All About Pocket Knives

Risen from the Dead

Matthew 28:1–10 “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay (vv. 5–6).

If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor. 15:14). No event is more critical to Christianity than our Lord’s resurrection; its historicity is the fact upon which our faith stands or falls.

Like the other gospels but unlike the epistles, Matthew offers little theological commentary in his resurrection account. Also, he does not report everything that happened from the time the women came to the tomb to Jesus’ ascension. The other three evangelists likewise recount only some of what transpired during that momentous period, selecting the details important for their audiences. Comparing the four accounts gives us a fuller picture of all that occurred. In any case, the resurrection is historically well-attested. Besides the evidence in the Gospels, Paul records Jesus’ appearances to five hundred people at once, James, and himself (1 Cor. 15:6–8). There are also veiled references to our Lord’s resurrection in rabbinic sources that go back to the first century.

Matthew tells us the angel used an earthquake to remove the stone covering Jesus’ tomb (Matt. 28:2). Since Christ left the tomb before the stone was rolled away, this was not to let Him out of the grave but to let the women see the empty tomb. Jesus is not risen as a ghost or spirit; the women grasp His feet, revealing that His physical flesh has been raised (Matt. 28:9). That Christ’s physical body is resurrected indicates matter is not inherently evil and that our eternal state will not be that of a disembodied spirit. Like Jesus, our bodies too will be raised on the last day in our glorification, and the physical world will once again be “very good” and untainted by evil (1 Cor. 15:35–58).

Having been “delivered up for our trespasses,” Jesus was “raised for our justification” (Rom. 4:23–25). Raising His Son from the dead, the Father signified His acceptance of Jesus’ atonement for the sins of His people, proving that all who trust in Christ alone have their sins covered by the righteousness of Jesus and are reconciled to God. John Calvin comments, “The lively assurance of our reconciliation with God arises from Christ having come from hell as the conqueror of death” with “the power of a new life at his disposal.”

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

The resurrection, besides providing for our justification and paving the way for the future resurrection, proves the God of the Old Testament is the one, true God, that Christ is His Son and Savior, and that in Him we have power over sin (James Boice, The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2, p. 642). Take some time today to meditate on the significance of the resurrection and praise the Father that we who trust Jesus will likewise be raised.

The Guards Sell Their Souls

Matthew 28:11–15 “They took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day” (v. 15).

Regarding the resurrection of our Lord, it is ironic that the thing the Sanhedrin tried to prevent with the placing of a guard became the story they made up to hide what really happened. The Pharisees and chief priests had Pilate seal Jesus’ tomb so that His disciples would not steal His body and claim that He rose from the dead (Matt. 27:62–66). Yet when Jesus was resurrected (28:1–10), His opponents did not repent; rather, they concocted a tale of theft to deceive Israel (vv. 11–15), preferring to save face instead of admitting the truth.

Many enemies of Christianity still say the disciples stole Jesus’ body and fraudulently preached His resurrection, an assertion that is filled with holes. The theory originates in the tall tale for which the soldiers were paid hush money (vv. 12–15); but how could sleeping soldiers have known what happened to the body? Furthermore, the disciples at this point were merely trying to save their own skins (26:56; John 20:19). John Chrysostom writes, “These were men hiding out to simply stay alive” (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, first series, vol. 10, p. 530), not those who would risk arrest and execution for robbing a grave.

If they made up the resurrection, why did the apostles not cover up their unfaithfulness at the point of our Lord’s death? Passages like Matthew 26:56, 69–75 show that the apostles report the truth even when it hurts and refuse to concoct stories to make themselves look good; loving truth, they “determined not to conceal even their own shortcomings” (Chrysostom, p. 531). Moreover, the record of women as the first to see the resurrection (Matt. 28:1–10) strongly corroborates the account’s accuracy. First-century Jews thought women were untrustworthy witnesses, and recording them as the first to see the risen Lord was not the best way to prove that Jesus rose from the dead. Making men the first witnesses of the resurrection would be an easier way to convince readers; that the apostles do not do this reveals that they are not out to deceive us.

Matthew Henry says that the best evidence will not convince people unless the Holy Spirit is working within them. Like the soldiers who guarded Jesus’ grave, we will readily sell our souls for a lie if the Spirit does not intervene.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Most of us are probably not guilty of accepting payment to make up a lie about the Christ. However, all of us are tempted in various ways to sell our souls at the expense of broadcasting the truth. Perhaps we keep silent at work so that we can get that promotion. Maybe we never preach the gospel to our neighbors because we do not want to be ridiculed. Ask the Lord to enable you to stand firm for His gospel no matter the consequences.

Come unto me, all *ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

*Ye (/jiː/) is a second-person, plural, personal pronoun (nominative), spelled in Old English as "ge". In Middle English and early Early Modern English, it was used as a both informal second-person plural and formal honorific, to address a group of equals or superiors or a single superior.

Fulfillment in Christ

Matthew 26:56A “All this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled” (v. 56a).

We have now finished our study of The Gospel According to Matthew, and we pray that it has blessed you. Because the Word of God is so rich, we have only scratched the surface of Matthew’s gospel, and we hope that you will study this book further on your own. Thus will you be trained in righteousness and equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16–17).

Christ as the fulfillment of all of God’s promises is the theme that runs throughout Matthew. Our Father said that He would bless all the nations of the earth through the son of Abraham (Gen. 22:15–18), and though He was faithful to the covenant He made with the nation of Israel, His people failed to be a light to the world (2 Kings 17:7–23; Isa. 49:5–6). The bondage of sin kept them from leading the nations to the one, true God, and so the Almighty would have to deal with transgression if all peoples were to be blessed.

Therefore, the Father sent His Son to be the promised son of Abraham, to succeed where Israel failed and thereby save His people from sin (Matt. 1). Satan tried to kill Jesus, but God preserved Him, enabling Him to show Himself the true and faithful Israel (2:13–15). In becoming the true Israel and obeying the Law perfectly, Jesus also took the place of Adam, refusing to give in to the Devil’s temptation and commencing His destruction of sin’s power (3:1–4:17).

Calling twelve disciples to Himself, our Savior constituted the new people of God (10:1–4), explaining how Scripture shows their duty to be a light to the world (chap. 5–7; 10–11; 13; 16; 18; 24–25). During His teaching ministry He initiated the renewal of all creation by healing the sick and exorcising demons (chap. 8–9; 12; 17), but His greatest deed was to die for the sins of His people. Bearing the Father’s wrath against transgression (chap. 26–27), Jesus destroyed the power of sin. Rising from the dead, He showed His victory over death and guaranteed that all in Him will likewise be resurrected on the last day (28:1–10).

This good news is now ours to declare to the nations. Christ preaches the gospel to all peoples through us, enabling those who repent and trust in the Savior to be blessed as a child of Abraham (28:16–20; Gal. 3:29).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Take some time today to peruse the gospel of Matthew and reflect on some of the lessons we have learned this year. Consider how marvelous it is that God kept His promises to us when we did not keep our promises to Him. Remember that the resurrection of Jesus shows that the Father accepted His Son’s death as the atonement for sin and look forward to that day when we too will be resurrected to live forever with Him.

No one has greater love than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Therefore I exhort you, brethern, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

Teach us so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

WillyCamaro wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:49 pm Teach us so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

AMEN!

I have learned a lot from this scripture.
It has also helped me make a very important decision in my life!

Exactly brother!

The Lord is very patient with us, He's constantly, gently, reminding us, to get are hearts & minds on the things that matter.

I keep failing @ it everyday ; but in His infinite grace & wisdom, He doesn't' give up on me, He lovingly keeps on pushing me in the right direction.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, training us in order that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we may live self-controlled and righteously and godly in the present age,

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?

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

Micah 6:8, Isaiah 54:17

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Dear Lord, I fail every single day. By myself, I can't hope to live upto the standard you've set.


But, by your blessed grace Lord God, I shall overcome!!!

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Amen Willy...

Without God's renewed strength DAILY, I couldn't possibly carry on.
Our world is quickly being destroyed by satan and we have to be the shining light for Jesus.

Thank you Father for the promises and reassurances we find in your Holy Word.

Amen Brother!
"Through Him, all things are possible"

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Joshua 1:8, 1 Peter 1:13

The Wise Men Rejoice

Matthew 2:7–10 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (v. 10).

Present among the figurines in the nativity crèches found everywhere at Christmastime are usually three regal men bearing gifts. As we know, these kings are supposed to represent the wise men.

Unfortunately, this depiction of the wise men takes liberties with the text. Matthew never tells us how many wise men come to see the Messiah. The tradition of three wise men probably comes from the three different gifts mentioned in Matthew 2:11. Moreover, the first gospel does not say the magi are kings. This idea goes back to the church father Tertullian (around 200 a.d.) and is likely due to his reading of passages like Psalm 68:31 and Isaiah 49:7.

Who, then, are the wise men? Precise identification is difficult, but we do know they are “from the east” of Judea (Matt. 2:1). Persia, Babylon, and Arabia are all possible countries of origin, with Babylon the likeliest option since contact with its large Jewish community would have prompted the magi to come looking for a king in Jerusalem. The Greek term for “magi” (magoi) refers to a group interested in predicting the future via dream interpretation, magic, and other methods, such as astrology, which explains their interest in the star.

Apparently the star at first directs them only to Palestine, and they go to Jerusalem to find the child because the capital city is a logical first place to start searching for a newborn king. Herod calls the wise men to his court in today’s passage and then sends them out to find the baby. We know that his desire to worship the Christ is a lie (vv. 7–8, 16), but the magi are ignorant of Herod’s machinations, and they go forth in search of the child. After seeing Herod, the star leads them to where the child is living (v. 9). This prompts exceedingly great rejoicing (v. 10); seeing the star has confirmed their mission.

The wise men and their mission are highly significant. God promised Israel that their restoration and redemption after exile would be accompanied by an influx of Gentile nations into the covenant community (Isa. 11:10). Though motivated partly by superstition, the wise men are the first Gentiles to seek out Jesus, and they serve to demonstrate that God fulfills all His promises.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

The Father will ensure that His Son will be glorified despite all obstacles (John 12:23). Mary has been forced to give birth to the Messiah in a less than ideal setting (Luke 2:7). Herod, who lives under the Lord’s covenant, is trying to kill Him (Matt. 2:16). Yet God has led foreigners to His promises to bow before His appointed king (vv. 1–12). Will we be like Herod and fail to glorify the Son with our lives, thereby provoking the Father to raise up others in our place?

Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Amos 5:14-15, Deuteronomy 31:6

Amen...

God will NEVER leave us nor forsake us!