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Category Archives: Matthew
Galilee and Jerusalem
Concerning Galilee, I observed in my Easter sermon: After they confirm the empty tomb, they are sent to Galilee. Matthew tends to place emphasis on Galilee. The reason he does so, is to contrast it with Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the … Continue reading
Earthquakes
It occurred to me that the earthquakes indicate the dismantling of the Old World system where death and the devil ruled. The earthquake served as a tearing apart (the veil, certainly) of the order that was once predominant. The earthquake … Continue reading
Resurrection and Symbolism
One of the important elements of the gospel resurrection accounts is that so much of the language reflects the glory of the resurrection. In Matthew’s gospel, there is a reference to the “first day” (vs. 1); a clear reference to newness. … Continue reading
Angels Descending…
The angel descends to move the stone (Mat. 28). This descending is an indication that heaven and earth are coming together. They are fulfilling the Lord’s Prayer for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. This fortunate and blessed angel has … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew
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Sermon: Matthew 4:1-11; First Sunday in Lent: The Devil’s Game: Seizing Kingship without Cross
Sermon: People of God, in this gospel lesson we will see that Christ is victorious over Satan, and as a result, we are victorious over the tempter when we answer temptation as Christ answered. Let us pray. Prayer: May the … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew, Sermons/Lent
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The Temptation of Jesus
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of … Continue reading
Jesus, the Great Exegete
Stanley Hauerwas writes: Jesus is able to resist the devil, a devil able to quote scripture, by being a superior exegete to the one who would tempt him. Jesus, the faithful interpreter of Israel’s scripture, teaches us how to read so that … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew, Music, YOUTUBE VIDEO
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Stones and Bread
The devil is not just simply interested in Jesus doing a magic trick in his presence (Mat. 4:3), rather there is much significance in the language used in this passage. Stones are dead, unmovable. Jesus at one time used similar language … Continue reading
Transfiguration Sunday: Matthew 17:1-5; Transfiguration and Resurrection
Audio Sermon Sermon: People of God, our gospel lesson shows us that the Transfiguration is that one great moment in history when Christ appeared in light to show us a preview of how we as a people of light are … Continue reading
A Voice from the Clouds
Concerning the voice of the Father from the clouds in the Transfiguration, Rev. William Smith (PCA) writes: This is God’s throne chariot. This is the place where he is surrounded by myriads of cherubim and seraphim. Once again we see … Continue reading
Transfigurationism
Jesus’ Transfiguration was only a preview to the glorious transfiguration of the world. In the resurrection, Jesus was changed again into a newly glorified body as a preview of what we shall be. Jesus’ mountain brilliance is the brilliance of … Continue reading
Suffering and Glory in Transfiguration
It is quite stunning that the Transfiguration of our Lord and the Crucifixion share so many parallels. In liturgical churches, Transfiguration Sunday is followed by the Lenten Season. Indeed, there is great beauty in the liturgical order of the Church: it … Continue reading
Peacemakers…
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” To be a peacemaker is not about resolving conflicts. This is another illustration of how easily the beatitudes can be individualized. Is there an application here for us … Continue reading
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Believe in Yourself!
There really is something profoundly un-biblical about the oft repeated motto Believe in yourself. Generally, of course, it is mere sloganizing in sports with the intention of urging young athletes to be their best and produce fruits. Yet the language … Continue reading
Posted in G.K. Chesterton, Matthew
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Beatitudinal Observations…
The Sermon on the Mount is filled great controversy. Historically, dispensationalists have seen these teachings/exhortations as futuristic. In other words, they do not apply to a present people, but they are models for the kingdom, which is to come after … Continue reading
Posted in Law/Gospel Hermeneutic, Matthew
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The Kingdom of Heaven
St. Matthew’s preference for this phrase is consistent with his emphasis on the heavenly kingdom descending upon earth. In the great Lord’s Prayer, the kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven serves as an image … Continue reading
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Jesus and the Dove in Matthew’s Gospel: Symbolic Reflections
The dove/Spirit rests on Jesus, because Jesus is true rest. Just as the dove was sent to find land in Noah’s day, in Matthew the dove rests on Jesus, because he is the true land. In Him there is safety … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew
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The Coming of Jesus in Baptism
The coming of Jesus is paralleled by the coming of the religious teachers of the day. Both wanted to be baptized. Both wanted to be the embodiment of Israel. Yet, one was baptized; One was proved to be the true … Continue reading
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The Incarnation: Gospel, Deception, and Justice
The audio from my first sermon after Christmas. Manuscript: Prayer: May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Kinsman. Amen. Sermon: People of God, this … Continue reading
Posted in Audio, Christmas, Matthew
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Double Death…
Chiastically, Jim Jordan argues in his recently released paper– on the structures of the gospel of Matthew–that the “martyrdom of the little children is prophetically related to the coming of the destruction of Jerusalem.” The martyrdom of the little children … Continue reading
“Until” in Matthew 1
Robert Rayburn summarizes simply the use of “until” in Matthew 1:25: The natural sense of the “until” is that Joseph and Mary had a normal married life after Jesus was born, contrary to the Roman Catholic doctrine of Mary’s perpetual … Continue reading
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Rhetorical Absurdity in Matthew 11
Jesus’ questions are rhetorically absurd. They are questions designated to an absurd people. These are questions for the immature; those who do not understand the centrality of John’s message. They are absurd because denying the authority of John’s message is … Continue reading
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Advent Sermon: Matthew 3:1-12; The Gospel of Repentance
Matthew 3:1-12 Prayer: May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Kinsman. Amen. Sermon: People of God, you may be familiar with Leo Tolstoy’s short … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew, Sermons/Advent
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John, the Locust Eater
In Matthew 3, John eats locusts (as well as wild honey). But why locusts? Locusts consume and devour things. John is declaring a message of doom to those who do not repent. If they fail to heed his message, they … Continue reading
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Matthew’s imagery in the Old
Matthew’s imagery in the Olivet Discourse clearly resembles the imagery of the Old Testament. In II Samuel 12:11-12 we read: He rode on a cherub and flew; he was seen on the wings of the wind. He made darkness around … Continue reading
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Coming in the clouds of glory
Matthew 24 speaks of a spiritual coming in judgment. I have written about this in many posts, but yet continue to see misapplications of this text elsewhere. Allow me to rephrase my thesis. According to Matthew 24:30: “…they will see … Continue reading
Posted in Eschatology, Matthew
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Matthew 6:6 and Private Prayers
My pastor has started a series through the Lord’s Prayer. In his introductory sermon he stressed two aspects of the text: a) Prayer is expected, not optional. b) Prayer should be genuine. These are clear implications in the text. Prayer … Continue reading
Posted in Christian Living, Matthew
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A Case for Preterism and a Critique of Dispensationalism, Hoekema and a host of other eschatological discussions Part 3
Let us continue our analysis by describing Hoekema’s thoughts on some very crucial issues concerning Preterism. Secondly, we will conclude with the Partial-Preterist usage of the “anti-christ” contra the common Amillenial usage thereof. Describe Hoekema’s distinction between Imminence and Impending. … Continue reading
Posted in Eschatology, Matthew
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A Case for Preterism and a Critique of Dispensationalism, Hoekema and a host of other eschatological discussions Part 2
The Signs of the times were to be seen and experienced by no other recipients than the first century generation. This is clear for at least five reasons: 1) It is noteworthy that Jesus is speaking to a real group … Continue reading
Posted in Eschatology, Matthew
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A Case for Preterism and a Critique of Dispensationalism, Hoekema and a host of other eschatological discussions Part 1
In a significant manner, Gary Demar’s book Last Days Madness has brought sanity to the historical nature of predicted eschatology. The famous atheist Bertrand Russell once wrote: “I am concerned with Christ as he appears in the Gospels, taking the … Continue reading
Posted in Eschatology, Matthew
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Resurrectio et Vita 