THE DEMAND FOR A SIGN THE PHARISEES ALSO, WITH THE SADDUCEES, CAME, AND TEMPTING, DESIRED HIM THAT HE WOULD SHOW THEM A SIGN FROM HEAVEN. Here is a combination showing how far unionistic tendencies may lead if the object is opposition to Christ: the Pharisees, legalists, with their unceasing harping... [ Continue Reading ]
HE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, WHEN IT IS EVENING, YE SAY, IT WILL BE FAIR WEATHER; FOR THE SKY IS RED.... [ Continue Reading ]
Christ's reply:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THE MORNING, IT WILL BE FOUL WEATHER TODAY; FOR THE SKY IS RED AND LOWERING. O YE HYPOCRITES, YE CAN DISCERN THE FACE OF THE SKY; BUT CAN YE NOT DISCERN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES? Christ was deeply grieved over their duplicity, since they made their request sound reasonable before the people, as... [ Continue Reading ]
The refusal: A WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION SEEKETH AFTER A SIGN, AND THERE SHALL NO SIGN BE GIVEN UNTO IT BUT THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAS. AND HE LEFT THEM AND DEPARTED. As in the previous case, Matthew 12:38, Christ does not mince matters. He calls them an evil and adulterous brood, one whos... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES. AND WHEN HIS DISCIPLES WERE COME TO THE OTHER SIDE, THEY HAD FORGOTTEN TO TAKE BREAD. The departure of Jesus after His encounter with the Pharisees and Sadducees was hurried. From the neighborhood of Dalmanutha, on the western shore of the sea, He crossed over to the ot... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JESUS SAID UNTO THEM, TAKE HEED AND BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND OF THE SADDUCEES.... [ Continue Reading ]
The warning and its understanding:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY REASONED AMONG THEMSELVES, SAYING, IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN NO BREAD. It was on the trip across the lake that Jesus spoke to them, Mark 8:14. They were worried on account of their neglect; the single loaf of bread in the boat was on their mind. The mention of leaven, therefore, was conne... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WHEN JESUS PERCEIVED, HE SAID UNTO THEM, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY REASON YE AMONG YOURSELVES BECAUSE YE HAVE BROUGHT NO BREAD?... [ Continue Reading ]
The reproof and explanation:... [ Continue Reading ]
DO YE NOT YET UNDERSTAND, NEITHER REMEMBER THE FIVE LOAVES OF THE FIVE THOUSAND, AND HOW MANY BASKETS YE TOOK UP?... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER THE SEVEN LOAVES OF THE FOUR THOUSAND, AND HOW MANY BASKETS YE TOOK UP?... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW IS IT THAT YE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT I SPEAK IT NOT TO YOU CONCERNING BREAD, THAT YE SHOULD BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND OF THE SADDUCEES?... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN UNDERSTOOD THEY HOW THAT HE BADE THEM NOT BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF BREAD, BUT OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE PHARISEES AND OF THE SADDUCEES. Jesus could not help but notice their lack of understanding. Even if their conversation was carried on in voices too low for Him to hear, He read what went on in t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JESUS CAME INTO THE COASTS OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES, SAYING, WHOM DO MEN SAY THAT I, THE SON OF MAN, AM?... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID, SOME SAY THAT THOU ART JOHN THE BAPTIST; SOME, ELIAS; AND OTHERS, JEREMIAS OR ONE OF THE PROPHETS. A second time Christ made an excursion northwards, to the very boundary of Palestine, into the territory of Herod Philip, who had practically rebuilt this city and made it his residence.... [ Continue Reading ]
The confession:... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAITH UNTO THEM, BUT WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM?... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SIMON PETER ANSWERED AND SAID, THOU ART THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, BLESSED ART THOU, SIMON BARJONA; FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAY ALSO UNTO THEE, THAT THOU ART PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT. Here was the time of decision, for a declaration of personal faith. "This was the decisive moment in which the separation of the New Testament Church from the... [ Continue Reading ]
A special distinction: AND I WILL GIVE UNTO THEE THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM, OF HEAVEN; AND WHATSOEVER THOU SHALT BIND ON EARTH SHALL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN; AND WHATSOEVER THOU SHALT LOOSE ON EARTH SHALL BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN. In recognition of his faith, as expressed in his confession, Christ confers on Pe... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRIST'S FIRST PROPHECY CONCERNING HIS PASSION. FROM THAT TIME FORTH BEGAN JESUS TO SHOW UNTO HIS DISCIPLES HOW THAT HE MUST GO UNTO JERUSALEM, AND SUFFER MANY THINGS OF THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED AGAIN THE THIRD DAY. The disciples had made a splendid conf... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter interferes:... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN PETER TOOK HIM, AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, SAYING, BE IT FAR FROM THEE, LORD; THIS SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE.... [ Continue Reading ]
But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan; thou art an offense unto Me; for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Peter, the impulsive, probably filled with a feeling of satisfaction on account of the high praise which the Lord had bestowed upon hi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JESUS UNTO HIS DISCIPLES IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME.... [ Continue Reading ]
Taking the cross:... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT; AND WHOSOEVER WILL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT. This is practically a repetition of Matthew 10:38. What Christ had stated there He found necessary to emphasize here once more. Denial of self, of all self-righteousness, of all selfishness, i... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHAT IS A MAN PROFITED IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL? OR WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?... [ Continue Reading ]
True gain:... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS; AND THEN HE SHALL REWARD EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS.... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THERE BE SOME STANDING HERE WHICH SHALL NOT TASTE OF DEATH TILL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN HIS KINGDOM. Christ places the other alternative before His disciples. Supposing it to be possible that a man, by constant, unceasing labor, should gain the whole world; but, if i... [ Continue Reading ]