March 9, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 20 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.12 through 5.13 (pages 142-145)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
5.12 Is the Messiah David’s Son or David’s Lord? (Matthew 22:41-46) I love how the section ends in verse 46 “And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask Him any more questions.” No one dared. Why not? Because they knew He would confound them and make them look foolish. Pride keeps them from engaging with the Messiah…it can do the same to us.
5.13 Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders (Matthew 23:1-39) Matthew records a significant section of Jesus criticizing and condemning the religious elite here. Given the Jewish audience of Matthew’s account, it is not surprising to see this kind of emphasis on Jesus rebuking the religious leaders, because He knew that they had ultimately led God’s people astray and that many would not come to Jesus because of their teaching. Jesus pulls no punches here, but also honestly and legitimately laments over the loss that He knows is coming. The letter to the Hebrews is helpful reading in light of Jesus’s words in this section.
Lenten day 20
“Than why did David call him ‘Lord’? The Messiah is more than the physical son of David. If indeed He is David’s Lord , than he must be greater than David. As put in Rev 22:16…” I am the root and the offspring of David”. He is both the creator of David as well as the descendant of David.
The Kingdom is about justice, mercy and faith and these are the really important teachings of the law. The Pharisees were the perfect hypocrites who not only didn’t live accordingly but were subject to confusing the clear meaning to scripture. Looking one way and acting in another.
Witnessing through our words, behaviors and actions, proves where our hearts live. People are watching!
The Life of Jesus **5.12-5.13
Day 20 5;12 – 5:13
The Pharisees couldn`t answer the question that Jesus gave to them when He quoted scripture. Why does David call Him Lord if He is his son? It seems that the Pharisees didn`t know the scriptures as well as they thought they did. For they would have remembered all the scriptures that spoke of Christ`s first coming being born as a baby and then dying on the cross. Even realizing that the Messiah was already on the throne in Heaven when all of creation was spoken into being. But it would seem that they were so narrow in their thinking and perhaps just blind to the truth. For they only looked at the scripture that told of the Messiah coming as King of Kings and setting up His reign on earth. This is why they rejected Jesus as their Saviour. He didn`t fit their thinking and teaching on who the Messiah would be. How could they possibly be wrong? Or so they thought. Besides they were comfortable in their life style and didn`t want to change. They felt that it would just be better to eliminate the problem and kill Jesus and Lazarus and anyone else that got in the way. That way they could be secure and not worry about Rome. Good thoughts Sean on why Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and the teachers of the law so harsh and so often. For they were leading people astray. Jesus called them many things. They were the blind leading the blind; they were hypocrites; they were snakes; they were as white washed tombs; they loved the praise of men; they were proud; they made oaths contrary to what God valued and because of all these things will be accountable to God and will go to Hell. Jesus even says not only that they will be guilty of killing all the prophets that ever lived but will continue to do so and also will kill other good people which will hang on crosses; beat others and chase others out of town. You know that if at any time any of these religious leaders turned to Christ; they would be saved. We saw all of these happen just as Jesus said it would. Also including other ways of dying like burning on the stake; and pierced through, etc. In the Apostle Paul who originally was called Saul we have an example of a Pharisee going after Christians to imprison and kill them. But in this same Pharisee we see a conversion to Christ and He is never the same again. Instead now he is willing to die for Christ and proclaim the gospel to people. What a turn around. He even in his letters refers to himself as the chief sinner. It just shows that anyone can turn to Christ and be saved. But unfortunately most people will reject Christ and end up in Hell. The gate is narrow to those who take the path to Christ. God doesn`t send people to Hell. They actually send themselves there because of their rejection of Christ. God has no choice for He can`t have sin in Heaven for He is a Holy God. God bless us all.
So Jesus here confronts the Pharisees with a question rather than them coming to Him. What an excellent way Jesus shows us by taking something that these Jewish leaders believe and point out the inconsistency in it, and how that inconsistency really points to the truth of who Jesus is (or at least that the Messiah would also be David’s Lord). Basically taking them from where they were and trying to lead them to where they needed to be. But His wisdom and knowledge was too good for them. it is also interesting that Jesus points out that David wrote by the influence of the Spirit, further affirming that writers in the Old Testament were inspired, assuming that the same way David was, so were others.
And Jesus just blasts the religious leaders, exposing all the wrong doctrine, practice and character that they had. Seems like this is the last hoorah where Jesus lays it all out to confront all the evil He had seen in them for years. They paid far more attention to themselves, their position, their wealth and the external dynamics of their religion rather than understanding the relational and spiritual nature of God, understanding that He looks at the heart more than the outward appearance. It is unfortunate that we have and have had religious leaders in America that have done many of the same things, just showing the temptation that exists for anyone with power to make it about themselves rather than about God and His glory and His kingdom. And it is fitting for Jesus to end this verbal treatise with the statement that one day they will recognize Him for who He is….which effectively tells them that that is exactly the way they should respond to the message that He has given them.
Lenten 2024 – Day 20
Well Jesus pulls no punches here with the Pharisees! He let’s them know that their hypocrisy is so evident to God. No fancy robes or religious law can hide their proud hearts. Jesus reminds them that what is important is being fair, showing mercy, and being faithful. All action based things that people will see in your behavior not just your words and yes people are watching us and looking for these things.
The Catholic priests are like the Pharisees when they tell people they have to follow rules that have no reference to the Word of God. The focus must always be on how God teaches us how to live according to the Scriptures. Anything outside of that should be considered false teaching.