45 Days To Read The Gospel Challenge – The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 23: Jesus Curses Jerusalem for Killing the Prophets, Creating Traditions Over the Word of God with False Spiritual Authority..
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How to Get the Most Out of The Challenge
The Gospel consists of the four books in the New Testament that gives the teachings of Jesus Christ, written by John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew. You may start the FREE “45 Day Challenge” at any time by going to the ePrayer Circle’s homepage and selecting the menu item “45 Day Challenge”. Please share and feel free to print and use these lessons in your bible study groups.
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Overview of the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew’s name means “Gift of the Lord”, a tax collector who left everything to follow Jesus Christ as an apostle (disciple). His former name was Levi, the tax collector. Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew. He wrote it for people who converted from Judaism. This Gospel demonstrates that Jesus Christ is the King and Messiah of Israel. His works support that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of the old testament prophecies of the coming of the Messiah.
“This book describes Jesus’s genealogy, his miraculous birth and childhood, his baptism and temptation, his ministry of healing and preaching, and finally his crucifixion and resurrection. The resurrected Jesus commissions his Apostles to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Source: Retrieved from the internet on 11/16/2021 from The New World Encyclopedia. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Gospel_of_Matthew
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Instructions: Read this post in its entirety.
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45 Days To Read The Gospel Challenge – The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 23
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OVERVIEW OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
In this chapter, Jesus speaks ill of the Scribes and Pharisees that joined together to destroy him. He condemns them and tells why. He declares woes on Jerusalem because of them.
Scribes: Generally, men of great wisdom often learned in the law, writers, secretaries to kings, prophets, religious teachers, writers of public documents, doctors of the law, regarded as interpreters of Scriptures. Their manner of teaching contrasted with those of Christ. Often they were offended by Jesus’s conduct. They were condemned by Christ for hypocrisy. They were active participants with the Pharisees concerning Jesus’s death.
Pharisees: Jewish priests, Levites, rulers, and lawyers, had disciples of their own and many came to John to be baptized. Their opinions were standards for others. The strictest observers of the Mosaic ritual. They were self-righteous and paid all dues but did not do the more important things: judgment, mercy, and faith. Jesus said they were to do them all. They believed in the resurrection. They asked for signs from heaven and tempted Jesus. Jesus called them hypocrites, evil, adulterous, serpents, fools, and blind guides. They credited Christ’s miracles to Satan. Jesus compared them to white sepulchers. These sepulchers (tomb graves) are washed white and made clean on the outside but inside they were defiled.
Matthew 23: 3 KJV 3All therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not do. Jesus denounces woes upon them because they gave themselves flattering titles that pumped up pride and pretense. They loved to be seen and honored and make long prayers. They pretended to be righteous but they were not.
They overtook widow houses. They gave themselves “Moses Seat” meaning they took spiritual authority not given to them and made traditions over God’s commands. They swore by gold and held it more important than heaven and the holy alters. Jesus called them blind leaders. They were children of the ones that killed the prophets. They would travel the seas to create one person as themselves and make them twice the child of hell.
Jesus commanded that the blood of all the prophets will come upon that generation. I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: Matthew 23:-35- 36 KJV 35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Jesus’ lamentation over Jerusalem. Note: Lamentation means expressing grief by Definitions from Oxford Languages
Note: The above passage demonstrates that the Lord can remove his spirit from places. Especially, if they are very evil and come up against the Word of God. That is why location is stressed in the bible as important. People are moved to different lands and places in the bible for many reasons such as: protection (baby in the manger), fulfilling of prophecies, creating kingdoms, and for blessing people.
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TIME: 45 MINUTES TO COMPLETE LESSON: 30 MINUTES TO READ THE ENTIRE POST AND TAKE THE INTERACTIVE QUIZ, ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES TO READ THE BIBLE CHAPTER.
Objectives for Chapter 23 -The Gospel of Matthew. What you will learn:
1. You will learn why Jesus directs the people to observe the teaching, but not the example, of the Scribes and Pharisees.
2. You will learn that Jesus denounces woes upon them.
3. You will learn that Jesus revenges the blood of all the prophets they killed on the entire generation.
4. You will learn the lamentation (grief and sorrow) Jesus declared over Jerusalem.
Outline for Chapter 23 of the Gospel of Matthew
1. Jesus directs the people to follow the teaching, but not the example, of the scribes and Pharisees.
2. He denounces woes upon them.
3. The blood of all the prophets to come upon that generation.
4. Jesus’ lamentation over Jerusalem.
Reflection and Discussion: Something to think about.
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Reflection question:
There is a difference between religious people or leaders making mistakes in their lives than living sinful on purpose. Jesus said to observe the teachings but do not imitate the actions of morally corrupt religious leaders. That is why believers are not to give others flattering spiritual titles, nor call anyone Father or Master except God, because these names birth pride and pretense. These titles give undue spiritual authority to a human being as if they are the source and not God. Remember, you have only one teacher in Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ sharing the Word of God. Have you ever attended a religious ceremony or church, to later discover the leaders were morally corrupt? How did you handle that?
Resources For This Lesson
Click here for the King James Bible version in the text (pdf), mobile viewing on the web (KJV), YouTube audio, and video (Total Time: 8 min.) Part One and Part Two.
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See “Chapter 23 Highlights” below for scriptures and help with the quiz. If needed, refresh the screen to retake the quiz.
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Objectives for Chapter 23 -The Gospel of Matthew. What you will learn:
1. You will learn why Jesus directs the people to follow the teaching, but not the example, of the Scribes and Pharisees. Matthew 23: 1-12 KJV
1Then spoke Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2Saying, The Scribes, and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3All therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
2. You will learn that Jesus denounces woes upon them. Matthew 23:13-29 KJV
13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
. 19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20Whoso, therefore, shall swear by the altar, swears by it, and by all things thereon. 21And whoso shall swear by the temple, swears by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22And he that shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him, that sits thereon.
23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous,
3. Jesus revenges the blood of all the prophets they killed on the entire generation Matthew 23: 30-36 KJV
‘30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
4. Jesus’ lamentation over Jerusalem. Matthew 23:37-39 KJV
. 37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kills the prophets, and stones them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed, is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Note: Lamentation means expressing grief by Definitions from Oxford Languages
Interactive Quiz
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#1. Jesus tells the people whatsoever the Pharisees and Scribes bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not follow after their works. Why?
#2. Fill in the blank with the best answer. Jesus announces woes on the Scribes and Pharisees because they were___________
#3. True or False? Jesus avenges the blood of the prophets by declaring Matthew 23:35KJV 35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
#4. True or False? Jesus withdrew God's spirit from Jersuleum by saying, 38Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed, is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
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Call to salvation:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Romans 10:9-10 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.
John 3:5-6 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is the Spirit.
