*Matthew 6:25 / *Mt. 6:25 -
(Re: How can we store up canned food for the future Tribulation, when we are to take no thought for what we will eat?)
In Matthew 6:25 the original Greek word (merimnao: G3309) translated as: "take no thought" for what you will eat means: "do not be anxious" about what you will eat, just as Philippians 4:6 uses the same Greek word to mean do not be anxious about anything. This does not mean that we cannot do anything to prepare for the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24.
As an analogy, imagine that a woman was shopping with her little daughter at the supermarket, buying the week's groceries, and the cart started to get kind of full. So the woman asked her daughter if she wouldn't mind coming out of the seat in the cart so that the mother could put some food there.
"But, Mommy, I like this seat."
"I know, honey, but I just need a little more room. It will be good for you to walk about a little bit, anyway."
"No, Mommy, this is wrong. You're buying too much food."
"Why do you say that?"
"At Sunday school, they said that Jesus said that we aren't to even think about what we are going to eat tomorrow. And we are buying much more food than we can eat today."
"I know, honey, but I don't want to have to come to the grocery store every day. That's why we come once a week."
"But that means that today you are thinking not only about what you are going to eat tomorrow, but the next day, and the day after that [she pulls out her fingers to keep track], and the day after that! And the day after that! And the day after that! And even the day after that! Mommy, you're breaking what Jesus said seven times worse than even what He said!"
"Oh, honey, Jesus didn't mean that we can't plan ahead for food farther in advance than the day that we're in right now. For then no farmer who was a Christian would grow any food, for that would be taking thought about food in the future. Jesus meant that we aren't to be anxious about our food in the future. We can think about it and plan ahead about it, but we aren't to be consumed with worry over it."
"Mommy, I saw on TV where a hurricane was coming, and the people were fighting over the food in the store because there wasn't much left."
"That was wrong, honey. We should never fight anyone over food. Just let them have it, and go look for food somewhere else."
"Were they worried about food?"
"Yes, they were so worried that they thought if they didn't fight for the food they would die of starvation when the hurricane came and broke everything to pieces."
"Then they shouldn't have been at the store at all?"
"There's nothing wrong with going to the store to stock up on canned food and bottled water if you know that a hurricane is coming, and the store might not be there anymore after the hurricane has passed."
"But that's worrying about the store not being there."
"No, it's just being wise, and calmly thinking ahead about what could happen, so that you and your little ones won't have to go hungry needlessly."
"Another time in Sunday school, they said that this man named Joseph was sent by God to store up food for everyone in Egypt for seven years."
"That's right, honey. But he wasn't worried or anxious when he did that. God had revealed to him that there were going to be seven years of famine, when no food would grow. So He had Joseph calmly store up seven years of food to get everyone safely through the famine."
The little girl quickly climbed out of her seat in the cart.
"Should we go get another cart? We need to store up seven years of food!"
"No, honey, we don't. A week's worth is good enough for now. But when God shows us that a long, bad time is about to start, then we can calmly store up a lot of food."
(See also Matthew 24:16 below, and Isaiah 26:19 above)
--
*Matthew 6:34 / *Mt. 6:34 -
(Re: Why even read the book of Revelation, when we are to take no thought about tomorrow?)
In Matthew 6:34 the original Greek word (merimnao: G3309) translated as "take no thought" about tomorrow means "do not be anxious" about tomorrow, just as Philippians 4:6 uses the same Greek word to mean do not be anxious about anything.
Matthew 6:34 does not mean that Christians should never read or study Bible prophecy which has not been fulfilled yet. Instead, Christians are to "take heed" (Mark 13:23) to all of it.
(See Mark 13:23 below)
--
*Matthew 7:1-5 / *Mt. 7:1 -
(*Judge not)
This refers to judging others for their sinful actions in a harsh, self-righteous, hypocritical way, like saying: "Oh, how evil! I would never do anything like that", instead of simply judging their wrong actions as being sins, recognizing that one has one's own sins to think about (Romans 3:9-12). Matthew 7:2 means that if we do not humbly forgive others for their sins, God will not forgive us for our own sins (Matthew 6:15). The sin of judging others in the wrong way can be forgiven, like other sins, if it is repented from and confessed to God (1 John 1:9).
~
(Re: Is Jesus a hypocrite?)
No, for if He does something which He commands us not to do, that is because as God (John 1:1,14, John 10:30, John 20:28) He is the only human who has the right to do it, such as judge others (John 5:22, Matthew 7:1).
~
(Re: I cannot stand people who call themselves Christians, yet they judge others)
We have to be careful not to fall into the trap of wrongly judging others for wrongly judging others (cf. Romans 2:3, Matthew 7:1-5).
--
*Matthew 7:7 / *Mt. 7:7 -
(Re: Election)
Not all people can seek. For on our own, we would never seek God (Romans 3:11).
God has to miraculously cause elect people to do that (John 6:44).
Nonelect people can never do that, for they are not even the children of God (John 8:42-47).
--
*Matthew 7:13 / *Mt. 7:13 -
(Re: Destruction = annihilation?)
No, for the original Greek word (apoleia: G0684) translated here as "destruction" is used elsewhere to refer to some ointment which was "wasted" (Matthew 26:8-9, Mark 14:4), yet still remained in existence.
--
*Matthew 7:14 / *Mt. 7:14 -
(Re: One translation says that the way is "hard", which contradicts the easiness in Matthew 11:30 and 1 John 5:3)
While the original Greek word (thlibo: G2346) translated as "narrow" in Matthew 7:14 can be used in the sense of "afflicted" (2 Corinthians 1:6), and can even be used to refer to "a person heavy-laden" (Middle Liddell Greek Lexicon), the Greek word does not have to refer to that sense every time that it is used. And so in Matthew 7:14, Jesus Christ does not have to be contradicting the fact that a Christian is not heavy-laden (Matthew 11:28-30). Instead, in Matthew 7:14, Jesus is using the Greek word (thlibo: G2346) in the sense of "a narrow way" (Middle Liddell Greek Lexicon), which is parallel to the idea of the other Greek word (stenos: G4728) translated as "strait" in Matthew 7:14, and which means in the context of the verse that the way to eternal life is narrow in that "few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14, cf. Matthew 22:14), while the way to destruction is broad in that many people find it (Matthew 7:13).
Also, the original Greek word (stenos: G4728) translated as "strait" in Matthew 7:14 does not mean "straight", but narrow, like how a narrow waterway is called a "strait". So the common reference to "the straight and narrow" could be a misconception of what Matthew 7:14 means.
~
(Re: Means that anyone can find the way to life/be saved?)
No, for only the relatively few elect/chosen people can be saved (Matthew 22:14, Acts 13:48b; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
(See Romans 9:11 below)
~
(Re: Is the gate at the start or the end?)
In Matthew 7:14 the gate could be at the start of the way of salvation, insofar as Jesus Christ alone could be the gate, just as He alone is "the door" to initial salvation (John 10:9, cf. John 14:6). Or, the gate in Matthew 7:14 could represent ultimate salvation, at the end of the way of initial salvation, which gate (cf. Revelation 22:14) only obedient Christians will be able to enter (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 5:9, Matthew 7:21), just as in Matthew 7:13 the gate to destruction could represent a gate into Hades/hell (Matthew 16:18b) which all non-Christians and disobedient Christians will enter (cf. Luke 16:22b-23).
~
(Re: Would not a gate at the end defeat the purpose of a way, for then we would not need a way, all we would need is a gate?)
A gate at the end (Revelation 22:14) does not defeat the purpose of a way (John 14:6). For the way leads us to the gate (Hebrews 5:9). Also, if we deny that we need a way to the gate, then we could just as easily deny that we need a gate. For we could clam that all we need is to be instantaneously transported into the place beyond the gate.
~
(Re: Is it that you are either in or out of the gate?)
It is that either you are not even on your way to the gate (at the end), which is the case with non-Christians. Or, you are on your way to the gate (as a Christian), but you will not make it past the gate because of your unrepentant disobedience (Matthew 25:10-12). Or, you are on your way to the gate as a Christian, and you will make it past the gate, because of your obedience (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 5:9, Matthew 7:21).
--
*Matthew 7:16-20 / *Mt. 7:16 -
This is not contradicting that Christians can wrongly employ their free will to bring forth some corrupt fruit, as in some unrepentant sinful actions, to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Luke 12:45-46, Hebrews 10:26-29; 1 Corinthians 9:27). Similarly, Matthew 7:16-20 is not contradicting that Christians can wrongly employ their free will to fail to continue to bring forth good fruit, as in becoming utterly lazy without repentance, to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a, Romans 2:6-8).
Instead, regarding Christians, Matthew 7:16-20 is showing how to determine whether a Christian is "good" or has wrongly employed his free will to return to being corrupt (2 Peter 2:20-22).
--
*Matthew 7:21-23 / *Mt. 7:21 -
This shows that both faith and obedience to God are required for Christians to enter ultimate salvation (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 5:9, James 2:24; 1 John 2:4). But, because of free will, there is no assurance that Christians will choose to obey (Matthew 25:26,30, Luke 12:45-46).
Matthew 7:23a could be hyperbole, like Matthew 23:24b is hyperbole. For Matthew 7:22 could refer to Christians, believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, John 20:31), who had repented from their sins (1 John 3:6) and performed many wonderful works for Jesus to the end (John 15:4-5). But at some point subsequent to their initial repentance, they had fallen back into some unrepentant sin (Matthew 7:23b; 2 Peter 2:20-22), so that they had to be rejected by Jesus in the end despite their continued faith and good works (1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 10:26-29).
(See Hebrews 10:26 below)
Regarding the ability to cast out demons (Matthew 7:22), that is one of the signs that people are Christians, believers in the Gospel (Mark 16:17). People must be careful not to fall into the unforgivable presumption of Mark 3:22-30.
(See Mark 3:29 and Mark 16:17 below)
~
(Re: Were the Jews who were casting out demons in Matthew 12:27 saved?)
They were saved in the Old Testament sense (Habakkuk 2:4b). For they were Jews who were casting out demons by faith in the power of YHWH God, not Satan.
Also, one needs to be saved in the New Testament sense to cast out demons in the name of Jesus Christ, as in Matthew 7:22 and Mark 16:17. For non-Christian Jews trying to do that can fail (Acts 19:13-17).
~
(Re: The "permission" discussion of Proverbs 26:2 above: He who does the "will of my Father" shall enter the kingdom of heaven)
Note that this is true regardless of whether Christians live or die (1 Thessalonians 5:10), and regardless of whether or not God gives them any choice about whether they live or die.
--
*Matthew 7:24-27 / *Mt. 7:24 -
(Re: Being *obedient now) / (*Obedience)
Christians, no matter what their rapture-timing view, need to be obedient to God now if they want to spiritually endure to the end during the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:13). For only obedient Christians will have their spiritual houses on the rock, as it were, so that they will endure the coming storm (Matthew 7:24-25). Disobedient Christians will have their spiritual houses on the sand, so that they will fall away during the storm (Matthew 7:26-27). They will become part of the falling away, the apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:3), the departure from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1), which will occur during the future Tribulation (Matthew 24:9-13, cf. Isaiah 8:21-22), to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Hebrews 6:4-8, John 15:6; 2 Timothy 2:12b).
But what about those Christians who, even though they may be obedient in their actions now, are holding so strongly mentally to the mistaken pre-tribulation rapture idea, or to the mistaken mid-tribulation rapture idea, that they could be unprepared mentally to endure the future Tribulation in its entirety?
(See the "Camp hike analogy" under Matthew 24:31 below. Also, see paragraph 3 of the "relevant" section of Revelation chapters 6 to 22 (Overview) below)
~
Note that the house is only built on the rock if the man is obedient. For:
Matthew 7:24 . . . whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock . . .
And nothing requires that all Christians will be obedient. For Jesus will ultimately say to some of His servants, that is, to some Christians:
Matthew 25:26 . . . Thou wicked and slothful servant . . .
Matthew 25:30 . . . cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
--
*Matthew 8:6 / *Mt. 8:6 -
The original Greek word (paralutikos: G3885) translated as "palsy", like the English word, could refer to "paralysis".
--
*Matthew 8:34 / *Mt. 8:34 -
The question immediately arises: How could any people request that the Savior Jesus Christ depart from their region? Did not they just see His miraculous deliverance of the two demoniacs from their tormenting demons (Matthew 8:28-34)?
Yes, but they did not care about that. What they cared about were their drowned pigs. Jesus Christ was causing them economic loss in His victory against evil. They could not have that. For money trumps good in the minds of evil men (1 Timothy 6:10). For them, money is more important than people.
(See Leviticus 25:10 above)
--
*Matthew 9:2 / *Mt. 9:2 -
(Re: Does the use here of "epi" as "in" mean that the future Antichrist's mark will be "in" the hand?)
No; instead, because Matthew 9:2 uses the Greek word "epi" (G1909), it means that the man was lying "on" the bed. If the bed had a blanket, and the blanket was considered part of the bed, and the man was under the blanket, then it could have been said that he was "in" the bed in the Greek sense of "in" (Greek "en", G1722; compare the use of "en" in Matthew 9:10).
(See Revelation 13:16 below)
--
*Matthew 9:17 / *Mt. 9:17 -
(Re: New *wineskins)
The new wine being put into new bottles (Matthew 9:17), or new wineskins, refers to Christians, New Covenant believers (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 9:15), becoming new creatures in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) in a spiritual sense. For Christians do not stop being either genetic Jews (Acts 22:3) or genetic Gentiles (Romans 16:4b), just as they do not stop being either males or females (Galatians 3:28; 1 Timothy 2:11-12, 1 Corinthians 14:34-37; 1 Corinthians 11:4-16, 1 Peter 3:7a).
(See Galatians 3:28 below)
Similarly, Matthew 9:17 does not mean that all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, or males or females, are not spiritually New Covenant Israelites, because they are (Romans 9:6-24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Romans 11:17,24, Galatians 3:29, Revelation 21:9,12; 1 Peter 2:9-10, John 10:16, John 11:52, Romans 2:29, Philippians 3:3, Colossians 2:11-13, Romans 4:16-17, Galatians 4:28, Ephesians 3:6, Romans 15:27).
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 below)
--
*Matthew 10:6 / *Mt. 10:6 -
See Matthew 15:24 below.
--
*Matthew 10:8b / *Mt. 10:8b -
"Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8b, cf. Romans 8:32b) is not contradicted by "the labourer is worthy of his hire" (Luke 10:7b). For the latter does not refer to Christians ever requiring payment before they share with anyone any truth which Jesus Christ has shown them, but rather refers to people to whom they have already freely ministered Jesus' truth and works voluntarily giving in return necessary provisions such as food and shelter (Luke 10:7).
--
*Matthew 10:23b / *Mt. 10:23b -
Nothing requires that the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:5) addressed in Matthew 10:23b preached in every town in first century AD Israel before they died, just as Christian preachers today still have not preached in every town in Israel. For Christian proselytizing is outlawed in Israel today.
And Matthew 10:23b's "till the Son of man be come" refers to His never-fulfilled Second Coming (Matthew 24:30).
(See Acts 1:11 below)
--
*Matthew 10:27-39 / *Mt. 10:27 -
(*Housetops)
Christians are to preach God's revealed truths as openly and widely as possible (Matthew 10:27, Mark 16:15), and without any fear of suffering or dying for doing so (Matthew 10:28-39). But there are some situations where Christians should be discreet with regard to how much they say (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 10:16, Proverbs 29:11), even with fellow Christians (cf. John 16:12, Revelation 10:4), and even with close confidants (Micah 7:5-7, Jeremiah 9:4, John 2:24-25). So there is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1): a time to speak, and a time to keep silent (Ecclesiastes 3:7b). Knowing what to do in any particular situation requires the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit (e.g. Acts 8:29-35, Mark 13:11, Matthew 10:19-20).
To receive a greater measure of God's Holy Spirit, Christians should get...
(See "Holy Spirit baptized" under Mark 16:16 below)
--
*Matthew 10:28 / *Mt. 10:28 -
(*Soul)
This shows that humans can cause the first death of the body, but not the death of the soul. For the soul remains alive even after the first death of the body (Luke 16:22-31, Revelation 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:21,23, Acts 3:21).
(See the "Soul sleep?" section of 1 Corinthians 15:51 below)
~
(Destroy)
Here "destroy" does not have to mean annihilate. For the original Greek word (apollumi: G0622) can be used to refer to something simply being ruined (Mark 2:22), yet still existing in its ruined state (cf. Mark 9:45-46).
(See Mark 9:45 below)
--
*Matthew 10:29-31 / *Mt. 10:29 -
See Luke 12:6 below.
--
*Matthew 10:34 / *Mt. 10:34 -
This does not refer to a literal sword which kills people, but to a figurative sword which brings only relational division between Christians and non-Christians (Matthew 10:34-39). Compare the divisional aspect of the figurative sword in Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:17.
--
*Matthew 11:14 / *Mt. 11:14 -
See Matthew 17:10 below.
--
*Matthew 11:20-24 / *Mt. 11:20 -
This does not mean that everyone can repent and believe in Jesus Christ. For Matthew 11:25, like John 12:37-41, explains why so many people did not repent and believe in Him, despite the miracles which He performed in their sight.
~
(Re: Why are they condemned for not repenting and believing if they had no ability to do that?)
See John 3:18b below.
--
*Matthew 11:28-30 / *Mt. 11:28 -
This refers to the spiritual rest which Christians enter (Hebrews 4:3) when they cease every day of the week from their own works (Hebrews 4:10, Luke 9:23), as in works done while not abiding in Jesus Christ (John 15:5, Philippians 2:13); and when they take upon themselves the easy/restful yoke/cross/work of Jesus every day of the week (Luke 9:23, Matthew 11:29-30, Titus 3:8).
Jesus Christ is not a hard taskmaster. He will not give Christians more work to do for Him than they can easily bear (Matthew 11:28-30). But at the same time, He warns Christians that their ultimate salvation will depend on their patient continuance in well doing (Matthew 7:21, Romans 2:6-8, James 2:24), and their not becoming utterly lazy without repentance (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a).
--
*Matthew 12:1-8 / *Mt. 12:1 -
(Re: Was Jesus doing away with only a tradition of the elders, and not the sabbath?)
Jesus Christ did away with the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath (Colossians 2:16-17, cf. Hebrews 10:1a), just as He did away with all of the rest of the letter of the commandments of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, on the Cross (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6-18, Hebrews 7:18-19). Jesus and His disciples broke the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath (Exodus 31:15, John 5:17-18, Matthew 12:2). Also, regarding Matthew 12:1-8, the Pharisees were able to distinguish between the Old Covenant Mosaic "law" (Matthew 12:2, Exodus 31:15) and "the tradition of the elders" (Matthew 15:2). And in Matthew 12:1-8, neither the Pharisees nor Jesus made any reference to any extra-legal "traditions". Instead, in Matthew 12:1-8, Jesus admitted that His disciples were breaking the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath. For He employed Old Testament examples in which David also did something "which was not lawful" (Matthew 12:4), and in which priests also "profaned the sabbath" (Matthew 12:5-6), just as at a different time Jesus stated that He Himself worked on the sabbath (John 5:17-18; cf. Exodus 31:15).
(See the "Sabbath" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
--
*Matthew 12:25-29 / *Mt. 12:25 / *Mt. 12:28 / *Mt. 12:29 -
(*Strong man)
Here the "strong man" is not Satan himself, but one of the "strong man" individual demons/unclean spirits who possess some individual people. Compare the strength of the individual demon in the individual man in Acts 19:13-16, who had the strength to overpower seven men. Satan himself remains unbound, walking about freely on the earth (1 Peter 5:8). He will not be bound and locked down in the Bottomless Pit, by an angel, until Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 20:3).
(See also John 12:31b below)
~
(The kingdom)
At the time that Jesus Christ spoke Matthew 12:29 and Luke 11:21-22, God's Kingdom had come (Matthew 12:28, Luke 11:20), but only spiritually (Luke 17:21, Romans 14:17), not yet physically (Luke 22:18,30), as it will during the future Millennium (Revelation 20:1-6, Revelation 2:26-29, Zechariah 14).
(See Acts 1:6 below. Also, see the "Millennium" sections of Revelation 20:4 below)
--
*Matthew 12:26 / *Mt. 12:26 -
This, like Matthew 12:29, refers to the casting out of devils (Matthew 12:24,28).
--
*Matthew 12:31 / *Mt. 12:31 -
This means that all manner of repentant sin will be forgiven (1 John 1:9), not unrepentant sin (Hebrews 10:26-29).
(See Mark 3:29 and Hebrews 10:26 below)
--
*Matthew 12:33 / *Mt. 12:33 -
This means that an obedient Christian will be known by his good works. For it is possible for a Christian to wrongly employ his free will to become disobedient to the point where he does not do good works (John 15:2a, Matthew 25:26,30).
--
*Matthew 12:36 / *Mt. 12:36 -
Here the original Greek has no "the" before "day of judgment"; and the Greek word (hemera: G2250) translated as "day" does not have to mean a 24-hour day, but can refer to a much longer period of time (2 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Peter 3:8, John 8:56).
-
Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Nov 29, 2018
(Re: How can we store up canned food for the future Tribulation, when we are to take no thought for what we will eat?)
In Matthew 6:25 the original Greek word (merimnao: G3309) translated as: "take no thought" for what you will eat means: "do not be anxious" about what you will eat, just as Philippians 4:6 uses the same Greek word to mean do not be anxious about anything. This does not mean that we cannot do anything to prepare for the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24.
As an analogy, imagine that a woman was shopping with her little daughter at the supermarket, buying the week's groceries, and the cart started to get kind of full. So the woman asked her daughter if she wouldn't mind coming out of the seat in the cart so that the mother could put some food there.
"But, Mommy, I like this seat."
"I know, honey, but I just need a little more room. It will be good for you to walk about a little bit, anyway."
"No, Mommy, this is wrong. You're buying too much food."
"Why do you say that?"
"At Sunday school, they said that Jesus said that we aren't to even think about what we are going to eat tomorrow. And we are buying much more food than we can eat today."
"I know, honey, but I don't want to have to come to the grocery store every day. That's why we come once a week."
"But that means that today you are thinking not only about what you are going to eat tomorrow, but the next day, and the day after that [she pulls out her fingers to keep track], and the day after that! And the day after that! And the day after that! And even the day after that! Mommy, you're breaking what Jesus said seven times worse than even what He said!"
"Oh, honey, Jesus didn't mean that we can't plan ahead for food farther in advance than the day that we're in right now. For then no farmer who was a Christian would grow any food, for that would be taking thought about food in the future. Jesus meant that we aren't to be anxious about our food in the future. We can think about it and plan ahead about it, but we aren't to be consumed with worry over it."
"Mommy, I saw on TV where a hurricane was coming, and the people were fighting over the food in the store because there wasn't much left."
"That was wrong, honey. We should never fight anyone over food. Just let them have it, and go look for food somewhere else."
"Were they worried about food?"
"Yes, they were so worried that they thought if they didn't fight for the food they would die of starvation when the hurricane came and broke everything to pieces."
"Then they shouldn't have been at the store at all?"
"There's nothing wrong with going to the store to stock up on canned food and bottled water if you know that a hurricane is coming, and the store might not be there anymore after the hurricane has passed."
"But that's worrying about the store not being there."
"No, it's just being wise, and calmly thinking ahead about what could happen, so that you and your little ones won't have to go hungry needlessly."
"Another time in Sunday school, they said that this man named Joseph was sent by God to store up food for everyone in Egypt for seven years."
"That's right, honey. But he wasn't worried or anxious when he did that. God had revealed to him that there were going to be seven years of famine, when no food would grow. So He had Joseph calmly store up seven years of food to get everyone safely through the famine."
The little girl quickly climbed out of her seat in the cart.
"Should we go get another cart? We need to store up seven years of food!"
"No, honey, we don't. A week's worth is good enough for now. But when God shows us that a long, bad time is about to start, then we can calmly store up a lot of food."
(See also Matthew 24:16 below, and Isaiah 26:19 above)
--
*Matthew 6:34 / *Mt. 6:34 -
(Re: Why even read the book of Revelation, when we are to take no thought about tomorrow?)
In Matthew 6:34 the original Greek word (merimnao: G3309) translated as "take no thought" about tomorrow means "do not be anxious" about tomorrow, just as Philippians 4:6 uses the same Greek word to mean do not be anxious about anything.
Matthew 6:34 does not mean that Christians should never read or study Bible prophecy which has not been fulfilled yet. Instead, Christians are to "take heed" (Mark 13:23) to all of it.
(See Mark 13:23 below)
--
*Matthew 7:1-5 / *Mt. 7:1 -
(*Judge not)
This refers to judging others for their sinful actions in a harsh, self-righteous, hypocritical way, like saying: "Oh, how evil! I would never do anything like that", instead of simply judging their wrong actions as being sins, recognizing that one has one's own sins to think about (Romans 3:9-12). Matthew 7:2 means that if we do not humbly forgive others for their sins, God will not forgive us for our own sins (Matthew 6:15). The sin of judging others in the wrong way can be forgiven, like other sins, if it is repented from and confessed to God (1 John 1:9).
~
(Re: Is Jesus a hypocrite?)
No, for if He does something which He commands us not to do, that is because as God (John 1:1,14, John 10:30, John 20:28) He is the only human who has the right to do it, such as judge others (John 5:22, Matthew 7:1).
~
(Re: I cannot stand people who call themselves Christians, yet they judge others)
We have to be careful not to fall into the trap of wrongly judging others for wrongly judging others (cf. Romans 2:3, Matthew 7:1-5).
--
*Matthew 7:7 / *Mt. 7:7 -
(Re: Election)
Not all people can seek. For on our own, we would never seek God (Romans 3:11).
God has to miraculously cause elect people to do that (John 6:44).
Nonelect people can never do that, for they are not even the children of God (John 8:42-47).
--
*Matthew 7:13 / *Mt. 7:13 -
(Re: Destruction = annihilation?)
No, for the original Greek word (apoleia: G0684) translated here as "destruction" is used elsewhere to refer to some ointment which was "wasted" (Matthew 26:8-9, Mark 14:4), yet still remained in existence.
--
*Matthew 7:14 / *Mt. 7:14 -
(Re: One translation says that the way is "hard", which contradicts the easiness in Matthew 11:30 and 1 John 5:3)
While the original Greek word (thlibo: G2346) translated as "narrow" in Matthew 7:14 can be used in the sense of "afflicted" (2 Corinthians 1:6), and can even be used to refer to "a person heavy-laden" (Middle Liddell Greek Lexicon), the Greek word does not have to refer to that sense every time that it is used. And so in Matthew 7:14, Jesus Christ does not have to be contradicting the fact that a Christian is not heavy-laden (Matthew 11:28-30). Instead, in Matthew 7:14, Jesus is using the Greek word (thlibo: G2346) in the sense of "a narrow way" (Middle Liddell Greek Lexicon), which is parallel to the idea of the other Greek word (stenos: G4728) translated as "strait" in Matthew 7:14, and which means in the context of the verse that the way to eternal life is narrow in that "few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14, cf. Matthew 22:14), while the way to destruction is broad in that many people find it (Matthew 7:13).
Also, the original Greek word (stenos: G4728) translated as "strait" in Matthew 7:14 does not mean "straight", but narrow, like how a narrow waterway is called a "strait". So the common reference to "the straight and narrow" could be a misconception of what Matthew 7:14 means.
~
(Re: Means that anyone can find the way to life/be saved?)
No, for only the relatively few elect/chosen people can be saved (Matthew 22:14, Acts 13:48b; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
(See Romans 9:11 below)
~
(Re: Is the gate at the start or the end?)
In Matthew 7:14 the gate could be at the start of the way of salvation, insofar as Jesus Christ alone could be the gate, just as He alone is "the door" to initial salvation (John 10:9, cf. John 14:6). Or, the gate in Matthew 7:14 could represent ultimate salvation, at the end of the way of initial salvation, which gate (cf. Revelation 22:14) only obedient Christians will be able to enter (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 5:9, Matthew 7:21), just as in Matthew 7:13 the gate to destruction could represent a gate into Hades/hell (Matthew 16:18b) which all non-Christians and disobedient Christians will enter (cf. Luke 16:22b-23).
~
(Re: Would not a gate at the end defeat the purpose of a way, for then we would not need a way, all we would need is a gate?)
A gate at the end (Revelation 22:14) does not defeat the purpose of a way (John 14:6). For the way leads us to the gate (Hebrews 5:9). Also, if we deny that we need a way to the gate, then we could just as easily deny that we need a gate. For we could clam that all we need is to be instantaneously transported into the place beyond the gate.
~
(Re: Is it that you are either in or out of the gate?)
It is that either you are not even on your way to the gate (at the end), which is the case with non-Christians. Or, you are on your way to the gate (as a Christian), but you will not make it past the gate because of your unrepentant disobedience (Matthew 25:10-12). Or, you are on your way to the gate as a Christian, and you will make it past the gate, because of your obedience (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 5:9, Matthew 7:21).
--
*Matthew 7:16-20 / *Mt. 7:16 -
This is not contradicting that Christians can wrongly employ their free will to bring forth some corrupt fruit, as in some unrepentant sinful actions, to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Luke 12:45-46, Hebrews 10:26-29; 1 Corinthians 9:27). Similarly, Matthew 7:16-20 is not contradicting that Christians can wrongly employ their free will to fail to continue to bring forth good fruit, as in becoming utterly lazy without repentance, to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a, Romans 2:6-8).
Instead, regarding Christians, Matthew 7:16-20 is showing how to determine whether a Christian is "good" or has wrongly employed his free will to return to being corrupt (2 Peter 2:20-22).
--
*Matthew 7:21-23 / *Mt. 7:21 -
This shows that both faith and obedience to God are required for Christians to enter ultimate salvation (Romans 2:6-8, Hebrews 5:9, James 2:24; 1 John 2:4). But, because of free will, there is no assurance that Christians will choose to obey (Matthew 25:26,30, Luke 12:45-46).
Matthew 7:23a could be hyperbole, like Matthew 23:24b is hyperbole. For Matthew 7:22 could refer to Christians, believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, John 20:31), who had repented from their sins (1 John 3:6) and performed many wonderful works for Jesus to the end (John 15:4-5). But at some point subsequent to their initial repentance, they had fallen back into some unrepentant sin (Matthew 7:23b; 2 Peter 2:20-22), so that they had to be rejected by Jesus in the end despite their continued faith and good works (1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 10:26-29).
(See Hebrews 10:26 below)
Regarding the ability to cast out demons (Matthew 7:22), that is one of the signs that people are Christians, believers in the Gospel (Mark 16:17). People must be careful not to fall into the unforgivable presumption of Mark 3:22-30.
(See Mark 3:29 and Mark 16:17 below)
~
(Re: Were the Jews who were casting out demons in Matthew 12:27 saved?)
They were saved in the Old Testament sense (Habakkuk 2:4b). For they were Jews who were casting out demons by faith in the power of YHWH God, not Satan.
Also, one needs to be saved in the New Testament sense to cast out demons in the name of Jesus Christ, as in Matthew 7:22 and Mark 16:17. For non-Christian Jews trying to do that can fail (Acts 19:13-17).
~
(Re: The "permission" discussion of Proverbs 26:2 above: He who does the "will of my Father" shall enter the kingdom of heaven)
Note that this is true regardless of whether Christians live or die (1 Thessalonians 5:10), and regardless of whether or not God gives them any choice about whether they live or die.
--
*Matthew 7:24-27 / *Mt. 7:24 -
(Re: Being *obedient now) / (*Obedience)
Christians, no matter what their rapture-timing view, need to be obedient to God now if they want to spiritually endure to the end during the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:13). For only obedient Christians will have their spiritual houses on the rock, as it were, so that they will endure the coming storm (Matthew 7:24-25). Disobedient Christians will have their spiritual houses on the sand, so that they will fall away during the storm (Matthew 7:26-27). They will become part of the falling away, the apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:3), the departure from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1), which will occur during the future Tribulation (Matthew 24:9-13, cf. Isaiah 8:21-22), to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Hebrews 6:4-8, John 15:6; 2 Timothy 2:12b).
But what about those Christians who, even though they may be obedient in their actions now, are holding so strongly mentally to the mistaken pre-tribulation rapture idea, or to the mistaken mid-tribulation rapture idea, that they could be unprepared mentally to endure the future Tribulation in its entirety?
(See the "Camp hike analogy" under Matthew 24:31 below. Also, see paragraph 3 of the "relevant" section of Revelation chapters 6 to 22 (Overview) below)
~
Note that the house is only built on the rock if the man is obedient. For:
Matthew 7:24 . . . whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock . . .
And nothing requires that all Christians will be obedient. For Jesus will ultimately say to some of His servants, that is, to some Christians:
Matthew 25:26 . . . Thou wicked and slothful servant . . .
Matthew 25:30 . . . cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
--
*Matthew 8:6 / *Mt. 8:6 -
The original Greek word (paralutikos: G3885) translated as "palsy", like the English word, could refer to "paralysis".
--
*Matthew 8:34 / *Mt. 8:34 -
The question immediately arises: How could any people request that the Savior Jesus Christ depart from their region? Did not they just see His miraculous deliverance of the two demoniacs from their tormenting demons (Matthew 8:28-34)?
Yes, but they did not care about that. What they cared about were their drowned pigs. Jesus Christ was causing them economic loss in His victory against evil. They could not have that. For money trumps good in the minds of evil men (1 Timothy 6:10). For them, money is more important than people.
(See Leviticus 25:10 above)
--
*Matthew 9:2 / *Mt. 9:2 -
(Re: Does the use here of "epi" as "in" mean that the future Antichrist's mark will be "in" the hand?)
No; instead, because Matthew 9:2 uses the Greek word "epi" (G1909), it means that the man was lying "on" the bed. If the bed had a blanket, and the blanket was considered part of the bed, and the man was under the blanket, then it could have been said that he was "in" the bed in the Greek sense of "in" (Greek "en", G1722; compare the use of "en" in Matthew 9:10).
(See Revelation 13:16 below)
--
*Matthew 9:17 / *Mt. 9:17 -
(Re: New *wineskins)
The new wine being put into new bottles (Matthew 9:17), or new wineskins, refers to Christians, New Covenant believers (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 9:15), becoming new creatures in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) in a spiritual sense. For Christians do not stop being either genetic Jews (Acts 22:3) or genetic Gentiles (Romans 16:4b), just as they do not stop being either males or females (Galatians 3:28; 1 Timothy 2:11-12, 1 Corinthians 14:34-37; 1 Corinthians 11:4-16, 1 Peter 3:7a).
(See Galatians 3:28 below)
Similarly, Matthew 9:17 does not mean that all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, or males or females, are not spiritually New Covenant Israelites, because they are (Romans 9:6-24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Romans 11:17,24, Galatians 3:29, Revelation 21:9,12; 1 Peter 2:9-10, John 10:16, John 11:52, Romans 2:29, Philippians 3:3, Colossians 2:11-13, Romans 4:16-17, Galatians 4:28, Ephesians 3:6, Romans 15:27).
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 below)
--
*Matthew 10:6 / *Mt. 10:6 -
See Matthew 15:24 below.
--
*Matthew 10:8b / *Mt. 10:8b -
"Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8b, cf. Romans 8:32b) is not contradicted by "the labourer is worthy of his hire" (Luke 10:7b). For the latter does not refer to Christians ever requiring payment before they share with anyone any truth which Jesus Christ has shown them, but rather refers to people to whom they have already freely ministered Jesus' truth and works voluntarily giving in return necessary provisions such as food and shelter (Luke 10:7).
--
*Matthew 10:23b / *Mt. 10:23b -
Nothing requires that the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:5) addressed in Matthew 10:23b preached in every town in first century AD Israel before they died, just as Christian preachers today still have not preached in every town in Israel. For Christian proselytizing is outlawed in Israel today.
And Matthew 10:23b's "till the Son of man be come" refers to His never-fulfilled Second Coming (Matthew 24:30).
(See Acts 1:11 below)
--
*Matthew 10:27-39 / *Mt. 10:27 -
(*Housetops)
Christians are to preach God's revealed truths as openly and widely as possible (Matthew 10:27, Mark 16:15), and without any fear of suffering or dying for doing so (Matthew 10:28-39). But there are some situations where Christians should be discreet with regard to how much they say (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 10:16, Proverbs 29:11), even with fellow Christians (cf. John 16:12, Revelation 10:4), and even with close confidants (Micah 7:5-7, Jeremiah 9:4, John 2:24-25). So there is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1): a time to speak, and a time to keep silent (Ecclesiastes 3:7b). Knowing what to do in any particular situation requires the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit (e.g. Acts 8:29-35, Mark 13:11, Matthew 10:19-20).
To receive a greater measure of God's Holy Spirit, Christians should get...
(See "Holy Spirit baptized" under Mark 16:16 below)
--
*Matthew 10:28 / *Mt. 10:28 -
(*Soul)
This shows that humans can cause the first death of the body, but not the death of the soul. For the soul remains alive even after the first death of the body (Luke 16:22-31, Revelation 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:21,23, Acts 3:21).
(See the "Soul sleep?" section of 1 Corinthians 15:51 below)
~
(Destroy)
Here "destroy" does not have to mean annihilate. For the original Greek word (apollumi: G0622) can be used to refer to something simply being ruined (Mark 2:22), yet still existing in its ruined state (cf. Mark 9:45-46).
(See Mark 9:45 below)
--
*Matthew 10:29-31 / *Mt. 10:29 -
See Luke 12:6 below.
--
*Matthew 10:34 / *Mt. 10:34 -
This does not refer to a literal sword which kills people, but to a figurative sword which brings only relational division between Christians and non-Christians (Matthew 10:34-39). Compare the divisional aspect of the figurative sword in Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:17.
--
*Matthew 11:14 / *Mt. 11:14 -
See Matthew 17:10 below.
--
*Matthew 11:20-24 / *Mt. 11:20 -
This does not mean that everyone can repent and believe in Jesus Christ. For Matthew 11:25, like John 12:37-41, explains why so many people did not repent and believe in Him, despite the miracles which He performed in their sight.
~
(Re: Why are they condemned for not repenting and believing if they had no ability to do that?)
See John 3:18b below.
--
*Matthew 11:28-30 / *Mt. 11:28 -
This refers to the spiritual rest which Christians enter (Hebrews 4:3) when they cease every day of the week from their own works (Hebrews 4:10, Luke 9:23), as in works done while not abiding in Jesus Christ (John 15:5, Philippians 2:13); and when they take upon themselves the easy/restful yoke/cross/work of Jesus every day of the week (Luke 9:23, Matthew 11:29-30, Titus 3:8).
Jesus Christ is not a hard taskmaster. He will not give Christians more work to do for Him than they can easily bear (Matthew 11:28-30). But at the same time, He warns Christians that their ultimate salvation will depend on their patient continuance in well doing (Matthew 7:21, Romans 2:6-8, James 2:24), and their not becoming utterly lazy without repentance (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a).
--
*Matthew 12:1-8 / *Mt. 12:1 -
(Re: Was Jesus doing away with only a tradition of the elders, and not the sabbath?)
Jesus Christ did away with the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath (Colossians 2:16-17, cf. Hebrews 10:1a), just as He did away with all of the rest of the letter of the commandments of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, on the Cross (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6-18, Hebrews 7:18-19). Jesus and His disciples broke the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath (Exodus 31:15, John 5:17-18, Matthew 12:2). Also, regarding Matthew 12:1-8, the Pharisees were able to distinguish between the Old Covenant Mosaic "law" (Matthew 12:2, Exodus 31:15) and "the tradition of the elders" (Matthew 15:2). And in Matthew 12:1-8, neither the Pharisees nor Jesus made any reference to any extra-legal "traditions". Instead, in Matthew 12:1-8, Jesus admitted that His disciples were breaking the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath. For He employed Old Testament examples in which David also did something "which was not lawful" (Matthew 12:4), and in which priests also "profaned the sabbath" (Matthew 12:5-6), just as at a different time Jesus stated that He Himself worked on the sabbath (John 5:17-18; cf. Exodus 31:15).
(See the "Sabbath" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
--
*Matthew 12:25-29 / *Mt. 12:25 / *Mt. 12:28 / *Mt. 12:29 -
(*Strong man)
Here the "strong man" is not Satan himself, but one of the "strong man" individual demons/unclean spirits who possess some individual people. Compare the strength of the individual demon in the individual man in Acts 19:13-16, who had the strength to overpower seven men. Satan himself remains unbound, walking about freely on the earth (1 Peter 5:8). He will not be bound and locked down in the Bottomless Pit, by an angel, until Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 20:3).
(See also John 12:31b below)
~
(The kingdom)
At the time that Jesus Christ spoke Matthew 12:29 and Luke 11:21-22, God's Kingdom had come (Matthew 12:28, Luke 11:20), but only spiritually (Luke 17:21, Romans 14:17), not yet physically (Luke 22:18,30), as it will during the future Millennium (Revelation 20:1-6, Revelation 2:26-29, Zechariah 14).
(See Acts 1:6 below. Also, see the "Millennium" sections of Revelation 20:4 below)
--
*Matthew 12:26 / *Mt. 12:26 -
This, like Matthew 12:29, refers to the casting out of devils (Matthew 12:24,28).
--
*Matthew 12:31 / *Mt. 12:31 -
This means that all manner of repentant sin will be forgiven (1 John 1:9), not unrepentant sin (Hebrews 10:26-29).
(See Mark 3:29 and Hebrews 10:26 below)
--
*Matthew 12:33 / *Mt. 12:33 -
This means that an obedient Christian will be known by his good works. For it is possible for a Christian to wrongly employ his free will to become disobedient to the point where he does not do good works (John 15:2a, Matthew 25:26,30).
--
*Matthew 12:36 / *Mt. 12:36 -
Here the original Greek has no "the" before "day of judgment"; and the Greek word (hemera: G2250) translated as "day" does not have to mean a 24-hour day, but can refer to a much longer period of time (2 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Peter 3:8, John 8:56).
-
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