AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN JESUS HAD MADE AN END OF COMMANDING' HIS TWELVE DISCIPLES, HE DEPARTED THENCE TO TEACH AND TO PREACH IN THEIR CITIES. The Lord had commissioned the twelve apostles, giving them complete instructions as to every part of their ministry. But while they were engaged in this im... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN JOHN HAD HEARD IN THE PRISON THE WORKS OF CHRIST, HE SENT TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES,... [ Continue Reading ]
John's second attempt to lead his disciples to Christ:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU HE THAT SHOULD COME, OR DO WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER? When John, in his capacity as herald of Christ, had pointed Him out to his disciples the first time, two of those that heard him speak, followed Jesus, John 1:37. Upon a later occasion, John again bore witness of Christ, Joh... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, GO AND SHOW JOHN AGAIN THOSE THING'S WHICH YE DO HEAR AND SEE:... [ Continue Reading ]
The reply of Jesus:... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT, AND THE LAME WALK, THE LEPERS ARE CLEANSED, AND THE DEAF HEAR, THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP, AND THE POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BLESSED IS HE WHOSOEVER SHALL NOT BE OFFENDED IN ME. Jesus shows a tactful kindness in dealing with the questioners: No sharp rebuke for their tardiness in acknowledging Him, no dogmatic reply to cause resentment. He appeals to their and their master's knowledge of the Old Testament prophecy con... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS THEY DEPARTED, JESUS BEGAN TO SAY UNTO THE MULTITUDES CONCERNING JOHN, WHAT WENT YE OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO SEE? A REED SHAKEN WITH THE WIND?... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRIST'S TESTIMONY CONCERNING JOHN.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHAT WENT YE OUT FOR TO SEE? A MAN CLOTHED IN SOFT RAIMENT? BEHOLD, THEY THAT WEAR SOFT CLOTHING ARE IN KINGS' HOUSES.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHAT WENT YE OUT FOR TO SEE? A PROPHET? YEA, I SAY UNTO YOU, AND MORE THAN A PROPHET.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS IS HE OF WHOM IT IS WRITTEN, BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER BEFORE THY FACE, WHICH SHALL PREPARE THY WAY BEFORE THEE. The purpose of this instruction was not to restore the authority of John the Baptist, which he himself is supposed to have endangered by his embassy to Christ, but to convince... [ Continue Reading ]
The application of these truths: Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. In solemn terms Christ gives His own valuation of the worth of John the Bapti... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERETH VIOLENCE, AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE.... [ Continue Reading ]
The conclusion:... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR ALL THE PROPHETS AND THE LAW PROPHESIED UNTIL JOHN.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF YE WILL RECEIVE IT, THIS IS ELIAS WHICH WAS FOR TO COME.... [ Continue Reading ]
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Since the time that John preached his message of preparation, it is possible to get possession of the kingdom of heaven; yea, and the violent actually take hold of it with a stormy hand, with a sure grip. The whole movement was a convincing argument for the e... [ Continue Reading ]
An earnest censure for the Jews:... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEREUNTO SHALL I LIKEN THIS GENERATION? IT IS LIKE UNTO CHILDREN SITTING IN THE MARKETS AND CALLING UNTO THEIR FELLOWS,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAYING, WE HAVE PIPED UNTO YOU, AND YE HAVE NOT DANCED; WE HAVE MOURNED UNTO YOU, AND YE HAVE NOT LAMENTED. With whom shall I compare this race, especially the Pharisees and those people that follow their leadership, that permit themselves to be influenced by their mode of thinking? Jesus point... [ Continue Reading ]
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.... [ Continue Reading ]
The direct application:... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF MAN CAME EATING AND DRINKING, AND THEY SAY, BEHOLD A MAN GLUTTONOUS, AND A WINE-BIBBER, A FRIEND OF PUBLICANS AND SINNERS. BUT WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED OF HER CHILDREN. The proof for the accusation of childishness. When John the Baptist led an austere life, not eating nor drinking, confining h... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WOE UPON THE GALILEAN CITIES. Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not. The historical occasion upon which Jesus said these words is not known. He may have used the same words here, in connection with His censure of the Pharisees,... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO THEE, CHORAZIN! WOE UNTO THEE, BETHSAIDA! FOR IF THE MIGHTY WORKS WHICH WERE DONE IN YOU HAD BEEN DONE IN TYRE AND SIDON, THEY WOULD HAVE REPENTED LONG AGO IN SACKCLOTH AND ASHES.... [ Continue Reading ]
The curse upon Chorazin and Bethsaida:... [ Continue Reading ]
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgment than for you. It is not a mere personal opinion which Christ here utters, but a judgment which is fully equivalent to a curse. They had rejected Him and His Gospel, and so He is compelled to pronounce sentence u... [ Continue Reading ]
The curse upon Capernaum:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU, CAPERNAUM, WHICH ART EXALTED UNTO HEAVEN, SHALT BE BROUGHT DOWN TO HELL; FOR IF THE MIGHTY WORKS WHICH HAVE BEEN DONE IN THEE HAD BEEN DONE IN SODOM, IT WOULD HAVE REMAINED UNTIL THIS DAY.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT IT SHALL BE MORE TOLERABLE FOR THE LAND OF SODOM IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT THAN FOR THEE. Capernaum, the commercial metropolis of northern Palestine, had been signally marked and blessed by Christ in that He made His home there during the Galilean ministry, and had performed so... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT TIME JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, I THANK THEE, O FATHER, LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, BECAUSE THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT, AND HAST REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOSPEL CALL. A most devout prayer of thanksgiving:... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO, FATHER, FOR SO IT SEEMED GOOD IN THY SIGHT. The final purpose of the entire work of salvation, in all its various branches, is the glorification of God. These things, the mysteries of the kingdom of God, are hidden from those that are wise in their own conceit, that believe themselves to be... [ Continue Reading ]
A majestic assertion: ALL THINGS ARE DELIVERED UNTO ME OF MY FATHER: AND NO MAN KNOWETH THE SON BUT THE FATHER: NEITHER KNOWETH ANY MAN THE FATHER SAVE THE SON, AND HE TO WHOMSOEVER THE SON WILL REVEAL HIM. A most sweeping assertion: to Christ, according to His human nature, all things are given int... [ Continue Reading ]
COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.... [ Continue Reading ]
The gracious invitation:... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME; FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART: AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT. No mere man could have spoken these words, so full of heavenly majesty and divine comfort. Christ purposely makes use of many Old Testament phrases, but He applies them all to Himself, thus showing that all the types are realized and fulfilled in Him. Ful... [ Continue Reading ]