WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM.
INTRODUCTION
There is no reason to doubt that this Gospel was written by Matthew. It presents the narrative of our Lord’s life from the standpoint of the pious Jew; and the evident design of the writer is to show how completely and continually our Lord fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. No other Gospel contains so many quotations from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. In it the predominant aspect of our Lord’s character and work is the Messianic. He was great David’s Greater Son. The keyword of the book is “Behold your King.” As King, His line is traced through the kingly race. As King, He proclaims the kingdom of heaven. As King, He promulgates the laws, describes the subjects, and announces the rewards of the Kingdom. When describing His own action at the last, when He sits on His throne and all nations are gathered before Him, He speaks of Himself as King, Mat_25:40. It was on His avowal of kingship that He was condemned to die. From every viewpoint this Gospel is one of the most precious documents in the world.
By F.B.Meyer
{e-Sword Note: The following material was presented at the end of Matthew in the printed edition}
Find the outline of our Bible study on The Gospel of Matthew at the link below.
Outline Of The Gospel According To Matthew
The King of the House of David
III. FACING REJECTION, Matthew 16:13-25:46
3. Questions, Discourses and Parables of Judgment, Matthew 17:10 to Matthew 25:46
NB !Note:
The Judean ministry of Jesus, which lasted almost one year, is not discussed by Matthew. This one year period is covered in John 1;1 to the end of John 4: and fits between Mat_4:11 and Mat_4:12. Matthew takes us from the temptation directly to the Galilean ministry.
Today we will look at the following question in the outline starting with
Matthew 19:23-30
67. What did Jesus teach about riches?
67. What did Jesus teach about riches?
Then said Jesus unto his disciples,
Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them,
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
And Jesus said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Comments by F.B.Meyer
Matthew 19:23-30
The answer for 67. What did Jesus teach about riches? As presented by F.B.Meyer.
RICHES IN THE KINGDOM
Money is not an unmixed good. It brings in its train many temptations. It is easier to bear poverty than wealth-easier to be a saint when life is hard than when prosperity lavishes her gifts.
When the Pope was showing St. Francis of Assisi the treasures of the Vatican, he remarked: “We can hardly say with the Apostle, ‘Silver and gold have we none.’” Francis replied aptly and incisively: “Yes, holy father, and I suppose we can hardly say either, ‘Rise up and walk.’” Often it is in the poverty of earthly circumstances that the soul becomes possessed of an authority which wealth cannot buy.
What compensations there will be hereafter in the times of the restitution of all things! See Act_3:21. Then the unsatisfied yearnings for husband, wife, or child; the love which craved for love; the lonely, the homeless, the pilgrim, will neither hunger nor thirst, because the Lamb will lead him to the fountains of waters of life.
Believer’s Bible commentary
Book by William MacDonald
Matthew 19:23-30
G. Concerning Riches
19:23, 24 The rich man’s response prompted Jesus to observe that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Riches tend to become an idol. It is hard to have them without trusting in them. Our Lord declared that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” He was using a figure of speech known as hyperbole—a statement made in intensified form to produce a vivid, unforgettable effect.
It is clearly impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle! The “needle’s eye” has often been explained as the small door in a city gate. A camel could get through it by kneeling down, but only with great difficulty. However, the word used for “needle” in the parallel passage in Luke is the same word used to describe the needle used by surgeons. It seems clear from the context that the Lord was not speaking of difficulty, but of impossibility. Humanly speaking, a rich man simply cannot be saved.
19:25 The disciples were astonished by these remarks. As Jews living under the Mosaic code, by which God promised prosperity to those who obeyed Him, they correctly viewed riches as indicative of God’s blessing. If those who thus enjoyed God’s blessing couldn’t be saved, who could?
19:26 The Lord replied, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Humanly speaking, it is impossible for anyone to be saved; only God can save a soul. But it is more difficult for a wealthy man to surrender his will to Christ than for a poor man, as evidenced by the fact that few rich men are converted. They find it almost impossible to replace trust in visible means of support for faith in an unseen Savior. Only God can effect such a change.
Commentators and preachers invariably inject here that it is perfectly all right for Christians to be rich. It is strange that they use a passage in which the Lord denounces wealth as a hindrance to man’s eternal welfare, to justify the accumulation of earthly treasures! And it is difficult to see how a Christian can cling to riches in view of the appalling need everywhere, the imminence of Christ’s Return, and the Lord’s clear prohibition against laying up treasures on earth. Hoarded wealth condemns us as not loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Listen to Pastor Jeff Arthur sermons at
http://www.ghtg.org/
Impossible with Men, but Possible with God
On MeWe ;
Join our group at MeWe Friends in Jesus
We also have a Page on Creation Ministries International. Called Young Earth Creationists
On Facebook;
Join our closed group at : Quo Vadis Christian Community Group to read and partake in the Bible study to learn to know Jesus Christ. To know Him is to Love Him.
We also have an open Page at Quo Vadis Christian Community you might want to know more about.
Please ad yourself to our Messenger group to receive notification and chat to other members of the group.
You may however wish to disable notification and look at post when you have the time.
Join our messenger group at Friends in Jesus.
If you want a Bible please contact: Please let me have a Bible.
You may also want to join Creation Ministries International.
Find more Study topics at Quo Vadis Australia
