Bible study of Matthew 21-26 verse by verse

The Bible study of Matthew Chapters 21-26 covers the final week of Jesus's earthly ministry, beginning with the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, moving through intense Temple confrontations with religious leaders, the Olivet Discourse, and concluding with the Last Supper and betrayal. It highlights Jesus as the prophesied King, the true authority, and the Passover Lamb. Parables of Jesus, Wise and Foolish Maidens, Servants and Talents, Who is the Christ? Conviction of Jesus. Matthew 21—What does Jesus say about Jerusalem? Matthew 22:1-14 The Royal Wedding. Matthew 22:15-22 The right of Caesar (paying tax). Matthew 22:23-40 Resurrection and teaching. Matthew 22:41-46 Who is the Christ? Matthew 23—Reasoning against scribes. Matthew 24—End of Time: Speech on the Last Things. Matthew 25—Wise and foolish maidens (virgins). Matthew 25:14-30 Servants and Talents. Matthew 25:31-46 The judgment about man. Matthew 26—Betrayal, imprisonment, and conviction of Jesus.

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Jerusalem - Matthew 21

Verses 1-11: Jesus has done many miracles, and the crowd is beyond itself. They expect a Messiah who is going to redeem them from the occupying forces, the Romans. Still, they have not come to the conclusion that the Messiah is the Savior from sin. The sin awareness still lacks. The entrance into Jerusalem makes the crowd excited and the members of the Sanhedrin wild. All this to fulfill the Plan of God the Father, which leads to the crucifixion of Jesus. Later the crowd, disappointed because the Savior does not redeem them from the yoke of the Romans, calls out, "Crucify Him."
From the spread of the clothing and the branches of the trees, we can see likely the rolling out of the red carpet for the king, as is usual today.
Notice what the crowd says in verse 11: "This is the Prophet, Jesus of Nazareth." No recognition of Jesus as Messiah, no knowledge of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

Spiritual lesson: Many accept Jesus Christ spontaneously and enthusiastically with high hopes. Then come the disappointments and the attacks of Satan. Many remain living in the world and do not come to a life under the control of the Holy Spirit, with the result that one denies the faith in Jesus Christ and is lost for eternity.

Verses 12-13 Jesus entered the Holy City of Jerusalem and now entered into the Holy House of His Father: the temple. What Jesus found was not a holy place of worship but a desecration, namely a marketplace where merchants made gross profit. It was the time of Easter, and many Jews from many countries and from Israel itself came to Jerusalem for Easter. The Jews residing in Israel itself often did not bother to take a sacrifice (an unblemished lamb) and to carry it on their journey to Jerusalem, with the chance that it was not approved by the priests. So it was bought at the marketplace, which is in the temple. Here is a collaboration between the priests and merchants? The sacrifices (lamb and pigeons) were sold with gross profits. A pigeon, as cheap as a substitute sacrifice for a lamb served for the poor, was sold for a high price. What had this to do with holiness! The market notched up gross profits. Also the exchange offices (the exchangers) too made gross profits. All had to be paid in Israeli currency, and the foreign money of the Jews who lived outside Israel had to be exchanged. Correctly, Jesus got angry and exposed all these exploiters out of the temple.
You may wonder why the temple guards did not intervene and stop Jesus. Just remember that Jesus entered Jerusalem with triumph, and the Jews themselves loathed this exploitation. Probably retained with fear of the crowd, preventing the temple guards from intervening.
Jesus says correctly with the quotation of Isaiah 56:7, "For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples," and you have made it a place of thieves.

What a contrast. On one hand, Jesus drives the robbers out of the temple, while on the other hand, divine nature shows, and the blind and lame, who are also in the temple, are healed. Jesus is the true Savior, the true worshipper of God. He does not tolerate sin; no thief enters the Kingdom of God, which robs the Holy Temple of his Holiness. On the other hand, sinners who truly repent of their sin are welcome and receive healing.

Verse 15 The chief priests and scribes, despite their differences in opinions, unite and turn together against Jesus.
1. Jesus takes away their profits by the expulsion of the market traders.
2. Jesus shows His authority by the healings of the blind and lame.
3. In their eyes, Jesus commits blasphemy by allowing Himself to be called "son of David" (the Messiah), and this is inside the temple, God's house.
What hypocrisy. The chief priests and scribes see the temple, God's house, as a place of sacrifice. The sacrifice should take away sin. The sacrifice was bought for a lot of money in the marketplace (a marketplace does not belong in the Temple). As if money can buy you freedom from the punishment of SIN! Despite the healings, they refuse to recognize that God through Jesus is at work here. They are the true blind and lame, who are blind to the works of Jesus and that Jesus is the true lamb for the liberation of sins.

Verse 16 Jesus answered them: Small children and infants give praise to God. Children and infants are still uninhibited, and they honor God. The chief priests and scribes, who ought to have a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures (the Old Testament), are committing blasphemy by their participation in allowing that there is a marketplace inside the temple. A marketplace where gross profits were achieved. They are the ones who dishonor the temple.

Verse 17 Jesus leaves outraged Jerusalem and returns to Bethany, where he spends the night before his upcoming crucifixion starts. A farewell to his friends and acquaintances?

Verse 18: Jesus returns to Jerusalem. Why he is hungry, we do not know, but it shows his human nature.

Verse 19 The first small figs appeared at the end of March (sometimes before the leaves came) and were ripe in May or June. The large fig only came in August to October. Easter was in April. Therefore, a ripe fig could not yet have been on the fig tree. Jesus saw from afar that this fig tree was full of leaves, and therefore one should expect ripe figs. However, this fig tree had no fig. Jesus rebukes the fig tree by means of the words, "Never again will fruit grow from you." We can marvel at this statement of Jesus. Does a tree have accountability? Man does not know nature; we do know that nature is also cursed by the Fall. Only Jesus, with his divine nature, can judge. The tree withers.
But there is a deeper spiritual thought: the chief priests and scribes are full of external religion (full of leaves), but their worship of God is false (no fig: no deep knowledge of sin, no true worship of God). In our time too there is a lot of appearance, both of the sermoners whose goal is their own honor. As for the individual believer who faithfully goes to church but during the week lives in the world and bears no spiritual fruit. No fruits of the Holy Spirit are visible in their life, but sometimes they live a religious life (full of leaves, no fruit). As a result, the fig tree withers, the Holy Spirit is extinguished, and there is no access to the wedding (Matthew 25) and to Heaven. The believer dies like the fig tree.

Verse 20 The own disciples of Jesus are amazed. How is this withering as fast as possible? Often an infidel accepts Jesus as Savior, but soon he/she falls quickly back into the worldly lusts and wealth, and their spiritual life withers soon.

Verses 21-22 Jesus replied that faith can move mountains. This mountain points to the Mount of Olives, and the sea to the Dead Sea. A difference in height of about 4000 ft. The condition for the impossible is no doubt in your heart, and it must be God's will. The promise is that you will receive what you ask for. Often doubt comes about the power of God or not knowing if it is God's will.

Verse 23 Jesus continues His labor; He teaches the people in the temple. The chief priests and the elders are jealous of His followers among the people. And come up with the question: By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? These things can refer to the entry into Jerusalem with the allowing to be called Son of David, the cleaning of the temple, and the healing of the sick, but also to His instruction and interpretation of Scripture in the temple. The chief priests and elders want to place Jesus on the block in front of the people. If He denies His empowerment, Jesus loses His credibility among the Jewish people. If he answered by God, then it would be blasphemy.

Verse 24 Jesus, however, sees through their cunning and replies with a counterquestion. Often unbelievers ask cunning questions of a believer. Not because they are really interested in the Christian life, but only to make the believer implausible and ridiculous. Be on guard and let the Holy Spirit guide you in a good question to silence your opponents.

Verses 25-26 Jesus sees through their evil heart. And comes with the question: From whom is John's baptism? People hold John the Baptist as a prophet who sermoned the Kingdom of God, namely the recognition of being a sinner and repentance of sin. This failed utterly by the chief priests and elders.
From Heaven, then why do they not recognize the chief priests and the elders, the call for repentance, the elders, and the recognition of Jesus' authority?

Verse 27 The chief priests and elders have fear for the people. Because if they responded that John the Baptist's sermon was not from God, they would undermine their own authority. Their answer is neutral: we do not know. They try a way out. How is it possible that chief priests and elders, who should have an excellent knowledge of Scripture, do not know? How often today do we see that questions posed by unbelievers fail to respond to questions in their area? Many in their specialism are often based on assumptions, which have no basis, only assumptions.
Jesus replies, "Then I say you neither, according to what authority I do these things." Quite right. Pharaoh saw the ten plagues; nonetheless, he did not wish to recognize the authority given by God to Moses as being of God. Pharaoh persisted in his disbelief, as did his authorities. Unfortunately we see many unbelievers who keep searching in yoga, Eastern religions, and their own strength and salvation: I live good, worshipping homemade stone sculptures. Rejecting the creation by God, believing in the Big Bang. Just remember that you will experience the truth after your death, and then it will be too late, and for your rejection of Jesus, you will have to wear the consequences yourself, resulting in the punishment by God upon your sins, the Lake of Fire.

Verses 28-30 Does not the Bible command that our "yes" should be "yes" and our "no" should be "no" (Matthew 5:37)? Also presently we see this parable back, both in children and in adults. One asks something, and one gets a confirmation, "Yes," as the answer. Sometimes out of courtesy or because they do not have the courage to say no, to refuse. But one does not do what one says. Another has the courage to say no but later on reconsiders (maybe thinks about it) and does what is refused.

Verses 31-32 The question of who has done the will is logically responded to with the answer, "the one who has done what was asked. " Logical was not the one who lied.
Now following a remarkable answer of Jesus: the tax collectors and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. The most despised people by the Jews and people, the tax collectors (extortionists) and harlots (inferior people and sinners), enter the Kingdom of God. Why? Because they recognize they are a sinner and need the forgiveness of sin. Think of Matthew the tax collector and the harlot Mary of Magdalene. This is in high contrast to the chief priests, scribes, and elders who self-congratulated themselves and do not wish to know of any remorse. Pastors, priests, and the Pope may self-congratulate themselves about their religious life and knowledge of Scripture, the Bible; however, without sorrow for sin and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, they will not enter the Kingdom of God, Heaven. Only the man who acknowledges Jesus Christ as Savior and being a sinner comes after death in Heaven.
John the Baptist (and Jesus) preached the Kingdom of God, a deep repentance of sins, and repentance, letting go of living in the world and starting a new life to the honor and glory of God, living a life under the control of the Holy Spirit, and clearly showing the fruits of the Holy Spirit in everyday life on earth.

Verse 33 Building a vineyard was an expensive and labor-intensive process. First of all, the hedge and the vine plants were planted. Then the wine press, which consisted of a stone with a drain for the wine. The grapes were usually pressed by feet, and the juice flowed to a lower reservoir. The tower served the vineyard as a guard against thieves and wild animals such as foxes. The tower also served as storage for the wine (bottles). After this investment by the owner, it was rented out to tenants, who had to share a portion of the harvest with the owner.
In the Old Testament, the master of the house is God (Yahweh). The tenants are the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, and elders.
Present: Jesus Christ is the master of the house of the vineyard. He has accomplished this with His death at the cross on earth and now. He is foreign, namely in Heaven. The tenants (evangelists, pastors, missionaries, etc.) are the believers, who are now responsible for the care of the vineyard (proclaiming the Gospel) and harvest (the care and growth of the believer).

Verses 34-35 The owner requires a portion of the fruit revenue. However, the tenants desire the full profit. They beat and kill the representatives of the owner. They have forgotten the investment that the owner has made in the vineyard. O.T.: God sent prophets and kings as ambassadors of Him. However, the Israeli and Jewish people did not wish to know anything and maltreated the prophets; yes, even the prophets were killed. Present: The unbelievers do not wish to hear anything about the Gospel; the believers are forbidden to sermonize the Gospel, are killed by Islamists, and many are burned at the stake; they misinterpret the Bible and the Gospel of salvation, and sin is stripped.

Verses 36-37 The owner is patient; he does not seize in and does not come with an army to punish these bad tenants. God is patient with His people and continued to send prophets to teach His people. At last, the owner sent his son. After centuries of the sending of prophets, God sent His son Jesus to earth. Jesus proclaimed the Gospel and taught the people; however, the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, and elders do not want to know anything of Jesus and see Him as a threat to their property and power over the Jewish people.

Verse 38 The tenants see the son, the heir. Now they seize their chance to become the owner of the vineyard and kill the son. The captains over Israel see with meek eyes the miracles that Jesus does and how big the number of followers of Jesus is among the people. They say, "Let us kill Jesus, and then we'll get back our authority over the people."

Verse 39 The tenants grab the son and throw him outside the vineyard, where they kill him. The chief priests have crucified Jesus outside the city of Jerusalem. The son of God was thrown out of town and hung on the cross.

Verses 40-41 Jesus asks the crowd (and probably the chief priests and scribes were present), "What should one do with these tenants?" The correct answer: the evil tenants serve an evil death to die. How good was the reaction of King David when the Prophet Nathan told his parable, and then it turned out that King David was the evil one? It's possible that the chief priests and scribes initially were unaware of the fact that the evil tenants reflected them.
Jesus follows the teachings of the rabbis, who used the question-and-answer method in the education of their students to keep their attention on the lesson. That is why this way of education by Jesus is not so surprising.

Verse 42 Jesus refers to Psalms 118:22-23. The stone rejected at the building of the temple is later used as the head of the corner. Jesus is the head of the corner, the Foundation of the Temple of God (1 Cor. 3:10-23), and the Redeemer. On no other foundation can man build; Jesus is the only way to Heaven.

Verse 43 The vineyard, the people of Israel, was destined for the Kingdom of God. In front of Pilate, (a part of) the people shouted, "Away with Him" (=Jesus); there, the priests and the people reject Jesus. With the result that the Kingdom of God is taken away from the Jewish and Israeli people and given to another people, the Church. But let the Church and the individual believer beware that his/her access to the Kingdom of God and Heaven can be removed. In the Church, every believer is called to live a holy life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit should be visible in the everyday life of the Church, the believer. How sad it is today, unfortunately. Spirit, let us examine seriously our condition as a church and believer.

Verses 44-46 Those who ignore this message will fall. Will be lost for all eternity and will be punished by God, the owner of Heaven and earth. After hearing this latest ruling, the chief priests and Pharisees realize that they are meant for these tenants. Their eyes remain closed, as with Pharaoh. They still intend to kill Jesus. Do not come to the understanding that by killing the son (of God), they themselves will be crushed. But they do not dare to lay hands immediately on Jesus, for fear of the crowd.

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The Royal Wedding—Matthew 22:1-14

In verse 1, Jesus continues to speak in parables. Speaking in parables addresses the imagination of people, because they contain examples from everyday life. But one must be open for it and not cocky and reject the example.

Verse 2 The Kingdom of Heaven (God) is intended for people who really repent over their sins and repent for their wrong way of life. We can see the King as God, the Father, and the Son as the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The father has prepared for his son a private wedding with the bride: the Church.

In the first instance, the Jewish nation was invited to the marriage feast of God. God sent his slaves (prophets like Moses, Elijah, Jeremy, Samuel, etc.) to the Jewish nation to convert them to God. The first invitation, however, they declined.

The second invitation also went out to the Jewish nation with a more firm message: See, I have prepared my dinner with oxen and fat calves; everything is ready. These other slaves, whom we can compare with John the Baptist, were followed by Jesus Himself, who showed all kinds of wonders to enforce His words, and then by His disciples, who after Christ's ascension first directed themselves towards the Jewish nation to convert. But His disciples were slain, prosecuted, and killed.

Verse 5 These very unwilling people were more interested in material wealth than in spiritual wealth. But we cannot accuse these people. How is it not now with man today? Wild parties, materialism, sex and drugs at major rock festivals that attract thousands of young people, worship of Satan, and rejection of God's commandments. Many a Christian lives in the world, does not read and study the Bible, enjoys worldly things, and does not live a life guided by the Holy Spirit.

Verse 7 After 4000 years of patience, there comes an end to the patience of God. This led to God's wrath, so that in 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, the Jewish citizens were slaughtered, and Jerusalem was set on fire. The Jewish people were invited to the wedding for over 4000 years but revoked God's grace and refused the wedding invitation. The wedding (Jesus coming to and living on earth) was ready, but the invited were not ready. The Jewish nation was not worthy.
In 70 AD Titus, the son of Vespasian, destroyed Jerusalem and equalized the temple like Jesus had predicted (Matthew 21:1-2). According to an eyewitness, Josephus (see the book of Josephus), more than 1,000,000 Jewish people were brutally killed by the Roman soldiers without considering age or rank; on the contrary, children and the elderly and the priests were slaughtered.

Verse 8 The wedding was ready: Jesus had preached the repentance of sin, but the Jews wished not to convert to the Messiah who brought salvation from sin. The guests were the Jews.

Verses 9-10: The slaves (Jesus' disciples, Paul and others, and presently all who proclaim the gospel) went out to the thoroughfares (to all the corners of the earth) and preached the gospel to evil ones (criminals, murderers, harlots, etc.) and good ones (who live a normal life?). And many have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, including converted Jews!

Verse 11 When the king entered, he looked at the guests, and he saw there a man who had no wedding garment, and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?" And he was speechless.
In the days of Jesus, it was practice that when a person was invited by the king, that person was offered a garment in order to appear honorable in front of the king. Also, it was the habit that if a person wished to appear before the king, he was required to wear clothes that the monarchy tried to send him. In this parable, the king righteously becomes wrathful since he had refused the kingly garment and found his own garment (works) good enough. Now this person realizes his mistake and is speechless. It was his own choice, responsibility, and guilt. Everyone, except him, had accepted the royal offer, but he willfully had declined the royal garment. Righteously this person is thrown out.
The royal robe—perhaps we can compare it with the offer of God to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Those who reject the Gospel (the wedding garment) cannot participate in the wedding; they are bound hand and foot, receive God's wrath, and enter the outer darkness for all eternity.
And how are we dressed for church on Sunday? The Church is the place where man appears for God. Are we worthily dressed? Or sportive, or with the breasts visible, with a mini skirt, with shorts? Would you go in this dress and appear before the president or king? Or are we thrown out because of our unworthy clothing?

Verse 14 Many are called, because God does not want anyone to be lost. All people—Americans, Europeans, Asians, Jews, and everyone—are welcome to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. However, few search for God and Jesus, despite that many have access to the Bible (for free on the internet) and the Gospel proclamation on the television. No one has the excuse of "I did not know." However, few wish to know something of the liberation of sins by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up their worldly life. At the end of this parable, the great OWN responsibility is stressed. Everyone had accepted the wedding robe, except him. Man HIMSELF is responsible for what happens with him/her after death. That debt lies NOT by God. Every human being is invited; the free choice is up to man. Every human being is called to repent, believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and lead a spiritual life by the Holy Spirit and let go of worldly living. The choice is up to man.

What does "brevely" mean?

Only through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior can one enter Heaven. There is nothing a man can contribute. First the sinner must lay off his garments and decline his own works. It is a free gift of grace that the sinful human, through the blood of Jesus Christ, can be redeemed from the punishment for sins. Only Jesus Christ has performed the work. Just when the sinful human recognizes this and Jesus Christ as his/her personal savior, only then does he/she receive the divine garment (in a manner of speaking: the Holy Spirit).
No good works, no weekly visits to the church, and nothing of yourself and works can bring a sinner into God's Kingdom (Heaven). If one enters upon false pretexts, one is cast outside.
Only on the merits of Jesus Christ's blood does one get a ticket to eternal life in Heaven. Otherwise one is cast outside into the lake of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

The right of Caesar (paying tax)—Matthew 22:15-22

Verse 15 The Pharisees did not repent at the end of Matthew 21; on the contrary, they are furious and trying to ambush. They do not dare to go themselves; therefore, they send their students in the hope that Jesus will be less harsh against them. And they go so far as seeking assistance from their enemies, the Herodians. Pharisees were Jews who strictly wanted to comply with God's law. While the Herodians cared very little about keeping God's laws and the divine commandments. These two groups united to catch Jesus with a trick question. The Herodians assumed that it was quite right to pay taxes. While for the Pharisees it seems like blasphemy. If Jesus would say YES, then the Jews would reject Him, because the Jews hate the tax collected by the Romans. If Jesus said no, then Jesus could be accused of treason; after all, the Romans had the government that imposed the tax.

Verse 16 What hypocrites, they address Jesus with "Teacher." While they do not recognize Him as Teacher, they have come to trap Jesus. They begin with flattery: "We know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully." In short, they say, you are a schoolteacher who people can rely on; you are reliable. If that was their inner conviction, why do they not follow Him? How often a believer is not misled with flattery; the unbeliever begins with words of praise to lure the Christian into a trap. How often do we not see this in television debates?
They continue with "And care for no man, for you do not regard the position of men." In short, they say you are impartial. And prosecution as if they have a sincere question.

Verse 17 Is it lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor (to Rome, the occupying forces)? This question is also true today: should a believer honestly pay taxes? Yes, because the government uses taxes to govern the country for law and order, education and health care, and maintenance and construction of roads. What the believer is charged with is to God, because the government is appointed by God. If a politician abuses and uses the money for his own pocket, he/she will be accountable before God. The believer must be obedient to the laws of his/her country. AS LONG AS It is not going against the laws of God (Acts 5:29).

Verse 18 Jesus sees through their cunning and responds with, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?" Be on your guard as a believer, and do not be fooled. Pray for help from the Holy Spirit. Do not try in your own strength to come up with a way out. The Holy Spirit is your strength. He is God and knows an answer to all these traps.

Verses 19-21 It was Easter; many Jews from Rome were present, so it was not difficult to obtain a Roman coin.
On the coin stood at the front an image of the emperor with the inscription (translated): TIBERIUS CAESAR AUGUSTUS, SON OF DIVINE AUGUSTUS.
And at the back was the Emperor seated on a throne and wearing a diadem on his head, dressed as a high priest with the inscription (translated): HIGH PRIEST.
Jesus asked the Pharisees and Herodians, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" Their response: "Caesar's." So the currency belonged to the emperor. Therefore, Jesus replies, "Give to the Emperor back what is of the Emperor." But He adds, "And what is from God is to God." In short, Jesus does not deny that one must pay tax, and thus Jesus cannot be accused of treason. However, the tenth of all comes toward God; hence, this addition. The Emperor is under God; God is above man.

The Pharisees and Herodians are affected; they had not reckoned with the divine nature of Jesus, and they are surprised about such a wise answer. They do not come to insight and do not dare Him to ask any more questions. They move out and go away.

Resurrection and teaching—Matthew 22:23-40

Verses 23-24 Now the Sadducees will attempt to trap Jesus. The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection; they attached great importance to the Torah (Pentateuch), but less to the other books of the Old Testament. They start with Moses, to whom God had given the 10 commandments and the law. Moses counted as the highest authority for the Jews. Their call comes from Deut. 25:5-6: the law of the brotherly descent. If a brother died without offspring, then the brother had to take the widow as a wife, and the firstborn child counted as the heir of the deceased brother so that the germ line was not discontinued.
An example of disobedience we find at Onan (Genesis 38:8-10), who is killed by God because of his disobedience. Tamar and Judah in Genesis 38:12-26. The obedience of Boaz by the marriage with Ruth (Ruth 4:1-8).

Verses 25-28 Whether this was true history or concocted by the Sadducees is not important. It shows the ridiculousness of their questions regarding the resurrection. Two spouses had already made clear the point. But seven only makes it more interesting. Because the law required that the woman belong to only one man. So which of these men would be this wife's husband after the resurrection?

Verses 29-30 The Sadducees should know the Scriptures better. God raises a glorified body for the believer, a body with an eternal life. Therefore, a marriage is no longer necessary, because there is no need anymore for offspring. The wedding has also been dismissed. Thus, the believers will be as angels, who also do not marry, and their life is also eternal. The Sadducees denied the existence of angels, while the Torah in Genesis 19:1, 15; 28:12; and 32:1 clearly speaks about angels. This shows their lack of knowledge or their denial of the teachings of the Torah.

Verses 31-33 Although the Sadducees did not have the New Testament, where the resurrection clearly is taught in Corinthians and Revelation. The Old Testament has sufficient evidence of the Resurrection: I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Psalm 16:9-11 and 73:24-26 talk about life after death. Daniel 12:1-2 Everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. So the Sadducees should have known better.
The crowd again is amazed by the teachings of Jesus. Jesus proves it from the Scriptures.

Verses 34-36 Although part of the Pharisees may have been glad of the rebuke to the Sadducees on the resurrection, many were not happy with the increase in the influence and teaching of Jesus. Therefore, there follows a question by a lawyer to provoke Jesus again: a test of the law knowledge of Jesus. The law concerned the entire Torah (Pentateuch): the first five books of the Old Testament. According to the lawyer, it is likely impossible to summarize this in one commandment.

Verses 37-40 But again, Jesus is superior. In the first place, man must love God. The great word is LOVE. Love does no harm, does not steal from his neighbor, and does not kill. The heart is the source of thoughts, sweet words, and deeds. The soul is the source of emotions. The mind is the source of awareness and consciousness (whoever looks at a woman with lust after her has already committed adultery with her). One who does not love God does not respect God's laws and commandments. By respecting God's laws and commandments, man shows his love to God, his Creator. This is an effort, not something that comes easy to men. Also within a marriage, it requires effort to love the partner. The second complies with the first commandment. If you love God, then you also do no harm to your neighbor. What you do not want another to do to you, you also do not do to your neighbor. How different would the world look when no one would do harm to the other? A world without hate, without envy, without theft, and without murder and manslaughter. God the Father and Jesus Christ know what is important in the life of a man!

Who is the Christ?—Matthew 22:41-46

Verses 41-43 The Pharisees are still present in the middle of the crowd. Jesus knows that his death at the cross is near and uses this last opportunity by asking the question: Who is the Christ? He is the son of whom? "Christ" is the Greek word for "Messiah." So the question to the Jews is, who seems to you to be the Messiah? It was clear from the Scripture that the Messiah would come from the tribe of David. The answer of the Jews that the Messiah is David's son is so absolutely right. David was inspired by the Holy Spirit when he wrote this Messianic Psalm and called his son LORD.

Verses 44-45 The citation is from Psalms 110:1. Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. Sitting at my right hand is the fact that now Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Put your enemies under your feet: when the enemy was defeated, the foot of the survivor was put on the neck of the enemy, who was lying on the ground.
How can David call his son Lord? Because if the Messiah is the Son, a descendant, then at that time He cannot exist. And yet David calls him Lord, so at that time the Messiah should already be alive, so eternal, so God. Also this points to the terrestrial nature, son (descendant) of David, as on the Divine nature, Lord, of Jesus.

Verse 46 This is the final confrontation of the enemies of Jesus before Jesus would be placed before the Council (Matthew 26:57-68). His enemies had tried everything to undermine His authority, including with trick questions. But they failed.

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Reasoning against scribes—Matthew 23

Verses 1-4: Jesus focuses directly on the crowds and on his disciples. He teaches that the scribes and the Pharisees have usurped the place of Moses himself. In the synagogue, there was a special chair from which the Torah was explained. A place/chair that Jesus too often used to teach the people. Jesus started with praise of the scribes and Pharisees with the words, "So practice and observe whatever they tell you." Not so weird in itself, since it is an interpretation of the 10 commandments and the law (the Torah). However, there is a warning: "But NOT what they do; for they sermonize but do not practice! Why? Because they teach what to do (what one should do according to the Torah), but they do not do it at all. In short, their way of life is not in accordance with what they themselves teach.
Today we do not see this back in the life of sermoners. Sermoners who teach the Bible and explain, while their own way of life is a shame, adultery, using the tithes for their own benefits, a luxurious life, and priests who sexually abuse children, to name only a few. But looking at the individual believer, we often see a return of living in the world, stealing, adultery, drunkenness, wild parties, etc. Sermoners and believers speak lovely words to unbelievers; however, when the unbeliever looks at the everyday life of these believers, it is a disgrace and sometimes a life worse than an unbeliever's. With verse 4 they bind heavy burdens, but they themselves will not move them with their finger.

Verses 5-7 The works they do are to get honor from people; they sit in the place of honor at a meal, get the best seats in the synagogues, and walk in beautiful clothes to be seen and to be saluted in the streets. Their works are NOT focused on work for the Lord God but on focusing on their own honor by people.
How do we see this with people and organizations that donate large sums of money (on the television) to welfare organizations and aid to Africa? All for the publicity, and nothing is hidden. Sometimes, their products are expensive, and their products and services are bad; their donations are paid by their customers!

Verses 7-9 They wish to call themselves "Rabbi." "Rabbi" is derived from the Hebrew, which literally means "my lord," but had just turned to high persons, such as a teacher of God's Word, showing great respect.
Jesus rightly points out that there is only one Teacher: the Lord God, the Father. And no one is elevated above the other man, for in God's eyes, all people are equal; all are brothers. Here Jesus speaks within the meaning of the spiritual father. The scribes and other members of the Sanhedrin saw themselves as fathers of the people.
However, we see this too with the apostle Paul, who is the father of the Corinthians, the father of Timothy, and the mother of the Galatians. However, he always used these "in Christ Jesus."

Verse 10 Leaders in the Church are not allowed to let them be called masters, because only Jesus Christ is the true Master. All education by Church leaders must be based on the Bible and on the words and teachings of Jesus and is not free for personal interpretation. Mat. 5:19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so. Let that be a severe warning!

Verses 11-12 Jesus is THE example of humility. He is a servant who died on the cross for the sins of man. He was raised by God, His Father, raised into Heaven, and now seated at the right hand of His Father.

Verse 13 Here start the seven woes. The scribes and Pharisees had a very large following among the Jewish people. Now begin the warnings against them. In verse 1, where Jesus speaks to the crowds, we can assume that the scribes and Pharisees are no longer present under the crowds, and Jesus directly appeals to the Jewish people. Hypocrites are people who are saying one thing but do not fulfill their own words; they are fraudsters, impostors, wolves in sheep's clothing, and vipers in the grass.
The first WOE begins with the deception that through their education in maintaining the Torah, one comes into Heaven. No one comes into Heaven through good works and/or a good life. The only way to Heaven is the recognition of being a sinner and that one cannot free himself/herself from God's wrath on sin. This is only through faith in Jesus Christ as the savior of your sins.
The scribes and Pharisees, by their false doctrine, prevent access to Heaven; yes, even worse, they prevent the man who wants to believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah and as Savior. They do everything to make the Jew believe, through their false accusations and trying to ridicule Jesus, also partly through their trick questions.

Verse 14 The RSV has NO TEXT because it falls outside the seven Be. The Pharisees spoke long prayers for being paid and allowed themselves to even be paid for this service by the poor widows. The widows were a group that was protected by the Torah. Here again is the hypocrisy: the scribes did not respect the protected group and asked even money for their long prayers from this protected group.

Verse 15 The second WOE. Proselytes were the non-Jews who had converted from their pagan way of living. Distinguished in two groups. One group, which had left Paganism, were worshippers of the God of the Jews, who visited the synagogue. The second group continued on, such as offering sacrifices in the temple, circumcision, and maintaining the Torah, including the rabbinical commandments.
The scribes and Pharisees try to lay down heavy loads by means of close observation and maintenance of the law. A hell, for no man on earth is able to accomplish the Torah.

Verses 16-17, 21 The third WOE. A signpost that ought to direct to the right direction of the mentioned place at the sign. The scribes and Pharisees are not directing the right direction to God; they are blind. Blind because they valued the gold of the temple more than the temple (the Holy of Holies), the house where God lived. Not the building material was important; the residence of God was important. An oath at a building of gold means nothing; an oath to the God, the temple, has value.

Verses 18-20 One swears at the altar; that means nothing, because it is an object. However, if one swears by the offering that one brings to God, then one swears by God. The scribes and Pharisees are blind because they value material things more than the Holy God Himself. They are the blind who are the wrong guide/signpost.

Verse 22 One swears by heaven, one swears at the residence of God, where the throne of God is. We should look at the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 5:33-37, in which Jesus teaches not to swear at all. Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No.'

Verses 23-24 The fourth WOE. The scribes and Pharisees gave their tithes punctually and conscientiously according to Lev. 27:30-33 and Deut. 14:22-29. According to the law, the tithe was only valid over the three countries' revenue: grain, wine, and oil. The scribes and Pharisees exaggerated; they also gave a tithe of everything, such as the mint, dill, and cummin. Their inflexible behavior towards the mandatory tithe on everything led to a gross sin of violation of the law, namely neglecting the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith.
How do churches not insist, yes, to mandate giving the tithe? However, 1 Cor. 16:2 says, "Each gives to his capability," and 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." The tithe of the believer is a gift from the heart or because the Holy Spirit has laid down a gift at your heart. OK, the gift of tithe is necessary for the rent of the church building, salaries of ministers and missionaries, and evangelism work. But one can give more, another less. Let each do what is in his or her heart. It should never be regular, as with the scribes and Pharisees, a strict lawful thing. The gift should be a cheerful gift in gratitude for the work of Jesus at the Cross, the donation by God of eternal life and forgiveness of sin, and awareness of the need to tithe.
The mosquito and the camel were both unclean animals (Lev. 11). The scribes and Pharisees did not want to pollute themselves; therefore, before they drank, the drink was first sieved by a cloth to remove all insects from drinking. A mosquito is a small creature, while the camel is a great unclean animal. They consider conscientious observance of the law of greater importance than God's command to do justice, mercy, and faithfulness to God.

Verses 25-26 The fifth WOE. See Mark 7:1-13 for how the scribes and Pharisees behaved on the cleaning of the cup and plate. Keeping the commandments of the elders (tradition), they consider much higher than the commandment of God. Their hearts were not concentrated on God but on the maintenance of the Torah and commandments of the elders. They were completely blind to the why of God's commandments. Jesus says, "Start first to cleanse your hearts from sins and enter first into a healthy relationship with God."
How do we not see many Christians with a religious life, faithfully going to church every Sunday, and the exact giving of tithe? But by the week we see hardly a life with fruits of the Holy Spirit. Then we see a selfish life full of robbing and deception, without maintaining God's commandments of charity and mercy.

Verses 27-28 The sixth WOE. Close to Easter, the tombs were cleaned so that they looked shiny white. The graves seem clean and white in appearance; however, under the tombstone lies the coffin with dead bones and a decomposing body (all kinds of impurity). The scribes and Pharisees seemed oh-so God-serving from the outside, from the outside to the people, and righteous; however, their hearts were full of hypocrisy and contempt for the law. God and Jesus know the inner thoughts of man; for them, nothing is hidden. God and Jesus Christ know the true motives why a believer does certain things. God gets to the bottom of the heart of man and does not look at the appearance and the outward actions.

Verses 29-32 The seventh WOE. Whether Jesus referred to new grave monuments that were built at the time of Jesus or the restoration of the existing ones is not clear from the text. Genesis 35:20 speaks of "Jacob setting up a pillar upon her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day. " Acts 2:29 speaks of "Patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. "It is believed that the tomb of the prophet Zechariah was built at the time of Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees dissembled by saying in verse 30, "If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets," while now they were plotting the murder of the greatest prophet of all time, the Son of God: Jesus. They are the ones who are going to make the full measure of their fathers by shouting, "Crucify Him!" They killed Jesus at the Cross! They testify that they are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Hypocrites they are; in 22:16 they speak in the presence of Jesus to the Jewish population with "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully," while in their heart is the intention to ridicule Jesus and kill Him.

Verse 33 The scribes and Pharisees have had the warnings through the prophets, John the Baptist, and finally Jesus Himself has warned them. In spite of everything, they wish to kill Jesus, and now there is no escape for them; their fate will be an eternal life in hell, the Lake of Fire.

Verse 34 Prophets, wise men, and scribes are viewed from different angles: the Old Testament prophets continued in the New Testament with the 12 Apostles (where the traitor Judas Iscariot was replaced by the apostle Paul). All wise men by the Holy Spirit. Scribes: They have written the Bible by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Some have been tortured and killed; others have been flogged in the synagogues and persecuted from city to city (all this was undergone by the Apostle Paul). How wondrously this all is fulfilled when we read the book of Acts. God is the One Who allows all this. With rewards for martyrs. With an eternal punishment for the persecutors.

Verse 35 The blood of Zacharias, the son of Berekja, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Here is a problem. The reference to II Chronicles 24:20-22 speaks about the son of priest Jojada. He was stoned to death in the Court of the House of the Lord on the command of the King. He lived in the ninth century BC. So the reference to Chronicles is a wrong reference.
Zechariah 1:1 speaks of the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo (grandson of Iddo). Zechariah lived in the sixth century BC; therefore, he was the last prophet of the Old Testament, three hundred years later than Zacharias in Chronicles. Jesus says that Zechariah was murdered between the temple house (Holy of Holies) and the altar, a place where only priests were allowed to come. The first Zechariah was stoned on the forecourt, where everyone could come. We must assume that the reference by Jesus, as the son of Bereja (Zach. 1:1), is correct, although the Bible does not tell us how he died. But the Targum (Rabbinic literature) mentioned that he died a violent death.

Verse 36 Now Jesus is speaking the judgement. Despite all the OT prophets with their warnings given by God, this generation is the very last: they kill the Son (21:38-39). The patience of God, the Father, with His Bride, the Jewish people, has come to an end. This generation has denied all advice, all sermons of John the Baptist and Jesus. Now this generation, after being warned many times, shall bear the punishment of God: all this will come upon this generation.
NOTE: Jesus says ON THIS GENERATION, and therefore NOT on generations later, as some "Christians" say that the Holocaust and the murder of six million Jews in World War II were the punishment of God for the crucifixion of Jesus!

Verse 37: Jerusalem, the heart of the Jewish State and capital city. The city where the temple is and God dwells. The chosen people by the Lord God. However, the Jews did not want to listen to the prophets and to Jesus. The mother hen calls her brood when danger threatens. How many times had God not warned His people, His brood, to be faithful to Him and not to serve the pagans' idols? However, the brood, the Jewish people, would not listen; still worse, they killed the prophets, and eventually the Jewish leaders called for Jesus to be crucified. They did not want to recognize their sins and not to recognize Jesus as the Savior of sin!

Verses 38-39 Your home refers to the temple, the city of Jerusalem, and the State of Israel, which is now left to these unwilling people. They will no longer see Jesus, receiving no more education of Him until Jesus returns with His Second Coming on earth, and all the people will see Him whom they have pierced (Zach. 12:10, Mat. 24:30). So this is not at the First Coming of Christ, when the Church is taken up into Heaven. First, the Jewish people will go through the Great Tribulation, and at the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus Christ will come back (Second Coming) to liberate His people from the Anti-Christ and defeat and bind Satan.

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End of time: Speech on the last things—Matthew 24

In the previous chapter, Jesus has pronounced His exhortations, the WOEs, and judgment on the spiritual leaders of the Jewish people, His last speech before His death at the cross. The following is important information about the end of time: the speech on the last things and what is going to happen after His death, the First and Second Coming of Christ after His resurrection and Ascension. Verse 23:37: the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., now the verdict on the world's population. Matthew 23 is for the crowd; Matthew 24 is only for the disciples. Information intended for believers alone.

In verse 1, Jesus leaves Jerusalem with his disciples, and from the Mount of Olives, they have a good view of the temple. The disciples point out to Jesus the mighty building of the temple with its huge stones (each stone weighs about 6.5 tonnes).

Verse 2 Jesus predicts the breakdown of this huge building, the temple. What occurs in the year 70 A.D., when the Roman occupier captures Jerusalem and completely breaks down the temple? No stone is left on one stone, a complete devastation.

Verse 3 From the Mount of Olives, one has a beautiful view of the white stones of marble and the golden roof of the temple, which reflects the sunlight.
The disciples understand Jesus very well, and their logical question is, "When is this going to happen?" Watch their detailed question: 1. When 2. What is the sign of your coming? 3. When will the end of the world be? They make a connection between the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. Not in itself an illogical thought. The disciples were not yet familiar with God's plan that first another people, Christians, would hear the Gospel, and temporarily the message of salvation to the Jews would be removed.
The word PAROUSIA (coming) is used here and in verses 27, 37, and 39. That in the secular parlance of the time, it had the significance of the visit of a king or had the appearance of a divinity. With the apostle Paul, it has the meaning of the (first) Coming of Christ.

Verses 4-5 Jesus begins to correct the disciples. There will be many who say, "I am the Christ." In the last two centuries, many have claimed to be the Christ (many sects whose leaders said, "I am the Christ") and died with their sect members. They have charmed many people within their sect, and many people found death with their false Christ as sect leader. How one is not preparing to be able to project a hologram into the sky at various places on earth, which represents Christ, and the people have to be obedient to him (while this projection is the Anti-Christ). Jesus warns us seriously not to be misled; however, He also predicted that many will fall for this deception.
Others mislead the believers from the correct road (liberal theology, sin is no sin anymore, no more respect for the commandments of God, freedom of religion, we all believe in the same God, etc).

Verses 6-7 It is clear that we are living in a time of (rumors of) wars, the wars in Africa, and North Korea. The division of Russia into the different independent countries. Within a country, the call of groups that desire to separate. The famine is large and only growing at an alarming rate, likewise increasing the prices of grains and rice.
See the list of powerful earthquakes during the last two centuries, from which it is evident that earthquakes increase in intensity and frequency, indicating that we live in the end of time and the first coming of Christ for the Christians is near.

Verses 8-10 However, this is not yet the end of the world; first comes the Great Tribulation, which retards "Christians" and people coming to faith in the Great Tribulation. Many of them will be tortured and prosecuted; many will be tested if they truly believe and will even be put to death due to their faith in Jesus Christ (what we already presently see by the Muslims who kill Christians). Many will fall and accept the mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:16-18) in order to stay alive and to be able to buy food. However, they sell themselves to Satan (the Beast, the Anti-Christ), and their fate will not be Heaven, but the Lake of Fire.

Verses 11-12 Many false prophets will stand up, and many will be led astray. A good prophet we recognize by the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the everyday life of that prophet. ALL his prophecies come true; NOT ONE remains unfulfilled. Signs of great miracles and healings occur both with the false and with the true prophet, but just through these miracles and healings, many are led astray. We already see this in our current time.
A true prophet speaks about sin and speaks edifyingly, admonishing and encouraging. The false prophet does not speak about sin and does not recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and the Son of God. Talks about an all-conciliatory love of God and believing in the same God (reconciliation of Christians with other faiths such as Islam, Buddhism, and yoga). The false prophet has a strong legislative contempt and disputes everything, thinking about the dispute about the husband-and-wife marriage, sex only within marriage, allowing sex with underage children, sex with the same sex, sex with animals, no more specific features for boys and girls, everyone is equal, and communism, to mention just a few examples. No respect for the law, no more charity, and more lust for power, as in the drug wars and drug gangs, with many deaths a day, as we see taking place in Rio de Janeiro.

Verse 13: Endurance, in the meaning of holding out, endures in the midst of tribulations; the martyr remains steadfast, as we see with Job. How Christians were not tortured in Communist Russia, how not many are being tortured in China and other Islamic countries, and how many already suffer the hatred and torture presently. Jesus says, Maintain to the end, and then you will be saved and come into the realm of God.

Verse 14 Note the word "this." This Gospel of the Kingdom will be sermoned in the whole world. This Gospel of the Kingdom refers to the Sermon on the Mount. MUST, according to Mark 13:10, first sermon, this Gospel to all nations on earth before there comes an end to the world (Great Tribulation). Not the Christian Gospel will be sermoned to all people on the earth before the first coming of Christ. And yes, all people and all nations on earth will be sermoned this Gospel of the Messiah before the second coming of Christ, and all the tribes on earth (verse 30) will see Jesus, the Son of Man.

Verses 15-16 The desolating sacrilege, see Daniel 11:31; 12:9-13. Daniel 12 speaks clearly about the Great Tribulation. One thousand two hundred and ninety days and one thousand three hundred thirty-five days are both about 3 1/2 years. It is clear that in the Great Tribulation, the temple is rebuilt (and again sacrifices will be offered at the altar). Daniel 12:11 says that the daily sacrifice is discontinued and an abomination (the worship of the Beast, the Anti-Christ?) is founded. 1 Macc 1:54 states that the desecration of the temple and the temple's altar was intended in 168 B.C. by the Syrian King Antiochus IV. The God of heaven, who is unnamed in the temple at Jerusalem and was honored, was registered as Zeus Olympios. Probably his image was founded in the temple. The desolating sacrilege was possibly no different than placing a stone on the altar so that sacrifice was no longer possible and the altar was lowered to a pedestal. The altar dedicated to the worship of the ONE God of Israel became a sanctuary of Zeus where God was worshipped in general.
When the idol is placed in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem by the Anti-Christ, then that is the sign for the Jews who are in Judea to flee to the mountains. The mountains counted in the O.T. as areas where one could flee in times of hazard (Ezekiel 7:16).

Verses 17-18 When it is time to flee, flee immediately. Do not return to take furniture; do not return to your house when you are working in the field to get clothing. No, flee directly from the place where you are and go immediately to the mountains with only what you are dressed in and what you are carrying.

Verse 19 It should be done as soon as possible; at that end of time, the inhabitants of Judea must run for their lives to the mountains. If this is also a result of the large earthquake in Revelation 16:17-21, it is a guess. Woe to the mothers who are pregnant or have a baby to breastfeed; they will have to run with their heavily pregnant belly or carry their child to the chest.

Verse 20 A run in the winter, a period of rain, cold, and snow, complicates the run. The Jewish point of view was rather to kill yourself than to violate the Sabbath; an example of this is the Maccabean rebellion. Fleeing on a Sabbath was considered working, which was forbidden. Because on the Sabbath, it was not allowed to walk more than 2000 el (circa 1400 meters). The Jew respects this and will not flee.
However, how strict this is was asked of Rabbi Eleazar (in 110): if one is allowed to flee. He replied, "Look at Jacob, who fled to the field of Aram (Hosea 12:13); Moses fled from Pharaoh (Ex. 2:15) and David from Saul (1 Samuel 19:18)."
Therefore, with Jesus, the Christians should pray for the Jewish people that the Lord God will not let this terrible day occur in the winter or on a Sabbath. And God remembers the pregnant women and breastfeeding.

Verse 21 Jesus announces a time such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. It would be the most terrible time ever on earth. How horrible, we now know from the book of Revelation. The time of the terror by the Anti-Christ and the Beast for the believers and the Jewish people, but also for the unbelievers when God pours out His cups full of indignation upon earth. Daniel 12:1 also speaks of a time of great trouble (= tribulation) that has not yet been there since nations existed. Daniel 12:7 speaks about a time (one year), times (two years), and half a time (half a year). total of 3 1/2 years, followed by Daniel 12:11, 1290 days (approximately 3 1/2 years). This corresponds to the 7 years in Revelation. The time of the beast takes 42 months (=3 1/2 years) in Revelation 13:5. The word "Great Tribulation" is taken from the text in this verse (and Revelation 7:14). With the words "such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be," Jesus gives the completely unique situation. This period will also never come again, because Satan is bound at the end and ends his power.

Verse 22 It is God Himself who brings salvation. In Jesus Christ, every man has forgiveness of sins who believes in the Son of God as Savior. God knows that a man has a limited endurance and is limited in persevering if he is tortured. God therefore limited this period of Great Tribulation, because otherwise also the favorite would succumb and be lost.

Verses 23-25 Verse 5 is repeated: do not believe in the one who is calling himself the Christ in this period. From Revelation, we know now that the Anti-Christ and the Beast will do great wonders and signs. Now we know that robots speak and recognize voice and intelligence, almost already resembling a human being. It is quite clear that we are living in the last days; the technical developments are going fast, even with the cultivation of organs. But also think of the developments of malicious viruses that cause horrible pains; those will be used with the torture of believers by the Anti-Christ in the Great Tribulation. We can deny that the tribulation is imminent.

Verse 26 According to rabbis and Flavius Josephus, the Messiah comes from the desert. From the desert is the Messianic salvation expected. Also, that John the Baptist appeared in the desert was with the same expectations. Hence the warning: do not be fooled by false prophets with the message the Messiah is in the desert.
The same applies to the inner room. A Jewish view is that first the Messiah remains at a hidden place (inner room) before He reveals Himself. The Anti-Christ will try to trap believers by saying that the Messiah is hidden in a certain secret inner room, because then the believers will go, and then they will be tortured and killed.

Verse 27 The Parousia of the Son of Man is compared to the lightning: bright, clear, visible, unexpected, and sudden. No one is expecting, as in the days of Noah, the people celebrated with great feasts and did not care about God. As the people retrace and worship the Anti-Christ and the Beast, so unexpectedly (Revelation 16:15) will there be an end to their power, and the Messiah will show to all nations (verse 30).

Verse 28 It is possible that this concerns a proverb, one we do not know about these days. Vultures are birds that detect cadavers flawlessly from a great height. So flawlessly for all will be visible the Parousia (Coming) of the Son of Man, no one excepted on earth. How that is, we do not know. Possible through the television and internet. But God is the Creator; for Him, nothing is impossible, not even for Jesus to physically appear at all places in the world at the same time. Jesus is God; therefore, He is not tied to one place at a time (such as man and Satan, who are limited to one place), but He is omnipresent.

Verse 29 At the end of the Great Tribulation, the sun will no longer give her light, nor will the moon. A plain dark earth, a complete darkness—what a contrast as the lightning appears, Jesus Christ, a shining light. That should have a great effect and be clearly visible.
The stars fall from the sky, reading in Revelation. That means that also the stars no longer give their lights.
Powers of heaven, with Ephesus 6:12 principalities, refer to the world powers of darkness, Satan, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Verse 30 The sign by Matthew is not further explained by him. We can think of the sign of the cross, which is just as common with believers. Zech. 12:10: They will look on Him whom they have pierced. Jesus is pierced on the cross of Calvary, so Jesus, with the visible wounds of His hands and feet nailed to the cross and His side pierced by the Roman soldier, everyone (all strains) on earth will SEE.
With power and great glory, Jesus does not come alone; with Him returns the Church for the great battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) for the final fight against Satan and all peoples who have gathered to attack Israel (Revelation 17:14).

Verse 31: The trumpet is a well-known Jewish signal in warfare. While we usually speak of a ram's horn, shofars can also be made of the horns of goats, bucks, or even antelopes. When the marrow is removed from the horns, there remains a more or less curved, hollow pipe. Through the nozzle, at the point of the horn, air is blown to produce the sound. That is easier said than done. Blowing the shofar requires a lot of exercise, effort, and air. Separate melodies cannot be blown, so the melody depends upon the short and long strikes. That of a ram, however, is preferred, as the shofar reminds of the ram that was sacrificed by Patriarch Abraham instead of his son Isaac. In Joshua (6:4) we read that it was a task of the priests to blow the shofar. That happened at festive gatherings but also at the time of war and battle. The tradition from Exodus 19:16 says that when the Torah was given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, in the midst of lightnings and thunders, a loud call of the shofar sounded, causing the people to tremble with awe and anxiety. The story goes that the right horn of this ram will be blown as the Messiah comes. Isaiah 27:12-13: In that day it shall come to pass that the Lord will gather the children of Israel, and the great trumpet will be blown. 1 Thess. 4:16-17 with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The seven trumpets in Revelation 8 and 9 .
The Jewish and Israeli people (collectively the 12 tribes), for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens (North, South, East, and West, all over the Earth) Zech. 2:6. From one end of heaven to the other, we find back in Deut. 4:32.
It is God Himself. Who will bring together and will save His people, His chosen ones (the Jews, Israelites, and the believers from the Great Tribulation)? This action will be carried out by the angels of God.

Verses 32-33 The moment of the Parousia, when all this shall come to pass, is not answered. There is a slight indication, but CLEARLY the believer MUST observe it. See also verses 43-50, in which vigilance is called for, and one must prepare himself (Mt 25:1-13). The leaves do sprout, and the summer is near, the signs given by Jesus in verses 4-15. We now know that we are living in this time, so we know that summer is near. We see with our own eyes that it is near; it is upon the doorstep. The coming of the Anti-Christ and the Great Tribulation is near!

Verse 34 This generation will not pass away. A generation counts 70 or 80 years. According to Psalms 90:10, the days of our years are seventy years, and, if we are strong, eighty years. The State of Israel was founded in 1948. 1948 + 70 = 2018. The Great Tribulation takes 7 years, so we already passed 2018 - 7 = 2011. The Great Tribulation described above must first come to pass (till all these things take place). This means that the First Coming (where the Church is taken up to Heaven) can be in 1948 (creation is Israel) + 80 years (Psalm 90:10 strong generation, which the Jewish people certainly are, given the many wars against the Arabs) = 2028 - 7 years of Tribulation = 2021? The signs and the current huge contempt for law and no respect for God's laws and commandments point strongly. Sure, it is that the coming will be soon.
After the Second World War, the UN voted and approved the creation of a Jewish state, Israel. 1948 is fulfilled in Ezekiel 37:1-8. The bones (the Jewish people) are gathered from the four corners of the world (the whole earth) and travel to the land of Israel. Muscles and meat came on the bones, and skin pulled over it. The State of Israel has grown, and still, from all the world, the Jews come in order to establish themselves in Israel. However, Ezekiel 37:9-10 says there was no breath in them. By the entire Jewish people there is still not yet a worship of God (Jaweh); that only comes in the tribulation or after the second coming of Christ. The 144,000 from the tribes of Israel will proclaim the Kingdom of God throughout the world. After the coming of Christ, Jesus Christ will fulfill the promise, and the twelve tribes will live in the promised land according to the promise given to Abraham in Genesis 15:18. "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. "The river of Egypt would not point to the Nile River but to the Sichor River, which separates Egypt from Canaan (Num. 34:5, Joz. 13:3, 1 Chronicles 13:5). The Euphrates now has a length of 2735 kilometers. She begins in Northeast Turkey and flows through Syria to Iraq, where they are north of the city of Basra; the Tigris and the Shatt al-Arab River are hence called the one Shatt al-Arab River. Then this united river ends by a marshy area via Abadan into the Persian Gulf. The Euphrates plays an important role in Revelation. In the future, the earth will be judged; an angel takes care that the water of the Euphrates dries up in order that the kings from the East, prepared to war, can pass.
Observe how huge this new country will be, including the Sinai Desert (the desert will flourish, Isa. 51:3), Jordan, and Iran.
Without any indications, this verse ends the message and information about the Second Coming. And it continues with the message and information about the first coming (verses 40-41) intended for the new people of Jesus, the Church.

Verse 35 Jesus confirms here that the preceding will certainly occur. Heaven and earth will pass away, but all that I have said to you will happen. What horrors will happen is later revealed to the apostle John in the book of Revelation in greater detail. Heaven and earth will pass away before all this will occur, and the New Earth and New Heaven (Revelation 21:1-8) will come.

Verse 36 No one knows the day and the hour the Comings will come to pass. This is a very important statement of Jesus, because the angels and Jesus Himself do not know it. Recently, we learned of the prediction by an American astrologer, who predicted the date 23rd September 2017 as the day of the Coming of Christ, because the stars were in the same location as with the birth of Jesus, and the last trumpet would sound on the Israeli New Year. There Jesus here says, "Of that day and of that hour no one knows." We already knew that this prediction had to be false. We look at my comment on verse 34; that is a possibility, because Jesus says emphatically that we must observe the time (verses 32-34), and Jesus points out that we have no knowledge of the day and hour. Be as it might be, the following verses and Mat. 25:1-13 are a strong lesson by Jesus Himself to be vigilant. One thing is certain: given the many signs, the coming of Jesus and the Rapture of the Church are very near. The time is very short that Christians can proclaim the Gospel, yet there rests on each individual Christian a hard task to proclaim to as many infidels as possible the salvation in Jesus Christ! And teaching in keeping God's commandments and laws, a Christian lifestyle (Gal. 5:16, 22), in order not to remain behind (foolish and wise virgins, Mat. 25:1-13), and consequently the need to persevere in the Great Tribulation and not be excluded from the wedding of the Lamb!

Verses 37-39 Since no one knows when the Son of Man returns, vigilance is very necessary, referring to the days of Noah (Gen. 6:5-7, 11; Gen. 7). Humanity in the days of Noah thought they could afford everything, like presently, without respect for God and denial of God, great (sex) parties (think presently of the large rock festivals), people eating and drinking abundantly (today many fat people who are not concerned about the poor), and marrying (present free sex and sex before marriage). No one in the days of Noah was aware that God's judgment was near and everyone would be killed, except the ones separated by God: Noah and his family and a certain amount of animals. As the flood came so unexpectedly, so will unexpectedly for many will come the Great Tribulation, and Coming of Christ. But one, Noah paid attention to the Council of God; he listened to God and was rescued with his family. Only the Christian who pays attention to and reads the Bible and observes God's commandments and statutes will be saved and at the first coming of Christ go into Heaven.

Verse 43 Jesus uses an example from everyday life. One is alert and protects his house against thieves. Certainly when one is informed in advance which night the thieves will come. Jesus has sufficiently indicated what the signs of His coming are, and in verses 42 and 44 He points clearly to the unexpected arrival of the Son of Man. One does not need to be unprepared. The current signs in the world—contempt for law (rumors of war; think of North Korea), wars, earthquakes, and natural disasters (typhoons)—clearly indicate the rapid coming. It may be 2012 (see my comment on verse 34), it might be sooner (today), or it may be later, but one fact is certain: it is CLOSE.

Verses 45-51 Jesus closes His "speech on the last things" with a last example with verse 51 as a very serious warning. The faithful and wise slave who takes care of food and drinks in time. Meaning today, the faithful and wise Christian provides food and drinks (literally gives to the poor), proclaims the Gospel, and gives biblical teaching to the unbelievers. Blessed is that slave, Christian, whom Jesus Christ at His Coming meets working and caring. That slave will be set over its possession. That Christian will reign as king in the millennial Kingdom of Christ (Rom. 5:17).
But the wicked manservants and the maidservants (Luke 12:45) who are not appointed to the service concerned by his master, his or her fate is verse 51. The wicked menservant, or the maidservant who abuses for its own purposes the given power (abuse of tithes in its own favor), does not care about proclaiming the Gospel and biblical teaching correctly, for an additional fee prays and heals, and awards himself/herself a luxury life (rich food and drinks) for those Jesus Christ comes back unexpectedly to, at an hour that he/she does not know.
To beat his fellow slaves was something only for the householder. Here the slave takes over the role of his householder and presents himself as equivalent to him.
The end is equal to the warning to the spiritual leaders of Israel (23:33: How are you to escape being sentenced to hell?), and also this wicked slave does not escape, and I will punish him in hell (weep and gnash their teeth). See also 7:22-23. It is the deadly terror that occurs to people left behind at the Coming of Christ as they notice that the formed images of God and Jesus were their own thoughts and ideas, their own deception. The weeping and gnashing of their teeth is therefore both an expression of being aware that they, as a result of their own fault, are excluded from the Kingdom of God.
The parable of the faithful and wicked slave is about how a man/believer is personally responsible for how he/she copes with the word of God, the Bible. The following two parables in Mat. 25:1-13 and 14:30 possibly give an even clearer illustration of personal responsibility. Everyone has a free choice that he or she can make with logical reasoning. No one has the excuse of "I was not conscious." Jesus is very clear in His examples and similarities from everyday life. The choice is up to you.

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Wise and foolish maidens—Matthew 25

I used to think that a new parable started until a comment pointed out that Matthew 25 is a continuation of the speech on the last things in Matthew 24. That sheds a different light on Matthew 24:40-41. Formerly I thought that these verses concerned ALL believers who had accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and those who remained behind were all unbelievers. There, Matthew 25 is a continuation of Chapter 24; it throws a completely different light on Chapter 25. Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, this is a very serious business, of which I myself am very shocked. There is a lot of sermonizing in the churches, but where is the education?
The parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins refers to the believers in the Church. They are notably all who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. The five fools are the ones who remain behind and pass through the Great Tribulation, and the five wise are those who are taken up and go with Christ to Heaven for the Wedding. These five wise virgins are the believers who lead a life under the control of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and bear fruit (Mt 13:23); they have sufficient oil to enter into the marriage feast, Heaven, with the groom, Jesus Christ. The foolish virgins are the ones from Mat. 13:20-22, who quenched the Holy Spirit (1 Thes. 5:19) and found the fun and wealth of the world more pleasant than to respect the commandments and the statutes of God. They find the door to the marriage feast closed and stay behind in the Great Tribulation, where they get a second chance and their faith in Jesus Christ will be tested, and those who persevere will yet come in Heaven.
Why this requirement for a life of wise virgins and being full of the Holy Spirit? That was a question that I asked myself. The answer is logical. The believer is a son of God, who should be obedient to God, the Father. The believer belongs to a chosen generation, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). The believer must act as mediator (intercession) for the unbeliever so that he/she comes to faith. That will be difficult if the faithful himself is living in the world; then he/she is no witness and does not pray. He/she does not perform his/her priestly service. The believer will reign as king, so should the will of his master, Jesus Christ. Therefore, he/she should be guided by the Holy Spirit. That royal task cannot be fulfilled if one is not guided by the Holy Spirit and enjoys fully the earthly things and sin. Here on earth, the believer must behave wisely and be prepared for his/her royal priesthood; then he/she is ready for the first coming of Christ to enter Heaven.

Matthew 25:1-13 (Wedding):

What does this mean?

Matthew 22:1-14 indicates that the Church (all believers, who believe that Jesus Christ has died for their sins at the Cross) is represented as the Bride of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom. In this parable, the parable is continued with an addition, namely, we can compare the oil with the Holy Spirit, who, after being born again, makes a dwelling in the believer (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Everybody on earth is equal, and everyone receives the opportunity to recognize God. God is omnipresent: in nature, weather, the universe, in church, etc. We all know that the coming of the bridegroom is delayed. Jesus Christ was raised into Heaven two thousand years ago, and He has not yet returned to collect His Church. Also in this parable, the bridegroom delayed. So you need not wonder why the ten maids slumbered and slept. Many believers are very enthusiastic just after their rebirth, but along the road, living in the world, they slumber and do not actively practice their faith.

But at midnight there was a cry: "Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him. " Time upon time, the believer needs to be shaken awake. To remain actively practicing his/her faith, the believer is simply living in the night, in an evil world full of violence. In the period between Christ's ascension and Christ's return, the night is dark, where Satan and his (fallen) angels are tempting man and are trying to rule!

The wise virgins refused to share their oil with the foolish. Is that hard? No, it is midnight; the wise wish to have sufficient oil to pass through the night; otherwise, they might miss the wedding as well. They give wise advice to the foolish; rather, go to the dealers and buy for yourselves.
It is given to everyone to choose Jesus Christ as his/her savior. The oil, the Holy Spirit, cannot be shared. It is for everyone to personally accept Jesus Christ as his/her Savior and then to receive the Holy Spirit. Believers, who are born again and have received the Holy Spirit, can only point the road to Jesus Christ to unbelievers and people going to church. However, every person is personally responsible for his/her own sins and needs personally to accept Jesus Christ.

And the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
Pay attention; there is only one door. The only door to Heaven is Jesus Christ; there are no more doors, no other ways! They who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are ready for the marriage feast (Heaven). They are ready when Jesus Christ is coming to collect His Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Afterwards, the foolish also came, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us." But He replied, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you."
When Christ has returned and taken with Him His Church (the wise ones) into Heaven (John 14:1-3), the unbelievers remain on earth, but also those who were taught to belong to Jesus (the foolish virgins). Many read the Bible, and many listen to the Words of God; few, however, come to a sincere remorse of sins, acknowledging that they are sinners, and really accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Everyone must check his/her heart for the truth!
When those who stayed on earth suddenly notice that those who are born-again (wise ones) are taken away and taken into Heaven and they have remained, then it is TOO LATE! They cannot enter Heaven any more, and the door of the marriage feast is closed, and the Bridegroom Jesus Christ says, "I do not know you."
Therefore, Jesus repeatedly is saying in Matthew 24, "Watch out, because you do not know the day nor the hour."

It is of great importance not to delay your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Since nobody knows when the Lord is coming to collect His Church. But the bridegroom delayed. However, you can see it differently. Nobody knows how long he/she has to live. Every second you can breathe out your last breath. You can have a heart attack or cerebral hemorrhage, and then it is too late to choose for Jesus. Or you can meet with a car accident or whatsoever; then your decision is too late, and then you will go there where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

CONCLUSION: DO NOT DELAY YOUR DECISION TO ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOR AND GIVE YOUR LIFE OVER UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!

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Servants and Talents - Matthew 25:14-30

What does this mean?

Jesus tells this parable to provide a lesson for your spiritual life. One talent, in the days of Jesus, had a value of 6000 denarii; it took a laborer almost twenty years to earn one talent.
Jesus Christ (the Lord) gives every believer gifts (talents). One has more gifts from nature than another person. However, for God's kingdom, this has no meaning. What matters is what a person does with his/her gift(s). Jesus Christ has called us all together, and in the Bible we can clearly read what He is expecting from every believer.

Jesus Christ has gone to Heaven (going on a journey, strange for the earth), and the believers have been waiting already for two thousand years for His return. This means in no way that the believer can relax in their works. Because He has promised that He will return.

What matters is how the Lord will find us when He returns. Did we use our gifts (talents)?
The servant (servant of the Lord Jesus Christ) with five and ten talents had each doubled their talents, and the Lord rewarded them with praiseful words: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master."

Then comes the servant, who had received the one talent, and came forward, saying, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, so I was afraid." Was that correct? Was his master a person who was reaping where he did not sow?
We have read that this servant dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money, covered by soil. The master had given different amounts to each person: one ten, another five, and this servant one talent. So, the master very well recognized each capability. At his return, the master answers very righteously: "You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I have not winnowed?" Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
Since now the master was receiving less than he had given. If the master stayed away for twenty years, we all know very well what twenty years of inflation does with money and, on the other hand, what twenty years of interest upon interest does with money.

Which lesson can be learned?
It does not matter how much intelligence a believer has or how many gifts he or she has. What matters is what everyone of us is doing with his/her gifts: did he/she fully utilize the gifts and did not slumber and remain looking forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Yes, but I only have one talent (gift). I am not well educated. I am a simple housewife. I have only primary school; I am shy.

That is no excuse! The Lord Jesus Christ has given everyone his/her capabilities and talents, and ONLY thereof He is asking account. If we might be afraid, then at least we can put it into the bank and leave it to others to make a profit.
The Lord asks every believer to give a tenth of his/her (net) salary to Him (church, mission, hungry, etc.) (Hebrews 6:17-20; 7:1-10). The evangelist, sermonizer, and missionary can use his talents to proclaim God's Kingdom and Redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. They are the bankers who can make a profit off your and my money for the Lord.

And what about the housewife who has no income?
Let us look to a housewife with children. The raising of children is a heavy task, which requires the full attention of the mother. Children need food, clothing, love, and attention. The mother can provide her children with a good example, preventing her children from becoming criminals and raising her children in Christianity and Christian values. Telling them that Jesus Christ has died for their sins on the Cross of Golgotha. She can be an example of the work of the Holy Spirit in her life, showing how she let herself be guided. That is not a light task; there she can provide for the Lord!

And the housewife without children?
She takes care of her husband and household. Look in Matthew 25:31-46; many possibilities are given over there to serve the Lord: visiting the sick, preparing meals, providing clothes, caring for the poor, etc.

What lessons can we learn from these parables?

1. We are commissioners; God is the owner. Daily we receive from God our food and drink. God expects from us that we take care of the less endowed, sick, and hungry ones (Shall there be hunger in the third world when each of us gives a tenth (food) to the third world? I do not think so (Matthew 25:31-46).
2. The Lord has given us gifts according to our capabilities, and He gives us the opportunities to use our gifts (talents). The question is, do we use our talents fully? Not everybody has equal opportunities and gifts, but together we form the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. The hand cannot function without the arm, and the arm not without the shoulder, and they all are controlled by the brain. Every Christian can be useful and use his or her gifts in cooperation with other Christians under the control of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the individual Christian needs to be at his/her place; otherwise, the other members cannot function well.
3. What are the good works? All we must avoid: Galatians 5:21. All we can contribute to God's honor and glory, see Galatians 5:22.
4. We must persist in good works, since Christ's return is waiting, but He has promised that He will come to collect His parish ((1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)).
5. Although we are awaiting the return of Christ, our present responsibilities are on earth. We must give account to the Lord Jesus Christ for our proclamation of the gospel and good works through our salvation in Jesus.
6. There will be many evil persons who will try to tempt us, and false accusations will be made on account of the Lord, but the believer must remain steady and not let himself be ill-guided by the earthly goods. Earthy goods are relatively short-lived (60-100 years?) and are no comparison for the heavenly delights, which are everlasting.

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The judgment about man—Matthew 25:31-46

What does this mean?

Verse 31: Here at the second coming of Christ, Jesus comes with his angels from Heaven to earth, and all the nations will see Him (Verse 32 and Mat. 24:30). At the first coming, Jesus descends from Heaven to the clouds, and all the believers in paradise and all believers (full of the Holy Spirit) on earth go with Him to Heaven, so then Jesus does NOT remain on Earth, and NOT ALL will see Him. The purpose of the second coming is to liberate Israel during the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:14-16; 17:14) and to judge the living unbelievers. The judgement is universal, not just about Israel but about all people on earth.

Verses 32-33 All nations shall be gathered before Jesus Christ. The angels will separate the sheep (verses 34-40, Ezech. 34:17) from the goats (verses 41-46, Ezech. 34:17) (see parable Mat. 13:24-30). Zech. 14:5 says Then the LORD your God will come, and all the holy ones (Hebrew text) with Him. "All holy ones (saints)" refers, according to me, to the believers that were taken to Heaven at the first Coming of Christ. Probably at the Second Coming, Jesus comes with the holy ones and the angels to earth. At the end of the Great Tribulation comes an end to the power of Satan and demons. Satan and the demons are thrown into the abyss (for a thousand years, and then the final verdict for them: the Lake of Fire).
According to Judaism and classical antiquity, the right side was the side of happiness and salvation, while the left was the opposite.
At this separation, the individual knows straight away who has survived the Great Tribulation and to which group one belongs, either to the survivors or to the lost.

Verse 34 The ones on the right hand will inherit the kingdom. It is legitimate to ask which kingdom. It is prepared from the foundation of earth, and Jesus sermonized the Kingdom of God: recognition of sin, the Kingdom of the Messiah. Therefore, this kingdom is the millennial kingdom of Christ?

Verses 35-38 The text speaks for itself. All that man does to his neighbor, his or her fellow human being, is considered as being carried out for Jesus. Has anyone cared about the people in third-world countries and their misery? But also directly in their own country. For example, look to Brazil, where the politicians enrich themselves at the expense of education and health care. The well-off who eat their own belly full of food and do not care about the poor. Yeah sure, there are exceptions, the good sheep, who care for and pay for schools and health care.

Verses 39-40 When did we see you? Here are collected all the nations on earth. So possibly also the man who may have never heard of the Gospel. Who have never seen Jesus nor known God's commandments and statutes.
Jesus replies, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." With that, you answered if you have accomplished God's command: love your neighbor as yourself. Brethren, refer to your neighbor, fellow man (all the nations of earth are gathered here), and not just to the brother or sister in church. The brethren are universal, anywhere in the world.

Verses 42-45 Also, this text speaks for itself. When one has lived only for himself, you can expect no payment. Remember the parable of Lazarus and the rich. Has one cared to sermonize the Gospel or to make this possible? Did one pay attention to the Kingdom of God? Apparently these goats do not care about life after death on earth. Have denied God and denied with hands and feet God's commandments and statutes.

Tumor of nuclear radiation:

Verses 41 and 46 The goats go forward to eternal punishment, the place (which is prepared for Satan and his angels=demons) where Satan and the demons will be staying forever, called the Lake of Fire. What one has to imagine with this is impossible. Fire gives light, but the Bible says that there is darkness. However, the atomic bomb gave radiation with huge pains and mutilations. It speaks about a burning thirst and burning fever. The penalty is called eternal because it is timeless; there is never an end, trillions and trillions of years, without end. Everyone has his or her personal duty and his or her responsibility, social rank, function, or position. Being a politician, judge, physician, agent, or any job, each one is personally responsible for his or her actions with greater responsibilities (five talents) or less responsibility (two talents) or an ordinary person (one talent). No one escapes the judgment of Jesus Christ; each is assessed according to his/her capacities. HOW IS YOUR LIFE? CAN YOU LOOK STRAIGHT INTO THE EYES OF JESUS CHRIST, OR IS IT FULL OF SHAME?

For me, one and the other is hard to understand. Verses 31-46 talk about a judgment that takes place at the end of the Great Tribulation, after the second coming of Christ on earth and before the beginning of His thousand-year kingdom on earth. This judgment so occurs to the then-living people on earth. Already at this time the goats go to eternal punishment (verses 41 and 46). Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-2). The sheep enter into the (millennial?) Kingdom (verse 34, Revelation 20:4?), the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5)? Revelation 20:5 says that the other dead (unbelievers) did NOT come to life before the thousand years were over.
Then follows Revelation 20:7-10; then, after a thousand years of Christ's Kingdom, Satan will be loosed from his prison, and he will go out to seduce the nations from all over the world to go into war against Christ. Their number will be like the sand of the sea, and they will march up to the beloved city (Jerusalem). Those marching up with Satan are from the sheep? What happens to them? Revelation 20:10 says that then Satan is thrown into the Lake of Fire.
After this, a thousand years follow (the second resurrection?), Revelation 20:12-13. Who are the dead whose names are written in the book of life? And are they those who will continue to live on the New Earth (Revelation 21:1)? Applies to them the same conditions as the sheep from Matthew 25? They currently reside in paradise? Possibly also the Jews and Israelites (but not equal to the scribes and Pharisees) are included?
Revelation 20:13 At this resurrection also come to life those who now stay in hell (Hades gave the dead). Their destiny is the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15).
I do not have a clear answer. It also is not important. Important is to belong to those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and to join them who at the first coming of Christ go to Heaven. What is important is not to belong to those of the second resurrection from the dead!

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Betrayal, imprisonment, and conviction of Jesus—Matthew 26

Verses 1-2: Jesus has given His instructions to the Jewish people, but also to His future new people, the Church. Instructions regarding the need for the recognition to be a sinner, the Kingdom of God, and ending with the speech on the last things, the first and second comings of Christ. Now comes in sight the end of His work on earth. The Passover was on the 14th of the month of Nissan (Ex. 12:6-7). There remained only two days in which Jesus predicted His death and by whom His death would come to pass, but also first the anointing and the institution of the Lord's Supper.
Easter was the memory of the exodus from Egypt, with which the blood of the slaughtered lamb was applied onto the doorframe so that the Angel of Death would pass and not kill the firstborn. So Jesus is the perfect lamb, who would bring the perfect sacrifice for once and for all remission of the sin of man, who wants to recognize and accept this.

Verses 3-4 The chief priests and elders of the people (the Sanhedrin) were plotting to kill Jesus, but not on Easter. That is human deliberation. God has His plan; Jesus is the Easter lamb and needs to be correctly sacrificed just on Easter. However, people can think, "God completes His will and plan."
They meet in the palace of the high priest Caiaphas. An unusual place, because normally the Sanhedrin meets in a southern place of the great sacred hall. Indicating they are already in on their conspiracy. Caiaphas was about 18 A.D. high priest, he was the son-in-law of Annas, who was high priest for approximately 6-15 years. Caiaphas was a clever manipulator who left no funds to his own advantage.
Not at the feast, because there were many Jews from within Israel and far present in huge numbers in Jerusalem. The Jewish people could take part and choose the son of David, and a rebellion of the Jewish people would be heavily punished by the Romans.

Verses 6-7: The House of Simon to Bethany. Who Simon was is not further informed; he probably had Jesus heal him of his leprosy. Bethany was lying on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, a few kilometers from Jerusalem.
Usually myrrh was done in an alabaster jar with a thin, long neck, which was broken when opening the jar. Luke and John mentioned that the feet were anointed.

Verses 8-9 The disciples are outraged. Mark mentioned that some disciples were indignant, while in the Gospel of John, Judas Iscariot is the one who says it (John 12:4-5).
The reason for their outrage is that the money could have been better spent by selling the myrrh and giving the money to the poor. The disciples are still not aware of the impending death of Jesus, which He had announced in advance in verse 2. It was common for mortals to be anointed with myrrh. Maria was a much better listener (Luke 10:38-39: they sat at Jesus' feet and listened); they had probably heard the words that Jesus spoke in verse 2. She did, which was correct, pointing before death. This is also not common in the Roman Catholic Church, the ointments of the dying. Are we like the disciples, bad listeners, or are we good listeners who heed and act on the words of Jesus?
A pound of myrrh had a value of 300 denarii (John 12:5). One pound is approximately 328 grams. A bottle of perfume has about 7 grams, so a pound of myrrh is about 47 bottles of expensive perfume, very expensive. This nard myrrh came from the Himalayas, a real perfume for the very rich people, a real luxury. A denarius was the daily wage of a worker (country) (Mt 20:2). 300 denarii would therefore correspond to 300 working days, so 1 1/2 times the annual salary of a rural worker (200 working days in a year).

Verse 10 Rightly Jesus points at the disciples with the words, "Why do you trouble the woman?" She has indeed done a good deed, whereas the disciples are in default by listening carefully and understanding that she acted correctly in preparation for the coming death of Jesus. They were the ones who had to be deeply ashamed.

Verse 11 The poor are present in all centuries, in the past and in the present. Jesus would stay another two days together with His disciples and then die. An end to His presence (and a final end after His Ascension to Heaven). An end to His education, an end to honor, and to be able to pay tribute to their master, Jesus. The concern for the poor could be continued, and after the death of Jesus, it is our duty.

Verse 12 Jesus reminds the disciples of verse 2. Maria has done this with a very good reason: preparing my funeral. What a shame: you guys think materialistically, money to the poor. While I have been told that I will be crucified and am going to die a horrible death. How are we moved by the dying and sick, or do we only think about the costs and nasty consequences for ourselves?

Verse 13 We find this event back in all four Gospels; anyone who reads the Bible can take notice of this special (and expensive) act that this woman Maria has done. Jesus gives her all praise and glory.

Verses 14-16: what a contrast with the traitor. Judas Iscariot, who was a thief and manager of the money box (John 12:6). It does not determine exactly to which coin it goes in this Bible story, but the only money that could be used in the Jewish temple was the shekel, a silver coin of about 14 grams, and the half shekel. This is then the Jewish variant of the Tyrian shekels from the Hellenistic period, which under the Roman domination between 18 B.C. and 65 A.D. was minted in Jerusalem. Thirty pieces of silver (silver coins, silver sickles) was the price that someone had to pay if his ox had bumped the slave or slave of anyone else and, as a result, had injured them. The master of the slave got as compensation thirty pieces of silver (source: Wikipedia). Joseph was sold by his brothers for 20 pieces of silver, and Abraham bought the field with the cave for 400 shekels to bury his wife Sara. Lev. 27:4 If someone made a promise to the Lord, then the charge was 30 shekels for someone of the female sex. Jesus was betrayed by Judas at the price of a slave, and thereby Zach. 11:12-13 was fulfilled.
By receiving the money, Judas had no choice anymore but to deliver Jesus to the chief priests. What a sad ending for a thief. Stealing is something, but complicity in murder is another matter. It starts with a "small" sin and ends in death/murder by a person. How do we see this back today? It starts with a robbery, an armed robbery, and ends with shooting and murder. The small young outlaw (yes, sometimes only 12 years of age) ends up as a large criminal and murderer. Lesson: do not think lightly about a small sin, because it opens the door for Satan (Satan entered in Judas Lucas 22:4) and permits coarser sin.

Verses 17-19 The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is joined to the Passover (the night of the 14th to the 15th of the month of Nissan), the feast taking place from the 15th to the 21st of the month of Nissan. In this verse, it is about the day that in the Jewish houses, everything is being prepared to celebrate the liberation from Egyptian slavery (Ex. 12:14-20). The Easter dinner began after sunset and lasted late into the night. This meal had to be used in Jerusalem. Hence the huge numbers of Jews who came to Israel from inside and outside Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem was the common property of all the tribes of Israel, and the pilgrims were allowed to enter into everyone's house to celebrate the Passover and received free accommodation.
Go to the city (=Jerusalem) to a certain one. Why the person's name is not mentioned, we do not know. In any case, the disciples know who is meant, and the owner knows who the master is. Jesus knows that His time is near, as He said in verse 2. Moses knew that the exodus from Egypt was coming at the Passover; Jesus knew that His time was near to die as the perfect Easter sacrifice.
Lucas 22:10 gives more details: you will encounter a man who carries a jar of water; follow him. It was the custom for a woman or girl to carry the jar; therefore, it was unique, and it was easy to find the right person (man) to the house where Jesus wanted to use the Passover.
The disciples prepared the Passover. This was possible because the required value of at least ten persons was met. The preparation consisted of buying a lamb, which was slaughtered in the temple, and the preparation of unleavened bread, bitter herbs, wine, etc.

Verses 20-23 It is evening, and Jesus with his twelve disciples uses the Passover. Jesus knows, through His divine nature, what is going to happen with Him that evening and night. Despite this, He is quiet, and He warns the disciples, "One of you is going to betray Me." How well the disciples know their human nature and ask him, "Is it I, Lord?" As faithfulness might be so strong within our human and sinful nature, unfortunately, we are capable of the most terrible things. The disciples are very well aware of this, even though Peter is proud in verse 35. All disciples have eaten of the unleavened bread. The answer of Jesus, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me," gives a clue. Every disciple knows if he was the one who dipped at the same time with Jesus. Probably, they do not remember who was the one who dipped in the dish at the same time. However, Judas gets a warning here. Jesus says, "You are the one who is going to betray Me," verse 25. Judas, however, does not pick up the warning. Jesus gives Judas a chance to repent for his act of betrayal. How often does a believer still not go his or her own way, despite being warned by others (believers) or by the Holy Spirit?

Verses 23-25 The prophets have predicted the manner of the death of the Messiah. It is a necessity for the redemption of man from sin. Nevertheless, woe to the man through whom the Messiah is betrayed; it would have been better that he were not born. On one hand, there is the need for the death and prophecy, so God is guilty. Could Judas do nothing other than betray Jesus because it was so destined? We know that God has foreknowledge of all things; He is the Knower of the future. As well as Jesus knew what was going to happen. Here Jesus points to the personal responsibility of man. In this case, Judas, Jesus says in verse 25, it is you. Judas can still go back; he can still return the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests at this time. After this confirmation by Jesus, he could even repent and regret. But Judas shows no remorse, and thereby Satan enters him (John 13:27). Lesson: After having been warned by God and the believer goes willingly his or her own way (extinction of the Holy Spirit), the believer is surrendered to his fate and sets himself open to Satan and the works of Satan and demons. That is the personal responsibility of the believer; we cannot blame God. The believer has the free choice of voluntarily serving God, obeying God's commandments and institutions, and living under the control of the Holy Spirit. Judas chose wrong and experienced the consequence of his act. The believer who chooses wrong experiences the consequence, even missing the raising into heaven at the first coming of Christ.

Verse 26 The Passover is about eating the bloody slaughtered Easter lamb. Now a new covenant is established by Jesus: the Lord's Supper. Without it, many people would slaughter the Passover lamb over and over again (every year). Jesus is going to bring the perfect Easter Lamb with His death at the Cross; it will be the final remission of sin.
Jesus takes the unleavened bread, breaks it into pieces, and shares it out to the disciples with the words, "Take, eat; this is my body." Jesus stands in the flesh for the disciples, so the bread does NOT transform into His body. Another argument that we should take this figuratively is John 6:35 and 51, where Jesus says, "I am the living bread"; John 4:10-14, "I would have given you living water"; and John 7:37, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink." The breaking of bread is a symbolism (reminder) of breaking the body of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

Verse 27: Jesus then takes the cup from which all disciples (except Judas, who was already en route) drink the wine. I personally see nothing wrong with replacing the wine with grape juice (due to the potential ex-alcohol addicts) and the use of plastic cups because of the possible AIDS contamination.

Verse 28 Jesus establishes a new covenant. The old Covenant was established with Abraham. The new Covenant is a covenant between Jesus and the individual believer, who believes in Jesus Christ as savior for his or her sins. Note the words of Jesus: "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." The blood is a symbolism (reminder) that Jesus shed his blood on the cross of Calvary. For MANY, not for ALL, only for THOSE who believe in the forgiveness of sin by the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection from death.

Verse 29 This one-time event of the supper with the disciples is once before the crucifixion of Jesus, Jesus as a human being. After His resurrection from the dead, with a new incorruptible body, Jesus will reuse the supper with the disciples (I will drink the wine again with you in my father's kingdom). My father's kingdom, in the sense of the Kingdom of God, has come with and AFTER the reconciliation by the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Verse 30 Which hymn was sung here is not stated in the Bible. Possible Psalms 115-118. Ephesians 5:19 also mentions the singing of hymns, without presently knowing the text of the hymns. The Passover and the establishment of the new Covenant are at an end. Jesus begins to accomplish His work, and Jesus and the eleven disciples leave in the night for Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives.

Verse 31 Again, a prediction and fulfillment of a prophecy in Zechariah 13:7. The disciples will flee out of fear, verse 56.

Verse 32 How badly the disciples listened. However understandable, first Jesus says that all will let Him alone and all will flee. And they give little attention to the words that He will rise from the dead and alive again and will meet them in Galilee. How often are we not in stress, and we listen with only half an ear to the words of Jesus and the Bible, reading only what we wish to read and not reading in context, not completely, and not examining what the Bible really says? It is late, probably midnight; the disciples are tired and are sleepy.

Verse 33 We need not doubt the sincerity of the words that Peter speaks here. How often do we not speak words in sincerity, and we believe what we say but are sometimes embarrassed to stand in times of need and danger? Peter unwittingly commits three errors.
1. He has doubts about the words of his master, Jesus.
2. He rises himself above his fellow disciples: all (the other 10 disciples) take offense, but I (Peter) never do.
3. He was too confident and knew no humility.
Let this be a lesson for us as believers. We may speak sincere words, but let us be thoughtful; be sure that we are able to keep our words in all circumstances.

Verses 34-35 How sad Jesus must have been, knowing the weakness of Peter. Within hours, Peter would deny Him three times (at half past two in the morning? It was in the third night wake from 0.00 until 3.00 hours and cursing, verse 74. Great speech by Peter, even if I have to die with you. Deny in the sense of first recognizing and following Jesus and thereafter, with this knowledge, denying Jesus.
How many will continue to recognize Jesus Christ as Savior in the Great Tribulation when they are tortured, suffering hunger and thirst? Are we always loyal in our testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Verses 36-41 Gethsemane is a place of olive trees with possibly a wine press, which lies on the road to the Mount of Olives. Leaving behind eight of the disciples, Jesus goes on with three of His most trusted disciples (Mt 17:1-13). There they see how sad and anxious He is. A legitimate fear because Jesus knows his flogging and horrible cross death are imminent, knowing that Judas would betray Him and Peter would deny Him, and his friends would all let Him down at the hour He most needed support. Verse 40 Jesus found them sleeping, including Peter, who so solemnly had said not to abandon Jesus—how sad. No, his best picked-out friends have forsaken him despite the fact that they saw His very great sadness and fear. Jesus had prayed for one hour; the three disciples were not able to support Him even for one hour. Lesson: Can missionaries in the great battle on the mission field count on our support? Can the evangelist count on our support when he delivers the Gospel in hazardous areas? Is the believer praying or sleeping?
The spirit is willing; with our mind we desire to pray, and we are prepared. But the flesh is weak; in difficulties and fatigueness, the human body resigns. We are often no longer able to fight against the powers of darkness, Satan, and demons; we are going to sleep. How is it with us? If the Holy Spirit calls us to pray in the middle of the night, do we wake up or continue to sleep? Or if we are busy with (worldly) things and activities, do we (immediately) leave and follow the Holy Spirit and go over to prayer?
Jesus fell on His face and prayed, "If possible, let this cup pass from Me, but Your will be done." The cup of flogging and crucifixion, the taunt by His own people, the Jews, to the huge challenge of the cross and not showing that He is the Son of God, and the huge challenge not to ask for a legion of angels to release Him. Personally, I think these temptations have been heavier than the physical suffering. Jesus had the power, but in spite of all temptations, He did not use it. The first man, Adam, had the choice, the temptation to eat of the forbidden fruit. The first man failed. Now God again places the second man for the choice: die for the sin of man, or not. Jesus prays, "If possible, let this process go by, BUT Your will be done." The second man chooses not for his convenience but chooses to do the will of His father, God. The first man failed; the second man takes up where the first man, Adam, failed and accomplishes the will of God and does not give in to the temptation!
How is the believer like the first Adam and prefers to live in the world with earthly pleasure (the forbidden fruit)? Or does the believer choose obedience to God, leave earthly pleasure, and choose a life under the control of the Holy Spirit and fight against Satan and demons?

Verses 42-44 Unfortunately, Jesus could not count on the support of His best three disciples; He stands alone here. He seeks His aid in prayer and conversation with His father, God. In the prayer, Jesus is encouraged to accomplish the will of His father. Lesson: Are we looking for support from our best friends during our weakness, or are we looking to God for our support, to Jesus when we receive a heavy (what seems to us an impossible) command from the Lord, so that we receive the power to accomplish the command? Yes, first sometimes it takes several times of prayer, sometimes hours of prayer, before the believer has surrendered to the Lord his own will and weakness. I speak from personal experience; I used to need hours of prayer because of my fear of God's command, my human weakness, and my inability to go in God's power and then to experience the blessing of the mission. Now it costs me a few minutes, knowing that God is with me, after first having obtained the assurance that it is indeed God's will.
Lucas 23:43-44 gives more details about this prayer. Jesus was mortally fearful, and his sweat became drops of blood. And God, the Father, sent an angel to Jesus. His father does not take away the command but answers the prayer in another way, namely by sending aid through an angel. Sometimes the believer gets into what seems an impossible mission for him or her. We should go and experience God's help; however, for us, God's angels are invisible. Sometimes God allows us to see the angels, as in the case of the Six-Day War of Israel.

Verses 45-46 Jesus returns from His third prayer. He has surrendered His will to His Father and is willing to fulfill His mission. The disciples He no longer needed, and they can rest in their uselessness. Jesus speaks to the disciples, "Let us go," knowing that Judas, his betrayer, is coming. The question arises as to why the disciple Jesus has woken up and does not let him continue to sleep. They were of no use anymore? The answer is that the disciples had to learn that one needs to be alert to excessive temptations. Their lesson was to discover their own weakness; they all fled off, Mark 14:50. In

verse 47, Judas made haste to betray. Knowing that many followers of Jesus are in Jerusalem and would defend Him, Jesus must still be caught in the night. The Sanhedrin (chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people) react quickly; they call a temple guard together with sticks and permission of the Roman occupier (they are told that Jesus wants to take over power as Messiah?) and get a band of soldiers (John 18:3) at their disposal. A complete band consisted of 600 soldiers with swords. But in the middle of the night, it would probably have been less. Expected the Sanhedrin resistance? In each case a large group of armed men pulled out to Jesus.

Verses 48-50 The kiss was usual in those days as a greeting of tribute between rabbis and their students. Judas calls Jesus "Rabbi," while the disciples call Jesus "Lord." Probably Judas was in front, followed by Malchus (verse 51, John 18:10), the slave of the high priest, followed by the army. Jesus said, "Friend." A possible explanation is that Jesus would like to emphasize, "You, Judas, are committing treason," letting Judas know that He, Jesus, was not deceived by the kiss of Judas but knew of his betrayal, giving Judas a clear warning to think carefully about what he was doing. The army joined onto the person who Judas had said, "The one I kiss, he is it." A strange case—it was Jesus who sermoned in the temple (I was daily with you in the temple); He was known. John 18:3 with lanterns and torches, so there was enough light to recognize Jesus. Was it the need to be sure that the right person was caught and not to be mistaken?

Verses 51-52 Luke 22:49-51 Probably Peter cut the ear of the slave off even before Jesus had replied to the question, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" Jesus answered, "No more of this," and healed the ear of the slave. In front of the host, Jesus shows His power and healing, His divinity and peace. Nevertheless, no one moves backwards and no one repents. Obedience is better, and disobedience is punished (the government bears not the sword in vain, Rom. 13:4).

Verses 53-54 Jesus does not need His small group of disciples faced this overwhelming (Roman) army. Jesus only needs to ask His Father, and more than twelve legions (12 x 6000 = 72,000) of angels will come to His rescue. And who can resist an angel of God? No, Jesus is fully prepared to do the will of His Father and goes VOLUNTARILY. The Scripture (the prophecies of the Old Testament) must be fulfilled; the Messiah, Jesus, must die for the sin of the man on the cross.

Verse 55: "Robber" was a common disqualification by the side of the Roman invaders for a freedom fighter.
Jesus now focuses on all: the hosts, the slave, the chief priests and temple guard, and the Roman soldiers. Have I not preached words of peace the last three years and healed people? Did I at any time in the sermon say not to pay taxes to the Roman invaders? How wrong and dense and lying of you to encounter me as a robber with swords and sticks. Daily in the temple I have given good education and examples. Where is your intelligence? You still have not understood!

Verse 56 The prediction in the O.T. goes in fulfillment: the death on the cursed wood (cross) and the running away of the disciples. Jesus stands alone here. No Peter, no disciple, all alone on the way of crucifixion.

Verse 57 Jesus is led to the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas. The meeting began in the night and lasted until the day had come (Luke 22:66). Caiaphas belonged to the party of the Sadducees, who in general cherished no sympathies for the Messianic ideas that brought their position in danger. The fact that he spent eighteen years in his function, while the other high priests only held up a year, proved his cut diplomacy well known to go along with the Jewish people as well as with the Roman invaders. In 62 A.D., the sentencing of James, the brother of Jesus, and stoning in association with other Christian followers occurred.
The process consisted of three stages. The first trial was to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas (John 18:13); the second trial was to the Sanhedrin with Caiaphas (verse 57); and the third stage was with the judgment (Mat. 27:1). Followed by three civil assessments. The first by Pilate, the second by Herod (Luke 23:6-12), and finally the final verdict by Pilate.

Verse 58 Peter follows at a distance and succeeds in entering into the court of the high priest. Therefore, it is likely that the Roman soldiers returned to their department and the temple guard delivered Jesus to the Sanhedrin.

Verses 59-60 How can you as a human being defend yourself when your judge(s) already have decided on your death sentence (John 11:49-50, 18:14: it is useful that one man dies for the people)? Yet this show trial was a necessity because the Sanhedrin had to come up with good arguments for the Roman governor. The Jews had no right to condemnation and judgment, which could only be carried out by the Roman governor. According to Jewish law, it was an illegal process because no process was allowed to take place in the nightly hours, no death sentence should be pronounced before a Jewish feast, in the arrest of Jesus money (treason) was used, and the crucifixion was not allowed to take place on the same day as the pronounced verdict. This is separate from the actual reason for the condemnation of Jesus. The Sanhedrin wanted to get rid of the Prophet Jesus, who had won so much respect and influence among the people and had made an end to their profit shared in the trade at the temple square. It was cold-blooded and premeditated murder. But note, it was the Jewish leaders (emissaries of God, though) who came to this murder and not the entire Jewish people, who had Jesus in high regard. We cannot hold responsible a complete nation as a whole for the government's decisions. Therefore, it is absolutely wrong to say, as some "Christians" say, that the murder of six million Jews in World War II is God's punishment for the death of Jesus. These "Christians" truly understand nothing of the Christian faith!
The Sanhedrin calls many witnesses (apparently they have prepared well in the short time of capture); however, their testimonies were not equal. According to the Jewish (and Roman?) law, a death sentence could only be pronounced on the basis of two or three equal testimonials (Deut. 17:6, 19:5; Hebr. 10:28).

Verses 61-62 It would be a blasphemy to break down the temple, such as the two witnesses say in verse 61. If Jesus would confirm these words, then that would be a blasphemy for Jewish concepts because of the messianic claim that it conveyed. That is why the high priest takes over the trial himself. On confirmation by Jesus, the high priest would have a motive to act.

Verses 63-64 Abundantly clear is that the high priest Caiaphas is irritated by the silence of Jesus. He is losing the grip on the process; his plan almost fails. And he goes over into action, swearing by the living God. A solemn oath to force Jesus to tell the truth! Jesus responds with the truth: "You have said so." According to Mark 14:62 (egoo eimi), I am. Jesus does not address swearing by God. But answer with "You have said so" in order to avoid the possible interpretation of the meaning of Messiah as Savior of the Roman yoke and so wanting to bring about a rebellion and riot. An argument was what came to be used in front of the Roman governor. Jesus' answer continues and states who He is, namely, a statement in the future: the attendees will see Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of Heaven (second coming). Please note that Jesus used the word "power" and not the word "God." It is a warning of Jesus to the members of the Sanhedrin: The judgement is that you are related to me, so I shall judge you!

Verses 65-66 The high priest stubbornly denies Jesus as the Messiah and Son of Man, being totally blind in his own hatred. No fear of the Son of God, despite the many warnings and this latest warning by Jesus.
He tears his clothes after hearing of this, according to him, blasphemy. With this, without realizing it, ends Caiaphas' task as high priest. The high priesthood would, once and for all, forever pass on to the true High Priest, Jesus Christ.
However, Caiaphas goes against the error again with the words, "Why do we still need witnesses?" According to Jewish rules, judges may not act as witnesses and witnesses not as judges. By taking the judgement in his own hands, Caiaphas is solely fully guilty of the death sentence passed onto Jesus.
The Sanhedrin speaks a condemnation, which should have waited a day according to Jewish rules. But it is urgent. The number of followers of Jesus among the population was huge, so a revolt against the death penalty for Jesus cannot be excluded.

Verses 67-68 What a shame of a spiritual court. They cannot control themselves but proceed to fully express their hate and jealousy. Had Jesus not said, "If your enemy turns one cheek, turn the other"? They proceed to strike with fists and in the face. No fear of their promised judgment by Jesus when He comes on the clouds and is seated at the right hand of Power.
How do we not see this in our current time? No respect for God, sneering comments about Christians and the Christian values and standards, and the Christian faith are for the poor people, not for intellectuals. How wrong they are; they are the stupid, blind fools who have not studied God's Word, the Bible. Soon they will have to appear before the judge, Jesus, and account for all their actions and taunts committed during their life on earth. Then Jesus Christ will judge, and then it is too late for repentance, and they fall under the judgment and eternal punishment of God.

Verses 69-70 A maid went up to Peter, saying, "You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean." Peter's position is cramped. The maid could deliver Peter to the high priest. However, in the presence of all those bystanders, Peter denied, "I do not know what you mean." He who had said, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you," rejected Jesus. Peter was in a panic; it was he who had cut off the ear of the slave of the high priest. Fear of being recognized as such and being taken to prison?

Verses 71-72 Peter left the courtyard and went to the porch. Unfortunately, another maid recognized him, and she did not address Peter but the bystanders: "That man was with Jesus." Again a denial by Peter, however, this time much stronger, with an oath. He swears by God. How miserable he is.

Verses 73-74 The bystanders, perceptive, created by the maid, came up to Peter. They recognize from the voice of Peter that he is from Galilee. The people from Galilee had other guttural sounds, and often they swallowed all vowels in their pronunciation.
The position of Peter was ignited; John 18:25, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden (of Gethsemane) with him?" Now it got worse with Peter; this time, except for swearing, he began to curse himself: I know not the man. A climax in Peter's response: now he claimed that he does not even know Jesus and has never heard of him.

Verse 75 Immediately the cook crowed, and Peter remembered what Jesus had spoken. Lucas 22:60-61 mentioned that Jesus looked at him at that time, Jesus with a beaten black and blue face. A double reminder. Probably he was deeply embarrassed and left the palace. He wept bitterly outside. However, we cannot call the disciple Peter a coward; he had the courage to enter the palace and follow the interrogation. His denial has brought him to repent, to know his own pride. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he is restored by Jesus.

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Source: TEAR FUND p>Matthew 25:31-46 shows that even the person with only one talent can do many things for the Lord.
And also that persons who are never reached by the gospel (in the utmost corners of the world) will be judged upon their works. Others will be judged if they accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior; for them there is no excuse. God reveals Himself through nature and through all kinds of great works. In Europe and America there are many churches, and one is able to get knowledge of the gospel, provided one is opening himself for God.

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Galatians 5:21-22

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1 Corinthians 6:19-20

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1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Matthew 25:1-13 (Wedding)
Matthew 25:14-30 (Talents)

John 14:1-3

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Matthew 21:1-2

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