Matthew - Week 37

Greater than Solomon 

READ 

Matthew 12:42 

42 “The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.” 

Jesus continued to rebuke the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees for their lack of faith. He had mentioned Jonah; here He referred to the queen of Sheba and Solomon. The queen had come a long way to learn from Solomon. Now Jesus Himself was standing in their midst but they would not take His words seriously.  

REFLECT 

In thinking of what Jesus said, consider how serious it is today to fail to pay attention to what the Bible says about Him. 

RESPOND 

With a friend, read James 1:22-25. Make sure you are reading and obeying what God’s Word says. 

 Worse off than Before 

READ 

Matthew 12:43-45 

43 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” 

Jesus used the illustration of a person with an evil spirit to teach what it will be like for the evil generation He was addressing. For the evil spirit to find the home “empty, swept, and in order” seems to refer to self-reformation. The religious leaders took pride in their religious self-reformation but did not accept the Messiah. Their end will be worse than their beginning. 

REFLECT 

Examine your heart as to whether you have only rid yourself of bad habits or whether you have trusted in Jesus for salvation and eternal life.  

RESPOND 

Read Matthew 7:22-24 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 to see that doing good and being religious is not enough to make one right with God.  

Family Visitors 

READ 

Matthew 12:46-47 

46 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.” 

Some wish to interpret “brothers” as only “Christian brothers,” but that is not taking the Bible for its normal meaning. The brothers of Jesus--actually half-brothers—did not believe in Him while He lived among them (see John 7:3-5). They believed after His resurrection. The letters of James and Jude are considered to have been written by two of Jesus’ half-brothers.  

REFLECT 

What if you had been a family member of Joseph and Mary? How do you think you would have reacted to having a perfect sibling? 

RESPOND 

For those who believe Mary and Joseph never had intimate relations as husband and wife, see Matthew 1:25 and notice the word “until” in most translations.  

My Brother and Sister 

READ 

Matthew 12:48-50 

48 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” 

Jesus revealed a relationship that is even closer than a blood relationship—it is a spiritual one. As seen earlier in Matthew 10:34-36, one’s spiritual enemies can be those in his or her own household. Matthew 12 seems to be pivotal in the Gospel as Jesus faces the rejection of Israel. The nation has rejected Him so now He will tell what will occur as spiritual relationships mean more than physical ones.  

REFLECT 

Do you have a Christian friend who seems closer to you than your biological siblings? If you do not have siblings, does a Christian friend seem closer to you than other friends who do not know Jesus as Savior? 

RESPOND 

Read Proverbs 18:24 and think about Jesus who is closer to believers than a brother. Talk with a believer about this and the friends you have who are this close to you. 

Prelude to Parables 

READ 

Matthew 13:1-2 

1 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 

Matthew 13 is pivotal in that it includes the teaching of Jesus about what the Kingdom will be like between the two advents of His coming to earth. His first advent was when He came as a baby; His second advent will be when He comes as King of kings and Lord of lords. He was sitting in a boat teaching and the crowd was standing on the shore as they listened.  

REFLECT 

How would you liked to have been in the crowd that day to hear the actual words of Jesus? 

RESPOND 

Be prepared to hear parables that Jesus told to describe the time to come. Ask a friend to study Matthew 13 with you as you work through this study.