Listen, Day 4: Matthew 19-24

Here are our family thoughts from Wednesday’s listening.

Saralynn

  • had never noticed Matthew 19:12 referencing eunuchs by force verses eunuchs by choice as a physical issue
  • In chapter 23, Jesus attributed all of those murders to the Pharisees of that generation?

Micah – twice Jesus said that the first would be last and the last first

Dan’l (these are getting longer):

  • In the account of the rich young ruler, Jesus’ point was not that giving his money away would make points with God but that it would free the man to follow Christ – which is the ultimate goal
  • I have always enjoyed the story of the workers who worked different times but got paid the same (Matthew 20:1-15). From an economic perspective it stinks, but it shows that God’s grace is complete, no matter the person or circumstances.
  • I love that Jesus continually pointed people back to the Father, showing his work within God’s overall agenda, and the unity of the godhead.
  • Again, more references of Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies
  • What I want to know is how the man know that the Lord would need his donkeys? Did God tell him that before?
  • The story of the fig tree is a great example of Jesus’ humanity – he was hungry and didn’t know that there were no figs. It’s also a great example of his deity – all creation is supposed to offer their best to God, and he controls even life and death.
  • Jesus’ question about John’s authority was a classic rabbinical teaching method. Rabbis would ask their students hard questions in order to get them to think for themselves, instead of just giving them the answers. When Jesus asked the religious experts his question about John and they refused to answer (because he had cornered them), Jesus was showing his superiority over them, like a teacher with a room full of preschoolers.
  • Real leaders aren’t afraid of the people’s response; they do what’s right regardless of their popularity.
  • Jesus didn’t come to set up a Christian government; he worked within the system that was there. Genuine Christianity can function under any government, economy, etc. It is to be our entire lifestyle, regardless of the external situation in which we find ourselves.
  • Isn’t funny how we try to trip up God on his own turf and then are surprised when it doesn’t work?
  • Religious fakes actually keep people from a relationship with God, and that ticks him off.
  • The reference to Abel and Zechariah is pretty important. In the Hebrew Bible, Genesis is the first book (like in ours), but 2 Chronicles is the last. If you were to take the time and look it up, you’d find that Abel and Zechariah were the first and last murders Old Testament prophets. Basically, Jesus was laying the murder of every godly person up to that point upon those scribes and Pharisees.