WEEK TWO
Jesus preaches and heals
Read
Matthew 4:12-17
Mark 1:14-15
Luke 3:19-20
Luke 4:14-30
John 4:1-54
Major Events
Jesus begins to preach
John the Baptist is thrown in prison
Jesus is rejected at Nazareth
Jesus talks with the Samaritan Woman
Jesus heals an officials son
Devotional
Jesus chose to begin his preaching and teaching in the highly populated region of Galilee. According to figures from the Jewish historian Josephus, some 3 million people lived in Galilee, an area smaller than the state of Connecticut. Josephus – who was a one-time governor of Galilee – wrote that there were 240 villages and cities in Galilee, each with a population of at least 15,000 people. Galilee was predominantly gentile or non-Jewish in its population, in contrast to Judea in the South, but still contained a large number of Jewish citizens. Galilee was known as an incredibly fertile region and many successful farms took advantage of the good soil. It would also be a place of good soil where the seed of the gospel would take hold, grow, and spread to surrounding regions. Soon after Jesus left Nazareth, he came and dwelt in the city of Capernaum, a fishing town near the Sea of Galilee, which would become his new home and the central base from which Jesus ministered. It was significant that Jesus made his home in Capernaum and not in Nazareth or Jerusalem. Many other places might seem like a smarter career move, but Jesus had many reasons for making his home there. Matthew noted that Jesus’ ministry in Galilee was the fulfillment of the prophecy that Light had come to this region, largely populated by Gentiles, and Isaiah 9:1-2 predicted this of the ministry of the Messiah. Matthew may also have been particularly interested in Capernaum because it was where he lived (Matthew 9:1-9). Peter also had a house in Capernaum with his wife. (Matthew 8:14, Mark 1:29 and 2:1).
Not only was Jesus a Rabbi or teacher who would instruct his own disciples, he often spoke publicly for all who would listen. This was not common for a Jewish Rabbi at the time, who usually taught for select audiences and only in highly controlled settings. Jesus’ focus in ministry at this time was teaching, and at this early point in his ministry, he had little name recognition and no organized opposition against him. The same could not be said for his cousin, John the Baptist, who was under intense scrutiny from Herod. The relationship between Herod and Herodias was both complicated and immoral. He was her uncle and had seduced her from his half-brother. In marrying Herodias, Herod at once married a woman, both his niece and sister-in-law. Because John made such a bold stand for the truth, Herod, who was steeped in immorality, punished him by throwing him in jail. Sometimes, in our own life, a stand for truth and the things of God will bring punishment in this life and reward in the next, but the enemy is far more afraid of a follower of Christ than we should ever be of what evil is up to. Josephus said in his historical records that the reason for the arrest was that Herod "feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it in his power and inclination to raise a rebellion; for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise." With John now out of the public eye, the way was paved for Jesus to step into his area of ministry. John 3:22 and 4:1-2 indicate that the first ministry Jesus did with His disciples was a baptizing ministry at the Jordan, taking over where John had left off. The focus and priority of Jesus’ ministry was preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and calling people to total repentance. Jesus was primarily a preacher who did wonderful miracles, not a miracle worker who sometimes preached. Preaching was the priority of Jesus’ ministry, as stated in Matthew 4:23, and it is important to remember that this should be our main priority as Christians as well. Social welfare, compassion, and charity are good and important, but the most important thing we could ever do as Jesus followers is boldly sharing the gospel. Jesus would bring the message of the Kingdom of God to earth, though not in the manner expected or desired of a Messiah. Most people wanted a physical political kingdom that would replace the oppressive occupation of the Romans, but Jesus preached a spiritual kingdom of love instead of subjugation, of grace instead of law; of humility instead of pride; for all men and not only for Jews; a kingdom to be received voluntarily by man, not imposed by force.
Jesus would never stop preaching the Kingdom of God, and neither should we. It was the main focus of all he did. The word in Greek for preach is Kerussein, which describes a herald’s proclamation given from a king. Kerux is the Greek word for herald, and a herald was a man who brought a message directly from the king or highest authority. In essence, Jesus was a king who was delivering a message from The King. Jesus told people to repent, and he gave a reason why; because the kingdom of heaven was at hand. He wanted people to know that it was near – as close as your hand - and now was the time for them to encounter the kingdom of God because the kingdom of God was now in their midst in the person of Jesus. If people wanted to experience or enter into the Kingdom of God, they would have to do so through Jesus, and this could only be done by leaving the wide road that leads to destruction and stepping onto the narrow road that leads to life. When Jesus spoke about how time is fulfilled, he used the Greek word Kairos, which means “the strategic opportunity, the decisive time.” His idea was that the strategic time for the kingdom of God is now, and now is your time of opportunity. People could not enter this kingdom going the same way they had been going. They had to repent and change direction to experience the kingdom of God. Some people think repentance is mostly about feelings, especially feeling sorry for your sin. It is wonderful to feel sorry about your sin, but repent isn’t a “feelings” word; it is an action word. Jesus told us to make a change of heart, mind, and direction, not merely to feel sorry for what we have done. Repentance does not describe something we must do before we come to God; it describes what coming to God is like and what the entire Christian life is. We can’t come to the kingdom of God unless we leave our old selves, and this will happen not just one time but for our entire lives.
John chapter 4 shows us that Jesus' message of the gospel of the kingdom would not be confined to a certain group, class, ethnicity, or region. Jesus intentionally chose to deliver this same message to a Samaritan woman, hated by most Jewish people, to show that this good news, though going first to the Jew, would not stop there but would go to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Matthew 4:12-17
Mark 1:14-15
Luke 3:19-20
Luke 4:14-30
John 4:1-54
Major Events
Jesus begins to preach
John the Baptist is thrown in prison
Jesus is rejected at Nazareth
Jesus talks with the Samaritan Woman
Jesus heals an officials son
Devotional
Jesus chose to begin his preaching and teaching in the highly populated region of Galilee. According to figures from the Jewish historian Josephus, some 3 million people lived in Galilee, an area smaller than the state of Connecticut. Josephus – who was a one-time governor of Galilee – wrote that there were 240 villages and cities in Galilee, each with a population of at least 15,000 people. Galilee was predominantly gentile or non-Jewish in its population, in contrast to Judea in the South, but still contained a large number of Jewish citizens. Galilee was known as an incredibly fertile region and many successful farms took advantage of the good soil. It would also be a place of good soil where the seed of the gospel would take hold, grow, and spread to surrounding regions. Soon after Jesus left Nazareth, he came and dwelt in the city of Capernaum, a fishing town near the Sea of Galilee, which would become his new home and the central base from which Jesus ministered. It was significant that Jesus made his home in Capernaum and not in Nazareth or Jerusalem. Many other places might seem like a smarter career move, but Jesus had many reasons for making his home there. Matthew noted that Jesus’ ministry in Galilee was the fulfillment of the prophecy that Light had come to this region, largely populated by Gentiles, and Isaiah 9:1-2 predicted this of the ministry of the Messiah. Matthew may also have been particularly interested in Capernaum because it was where he lived (Matthew 9:1-9). Peter also had a house in Capernaum with his wife. (Matthew 8:14, Mark 1:29 and 2:1).
Not only was Jesus a Rabbi or teacher who would instruct his own disciples, he often spoke publicly for all who would listen. This was not common for a Jewish Rabbi at the time, who usually taught for select audiences and only in highly controlled settings. Jesus’ focus in ministry at this time was teaching, and at this early point in his ministry, he had little name recognition and no organized opposition against him. The same could not be said for his cousin, John the Baptist, who was under intense scrutiny from Herod. The relationship between Herod and Herodias was both complicated and immoral. He was her uncle and had seduced her from his half-brother. In marrying Herodias, Herod at once married a woman, both his niece and sister-in-law. Because John made such a bold stand for the truth, Herod, who was steeped in immorality, punished him by throwing him in jail. Sometimes, in our own life, a stand for truth and the things of God will bring punishment in this life and reward in the next, but the enemy is far more afraid of a follower of Christ than we should ever be of what evil is up to. Josephus said in his historical records that the reason for the arrest was that Herod "feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it in his power and inclination to raise a rebellion; for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise." With John now out of the public eye, the way was paved for Jesus to step into his area of ministry. John 3:22 and 4:1-2 indicate that the first ministry Jesus did with His disciples was a baptizing ministry at the Jordan, taking over where John had left off. The focus and priority of Jesus’ ministry was preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and calling people to total repentance. Jesus was primarily a preacher who did wonderful miracles, not a miracle worker who sometimes preached. Preaching was the priority of Jesus’ ministry, as stated in Matthew 4:23, and it is important to remember that this should be our main priority as Christians as well. Social welfare, compassion, and charity are good and important, but the most important thing we could ever do as Jesus followers is boldly sharing the gospel. Jesus would bring the message of the Kingdom of God to earth, though not in the manner expected or desired of a Messiah. Most people wanted a physical political kingdom that would replace the oppressive occupation of the Romans, but Jesus preached a spiritual kingdom of love instead of subjugation, of grace instead of law; of humility instead of pride; for all men and not only for Jews; a kingdom to be received voluntarily by man, not imposed by force.
Jesus would never stop preaching the Kingdom of God, and neither should we. It was the main focus of all he did. The word in Greek for preach is Kerussein, which describes a herald’s proclamation given from a king. Kerux is the Greek word for herald, and a herald was a man who brought a message directly from the king or highest authority. In essence, Jesus was a king who was delivering a message from The King. Jesus told people to repent, and he gave a reason why; because the kingdom of heaven was at hand. He wanted people to know that it was near – as close as your hand - and now was the time for them to encounter the kingdom of God because the kingdom of God was now in their midst in the person of Jesus. If people wanted to experience or enter into the Kingdom of God, they would have to do so through Jesus, and this could only be done by leaving the wide road that leads to destruction and stepping onto the narrow road that leads to life. When Jesus spoke about how time is fulfilled, he used the Greek word Kairos, which means “the strategic opportunity, the decisive time.” His idea was that the strategic time for the kingdom of God is now, and now is your time of opportunity. People could not enter this kingdom going the same way they had been going. They had to repent and change direction to experience the kingdom of God. Some people think repentance is mostly about feelings, especially feeling sorry for your sin. It is wonderful to feel sorry about your sin, but repent isn’t a “feelings” word; it is an action word. Jesus told us to make a change of heart, mind, and direction, not merely to feel sorry for what we have done. Repentance does not describe something we must do before we come to God; it describes what coming to God is like and what the entire Christian life is. We can’t come to the kingdom of God unless we leave our old selves, and this will happen not just one time but for our entire lives.
John chapter 4 shows us that Jesus' message of the gospel of the kingdom would not be confined to a certain group, class, ethnicity, or region. Jesus intentionally chose to deliver this same message to a Samaritan woman, hated by most Jewish people, to show that this good news, though going first to the Jew, would not stop there but would go to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Jesus officially calls His Disciples
Read
Matthew 4:18-25
Matthew 8:1-17
Matthew 9:1-17
Mark 1:16-45
Mark 2:1-22
Luke 4:31-44
Luke 5:1-16
Major Events
Jesus officially calls his first disciples
Jesus heals a man with Leprosy
Jesus heals the servant of a centurion
Jesus heals a Paralyzed man
Jesus drives out Demons
Jesus heals a leper
Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law
Jesus performs the miracle of the great catch
Devotional
If you look closely enough, you will see a common theme in today's reading of Jesus' authority over all things being put on display. This Messiah has authority over fish in the sea, over nature, over the demonic, and even over sickness in many forms, from paralysis to leprosy. We even read that this Jesus of Nazareth has the authority to forgive sin. Jesus possessed this authority because he was not only the promised Messiah but God himself in the flesh with all the authority of God. If Jesus were not God, he would not have the authority to forgive sin.
In previous passages, we learn there had already been interactions between Jesus and certain soon-to-be disciples like Andrew, Philip, Peter, Nathanael, and possibly John. Up to this point, these men had not yet left their jobs and lives to follow Jesus, and the direct invitation to do so had not yet been extended until now. There are two versions of the story of the miraculous catch of fish and how these disciples left behind their old lives to follow Jesus, a short and long version found in Matthew and Luke. The longer version, found in Luke 5, takes us to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Tiberius, depending on whether the person speaking was Jewish, Greek, or a Roman citizen. The large crowds gathering to hear Jesus showed the increasing popularity of Jesus as a teacher but also how rumors of his recent miracles were beginning to spread. The crowd was so big and eagerly pressing in on Jesus that he got into Simon's fishing boat and began teaching from it. We can be sure Simon listened to this teaching all the more attentively while he went about his work. After Jesus had finished teaching, he wanted to do something good for Simon, who had allowed the use of his property. Peter could not give something to Jesus without Jesus giving even more back to him. This is also true of us. Jesus desires to do good for those who are willing to receive it, far more than we could ever think of doing for him. The key is to be in a posture where we can receive what Jesus has to offer. Peter could have come up with any number of possible excuses to stop this incoming blessing from happening. He could have said, “I worked all night and I’m tired.” “I know a lot more about fishing than a carpenter does.” “The best fishing is at night, not in the daytime.” "I need to go home and get some sleep." “All these crowds and loud teachings have scared the fish away." “We've already washed our nets.“ Peter didn’t make any such excuses, and his faith in Jesus was well rewarded. Peter did what Jesus asked because, on some level, he believed in Jesus, not because the circumstances seemed right. The same can be true of us. Even when it doesn't make complete sense, there is a blessing on the other side of a willingness to follow the words of Jesus. Even before we've given every area of our life to Jesus, that tiny mustard seed of faith can be enough to lead us to decide to take Jesus at his word.
A miracle can sometimes take a lot of work on our part, but that doesn't make it any less of a miracle. Peter had to work with others to get the job done and bring the fish to the shore. Jesus had already miraculously healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39), yet there was something about this miraculous catch of fish that made Peter surrender himself to Jesus. Because Peter was such an experienced fisherman and knew how unfavorable the conditions for fishing were, he knew all the more what a great supernatural event he had just witnessed. Jesus then told Simon that soon he would catch men instead of fish. In saying this, Jesus told Simon that he would do what Jesus himself did. There was never a greater fisher of men than Jesus, but he wanted others to join in and do the same work he did. The same is true even today. Jesus wants us to join in and do the work that he did himself. Jesus is not calling us to do anything that he has not already done and nothing that he has not shown and demonstrated how to do. Yet because of the size of the church, we would have a vastly larger evangelistic reach over thousands of years. Jesus started his ministry with three, then twelve, then hundreds, then thousands, and many millions through the centuries, but we must always remember where it all began, with just a few faithful.
One final aspect of this calling is that following Jesus requires sacrifice, and for these newly-minted disciples, that sacrifice would be the life they had lived up until that point. The disciples left the miraculous catch of fish behind, not because it wasn't valuable, but because it was not as important or as valuable as following Jesus. It could be easy for a person to walk away from something that is a failure, but they left behind their family business just as it was becoming successful. For the next three years, these men would follow Jesus in the way students followed their teaching rabbi in those days. In some respects, Jesus offered them a traditional Jewish education at the feet of a rabbi, but in other aspects, what would come next was vastly different from a normal rabbinical education. But one thing was for certain, from this day forward, the lives of these disciples would never look the same.
Matthew 4:18-25
Matthew 8:1-17
Matthew 9:1-17
Mark 1:16-45
Mark 2:1-22
Luke 4:31-44
Luke 5:1-16
Major Events
Jesus officially calls his first disciples
Jesus heals a man with Leprosy
Jesus heals the servant of a centurion
Jesus heals a Paralyzed man
Jesus drives out Demons
Jesus heals a leper
Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law
Jesus performs the miracle of the great catch
Devotional
If you look closely enough, you will see a common theme in today's reading of Jesus' authority over all things being put on display. This Messiah has authority over fish in the sea, over nature, over the demonic, and even over sickness in many forms, from paralysis to leprosy. We even read that this Jesus of Nazareth has the authority to forgive sin. Jesus possessed this authority because he was not only the promised Messiah but God himself in the flesh with all the authority of God. If Jesus were not God, he would not have the authority to forgive sin.
In previous passages, we learn there had already been interactions between Jesus and certain soon-to-be disciples like Andrew, Philip, Peter, Nathanael, and possibly John. Up to this point, these men had not yet left their jobs and lives to follow Jesus, and the direct invitation to do so had not yet been extended until now. There are two versions of the story of the miraculous catch of fish and how these disciples left behind their old lives to follow Jesus, a short and long version found in Matthew and Luke. The longer version, found in Luke 5, takes us to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Tiberius, depending on whether the person speaking was Jewish, Greek, or a Roman citizen. The large crowds gathering to hear Jesus showed the increasing popularity of Jesus as a teacher but also how rumors of his recent miracles were beginning to spread. The crowd was so big and eagerly pressing in on Jesus that he got into Simon's fishing boat and began teaching from it. We can be sure Simon listened to this teaching all the more attentively while he went about his work. After Jesus had finished teaching, he wanted to do something good for Simon, who had allowed the use of his property. Peter could not give something to Jesus without Jesus giving even more back to him. This is also true of us. Jesus desires to do good for those who are willing to receive it, far more than we could ever think of doing for him. The key is to be in a posture where we can receive what Jesus has to offer. Peter could have come up with any number of possible excuses to stop this incoming blessing from happening. He could have said, “I worked all night and I’m tired.” “I know a lot more about fishing than a carpenter does.” “The best fishing is at night, not in the daytime.” "I need to go home and get some sleep." “All these crowds and loud teachings have scared the fish away." “We've already washed our nets.“ Peter didn’t make any such excuses, and his faith in Jesus was well rewarded. Peter did what Jesus asked because, on some level, he believed in Jesus, not because the circumstances seemed right. The same can be true of us. Even when it doesn't make complete sense, there is a blessing on the other side of a willingness to follow the words of Jesus. Even before we've given every area of our life to Jesus, that tiny mustard seed of faith can be enough to lead us to decide to take Jesus at his word.
A miracle can sometimes take a lot of work on our part, but that doesn't make it any less of a miracle. Peter had to work with others to get the job done and bring the fish to the shore. Jesus had already miraculously healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39), yet there was something about this miraculous catch of fish that made Peter surrender himself to Jesus. Because Peter was such an experienced fisherman and knew how unfavorable the conditions for fishing were, he knew all the more what a great supernatural event he had just witnessed. Jesus then told Simon that soon he would catch men instead of fish. In saying this, Jesus told Simon that he would do what Jesus himself did. There was never a greater fisher of men than Jesus, but he wanted others to join in and do the same work he did. The same is true even today. Jesus wants us to join in and do the work that he did himself. Jesus is not calling us to do anything that he has not already done and nothing that he has not shown and demonstrated how to do. Yet because of the size of the church, we would have a vastly larger evangelistic reach over thousands of years. Jesus started his ministry with three, then twelve, then hundreds, then thousands, and many millions through the centuries, but we must always remember where it all began, with just a few faithful.
One final aspect of this calling is that following Jesus requires sacrifice, and for these newly-minted disciples, that sacrifice would be the life they had lived up until that point. The disciples left the miraculous catch of fish behind, not because it wasn't valuable, but because it was not as important or as valuable as following Jesus. It could be easy for a person to walk away from something that is a failure, but they left behind their family business just as it was becoming successful. For the next three years, these men would follow Jesus in the way students followed their teaching rabbi in those days. In some respects, Jesus offered them a traditional Jewish education at the feet of a rabbi, but in other aspects, what would come next was vastly different from a normal rabbinical education. But one thing was for certain, from this day forward, the lives of these disciples would never look the same.
Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath
Read
Matthew 12:1-21
Mark 2:23-28
Mark 3:1-19
Luke 5:17-39
Luke 6:1-16
John 5:1-47
Major Events
Jesus teaches on the Sabbath
Jesus heals a man with a shriveled hand
Jesus appoints the twelve
Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man
Jesus calls Levi and eats with sinners
Jesus heals a cripple
Jesus feeds the five thousand
Devotional
In today's reading, we see Jesus' first trip to Jerusalem during his 3-year ministry. Jesus had been to Jerusalem many times before, but there was something different now that Jesus was revealing publicly who he was. The text also highlights a common thread in the ministry of Jesus that would come up often and eventually become a major reason for the religious leaders' plot to have Jesus killed. That theme is the Sabbath, a holy day in Jewish culture and the source of constant conflict for the next three years and beyond. While there was nothing wrong with the Sabbath itself, after all, it had been established by God himself, legalism and religiosity had gone too far, from the Sabbath being a day of rest and reflection upon God to a day of restrictions, burdens, and religious control. Jesus had many serious issues with this counterfeit sabbath, and constant friction would come as a result of Jesus healing and doing things on the sabbath that culturally weren't supposed to be done.
Jesus' disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. There was nothing legally wrong with what they did. Their gleaning was not considered stealing, according to the provision for the poor of the land given in Deuteronomy 23:25. The problem was with the day on which they did it. The Jewish Rabbis had made an elaborate list of “do” and “don’t” items relevant to the Sabbath and this act of the disciples was a violation. In the eyes of the religious leaders, the disciples were guilty of reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food - four violations of the Sabbath in one mouthful. This issue of the Sabbath has been an ongoing focal point throughout church history. Many Jewish people had become so religiously focused and superstitious in observing the sabbath that in their wars with Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Romans, they thought it a crime even to attempt to defend themselves on the Sabbath. When their enemies learned of this, they held off their offensive operations until that day. It was through this that Pompey was able to easily take Jerusalem. This legalistic approach to the Sabbath continues today among Orthodox Jews. In early 1992, tenants let three apartments in an Orthodox neighborhood in Israel burn to the ground while they asked a rabbi whether a telephone call to the fire department on the Sabbath would violate Jewish law. Observant Jews are forbidden to use the phone on the Sabbath because doing so would break an electrical current, which is considered a form of work. In the half hour it took the rabbi to decide “yes,” the fire had spread to two neighboring apartments. There were rules and there were loopholes in the rules. Ancient rabbis taught that on the Sabbath a man could not carry something in his right hand or his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder; but he could carry something with the back of his hand, with his foot, elbow, or in the ear, on the hair, in the hem of his shirt, or in his shoe or sandal. On the Sabbath a person was forbidden to tie a knot – except a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So, if a bucket of water had to be raised from a well, a person could not tie a rope to the bucket, but a woman could tie her girdle to the bucket and then to the rope to pull it up. Are you starting to see the ridiculousness that Jesus took issue with?
The issue of the Sabbath is symbolic of God-centered versus man-centered salvation, one of the most important issues that has ever existed. The Jewish leaders of the time taught that salvation or right standing with God would come through upholding God's laws and it would be this performance-based approach that would ultimately please God and lead to eternal life. Jesus would expose this flawed and destructive thinking every chance he got, teaching instead that salvation comes not by works or performance, but by faith in him. The Sabbath would be a sticking point of contention all three years of Jesus' ministry because it highlighted this exact issue. Jesus never violated God’s command to observe the Sabbath or approved of his disciples violating God’s Sabbath command, but he often deliberately broke man’s legalistic and human additions to that law to make a point. The same is true today within any religious system; religious traditions can hinder or prevent someone from following God instead of facilitating it. Jesus is making the point here that the Sabbath, and all laws, are meant to help a person to be obedient to God. There should never be a reason or excuse to why God cannot be fully obeyed, which is why Jesus declares that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. A burden that prevents people love loving God and loving each other should be cast away. Jesus then used a story from the Old Testament of King David and his men eating the bread in the temple to make his point. (1 Sam 21) Jesus reminded the religious leaders that human needs are more important than observing ceremonial rituals. The incident with David was a valid defense because it was a case of eating, it happened on the Sabbath, and it concerned not only David but also his followers. The context of David’s taking the bread shows it was justified for him to do it. Jesus goes on to say that the priests themselves broke the Sabbath all the time. The Temple ritual always involved work – the kindling of fires, the slaughter and preparation of animals, the lifting of them onto the altar, and a host of other things. This work was doubled on the Sabbath because on the Sabbath the offerings were doubled. The final point Jesus shared was the most dramatic and surely angered some of the religious leaders. Jesus declared that the son of man was greater than the temple, and Lord even of the Sabbath. This was yet another direct claim to his divinity. Jesus said that he had the authority to know if his disciples had broken the Sabbath law because he is the Lord even of the Sabbath and the law is subject to him. Considering how highly the temple was regarded in the days of Jesus, this was a shocking statement, yet this is also true today. People often hold buildings, positions of power, traditions, and rituals in a higher place than Jesus himself, so much so that these things have ceased to be good and have become idols. Jesus will always boldly speak out against and tear down any idols and he used this opportunity to teach this to his followers as well.
Matthew 12:1-21
Mark 2:23-28
Mark 3:1-19
Luke 5:17-39
Luke 6:1-16
John 5:1-47
Major Events
Jesus teaches on the Sabbath
Jesus heals a man with a shriveled hand
Jesus appoints the twelve
Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man
Jesus calls Levi and eats with sinners
Jesus heals a cripple
Jesus feeds the five thousand
Devotional
In today's reading, we see Jesus' first trip to Jerusalem during his 3-year ministry. Jesus had been to Jerusalem many times before, but there was something different now that Jesus was revealing publicly who he was. The text also highlights a common thread in the ministry of Jesus that would come up often and eventually become a major reason for the religious leaders' plot to have Jesus killed. That theme is the Sabbath, a holy day in Jewish culture and the source of constant conflict for the next three years and beyond. While there was nothing wrong with the Sabbath itself, after all, it had been established by God himself, legalism and religiosity had gone too far, from the Sabbath being a day of rest and reflection upon God to a day of restrictions, burdens, and religious control. Jesus had many serious issues with this counterfeit sabbath, and constant friction would come as a result of Jesus healing and doing things on the sabbath that culturally weren't supposed to be done.
Jesus' disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. There was nothing legally wrong with what they did. Their gleaning was not considered stealing, according to the provision for the poor of the land given in Deuteronomy 23:25. The problem was with the day on which they did it. The Jewish Rabbis had made an elaborate list of “do” and “don’t” items relevant to the Sabbath and this act of the disciples was a violation. In the eyes of the religious leaders, the disciples were guilty of reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food - four violations of the Sabbath in one mouthful. This issue of the Sabbath has been an ongoing focal point throughout church history. Many Jewish people had become so religiously focused and superstitious in observing the sabbath that in their wars with Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Romans, they thought it a crime even to attempt to defend themselves on the Sabbath. When their enemies learned of this, they held off their offensive operations until that day. It was through this that Pompey was able to easily take Jerusalem. This legalistic approach to the Sabbath continues today among Orthodox Jews. In early 1992, tenants let three apartments in an Orthodox neighborhood in Israel burn to the ground while they asked a rabbi whether a telephone call to the fire department on the Sabbath would violate Jewish law. Observant Jews are forbidden to use the phone on the Sabbath because doing so would break an electrical current, which is considered a form of work. In the half hour it took the rabbi to decide “yes,” the fire had spread to two neighboring apartments. There were rules and there were loopholes in the rules. Ancient rabbis taught that on the Sabbath a man could not carry something in his right hand or his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder; but he could carry something with the back of his hand, with his foot, elbow, or in the ear, on the hair, in the hem of his shirt, or in his shoe or sandal. On the Sabbath a person was forbidden to tie a knot – except a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So, if a bucket of water had to be raised from a well, a person could not tie a rope to the bucket, but a woman could tie her girdle to the bucket and then to the rope to pull it up. Are you starting to see the ridiculousness that Jesus took issue with?
The issue of the Sabbath is symbolic of God-centered versus man-centered salvation, one of the most important issues that has ever existed. The Jewish leaders of the time taught that salvation or right standing with God would come through upholding God's laws and it would be this performance-based approach that would ultimately please God and lead to eternal life. Jesus would expose this flawed and destructive thinking every chance he got, teaching instead that salvation comes not by works or performance, but by faith in him. The Sabbath would be a sticking point of contention all three years of Jesus' ministry because it highlighted this exact issue. Jesus never violated God’s command to observe the Sabbath or approved of his disciples violating God’s Sabbath command, but he often deliberately broke man’s legalistic and human additions to that law to make a point. The same is true today within any religious system; religious traditions can hinder or prevent someone from following God instead of facilitating it. Jesus is making the point here that the Sabbath, and all laws, are meant to help a person to be obedient to God. There should never be a reason or excuse to why God cannot be fully obeyed, which is why Jesus declares that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. A burden that prevents people love loving God and loving each other should be cast away. Jesus then used a story from the Old Testament of King David and his men eating the bread in the temple to make his point. (1 Sam 21) Jesus reminded the religious leaders that human needs are more important than observing ceremonial rituals. The incident with David was a valid defense because it was a case of eating, it happened on the Sabbath, and it concerned not only David but also his followers. The context of David’s taking the bread shows it was justified for him to do it. Jesus goes on to say that the priests themselves broke the Sabbath all the time. The Temple ritual always involved work – the kindling of fires, the slaughter and preparation of animals, the lifting of them onto the altar, and a host of other things. This work was doubled on the Sabbath because on the Sabbath the offerings were doubled. The final point Jesus shared was the most dramatic and surely angered some of the religious leaders. Jesus declared that the son of man was greater than the temple, and Lord even of the Sabbath. This was yet another direct claim to his divinity. Jesus said that he had the authority to know if his disciples had broken the Sabbath law because he is the Lord even of the Sabbath and the law is subject to him. Considering how highly the temple was regarded in the days of Jesus, this was a shocking statement, yet this is also true today. People often hold buildings, positions of power, traditions, and rituals in a higher place than Jesus himself, so much so that these things have ceased to be good and have become idols. Jesus will always boldly speak out against and tear down any idols and he used this opportunity to teach this to his followers as well.
The Sermon on the Mount
Read
Matthew 5:1-48
Luke 6:17-36
Major Events
Jesus preaches his sermon on the mount
Devotional
The previous section mentioned how great multitudes followed Jesus, coming from many different regions (Matt 4:25). In response to this, Jesus used this opportunity to share his most famous teaching of all known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus primarily gave this teaching to his disciples, but this included many of the great multitudes that followed Him. Jesus did not teach two doctrines; one for the many, and another for the few, like in Buddhism and many other tiered religious systems. Jesus' highest teaching was meant for everyone, though he knew not everyone would accept it or even understand it. Matthew tells us that at the end of this 15–20-minute message, the people who heard it were amazed. This sermon is best described as a complete teaching of what the Christian life should look like and what God expects from any who follows him. The Sermon on the Mount is sometimes thought of as Jesus’ Declaration of God's Kingdom. The American revolutionaries had their Declaration of Independence, Hitler had Mein Kampf, and Karl Marx had his Communist Manifesto. With this message, Jesus declared what his kingdom is all about and how it is different from any other human kingdom. Jesus' core message also presents a radically different agenda than what the nation of Israel expected from the promised Messiah. It does not present the political or material blessings of the Messiah’s reign. Instead, it expresses the spiritual implications of the rule of Jesus in our lives and how we will live when Jesus is our Lord. This sermon was also an example of Jesus practically training his disciples with the message he wanted them to carry to others and eventually to the entire world.
The first portion of Jesus' sermon is known as the Beatitudes, which means “The Blessings.” Another idea is that Jesus was giving his followers his 'be – attitudes' – the attitudes they should 'be'. Each of these eight-character traits are marks and goals of all Christians and Jesus also gives the motivations that should drive each. It is not as if we can major in one to the exclusion of others, as is the case with spiritual gifts. There is also no escape from a Christian's responsibility to desire every one of these spiritual attributes for the right reasons. If you meet someone who claims to be a Christian but displays and desires none of these traits, you may rightly wonder about their salvation because they do not carry the character of kingdom citizens. Jesus started by speaking of those poor in spirit who recognize they have no spiritual “assets.” They know they are spiritually dead and bankrupt. This paints the picture of a person who humbles themselves, admits their spiritual poverty, and looks to God as their source. This beatitude is first because this is where every believer can and should start with God. Just like a ladder must have its first rung near the ground or it is useless, this attitude is the starting point for drawing closer to God. Everyone can start here; it isn’t blessed are the pure or the holy or the spiritual or the wonderful. Everyone can be poor in spirit. It is also placed first because it puts everything that comes after into perspective. None of what follows can be fulfilled by a person's own strength but only by a beggar’s reliance on God’s power. No one mourns until they are poor in spirit; no one is meek towards others until they have a humble view of themselves. If you don’t sense your own need and poverty, you will never hunger and thirst after righteousness; and if you have too high a view of yourself, you will find it difficult to be merciful to others. Being poor in spirit and possessing a humble heart must always come first.
In the next two Beatitudes, Jesus speaks of mourning and meekness. The ancient Greek wording indicates an intense degree of mourning. Jesus is not speaking of a casual sorrow for the consequences of our sin but a deep grief before God for our fallen state. In the vocabulary of the ancient Greek language, the meek person was not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word “meek” was strength under control, like a strong stallion trained to do a job instead of running wild. A 'meek' follower of Jesus walks with strength, self-control, discipline, and obedience. Blessed are those whose hunger describes a profound hunger that cannot be satisfied by just a snack, a longing that is never completely satisfied on this side of eternity. This hunger and passion for the righteousness of Christ is real, just like hunger and thirst are real. It is natural, just like hunger and thirst are natural in a healthy person. It is intense, just like hunger and thirst can be. This passion can be painful, just like real hunger and thirst can cause pain. It is a driving force, just like hunger and thirst can drive a person. This passion is a sign of health, just like hunger and thirst show health. Even today, we see many Christians hungering for many things: power, authority, success, comfort, and happiness – but how many hunger and thirst for righteousness?
When Jesus speaks of the merciful, he speaks to those who have already received mercy. It is mercy to be emptied of your pride and brought to poverty of spirit. It is mercy to be brought to mourning over your spiritual condition. It is mercy to receive the grace of meekness and to become gentle. It is mercy to be made hungry and thirsty after righteousness. Jesus' point is that the one who is expected to show mercy has already received it. The merciful one will always look for those who are weak, mournful, and poor and show them mercy. The merciful one will be forgiving to others and always look to restore broken relationships. The merciful one will choose to think the best of others whenever possible. The merciful one will be compassionate to all those who are lost in sin. If you want mercy from others – especially God – then you should take care to be merciful to others. Some people wonder why God showed such remarkable mercy to King David, especially in the terrible ways in which he sinned. One reason God showed him such mercy was because David was notably merciful to King Saul and, on several occasions, was kind to a very unworthy Saul. In David, we see that the merciful obtained mercy.
The phrase 'pure of heart' in ancient Greek had the idea of straightness, honesty, and clarity. There can be two ideas connected to this: One is of inner moral purity as opposed to the image of purity or ceremonial purity. The other idea is of an undivided heart - a person utterly sincere in their devotion and commitment to God. When Jesus speaks of a peacemaker, he describes those who bring about peace, overcoming evil with good. One way we accomplish this is through spreading the gospel because God has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). In evangelism, we make peace between man and the God whom they have rejected and offended. The reward for peacemakers is that they will be recognized as true children of God. And finally, Jesus declares that those who suffer persecution in the name of Jesus will be blessed. Though this persecution was not yet happening in Jesus' ministry, it soon would. Word was beginning to spread about this Rabbi gaining a following and opposition would soon rise up against him in an even stronger way.
Matthew 5:1-48
Luke 6:17-36
Major Events
Jesus preaches his sermon on the mount
Devotional
The previous section mentioned how great multitudes followed Jesus, coming from many different regions (Matt 4:25). In response to this, Jesus used this opportunity to share his most famous teaching of all known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus primarily gave this teaching to his disciples, but this included many of the great multitudes that followed Him. Jesus did not teach two doctrines; one for the many, and another for the few, like in Buddhism and many other tiered religious systems. Jesus' highest teaching was meant for everyone, though he knew not everyone would accept it or even understand it. Matthew tells us that at the end of this 15–20-minute message, the people who heard it were amazed. This sermon is best described as a complete teaching of what the Christian life should look like and what God expects from any who follows him. The Sermon on the Mount is sometimes thought of as Jesus’ Declaration of God's Kingdom. The American revolutionaries had their Declaration of Independence, Hitler had Mein Kampf, and Karl Marx had his Communist Manifesto. With this message, Jesus declared what his kingdom is all about and how it is different from any other human kingdom. Jesus' core message also presents a radically different agenda than what the nation of Israel expected from the promised Messiah. It does not present the political or material blessings of the Messiah’s reign. Instead, it expresses the spiritual implications of the rule of Jesus in our lives and how we will live when Jesus is our Lord. This sermon was also an example of Jesus practically training his disciples with the message he wanted them to carry to others and eventually to the entire world.
The first portion of Jesus' sermon is known as the Beatitudes, which means “The Blessings.” Another idea is that Jesus was giving his followers his 'be – attitudes' – the attitudes they should 'be'. Each of these eight-character traits are marks and goals of all Christians and Jesus also gives the motivations that should drive each. It is not as if we can major in one to the exclusion of others, as is the case with spiritual gifts. There is also no escape from a Christian's responsibility to desire every one of these spiritual attributes for the right reasons. If you meet someone who claims to be a Christian but displays and desires none of these traits, you may rightly wonder about their salvation because they do not carry the character of kingdom citizens. Jesus started by speaking of those poor in spirit who recognize they have no spiritual “assets.” They know they are spiritually dead and bankrupt. This paints the picture of a person who humbles themselves, admits their spiritual poverty, and looks to God as their source. This beatitude is first because this is where every believer can and should start with God. Just like a ladder must have its first rung near the ground or it is useless, this attitude is the starting point for drawing closer to God. Everyone can start here; it isn’t blessed are the pure or the holy or the spiritual or the wonderful. Everyone can be poor in spirit. It is also placed first because it puts everything that comes after into perspective. None of what follows can be fulfilled by a person's own strength but only by a beggar’s reliance on God’s power. No one mourns until they are poor in spirit; no one is meek towards others until they have a humble view of themselves. If you don’t sense your own need and poverty, you will never hunger and thirst after righteousness; and if you have too high a view of yourself, you will find it difficult to be merciful to others. Being poor in spirit and possessing a humble heart must always come first.
In the next two Beatitudes, Jesus speaks of mourning and meekness. The ancient Greek wording indicates an intense degree of mourning. Jesus is not speaking of a casual sorrow for the consequences of our sin but a deep grief before God for our fallen state. In the vocabulary of the ancient Greek language, the meek person was not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word “meek” was strength under control, like a strong stallion trained to do a job instead of running wild. A 'meek' follower of Jesus walks with strength, self-control, discipline, and obedience. Blessed are those whose hunger describes a profound hunger that cannot be satisfied by just a snack, a longing that is never completely satisfied on this side of eternity. This hunger and passion for the righteousness of Christ is real, just like hunger and thirst are real. It is natural, just like hunger and thirst are natural in a healthy person. It is intense, just like hunger and thirst can be. This passion can be painful, just like real hunger and thirst can cause pain. It is a driving force, just like hunger and thirst can drive a person. This passion is a sign of health, just like hunger and thirst show health. Even today, we see many Christians hungering for many things: power, authority, success, comfort, and happiness – but how many hunger and thirst for righteousness?
When Jesus speaks of the merciful, he speaks to those who have already received mercy. It is mercy to be emptied of your pride and brought to poverty of spirit. It is mercy to be brought to mourning over your spiritual condition. It is mercy to receive the grace of meekness and to become gentle. It is mercy to be made hungry and thirsty after righteousness. Jesus' point is that the one who is expected to show mercy has already received it. The merciful one will always look for those who are weak, mournful, and poor and show them mercy. The merciful one will be forgiving to others and always look to restore broken relationships. The merciful one will choose to think the best of others whenever possible. The merciful one will be compassionate to all those who are lost in sin. If you want mercy from others – especially God – then you should take care to be merciful to others. Some people wonder why God showed such remarkable mercy to King David, especially in the terrible ways in which he sinned. One reason God showed him such mercy was because David was notably merciful to King Saul and, on several occasions, was kind to a very unworthy Saul. In David, we see that the merciful obtained mercy.
The phrase 'pure of heart' in ancient Greek had the idea of straightness, honesty, and clarity. There can be two ideas connected to this: One is of inner moral purity as opposed to the image of purity or ceremonial purity. The other idea is of an undivided heart - a person utterly sincere in their devotion and commitment to God. When Jesus speaks of a peacemaker, he describes those who bring about peace, overcoming evil with good. One way we accomplish this is through spreading the gospel because God has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). In evangelism, we make peace between man and the God whom they have rejected and offended. The reward for peacemakers is that they will be recognized as true children of God. And finally, Jesus declares that those who suffer persecution in the name of Jesus will be blessed. Though this persecution was not yet happening in Jesus' ministry, it soon would. Word was beginning to spread about this Rabbi gaining a following and opposition would soon rise up against him in an even stronger way.
The Sermon on the Mount Pt 2
Read
Matthew 6:1-34
Matthew 7:1-29
Luke 6:37-49
Major Events
Jesus teaches the sermon on the mount pt 2
Devotional
A major theme woven within Jesus' sermon on the Mount is the idea of contrasting ideas and dual paths. Jesus speaks of narrow and wide gates, true and false prophets, true and false disciples, good fruit and bad fruit, wise and foolish builders, someone who seeks, asks, knocks, and one who doesn't. The main idea Jesus presents to all the listeners, and even to the reader today, is that the choice is up to us on which side we will be on and which path we will choose. Jesus presented a vivid picture of a crossroads to his listeners and told them that they are free to choose to be wise, true, good, and in pursuit of Jesus, or they can choose to be foolish, false, selfish, and in pursuit of self or the ways of this world. The same is true of us today, and we face those same decisions in our lives. We cannot choose between the narrow and wide paths, and we cannot abdicate that choice to another person or ignore it and sweep it under the rug. This is a choice that each person will need to make for themselves and no one can make it for you. The good news is that Jesus has taught us what is right and good and wise and how to do the right thing in the right way. Jesus has already shown us how to make the right choice and how to walk in it, but the decision to go through with it is up to us.
Not only did Jesus tell us what was right, but he also taught us that there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. This is true in the bigger picture of your life and eternity, but also on a smaller scale when it comes to how we daily live out our Christian life. There is a right way to pray, fast, and give, and there is also a wrong way to pray, fast, and give. So, how can we make sure we are doing these spiritual disciplines rightly? The good news is that once again, Jesus has shown us how, both through his words and also through the example of his life. The first idea Jesus shares is that our motivation needs to be right on the inside. Everything we do comes from the inside out, meaning that it comes from a place within our hearts and minds, the inner part of us that drives us. Many Christians can even do the right things but do them in a way that does not have the right motivation and won't have a beneficial outcome in the end. When Jesus says let your light shine, but don't do works so that you will be seen, he is addressing exactly this issue of motivation. Do the right things(Let your light shine), but don't do those good works simply for your own benefit and praise. God cares about how we do our good works and with what motive we do them, not just that they get done and checked off the list. This is also an important truth in our world today; God cares about how we worship, how we give, how we serve, and how we pray. He isn't just concerned that we complete these vital spiritual disciplines but how they are done on the inside.
Jesus then begins to deal individually with three spiritual disciplines: giving, prayer, and fasting, and how to do them correctly from the inside out. These three were (and still are) the most prominent practical requirements within mainstream Judaism for personal piety and holiness. His words would have stung those who were steeped in religiosity, especially those with selfish motivations. Today, people do not sound a trumpet to project the image of generosity, but many still know how to call attention to their giving and how generous they are. Like a politician inviting press coverage to document their charitable acts, or people filming and posting every good thing they do, Jesus calls out religious hypocrites for doing something similar. In ancient Greek, the word hypocrite was simply an actor, but in the first century, the term came to be used for those who play roles and see the world as their stage. Jesus was correct in his description because those who pretend to be holy, good, and God-honoring are just that, actors whose outer actions and attitudes don't match what is truly happening on the inside.
Jesus assumed his disciples would give, as he also does of us, so he told them (and us) the right way to give and what to avoid. He also assumed his disciples would pray, and it was important that they not pray in the same manner as the hypocrites. These religious actors prayed not to be heard by God but to be seen and elevated by men. This is a common fault in public prayer even today when people pray to impress or teach others instead of genuinely pouring out their hearts before God. Jesus then modeled what prayer should be; not that we should use his exact words in some rehearsed chant, but that the ideas presented would also be from our own heart. The right kind of prayer comes to God as a Father in heaven. It rightly recognizes the power of the one we pray to, and who we are in his sight. It was very unusual for the Jews of that day to call God “Father” because it was considered too intimate, but again Jesus flips this idea on its head. The right kind of prayer has a passion for God’s glory and agenda, not our own. His name, kingdom, and will have top priority. People want to guard their reputation and promote their name, but we must resist the tendency to protect and promote ourselves first and instead put God’s name, kingdom, and will above our own. The right kind of prayer will also freely bring its needs to God. This will include the need for daily provision, forgiveness, and strength in the face of temptation. The right kind of prayer praises God and credits him as the source of all good things. Jesus teaches that forgiveness is required for those who have been forgiven. We are not given the luxury of holding on to our bitterness towards other people while saying nice things to God. Jesus warned against covetousness, materialism, envy, greed, and idolatry and spoke of these things in a way that had never been done before, a way that reflected that a new kingdom, far different than this world, was being built. It has been said that if you took all the good advice for how to live ever spoken by any philosopher, psychiatrist, or counselor, took out the foolishness, and boiled it all down to the real essentials, you would be left with a poor imitation of this amazing message from Jesus.
Matthew 6:1-34
Matthew 7:1-29
Luke 6:37-49
Major Events
Jesus teaches the sermon on the mount pt 2
Devotional
A major theme woven within Jesus' sermon on the Mount is the idea of contrasting ideas and dual paths. Jesus speaks of narrow and wide gates, true and false prophets, true and false disciples, good fruit and bad fruit, wise and foolish builders, someone who seeks, asks, knocks, and one who doesn't. The main idea Jesus presents to all the listeners, and even to the reader today, is that the choice is up to us on which side we will be on and which path we will choose. Jesus presented a vivid picture of a crossroads to his listeners and told them that they are free to choose to be wise, true, good, and in pursuit of Jesus, or they can choose to be foolish, false, selfish, and in pursuit of self or the ways of this world. The same is true of us today, and we face those same decisions in our lives. We cannot choose between the narrow and wide paths, and we cannot abdicate that choice to another person or ignore it and sweep it under the rug. This is a choice that each person will need to make for themselves and no one can make it for you. The good news is that Jesus has taught us what is right and good and wise and how to do the right thing in the right way. Jesus has already shown us how to make the right choice and how to walk in it, but the decision to go through with it is up to us.
Not only did Jesus tell us what was right, but he also taught us that there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. This is true in the bigger picture of your life and eternity, but also on a smaller scale when it comes to how we daily live out our Christian life. There is a right way to pray, fast, and give, and there is also a wrong way to pray, fast, and give. So, how can we make sure we are doing these spiritual disciplines rightly? The good news is that once again, Jesus has shown us how, both through his words and also through the example of his life. The first idea Jesus shares is that our motivation needs to be right on the inside. Everything we do comes from the inside out, meaning that it comes from a place within our hearts and minds, the inner part of us that drives us. Many Christians can even do the right things but do them in a way that does not have the right motivation and won't have a beneficial outcome in the end. When Jesus says let your light shine, but don't do works so that you will be seen, he is addressing exactly this issue of motivation. Do the right things(Let your light shine), but don't do those good works simply for your own benefit and praise. God cares about how we do our good works and with what motive we do them, not just that they get done and checked off the list. This is also an important truth in our world today; God cares about how we worship, how we give, how we serve, and how we pray. He isn't just concerned that we complete these vital spiritual disciplines but how they are done on the inside.
Jesus then begins to deal individually with three spiritual disciplines: giving, prayer, and fasting, and how to do them correctly from the inside out. These three were (and still are) the most prominent practical requirements within mainstream Judaism for personal piety and holiness. His words would have stung those who were steeped in religiosity, especially those with selfish motivations. Today, people do not sound a trumpet to project the image of generosity, but many still know how to call attention to their giving and how generous they are. Like a politician inviting press coverage to document their charitable acts, or people filming and posting every good thing they do, Jesus calls out religious hypocrites for doing something similar. In ancient Greek, the word hypocrite was simply an actor, but in the first century, the term came to be used for those who play roles and see the world as their stage. Jesus was correct in his description because those who pretend to be holy, good, and God-honoring are just that, actors whose outer actions and attitudes don't match what is truly happening on the inside.
Jesus assumed his disciples would give, as he also does of us, so he told them (and us) the right way to give and what to avoid. He also assumed his disciples would pray, and it was important that they not pray in the same manner as the hypocrites. These religious actors prayed not to be heard by God but to be seen and elevated by men. This is a common fault in public prayer even today when people pray to impress or teach others instead of genuinely pouring out their hearts before God. Jesus then modeled what prayer should be; not that we should use his exact words in some rehearsed chant, but that the ideas presented would also be from our own heart. The right kind of prayer comes to God as a Father in heaven. It rightly recognizes the power of the one we pray to, and who we are in his sight. It was very unusual for the Jews of that day to call God “Father” because it was considered too intimate, but again Jesus flips this idea on its head. The right kind of prayer has a passion for God’s glory and agenda, not our own. His name, kingdom, and will have top priority. People want to guard their reputation and promote their name, but we must resist the tendency to protect and promote ourselves first and instead put God’s name, kingdom, and will above our own. The right kind of prayer will also freely bring its needs to God. This will include the need for daily provision, forgiveness, and strength in the face of temptation. The right kind of prayer praises God and credits him as the source of all good things. Jesus teaches that forgiveness is required for those who have been forgiven. We are not given the luxury of holding on to our bitterness towards other people while saying nice things to God. Jesus warned against covetousness, materialism, envy, greed, and idolatry and spoke of these things in a way that had never been done before, a way that reflected that a new kingdom, far different than this world, was being built. It has been said that if you took all the good advice for how to live ever spoken by any philosopher, psychiatrist, or counselor, took out the foolishness, and boiled it all down to the real essentials, you would be left with a poor imitation of this amazing message from Jesus.