Jesus and the Pharisees: from Matthew 15:1-6

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

This is our seventh study on this topic. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.

Matthew 15:1-6
Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Observations

The tradition of washing hands before meals is a good one, but it wasn’t commanded by God through Moses, so Jesus wasn’t that concerned about it. He was concerned more over why the Pharisees were teaching that it was okay not to honor father and mother for the sake of their tradition. The Pharisees were teaching that it was okay not to help your mother and father with a financial need, or with any other need, if you gave your time and money to God instead—because God is more important.

Applications

I see all kinds of applications here, especially if one’s parents are elderly and poor. We cannot use any excuse for not honoring parents by helping them with their needs, no matter what good thing we are doing for God. Honoring parents is always a greater priority. We should not say, I cannot help my parents with their needs because I need that money to go to Bible School. We cannot say I cannot honor my parents by supporting them because I support this missionary or this good work. Honoring one’s father and mother is the 5^th commandment and a high priority—an absolute must over any other good work.

Christ Judges the world at His Second Coming: The Sheep and Goats Judgment

Posted on March 9, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

Studying Bible Prophecy

Just after the seven years of tribulation are completed, Christ will come to the earth, to a place called Armageddon where all the armies of the worlds will come together for war. Here is how the book of Revelation describes what will happen.

Revelation 19:11-21

And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.

And from His mouth…

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Jesus and the Pharisees: from Matthew 12:38-41

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

This is our sixth study on this topic. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.

Matthew 12:38-41
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.”
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

Observations

In this text we see that the Pharisees wanted to see a sign from Jesus. They of course were already seeing miracles of healing, but they wanted something more spectacular. Evidently, they wanted more proof that He was who He said He was. They wanted a show. This reminds me of what the second end times beast will do, the one called “the false prophet.” In Revelation 13:13-15 it says that he will perform great signs, even make fire come down out of heaven; and he will “give breath to the image of the beast.” He will do these things obviously to win the people over and for an evil purpose.

Jesus knew their heart and would not give them what they wanted, because it would be evil and adulterous (a spiritual adultery, or idolatry). Instead, He gave them a sign from Scripture, the sign (or miracle) of the resurrection. This sign was given in the experience of Jonah: that “as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” This saying was a type of Christ’s interment and resurrection.

Applications

The message that Jesus gave the Pharisees was meant not just as a prophecy of His resurrection, but more as a rebuke for their wanting a sign. He rebuked the Pharisees (v. 14) by telling them that even the wicked people of Nineveh were better (more responsive to God) than they were because the people of Nineveh repented by the preaching of Jonah, but they refused to repent even though one greater than Jonah was there—Jesus Himself.

Moving Toward A Different America: More Transgenderism, Less Christianity

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

I was listening to a conversation between Newt Gingrich and Tucker Carlson today, and the question came up as to why Biden and the Democrats want to hurt America, because everything the Dems want will hurt this country in measurable ways. For instance, why are they letting in illegals without any health checks? Many of them would or have tested positive for covid-19; we know that. Newt Gingrich said that they want a different America, that they despise America the way it is. They want an America with more transgenderism and with less Christianity. They want a socialist America, not a capitalistic America.

It sounds to me that they want to spend lots of money on whatever they want, like more marijuana, etc. And it sure seems like America (and the World) is sinking into what it once was before the flood, when “every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). And with all the emphasis on the welcoming in of transgenders and the LGBTQ’s, America is becoming more like Sodom and Gomorrah, and like what we see in Romans 1, where God gives man over to his degrading passion or homosexuality, and how his mind becomes depraved. Yes, I see that before long, if America does not repent of its sins, we will collapse just as Rome did.

I also see from Bible prophecy, that the world will merge into globalism. That means that every country must give up its individualism. We are hearing now from the voices of the Great Reset and from Big Tech. Yes, they are now working toward a one world government and also toward a single religion for all. Then soon the Antichrist will come into view and all the tribulation that follows.

So, if this globalism is coming soon for the world, then we know why America is giving up its autonomy and its Christianity and its freedoms (I am speaking in the sense of following Bible prophecy).

However, lets pray that many will choose to repent of sins and follow Christ. The time is short and we wait expectantly for His coming.

Two Uses of Our Authority in Prayer

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

Prayer A to Z

This is an excerpt from my book Principles of Prayer.

1. Authority to pray for the lost. Since God desires all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4) He must also want us to pray for their salvation. Here are three things that God desires us to pray for the lost: (1) that their hostility or indifference for the gospel would be broken down and that God would grant them repentance (2 Tim. 2:25); (2) that the soil of their hearts would be prepared for the seed of the Word of God so that His Word would not return void, but would accomplish what He desires (Is. 55:11); and (3) that they may be liberated from the power of Satan—delivered out of darkness and into God’s marvelous light (2 Tim 2:26).

These are just a few things we could pray for the lost. I would encourage you to claim in…

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The Gathering of the Elect at the Second Coming of Christ

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

Studying Bible Prophecy

Just at the time that Christ comes to this earth to set up His kingdom, at the crucial time when all the nations of the earth are gathered together for war at a place called Armageddon (Rev. 16:16), He will gather together all the elect—all those who will be a part of the coming kingdom.

Matthew 24:29-31
But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, 30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a…

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Jesus and the Pharisees: from Matthew 12:13-14; 22-26

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

This is our fifth study on this topic. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.

Matthew 12:13-14; 22-25

13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Observations

First of all, in both cases by healing the men Jesus demonstrated His deity. Then in both cases The Pharisees had a negative reaction. In the first case they plotted to kill Him, and in the second case they contributed the healing to Beelzebub (Satan).

I’m not sure what is going on with the Pharisees, but I will take a guess. In both healings they were jealous of His power and deity; they didn’t want Him to be more powerful than they were. I think they also didn’t want their own sin and corruption to be revealed. So, they did whatever they could think of to make Him look bad. Notice in verse 24 they called Him, “this fellow.”

It is also possible that they could not recognize that Jesus was a good man, because of their own depravity. Hence their sin and corruption caused their thinking to be depraved and reversed, so that they saw good as evil and evil as good (Rom. 1:28; Isa. 5:20).

Applications

I did not include what Jesus did, but that is the application. In the first case when the Pharisees plotted to kill Him, Jesus simply withdrew from them and continued healing people (v. 15). Hence, the Pharisees threats did not deter Jesus’ mission.

In the next case, when the Pharisees said that He was casting out demons by Beelzebub (Satan), Jesus took that as an opportunity to teach. Some teacher I think would be offended and walk away. But Jesus showed His compassion as a truth teacher. Here is His teaching:

Matthew 12:25-30
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.
30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

Authority in Prayer: Three Ways to Execute Our Authority over Our Enemy

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

Prayer A to Z

Our power and authority is in Jesus Christ. If we position ourselves so that we are always abiding in Him we will have His authority. And it will come to us (as we are abiding) with the help of the Holy Spirit. When we ask Him to fill us and empower us He does it—and He gives us the holy life of Christ and exerts Christ’s authority in us and through us with power.

We do it in connection with prayer. Prayer is the normal means that God has bestowed on us to communicate with Him and to ask for His help in all things pertaining to our authority over our enemy. Here are three ways, in connection with prayer, in which we must execute our authority with power:

1. By prayer in the Holy Spirit.Prayer must always be in the Holy Spirit (Eph. 6:18). He helps us to…

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Jesus and the Pharisees: Study #4

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

This is our fourth study on this topic. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.
We will focus our study for this post on Matthew 12:1-8.

Matthew 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread — which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Observations

Here are four things we may observe about this passage.

1. Though the Pharisees immediately jumped at Jesus for His disciples’ “unlawful” acts on the Sabbath, they were wrong. Gleaning grain from a neighbors’ field to satisfy one’s hunger was permitted.

If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain (Deut. 23:25).

2. Jesus also pointed out (from 1 Samuel 21:4-6) that David’s men did the same thing in the temple when they were hungry.

But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here — provided the men have kept themselves from women.”
5 David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s things are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away (1 Sam 21:4-6).

3. I’m sure the Pharisees were quite shocked when Jesus said to them that He was greater than the temple and was Lord of the Sabbath. I’m sure they were fuming with anger. Yet Jesus was not afraid to speak the truth.

4. This passage shows us how ignorant the Pharisees were on the moral nature of the law and had the wrong focus of the law—only looking at the outward, ritual aspects of keeping the law.

Applications

It would do us well to study the word in order to be informed, in case someone should question us or accuse us of something. It will not only serve to protect us, but it will aid us to correctly instruct another and even lead them to Christ.

Twelve Phases of the Kingdom Of God

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Stephen Nielsen

Studying Bible Prophecy

For the last few months I’ve been busy studying the kingdom of God in all its phases—throughout history and into the future. My primary focus in this study is the eleventh phase—the millennial kingdom of God. That’s where I am at now, and I’m almost finished. Anyway, my plan is to share with you this study, little by little in this blog. Today you will get just an outline.

I. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN EDEN (It lasted about 2000 years—just an estimate.)

The kingdom of God was first realized in the Garden of Eden. In this wonderful paradise God was sovereign and His sovereignty was delegated to man who would rule over the earth.

II. THE KINGDOM OF GOD UNDER HUMAN GOVERNMENT (about 500 years)

At this juncture in history, human government was God’s plan to protect and preserve the human race, and therefore, to keep His kingdom in…

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