Matthew 8-9: The Power of the King
Chapter 8 begins where chapter 4 leaves off, with the Sermon on the Mount as a sort of parenthesis in between. In establishing Jesus' messiahship in previous chapters, Matthew demonstrated Jesus' qualifications...
- Legal qualifications through his genealogy
- Prophetic qualifications through the fulfillment of prophecy by His birth and infancy
- Divine qualifications by the Father's own attestation at His baptism
- Spiritual qualifications by His perfect resistance to Satan's temptations
- Theological qualification through the teaching on the Sermon on the Mount
Now in chapter 8 & 9 Matthew sets forth another qualification: Jesus' divine power. This confirms His deity and His claim to be the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world.
Questions: What did you learn about Jesus from His words and actions in these chapters? What was His mission and purpose? What did you learn from Matthew 8 & 9 about what it means to be Jesus' disciple?
Matthew 10: All the King's Men
It is encouraging to realize that Jesus did not call the twelve disciples on the basis of their innate worthiness or personal capabilities or faithfulness, but solely on the basis of what He could make of them by His own power working through them. During the disciples' three years of training under Jesus, we see few signs of maturity and reliability but many signs of pettiness and inadequacy. It is a marvelous insight into the grace of God toward us to see Christ deal so lovingly and patiently with men who are so weak and unresponsive.
We are often tempted to become discouraged and disheartened when our spiritual lives and witness suffer because of our sins and failures. Satan attempts to convince us that those shortcomings render us useless to God; but His using the apostles testifies to the opposite.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Questions: What are some of the exciting and reassuring statements Jesus made to His disciples in this chapter? What troubling and faith-stretching predictions about their mission did Christ make? What impresses you about the men Jesus chose to be His apprentices and representatives? How does a servant of Christ act?
Matthew 11-12: Reactions to the King
The first 10 chapters of Matthew are, in general, a series of testimonies that prove who Jesus is. In chapters 11 & 12 Matthew focuses on the reactions of various individual and groups to that evidence. Chapter 11 looks at the negative responses of doubt, criticism, and indifference, followed by a positive appeal to faith. Chapter 12 looks at the negative responses of rejection, amazement, blasphemy, and curious fascination, followed by another positive appeal to faith. The events of Matthew 12 mark a major turning point in Jesus' ministry, focusing on the rejection of His kingdom by His own people.
Questions: Why do you think certain "religious" people are sometimes skeptical about God? Where are you when it comes to doubting Christ? Is your faith overly dependent on experiences? Do you clamor for miraculous manifestations to support your Christian walk? What is the problem with this approach?
Matthew 13: The Kingdom Parables
Jesus came to earth to offer salvation and the kingdom of God to Israel. But it was clear that the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day were rejecting His offer. Jesus addresses questions about the kingdom of God with a series of eight parables. The underlying truth about these parables was that the kingdom in its final fulfillment would be postponed until the time that Israel would believe and receive her King. Christ's external, visible kingdom was postponed, but the internal, spiritual kingdom of His saints was established.
Matthew 13 provides us with some foundational truths for understanding the mission of the church. The Lord of the church reveals the nature of the church, as well as the spiritual characteristics of the period of time often referred to as the "church age" -- the era between His first and second comings.
Questions: What are the most convicting lessons to you from the parables? How does Jesus' veiling the truth from unbelievers (by speaking in hard-to-understand parables) fit in with the idea of God's mercy? In light of all that we have in the gospel and all of the treasures of eternity, why do so many believers act "ho-hum" about Christ and the Christian life?
Feel free to post comments on these questions, or any other thoughts/questions you had about the chapters. Lots of info!!
* Study guide reference: Matthew: The Coming of the King, John MacArthur, 2007.
2 comments:
Tonight I read 8 & 9--"The Power of the King"
Q1: What did you learn about Jesus from His words and actions in these chapters?
I'm all about reading of Jesus's healings right now! Particularly those with disabilities (for obvious reasons!). As I said in my other post, I pray for Jesus's healing, and the more time that goes by, the harder it is to have faith. I checked out the Bible Gateway link (btw, it's great!). 9:27-29 commentary: Jesus responds to faith. The blind men's initial act of faith is approaching Jesus...Here 2 blind beggars confess Jesus' messianic identity before Peter does. Yet despite their initial acts of faith, Jesus forces them to clarify that they not only seek his help and recognize his identity but also acknowledge his ability to heal this otherwise irreversible disability. Jesus refuses to heal without faith; he is not a magician, but one who seeks to glorify his Father. This shows Jesus' humility and devotion to his mission.
Q2: What was His mission and purpose?
To continue fulfilling prophesy: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."
Q3: What did you learn from Matthew 8 & 9 about what it means to be Jesus' disciple?
What does it take? LOTS!
Complete devotion and utter faith. The willingness to sacrifice your obligations and expectations (burying your father), popularity and status (centurion), your profession (Matthew leaving his job as a tax-collector to follow Jesus), and your pride (everyone who came to Jesus for help).
Guess that's why the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few.
Pardon me, I'm just getting caught up on all my readings...severely behind!!
Just want to say I had never heard of/read of the comparison of Jonah to Jesus. Three days in the belly of the huge fish, 3 days and nights in the heart of the earth. I thought that was pretty awesome. I didn't realize how much Jesus had in common with old Jonah, and how they could relate to each other!
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