Recap

So far in Mathew, we've read through the prologue, the first three blocks of Jesus' ministry, and started the fourth block. Matthew opens with a genealogy and the story of Jesus' birth. Both rooted Jesus in Old Testament prophecy and allusions. He's a descendant of David, born through the Holy Spirit. A king and the son of God. He's given gifts from wise men that match what was given to Solomon's temple. He is God's presence on earth. He is brought out of Egypt as a new Israel.

The first block of Jesus' ministry involved preparation, demonstrations, and teaching. After being baptised and affirmed by God, Jesus resisted temptation in the desert for forty days. He chose his first disciples, declared the kingdom of God, healed the sick, cast out demons, and explained the kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount, similar to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Jesus began with the Beatitudes, emphasising inward heart attitudes over outward behaviour. He taught genuine faith, prioritising God's kingdom over power, money, or self-reliance. He advised self-reflection before judging others, treating others as one wishes to be treated, and judging by actions, while assessing ourselves by our relationship with God.

Then came the second block of Jesus' ministry, the kingdom of heaven, applied to people's lives. We read a total of ten miracles, mostly focused on people who were outcasts and those far from God. The kingdom of heaven brought them healing and freedom. The teaching of this second block then focused around how the disciples would bring the kingdom of heaven to others. The cost would be high. They would be persecuted and reviled. But if they trusted in God, he would give them the authority they need.

This led to the third block of Jesus' ministry, focused on the response. Jesus’ own cousin, John the Baptist, begin to doubt whether he really was the messiah. Then we had the pharisees accuse and challenge Jesus, even after he performed miracles directly in front of them. Jesus could do no miracles in his hometown because the people there didn't believe in him. Then for the teaching for this third block, Jesus taught in parables. We looked at how parables are intentionally cryptic because they force those that are interested in God to wrestle and find the answer for themselves, while turning away those that have no interest in God. They naturally filter out those that wouldn't pick Jesus, even if they did understand.

After that came the fourth of Jesus' ministry focused on further unpacking who Jesus is and subverting expectations. We read of John the Baptist's death and how Matthew again showed Jesus as a new Moses, feeding the 5,000 like Moses fed the Israelites in the wilderness. Then we saw Jesus walking out to his disciples on the water. In doing so, he was revealing to them his divinity.

Matthew 15-16

The Pharisees travel all the way from Jerusalem to find Jesus and challenge him. They asked why his disciples ignore their traditions. They don't wash their hands before they eat. Jesus challenges them back, asking why they think it's okay to break God's law so they can fulfil their traditions. Since when is human tradition more important than God's law?

God says in his law that we should honour our mother and father. But the Pharisees say that if you give your money to the temple, then when your parents get old, you turn around and say you can't look after them because you don't have enough money. Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 at the Pharisees, accusing them of only paying lip service to God while teaching their own personal values to the people, rather than God's word.

Jesus then turns to the crowd. The Jewish community were very concerned about what you eat. There were some foods that eating would make you unclean. We saw this back in Leviticus 11. But Jesus says what's more important isn't the food that goes into your mouth, but the words that come out. Because the words you speak flow from your heart. If you speak corrupt words, it is because your heart is corrupt.

Jesus leaves that place and goes to Tyre and Sidon, Gentile land. There he meets a Gentile woman who begs him to cast a demon out of her daughter. She calls him 'Son of David', and again we see a non-Jew that understands who Jesus is. This stands in contrast with the Jews, the Pharisees and other religious leaders, who can't see who Jesus is.

At first, Jesus seems to ignore her, and the disciples ask him to send her away so she'll stop bothering them. But the woman continues. Eventually, Jesus tells her he's only come to help Jews. Now we know this isn't true. Jesus has healed non-Jews before. He's testing this woman to see where her faith is that.

He tells her there is no way that he could take the food for his children, the Jews, and give it to the dogs, the Gentiles. This seems really harsh. This woman is begging for help and he's calling her a dog. Unfortunately, there's a lot of nuances and tone that's lost in translation here. The Greek word here is the diminutive.

In other words, a better translation would be puppies rather than dog. There’s actually a real lightness to what Jesus is saying. There's humour and warmth in his voice. The woman responds to him, saying that the puppies would be happy to eat of the crumbs that fall from the table. This woman recognises that Jesus is so powerful that even just the crumbs of that power are enough to heal her daughter.

Jesus is amazed at her faith and sends her back to her daughter, who is now healed. While in this Gentile land, Jesus heals more people and performs the miracles of feeding thousands again. Any miracles Jesus does for the Jews, he also does for the Gentiles.

So we have this non-Jewish woman who understands who Jesus is. But then we cut back to the Pharisees, who still don't get it. They demand that Jesus shows them a sign. The irony is Jesus has given them many signs. So he condemns them. How is it they can tell what the weather is going to be like tomorrow by looking at the sky, but they can't tell who Jesus is by looking at his miracles?

Jesus warns his disciples about the Pharisees' teachings. Just a little can ruin a person, in the same way that just a little of leaven (yeast) is needed to make bread rise.

Sitting with his disciples, Jesus asks them about the different rumours they've heard about who he is. There's lots of different opinions, but most seem to see him as some sort of prophet. So Jesus asks who they, his disciples, think he is. Peter responds with "the Christ", which is the Greek word for the future king that they had been waiting for. Peter has grasped who Jesus is.

Jesus celebrates him, pointing out that it is God who has revealed this to him. So Jesus gives him the nickname Peter (before this, his name was Simon). Peter means rock, and Jesus says, "on this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18).

Many people assume Jesus is saying that he will build his church on Peter, that Peter will be the main leader of the church going forward. But that isn't quite what Jesus meant. The rock that Jesus is talking about is the revelation of who Jesus is. He will build his church on the knowledge that he is king. He renames Peter so that Peter would be a constant reminder to those around him of this moment. Of the significance of who Jesus is.

Jesus then begins to explain to his disciples what being the Christ means. Most Jews assumed the Christ, this future king, would be a military leader that would defeat all their enemies. But Matthew has shown us that the Christ is actually the Suffering Servant from Isaiah, and he has come to suffer and take away people's sins.

Unfortunately, while Peter understands that Jesus is the Christ, he clearly hasn't yet understood this part. In his mind, Jesus is still going to be that military leader to bring them freedom from the Roman Empire. When Jesus tells them that he is going to go to Jerusalem to be killed, Peter rebukes him.

So Jesus has to rebuke him back, and remind him that it's God's will, not his, that is important. Then turning back to the rest of disciples, Jesus warns them that just as he will have to pick up his cross, so will any that choose to follow him. The way of Jesus is a suffering servant.

Psalm 94

The psalm isn’t attributed to anyone and falls into the category of lament. It also incorporates elements of wisdom psalms with lessons and encouragements.

It falls within a group of psalms focused on God as king (Psalm 93-99) but doesn’t mention it itself.

Psalm 94:1-7 - Communal lament

Psalm 94:8-11 - Lessons for fools

Psalm 94:12-15 - Blessings for those loyal to God

Psalm 94:16-23 - Personal lament

The psalmist starts off will a call to the God of vengeance. They ask that God judge the earth a punish the proud. How long will the wicked flourish? They’re crush God’s people, killing widows, foreigners, and orphans. These three are commonly used together to talk about vulnerable people groups. On top of that, the proud do not put their trust in God.

At that the psalmist turns, presumably to these proud people, and calls them foolish. They give these foolish people lessons on who God is so that they might be wise. The proud said that God cannot see what they do, but the psalmist points out God made the eye and ear. Surely that God can also see and hear. He guided nations and teaches men knowledge. Surely that God will rebuke wicked nations and know the thoughts of men.

A blessed man, or woman, listens to God. They allow God to discipline them and teach them. In turn, God gives them rest and protection. In this, we get some declarations of trust after the opening communal lament psalm. While God’s people are currently surrounded by enemies, God will not forsake his people. Justice will return.

And then the psalmist moves to a more personal lament. God may look after his nation, but who is going to defend the psalmist personally? The psalmist immediately answers the question. God. If it wasn’t for God, the psalmist would be dead. Every time it felt like they were falling, God was the one that helped them with his faithful love. When it felt like the weight of the world was upon them, God was the one that gave them joy.

Looking at their enemies, the psalmist asks if the wicked could ever be on God’s side. They are full of injustice, oppressing the righteous and the innocent. But while these enemies seek the psalmist’s life, God is their protection. He will defeat the wicked.

The psalmist has worked through their lament and struggles. They started off at a communal level and strengthened themselves with the knowledge that wickedness is foolishness and God protects the righteous. They then moved to their own personal lives and worked through the same ideas. While life may be hard, the wise and good thing is to trust in God.