I. Scripture
7 But
you would not have condemned My innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of
this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ 8
For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!... 25 Jesus
knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A
town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if
Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own
kingdom will not survive. 27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what
about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you
for what you have said. 28 But if I am casting out demons by the
Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29
For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and
plunder his goods? Only Someone even STRONGER — Someone who could tie him up
and then plunder his house….” 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother
and Your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to You.” 48
Jesus asked, “Who is My mother? Who are My brothers?” 49 Then He
pointed to His disciples and said, “Look, these are My mother and brothers. 50
Anyone who does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and
mother!”
Matthew 12:6-8, 25-29, 47-50, New Living Translation 2nd Edition
II. Introduction
Most
scholars agree that the primary focus of Jesus’ public ministry was proclaiming
the Goods News of God and His glorious Kingdom.[1] Jesus’ initial public
sermon, His teaching in the form of parables, and His
miraculous acts revealed the freedom, healing, deliverance, and restoration
that come with accepting God’s Kingdom into one’s life through our repentance, faith,
and obedience in Jesus and His Father, the living LORD GOD Almighty.[2] Through faith and
obedience, we are set free from disease, bondage, and despair and receive a
foretaste of God’s Kingdom on earth.[3]
In
fact, Jesus primary message encouraged everyone to seek FIRST the Kingdom of
God.[4] Moreover, Jesus taught the
people to treasure and love the Kingdom of God beyond all else.[5] Jesus anointed and sent
out His disciples with His power and authority to proclaim the message of the
Kingdom of God and bring God’s deliverance through faith in Him.[6] After His death and just
before His ascension to heaven, Jesus gave further teaching about God’s Kingdom
and commissioned His disciples to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom throughout
the whole world to all the nations.[7] Jesus’ disciples faithfully
continued His message of announcing the Kingdom of God starting in Jerusalem
and eventually into Rome and the world.[8]
Jesus
viewed the Kingdom of God as both a present reality and a future promise that
He feverously sought to proclaim at His first coming to earth.[9] In Jesus’ first public
sermon, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel (also known as the Good
News) of the Kingdom of God. Jesus declared, “the time is fulfilled, and the
Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the Good News!”[10] Numerous biblical
scholars have studies Jesus’ initial sermon at Mark 1:14-15 with parallels in
Matthew 4:17. Most scholars agree that Jesus’ initial sermon gave a simple
summary statement of His life and ministry.[11] The life and ministry of
Jesus is the proclamation that the Kingdom of God had come now in Him to bring God’s
salvation ALL people, races, sexes, creeds, and nationalities through faith in
Him.[12] The living LORD God had
entrusted everything to His Son, Jesus.[13] Jesus is the King of God’s
Kingdom.[14]
Now, Jesus called upon EVERYONE to REPENT (change your life) and BELIEVE (faith)
in the Gospel message.[15]
The
living LORD God reigns upon His throne in heaven, and the earth is His
footstool.[16]
Jesus proclaimed that no one could enter into God’s Kingdom unless one accepts
and believes in Him as the Son of the living God.[17] Eternal life is
virtually synonymous with entering the Kingdom of God and receiving salvation
through our faith in God’s Son, Jesus.[18] Finally, Jesus promised
that the Kingdom of God will also appear as an apocalyptic act at the end of
the age.[19]
In
summary, the Kingdom of God involves two great moments: fulfillment within human
history and also consummation at the end of history with the coming of Jesus in
great power and glory.[20] The parables and miracles
of Jesus give insight into both the present and future nature of the Kingdom of
God.[21] Yet, the mere fact that
God proposes to bring His Kingdom to all people is no secret nor mystery. The
Jewish apocalyptic writings and orthodox Jewish theology reflect that
expectation in one form or another.[22] However, the Lord Jesus
Christ has taught a new disclosure or new truth to all humanity. In His Person
and mission, the Lord Jesus Christ announced the arrival of the Kingdom of God,
and this same Kingdom will also come finally in apocalyptic power, as foreseen
by the prophet Daniel.[23] However, the first coming
of the Kingdom entered the world with Jesus in a hidden and in veiled form
working secretly within and among humanity.[24] In the Person and mission
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He overcame evil, delivered humanity from the
evil one’s power, and brought EVERYONE into the blessings of God’ reign through
faith in Him.[25]
III. Presence of God’s Kingdom
Matthew
12 reveals the present revelation of the Kingdom of God in Jesus’ earthly
ministry. In Matthew 12 with parallels in Mark and Luke’s Gospels, Jesus gives
the clearest statement on the presence of the Kingdom of God.[26] Even more, the entire
chapter of Matthew 12 concerns conflict and struggle of God’s Kingdom against Satan’s
evil kingdom.[27]
Matthew
12 begins with Jesus walking one day through some grain fields with His
disciples.[28]
This story is also told in Mark 2:23-28 and Luke 6:1-5. The Gospel writers
report this was the Sabbath, the Jewish day of worship.[29] Jesus’ disciples were
hungry; therefore, the disciples began breaking off heads of wheat and eating
the grain on the Sabbath.[30] However, some Pharisees
saw Jesus’ disciples breaking off heads of wheat and eating the grain.[31] The Pharisees begin
protesting to Jesus and said, “Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a
Sabbath.”[32]
To prevent breaking of the Sabbath and other Commandments of God, the Jews
established many human-made rules and regulations, often called the “traditions
of the elders.”[33] According to the Pharisees, Jesus’ disciples
were breaking their human-made Sabbath laws by harvesting on the Sabbath.[34]
However,
Jesus defended His disciples when they violated the Jewish Sabbath customs.[35] The religious leaders
ignored the Law because the Law of God permits one to enter their neighbor’s
vineyard and grain field to pick kernels with one’s hands to satisfy their
hunger.[36] Moreover, Jesus taught
the Pharisees from the Old Testament that when King David and his friends were
hungry, they ate the special bread called the bread of Presence reserved to be
eaten only by Aaron and his descendants, who are the priests of Israel.[37] Furthermore, Jesus
explained to the Pharisees that in the Law of God the priests on duty in the
Temple broke and profaned the Sabbath by working on the Sabbath but are
innocent before His Father, the living LORD GOD.[38]
Then,
Jesus taught the Pharisees that He is GREATER than the Temple.[39] As the Messiah and the
Son of the living God, Jesus was more exalted and more majestic than the
earthly Temple. Importantly, Jesus proclaimed to the listening Pharisees that
He is the Son of Man and Lord of the Sabbath.[40] Indeed, Jesus is Lord of
all.[41] We can have peace with
God and heart rest through our trust and obedience in Jesus as our Lord.[42]
Markedly,
the Pharisee’s authority was their knowledge and obedience to the Law and their
study under various rabbis.[43] In Matthew 12, Jesus
undercuts the man-made tradition of the Sabbath’s laws and declares that He is
the Lord of the Sabbath.[44]
IV. Son of Man
Notably,
Jesus routinely identified Himself as the Son of Man throughout the Gospels
involving the coming Kingdom of God.[45] In the Gospels, the title
Son of Man only occurs on the lips of Jesus, and only Jesus uses the
designation Son of Man for Himself.[46] No disciples, nor the
crowds, the religious officials, nor other places throughout the New Testament
and Gospels identify Jesus as the Son of Man. Only Stephen identified Jesus as
the Son of Man in Acts 7 just before Stephen’s death.[47]
Apart
from Ezekiel and Daniel, the term son of man appears in the Old Testament as a
synonym for “man” or “humankind.”[48] In the Aramaic language
spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day, the expression son of man was similarly used
to mean “the man,” “a man,” or simply “someone.” The Old Testament book of
Ezekiel uses the term “son of man” over 90 times to address the prophet
Ezekiel.[49]
The most distinctive Old Testament use of “Son of Man” is found Daniel 7:13-14
with the reference of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of glory.
In
Jewish apocalyptic literature such as Enoch and 2
Esdras, the “Son of Man” is a Messianic reference and a coming apocalyptic
figure. Sometimes in Jewish apocalyptic literature, the Son of Man is a warrior
figure that would come to earth and prepare for the coming Messiah and the
Kingdom of God. In some rabbinic writings, the Son of Man is designated as the
Messiah. Sometimes, the Son of Man is a third party.
Notably
in Jewish apocalyptic literature, the Son of Man defeats the powers and forces
of evil who opposes God’s purposes in the world. Once the Son of Man destroys
the forces of evil, then the Messiah arrives and brings God’s Kingdom.
Importantly, the Son of Man is a warrior figure who destroys the forces and
reign of evil through military power. Moreover, the Son of Man is a heavenly
figure sent from God and not an earthly figure nor an earthly prophet.
Ironically
in Mark 8, when Jesus makes His first announcement of His trip to Jerusalem to
suffer to bring salvation, He designates Himself as the Son of Man that be will
be rejected, die and be raised.[50] Jesus describes Himself
as the Son of Man, who is the apocalyptic figure that comes to destroy the
forces of evil. Thus, Jesus took the popular Jewish apocalyptic notion of the Son
of Man sent into the world by God to destroy the forces of evil and combined
with Isaiah’s prophecy on the Suffering Servant.[51] Thus, Jesus combined the
Son of Man that comes to destroy the forces of evil with Isaiah references to
the Suffering Servant. Jesus announced His destruction of evil not by military
force as predicted in the Jewish apocalyptic literature but by submitting to
the power of evil and soaking up evil within Himself.[52] This is the supreme
paradox of the Gospels. God sent His Son Jesus to absorb evil and protect
Jesus’ faithful believers from the evil.[53]
In
Matthew 25, Jesus describes the future Kingdom of God and this passage gives
the only detail account of the judgment at the end of the age.[54] Jesus promises that the
Son of Man will come in His glory with all His angels, and He will sit upon the
throne of glory as our great and perfect King and the Judge.[55] Matthew is a clear
affirmation that the end is coming and Jesus’ assurance that God will complete
His purposes, reign, and judgment at the end of the age. At the end of the age,
all the nations will be gathered, and He will separate the goats from the
sheep.[56]
V. God’s Kingdom and Mercy
Afterwards,
Jesus went over to the Jewish synagogue, and He noticed there a man with a
deformed hand.[57]
This story is also told in Mark 3:1-6 and Luke 6:6-11. The
Pharisees asked Jesus, “Is it legal to work by healing on the Sabbath day?”[58] Of course, the Pharisees
were hoping Jesus would say yes, so they could entrap and arrest Him.[59] These Pharisees believed
that Jesus was not sent from God because He worked on the Sabbath by doing good
works.[60] Jesus taught the
Pharisees that His Father the living LORD God always allows one to do good,
even in the Sabbath.[61] The Holy Scriptures has
no law against doing good for others.[62] Moreover, the Law of God permits
a person to retrieve and help an oxen or sheep.[63]
Jesus
answered the Pharisees by asking, “If you had just one sheep, and it fell into
a well on the Sabbath, would you work to rescue it that day?”[64] Jesus stated that of
course they as Pharisees would work and save their sheep.[65] Then, Jesus taught the
Pharisees how much more valuable is a person than a sheep.[66] At this point, Jesus said
to the man with the deformed hand, “Stretch out your arm.”[67] As the man stretched out
his arm, Jesus healed this deformed man’s hand and both his hands were now
normal and healthy.[68] In verses 9 through 14,
Jesus exerts His authority and power over disease.
At
that moment, the Pharisees went out and conspired against Jesus on how to
destroy and murder Him.[69] Amazingly, the Pharisee’s
plot to kill Jesus was a specific violation of the Law of God.[70] Although the Pharisees
quoted the Law of Moses, they were lawless and disobedient like Satan because
they did not keep the Law by trying to kill Jesus.[71] Sadly, the presence of
evil kingdom occurs in the church and religious people, such as the Pharisees.[72] These religious leaders
were utterly blind. Generally, Pharisees were not bad people as most Pharisees
are deeply concerned with obedience. Here in Matthew 12, these Pharisees
represented the evil kingdom that comes with bondage, destruction, and darkness.[73] Thus, there are many
faces of evil and has many forms.
Jesus
knew the Pharisee’s thoughts and motives; therefore, He left the synagogue.[74] Our Lord's response to
the religious leaders’ hatred was withdrawal and not openly fighting and attacking
His enemies.[75]
Thus, Jesus’ conflict with the Pharisees was not a minor conflict but a
conflict of life and death.[76]
Sadly,
some of these Pharisees no room in your hearts for Jesus’ message on the
Kingdom of God.[77] In the first-century world that Jesus lived,
the Jewish people had many varying expectations of the Kingdom of God. Not all
Jews shared the same definition of the Kingdom of God. Not everyone wanted
Jesus’ kind of Kingdom.
During
first-century Palestine, the typical expectations of the Jews was that the
Kingdom of God would occur in the future as a dramatic and cataclysmic
inbreaking of God at the end of the age when God’s ways will be triumphant in
human history. Particularly, Pharisees believed that the coming Kingdom of God
would be a time when the Jewish people would be restored to their fortunes as
the people of God. Moreover, the Pharisees believed in a future military ruler
such as David as their coming Messiah to restore Israel’s fortunes. Until God
established His Kingdom, the Pharisees tried to maintain ritual purity in this
world by careful observation of the Law.[78] Yet, Jesus’ teaching on
the Kingdom of God probably confused the Pharisees and many other Jews.[79] Jesus did not come the
first time as a military leader but as a compassionate Suffering Servant to
bring God’s deliverance, salvation, and freedom through faith in Him.[80]
Many
people followed Jesus, and Jesus healed ALL the sick among them.[81] As Jesus traveled during
His earthly ministry, He proclaimed and announced the Good News about the
Kingdom, and He healed every kind of disease and illness.[82] When Jesus saw the
crowds, He had compassion and mercy, just like His Father, the living LORD God
Almighty.[83]
Jesus stated it is always right to do good everyday even on the Sabbath.[84] In His public ministry,
Jesus always obeyed the moral aspects of the Law. One of the clearest marks of
a Kingdom citizen is goodness and mercy towards others.[85]
Importantly
in Matthew 12, Jesus taught the Pharisee from the Old Testament Law that His
Father, the living LORD God Almighty, desires mercy, goodness, forgiveness,
more than sacrifice and religious rituals in His Kingdom.[86] If the religious leaders wanted
to obey the Old Testament Law, they would have been merciful, good, and kind to
others and not condemned the innocent and guiltless.[87] From the Old Testament
into the New Testament and today, God ALWAYS requires wholehearted love and
obedience to Him as our only true King.[88] Equally important, the
living LORD God commands our mercy, compassion, patience, peacefulness,
goodness, generosity, forgiveness, kindness, and wiliness to help ALL PEOPLE
more than religious rituals and sacrifice.[89] The Lord Jesus taught
that our wholehearted love for His Father, the living LORD God, and equally our
love for others summarizes the ENTIRE BIBLE.[90] ().
The
living LORD God Almighty is King, and He is all-knowing and forever present on
this earth.[91]
The very nature and character of the living LORD God Almighty is mercy, grace,
patience, faithfulness, and steadfast love.[92] Jesus taught that
citizens of the everlasting Kingdom of God equally reflect their King’s good
nature and character in the world.[93]
Jesus
proclaimed that one day He will return in His full glory with all the holy
angels with Him.[94]
Amazingly, Jesus taught that those who will inherit God’s Kingdom and enter His
Presence will be the righteous ones – the kind, merciful, loving, and humble
people – who welcomed, cared for, and loved the hungry, thirsty, the aliens,
the poor, the sick, the prisoner, the outcasts, drunkards, sinners, tax
collectors (thefts), prostitutes, and the hurting.[95]
One
of the primary missions of Jesus’ ministry was His announcement of God’s
invitation and grace to ALL PEOPLE – not just the Jews – into God’s glorious
Kingdom who repented of their sins and turned to the living God with faith and
obedience.[96]
Jesus welcomed ALL PEOPLE, including the notorious sinners into God’s Kingdom
by our sincere and wholehearted repentance and faith.[97] Sadly, Jesus’ invitation
of ALL PEOPLE – righteous and sinners alike – into God’s Kingdom often offended
many Jews who believed they were the only ones allowed into the Kingdom of God.[98]
Jesus’
compassionate and merciful life and ministry fulfilled the Old Testament
prophecy at Isaiah 42:1-4 concerning Him. The Lord Jesus was the living LORD
God’s Servant and His Anointed One.[99] Even more, the Lord Jesus
was the living LORD God’s Beloved Son in whom His soul delighted and brought
the Kingdom of God.[100] The living LORD God
placed His Spirit upon His Son Jesus without measure, and He empowered His Son
Jesus to proclaim justice and hope to the nations.[101] As predicted by the
prophet Isaiah, the Lord Jesus did not fight, shout, nor raise His voice.[102] Moreover, the prophet
Isaiah rightfully predicted that the Lord Jesus never crushed the weak nor
quenched the smallest hope.[103] Instead, the Lord Jesus
will end all conflict with His final victory, and His Name shall become the
hope of all people of the world – Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles).[104]
VI. Satan and His Kingdom
The
climax of Matthew 12 comes at verses 22 through 32. This section begins with a
demon-possessed man that was brought to Jesus. This demon-possessed man was
both blind and unable to talk.[105] This story is also told
in Mark 3:23-27 and Luke 11:14-22. Jesus graciously healed the demon-possessed
man so that he could both speak and see.[106] The crowds were amazed
and began to wonder that maybe Jesus is the long-awaited Son of King David and
the Messiah (Christ) promised from the Old Testament.[107]
However,
when the Pharisees heard about Jesus’ miraculous healing they said, “He can
cast out demons because he is Satan, king of devils.”[108] In the King James, the
Pharisees stated that Jesus cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the
devils.[109]
In these verses, the Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy and casting out
demons by the powers of evil.
During
the days of Jesus, many people believed demons were the servants of Satan.[110] These demons essentially
went into the world to bring problems to people, including physical and mental
illness, disease, to destroy and not build up human life. In the common
thinking of demons in the first century, they were head by a prince called
Beelzebub.[111]
For Jesus, evil has personality and not a neutral force. This evil personality
found in Satan is actively engaged in stopping the Kingdom of God on earth.[112]
In
Matthew 12, Jesus acknowledged the presence of Satan and evil that is present
with a personality. During His public ministry, Jesus taught that Satan’s
purpose is the destruction and death of humans.[113] From the very beginning
of time, Satan and his evil minions are murderers, liars, and destructive to
humans.[114]
These evildoers hate mercy, kindness, truth, and goodness,[115] like their leader, Satan
who also hates the truth as he is a deceiver, murderer, and theft![116] The Apostle Paul also
acknowledged that humans struggle not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.[117] Thus, when Jesus cast
out demons in Matthew 12, He was assaulting the very realm of Satan.
Moreover,
Jesus taught the listening crowds, including the religious leaders that every
kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house
divided against itself will stand.[118] A divided kingdom ends
in ruin and a city or home divided against itself also cannot stand.[119] Jesus declared that if
Satan is casting out Satan, he is fighting himself and destroying his own
kingdom.[120]
Any kingdom or house that is divided against itself will be brought to
destruction and no house nor kingdom divided against itself will last and continue
to stand.[121]
Then, Jesus asked the Pharisees that if He is casting out demons by invoking
the powers of Satan, then what power do the Jews use when they cast out demons
during an exorcist.[122]
Most
important, Jesus affirms that if He delivers and drives out demons by the
Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has now come and is present in Him.[123] Jesus’ exorcisms of the
demon possessed man was specific evidence of the presence of Kingdom’s power
and revealed that the Kingdom of God had begun. In the Old Testament, the
Prophet Daniel predicted the living LORD God of heaven will set up an eternal Kingdom
that will never be destroyed or conquered.[124] Then, the Kingdom of God
will crush all the earth’s kingdoms into nothingness.[125] The greatness of the eternal
Kingdom of God predicted in Daniel’s prophecy arrived in the life and ministry
of the Lord Jesus, a direct Heir from the line of King David.[126] The Kingdom of this
world will become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign
forever and ever. Ultimately, the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah will
reign over a new heaven and earth.[127]
Moreover,
Jesus affirmed that Satan had a kingdom, for he is the god of this age.[128] Jesus taught the
Pharisees that no one cannot rob Satan’s kingdom without first binding Satan.[129] Jesus was able to cast
out demons because He had first defeated Satan, the prince of the demons
through the power of Spirit of God.[130] Through out faith and
obedience in the Lord Jesus, He brings our freedom and deliverance from Satan
and his evil destruction.[131]
However,
Matthew 12 reveals the presence of God’s Kingdom often comes with opposition,
fighting, and conflict.[132] The clearest example of
Jesus’ conflict with Satan’s kingdom was His wilderness temptation and testing.[133] Jesus went into the
wilderness, and He was tempted and testing by Satan. However, Jesus teaches in
the Gospels that He had come with the Kingdom of God to defeat and unseat evil ruler
of this age and plunder the strongman's house.[134] This plundering by Jesus
caused great anger and fighting by the strongman, Satan.[135] In the Gospels, when
demons were cast out by Jesus and God’s Kingdom, they put up a fight with
resistance and screaming.[136] The reign of God does
not come effortless and without pain and testing. However, Jesus has complete
power and authority over Satan and his demons![137]
The
presence of the Kingdom of God comes into the world by usurping the one who
rules this age, Satan.[138] The presence of Satan’s
kingdom is often revealed in the lives those possessed and overcome by demons.[139] Demon possession is a
life fragmented and hurting that has been robbed by Satan and his minions.[140] So the very presence of
people possessed with demons is the sign of the evil kingdom in the world.[141]
Notably,
the Holy Scriptures reveal a direct connection between Satan’s kingdom and disease,
bondages, and sickness.[142] Sin and wickedness often
bring sickness, disease, and death.[143] With the presence of
God’s Kingdom, Jesus brought the Kingdom’s freedom and deliverance with healing
of every disease, sickness, and affliction among the people through faith in
Him.[144] God never intended
sickness and disease, but the presence of Satan’s evil kingdom brought about
sickness, disease, and bondage.[145]
The
Good News is that the Kingdom of God has come with Jesus to replace and defeat
the evil kingdom.[146] The hallmark of the
Kingdom of God is liberation, restoration, healing, and freedom.[147] One of the signs of the
presence of the Kingdom of God is that people are set free from Satan’s
bondage. With God’s Kingdom comes full liberation and freedom from sin,
sickness, and ignorance.
VII. Good
Fruit and Bad Fruit
In
verses 33 through 37 of Matthew 12, Jesus speaks a harsh word of eternal judgment
to those who follow Satan’s kingdom and produce unhealthy fruit. Jesus warned
the people to beware of Satan and his false followers, who will often come
disguised as harmless sheep, but they are vicious wolves.[148] Jesus taught the people
that one can recognize Satan and his minions by their evil fruit.[149] A good tree produces
good fruit while a bad tree produces bad fruit.[150] For a person’s heart
determines one’s speech because the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.[151] As the old saying goes,
“From evildoers come evil deeds.[152]” A good person produces
good deeds and words season after season while an evil-hearted person in
alliance with Satan’s kingdom is filled with venom and hate that his speech
reveals from his evil heart.[153]
Likewise,
Jesus promised that every tree that does not produce good fruit will chopped
down and thrown into the fire with Satan and his evil followers.[154] Jesus taught the Kingdom of God will be given
to everyone who produce good fruit.[155] Moreover, Jesus proclaimed
that EVERYONE must give account on Judgment Day for every careless word they
have spoken and every evil deed.[156] For the living LORD God
Almighty will bring every word and deed into judgment, including every hidden
thing, whether it is good or evil.[157] Our words are powerful.[158] Words can be either our
salvation or our damnation.[159]
Subsequently,
some of the Jewish leaders, including some Pharisees, came to Jesus asking Him
to show them a miraculous sign.[160] This story is also told
in Luke 11:29-32. However, Jesus called these Jewish religious leaders evil and
faithless because they refused to accept and believe in Him.[161] Then, Jesus taught that
when the Old Testament prophet Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh
repentance and their need to turn to God from all their evil ways the people of
Nineveh repented and turned to God and turn from evil.[162] Jesus proclaimed that He is greater
than Jonah, and yet the Jewish leaders refused to believe Him.[163] Next, Jesus declared
that the Queen of Sheba shall also raise against the Jewish leaders in the
judgment and condemnation.[164] Queen of Sheba came from
a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and now One greater than Solomon
is here but the Jewish leaders refused to believe Him.[165]
Then
as Jesus was teaching the crowd, His mother Mary and brothers were outside,
wanting to talk with Him.[166] This story is also told in Mark 3:31-35 and
Luke 8:19-21. Jesus taught the listening crowd that His mother and brothers
are those who believe in and obey Him and His Father in heaven.[167] Jesus
declared that not everyone who calls out to Him “Lord! Lord!” will enter the
Kingdom of God, but only those who actually do goodness, mercy, and obey His
Father’s laws will enter the Kingdom of God.[168] On judgment day, Jesus taught that everyone
that causes sin, all who does evil, and break His Father’s Laws will be cast
into the fire and utter darkness.[169]
The Holy Scriptures teaches that
those who do evil and wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God.[170] Everyone who indulges and does
sexual sin, worship idols, commit adultery, male prostitution, cowardly, the
faithless, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, practice homosexuality, thieves,
murderers, deceivers, all liars, greedy people, drunkards, practice magic arts,
abusers, cheaters and everyone who practice falsehood will not inherit the
Kingdom of God.[171] Such evildoers follow Satan, who is the
prince of the power of the air and the spirit that is now at work in the sons
of disobedience.[172]
The Good News is that the Lord Jesus
Christ has cleansed us of from our sins, and He made us holy and right with God
by calling on His Name by faith and by the Spirit of our God.[173] As we repent of our sins and turn to
the living God by faith and obedience in Jesus, Jesus rescues us from Satan’s
kingdom into the Kingdom of God.[174] Jesus taught EVERYONE can only enter
God’s Kingdom only through Him, who is the narrow Gate.[175] Through faith and obedience in
Jesus, we have access to the Kingdom of God.[176] The highway to hell and destruction
is broad and its gate is wide for those who choose that way of turning from
faith and obedience in Jesus.[177] Faith
in Jesus brings a full life now and for all eternity.[178]
VIII. Conclusion
The living LORD God Almighty reigns on His heavenly
throne in His glorious Kingdom. From the beginning of time, the living LORD God
has wanted a fellowship with the humans He created. However, sin and
disobedience shattered humanities’ fellowship and union with the living LORD
God. The Good News is that the living LORD God continues to pursue and invite ALL
people into His Kingdom since the Old Testament prophets and continued His
invitation through His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and now through
Jesus’ disciples. At His first coming, the Lord Jesus Christ brought the
Kingdom of God to earth, and He welcomed.
EVERYONE to repent and enjoy the blessings of God’s Kingdom. Just before
His death, the Lord Jesus Christ promises He will come again!
References
ESV Study Bible,
English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008).
Zondervan NIV
Study Bible
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).
Melton,
Loyd, Senior Professor of New Testament (Due West Campus, SC: Erskine
Theological
Seminary, 2018).
Ladd,
George Eldon. Presence of the Future: The
Eschatology of Biblical Realism
(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1974).
[1] E.g.,
see Matthew 4:17, 23; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:43; Luke 8:1; Acts 1:3.
[2]
E.g., see Matthew 4:23-25; Matthew 9:19-22, 27-33, 35-36; Matthew 11:4-6; John
8:31-32, 36.
[3]
E.g., see Luke 4:18, 38-41; Luke 13:10-12, 16; Hebrews 6:4-6.
[4] E.g.,
see Matthew 6:10, 33
[5] E.g.,
see Matthew 13:44-46, 52.
[6] E.g.,
see Matthew 10:1, 7-8; Luke 10:8-9.
[7]
E.g., see Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19; Mark 13:10; John 20:21; Acts 1:3, 8.
[8] E.g.,
see Acts 8:12; Acts 19:8; Acts 20:25; Acts 26:15-18; Acts 28:23, 31; Colossians
4:11.
[9]
E.g., see Matthew 4:23; Luke 4:43; Luke 8:1; Luke 13:28-29.
[10] See
Mark 1:14-15.
[11]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[12]
E.g. see Matthew 8:11; Matthew 21:31-32; Luke 13:28;
[13]
E.g., see Matthew 11:27; Matthew 28:18; John 3:35; John 13:3; John 17:2.
[14]
E.g., see Luke 23:1-3; John 18:36-39.
[15] E.g.,
see Matthew 1:21; Matthew 4:17.
[16]
E.g., see Psalm 47:8; Psalm 146:10; Isaiah 52:7; Isaiah 66:1; Revelation 4:1-7;
Revelation 19:6.
[17]
E.g., see John 1:12-13; John 11:25-26; John 14:6.
[18] E.g.,
see John 3:3, 5, 15-16.
[19]
E.g., see Matthew 24:1-51; Mark 13:3-37; Luke 21:5-36.
[20] Ladd,
George Eldon. Presence of the Future: The Eschatology of Biblical Realism
(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), p. 218.
[21]
Ibid.
[22]
Ladd at 224.
[23]
See Daniel 2:44-45.
[24]
Ladd at 224-25.
[25] Dr.
Loyd Melton, Ph.D., Senior Professor of the New Testament (Due West, SC:
Erskine Theological Seminary, Summer 2018).
[26] Ibid.
[27]
Ibid.
[28] See
Matthew 12:1-8.
[29] Matthew
12:1; see also Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1.
[30] Matthew
12:1; see also Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1.
[31] Matthew
12:2; see also Mark 2:24; Luke 6:2.
[32] Matthew
12:2; see also Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 23:12; Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
[33] E.g.,
see Mark 7:3.
[34] Matthew
12:2, 10; see also Mark 2:24; Luke 6:2.
[35]
See Matthew 12:1-8.
[36] See
Deuteronomy 23:24-25.
[37] Matthew
12:3-4; see also Exodus 25:30; Exodus 29:32; Leviticus 24:5-9; 1 Samuel 21:6.
[38] Matthew
12:5; see also Numbers 28:9-10; 1 Chronicles 9:32; John 7:22-23.
[39] See
Matthew 12:6, 41-42.
[40] See
Matthew 12:8.
[41]
E.g., see Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9.
[42]
E.g., see Matthew 11:28-29; Acts 10:36; Romans 5:1-5.
[43]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[44]
E.g., see Luke 6:5.
[45]
E.g., see Mark 2:10, 28; Mark 8:31.
[46]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[47]
See Acts 7:55-57.
[48]
E.g., see Isaiah 56:2; Jeremiah 50:40; Psalm 8:4; Psalm 80:17; Job 25:6.
[49]
E.g., see Ezekiel 2:1; Ezekiel 3:1, 3-4, 17, 25.
[50]
Mark 8:31; see also Mark 9:30-31; Mark 10:33.
[51]
See Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
[52]
E.g., see 2 Corinthians 5:21.
[53]
E.g., see John 17:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 John 5:18-19.
[54]
See Matthew 25:31-46.
[55]
Matthew 25:31; see also Matthew 16:27-28.
[56]
Matthew 25:32; see also Matthew 24:31.
[57] See
Matthew 12:9-10.
[58] See
Matthew 12:10.
[59] Matthew
12:10; e.g., see also Luke 11:53-54; Luke 20:20-26.
[60] John
9:16, 33; see also Luke 13:14; John 5:9-10.
[61]
Matthew 12:12; see also John 5:16-17.
[62]
E.g., see Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9.
[63] See
Exodus 23:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:1-4.
[64] Matthew
12:11; see also Luke 14:5.
[65] See
Matthew 12:11.
[66] Matthew
12:12; see also Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:31.
[67] See
Matthew 12:13.
[68] See
Matthew 12:13.
[69] Matthew
12:14; e.g., see also Matthew 26:4; Mark 3:6; John 5:18; John 7:1, 19; John
11:53.
[70] Matthew
12:14; see also Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17; Romans 13:9.
[71]
E.g., see John 7:19, 25; John 8:37, 40, 44.
[72]
E.g., see Mark 1:23.
[73]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[74] Matthew
12:15; see also Mark 3:7; John 10:39.
[75]
E.g., see John 7:1.
[76]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[77]
E.g., see John 8:37
[78]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[79]
E.g., see Matthew 21:10-11; Mark 1:21-22, 27-28.
[80] E.g.,
see Matthew 1:21; John 3:15-18, 36.
[81] Matthew
12:15; see also Matthew 4:23; Matthew 19:2; Mark 3:7.
[82]
E.g., see Matthew 9:35-38.
[83]
E.g., see Lamentations 3:22-25; Psalm 107:7-9; Matthew 14:14.
[84] Matthew
12:12; see also John 5:16-17.
[85]
E.g., see Matthew 5:7, 13-16; Matthew 25:34-36; Luke 6:36.
[86] Matthew
12:7; see also Matthew 9:13.
[87] See
Matthew 12:7
[88]
E.g., see Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Psalm 145:1; Matthew 22:37.
[89] E.g.,
see Isaiah 1:10-20; Isaiah 66:3; Jeremiah 4:4; Jeremiah 6:20; Jeremiah 7:22-23;
Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21; Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 5:23-26; Matthew 22:34-40; Luke
6:31; Luke 11:39-42; Galatians 5:22-26.
[90] E.g.,
see Matthew 7:12; Matthew 22:40; Luke 10:25-28; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14.
[91]
E.g., see Psalm 2:6; Psalm 5:2; Psalm 24:7; Matthew 6:4, 8, 18.
[92]
E.g., see Exodus 34:5-7; Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:15; Psalm
103:8; Psalm 108:4; Joel 2:13.
[93]
E.g., see Psalm 145:8-13; Psalm 107:7-9; Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-23.
[94] E.g.,
see Matthew 25:31.
[95] E.g.,
Matthew 21:31; Matthew 25:32-40; Hebrews 13:1-3.
[96] E.g.,
see Matthew 4:17; Matthew 11:11-12; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:18-30; Luke 13:24-30; Luke
14:12-14; John 10:7-10; John 14:6-7.
[97] E.g.,
see Luke 15:1-7.
[98] E.g.,
see Matthew 9:10-13; Matthew 11:18-19; Luke 5:29-31; Luke 7:39; Luke 19:7.
[99] Matthew
12:18; see also Acts 3:13; Acts 4:27, 30.
[100]
Matthew 12:18; see also Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 17:5; John 20:30-31.
[101]
Matthew 12:18; see also Isaiah 11:1-2; Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18; John 3:34;
Acts 10:38.
[102]
Matthew 12:19; see also Isaiah 42:2.
[103]
Matthew 12:20; see also Isaiah 42:3.
[104]
Matthew 12:21; see also Romans 15:12.
[105]
See Matthew 12:22-32.
[106]
Matthew 12:22; see also Matthew 9:32-34; Luke 11:14-15.
[107]
Matthew 12:23; see also 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1; 16-17; Matthew 9:27;
Matthew 21:9; John 4:29; John 7:26-31; Romans 1:3-4.
[108]
Matthew 12:24; see also Matthew 9:34; Matthew 10:25; Mark 3:22.
[109]
see Matthew 12:24, King James Version.
[110]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[111]
Ibid.
[112]
Ibid.
[113]
E.g., John 10:10.
[114]
E.g., see Genesis 3:1-4; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 John 3:8, 12, 15; Revelation 12:9.
[115]
E.g., 1 John 3:8-10.
[116]
E.g., see Matthew 13:18-19; John 8:44-47.
[117]
E.g., see Ephesians 6:12.
[118]
See Matthew 12:25.
[119]
See Matthew 12:25.
[120]
See Matthew 12:26.
[121]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[122]
See Matthew 12:27.
[123]
Matthew 12:28; see also Matthew 12:18; Luke 17:20-21.
[124]
Daniel 2:44-45; see also Psalm 145:12-13; Daniel 4:3, 34; Daniel 6:26.
[125]
Ibid.
[126]
Daniel 7:13-14, 27; see also Isaiah 9:6-7; Ezekiel 37:25; Matthew 1:1, 16-17; Matthew
3:2; Luke 1:30-33; John 18:36-37.
[127]
E.g., see Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 21:1.
[128]
E.g., see Ephesians 2:1-3.
[129]
See Matthew 12:29.
[130]
E.g., see Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13; John 12:30-33.
[131]
E.g., see John 8:32.
[132]
E.g., see Matthew 11:12; Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28.
[133]
E.g., see Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13.
[134]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[135]
Ibid.
[136]
E.g., see Mark 3:11; Mark 5:5-7; Mark 9:26.
[137]
E.g., see Mark 1:23-27;
[138]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[139]
E.g., see Mark 1:24; Mark 3:11; Luke 4:41.
[140]
Melton, Summer 2018.
[141]
Ibid.
[142]
E.g., see Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-8.
[143]
E.g., see Numbers 25:1-9; Joshua 22:17; Psalm 38:3; Psalm 107:17;
[144]
E.g., see Matthew 4:23-25; Matthew 12:15; Mark 2:17; John 9:1-3.
[145]
E.g., see Matthew 17:14-19, 22-23; Mark 9:14-28; Luke 9:37-45.
[146]
E.g., see Mark 1:14-15, 32-34.
[147]
E.g., see Luke 4:18.
[148]
Matthew 7:15; Matthew 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22-23; see also e.g., Deuteronomy
13:1-3; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1.
[149]
Matthew 12:33; see also Matthew 7:15-16, 20; Romans 1:28-32; Galatians 5:19-21;
James 3:12.
[150]
Matthew 12:33, 35; see also Matthew 7:17-18; Luke 6:43-45; James 2:18.
[151]
Matthew 12:34; see also Matthew 15:17-20; Luke 6:45.
[152]
E.g., see1 Samuel 24:13; Matthew 15:19.
[153]
Matthew 12:35; see also Matthew 7:20; Ephesians 4:29.
[154]
E.g., see Matthew 3:10; Matthew 7:19; Luke 3:9; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:2, 6; Revelation
20:7-10.
[155]
E.g., see Matthew 21:43.
[156]
Matthew 12:36; see also e.g., Romans 14:12; 1 Peter 4:5.
[157]
E.g., see Ecclesiastes 3:17; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Acts 17:31.
[158]
Matthew 12:37; see also Matthew 5:22.
[159]
Matthew 12:37; see also Proverbs 18:21
[160]
Matthew 12:38; e.g., see also Matthew 16:1, 4; Mark 8:11-12; Luke 11:16.
[161]
See Matthew 12:39-40.
[162]
Matthew 12:41; see also Jonah 3:3-10; Matthew 11:20-24.
[163]
See Matthew 12:6, 41.
[164]
See Matthew 12:42.
[165]
Matthew 12:42; see also 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1.
[166]
Matthew 12:46-40; see also Matthew 13:55-56.
[167]
Matthew 12:50; see also John 12:50; John 15:14; Hebrews 2:11.
[168]
E.g., see Matthew 7:21; Matthew 25:31-40; Romans 2:13; James 1:22; 1 John 2:17;
1 John 3:7.
[169]
E.g., see Psalm 5:4-6; Psalm 6:8; Matthew 7:22-23; Matthew 13:41-42; Matthew
25:41-46; Luke 13:27.
[170]
E.g., see 1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7; Hebrews
13:4-5; Revelation 9:21.
[171]
E.g., see Revelation 21:8, 27; Revelation 22:14-15.
[172]
E.g., see John 8:34-34-44-47; Ephesians 2:2.
[173]
E.g., see 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11.
[174]
E.g., see Matthew 3:2, 8-9, 11-12; Matthew 4:17.
[175]
Matthew 7:13-14; see also Psalm 16:11; Luke 13:23-24; John 10:6-9; John 14:6.
[176]
E.g., see Ephesian 2:18; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrew 4:14-16
[177]
See Matthew 7:13.
[178]
E.g., see John 1:4; John 3:15-16.
