Insights into Matthew Chapters 8-10 Between newsletters showing the prophetic significance of current events and other Biblical perspectives of interest, we proceed through the scriptures a book at a time. This month we are covering Matthew. We learned that Matthew opens with a genealogy tracing Jesus’ lineage to Abraham and David, underscoring His legal right to the throne of Israel. Jesus reveals the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven and calls for repentance, faith, and obedience. Matthew closes with Jesus giving us the Great Commission to preach the Gospel to the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. As we continue thought up the book of Matthew, please reference those Chapters in your Bible covered as this email will not repeat the text but add the context and historical setting and other significant meanings of the passages. It is highly recommended that you follow along with the most accurate Greek to English extraction today, The Pure Word, but please feel free to use your preferred version of the Scriptures as well. For those that have missed the first few chapters, you can find them here: Chapters 1-3, Chapters 4-5, Chapters 6-7 Matthew Chapter 8 v. 1-4: After coming down from the mountain Jesus explains what the kingdom of God is like. Leprosy had no treatment in the days of Jesus and therefore anyone who had it was ostracized from society. A leper came to Jesus asking to be cleansed and Jesus touched him and healed him. We should not presume that God wishes to heal everyone so we should always say that “His will be done”. Even in the law of Moses, there is a provision for the healing of a disease that can’t be cured for just this moment. (the leper was “outside of society”) v. 5-13: A centurion with faith in Jesus asked that his servant be healed and for Jesus to only speak the words. Jesus then predicts that many Gentiles (east and the west) will be in the kingdom of heaven. Those with authority also are under authority, even the authority of God. (the centurion was “outside of the Jewish people”) v. 14-17: Jesus’ third miracle was to heal Peter’s wife’s mother from a fever. Jesus then healed all that were brought to Him including casting out evil spirits for the prophecy of Isaiah to be fulfilled. Matthew shows us that Jesus provides us not only spiritual healing but physical healing. v. 18-22: If you intend to follow Christ you better first count the cost of discipleship. You must leave everything and follow Him and put Christ first above all things. (The excuse the man requested, to bury his father first, was to let us know that we are not to procrastinate but start following Christ immediately.) v. 23-27: Jesus showed his mastery over the elements by calming the winds and waves. There is nothing that is outside of God’s authority and we need to understand and realize that He controls everything. v. 28-34: Archeologist discovered the city where the two men possessed with many devils lived in the cliffs. When they met Jesus, they knew He was the Son of God. They know that their time of judgment is coming, and they were afraid of Jesus to judge them early. Raising swine was an illegal occupation in Israel but that was being done on the East side of the Sea of Galilee. The devils went into the swine that ran over the cliff, falling into the Sea and drowned. [There are demons that can possess human bodies, and the disciples had power to cast out demons. Jesus says that if a demon is cast out it will seek another body to inhabit and if they can’t find one, they may return to the one they came out of and bring others with them.] After the demons were cast out, the city begged Jesus to leave them because He affected their pork business, and they didn’t care about the well-being of the two healed men. Matthew Chapter 9 v. 1-8: After returning to Capernaum, Jesus forgave a man with palsy of his sins and then healed him of his palsy. This was done for a sign to those that saw that Christ had power to forgive men of their sins signifying that He Himself was God. Being forgiven for your sins is the most precious gift possible beyond any healing of your physical condition. The multitude saw it and glorified God. Always let your works glorify God – and not yourself. Nothing should bring glory to yourself. v. 9-13: Jesus chooses Matthew, a tax collector, to be His disciple. In their culture, eating with someone was to become one with that person. The religious rulers didn’t like to see Jesus eating with “publicans and sinners”. [Jesus would rather show mercy than sacrifice. Jesus is not called for the righteous but sinners to repentance.] v. 14-17: Jesus explains that when the bridegroom is not with them, they can fast but as long as the bridegroom is with them, they shouldn’t morn but be with the bridegroom. Since Jesus came, the religious system can’t be reformed to include His teachings. As the religious system formed around the Old Testament was setup by the Scribes and Pharisees (old skins), they can’t be reformed so Jesus replaced it with the New Testament (new skins). [Historically, new revivals usually don’t happen within a denomination, but a new denomination is created instead.] v. 18-26: Jesus is approached by a ruler with such faith that he asks Jesus to raise his daughter from the dead. Upon His way to the ruler’s home, a woman touches Jesus’ garment believing that if she only touched it, she would be healed of her 12-year beading disorder. She determined in her mind to touch and when she did, her faith healed her. There is power in the touching of elders and saints in praying for others in faith as God leads us to do. When they reached the rulers’ house, there were pipers and a multitude of people making “noise’. [In some pagan lands sometimes, they play music at funerals to drive the evil spirits aside.] Jesus tells them to leave the dead girl, and Jesus raised her from the dead. v. 27-31: Jesus was met by two blind men who had faith that Jesus could restore their sight. He did so and told them not to tell anyone, but they did anyway. One of the prophecies indicated that the Messiah would restore sight to the blind, again identifying Him as the Messiah. v. 32-38: Jesus cast out a demon from a dumb man and the man started speaking. The Pharisees blasphemed the Holy Ghost by saying that the power to cast out these devils was through Satan. The unpardonable sin is to deny the Holy Ghost. Jesus taught in all the cities and villages He came teaching their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing the sick. Jesus tells us that the harvest (those that need saved) is plenteous but the laborers (those that will spread the word) are few. Jesus is telling us that we need to be His laborers and go into the field to spread the Gospel for Him. Matthew Chapter 10 v. 1-15: Jesus gave his twelve disciples the power to heal the sick and power against unclean spirits. Jesus said to His disciples in the last verse of chapter 9 to pray that the Lord send out laborers. In the first part of this chapter, He sends them out. Prayer is also used to prepare your heart to know and accept what you must do. Prayer doesn’t change God but changes you to the awareness of God wants for your life. Jesus calls them apostles now because they are being “Sent”. Apostle means one who has been sent. The word then lists the names of each of the apostles. Mathew was considered previously as one who perhaps “sold out” to the enemy because he was a tax collector whereas Simon the Zealot (Canaanite) was an extreme patriot who valued freedom more than life. The apostles are just ordinary people that Christ used. It was important in God’s plan that the gospel went first to the Jew, then the surrounding Greeks, then finally all the world. Jesus was first restricting their ministry only to the Jews, not even to the Samarians. Jesus told them to preach “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. The kingdom of heaven is among us and as a citizen of the kingdom; there are benefits available to us. As citizens of the kingdom of Light, we have been delivered from the power of darkness, and we are to bring deliverance to those to whom we are sent and who will hear the message and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord. There are two basic kingdoms in the universe: the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. When Adam & Eve sinned, they joined the kingdom of death and darkness along with all the world. You can choose through faith in following Jesus Christ as Lord to be in the kingdom of Light. You can now have fellowship with God and have deliverance from the power of Satan. We have the choice to choose which kingdom we will join. We are born into the kingdom of darkness, but we can choose to believe and receive Jesus Christ’s free gift of salvation and serve Him and be adopted into His family. Jesus tells His apostles “freely have you have received, freely give”. They are to be led by God and not take provisions with them. If people don’t receive you then leave and continue on your way. [It’s not your mission to convince them of God’s gift of salvation and force them but to deliver the message and then move on to deliver the message to others.] v. 16-39: Jesus tells us what to expect when we follow Him and spread His message. We are to be as wise as serpents but harmless as doves. We will be persecuted by the world and rejected. Do not plan on what you will say or do but let the Holy Ghost provide your direction and speech. “He that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved”. (Matt 24:13). Since the disciple is not above His master you will be persecuted as He was. Fear Him that can destroy the soul and body in Hell (fear God) and do not fear man as they can only kill your body. God loves us so much He knows us intimately and even knows how many hairs we have on our heads. He takes care of His entire creation. If God takes care of even the sparrows, how much more does He take care of us? We are to confess Jesus before men and never deny Him before men and Jesus will present us before the Father. If we deny Jesus before men than Christ will deny us before the Father. Jesus came to the world to bring division in the world, between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. Our love for Christ must be more important than all others in the world, including our family, spouse and children. We are to follow Christ exclusively above our own desires and not try to live our own lives as we wish but give our daily life to Christ. v. 40-42: We are to do all things for the Lord, and we will be rewarded by the Lord for our works He does through us. Even providing water to drink to a child by Christ’s will, we will be rewarded by the Father. Do you Want to Know God More? We Must Read His Word. I would strongly suggest that every Christian obtain a copy of The Pure Word and use it alongside your favorite Bible version to see the original meanings and open your eyes like never before. It is not a translation but a Pure extraction or substitution from Greek into English using the original meaning of each root word as closely as possible as it existed at the time of Jesus Christ and the Apostles Watch the official intro video now and see exactly how The Pure Word is an invaluable resource that should be used by every Christian, pastor, and Bible study group. Experience the gospel as they did in the first century, during the time of Christ, the Apostles, and the birth of the Church! Click Here for just a few of the thousands of reviews of The Pure Word. Revealing the Original Depth of Meaning as Written by the Apostles Over 1,900 Years Ago! | 
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