Bible Study on Matthew 22, verses 15 to 22, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars

 

Matthew 22:15 ¶  Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16  And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17  Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 18  But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19  Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20  And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21  They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. 22  When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

 

The Pharisees, the religious conservative elite, want to trip Christ up so that He can be lawfully taken out of circulation. The Herodians were a pro-Herod and his dynasty political party. They seem be in concord with the Pharisees in their wish for Jewish independence from Rome. Taking a piece of money minted by the state and bearing Caesar’s image they attempt to trick Christ into some seditious speech against Rome suggesting independence.

 

This obvious ruse doesn’t faze Christ in the least. This money belongs to Caesar even though it is used in transactions. God separates the things of this world from the things that He wants from His people as He divides the spiritual Day from the Night even before the sun was created in Genesis, chapter one. In chapter 17 He used supernatural methods to provide tax money to pay to the Romans. “Render unto Caesar,” has become a phrase we use to delineate the differences between our civic responsibility to the state, as in government, and our religious responsibility toward God.

 

Notice how the Herodians call Him Master, as if they were disciples of His. Master can mean teacher or Rabbi.

 

Malachi 2:12  The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

 

John 1:38  Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

 

Coming up, Jesus will say;

 

Matthew 23:8  But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

 

We know that all money, as all things, belong to God. But the point being made here by Jesus is that He calls His people to spiritual things. Don’t elevate the temporal to that level.  In America, founded on the principle that the people are king, it is our government that prints the money but the money is ours to do with as we see fit. Still we are under laws of taxation which we would do well to obey all the while fighting for a just tax system, which we don’t have at the present. We give freely to support God’s work but we also must understand that what He wants from us is more important than money.

 

Jesus amazed His questioners with His wisdom and careful speech. There is another scene where Jesus denies that He is the civil authority.

 

Luke 12:13 ¶  And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14  And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

 

Jesus is not a revolutionary. He is confirming what the Father wanted from His people all along. He is not in competition with a king or an emperor. God’s authority over us and the king is absolute but we are called to honor earthly rulers in their due.  Read Romans 13 to see our responsibility and the limitations of governmental authority. Understand that our calling is greater than mere obedience to the state.

 

Acts 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

 

But when He returns He will assume control over all kingdoms and nations.

 

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

 

Remember though, for now;

 

John 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

 

A Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 69, verses 30 to 36, I will praise the name of God with a song

 

Psalm 69:30 ¶  I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31  This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. 32  The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. 33  For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. 34  Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. 35  For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. 36  The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

 

Psalm 28:7  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

 

We should all have this praise that David speaks of and be thankful always.

 

1Thessalonians 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

God is more pleased with a thankful heart than he is with animal sacrifices. In fact, every thing that flows from a thankful heart is more pleasing to God.

 

Micah 6:6 ¶  Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7  Will the LORD be

pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

 

The humble, the meek, and the lowly will rejoice as those who submit to His will.

 

Psalm 25:9  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

 

Being humble here is linked to poverty but we can also interpret it as being humble toward God.

 

1Peter 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

 

Every created thing praises God.

 

 

Psalm 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

 

Psalm 98:7  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 8  Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

 

Psalm 148:1 ¶  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 6  He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. 7 ¶  Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: 8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: 9  Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: 10  Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: 11  Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 12  Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: 13  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. 14  He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

 

Psalm 150:6  Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

 

A promise is made to bless the people of Israel. This can clearly be a prophecy of His millennial reign over the world from Jerusalem as well.

 

Psalm 102:16  When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. 17  He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. 18  This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

 

Psalm 22:30  A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

 

David’s prayer for deliverance from his enemies also appears to be fraught with prophetic references that perhaps David knew nothing about. The Holy Spirit guides the writers even when they are unwitting secretaries.

Bible Study on Matthew 22, verses 1 to 14, many are called, but few are chosen

 

Matthew 22:1 ¶  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

 

This parable could be a reference to the promised marriage supper of the Lamb in Heaven where the bride of Christ, the church, the body of believers, is called.

 

Revelation 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God..

 

As Paul refers to the church as Christ’s bride.

 

2 Corinthians 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

 

This union with Christ was offered to the Jews first but they refused. As the passage here in Matthew underscores they even murdered some of the prophets God sent.

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

And the call to enter into God’s kingdom was extended to the farthest reaches of the earth.

 

Matthew 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

In this passage we see God’s wrath on those who would reject His offer of amnesty.

 

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

Prophetically we also possibly see a reference to the tares, the false Christians, who will be rooted out of God’s kingdom at the end which we saw in the previous parable of the tares and the wheat. Please look over the parable of the tares and the wheat in Matthew, chapter 13.

 

First, Christ is our righteousness;

 

1 Corinthians 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

 

Note this verse in Revelation;

 

Revelation 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

 

This person who is not clothed properly is either a type of the false Christian or a type of the Beast of Revelation, as some say. I think it is a prophetic reference to the false Christian. But it also could be a reference to Judas as a false follower of Christ, as some would put it. I’m sticking with a type of the false Christian who will be ripped out at the end with the more immediate context being a foretelling of Judas, the betrayer of Christ.

 

For verse 14 there are several references that bear investigating. Note the contexts of the following;

 

Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

Matthew 20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

 

I had noted in my comments on that passage;

 

“Some are called in youth and some at various stages of life but all are called, and few will receive Christ and everlasting life. Those who will are chosen. God’s foreknowledge knows everyone that will accept Christ as their Saviour and God chooses those who will. On one side of heaven’s metaphorical door it could say, ‘whosoever will’ and on the other side, ‘Chosen from the foundation of the world.’”

 

In this context, though, it appears to be Christ choosing only the genuine convert and not someone just mouthing a 1-2-3 repeat after me prayer with no root of belief and faith in their heart of hearts.

Bible Study on Isaiah 1, verses 21 to 31, Judgment on Jerusalem

 

Isaiah 1:21 ¶  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. 22  Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 23  Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 24  Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: 25  And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: 26  And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. 27  Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 28  And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. 29  For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. 30  For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31  And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

Jerusalem is what is referred to here. Isaiah isn’t the only prophet who blasts Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness to her God.

For examples see Jeremiah in Lamentations 1:8  Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. 9  Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

Read Ezekiel, chapter 16 that starts like this.

Ezekiel 16:1 ¶  Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2  Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,…

Jerusalem and, by extension, Judah have become totally corrupt and defiant of God. God says in verse 25 that He will purge away their dross, which is from a similar word to dregs, and can refer to the solids left over from a precious metal in refining it, and is worthless. Some commentators remark about the inferior state of tin as compared to silver and that removing it refers to removing the superficial observance of religion as taking away the dross refers to removing impurities. Keep in mind the idea of leaven as polluting bread in the spiritual sense.

Matthew 13:33  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

The woman, think of the whore of Babylon in Revelation, uses leaven, considered false doctrine in Matthew 16 coming up, in three measures of meal, representing the three great branches of Christianity, perhaps, the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, and Protestantism which controlled governments or were controlled by them, waged wars, bought and sold slaves, and murdered non-conforming Christians throughout history, spreading false doctrines and deceit around.

 

Of course, this is my interpretation from studying history and comparing it with the Bible but it seems so plausible as a warning of what is to come.

 

Matthew 16:6  Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9  Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10  Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11  How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

He then prophesies, in verse 26, of a future time, perhaps the millennium of Christ’s thousand year reign on earth to come.

Jeremiah 33:15  In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16  In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.

 

Matthew 19:28  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.

 

Bible Study on Matthew 21, verses 33 to 46, the parable of the householder

Matthew 21:33 ¶  Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34  And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35  And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40  When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41  They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45  And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46  But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

 

Jesus uses another parable here to explain the things that have happened and are about to happen with God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself. The Jews have abused and killed the prophets who came before Christ and will kill Him, the Son of God coming in the name of the Father. The prophecy contained here also shows that God’s plan will be opened up to all people who will honor Him.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, will be the cornerstone of God’s plan, rejected by His own people. The blessing that the Jews refuse to receive, their Messiah, will be offered to others who will willingly serve Him. This was very clear to the Pharisees and only because of their fear of the crowds did they not seize Christ at that time.

 

Isaiah 5:7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

 

Bible Study on Genesis 49, verses 28 to 33, Jacob makes his final request

 

Genesis 49:28 ¶  All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. 29  And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30  In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. 31  There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. 32  The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. 33  And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

The twelve tribes of Israel play a very important part in God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself as a vehicle, although flawed and more often in error than not, through which His salvation of mankind from eternal agony and suffering, it’s natural destination based on the rebellion we inherited from Adam, comes. Humans are, of all creatures, most miserable if they do not believe or receive Christ as their Saviour when offered.

Jacob is going to die now. He ordains where he will be buried, in a cave in the field that Abraham, his grandfather purchased. See comments on 23:1-20.

Here, we see an interesting event. Jacob does not suffer a long ordeal of disease breathing hard in agony on a bed of suffering. He finishes his blessings and then pulls his feet up into his bed and surrenders his spirit and dies.

I have already gone over the euphemisms for death as evidenced in verse 33 and from its usage the phrase gathered unto his people refers to going to the place where his ancestors went when they died. Jacob is said to have yielded up the ghost. This is a reference to his spirit. Here is a reference to Jesus’s, who was fully man and fully God, human spirit or ghost, lowercase s and g. Here the human spirit belongs to and ascends to God.

Luke 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Again, not only the soul leaves the flesh at death but here we see the spirit leaves, as well. Notice Solomon’s question in Ecclesiastes that suggests mankind doesn’t know what he thinks he knows.

Ecclesiastes 3:21  Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

God uses the spirit of man as one means to examine him from the inside-out.

Proverbs 20:27  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

The Godhead consists of a soul (God the Father), the seat of self-identity and will, a Spirit (the Holy Ghost called the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God when referencing acting on physical reality as the very mind of God), and a body, a physical presence, (Christ or the Word by which all things were created and are held together) it is important to understand that only God’s three parts can act independently although guided by one will. If either our soul or spirit leave us as humans we physically die. Jesus, being fully man and fully God, was not only the physical image of the invisible God but, as a human, He also possessed a lowercase spirit or ghost which He surrendered when He gave up his brief temporal existence before rising from the dead.

Bible Study on Matthew 21, verses 28 to 32, the parable of two sons

 

Matthew 21:28 ¶  But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31  Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32  For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

 

On one level this could clearly be a reference to Israel. The obedient Jew may have resisted at first but eventually did what God wanted. I think of Moses himself. The disobedient Israelite said I’ll obey and did not.

 

Exodus 3:11 ¶  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

 

But he did go, didn’t he?

 

Exodus 24:3  And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.

 

And they didn’t obey.

 

But on a more important level, based on the context, it is also clearly a reference to the outcasts of society who seem, at first, to be as far from God as they can get and yet when they come to Christ they are accepted as if they were always His. The argument Jesus is making here is that the chief priest and the elders who are attacking Him pay lip service to God but disobey Him by rejecting His Messiah while the outcasts will come into God’s kingdom before they will because the elite are not receptive to God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself.

 

The religious elite here, at their best, are farther from God than the prostitutes and tax collectors who receive their Saviour. God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself reaches its most important point when the Messiah makes Himself known to the people of Israel and;

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.