Matthew 1

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J

JLG

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Having in mind faithful men like Job, Daniel and Samuel and on the other side the troublesome kings of Israel and Judah, we can now explore the four Gospels to see what the differences and similarities between the people of the old and New Testaments.
So first we get the genealogy of Jesus: we notice king David, king Solomon, king Rehoboam, king Abijah, king Asa, king Jehoshaphat, king Jehoram, king Uzziah, king Jotham, king Ahaz, king Hezekiah, king Manasseh, king Amon and king Josiah.
So Jesus’ mother gets pregnant by holy spirit while promised in marriage to Joseph. Joseph wants to divorce secretly but God’s angel explains him and tells him about Jesus so he takes his wife home without having intercourse.
 
Matthew 2

Astrologers from the East want to see the king of the Jews who has just been born. They are told in Bethlehem of Judea. They have followed his star. Herod gets information from the astrologers to know the date of birth of the Christ and he asks them to come back and tell him where he is. So they find Mary and his son and give their gifts. They are told not to tell Herod through a vision so they take another way. So God’s angel appears to Joseph and tells him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the child. Joseph will stay there till the death of Herod. But Herod is angry because of the astrologers and he decides to kill all the children from two years of age and under. After the death of Herod God’s angel tells Joseph to go back to Israel. He finally goes to Galilee and he settles in Nazareth.
 
Matthew 3

Now john the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus. Many people go and meet him to be be baptized in the Jordan River and confessing their sins. Even Pharisees and Sadducees come to him to be baptized. He calls them “offspring of vipers”, it reminds me of the Old Testament. He tells them to produce fruit according to repentance instead of saying they are sons of Abraham. Yes, the Old Testament tells exactly what they did at the opposite of Abraham. He says that he baptizes with water but the one who is coming will baptize with holy spirit and fire. Then Jesus comes to be baptized by John the Baptist. Then the heavens open up and god’s spirit comes upon Jesus like a dove and a voice from the heavens says that Jesus is his son, his beloved that he has approved.
 
Matthew 4

Then Jesus is tempted by the Devil in the wilderness. After 40 days and nights, Jesus is hungry and the devil tells him to turn stones into loaves of bread. And Jesus answers him saying that man must not only lives on bread but on every word that comes from God. Then he takes Jesus on the battlement of the temple and he tells him to trow himself down and the angels will carry him on their hands but Jesus tells him that man must not put God to the test. Then he takes him to a very high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world and he offers him everything if Jesus worships him but he answers saying it is God man must worship and render sacred service. After that Jesus goes to Galilee, he leaves Nazareth to Capernaum. And Jesus begins preaching and telling the people to repent. Walking by the seaside, he tells Simon (Peter) and Andrew to follow him and later James and John. In Galilee, Jesus teaches in synagogues and preaches the good news of the kingdom and cures people. And many people come to be cured.
 
Matthew 5

Jesus goes to the mountain and starts teaching and tell people about the importance to be conscious of their spiritual need and of being mild-tempered and looking for righteousness and being pure of heart and becoming a light. So we need to be active and follow Jesus’ example. He comes to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. It is necessary to be far more righteous than the Scribes or the Pharisees to enter God’s kingdom. It means we need to strive. Jesus does not only about doing something wrong but about thinking of something wrong. Thus, it reminds me of Job making sacrifices for his children in case they would sin against God in their hearts. Once again it shows how Job is a special one regarding faithfulness compared to the majority of unfaithfulness among the Israelites. He also says that the only way to divorce is connected to sexual immorality. We must not swear and keep our promises. We must love our enemies. Well, in our modern world, it seems complicated to think about people we are not connected and taking into account the fact there is a lot of wickedness. But why not being polite and helpful whenever it is possible. Many things to think about especially in a world which is completely upside down and with bad examples everywhere. And questions! But whatever may happen we need to read and think and tell about God’s word!
 
Matthew 6

Righteousness is between you and God not in front of other people not like the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets. Do the same when you pray, it’s between you and God and do not repeat the same things again and again. Or is God an old man who is deaf? Sometimes we may wonder if man has a brain. Or maybe when we are used to doing what we are being told without thinking like watching TV passively, habit takes place like a ritual or vice versa but then are we still alive or do we still believe? We must store treasures in heaven not on the earth. We must not be envious. We can’t serve at the same time God and Riches. We mustn’t be anxious about our lives. We must keep searching God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Everything is a question of choice and makingb the right choice!
 
Matthew 7

We must stop judging, we must keep on asking and keep on seeking, we must do to men what we want them to do to us. We mustn’t forget that the road leading to destruction is spacious and many take it, that’s what we see by reading both Testaments. We must be careful of the false prophets. Every good tree produces fine fruit. Not all those who call for Jesus will enter the Kingdom of the heavens but those who do God’s will. Many will say coming from Jesus and doing actions in his name but he will tell them go away. Thus we must be careful to what Jesus say and act accordingly. We must build our house on the rock. A lot to think and not always easy to do for men.
 
Matthew 8

As usual many people follow Jesus and a leper comes and asks Jesus to cure him. And Jesus tells him no to tell anybody except a priest and offer the gift corresponding for the cleansing. In Capernaum he is asked by an army officer to cure his servant. Jesus tells him he will do him when he comes but the man says he is not worthy to have him in his house and Jesus is astonished about his faith. And he says that many people who are not Israelites will inherit God’s kingdom but many Israelites won’t because of what they do. So Jesus cures the man’s servant. Then he cures peter’s mother-in-law and he cures many people. And when some want to follow him he tells them it’s now or he warns them he has nothing with him. Then he and his disciples go into a boat and a storm starts while Jesus sleeps. When his disciples wakes him up he calms the storm down and they are astonished. Then he meets two possessed men among tombs who call him Son of God and they ask Jesus to send them into a herd of swine and they rush over a precipice. So the herders go to the city and tell everybody so the inhabitants tell Jesus to go away.
 
Matthew 9

A paralyzed man is brought to Jesus and he cures him seeing the faith of the people who have brought him. First he forgives the man’s sins and then he cures them knowing the scribes’ thoughts. And people are afraid and glorify God. Then he tells Matthew a tax collector to follow him. Then while eating in his house with tax collectors and sinners, Pharisees argue with him because he eats with such people but Jesus tells them that those who are ill need a physician. Then Job’s disciples ask Jesus why his disciples don’t practice fasting as they and the pharisees do. So he tells them that they will do it when he won’t be with them anymore. A ruler comes and asks Jesus to save his daughter. Then a woman who has suffered a flow of blood for 12 years touches him and gets cured. Jesus feels it and asks who touches him. Then he gets into the ruler’s house and Jesus says that the little girl is not dead but sleeps so people laugh at him. Then he resurrects the girl and the news spreads. After that he cures two blind men. And he cures a possessed man who then starts to speak. And people are amazed but the Pharisees say that he expels demon thanks to the devil. And Jesus goes from synagogue to synagogue teaching and curing people. And he says the harvest is great but there are few workers.
 
Matthew 10

Jesus gives authority to his disciples so they can cure people and expel demons. They must stay in Judah and preach to the Jews. They mustn’t get money or anything. They must bless people when people receive them. They are sheep among wolves. They must be careful because they will be brought to courts and before governors and kings for Jesus’ sake. But the Holy spirit will help them speak in front of people. They must be ready to die and being persecuted. He tells them not to fear. Jesus tells them he has come to bring war and division.
 
Matthew 11

Jesus sends his disciples to teach and preach. In jail, John sends his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he is the Christ and Jesus tells them to report to john what they hear and see, people being cured and the poor being told the good news. Then Jesus tells the crowds that John the Baptist is far more than a prophet and he prepared the way for the coming of Jesus. He speaks about how people speak badly about both John and him. Then he speaks about the cities where people didn’t repent in spite of all his powerful works. God’s word is for those who are like young children and not for the wise or intellectual and God transmits his word through his Son Jesus Christ.
 
Matthew 12

On the Sabbath Jesus’ disciples are hungry so they eat grain in the grainfields and the Pharisees argue with Jesus about that. And Jesus tells them about David being hungry and eating loaves of bread reserved for the priests and about the priests in the temple who violate the Sabbath and are guiltless. And he continues saying that he is greater than the temple for the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath. After that he cures a man with a withered hand and the Pharisees argue again with him so Jesus tells about a shepherd saving one of his sheep during the Sabbath. So they conspire against him to kill him. So Jesus goes away followed by the crowds and he cures many. And he also cures a possessed man who is speechless and the people are astounded. But the Pharisees says that he expels demons thanks to the devil. And Jesus says that a kingdom divided will not stand. And he adds the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. And he calls them offspring of vipers. And they ask for a sign from him but he tells them they will only be given the sign of Jonah the prophet as Jesus will die and rise three days later. Then his mother and brothers come to speak to him but he says that all those who does the will of his Father are his mother and his brothers.
 
Matthew 13

Jesus is by the seaside and he has to go aboard a boat because there are too many people. Then he teaches them using illustrations. The first one is about a sower who sow seeds. Some are eaten up, some withered because they have no root, others are choked by thorns and those which fall on the fine soil yield some or a lot of fruit. Then Jesus’ disciples ask Jesus why he speaks to the crowds using illustrations so he answers them that his disciples are told the secrets of god’s Kingdom but not the crowds. But if they really wanted to understand they could as the pharisees perfectly understood when Jesus was speaking about them even through illustrations. But on many occasions Jesus’ disciples had to ask Jesus the meaning of his illustrations. It’s the same for the Israelites: they were told everything but they didn’t care. When you don’t practice regularly you start forgetting. When you practice regularly it gets every time clearer. It’s the same when we read and listen to the Bible. If we don’t do it regularly or by habit we miss it. The Israelites were supposed to teach their children God’s Word daily so God’s seed go grow and grow. How is it possible to really believe in God and not teach one’s own children? Is it not like not educating one’s own children and then behaving badly? Of course doing his best to educate one’s own children does not mean that they won’t act badly! We just have to remember Samuel’s sons who became priests and acted badly. Moreover, Samuel was raised in the temple and he could see the misconduct of Eli’s sons and he became the high priest. But Jesus also gives the answer using an expression like unreceptive heart (G3975) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3975/kjv/tr/0-1/
(wax gross, make stupid, render the soul dull or callous); In fact, people don’t want to see or hear. It’s always a question of free will. Do we really want to see and listen or do we prefer not? It’s like being at the edge of a cliff, if there is more wind we can fall but if there is no wind we can stay alive. It’s like risking our lives, we can stay alive or die. Then Jesus explains in details the illustration of the sower to his disciples. Then the second illustration is about the Kingdom of the heavens: it is represented by a man who sows and his enemy comes and sows weeds. Then both seeds and weeds grow and the sower prefers to let both grow till the harvest. Then it will be easier to separate them. The third illustration is quite similar. It also tells about the Kingdom of the heavens: a man plants a mustard grain, it is the tiniest of all the seeds but when it grows it becomes the largest of the vegetable plants. The fourth illustration is similar: it compares the Kingdom of the heavens to leaven mixed with flour by a woman. Then the whole mass ferments. Then Jesus says his disciples that the harvest is a conclusion of a system of things and the reapers are the angels. And they will separate the people who practice lawlessness ans the righteous ones. Then he compares the Kingdom of the heavens to a treasure hidden in a field that a man finds and hides and buys everything and buys the field or a traveling merchant seeking fine pearls who finds a pearl of high value and he sells everything he has and buys it or a dragnet let down into the sea and gathering fish of every kind and hauled it up onto the beach and the fine fish are collected and the unsuitable ones are thrown away. Then Jesus goes to his home territory and teaches in a synagogue and people are astounded because they know he is the carpenter’s and Mary’s son and they know his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas and his sisters. So Jesus doesn’t perform many powerful works because of their lack of faith.
 
Matthew 14

Herod thinks Jesus is John the Baptist who is raised up from the dead. He imprisoned him because he said the truth about his relationship with Herodias the wife of his brother. And Matthew tells all the story about John’s death. Knowing about John’s death, Jesus wants to stay alone but a big crowd finds him so he cures many people and finally decides to feed them by multiplying bread and fish. They are 5,000 people. Then he sends his disciples to the opposite shore and he goes to the mountain to pray. Then a storm occurs when the disciples are in the middle of the sea and the wind is too strong. All at once they see Jesus walking on the sea but they think it is an apparition so Peter asks Jesus to make him walk on the sea to come to him. But peter becomes afraid and he starts to sink and asks Jesus for help. And Jesus tells the storm to calm down and Jesus and peter go back to the boat safe. After that Jesus cures more people.
 
Matthew 15

Pharisees and scribes ask Jesus why his disciples don’t wash their hands properly including their arms before eating. So he asks them why they overstep God’s commandment because of their tradition. There is always a difference between what men want and what god wants that is men usually prefer to act according to their will. And the Israelites are a “good example” because they said one thing and they did the contrary straight away and they got into trouble. Let’s remember what happened when Moses was on Mount Sinai. The Israelites asked Aaron to make them a golden calf as a god and God wanted to annihilate them and make a nation from Moses! What a “chosen” people? It is a shame! We have the Bible in front of us and humankind doesn’t listen and has never listened, I would say mostly. And this world gets into trouble and it is each time worse and we get accustomed to it, it is crazy. What a crazy word, to stay polite!
 
And he gives the examples of the commandment to honor one ‘s father and mother and putting to death those who speak abusively of their parents. They say that what they have that could benefit them is a gift to God and they twist God’s truth finding a way not to obey him. He calls them hypocrites and he quotes Isaiah speaking of the Jews as people who honor God with their lips when their hearts are far removed from him. And they teach commands of men as doctrines. We just have to open our eyes and ears but it is a continuous flow! And he calls them blind guides! Poor world! As usual Jesus has to explain carefully what he says to his disciples because they don’t understand anything! We need to speak with our heart! And a foreign woman asks Jesus to cure his possessed daughter but Jesus doesn’t listen to him
 
But she keeps crying so his disciples tells him to send her away but he says he was sent to the house of Israel. So Jesus tells her it is not right to to take the bread of the children and throw it to the little dogs. And she answers saying that the little dogs eat the crumbs falling from the table of their masters. So because of her faith he cures her daughter. Then Jesus goes by the sea of Galilee and starts to cure people. But the people (4,000) are hungry so he multiplies the loaves of bread and fish.
 
Matthew 16

Some Pharisees and Sadducees want to see signs from Jesus. But he doesn’t want to make any miracle in front of them. He will only die and be resurrected. The disciples didn’t take bread with bread and Jesus tells them to be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They think there is a connection but there isn’t. And he reminds them of the two situations where he multiplied bread. Then they understand that he speaks about their teaching. And they recognize that he is the Christ and the Son of the living God. Then he tells Peter he will give him the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens. Then he explain to them that he will suffer and die because of the elders and the Pharisees and the scribes and be resurrected the third day. But Peter says it is not going to happen and Jesus opposes him. Then he tells them they must be ready to suffer and die if they want to follow him.
 
As usual it is difficult for Jesus’ disciples to understand him and they will start to understand him after his death when all the pieces of the puzzle will be put together. Usually it is necessary for people to live a situation to understand it. That’s why getting into troubles helps going ahead and gaining maturity. It’s true for youngsters and it’s true for adults and even for older people.
 
Matthew 17

Jesus goes to a mountain with Peter and James and John. His face and his clothes start shining and Moses and Elijah talk with him. So Peter proposes to erect tents and a voice from a cloud says that Jesus is my son and the beloved whom I have approved. After that he tells his disciples he is going to suffer. Then a man asks Jesus for curing his son who is epileptic because his disciples can’t cure him. And Jesus speaks about their lack of faith and he cures him. Later he tells his disciples he is going to be betrayed and killed and be raised up three days later. Then the tax collectors ask Jesus to pay the tax so he tells Simon to go and catch a fish with a silver coin in it.
 
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