As the news about Jesus’ ministry spread—his miracles and teaching—what were the various opinions expressed by the people about Him? See Mar 6:14-15, Luk 9:7-8; cf. Mat 16:13-14. What was Herod’s opinion? See Mat 14:2, Mar 6:16. What does his opinion indicate about his guilty conscience for having put John to death? Cf. Mat 14:9,…
Matthew 14:1 Who was the Herod mentioned in this verse, why is he called a tetrarch, and what was his relationship to the other Herods mentioned in Scripture? Note: the Herod mentioned here was surnamed Antipas. It was his father, Herod the Great, who established the Herodian dynasty, was king when Jesus was born (Mat…
Mat 13:51-52 Why did Jesus tell this parable? See Mat 13:51. In the parable, who does the scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven represent? Who is the head of the household or landowner (same Greek word) that Jesus says they are like? See Mat 10:25, 13:27, 20:1, 21:33. What is…
Mat 13:47-50 To which of Jesus’ other parables in this chapter is this parable most like? See Mat 13:36-43. In what way is it similar, and in what way is it different? Does the sea in this parable represent the church, or the world? See Psa 98:7, Isa 57:20, 60:5. If there was an element…
Mat 13:44 In this parable what does the hidden treasure represent? See Pro 2:1-4, 3:13-18, 8:10-12,18-19, 16:16, Job 28:1-2,12-20. Wherein are found the hidden treasures of God’s wisdom? See Job 28:23,28, Psa 19:7-10, 119:14,72,127. Who is the living Word of God in whom are found all the “treasures” of wisdom and knowledge? See Col 2:3;…
Mat 13:31-32 Who does the man represent who sows the mustard seed in his field? What are the characteristics of the mustard seed described by Jesus that are significant to the parable’s meaning? See Mat 13:32; cf. 17:20. Is the size of a plant determined by the size of the seed from which it grows,…
What conclusion did the disciples draw in Mat 19:10 from the strictness of Jesus’ teaching on divorce and remarriage? From a human, even religious perspective, why was the disciples’ response completely logical? Recall the Pharisees’ question in Mat 19:3 and think: given the fallen state of mankind, will not one always be able to find…
Second principle: Under the old covenant administered by the Jewish nation it was unlawful for the Jews to intermarry with the Gentiles (Deut 7:2-3); what did Ezra understand that the law required of those Jews who had married foreign wives? See Ezr 10:2-3,10-14,18-19; cf. also Mar 6:17-18. What might this indicate that the law would…
As we have seen in the previous studies, Jesus’ teaching is very clear that divorce and remarriage constitutes adultery. Notice again that the Pharisees understood the strictness of His teaching (Mat 19:7), as did the disciples (Mat 19:10). So what about those who were divorced and remarried prior to coming to Christ, or even those…
We have come to understand in the previous lessons Jesus’ strict teaching on divorce and remarriage. But what about the really nasty, ugly situations? Does the binding nature of the marriage covenant mean that a true Christian is bound to resist at all costs if an unbelieving spouse seeks to separate? See 1Co 7:12-16, Rom…