angels? See Tobit 5:4-8; 12:12-15; Job 33:23-24; Ps 34:7/8; 91:10-13; Dan 8:15-17; 9:20-23; 10:4-14, 20-21; 12:1; Zech 1:7-11; Lk 16:22; Acts 12:15 and CCC 336.
Answer: In Scripture angels appear as guardians of people and nations. The Church teaches that each person is given a guardian angel at birth who continues watch over and to intercede for that person throughout his or her entire life.

In the parable the shepherd searches for the lost sheep and when he has "saved" the lost sheep from perishing he rejoices that the saved one has been returned to the flock. It is interesting to note that verse 13 suggests the lost are not always returned to the flock when Jesus says And if he finds it.

Verse 14 is similar to St. Peter's encouraging statement concerning the delay in Jesus' return in 2 Peter 3:9: The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard delay, but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Question: The parable of the lost sheep recalls what prophecy of the prophet Ezekiel?
Answer: It recalls Ezekiel chapter 34 in which God promises that He will come to shepherd His flock, seeking the lost sheep that have gone astray and bringing them home.

1. Every believer is precious to Him and should be precious to the community.

2. Christians should care about each other-even about those members of the community who have been drawn away. Every effort should be made to bring them back.

Jesus is using a metaphor common to the Old Testament prophets in the symbolic imagery of domesticated animals. See the chart on the "Symbolic Images of the Old Testament Prophets." The most common of such metaphors was a shepherd and his sheep (for some Old Testament passages depicting God as the shepherd and Israel as the flock of His sheep see Ps 23; 95:7; Jer 23:1-4; and especially Ez 34). Jesus will use this same imagery in His discourse on the Last Judgment ( Mt 25:32-33); in warning the Apostles of their crisis when He is arrested ( Mt 26:31); and in His Good Shepherd discourse ( Jn 10:1-18).
Matthew 18:15-35 ~ Section two of the Ecclesial Discourse
The second section of Jesus' homily in 18:15-35 is also divided into three parts:

1. Brotherly correction within the faith community (verses 15-20)

2. Forgiveness of Christian brothers/sisters who have expressed sorrow for sins (verses 21-22)

3. Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (verses 23-35)

The discourse that began with the description of the model disciple, warnings concerning the temptation to sin, and the Christian's duty toward brothers and sisters who have strayed from their community now turns to the subject of brothers or sisters who are engaged in sin but remain in the fellowship of the community.

Question: In Matthew 18:15-20 what four steps are we to follow within each faith community when a "brother" or "sister" has fallen into error?
Answer:

1. Go to the person within the community who is in error or who has wronged you and privately tell him his fault.

2. If he listens be reconciled with him, but if he does not listen take others along and speak to him a second time so that you have witnesses to the discussion.

3. If he refuses to listen or mend his ways take the problem to the Church (first the priest or possibly the Bishop).

4. If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then the person is to be considered outside the fellowship of the community.

The first step in the process of brotherly correction is based on the Holiness Code in Leviticus 19:17~ You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.

The second step is based on Deuteronomy 19:15: One witness alone shall not take the stand against a man in regard to any crime of any offense of which he may be guilty; a judicial fact shall be established only on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

In the third step, if the person refuses to listen or repent, the offense becomes a judicial case under the jurisdiction of the leadership of the Church.

In the 4 th and final step, the Church may impose the redemptive judgment of excommunication. To separate a covenant believer from the Sacraments is a last measure to attempt to bring that person back into communion with God and fellowship with his covenant brothers and sisters (CCC 1444-45).

In 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, St. Paul makes a similar demand for excommunication of an unrepentant member of the faith community in the hopes that expulsion will be a redemptive remedy that will bring about repentance. In his letter to the Church in Rome and in his letter to the Church in Thessalonica he warns the faithful concerning members of the community who have gone astray into false teaching or immoral behavior:

It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans-a man living with his father's wife. And you are inflated with pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful-the one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst ... you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord (1 Cor 5:1-5).

I urge you, brothers, be on your guard against the people who are out to stir up disagreements and bring up difficulties against the teaching which you learnt. Avoid them. People of that sort are servants not of our Lord Christ, but of their own greed; and with talk that sounds smooth and reasonable they deceive the minds of the unwary (Rom 16:17-18).

"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you, brothers, to keep away from any of the brothers who lives an undisciplined life, not in accordance with the tradition you received from us" and "My brothers, never slacken in doing what is right. If anyone refuses to obey what I have written in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him, so that he will be ashamed of himself, through you are not to treat him as an enemy, but to correct him as a brother" (2 Thes 3:6, 13-16).

Matthew 18:17 ~ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church [ekklesia]. If he refuses to listen even to the church [ekklesia], then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Gentiles were outside of the community of the faithful prior to the birth of the New Covenant Church at Pentecost ( Acts 2), and "tax collectors" is a metaphor for sinners in general.

Question: We have responsibilities to those within the Christian family of our faith communities who are in sin but do we have a responsibility to correct those who are not Christians? See Mt 18:17; 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Mk 4:11-12; 1 Cor 5:12-13; Col 4:5; 1 Thes 4:12; 1 Tim 3:7.
Answer: We are responsible for the conduct of those within the Church, and we have the responsibility to preach the Gospel of salvation to those outside the Church, but as for those who choose to live steeped in sin outside the Church, we are to avoid them ( Mt 18:17) and they are to be disciplined by God ( 1 Cor 5:13a) and by the civil authorities.

Matthew 18:18 ~ Amen, I say to you [plural], whatever you- bind [plural]on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you-loose [plural] on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Question: What is the significance of Matthew 18:18? Compare this verse to Matthew 16:19b where Jesus gives His authority to Peter, asking "What do you (singular) say" and using singular verbs for to bind and loose: "Whatever you- bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you- loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Like many modern languages, Greek has singular and plural pronoun that we translated as "you." Both verbs in the 16:19b are also singular.
Answer: With the exception of the plural form of the pronoun "you" and the plural verbs "bind" and "loose," this passage is almost identical with Matthew 16:19b. In verse 18 Jesus is giving the same authoritative power to bind and loose that he gave to Simon-Peter, the Vicar (chief minister) of His earthly Kingdom, to His other ministers who are with Peter the hierarchy of the New Covenant Church.

This interpretation is supported by the fact that the Greek word ekklesia, or the "called out ones," k(q)ahal in Hebrew, which we translate into English as "church," only occurs in the Gospels in these two passages in Matthew 16:18 and in 18:17. There are many examples in Jewish literature of this same binding and loosing imagery and in those cases the references are to the giving of authoritative teaching and the imposition of the ban of exile from the community (excommunication) or the lifting of such a ban. Jesus will repeat the declaration of this power and authority in John's Gospel on Resurrection Sunday to the Apostles assembled in the Upper Room in John 20:22-23.

It is clear from these three passages ( Mt 16:19; 18:18 and Jn 20:22-23) that the hierarchy of the Church has the authority of heaven itself in passing verdicts on what kinds of behavior are considered acceptable within the community of believers. This is an authority that did not end with the deaths of the Apostles. In Acts 1:15-26 the eleven chose a twelfth Apostle to take the place of Judas. It was their understanding that the hierarchy of Jesus' Kingdom was intended to continue.

Question: What authority from heaven does the hierarchy of the Church exercise then and now? See CCC 553.
Answer: The hierarchy of the Church, established by Jesus through Peter and the Apostles and continued through their successors in the Universal Magisterium composed of the Pope and the council of Bishops, has the authority of heaven itself in passing verdicts on:

the forgiveness of sin

on authoritative teaching and the interpretation of Sacred Scripture

on the conduct of Christians that can lead to reproof or excommunication

Matthew 18:19-20 ~"Again, [amen], I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Jesus' statement in verse 20 recalls the judicial ruling of calling two or three witnesses in Deuteronomy 19:15, but in this case when believers gather together to pray in one accord in the name of Jesus He is their witness, standing in their midst and receiving their petition. In the context of this passage, the united prayer is a petition for the Lord's intervention in the life of a brother or sister whose soul is in peril because of sin. Bible scholar John Nolland notes that "behind the binding and losing of verse 18 stands the prayer of verse 19" (Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew, page 749).

Question: What does Jesus' statement in verse 20 confirm? See CCC 1088 and 1373 and what Jesus told the paralytic in 9:2 (also see Mk 2:3-5) concerning the faith of his friends.
Answer: Jesus encouraged both private and public prayer, but here He confirms the power of faith expressed in communal prayer with the promise of His presence.

Question: Jesus' promise "there I AM in the midst of them" recalls what prophecy about the Messiah from Matthew 1:23 quoting Isaiah 7:14 and what promise Jesus will make in Matthew 28:20?
Answer: His promise in 18:20 recalls the title Emmanuel (meaning "God with us") given in Isaiah 7:14 and repeated in Matthew 1:23 as well as Jesus promise after His resurrection when He told the disciples And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.

Matthew 18:21-22 ~ The Necessity of Forgiving a Covenant Brother
21Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times."

The last two sections of the discourse ( Mt 18:21-35) concerns the obligation of disciples to forgive brothers and sisters in the covenant family who have wronged them. The number Jesus gives Peter is significant. This is a number that is not to be taken literally but is a number that has a symbolic value. The Greek number can be read either seven times ten plus seven times = 77 times or of seven times ten times seven = 490 times. In both cases seven is the number of perfection, fulfillment and completion; it is also the number of the Holy Spirit. Ten is the number of divine government. Taken together the numbers symbolize the spiritual perfection and fulfillment of divine government.

There may also be a connection to Genesis 4:24 where Cain's descendant Lamech demands limitless vengeance against a man who has wronged him: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold [seven times seventy-fold] (see Gen 4:15). In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the number in Genesis 4:24 is the same as in Matthew 18:22 where the emphasis is on limitless forgiveness.

What generates Peter's question may be an exchange not recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. In Luke 17:3-4 Jesus is teaching the disciples about forgiveness and says: Be on your guard! If your brother sins rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, I am sorry,' you should forgive him." If you approach Matthew 18:21-22 in light of the Luke passage, the interpretation is quite different. In Luke Jesus is speaking about the forgiveness between brothers/sisters within the community of believers and the command is to forgive seven times, using one of the numbers which symbolically expresses fullness and completion. Perhaps Peter, as the spokesman of the disciples is asking the question because he is looking for clarification since the rabbis considered three times forgiveness to be sufficient ( Mishnah: Yoma, 86b-87a). In any event Jesus tells Peter he must forgive not seven times but seventy-seven times or seventy times seven times-exercising the spiritual perfection and fulfillment of the Church's divine government.

Question: When Peter asks for clarification on the perfection of brotherly forgiveness, why is Jesus' answer to Peter such a greater symbolic number than what was given to the other disciples in Luke 17:3-4?
Answer: The simply answer is that forgiveness to the repentant brother should have no limit. However, considering Peter's status as the Vicar of Christ, Jesus' demand may be greater because the Church must be unlimited in offering forgiveness for sins even to the greatest sinner who seeks mercy-a requirement beyond the mere human capacity for forgiveness.

Jesus continues His teaching about forgiveness within the covenant community of His kingdom in a parable that is an extension of His exchange with Peter. In verse 24 the first servant owed the Master an incredibly large amount of money. In ancient Greek a "myriad of talents" is equal to ten thousand talents and a single talent is worth six thousand denarii. A single denarius was equal to a day's wage for the typical laborer. The money owed the Master was an impossible sum for the servant to repay. In contrast the money the second servant owed was one hundred denarii which is equivalent to about 100 days of labor-not an impossible sum to repay (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, page 234).

1. The Master is God.

2. The servant who was deeply in debt to the Master is every Christian who comes to God in repentance asking for His mercy and forgiveness.

3. The second servant who owed the first servant is any Christian who seeks forgiveness for having wronged a fellow Christian.

4. The fellow servants of the household are the community of believers.

5. The place where the debt is paid is Sheol/Purgatory.

Both servants/Christians begged for mercy-the first asking God for mercy on account of his huge debt and the second asking the servant to whom God had granted His mercy and forgiveness for the same compassion and mercy for his debt to his fellow servant. The Master's anger is justified since he offered the first servant/Christian sinner His bountiful forgiveness-more than the servant/Christian deserved and yet the first servant/Christian sinner was not willing to extend even a small portion of the forgiveness he received from God to his brother servant/Christian of the Master/God. God the Master judges the Christian who refuses to forgive-his lack of forgiveness has cut him off from God's forgiveness.

1. In the Beatitudes Jesus said "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Mt 5:7).

2. In the Lord's Prayer Jesus said "... and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors..." (6:12).

3. In the summation of the Lord's Prayer Jesus said "If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will you Father forgive your transgressions" (Mt 6:14-15).

The prison cannot be Hell/Gehenna as some have suggested. Prison is temporary but Hell/Gehenna is forever. In the ancient world prison was always a temporary confinement for someone who broke the law. Criminals were either executed or they were condemned to confinement until the debt/crime was "paid in full." Jesus is very direct when He is talking about eternal punishment. He either refers directly to Gehenna ( Mt 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33) or indirectly to Gehenna as the place of "wailing and grinding of teeth" ( Mt 13:42, 50), or the place of fire ( Mt 7:19; 13:40, 42; 18:8, 9; 25:41). None of those descriptions are used in this passage. Verse 34 states the debt can be paid and when the whole debt is paid the servant can be released. There is no release from the Hell of the damned, but there is release from Sheol/Purgatory once one is purified of one's sins.

Jesus uses the metaphor of prison and debt payment in referring to Sheol/Purgatory in His teaching about forgiveness in 5:25-26: Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny (emphasis added; also see Lk 12:58-9). St. Peter also refers to Sheolas prison in 1 Peter 3:19: In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark ... (also see 1 Cor 3:10-15 and CCC 1030-35). The prison imagery for Sheol/Purgatory in 5:25-26 and the judicial imagery in both 5:25-26 and in 18:34-35 connect these passages to the Church's judicial power to bind and loose sins in holding the keys to Hades/Sheol and heaven ( 16:18-19 and 18:18). Withholding our forgiveness from those who seek it will not cost us our eternal salvation, but it will cost us the fiery purifying love of God in our penance owed for our sin-debt in Sheol/Purgatory.
Questions for group discussion:
Question: Jesus calls His disciples to child-like faith and obedience. What is the difference between childish behavior and child-like behavior? How does childish behavior hurt the spiritual health of the individual and the faith community?

Question: How does the Catechism define true forgiveness in CCC 2842-43?

Does forgiving mean forgetting?

Question: Jesus' 4 th discourse concerns right behavior within the Catholic [universal] communities of the Church founded by Jesus Christ through His Apostles. Does "Catholic" only mean "Roman Catholic"? How many "Catholic" rites are there in addition to the Roman/Latin Rite? See the Chart on "Rites of the Catholic Church."

Question: Why should one be Catholic, when much less is expected in the way of commands and obligations for Protestant Christians? See the 5 Precepts that are the minimum obligations that bind Catholic Christians to the Church in CCC 2041-43.
Answer: With greater obligations come greater blessings. Jesus only gave the power to bind and loose and the keys of the Kingdom to the Apostles and the successors of the Apostles who are the ordained Bishops (including the Bishop of Rome who is St. Peter's successor) and priests of the Catholic Church. Our Protestant brothers and sisters who have come to Christ in a valid Christian baptism are members of the New Covenant; however, without a valid ministerial priesthood they have no one in authority to administer the Sacraments including to forgive sins. They believe sins can be forgiven in private confession-a practice never mentioned or condoned in Sacred Scripture (in the Old or New Testament) and a practice that does not impose the justice of penance (accountability) for the sin committed. In the Old Covenant and in the New, sins are confessed to and are forgiven by God through His representative the validly ordained priestly minister of the Church. Because we have this great blessing, we have the hope of going directly to heaven or to at least spending less time being purified in Purgatory of unconfessed venial sins and purified of penance still owed for mortal sins that were already forgiven through a valid confession in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In addition to the forgiveness of sins through the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the Sacrament of Anointing, we Catholics receive the gift of grace to strengthen us on our faith journey through the other sacraments Christ gave as His gift to His Bride, the Catholic (universal) Church founded upon the Peter and the Apostles.

For information on the Sacrament of Reconciliation and forgiveness of sins see CCC 1441-1467-especially 1441-42, 1444, 1446, 1448, 1456, 1459-60.
Endnotes:
1. Gehenna was the Valley of Hinnom, beginning west of Jerusalem and curving around to the south to join the Kidron Valley on the east side of the city across from the Mount of Olives. The valley of Hinnom was a site associated with great evil in the Old Testament. It was where children had been offered in sacrifice to pagan gods in the mid 8 th-mid 7 th century BC during the reigns of kings Ahaz and Manasseh and during the 6 th century BC in the time of the prophet Jeremiah ( 2 Kng 23:10; also 16:2-3; 17:17; 21:6; 2 Chr 28:3; 33:6; Jer 7:30-34; 32:35). Since the site was associated with great evil, it was not settled but was used as a place to burn garbage -hence the image of fire.

2. The Greek word angelos means "messenger;" the Hebrew word mal'ak has the same meaning. Even the Apostles and disciples can be referred to as "messengers/angelos" (see Lk 7:24 where John's disciples are called angelos and Rev. chapters 2-3 where the leaders of the seven churches are called angelos) but in this passage the reference is to spiritual beings who are God's messengers sent from the spiritual realm of heaven.

3. According to the Jewish rabbis who later wrote the Talmud, the minimum for a prayer group was a minyon, a quorum of ten men. However, certain prayers, like the prayer after meals, could be recited in a mezuman, a quorum of three men or three women "not mixed ( The Jewish Book of Why, vol. II, pages 217, 297, 357). Jesus has promised His presence and intercession whenever two or three are united in His name praying for a cause/petition.

4. The Greek can be translated as either seventy-seven or seventy times seven which is 490. The New American Bible translation (which we use) interprets the number as "seventy-seven," and so does the Revised Standard Version Catholic edition, the New Jerusalem Bible, and the Protestant New International Version. Apparently, the only English translation that uses "seventy times seven" is the Protestant King James Version. The Greek of Matthew 18:22 corresponds exactly to the Greek Septuagint translation of Genesis 4:24 which probably is an allusion to the limitless vengeance of Lamech in the Genesis account. The Jewish Old Testament uses seventy-seven in its translation of Genesis 4:24 from the Hebrew which also indicates that seventy-seven is the intended number.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson:

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 19-20 THE FINAL JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM (Narrative 5: Jesus' Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem)

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 19-20 THE FINAL JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM (Narrative 5: Jesus' Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem)

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: Narrative 5: Jesus’ Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem

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Holy Father, The liturgical season of Lent is the Christian’s annual
forty day journey to repentance and spiritual cleansing in preparation for the
celebration of Christ’s glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Every Lenten
journey should bring about a change that leaves us, at the end of the jou…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 21:1-22:14 JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM - The Prophet-King Comes to Jerusalem

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 21:1-22:14 JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM - The Prophet-King Comes to Jerusalem

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Heavenly Father,
We thank you, Lord, for Your fatherly care of Your children. We know that You are always with us, guiding us lovingly in our struggles, rejoicing with us in our victories against the temptation to sin, and ministering to us in the holy Sacraments that strengthen us on our journey to salvation. We know that our gratitude to You for Your many mercies on our behalf is best displayed in the mercy and forgiveness that we extend to our brothers and sisters in the human family and by living the Christian model of child-like humility and obedience to which Jesus called His disciples. Send Your Holy Spirit to guide us in this week's study of Jesus' triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem when the people welcomed Him as the promised Davidic Messiah. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

These are the appointed seasons of Yahweh, holy gatherings which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons: In the first month, on the 14th of the month, between the twilight of the day[at noon, between the twilight of dawn and dusk] the Passover to Yahweh. And on the 15th of the month, the feast of Unleavened Bread to Yahweh; you shall eat unleavened things seven days.

Leviticus 23:4-6 ( The Interlinear Bible: Hebrew-English, vol. 1, page 321)

Three times a year, then, every male among you shall appear before the LORD, your God, in the place which he chooses: at the feast of Unleavened Bread, at the feast of Weeks, and at the feast of Booths.
Deuteronomy 16:16 (NAB)
Background
In the third year of His ministry, Jesus and the disciples knew that the opposition of the chief priests and Pharisees had reached a dangerous intensity. The hostility of the religious authority became action on the last day of the pilgrim feast of Tabernacles/Booths in the early fall when the crowds of Jews at the festival began to believe in Him, asking When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man has done?" ( Jn 7:31). The chief priests and Pharisees of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin (the Jewish High Court) sent the Temple guards to arrest Jesus, but even the Levitical Temple guards were impressed with Jesus and refused to arrest Him ( Jn 7:32, 45-46). Jesus' next visit to Jerusalem was three months later for the national Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah; 1 Mac 4:36-59; 2 Mac 1:18-2:19; 10:1-8) in December ( Jn 10:22). While He was teaching at the Temple in the Portico of Solomon, He told the Jews that He and the Father are One. The Jews attempted to stone Him for blasphemy, accusing Him by declaring: "You, a man, are making yourself God" ( Jn 10:33-34).

After this, Jesus withdrew from Judea and did not return until His disciples Martha and Mary send word to Him that their brother, Lazarus, was deathly ill ( Jn 11:1-3). When Jesus announced to His disciples that Lazarus had "fallen asleep" and He must go to him in Bethany in Judea, the disciples knew it could mean a death sentence for all of them and they were afraid. But the Apostle Thomas bravely urged his brother Apostles, saying"Let us also go to die with him" ( Jn 11:16).

The High Priest Joseph Caiaphas told the judicial court that Jesus should die in order for the nation to be saved. Ironically, he did not realize that he was speaking prophetically in saying that Jesus was going to die for the nation. It was God's plan that Jesus should die for the Jews of Judea and also for all the lost sheep of the house of Israel ( Jn 11:49-53).

Caiaphas in effect chose Jesus as the victim of sacrifice for the sake of the people just as he daily selected the communal sacrifice of the two Tamid lambs offered as a single sacrifice for the atonement and sanctification of the covenant people in the daily Temple liturgical services in the morning and afternoon ( Ex 29:38-42; Num 28:3-8)

In His last journey from the Galilee to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled down the east side of the Jordan River ( Mt 19:1); it was the early spring. "Across/beyond the Jordan" always refers to the east bank of the river ( Mt 20:29; Mk 10:46; Lk 18:35; 19:1; Jn 1:28). His disciples were afraid, but they bravely followed Him (( Mk 10:32). Jesus crossed the Jordan River near Jericho, a symbolic act that called to mind the invasion of the Promised Land by the Israelites led by Moses' successor, their divinely appointed leader who shared the same name as Jesus in Hebrew, Joshua [Yehoshua] ( Dt 31:23; Josh 4:14, 16).

As the pilgrims were streaming into Jerusalem days before the Passover sacrifice that was to take place on Nisan the 14 th, many were looking for Jesus and asking if He would risk His life by keeping His holy day obligation: Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?" For the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should inform them, so that they might arrest him ( Jn 11:55-57).

In the festival of Passover, the Israelites of the Galilee and the Jews of Judea relived the first Passover experience of their ancestors in Egypt. In the tenth plague judgment that took place in the early spring of the year, God commanded the children of Israel to select an unblemished lamb or goat kid from the flock on the 10 th of the month. They were told to sacrifice the victim and to spread its blood from the threshold to the lintel to the door posts of their dwellings. When the angel of death passed over the houses of the Israelites in Goshen, the houses that were protected under the "sign of the blood" that formed a cross over their doors were spared ( Ex 12:1-13, 22-23). Please note that the Passover victim could be an unblemished goat kid or a lamb "an animal from the flock not younger than eight days and not older than a year ( Ex 12:5, Lev 22:27).

The Gospel of St. John sets the countdown to Christ's Passion: Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil ... On the next day, when the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him ... ( Jn 12:1-3, 12-13a).

The ancients did not count days or years as we do using the concept of zero-place value. Instead they counted days and years like we count objects with the first day or year counting as #1 in the sequence. This is why Scripture tells us Jesus was in the tomb three days from Friday to Sunday instead as we could count the days today with Friday-Saturday as day #1 and Saturday to Sunday as day #2. St. John's Gospel tells us it was six days before the Passover sacrifice ( Jn 12:1) when Jesus had dinner with His friends in Bethany at the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. It was the day before He rode into Jerusalem "the day Christians celebrate as Palm/Passion Sunday ( Jn 12:12).

The village of Bethany (in Hebrew = "place/house of grace") was located on the south slope of the Mt. of Olives. The next day Jesus and the Apostles walked from Bethany to the nearby village of Bethpage on the road that led to Jerusalem.
The Gospel of St. Matthew ~ Chapter 21
(Narrative 5 of Matthew's Gospel: The Last Days of Jesus' Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem)

Matthew 21:1-5 ~ Preparation for the Entry into Jerusalem (Sunday)
1 When they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethpage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. 3 And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, The master has need of them.' Then he will send them at once." 4 This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: 5 "Say to daughter Zion, Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden [literal translation = mounted on a colt, the son of an ass, IBHE, vol. III, page 2170].'"

Jesus sent two disciples to bring Him an ass and her colt from the village of Bethpage (in Hebrew = "house of figs"). In verse 5 Matthew reveals that this was to fulfill the prophecies of the restoration of Israel by the Messiah spoken by the prophets Isaiah (8 th century BC) and Zechariah (6 th century BC). This is the 9 th of the "fulfillment statements" in Matthew's Gospel:

See, the LORD proclaims to the ends of the earth "Say to daughter Zion, your savior comes!" (Is 62:11).

Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! See [Behold], you king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass (Zech 9:9).

The words "daughter Zion" refer to the holy city of Jerusalem.
Question: According to the prophecies quoted by Jesus, in what manner will the Messiah come?
Answer: The Messiah will come not like a conquering king or military leader; He will come humbly as a Savior to His people.

There may also be a link to a much earlier Biblical passage and dates prior to the Exodus out of Egypt. That passage is Jacob/Israel's death-bed testimony concerning the tribe of Judah in Genesis 49:8-12. Jacob, the "father" of the children of Israel, speaks of the tribe of his son Judah: The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, until sent [shiloh] comes, he receives the people's homage. He tethers his donkey to the vine, his purebred ass to the choices stem. In wine he washes his garments, his robe in the blood of grapes ( Gen 49:10-11; IBHE, vol. I, page133).

The passage poetically describes kings from the tribe of Judah who will rule over Israel (a prophecy of David and the Davidic kings of Judah) until the One who will be "sent" comes; "sent" is the meaning of the Hebrew word shiloh in the Hebrew text, which is the word Siloam in the Greek text. St. John gave us the translation of Shiloh/siloam: [Jesus] said to him, "Go wash in the Pool of Siloam (which means Sent)" ( Jn 9:7).

Question: What parts of the Genesis passage are fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth? What symbolism do you recognize from the images of the prophets? See the chart "Symbolic Images of the O. T. Prophets and Mt 1:1-6; Mt 21:7; Jn 15:1-10; Mt 26:28; Jn 19:1; Ps 2:7-9; Rev 2:26-27; 12:5; 19:15-16.
Answer: Jesus is a descendant of Judah and King David. He is a legitimate heir of King David, and as the Son of God he is the King of Kings. Jesus is destined to rule over Israel as David's heir and all nations as the Son of God. The passage concerning the donkey and the ass are fulfilled in Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus will refer to Himself as the "Vine" and His disciples as the "branches" in His Last Supper discourse ( Jn 15:1-10). His garments will be "washed in blood" in His Passion and the "blood of grapes" will become the blood of His Passion in the Eucharist in which communion is restore with God.

It was the day after His dinner with Lazarus' family that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. According to tradition, and in agreement with the Gospels, the day He rode into Jerusalem is celebrated as Palm (Passion) Sunday.

Question: What day did Jesus have dinner with His friends in Bethany? Counting as the ancients counted, without a zero-place value, what day of the week was the Passover sacrifice that, according to the Law, had to be celebrated on the 14 th of Nisan?
Answer: Jesus had a Sabbath Saturday dinner with friends in Bethany. Six days from Saturday, with Saturday counting as day #1, makes the day of the Passover sacrifice Thursday of Jesus' last week, Nisan the 14 th.

This agrees with the accounts in the Synoptic Gospels which all record that the Passover sacrifice was the day before Jesus was arrested and crucified on Friday, the Jewish Day of Preparation for the Saturday Sabbath ( Jn 19:31).

The disciples followed Jesus' instructions and brought a donkey and its colt. They laid garments on both animals and Jesus sat on the garments on the colt "that it was with its mother was a sign that the colt had never been ridden. In the Holy Land today one still sees a mother donkey and a foal trotting beside her with both animals having garments put across their backs (also see Bishop, Jesus of Palestine, page 212).

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on the colt of an ass was a planned and highly symbolic act. Old Testament prophets taught in parables and performed symbolic acts as part of their ministry. For example, the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel taught in parables (short stories with a double meaning). Isaiah's parable of the vineyard as a symbol for Israel ( Is 5:1-2) is an example. An example of a prophet called to perform a prophetic act, called an ot in Hebrew, is Jeremiah. Jeremiah's entire life was a series of prophetic acts that were warnings from God to call the covenant people of Judah to repentance before God's judgment resulted in the lifting of God's protection and the destruction of the nation by the Babylonians ( Jer 7:1-15). Some examples of prophetic acts by prophets were Jeremiah's breaking a pottery flask in the sight of the elders, a symbol of the future "smashing" of Judah in judgment for terrible sins ( Jer 19:1-13) and Ezekiel's series of prophetic acts that were signs of the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of Judea ( Ez 4:1-6:14). Jesus, God's supreme prophet, will perform a number of prophetic acts His last week in Jerusalem.

Question: If Thursday was Nisan the 14 th, what date was Jesus triumphal ride into the holy city of Jerusalem on Sunday? What is historically significant about that date to the covenant people and how is that date important to Jesus' mission? See Ex 12:3; Josh 4:19 and CCC 1026.
Answer: Sunday was Nisan the 10 th. The 10 th was the day the Passover victims were chosen in the first Passover and it was the day Joshua led the children of Israel across the Jordan River in the conquest of the Promised Land. Jesus is the true Passover victim that all other Passover lambs and kids only prefigured, and in His entry into Jerusalem He is beginning His conquest that will result in opening the true Promised Land of heaven to the faithful through His death and Resurrection.

Coming from the Mt. of Olives, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley and entered the walled city of Jerusalem through the arched gate that faced the Mt. of Olives. It was the gate that was closest to the Temple Mount that was located on the east side of Jerusalem on the height of Mt. Moriah. The crowd shouted acclamations from the Messianic Psalms 118:25-26 (NJB) ~ We beg you Yahweh, save us [hosanna], we beg you Yahweh, give us victory! Blessed in the name of Yahweh is he who is coming! "Hosanna" is a word of Hebrew origin ( hosi-a-na) that is composed of two words literally meaning "save now" or "save (we) pray" (i.e., 2 Sam 14:4; Ps 106:47; Is 25:9; 37:20; Jer 2:27; etc.). In Aramaic, the common language of the people in Jesus' time, the people were shouting hosa-na ( International Christian Commentary: Matthew, page 124).(5)

"Hosanna" had come to be used in the same way the English might shout out "God save the king," and this was the way the crowd shouted "Hosanna" as an acclamation of praise to the one greeted as the Messiah. Psalms 113-118 is known as the great Hallel (praise God) psalms. It was also called the Egyptian Psalms since 113-117 retold the story of the Exodus while 118 promised another liberator "a "messiah" who was coming to save the people.

The four Gospels describe Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as the triumphal arrival of a king or military ruler. Such a visit to the people by a ruler was a parousia, a Greek word meaning "coming," "arrival," or "being present among the people." In the New Testament, the word gives expression to the Christian belief and expectation that Jesus will return to His people in the future (Second Advent of Christ). It is the same term Christians used for the "presence" of Jesus Christ in the Eucharistic Banquet. In the Old Testament the parousia of a king is described in:

Jesus' symbolic entrance and the connection to Solomon's ride into the city was certainly not missed on the crowds.

Question: What does Jesus riding into Jerusalem to these acclamations recall from the history of Israel, and how do we know this historical link was not lost on the crowd? See 1 Kng 2:38-40; Ps 118:25-27, Jn 12:13.
Answer: Jesus' rode into Jerusalem like King David's son Solomon on his coronation day. Jesus received the same acclamation, with the people even referring to Him as "the son of David," quoting from Psalm 118 the passages referring to the promised Messianic king. St. John also tells us the crowd not only quoted from the Messianic Psalms 118:26 Blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord but also hailed Jesus as the king of Israel ( Jn 12:13).

Matthew 21:10 ~ And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee."

The Greek word for "shaken" is a word commonly used to describe earthquakes. The strength of this word conveys the tremendous excitement with which Jesus was greeted by the pilgrims to the festival and the citizens of Jerusalem. The crowd that followed Jesus to Jerusalem recognized Him as "the prophet." He is the fulfillment of God's promise to Moses and the Israelites in Deuteronomy 18:18 ~ I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. For the significance of Jesus' prophetic ministry see CCC 436, 783, 873, 904.

Matthew 21:12-17 ~ Jesus Cleanses the Temple a Second Time and Heals the Afflicted
12 Jesus entered the temple area [hieron] and drove out all those engaged in selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And he said to them, "It is written: My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you are making it a den of thieves." 14 The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them. 15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wondrous things he was doing, and the children crying out in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant 16 and said to him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes; and have you never read the text, Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise'?" 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night.

The merchants in the Temple area were selling doves that were the sacrifices of the poor, for women and lepers ( Lev 12:6-8; 14:22; 15:14, 29). They were also exchanging coins that bore pagan images or the images of the Roman emperor that were not accepted to purchase sacrifices or for Temple donations in exchange for Jewish coinage or Tyrian coins that bore no forbidden images ( Ex 30:11-16). Jesus going to the Temple fulfills the prophecy of the 6th century BC prophet Malachi: And suddenly there will come to the Temple the LORD whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts, but who will endure the day of his coming ( Mal 3:1b-2a)? His actions in driving out the merchants also fulfill the prophecy of the 6 th century BC prophet Zechariah that in the era of the Messiah...there shall no longer be any merchant in the house of the LORD of hosts ( Zec 14:21).

St. Matthew uses the Greek word hieron for the area of the Temple complex where the merchants had their tables. This word does not refer to the Sanctuary that housed the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies but refers to the outer courtyard called the Court of the Gentiles, as is made clear in a Scripture passage Jesus alludes to in His exchange of word with the chief priests. It was the only area of the Temple complex were Gentiles were allowed to come to pray, to give sacrifices that priests would take to the altar for them and to be instructed about the One True God. Non-covenant members were forbidden to enter the other areas of the Temple complex or to approach the altar and could be executed for such an offense (see Lev 3:10 and read about the commotion when the Jews accused St. Paul of bringing Gentile-Christians into the Temple in Acts 21:27-29).

Question: Why would Jesus consider buying and selling in the Court of the Gentiles a sacrilege that profaned the Temple? See Ex 19:6; Is 60:3.
Answer: The Court of the Gentiles was the only place in the Temple set aside for Gentiles to learn about Yahweh. The Jews had an obligation as God's holy people to be a "kingdom of priests" and a "light" to the Gentile nations of the earth.

Matthew 21:12 ~ 13 And he said to them, "It is written: My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you are making it a den of thieves."

In cleansing the Temple Jesus alludes to two passages from Sacred Scripture. The first speaks of Gentiles coming to the House of God, and the second condemns the priesthood and the people prior to the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians in 587/6 BC for turning God's house into a "den of thieves" (Jesus' words are underlined). Whenever an Old Testament passage is alluded to or quoted in the New Testament, the entire passage must be read in context to understand the significance of the quote or allusion:

Isaiah 56:6-7 ~ And the foreigners [gentiles] who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants "all who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; their holocausts and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

Jeremiah 7:1-3, 10-11, 14-15 ~ The following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Stand at the gate of the house of the LORD, and there proclaim this message: Hear the word of the LORD, all of you who enter these gates to worship the LORD! Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Reform your ways and your deeds, so that I may remain with you in this place ... and yet you came to stand before me in this house which bears my name, and say: "We are safe; we can commit all these abominations again"? Has this house which bears my name become in your eyes a den of thieves?... I will do to this house named after me, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, just as I did to Shiloh.* I will cast you away from me, as I cast away all your brethren, all the offspring of Ephraim.

"Shiloh" in Jeremiah 7:14 was the location of the desert Tabernacle in the Promised Land and the center of worship from the time of Joshua to the time of the prophet Samuel ( Josh 18:1; Judg 18:31; 1 Sam 1:3-9: 3:19-21).

Question: In the Jeremiah 7:1-15, what is the significance of what happened at Shiloh and how does Jesus use the Jeremiah passage as a warning for the present generation of religious authorities? See 1 Sam 4:3-4, 10-11; Ps 78:56-61, 68; Jer 7:12, 14; 26:6, 9.
Answer: The priests and the people's offenses against God and His Sanctuary caused God to withdraw His protection of the Sanctuary at Shiloh. The Philistines destroyed the Sanctuary and captured the Ark of the Covenant. The warning is that what happened at Shiloh and what happened to Solomon's Temple in the time of Jeremiah can happen to the 1 st century AD Temple for the same offenses.

Jesus conducted three Temple cleansings during His ministry. The first occurred the first year of His ministry ( Jn 2:13-25) during the Passover/Unleavened Bread festivals and the second and third cleansings were on Sunday and Monday of His last week in Jerusalem ( Mt 21:12; Mk 11:11-12, 15-17). According to the Law of the covenant, sacrifice and worship to Yahweh could only be offered at one location on earth "at the sanctified alter of Yahweh, which since the 10 th century BC was at the Jerusalem Temple ( Dt 12:11-12

Question: What is the significance of three Temple cleansings? What prophetic ot (the symbolic action of a prophet) was Jesus performing in cleansing the Temple? See the document " The Significance of Numbers in Scripture."
Answer: For the Israelites, three was one of the so-called "perfect numbers" signifying something of importance and fulfillment, especially as a prelude to a significant event in God's plan of salvation. The first Temple cleansing was to purify His Father's house and the covenant people's worship in preparation for Jesus' ministry. The last two were a final cleansing pointing to the culmination of Jesus' mission and the coming "hour" of His Passion.

Jesus' action in the Temple must have both shocked and enraged the Temple hierarchy who claimed authority over the Temple and over the right practice of religion and worship for the covenant people.

Notice the repetition of threes connected to Jesus' ministry; for example:

Jesus' three year ministry (year one Jn 2:13; year two6:4; year three 11:55 and 12:1)

Jesus' prediction that the sign of His authority is connected to three days between His death and Resurrection like the prophet Jonah (Mt 12:39-40)

Three Apostles accompany Jesus to the Mt. of Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-2)

Three different anointings by women (first on His feet during year one of His ministry = Lk 7:37-38; second on His feet in the third year on Saturday of His last week =Jn 12:3; third on His head in His third year on Wednesday of His last week =Mt 26:6-7 and Mk 14:3)

Three predictions of His Passion and Resurrection on the third day (Mt 16:21-21; 17:22-23;20:17-19 "repeated in Mk and Lk)

Three Temple cleansings (Jn 2:13-25; Mt 21:12 and Mk 11:11-12, 15-17)

Three different times Caiaphas declared Jesus must die (before Jesus' last journey to Jerusalem in Jn 11:49-50; during His last week inJn 18:14; and at Jesus trial in Mt 26:65-66.

Three times Pilate declared Jesus' innocence, "without fault" (Jn 18:38; 19:4, 6)

Many of the "three sequences" are fulfilled the last week of His ministry.

Mathew 21:14 ~ The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them. Jesus gives another sign of how He fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah that refer to the Messiah healing the lame and curing the blind ( Is 35:5-6 and Jer 31:8).

Matthew 21:15-16 ~ When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wondrous things he was doing, and the children crying out in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant 16 and said to him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes; and have you never read the text, Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise'?"

The chief priests and the scribes can see Jesus' miraculous acts and yet they are blinded by their jealousy. In contrast to their obstinate blindness, the innocent children proclaim Jesus the Davidic Messiah, to the consternation of the religious hierarchy who demand that Jesus stop them. Instead, Jesus challenges them on their knowledge of Scripture and quotes to them from Psalms 8:2(3) in the Septuagint (Greek LXX) translation: O LORD, our Lord, how wonderful is thy name in all the earth! For thy magnificence is exalted above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise, because of thine enemies; that thou mightest put down the enemy and avenger ( Ps 8:2-3).

Matthew 21:17 ~ And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night. It will be Jesus' practice to leave Jerusalem at the end of the day and to spend His nights in the village of Bethany on the Mt. of Olives ( Mk 11:11; Lk 21:37). In Mark 11:11 we are told the Twelve Apostles accompanied Him.

It is Monday morning, Nisan the 11 th. In this passage Jesus performs another symbolic act in cursing the fruitless fig tree. St. Mark tells us that it was not even the season for figs ( Mk 11:13) "the fig harvest begins in the late summer and continues into the early fall; it was the early spring.

The fig tree is the only fruit bearing tree named in Eden ( Gen 3:7). The fruitful fig tree was a sign of the good things promised the covenant people in the Promised Land ( Dt 8:8). Proverbs 27:18 advises that the person who produces good "fruit" in his life will be blessed by God: He who tends a fig tree eats its fruit, and he who is attentive to his Master will be enriched. And the prophet Jeremiah compared an Israel under the curse of divine judgment to a fruitless fig tree: I shall put an end to them, Yahweh declares, no more grapes on the vine, no more figs on the fig tree only withered leaves ... ( Jer 8:13 NJB)

In St. Luke's Gospel Jesus told His disciples a parable about a fig tree planted in a vineyard that failed to produce fruit. The owner of the vineyard complained to his vinedresser that for three years the tree had failed to produce fruit and told the vinedresser to cut it down. The vinedresser urged the owner to leave it for just a little while longer so he could fertilize it. If it still failed to bear fruit, then he could cut it down ( Lk 13:6-9).

Question: If God is the owner of the vineyard in the parable, and if the fig tree is Israel/the covenant people, and if Jesus is the vinedresser who asked for a little longer to bring the tree to bear "fruit," what is the significance of the incident of the cursed fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22? Why is it significant that it wasn't the season for figs?
Answer: Jesus has spent at least three years calling the covenant people to bear the good fruit of repentance and to recognize Him as the promised Messiah. They have failed to bear "good fruit" and there is no more time. That it isn't the "season" is no excuse. Cursing the fig tree is a prophetic sign of judgment against an unfaithful generation led by failed shepherds.

The disciples were amazed at how quickly the tree withered, but Jesus promised them in Matthew 21:21-22: "Amen, I say to you, if you have faith and do not waver, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea.' It will be done. 22 Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."

Question: What is "this mountain" that Jesus is using as an example of the power the disciples will have if they pray in faith? Chron 3:1; Mt 24:1-2.
Answer: It is likely that He is referring to Mt. Moriah where the Temple stood, just across from them to the west. Jesus will predict the destruction of the Temple to His disciples in Matthew 24:1-2. The New Covenant Church will replace the old Temple as the dwelling place of God, but the disciples will need to have faith to endure the struggle.

St. Mark tells us that after cursing the fig tree ( Mk 11:12-14) Jesus came to the Temple and found the same money lenders in the Court of the Gentiles that He chased out on Sunday. For a third time Jesus cleansed the Temple in a prophetic act reminiscent of the Old Testament prophets, but this time He quoted more fully from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 ( Mk 11:15-19). If the chief priests were angry the day before, this time they must have been beyond enraged, which accounts for their determination of have Jesus put to death. He was challenging their authority over the Temple and over the people.

Jesus left the outer courtyard and came into the Temple area. He probably went to the colonnade situated along the east side of the Temple enclosure above the Kidron Valley that faced the Mt. of Olives. It was called Solomon's Portico, and it was where men of the covenant met to study Scripture and discuss the Law ( Jn 10:23; Acts 3:11; 5:12).

It has not been lost on the chief priests and elders that Jesus' prophetic acts challenged their authority. They have decided to arrest Him ( 21:46), and so they confront Him and demand to know the source of His authority to act as He has. If He says His authority comes from God they will arrest Him on the charge of blasphemy. In the past, the Pharisees and scribes have attempted to "test" Jesus by posing questions to Him in the hopes of trapping Him with His answer ( Mt 12:10, 38-39; 16:1; 19:3). Each time He avoided their trap. This time Jesus turns the tables on them. The "elders" are members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court.

The Greek word for "authority" in verse 24 is "exousia." It means "from the being of." Jesus speaks with the very exousia/being of God. Therefore, His words bring into being what is said. Jesus said to Jairus' daughter, "little girl get up" ( Mk 5:41-42; Lk 8:53-54), and to Lazarus, "Come out!" ( Jn 11:43-44), and the dead girl came back to life, and the dead man emerged alive out of his tomb. He rebuked the wind and waves and said to the sea,"Be calm!" and there was a great calm ( Mt 8:26; Mk 4:39; Lk 8:24). And the night before He gave up His life on the cross, He took bread and a cup of wine and said,"This is my body," and "This is the cup of my blood" ( Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:19-20), and what He speaks comes to pass, as in the Creation event: God said, "Let there be light" and there was light ( Gen 1:4).

Next, in the tradition of the Old Testament prophets of God, Jesus tells the religious authorities three parables. The subject of all three parables is the judgment of Israel/Judea ( Mt 21:28-22:14). In the first parable, He asks the chief priests and elders their opinion; the topic of conversation is still centered on the mission of St. John the Baptist. In the Old Testament, as in this case, God's prophets resorted to teaching in parables when the religious and civil authorities failed in their duty to properly shepherd God's people.

Jesus tells the religious authorities they have failed in their ability to recognize John as a righteous prophet of God by his works.

Question: In the parable, what is the vineyard, who is the father and who are the two sons? See the Symbolic Images of the Prophets for the "vineyard" imagery. Jesus used the "vineyard" imagery previously in the parable in 20:1-16
Answer:

1. The vineyard is Israel/Judea, the Old Covenant Church

2. God is the father

3. The first son who at first refused and then later served the father in the vineyard represents the tax collectors and sinners, the religious outcasts who at first refused to serve God but then answered St. John's call to repentance

4. The second son who said "yes" but then did not serve represents the chief priests, elders, Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees who are the failed shepherds of Israel who serve themselves and not God.

In their answer to Jesus' question in verse 31: Which of the two did his father's will? They answered, "The first," the religious leaders condemned themselves.

Matthew 21:33-41 ~ The Parable of the Vineyard and the Tenants (parable #2)
33 Hear another parable. There was a landowner [master of the house/head of the family] who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. 34 When the vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. 35 But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and third they stoned. 36 Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, They will respect my son.' 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.' 39 They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" 41 They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times."

The "landlord" of the vineyard is the same word used for the "landlord" of the vineyard in the parable Matthew 20:1-16. The literal translation of the Greek word oikodespotes [oy-kod-es-pot'-ace], is "the head of the family", "master of the house." Notice the repetition of threes in the parable: three times the servants are assaulted, three times the master sends out messengers "the first two times they are servants and the third time the Son. It is the Master's son. Also notice it is the season of the harvest.Jesus has used parables set in the season of the harvest in the Kingdom Parables in Matthew chapter 13. The "harvest" in Scripture represents the gathering of souls in judgment.

The situation in the parable would have been a familiar to first century AD Jews. Landholders often rented out their property to tenant farmers who had to share a percentage of the profits from the harvest with the owner of the land. Jesus uses the parable as an allegory predicting His death at the hands of the Jewish religious authority and their eventual destruction and loss of authority as God's representatives to His people.

In the symbolic images of the prophets, the vineyard is a symbol of Israel in covenant with Yahweh. Since the chief priests and elders did not recognize Jesus as a legitimate prophet of God, they missed the comparison between Jesus' parable of the vineyard and the well-known parable of the vineyard told by the prophet Isaiah ( Is 5:1-7). Some of the details of the parables are the same, each describing a well-tended vineyard with a hedge or wall to protect the vineyard from grazing animals, a watchtower (see Is 21:6-8) to look for marauding vandals, and a wine-press for crushing the grapes to produce wine (see the chart below).

Read Isaiah's parable 5:1-7. Isaiah's parable speaks of God's judgment on an unrepentant people in verse 5: Now, I will let you know what I mean to do to my vineyard: Take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled! And verse 7 identifies the vineyard: The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his cherished plant.

In Scripture the winepress often represent the yielding of the best wine as a symbol of covenant obedience as in Numbers 18:27 ~ and your contribution will be credited to you as if it were the grain from the threshing floor or new wine from the press. But the winepress could also symbolize the crushing of the wicked in divine judgment:

The winepress I have trodden alone, and of my people there was no one with me. I trod them in my anger, and trampled them down in my wrath ... I trampled down the peoples in my anger, I crushed them in my wrath, and I let their blood run out upon the ground (Is 63:3-6, judgment on Edom).

Joy and jubilation are at an end in the fruit gardens of the land of Moab. I drain the wine from the winevats [winepress], the treader treads no more, the vintage shout is stilled (Jer 48:33, judgment against Moab).

All the mighty ones in my midst the Lord has cast away; he summoned an army against me to crush my young men; the LORD has trodden in the winepress virgin daughter Judah (Lam 1:15, judgment on Judah).

Rejoice not, O Israel, exult not like the nations! For you have been unfaithful to your God, loving a harlot's hire upon every threshing floor. Threshing floor and winepress shall not nourish them, the new wine shall fail them (Ho 9:2, judgment on Israel).

The same judgment imagery is found in the Book of Revelation:

So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the earth's vintage. He threw it into the great winepress of God's fury. The wine press was trodden outside the city and blood poured out of the wine press to the height of a horse's bridle for two hundred miles (Rev 14:19-20).

Out of his mouth came a sharp sword to strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he himself will tread out in the winepress the wine of the fury and wrath of God the almighty (Rev 19:15).

Question: Who owned the land of Israel? See Lev 25:23.
Answer: The Promised Land of Israel belonged to God; the children of Israel were His tenants. The land could never be sold; it could only be leased.

1. God is the Master of the house (the Church)

2. The vineyard is the Promised Land of Israel

3. The protective hedge and the watchtower represent God's hand of protection over His faithful covenant people

4. The winepress was intended to produce the fruit of the harvest "the wine of the covenant, a symbol of covenant union but which in rebellion only yields the "wine of God's wrath" in judgment

5. The tenants in charge of the harvest are the religious authorities

6. The Master's servants are the Old Testament prophets (first set) and Jesus' disciples (second set)*

7. Jesus is the Master's Son who they will kill

*Jesus has warned His disciples of the persecution they will face ( Mt 10:16-18) and He will warn them again in His homily at the Last Supper ( Jn 16:1-4).

Jesus asked the religious leaders: 40 What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" 41 They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times."

Question: Who are the "other tenants" who will have authority over the Master's vineyard in place of the tenants who killed the Master's son? See Mt 16:18-19 and 18:18.
Answer: Thereference is probably to the Jewish-Christians of the new Israel who will establish the New Covenant Church of Jesus Christ.

The men who oppose Jesus will lose their place as the authoritative hierarchy of God's house "His Church and that authority will be given to Peter and the Apostles who will become the leaders of the New Covenant Church

Question: How is the end of Isaiah's parable similar to Jesus' parable: The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his cherished plant; He looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! For justice, but hark, the outcry! ( Is 5:7). How is Jesus' parable different?See verse 38.
Answer: Both parables end in the judgment of Israel, but Jesus also turns this vineyard parable into a prophecy of His Passion and death in verse 39.

Jesus challenges the chief priests and Pharisees again on their knowledge of the Scriptures, saying Did you never read in the Scriptures... He has challenged His opponents this way previously ( Mt 12:3, 5; 21:16) and will do so again ( Mt 22:31), which must have made them furious since they saw themselves as the sole proprietors of the deposit of sacred knowledge. The Old Testament passage Jesus quotes in verse 42 is from Psalm 118:22 in the Greek Septuagint translation.

While the religious authorities do not at first understand Jesus' parable, when Jesus adds an additional teaching the meaning is suddenly and disturbingly clear to them.

Question: How does Jesus' quote from Psalms 118:22-23 reveal His true identity? Psalms 118:22 is the verse of the Messianic Psalms just before the verse quoted by the crowds as He rode into Jerusalem. The "builders" refers to the religious leaders of the Sinai Covenant. How does His reference to this psalm relate to Ezekiel 34:1-10 and His vineyard parable, identifying the chief priests and elders in three ways?
Answer: Jesus tells them that He is the cornerstone that the builders (the religious authorities) reject in Psalms 118:22-23, a reference to His Passion. He has also identified them as the false builders of Psalms 118:22, the failed shepherds the prophet Ezekiel spoke of in Ezekiel 34:1-10, and the wicked tenants of His parable.

Mathew 22:1-14 ~ The Parable of the Wedding Feast (parable #3)
1 Jesus again in reply spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast."' 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.' 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen."

Jesus' tells a third parable in His confrontation with the chief priests and the Pharisees/elders ( Mt 21:45). The subject of the parable is the Kingdom of Heaven and the parable ends in a teaching on divine judgment. It is the eighth time He has begun a parable with the words "the Kingdom of Heaven is like ..." (see Mt 13:24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47 and 52).

In the parable, the occasion for the feast is the royal wedding of a king's son. The Greek word for "feast" is ariston, which refers to the noon meal, normally the largest meal of the day. In ancient times, the feasting for a wedding was expected to last for seven days ( Gen 29:27; Judg 14:12).

Elements of the Wedding Feast parable recall earlier parables; for example the Parable of the Tenants ( Mt 22:33-41) in the tenants' mistreated the Master's servants; also the parable of the Weeds and the Wheat ( Mt 13:24-30, 36-43) where the weeds are left to grow with the wheat until the "harvest" which is the Last Judgment, and the parable of the Dragnet where the good and bad fish are all collected into one net that is the Church ( Mt 13:47-50). Like Jesus' other parables, this story has symbolic significance. See the chart of the Symbolic Images of the Old Testament Prophets "marriage imagery.

Question: Who is the king, who is the king's son, and what is the "wedding feast"? See Mt 9:15; Mk 2:19 and Jn 3:29.
Answer: God is the king and Jesus is the king's son who is the bridegroom. The invitation to the "wedding feast" is the invitation to be in covenant/in communion with God the great King "a relationship that is often symbolically represented as a marriage.

The verse may also be a warning to the spiritual leaders that history will repeat itself in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD, a repeat of the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians in 587/6 BC. Jesus' parable provides the answer to the withdrawal of God's protection "the rejection of the invitation to enter God's Kingdom through Jesus' Gospel of salvation.

Matthew 22:8-10 ~ Then he said to his servants, The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.' 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests.

Matthew 22:11-14 ~ But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen."

Question: Why was the one wedding guest not dressed suitably in a wedding garment? Why did the king ask him about his failure? Who is the Bride of the wedding feast? Why was the one invited guest cast out? See 1 Cor 6:15-17; 2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:8; Jam 2:13-14, 24-26 and CCC 546.
Answer: The wedding guest questioned by the King-God was not dressed in the garment of grace woven from a life of good works. God, the kingly Father called upon him to confess, but he had no answer. The invited guests are the Bride of Christ; they are the members of the Church, the Body of Christ joined to the Bridegroom.

The wedding guest who failed wanted to come but he did not care about the Bridegroom enough to take the time to present a soul purified through repentance and works of faith. The king/God called upon him to confess, but he failed to ask for forgiveness "at the hour of judgment it will be too late for those who failed to cleanse their souls in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. At judgment, those who are the Bride of Christ must be dressed in a garment of grace, the texture of which is good deeds. Words are not enough nor are actions that lack substance. Faith and works are the way to salvation (CCC 162, 2016). Those who think they can come to the feast on their own terms without a life of faith and works will be cast out.

The place of "wailing and grinding of teeth" in verse 13 is the same place of eternal judgment as in the other parables (CCC 1033-37). Matthew 13:49 ~ Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wiling and grinding of teeth.

It is not God's desire that any should perish; He has made the invitation for us to come to salvation. He has sent His Son as our Bridegroom, and He has given us all we need through the Sacraments to be dressed in the wedding garment of divine grace to enter into an intimate relationship with Christ the Bridegroom. God invites everyone, but He also asks us to make a radical choice "we must be willing to give up everything for the sake of the kingdom. The choice to come is ours: This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth ( 1 Tim 2:3).

For St. John's vision of the Wedding Feast, see Revelation 19:6-10 (also on handout 1).
Questions for group discussion:
Question: Jesus' Scriptural reference to Himself as the "cornerstone" in Psalms 118:22 recalls the cornerstone of Zion (Jerusalem) passage in Isaiah 28:16: Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: See, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that has been tested, a precious cornerstone as a sure foundation; he who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken. Jesus is the true and sure foundation stone of salvation that God promised to the Messianic heir of David ( Is 7:13-16; 9:1-6; 2 Sam 7:14). How will Sts. Peter and Paul interpret these verses in their teaching (see Acts 4:11; Rom 9:33 and 1 Pt 2:7)? How do you apply this teaching to your life?

Question: Jesus ends His parable of the Wedding Feast with the words: Many are invited, but few are chosen. What is the connection to the theme of God's open invitation to salvation in the Parable of the Wedding Feast and the last verses of that parable that end in divine judgment?
Endnotes:
1. St. John's Gospel records three Passovers during Jesus' ministry ( Jn 2:13; 6:4; Jn 11:55 and 12:1)

2. Ironically, their reason for executing Jesus to prevent a revolt against Rome was not successful. In 66 AD the Jews revolted against the Roman occupation. Rome responded by invading Judea with four Roman Legions. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in 70 AD. Flavius Josephus, a Jewish priest who wrote an account of the war with Rome, recorded that eleven hundred thousand died in the siege and capture of Jerusalem and ninety-seven thousand were sold into slavery (Josephus, The Jewish Wars, 6.9.3/420). The nation was completely destroyed just as Caiaphas feared and just as God told Moses would happen if His covenant people rejected Him and His covenant ( Dt 28:49-68). For more information see the Exodus study, lesson 6.

3. The ten prophetic fulfillment statements in Matthew: Jesus childhood 1:23; 2:15, 17-18, 23; Galilean ministry 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; Jesus' last week in Jerusalem: 21:4-5; 27:9-10.

4. The Greek transliteration "Hosanna" is also found in the writings of the Church Fathers (i.e. Eusebius, Church History, 2.23.13-14; Jerome, Epistles, 20), in the Church's first Catechism, the Didache, in the Eucharistic Prayer ( Didache, 10.6), and in the celebration of the Mass, suggesting that from the earliest years of the Church it had a fixed liturgical usage.

5. While the sacrifices of the Passover lambs and kids were taking place at the altar of sacrifice at the Temple on Nisan the 14 th, the Levitical choir sang the Hallel Psalms 113-118, and families and friends meeting in groups that night in Jerusalem to celebrate the sacred meal of the Passover victims also sang the Hallel Psalms during the meal.

7. Flavius Josephus, an eyewitness to the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, records that thousands of priests had taken refuge in the Temple, which caught fire in the assault. It burned to the ground and there were no survivors. From that time, the Temple ceased to exist and was never rebuilt. The Old Covenant Temple rites, rituals and sacrifices ceased at the same time. Biblical Judaism no longer exists because the daily communal sacrifice of the Tamid lambs and the other rituals including the offering of sacred incense, the animal sacrifices for forgiveness of sins and the sacred communion meals of restoration of fellowship with God cannot be offered without the Jerusalem Temple, its altar of sacrifice, and a validly ordained priesthood. All those elements "the ordained priest, the holy incense, the forgiveness of sins, the altar, the sacrifice and the sacred meal that restores communion with God are all found in the liturgical celebration of the Mass.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson (* indicated that Scripture is either paraphrased or quoted in the citation):

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: The Prophet-King Comes to Jerusalem

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Heavenly Father, We thank you, Lord, for Your fatherly care of Your
children. We know that You are always with us, guiding us lovingly in our
struggles, rejoicing with us in our victories against the temptation to sin,
and ministering to us in the holy Sacraments that strengthen us on our journey…

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 22:15-23:39 JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM - The Prophet-King Teaches the People of Jerusalem

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Agape Bible Study: Matthew 22:15-23:39 JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM - The Prophet-King Teaches the People of Jerusalem

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Heavenly Father,
You have called us to love You with all our heart, soul and mind and to love the other children of Your human family as we love ourselves. The true depth of our interior life is measured by our faithfulness to the law of love of God and love of neighbor. Give us the generosity of heart to love as Jesus loved and the willingness to risk persecution and ridicule in extending Your unconditional love to others. Please send Your Holy Spirit to guide us, Lord, in today's lesson as we study Jesus' teachings during His last week in Jerusalem. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our hearts are for God, for He has made them, and only in him will our desire for eternal happiness be fulfilled ... All other upright and noble loves "which go to form our life here on earth according to the specific vocation each one has received "are ordered to and fed by this our one great Love: Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Francis Fernandez, In Conversation with God, vol. II, page 99

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The Gospel of John establishes the countdown to Jesus' last Passover from His dinner with friends in Bethany six days before the Passover sacrifice ( Jn 12:1) in what most Bible scholars believe was the spring of the year 30 AD. The day after the supper at Bethany Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem on the foal of an ass in fulfillment of prophecy ( Zech 9:9). It is the event Christians celebrate as Palm (Passion) Sunday. Therefore, the dinner at Bethany the day before Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was on a Saturday; it was a Sabbath meal that Jesus shared with His friends. Six days from the Saturday in Bethany, as the ancients counted with no zero place-value and with Saturday counting as day #1, identifies the sixth day, the day of the Passover sacrifice, as the Thursday of Jesus' last week in Jerusalem. According to the Gospel of John and in agreement with the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the Passover sacrifice the year of Jesus' death and resurrection was on a Thursday, the day before He was crucified.
The Countdown to the Passion

Day #1: Saturday, the 9th of Nisan ~ Six days before the Passover Jesus attends a dinner in Bethany at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus and is anointed by Mary of Bethany (Jn 12:1-8).

Day #4: Tuesday, the 12th of Nisan ~ The disciples commented on the withered fig tree (Mk 11:20) and Jesus teaches at the Temple (Mk 11:27; 12:1).

Day #5: Wednesday, the 13th of Nisan ~ Jesus' last day teaching at the Temple (Mk 13:1) in which He declares the "hour" of His glory has come (Jn 12:22). Wednesday is two days before the Passover on Thursday (counting as the ancients counted = Wednesday is day #1 and Thursday is day #2), and the religious authorities plan Jesus' death (Mt 26:1-5). Jesus has a meal in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper where He is anointed a third time (Mt 26:6-13; Mk 14:1, 3-9). Judas betrays Jesus (Mt 26:14-16; Mk 14:10-11; Lk 22:3-6)

Day #6: Thursday, the 14th of Nisan ~ It is the day of the Passover sacrifice that will take place at the Temple at noon. Jesus sends Peter and John into the city to make sure the preparations for the sacred meal at sundown (the beginning of the 15th of Nisan) are made (Mt 26:17-19; Mk 14:12-16; Lk 22:7-13)

During the three years of Jesus' ministry, He was anointed three times according to the Gospels. The three anointings may have symbolized the three holy offices Jesus fulfilled as God's supreme Prophet, High Priest, and Davidic King; each office required the rite of anointing (CCC 436):

Anointing # 1: Early in Jesus' ministry an unnamed sinful woman at the home of the Simon, a wealthy Pharisee (who was disrespectful to Jesus), anointed His feet with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair (Lk 7:36-50).

Anointing #2: Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair on Saturday, Nisan the 9th at a dinner in her home (Jn 12:1-7). The next day on the 10th of Nisan, the day the sacrificial lambs or kids were to be chosen (Exodus 12:3), Jesus rode into Jerusalem "the sacrificial Lamb of God, there for all to see and judge His perfection (Jn 12:12-15).

Anointing #3: An unnamed woman anointed Jesus' head at the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany two days before the Passover. As the ancients counted this is Wednesday, Nisan the 13th (Matthew 26:1-16: Mark 14:1-11).

Note: the Hebrew month Abib ( Ex 12:1-2; 13:4) was called Nisan ( Neh 2:1; Est 3:7) after the return from the Babylonian exile. In the Gospels the day of the Passover sacrifice is also called the "first day of Unleavened Bread" ( Mk 14:12) or "the feast of Unleavened Bread called the Passover" ( Lk 11:1). In the 1 st century AD the two holy festivals of Passover and the week long celebration of Unleavened Bread were celebrated as one 8 day-long feast. St. John's Gospel only refers to the entire 8 day period as "Passover;" the same designation is found in the Jewish Talmud, tractate Mishnah: Pesahim (2 nd century AD) and is also the modern custom in Rabbinic Judaism.

Jesus spent each night on the Mt. of Olives with the Apostles (sometimes in the village of Bethany), and He continued to come into Jerusalem to teach at the Temple each day ( Mt 21:17; 26:6; Mk 11:11; 14:26; Lk 21:37; 22:39).> As Jesus continued to teach, the enmity of the religious authorities grew: They watched him closely and sent agents pretending to be righteous who were to trap in speech in order to hand him over to the authority and power of the governor ( Lk 20:19-20). Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, left his residence in Caesarea Maritima (a port city on the Mediterranean) and came to Jerusalem during the pilgrim feasts, a time when incidents of rebellion against Roman rule were more likely to occur. The following teachings occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday of Jesus' last week in Jerusalem.
Matthew 22:15-46 All day long he would be in the Temple teaching, but would spend the night in the open on the hill called the Mount of Olives. And from early morning the people thronged to him in the Temple to listen to him.
Luke 21:37-38
In Matthew 22:15-45, as Jesus continues to teach in the Temple area, three different groups of adversaries challenge Him: The Pharisees/scribes, the Sadducees, and the Herodians. The first challenge concerns the Jews' duty to pay taxes to their Roman overlords ( Mt 22:15-22) and will be followed by three controversies concerning the correct interpretation of Scripture:

1. The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead (Mt 22:23-33)

2. The greatest commandment of the Law (Mt 22:34-40)

3. The meaning of Psalms 110:1 concerning David's lord (Mt 22:41-45)

As Jesus taught in the Temple, the Pharisees challenged Jesus again, but this time they joined forces with the Herodians, the supporters of Rome's vassal rulers, the descendants of Herod the Great.

The Pharisees and Herodians are unlikely allies. The Pharisees, according to Flavius Josephus (37-100 AD) who identified himself as a Pharisee, were the religious/political group that was most influential with the people. They were known for their scrupulous observance of Jewish religious practices and their authoritative interpretations of Jewish law (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 13.5.9, 10.6; Life 38). The Pharisees were not enamored with Roman rule and as a group had refused to take the oaths of allegiance to Rome and to King Herod (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 17.2.4). The Herodians, on the other hand, were Greek culture Jews who cooperated with and even admired the Romans. They were not known as faithful observers of the Law.

Notice the same Pharisees that had challenged Jesus earlier didn't return with this challenge; they sent their disciples who one assumes had not been present earlier, perhaps the strategy was that their disciples would not be recognized by Jesus. Their representatives begin by attempting to flatter Jesus "their flattery and their plot to trap Jesus underscore their malice and wickedness.

The Greek word kensos is census in Latin. When Herod the Great's son Archelaus was deposed by the Romans in 6 AD, the Romans imposed direct rule by a Roman governor over Judea and began to impose an annual poll or head tax of a Roman denarius on all the men, women, and slaves from age twelve/fourteen to age sixty-five. In Jesus' day the Roman denarius bore the image of the emperor Tiberius (ruled 14-37 AD) and the Latin inscription Tiberius Caesar Divi Augusti Filius Augustus Pontiflex Maximus ""Tiberius Caesar, august son of the divine Augustus, high priest" (Harrington, Gospel of Matthew, page 310). Tiberius was the adopted son of the previous emperor, Augustus (Octavian), who was worshipped as a god since his death in 14 AD. Payment of the tax had to be in the Roman coinage because it represented the people's subservience to Roman rule.

Matthew 22:18-21 ~ Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin [denarius]. 20 He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" 21 They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

Their flattering language did not deceive Jesus. He accuses the group of hypocrisy, using the Greek word. The Greek word hupokrites, means "an actor who plays a part"; there is no equivalent for this word in Hebrew or Aramaic (Aramaic is the common language Jesus is speaking). Jesus calls the Pharisees "hypocrites" fourteen times in Matthew's Gospel ( Mt 6:2, 5, 16; 15:7; 16:3; 22:18; 23:13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29; 24:51).

But in addition to telling His adversaries "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar" He also says "and to God what belongs to God." This statement left the Pharisees without an answer and 22 When they heard this they were amazed, and leaving him they went away.

Question: What is the significance of Jesus' last statement that one must repay "to God what belongs to God" in relation to Jesus' question about "image" that religious Jews, including the Pharisees, would not have missed and which caused them to go away "amazed"?See Genesis 1:27.
Question: While the Roman coin bears the image of the Roman emperor, the emperor was created by God and bears the image of his Creator. Therefore, the emperor is subject to God's sovereignty over his life.

Jesus has confounded the Pharisees and the Herodians, and now the Sadducees try to test Him. The Sadducees were the religious/political party that was for the most part composed of the chief priests. St. Matthew records opposition by the Sadducees in 3:7 (questioning St. John the Baptist) and 16:1-4 (in league with the Pharisees to test Jesus). The Sadducees were the main opponents of the Pharisees:

The Sadducees did not believe in a physical resurrection of the dead like the Pharisees (Lk 20:27; Acts 23:8; Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 18:16).

The Sadducees only observed the precepts of the written Law in the Torah/Pentateuch (five books of Moses), unlike the Pharisees who accepted other books as Sacred Scripture and also followed the oral Law (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 13.5.9; 13.10.6; 18:16).

The Sadducees counted among their supporters the wealthy and the aristocracy (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 13.10.6).

Matthew 22:23-24 ~ 23 On that day Sadducees approached him, saying that there is no resurrection. They put this question to him, 24 saying, "Teacher, Moses said, If a man dies without children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up descendants for his brother.'

To present their argument against the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, the Sadducees bring up the statute concerning marriage in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. In the Latin Vulgate this statute came to be known as "levirate marriage," since the word levir is the husband's brother in Latin. According to the Law, a man was forbidden to marry his brother's wife if she had borne children to his brother, but an exception was made if the brother died without an heir. In that case, it was his closest kinsman's obligation to marry the widow and give his deceased kinsman an heir (see the Book of Ruth).

To press their belief in the absurdity of a physical resurrection, the Sadducees allude to the passage in Deuteronomy 25:1-5 and then propose an extreme hypothetical case of a woman who married in turn seven times to brothers. At the conclusion of their story, they ask whose wife she will be in the resurrection.

Jesus gives them a shockingly strong rebuke (remember these are chief priests of the ministerial priesthood). He says to them: 29 ... "You are misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. The "power of God" refers to the resurrection of the dead. Jesus then instructs them in reverse order, telling them they do not understand the resurrection (22:30) nor do they understand the Pentateuch "the Torah of Moses (22:31-32). The Sadducees, who considered themselves to be the authoritative interpreters of the Torah of Moses and the "shepherds of Israel," must have been highly insulted.

Matthew 22:30 ~ At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven.

Resurrected life will be very different from life on earth "since life is eternal there is no longer any need to produce more generations of the living and therefore, there is no longer any need for marriage (see Cor 15:35-40).

Matthew 22:31-32 ~ And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 32 I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

Knowing that the Sadducees did not consider anything but the Torah of Moses to be Spirit inspired Scripture, Jesus uses the Torah to prove their improper understanding of the resurrection of the dead. For other O.T. passages about the resurrection see Is 25:8; 26:19; Ps 73:24-25; and Dan 12:1-3.

Question: What text from the Torah does He use as a proof-text for their misunderstanding of Scripture and the resurrection? Notice Jesus says what was said to you [plural] by God, referring to the children of Israel.
Answer: Jesus refers to what God told Moses to tell the children of Israel concerning the identity of the God who sent Moses to liberate His people in Exodus 3:15-16 from the Torah/Pentateuch.

Jesus has shown that the Sadducees do not understand the meaning of resurrected life nor do they understand that the Torah of Moses contains evidence for belief in the resurrection. Jesus is "coming against the shepherds of Israel" as prophesied in Ezekiel 34:10.

Matthew 22:33 ~ When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

The Jewish crowds are astonished at the authority of Jesus' teaching and His ability to confound their religious leaders. Unlike the religious leaders who refuse to acknowledge Jesus authority, the crowds respond favorably.

The Pharisees come as a group to test Jesus again. They select one of their members, a scribe who was an expert on the Law, to ask Jesus another question. However, St. Mark tells us this scholar was impressed by Jesus' answer to the Sadducees in defense of the resurrection ( Mk 12:28).

The scribe asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment from among what will later be numbered as 613 articles of the Law. According to secular literature of the time, all the commandments were to be treated with equal devotion, but Jesus summed up the commandments of the Law in two sentences, answering what is both the greatest commandment and the second greatest. His answer is from two passages from the Torah. The first and greatest commandment is the Greek version of the Shema, the Old Covenant profession of faith from Deuteronomy 6:5, summing up one's relationship with God, The second is from Leviticus 19:18b and is the summary of the commandments concerning one's relationship with one's fellow man/woman. In quoting these passages, Jesus is summing up the entire law upon which, He says, the Torah and the books of the Prophets are based ( Mt 22:40):

Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength (Dt 6:5).

Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD (Lev 19:18).

St. Mark tells us that the scribe praised Jesus' answer and the scribe's response, which showed his correct understanding of Scripture, prompted Jesus to commend him saying You are not far from the kingdom of God (see Mk 12:28-34). This is an example of a Pharisee who was swayed by Jesus' teaching. Not all Pharisees remained hostile to Jesus. The Pharisee Nicodemus ( Jn 3:1; 19:39) and others will become a Jewish-Christians ( Acts 15:5).

Matthew 22:41-46 ~ Jesus Questions the Pharisees about the Messiah
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus questioned them, 42 saying, "What is your opinion about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They replied, "David's." 43 He said to them, How then, does David, inspired by the Spirit, call him lord,' saying: 44 The Lord said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet."? 45 If David calls him lord,' how can he be his son?" No one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Chapter 23 ~ Jesus Denounces the Scribes and Pharisees in a Covenant Lawsuit: Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Now will I judge between the fat and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and butt all the weak sheep with you horns until you have driven them out, I will save my sheep so that they may no longer be despoiled, and I will judge between one sheep and another. I will appoint one shepherd over them to pasture them, my servant David; he shall pasture them and be their shepherd.
Ezekiel 34:20-23
This is the third in the series of debates over the correct interpretation of Scripture. Jesus turns the tables on the group of Pharisees and asks them a question, quoting from Psalms 110:1. The promised Messiah was identified in the Scriptures as the son of David (see Is 11:1, 10; Jer 23:5; Ez 34:23-24). David spoke in a "spirit of prophecy" about the Messiah in Psalms 110:1 in which God addresses the newly crowned Messianic king. Jesus quotes the passage from the Greek Septuagint translation in which the Hebrew word for "footstool" has been replaced with the Greek word "feet." The Greek translation of the Old Testament was the most popular translation in Jesus time since very few Jews outside of the clergy spoke Hebrew. The common language, as noted, was Aramaic.

Jesus' argument referring to Psalms 110:1 hangs on what David meant by the second word "Lord." In the Greek translation the same word kyrios is used for both Yahweh and the king = lord. Jesus' point is if David is the speaker in Psalms 110:1 quoting what God has revealed to him and the second "Lord" is someone superior to David, then "Son of David" is not an adequate representation of who is being talked about since David's son could not be superior to him. Therefore, that person who is the second "Lord" must be the "Son of God" " 45 If David calls him lord,' how can he be his son?" Jesus confounded them with His question and His logic and No one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

The Pharisees and scribes had sought to discredit Jesus with the crowds. Now, as Jesus continuing to teach in the Temple, He turned to address the people and His disciples as He discredits those who consider themselves "shepherds of Israel" but mislead the people concerning Jesus their Messiah and the coming of His Kingdom.

In Matthew 14:12 Jesus' disciples were concerned about the increasing hostility of the Pharisees and warned Jesus that the Pharisees were offended by Jesus' teachings. The disciples knew the power of the Pharisees; they were the most influential religious and political group among the Jews and to incur their enmity was not just unwise, it was dangerous. Jesus' did not calm their fears, instead He said:"Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides [of the blind]. If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit." In this next exchange, Jesus "uproots" the Pharisees by exercising His authority as God's supreme prophet in calling a covenant lawsuit against the failed "shepherds" of the covenant, as prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel: Thus says the Lord God: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths (see Ez 34:10).

The covenants God forms contain blessings for covenant obedience and covenant judgments for covenant failures (see the covenant blessings in Dt 28:1-14 and warnings of curse judgments in Dt 27:15-26 and in 28:15-69). When the people and their leaders fail to heed God's patient call to repentance issued through His holy prophet, the prophet, as God's prosecuting attorney, announced covenant judgments through the formal declaration of a covenant lawsuit, called a riv in Hebrew: For this will be Yahweh's day of vengeance, the year of retribution in Zion's lawsuit [riv] ( Is 34:8). Some examples in Scripture are found in:

In Hosea 4:1 the prophet says: Israelites, hear what Yahweh says, for Yahweh indicts (literally brings a riv/rib', covenant lawsuit to) the citizens of the country: there is no loyalty, no faithful love, no knowledge of God in the country... In Matthew 21:43-46 Jesus issued His first warning of a covenant lawsuit when speaking to the Priests, scribes and other leaders of the people at the Temple: I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.... the chief priests and the scribes realized he was speaking about them...Covenant lawsuits are often presented in a series of "woe/judgments." The word in both the Hebrew and the Greek is an expression of grief. See for example the woe/judgments in Isaiah 5:8, 11, 18, 20, 21, and 22, and those in Habakkuk 2:6, 9, 12, 15, and 19.

Notice that Jesus uses the Greek word "hypocrites/hypocricy" seven times in His "woe" judgments (hypocrites in verses 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29 and the word hypocrisy once in verse 28). He also repeatedly accuses them of being "blind guides" (verses 16 and 24) and being "blind" (verses 17, 19 and 26). In Matthew 15:12 when the disciples were concerned that the Pharisees took offense at his teaching Jesus told them:"Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit" ( Mt 15:13-14). The "pit" is an allusion to the Hell of the damned into which the "blind," those who refuse to "see" the true identity of the Messiah and to heed His call to salvation, are likely to fall into Hell because they blindly fall away from God.

1. Denouncement of the practices of the leaders of the people

2. The seven woe/judgments against the leadership

3. Prophecy of the coming judgment

Some Bible scholars consider this section the beginning of Jesus' fifth and final discourse in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 23:13-32 ~ The Seven-part Curse Judgment against the Scribes and Pharisees
The "chair of Moses" in verse 2 refers to the teaching and ruling authority the Pharisees and scribes held over the people in the local Jewish synagogues. The teaching authority in the Temple belonged to the chief priests. Josephus wrote that the power of the Pharisees was so great that they were even able to change some liturgical practices in the Temple, like the reciting of the Ten Commandments by the chief priests in the Chamber of Hewn Stone and later, after Jesus' Resurrection, changing the day of the week the feasts of Firstfruits and Weeks/Pentecost were celebrated so they no longer fell on the first day of the week, our Sunday ( Antiquities of the Jews, 13.8.4).

The Pharisees' misinterpretation of the Law has made the Law a burden to the people.

Their excessive show of piety is only a sham to put them in a good light.

They delight in being honored and singled out for praise, putting themselves above the common people.

Matthew 23:5 ~ All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

The phylacteries (the Greek word for tefillin in Hebrew) were small leather boxes containing Scripture passages that were fastened with leather straps to the arm and forehead of a Jewish man during prayer time. The man wore the arm straps on either the right or left arm and hand. For a left handed person the straps were wrapped on the right arm and hand, and for the right handed person, they were worn on the left arm and hand ( Ex 13:9, 16; Dt 6:8; 11:18). Like the tassels that were to be worn on the four corners of the outer cloak ( Num 15:37-39; Dt 22:12) they were signs that identified Jewish men as the people of God. In obedience to the Law, Jesus wore the tassels on His outer garment ( Mt 9:20; 14:36). Women were not required to wear either tefillin or tassels.

In Scripture the word "woe" ( ouai in Greek and howy or owy in Hebrew) is used three different ways:

1. As an expression of grief as in mourning the dead or as an expression of grief over some disaster. Sometimes it is translated as "alas" in this context (for example see 1 Kng 13:30 or Jer 22:18).

2. As an exclamation signaling an important announcement by God or His prophet that is sometimes translated as Ah! (for example see Is 17:12 and Jer 47:6).

3. As an expression of impending judgment by God, especially in the context of a covenant lawsuit by announcing that the curses of the covenant were about to be put into effect (for example see Is 5:8-22; Amos 5:18; Hab 2:6-19).

In Matthew 23:1-32 Jesus uses the expression in the third way to denounce the scribes and Pharisees who are the most influential leaders of the covenant people for hypocrisy and violation of the spirit of God's covenant with Israel.

# 1: 13"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter." not in all MSS
In this judgment Jesus' accuses the scribes and Pharisees of hindering God's plan for humanity and shutting themselves and others out of heaven by rejecting Jesus' Gospel message of salvation.

#2: 15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens, you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves."
In the first century AD many Pharisees conducted missionary efforts among the Gentiles. The word "convert" is literally proselytos in the Greek, which literally means "one who has come over;" a Gentile proselyte who has rejected paganism and entered Yahweh's covenant with Israel, submitting to circumcision and the other requirements of covenant obedience.

Question: What is Jesus' criticism of their treatment of proselytes?
Answer: Instead of properly channeling the convert's zeal for their adopted faith in the right teaching of the Law, what should have been a zeal for righteousness becomes a zeal that will condemn the convert to eternal damnation through false teaching.

#3: 16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.' 17 Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.' 19 You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; 21 one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it."

To "swear by the Temple" is a euphemism for swearing by the Divine Name "the only place where the Divine Name was uttered in the daily Tamid sacrifice of the morning and afternoon liturgy: In the sanctuary they would pronounce the divine name as it is written, and in the provinces, by an epithet ( Mishnah: Tamid, 7:2F).

In an attempt at piety and to avoid profane use of the Divine Name, the leadership forbade the use of the Divine Name in oath swearing but permitted swearing by objects ( Mishnah: Nedarim, 1:1). Jesus' argument is that any real oath requires the intention to appeal to God and not to an object.

#4: 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. [But] these you should have done, without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!"

Question: According the Law, what produce was required in payment of the one-tenth annual tithe to Yahweh and His House (Sanctuary/Temple)? See Lev 27:30-33; Dt 14:22-23.
Answer: The one-tenth of the produce included grain, wine, oil, fruits and animals from the herds and flocks.

However, the Pharisees and scribes expanded the requirement to include everything produced on the land of Israel including herbs and spices. This was not God's intention nor were tithes to be collected on a Sabbath or Jubilee year when the land was to lay fallow. This is another example of purposely misinterpreting the Law and then neglecting what was important.

24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!"
A camel was an unclean animal ( Lev 11:4; Dt 14:7) which the covenant people were forbidden to eat ( Lev 11:8, 46-47). Jesus is using hyperbole to make His point that the Pharisees and scribes, who claim to be the most religiously observant of the covenant people were failing in the adherence to the spirit of the Law.

#5: 25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean."
He condemns these men as being more concerned with the appearance of religious purity than with interior holiness as prescribed by God in Leviticus 11:44; 19:2 and 20:7.

#6: 27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like white washed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. 28 Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing."

It was the custom for the Jews to whitewash tombs so a religious Jew might not come upon one by accident and inadvertently become ritual impure by coming in contact with what was contaminated by death ( Num 5:2-3; 19:11-12).

#7: 29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, 30 and you say, If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood,' 31 Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; 32 now fill up what your ancestors measured out!
Jesus accused these men of pretending to honor the prophets by building tombs to memorize them and by claiming that they are better than their ancestors because they will never be guilty of killing God's righteous prophet.

Matthew 23:33-36 ~ Coming Judgment
33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how can you flee from the judgment of Gehenna? 34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that there may come upon you all the righteous blood shed upon earth, from the righteous blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Amen, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

The answer to Jesus' rhetorical question in verse 33 is that they cannot flee the coming judgment.

Question: Who are the prophets, wise men and scribes that Jesus will send? What will happen to them? See the end of the Beatitudes in Mt 5:11-12 and Acts of Apostles.
Answer: They are His Apostles, disciples, and teachers of the New Covenant faith. They will be persecuted and killed like the Old Testament prophets for the sake of Jesus' Kingdom.

Matthew 23:37-39 ~ Jesus' Lament over Jerusalem
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38 Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate. 39 I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Jesus speaks of His Parousia, His "coming" to His people in verse 39. This is the second time Psalms 118:26 has been quoted in Matthew (see Mt 21:9). There is a conditional sense to this verse.

Question: Who are the "blessed" who see Jesus when/if they say/believe verse 26 from Psalms 118? Notice that verses 26-27 in Psalms 118 have a liturgical context: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the LORD's house. The LORD is God and has given us light. Join in procession with leafy branches up to the horns of the altar.
Answer: In the Catholic Mass, the faithful speak these words prior to the Eucharistic procession to the altar. Then, the blessed "see" Christ who has "come" to us in the Eucharist and who is present among His people.

From the earliest years of the Church, Christians have spoken of the Eucharist as the parousia of Christ. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Romans on the 9 th of Ab in 70 AD. It was the same day that the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 587/6 BC. Like the Babylonian conquest, many Jews were either killed or sold into slavery and exile into the Gentile nations.

Jesus' seven-part condemnation of the leaders of the Old Covenant people should stand as a warning for all generations of Christian leaders. We should all humbly ask the Holy Spirit to protect us in positions of leadership from such prideful and arrogant abuses. Our true vocation in holy orders, in marriage, in service as teachers or Eucharistic ministers, etc. is one of service and humility so that we might claim a greater heavenly reward.

Questions for group discussion: What do you understand about God's promise of the bodily resurrection of the dead?
Endnotes:
1. When do you profess this belief at every Sunday Mass?

2. How would you defend your belief in the resurrection to someone who questioned God's promise of a resurrection that rejoins body and soul?

See the Old Testament passages in Is 25:8; 26:19; Ps 73:24-25; Dan 12:1-3; the New Testament passages in Lk 14:14; Jn 5:29; 11:24-25; Acts 17:32, 23:6; 24:15, 21; Rom 1:4; 6:5; 1 Cor 15:12-24, 42-43; Phil 3:10-11; 1 Thes 4:16-17; Heb 6:2; 11:35. For N.T. passages concerning Jesus' Resurrection that prefigures our resurrection see Mt 27:53; Acts 1:22; 2:31; 4:2, 33; 17:18; Rom 6:5; Phil 3:10-11; 1 Pt 1:3; 3:21 and the Catechism references in CCC 349, 366, 556, 988-1013, 1038, 1524 and 2301.

4. Will there be a resurrection of the righteous as well as the wicked? How will their fate be different? See Mt 25:31-46; Rev 20:11-15 and CCC 1038.

1. This date is based on St. Luke's testimony that St. John the Baptist ministry began in the 15 th year of the Roman Emperor Tiberius ( Lk 3:1, 23). Tiberius succeeded Caesar Augustus in 14 AD. If the Syrian method of calculating the year is a reign is being followed, then Tiberius' 15 th year is from September/October 27 AD to September/October 28 AD. According to St. John's Gospel, Jesus' ministry spanned three Passovers. If His first Passover was in the spring of 28 AD then the third and last Passover occurred in the spring of 30 AD.

2. He also stayed on the Mt. of Olives during His visit to Jerusalem for the last pilgrim feast during the 8 days of the Feast of Tabernacles/Shelters/Booths ( Jn 8:1).

5. According to Lev 23:11, 15-16, the Feast of Firstfruits was to always fall on the day after the holy Sabbath (Saturday) of the week of Unleavened Bread which was from Nisan 15-21. John's Gospel identified the Sabbath if Jesus' Resurrection as a "holy/high Sabbath" ( Jn 19:31) Then, the next feast, the Feast of Weeks (called Pentecost which in Greek means 50 th day in Jesus' time) was to be celebrated 7 weeks later on the 50 th day. As the ancients counted, this feast also fell on the first of the week (on a Sunday) until the day for Firstfruits was changed to Nisan the 16 th. With the change, the feasts no longer fell on a Sunday every year as God intended but fell on different days of the week each year. The Jewish sect of Kararites (who claim to be the descendants of the Sadducees) and the Samaritans still keep these feasts according to Leviticus 23 "Firstfruits on the Sunday of the week of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost 50 days later on a Sunday, as Christians still celebrate Pentecost today.

6. Some MSS add a verse after either verse 12 or 14: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. Because of this you will receive a very severe condemnation. This verse is almost identical to Mk 12:40 and may be a scribal addition in some MSS.

7. The word Gehenna is derived from Hebrew ge-hinnon, which means "the valley of Hinnon." Located on the west and south of Jerusalem, the valley was the place where the garbage from the city was burned continually, hence, it became a visual image for the place of eternal fire and judgment. It was also historically a place of great evil where some of the kings of Judah engaged in forbidden rituals including human sacrifice ( 2 Chr 28:3; 33:6; Jer 7:31; 32:35). For some of Jesus' teachings on Gehenna as a place/state of eternal punishment see Mt 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; 13:42, 50 (not named as Gehenna in 42 and 50 but as the "fiery furnace"); 18:9; 23:33; 25:41 ("eternal fire"); Mk 9:43, 45, 47; Lk 12:5. It is not the same place/state as the grave/netherworld which is Hades in Greek and Sheol in Hebrew. Also see CCC 633 and 1033-37.

Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Catechism references for this lesson (*indicates that Scripture is either paraphrased or quoted in the citation):

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