COMMENTARY and OVERVIEW

The BOOK of MATTHEW

The book of Matthew is said to have been written by

The Apostle Matthew (Levi), a ‘publican’ (government
official with authority to set and collect taxes), by
profession and one of the original twelve disciples of
Jesus Christ by vocation.

The exact date of its writing remains sketchy still

today and is thought by different authorities to have
occurred as early as forty-nine and as late as the
sixties during the first century C.E.

In most Bibles, ‘Matthew’ is the first of twenty-seven

books constituting what is commonly referred to as the
“New Testament” following a ‘Bible Canon” which was
first recognized by the Post-Apostolic Church in 382
CE.

Since Matthew and Mark wrote their respective books

more than thirteen years after Christ’s last earthly
appearance and a year or two after James and Paul
wrote books, this Bible version places Matthew’s book
later on, according to the best-known chronological
order in which the books were written.

The books of Matthew and Mark must be seen as a

retrospective of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ,
YHWH God’s Messiah, here on earth.

It would be twenty years later that Luke would be

inspired to write a similar retrospective adding
further details and an account of what transpired
immediately after Christ had risen from the dead
thereby documenting the early years of Christ’s
Ecclesia. The apostle John would write his version of a
retrospective almost a half century after Christ had
risen and ascended to the right-hand position
alongside his father YHWH, in heaven.

Together these four; Two apostles and two footstep

followers were inspired to write what we know today
as the Gospel (Good News) account of the life and
times of Christ.
The BOOK OF MATTHEW
MATTHEW Chapter 1

Genealogy of Jesus,
the Christ
(Ruth 4:18–22
Luke 3:23–38)

Matthew 1:1 This is the historical record of the ancestry of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of
King David, starting with Abraham1:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah
and his brothers. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. (Their mother was Tamar) Perez
was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. 4 Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the

father of Salmon. 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz. (His mother was Rahab) Boaz was the
father of Obed. (His mother was Ruth) Obed was the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of
King David. David was the father of Solomon. (His mother had been Uriah's wife.) 7 Solomon
was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa.
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram. Jehoram was the
father of Uzziah. 9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was
the father of Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of
Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah. 11 Josiah was the grandfather of Jehoiachin and his
brothers, who lived during the time that the people were taken away to Babylon. 12 After they
were taken to Babylon: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the grandfather of
Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim
was the father of Azor. 14 Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Achim. Achim
was the father of Eliud. 15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob. 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph.

Joseph was the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is known to us as the
Messiah.

17 So there were afourteen generations from Abraham to David. There were also fourteen
generations from David until the people were taken away to Babylon. And there were fourteen
more from the time the people were taken to Babylon until the Messiah was born.
 Footnote

Abraham1 The genealogy starting with Abraham1 traces the lineage of Jesus through the
ancestry of Joseph the husband of Mary.

The Birth of Jesus,

the Christ
[Isaiah 7: 13,14,
Luke 2:1–7]

18 This is how the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, happened.

His mother Mary was engaged to marry a man named Joseph. But before they married, he
learned that she was expecting a baby. (She had become pregnant through intervention of the
Holy Spirit)

19 Mary's husband, Joseph, was a good man. He did not want to cause her public disgrace, so
he planned to divorce her secretly. 20 But after Joseph thought about getting the divorce, an
angel from YHWH came to him in a dream.

The angel said, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to accept Mary to be your wife.

The baby inside her is conceived by Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus. Give him that name because he
will save his people from their sins."

22 All this happened to make clear the full meaning of what YHWH said through the prophet
Isaiah: 23 "The virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will name him b
Immanuel." (Isa.7:14)

24 After Joseph woke up, later he did what YHWH’s angel told him to do. He married Mary. 25
But Joseph did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born and he named him
Jesus just as the angel had instructed.

FOOTNOTES for Matthew Chapter 1

a fourteen generations =

This genealogy
traces Jesus roots on Joseph’s side of the family from the time of Abraham who is seen as the
original patriarch of the ancient nation of Israel through David as his royal ancestor.
b Immanuel = Meaning in Hebrew -"god with us".

Jesus = Meaning in Hebrew = “YAH ( ) rescues”.

MATTHEW Chapter 2
aMagi from the East

Matthew 2:1 Now, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, a Magi from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, 2 Where is He who has been born
King of the Jews?

For we have seen His star rising in the east and have come to worship Him. (Micah 5:2, Jer.
23:5

3 When Herod the king heard this, it upset him as well as everyone else in Jerusalem. 4 So he
called a meeting of all the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them,
"Where will this Messiah be born?"

5 They replied to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: Micah. 6 “And
you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not in any way least or insignificant among the
chief cities of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler (Leader) Who will govern and shepherd
my people Israel” [Micah 5:2]

7 Then Herod secretly sent for the Magi and ascertained from them the time the star had
appeared to them, in order to know how long the star had been visible since it rose in the east.

8 Then sending them to Bethlehem, he said, Go and search for the child carefully and
diligently, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship
Him.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed. And lo, the star they saw in the east appeared
and moved ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child was.

10 When they saw the star stop, they were thrilled with ecstatic joy. 11 And having come to the
place, they entered and found the child with Mary his mother. After prostrating themselves to
him, they opened their treasure chests, and presented to him gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh. 12 But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because they were
warned in a dream not to return to Herod.

Escape to Egypt

13 After the Magi had gone, an angel of YHWH appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Herod will be looking for the child in order to kill him. So, get up and take the child and his
mother with you and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you to leave."

14 And having risen, Joseph took the child and his mother by night and traveled to Egypt. 15
There he remained until Herod's death.

This was to fulfill what YHWH had spoken by the prophet Hosea; “Out of Egypt have I called
My Son”. [Hos. 11:1.]

Infanticide by Public Decree

16 Then Herod, having realized he had been misled by the Magi, became furiously enraged, and
he gave orders to put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that territory who
were two years old and under.

He had reckoned according to the date, which he had investigated diligently and had learned
from the Magi.

17 This gave full meaning to what GOD had revealed through the prophet Jeremiah when he
prophesied; 18 “This is what YHWH said,

A cry of anguish is heard in b Ramah -- weeping and mourning are unrestrained. Rachel weeps
for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are gone." [Jer. 31:15.]

19 Then, when Herod died, behold, an angel of YHWH appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
20 and said, Now, get up and take the child and His mother with you and go to the land of
Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.

Return From Egypt

21 Then Joseph awoke, rose up and gathered the young child, his mother and their belongings
and went back into the land of Israel. 22 But because he had heard that Archelaus was ruling
over Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being divinely
warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee.

23 They went and lived in a town called Nazareth, so that what was spoken through the
prophets might be fulfilled:

‘He shall be called a Nazarene (meaning a Branch or Separated One) out of Jesse’. [Isa. 11:1]

FOOTNOTES for Matthew Chapter 2

a Magi = These were neither ‘kings” or “wisemen” as some Bibles refer to them. The term actually refers
to the Persian priestly caste of Zoroastrianism, founded in ancient Babylon.

As part of their religion. these priests followed the stars and gained an international reputation for
astrology, which was at the time highly regarded by pagans as a religious science.

These a Magi would have been considered “undesirables” by the Jewish culture in Jesus day since they
violated recognized Hebrew scripture at Deut. 4:19, 17:2-5, 18:10.

bRamah = Was an ancient city near Jerusalem associated with the Jews being gathered there prior to
their exile to Babylon in the days of Jeremiah the prophet.

MATTHEW Chapter 3

John the Baptizer Proclaims GOD’s Kingdom Closely Approaching

[Mark 1.1-8
Luke 3.1-18
John 1.19-28]
Matthew 3:1. Some years later, John the Baptizer began preaching in the desert of Judea.

2 He was saying, "Change your hearts and lives, because God's kingdom is now closely
approaching."

3 John is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said, "There is someone
shouting in the desert: 'Prepare the way for YHWH. Make the road straight for him.'" [Isa.
40:3]

4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair; he wore a leather belt around his waist, and his
food was locusts and wild honey.

5 People came to him from the city of Jerusalem, from the whole province of Judea, and from
all over the country near the Jordan River.

6 As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 When John saw many of the a Pharisees and b Sadducees were coming to him to be baptized,
he said to them, You generation of vipers, who forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath?

8 Change your hearts and prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins
and turned to GOD.

9 And do not keep telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family.

I tell you that GOD can turn even these rocks into children for Abraham.

10 For now the axe is lying at the foot of the trees.

Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit, will be cut down, and burned in fire.

The Baptism of Jesus

[Mark 1.9-11
Luke 3.21,22
John 1:29-34]

11 Indeed, I baptize you in water because of your repentance (that is, because of your changing
your minds for the better, amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins).

But the one who is coming after me is greater than I.

This is one whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with
Holy Spirit and with fire.

12 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks.

He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in an unquenchable fire.

13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
14 But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying; It is I who have
need to be baptized by You, and do you come to me?

15 But Jesus replied to him; allow this just for now; because this is a fitting way for both of us to
do completely what is right.

Then John immersed Him. 16 And when Jesus was baptized and came up out of the water,
behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw the Spirit of GOD descending like a dove
and resting on Jesus.

17 And he heard a voice from heaven saying, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I take
delight!
[Ps. 2:7,
Isa. 42:1.]

FOOTNOTES for Matthew CHAPTER 3.

a Pharisees = Religious leaders at the time of Christ who were at various times a political party, a social
movement, and a school of thought in the Holy Land during the time of Second Temple Judaism.

b Sadducees = Religious leaders at the time of Christ who held a different base of teachings from the
Pharisees, among which was the denial of any resurrection from the dead.

MATTHEW Chapter 4

The Devil Puts

Jesus to the Test
[Mark 1:12,13.
Luke 4:1-13]

Matthew 4:1 After that, Jesus was led by Holy Spirit into the desert wilderness to be tempted
(tested) by the devil.

2 When Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry.

3 Then the devil came to tempt him and said, "If you are the Son of GOD, tell these rocks to
become bread."

4. But Jesus answered him saying; It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds out of the mouth of GOD."

5 Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and put him on a high place at the edge
of the temple area.

6 He said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of GOD, jump off, because the scriptures say, 'GOD will
command his angels to help you, and their hands will catch you, so that you will not even hit
your foot on a rock.'"
7 Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test YHWH your god.’

8 Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms
(governments) of the world in their greatness and splendor. 9 And he said to him, 'I will give
you all these, if you fall at my feet and do homage and worship me.'

10 Then Jesus said to him, "Get away from me, Satan!

For it has been written, You shall worship YHWH, your god, and Him alone shall you serve.

11. Then the devil departed from him, and quickly angels appeared and began looking after
him.

Jesus Begins his Earthly Ministry

[Mark 1:.14,15,
Luke 4:14,15]

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he was on his way to Galilee. 13 But
instead of staying in Nazareth, Jesus continued on to Capernaum. This town was beside Lake
Galilee in the territory of aZebulun and Naphtali.

14 So GOD's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said, 15 "Listen, lands of
Zebulun and Naphtali, lands along the road to the sea and east of the Jordan! Listen Galilee,
land of the Gentiles! 16 Although your people live in darkness, they will see a bright light.
Although they live in the shadow of death, a light will shine on them." (Isa. 9:1, 2)

17 From that time forward Jesus began to preach to people and tell them; “Repent and turn
back to GOD!

For the kingdom of heaven will soon be here.”

Jesus Choses his First Disciples.

[Mark 1:16–20,
Luke 5:1–11
John 1:35–42]

18 One day, while Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers. One
was Simon, also known as Peter, and the other was Andrew. They were fishermen who were
casting their net into the lake.

19 Jesus spoke to them and said "Come, follow me, and I will make you a different kind of
fishermen. I will teach you how to be fishers of men instead of for fish."

20 Right then and there, Simon and Andrew dropped their nets and went with him.

21 Jesus walked further along the lake when he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They
were in a boat working with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with
him too. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.
Jesus Heals Masses
[Mark 3:7–12, Luke 6:17–19]

23 Jesus travelled all over the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good
News about GOD’s Kingdom, and healing people who had all kinds of diseases and sicknesses
when he encountered them.

24 News about him spread all over, even into the country of Syria, and more people with every
kind of sickness or disease were brought to him. Some were possessed by demons, others
thought to be crazy, and still others who could not walk. But Jesus healed them all.

25 Large crowds from Galilee and the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, Judea, and the land on the
other side of the Jordan were following him.

FOOTNOTES for Matthew Chapter 4

a Zebulun and Naphtali. = Were territories originally assigned to Israel’s people by GOD as
part of his promised land to the nation of Abraham’s descendants. Zebulun and Naphtali
included the northeast region of Israel.

MATTHEW Chapter 5

The Sermon
on the Mount

Matthew 5:1 One day as the crowds were gathering, Jesus went up on a hill with his disciples 2
and sat down where he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes
[Psalm 1:1–3
Luke 6:20–23]

3 beginning by saying; "GOD blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of
the Heavens is given to them.

4 He blesses those people who grieve.

They will find comfort!

5. He blesses those people who are humble.

The earth will belong to them!

6 GOD blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink.

They will be given what they want!

7 He blesses those people who are merciful.

They will receive mercy themselves!

8 GOD blesses those people whose hearts are pure.

They will behold him!

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: GOD will call them his sons and daughters.

10 Great blessings will come to those who suffer persecution for doing what is right. They
belong to the kingdom of heaven.

11 "People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you
because you follow me.

But when they do those things, know that great blessings belong to you.

12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is set aside for you by heaven.

Remember they persecuted the prophets who lived before you in these same ways.

You are Like

Salt and Light.
[Mark 9:49,50,
Luke 14:34–35

13 "You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to
make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.

14 You are like a light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15 and
no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. So, a lamp is placed up on a stand, where
it can give light to everyone in the house.

16 Therefore, make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise
your Father in heaven.

17 Don't think that I came to do away with the a Law and the Prophets

I did not come to do away with them, but to fulfill them.

18 Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will
ever disappear from the b Law.

Everything written in it must happen. 19 Therefore, one who oversteps even one of the least of
these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered unworthy in the
kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered of
great value in the kingdom of Heaven.

20 But I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the b Pharisees and the c
teachers of the law, you will not even get into the kingdom of heaven at all.
Anger and Reconciliation
[Luke 12:57–59]

21 You know that our ancestors were told, "Do not murder and A murderer must be brought to
judgment"

22 But I tell you, do not even be angry with anyone. If you are angry with others, you will be
judged. And if you insult someone, you will also be judged. And if you call someone a
despicable fool, you will be in danger of 4 Gehenna of fire".

23 So if you are about to offer your gift to GOD and you remember that your brother has
something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace
with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to GOD.

25 Come to terms quickly before you are dragged into court, be well disposed to a person who
has accused you of doing wrong. If you do not, you may be handed over for judgment and then
put in jail. 26 Be assured; you will not leave there until you have paid everything you owe.

Adultery
[Leviticus 18:1–30]

27 You have heard that it is written; You must not commit adultery. (Exod. 20:14, Deut. 5:18.)

28 But I tell you that if a man looks at a woman and wants to sin sexually with her, he has
already committed that sin with her in his mind.

29 If your right eye makes you sin, get rid of it. It is better to lose one part of your body than to
have your whole body thrown into d Gehenna of fire.

30 If your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of
your body than for your whole body should perish.

Divorce
Deuteronomy 24:1–5, Luke 16:18]

31 "It was also said in the b law, 'Any man who divorces his wife must give her a written notice
of divorce.'

32 But I tell you that any man who divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual sin,
contributes to his wife being guilty of adultery, just as any man who marries her is guilty of
taking another man's wife.

Oaths and Vows

[Numbers 30:1–16]

33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not swear
falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to GOD.'
34 But I tell you, when you make a promise, don't try to make it stronger with a vow. Do not
make a vow using the name of heaven, because heaven is GOD's throne. 35 Don't make a vow
in the name of anything on earth, because the earth belongs to him. Do not make a vow using
the name of Jerusalem, because it also belongs to someone, the great King.

36 And do not even say that your own head is proof that you will keep your promise. You
cannot make one hair on your head white or black.

37 Simply let your 'yes' mean 'yes,' and your 'no' mean 'no.' If you say more than that, it has its
origin with the Evil One.

Love Your Enemies

[Luke 6:27–36]

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'

39 But I tell you, don't retaliate against someone who wants to do harm to you.

If they slap you on the right cheek, let them slap the other cheek too. 40 If anyone wants to sue
you in court to take your shirt, let them have your coat too.

41 And if someone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to anyone who
asks you for something. Do not refuse to give to anyone who wants to borrow from you.

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell
you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly.

45 If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven for he lets the
sun rise and set for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do
right and to those who do wrong.

46 If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that?
Even the e tax collectors do that.

47 And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else.

Even the people who do not know GOD are nice to their friends.

48 What I am saying is that you must be complete in righteousness, even as your Father in
heaven is complete.

FOOTNOTES for Matthew Chapter 5.

a Law and the Prophets = That body of tradition which was accepted as having been
delivered to Moses by GOD combined with that which was given to his ancient prophets by
GOD.
b Law = Refers to that body of laws given the nation of Israel through Moses on Mt. Sinai.
 cPharisees = time of Christ who were at various times a political party, a social movement,
and a school of thought in the Holy Land during the time of Second Temple Judaism.
dGehenna of fire =. Mistranslated as “hell”.in most Bibles. Gehenna was literally a garbage
dump outside the walls of Jerusalem where a fire was kept up day and night to dispose of the
refuse from the city. The significant meaning was there was no return from Gehenna.
etax collectors = Jewish public officials who were put in charge of collecting taxes from the
people by the Roman occupational government. They were rightfully reputed to be notoriously
corrupt and thus loathed by the population

MATTHEW Chapter 6

Merciful Acts
Without Showiness.
[Deuteronomy 15:7–11]

Matthew 6:1

"Take care!

Do not do your good deeds publicly, just to be admired, because then you will lose the reward
from your Father in heaven.

2 "So when you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the
hypocrites do in their houses of worship and on the streets.

They only do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full,
for that will be their only reward.

3 But when you help someone in need, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not
know about it.

4. So see that your deeds of charity may be in secret; and your heavenly Father who sees in
secret will reward you openly.

A Model Prayer.
[Luke 11:1-4]

5 "And when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites”.

They love to stand in the a synagogues and in public places and pray loudly so people see and
hear them.

The truth is that's all the reward they will get.

6 When you pray, go away someplace by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your
Father secretly.

Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.
"And when you pray, don't be like people who don't know GOD. They repeat the same things
over again and again. They think that if they say something often enough, their god will hear
them”.

8 Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you need even before you
ask Him.

9 So then, this is the way you should pray:

'Our Father in heaven, we pray that your name will always be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom
come, and may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts,
and have given up resentment against) our debtors. 13 Keep us from being tempted and
protect us from the evil one.

14 “For If you forgive others the wrongs, they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also
forgive you.

15 But if you don't forgive others, your father will not forgive your failures either.

Fasting

16 And when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, with their sullen faces, for they disfigure
their faces so that they may appear pious to men. Truly I say to you that they are having their
reward.

17 But when you fast, going without food, put oil on your head and make your face clean; 18 So
that your fasting may not be noticed by men but by your father, who sees in secret; and who
will reward you in the open.

Treasures in Heaven
[Luke 12:32–34]

19 "Don't save treasures for yourselves here on earth.

Moths and rust will destroy them. And thieves can break into your house and steal them.

20 Instead, save your treasures in heaven, where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust
and where thieves cannot break in and steal them.

21 For, your heart will be where your treasure is.

A Lamp of the Body

[Luke 11:33–36]

22 The eye is the lamp of the body.

If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is sickly and you
look at people with selfish ways, you will be full of darkness. And if the only light you have is
really darkness, you have the worst kind of darkness.

24 "You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you
will be loyal to one and not care about the other.

You cannot serve GOD and money at the same time.

Do Not be Anxious
over the Necessities of Life.
(Luke 12:22–31)

25 "So I tell you, don't worry over the things you need to live, what you will eat, drink, or wear.

Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you dress it with.
26 Notice the birds. They do not plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father
feeds them.

Don't you know you are worth much more than they are?

27 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

28 "And why do you worry about clothes?

Look at the wildflowers in the field. See how they grow. They don't work or make clothes for
themselves.

29 Yet I tell you that even Solomon, a great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one
of these flowers.

30 If GOD makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he can do for you?

It's only grass, one day it's alive, and the next day someone tramples it or destroys it in a fire.

Yet GOD cared enough to make it beautiful. Surely, he will do much more for you.

Why is your faith so little!

31 So you have no need to worry and say, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What
will we wear?'

32 These are the things people who don’t know GOD are always concerned about.

Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.

33 But more than anything else, put GOD's work first and do what he wants.

Then the other things you need will be yours.

34 Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to concern yourself
with today.

FOOTNOTE for Matthew Chapter 6.

a synagogues = While the Temple in Jerusalem in Jesus time was where formal worship was conducted,

Also, with the priesthood officiating, each local community had a synagogue where Jewish religious
leaders taught and held religious discussions on a day-to-day basis. And there was sabbath observance
which was a weekly feature of community life in these local synagogues.

MATTHEW Chapter 7

Judging Others
[Luke 6:37–42,
Romans 14:1, 4,10]

Matthew 7:1 Do not judge, criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged or
criticized and condemned yourselves.

2 Expect GOD to be as hard on you as you are on others!

He will treat you just like you treat them.

3 Why, then, do you look for a speck in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the log in
your own eye?

4. How can you say, "My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye," when you do not see the
log in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite; first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to take
the tiny speck out of your brother's eye.

6 "Do not give what is holy to dogs---they will only turn and attack you. And do not throw your
pearls in front of pigs, they will only trample on them”.

Persistence Pays
[Luke 11:5-13]

7 "Continue to ask, and GOD will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to
knock, and doors will open to you.

8 Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the one who knocks,
the door will be opened.

9 Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock?

10 Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake?

Of course not!
11 If you then, sinful people, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
shall your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

12 Therefore all things, whatever you wish that people should do to you, do so to them; for this
is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow Gate

[Luke 13:22–30]
13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to
destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to
life, and only a few find it.

a Tree is Recognized
by Its Fruits
[Luke 6:43–45]

15 "Be careful of false prophets. They come to you looking like gentle sheep. But they are as
dangerous as wolves.

16 You will be able to know these people by the things they do. Good things do not come from
people who are bad, just as grapes don't come from thorn bushes, and figs don't come from
thorny weeds.

17 In the same way, every healthy tree produces good fruit, and sick trees produce bad fruit.

18 A good tree does not produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not produce good fruit gets to be cut down and eventually thrown into
the fire.

20 So You can recognize these false people by what they do.

21 "Not everyone who calls me lord will enter GOD's kingdom. The only people who will enter
are those who do what my Father in heaven wants.

22 On the last Day many will call me ‘Lord’.

They will say, 'Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for GOD.

And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles.'

23 “Yet, then I will tell those people clearly; depart from Me, I never knew you, for you were
working lawlessness!" [Psa. 6:8]

A House Built
on the Rock
[Luke 6:46–49]
24. "Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like the wise man who built his
house up high on a rock.

25 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did
not fall because it was built solidly on the rock.

26 "Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who
built his house on sand.

27 When It rained hard, the floods came, the winds blew and beat against that house. Then it
fell with a loud crash."

Real Authority of Jesus

28 When Jesus had finished speaking, the people were amazed by his teachings.

29 For He taught as one who had and was a real authority, not as the a scribes of his day.
FOOTNOTE for Matthew Chapter 7

ascribes = The ‘scribes’ belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, who supplemented the ancient written law
of Moses with their traditions.

The "scribes" of Jesus day would have their counterparts in modern day “professors” or "lawyers"

They were in the time of Jesus the esteemed public teachers of the people, and frequently came into
collision with Jesus and his teachings.

MATTHEW Chapter 8

A Leper’s Request
is Granted
[Leviticus 14:1–32
Mark 1:40–42
Luke 5:12–14]

Matthew 8:1. When Jesus came down from the mountain, a great crowd of people followed
Him.

2 Suddenly a man sick with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus. He said, "Lord, you have
the power to make me well, if only you want to."

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, I want you to; “be cured by being
cleansed”. And instantly he was cured, and his leprosy disappeared.

4 Then Jesus said to him, "Don't speak to anyone about what happened. But go and let the
priest see you are healed. Then offer the gift that Moses commanded for people who are made
well. This will demonstrate to everyone that you have been healed."

The Faith of a Centurion

[Luke 7:1–10
John 4:46–53]

5 When Jesus was going into the town of Capernaum, a Roman army officer came up to him
and said, "Lord, my servant is extremely sick at home in bed. He cannot move his body and has
much pain."

7 Jesus said to him, "I'll come to heal him."

8 The officer said in reply, "Lord, I am unworthy to have you enter under my roof; just say the
word and my servant will be healed. 9 I have superior officers who give orders to me, and I
have soldiers under me who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, 'Go!' and he goes. I
can say to another, ‘come!' and he comes. I can say to my servant, 'Do this!' and he will do it."

10 When Jesus heard this, he was surprised and said to the people following him,

"I tell you, I have never found anyone in all Israel with faith like this man has”.

11 But I say to you that many will come from east and west and will recline with Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven, 12 But the ones who should have been in the
kingdom will be thrown out into the dark. They will cry and grit their teeth in pain."

13 Then Jesus said to the officer, "You may go home now. Your faith has made it happen."

At that very moment, his servant was healed.

Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law.

[Mark1:29–34
Luke 4:38–40]

14 Now when he got to Capernaum and Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw Peter’s
mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 Jesus touched her hand, and the fever went away.
Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.

Has a Discipleship Cost

[Luke 9:57–62
Luke 14:25–33
John 6:59–66]

16 Later when evening came, they brought to him many others who were demon-possessed.
And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,

17 And thus He fulfilled a prophecy spoken by the prophet Isaiah; (Isa. 53:4) 'He Himself took,
in order to carry away our weaknesses and infirmities he bore away our diseases'.

18 Now Jesus, when He saw the great throngs who had gathered around Him, told his b
disciples to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

19 Then a certain a scribe came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you any place you go."
20 Jesus answered him, "Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no
place to lie down and rest."

21 Another man, who was a b disciple, said, "Master, first let me go back and bury my father."
22 "Follow me," Jesus answered, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Jesus Controls the Weather.

[Psalm 107:1–43
Mark 4:35–41
Luke 8:22–25]

23 Then Jesus got into the boat and his disciples followed him journeying across the lake.

24 Suddenly a terrible storm struck the lake, and waves started splashing into their boat. Jesus
was sound asleep,

25 The apostles in the boat with him woke him up. "Save us, Lord!" they said. "We are about to
die!"

26 He said to them; why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith?

Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and the sea became calm and peaceful.

27 The men with him were stunned with wonder and marveled at this, saying; what kind of
Man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!

Demons and the Pigs

(Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39)

28 When he arrived in the territory of the Gadarenes on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, two
men met him.

They were possessed by demons and had come out of the tombs. These men were so dangerous
no one dared travel along that road.

29 They approached Jesus and shrieked and screamed, "What do you want with us, Son of
GOD?

Did you come here to torment us before the appointed time?

30 Now there was, a great herd of pigs feeding, not too far away, 31 so the demons begged
Jesus, "If you are going to drive us out, send us into those pigs."

32 Jesus told them to go, and they went out of the men and into the pigs. All at once the pigs
rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

33 The people taking care of the pigs ran to town and told everything, especially what had
happened to the two men.
34 Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with
him to leave their region.

FOOTNOTES for Matthew Chapter 8

a scribe = The scribes who were recognized as professors of Jewish Law were opposed to Jesus as a
group, but there were exceptions and this particular one was such an exception.

b disciple = literally meaning a “learner’ (a student) although we find it used interchangeably with the
terms; ‘follower’ and ‘apostle’ in many Bibles.

MATTHEW Chapter 9

Jesus Heals
a Paralyzed Man.
(Mark 2:1–12
Luke 5:17–26)

Matthew 9:1 Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2 There,
some people brought to him a man who was paralyzed and was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that
these people were showing faith in him. So, he said to the paralyzed man,

"Young man, you will be glad to hear this. Your sins are forgiven."

3 Some of the professors of the law (scribes) heard what Jesus said.

They said to themselves, "What an insult to GOD for this man to say that!".
This man blasphemes.

4. But Jesus, knowing (seeing) their inner thoughts, said, why do you think evil, and harbor
malice in your hearts?

5 The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you?

Perhaps you are thinking it is easy to say, 'Your sins are forgiven.' There is no proof that it
really happened.

But what if I say to the man, 'Stand up and walk'?

6 Then you will be able to see that I really do have this power."

So, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up. Take your mat and go home."

7 The man stood up and went home.

8 The people saw this, and they were amazed. They praised God for letting someone have such
power.
Jesus Calls Matthew
to follow him.
[Mark 2:13–17
Luke 5:27–32]
9 As Jesus was leaving there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the a tax collector's office;
and He said to him; Be My disciple (side with us, follow Me). And he rose and followed Him.

10 Later, it came to pass that Jesus and his disciples were having dinner at Matthew's house.

Matthew’s fellow tax collectors and some other notorious sinners were also there.

Mercy Rather
than Sacrifice

11 Some Pharisees, seeing that Jesus was eating with these people asked his followers, "Why
does your master eat with tax collectors and other sinners?"

12 Jesus overheard them say this. So, he said to them, "It is the sick people who need a doctor,
not those who are healthy.

13 You need to go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, 'Instead of offering
sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.'(Hos. 6:6.)

For I came not to call and invite (to repentance) the righteous (those who are upright and in
right standing with GOD), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).

Questions About Fasting

[Mark 2:18–20
Luke 5:33–35]

14 One day some followers of John the Baptizer came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the
Pharisees often b fast (go without eating), while your disciples never do?"

15 Jesus replied, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still there with them?

Days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast.

About Patches and

Old Wineskins
[Mark 2:21–22
Luke 5:36–39]

16 "When someone sews a patch over a hole in an old coat, they never use a piece of cloth that
has not been pre-shrunk. If they do, the patch will shrink and pull away. Then the hole will be
worse.
17 Neither does one put new wine in old worn wineskins; for if the skin were to burst or tear,
the wine is spilled, and the skins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so
both wine and the skins are preserved.
18 While Jesus was still talking, an official from the synagogue came to him.

He bowed down before Jesus and said, "My daughter has just died. But if you will come and
touch her with your hand, she will live again."

19 So Jesus got up and followed him, and his disciples went along.

20. On the way there, a woman came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his clothes. She
had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years.

21 She had told herself, "If I can only touch his clothes, I will get well."

22 Jesus turned around and seeing the woman he said, "Don't worry! You are now well,
because of your faith."

At that very moment she was healed.

23 Jesus continued going with the Jewish official and went into his house.

There he saw people who make music for funerals and a crowd of others causing a tumult.

24 When Jesus said, "Get out, everybody! The little girl is not dead, she is only sleeping!" they
all started laughing at him.

25 When the crowd was finally outside, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she
stood up!

26 News about what happened there spread all over that part of the region.

Jesus Heals
the Blind and Mute
[Mark 7:31–37]

27 After Jesus left that place, two blind men followed him.

They bellowed, "Have mercy on us, Son of David."

28 When Jesus went into a house, and the blind men followed him, he said to them; "Do you
believe that I can do this?" "

Yes, Lord," they answered.

29 He touched their eyes and said, "What you have believed will be done for you!"

30 Immediately they could see but he urged them, "Don't tell anyone else about this!"

31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that region anyway.

32 As Jesus and his disciples continued on their way, some people brought to him a man who
could not talk because a demon was in him.
33 After Jesus had expelled the demon, the man started talking.

The crowds were so amazed that they began saying, "Nothing like this has ever happened in
Israel!"

34 But when the Pharisees heard about it, they said, "The ruler of the demons gives him the
power to expel demons."

35 Jesus went to every town and village in the district. He taught in their synagogues and
places they met, preaching the good news about GOD's kingdom.
He also healed every kind of disease and sickness.

36 When Jesus saw crowds, he felt sorry for them. He said they were confused and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd.

37 He said to his disciples, "A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers.

38 Pray to GOD who is in charge of the harvest to send out workers.

FOOTNOTES for Chapter NINE

a Tax collectors were generally despised by the Jewish population who viewed them as corrupt
representatives of the Roman Government.

b fast, fasting = The OT uses fasting and abstinence from food to point to something even more
necessary for life, communion with and dependence on GOD. Fasting was supposed to be a means of
attaining closeness with GOD. But in the Judaism of Jesus day, fasting, like prayer and almsgiving, was
reduced to just another ritualistic part of a hypocritical religious system.

MATTHEW Chapter 10
Jesus Empowers Twelve as Apostles
[Mark 3:13–19
Luke 6:12–16]

Matthew 10:1. Jesus called twelve of his followers together, and he gave them power over
unclean spirits, to expel them, and to heal all manner of diseases, and infirmities.

2 Now the names of those twelve a apostles are; first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew
his brother; 3 James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, 4 and Simon, the Zealot,
finally Judas Iscariot (the one who was to hand Jesus over to his enemies).

A Ministry for His Twelve Apostles.

[Mark 6:7–13
Luke 9:1–6]

5 Jesus sent the twelve men out with these instructions: "Don't go to the non-Jewish people
(Gentiles). And do not go into any town where the Samaritans live.
6 Instead, you are to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 When you go, tell them this: 'GOD's kingdom is now very near.'

8 Heal the sick. Bring the dead back to life. Heal the people who have leprosy. And expel
demons out of people.

Do these things without charging since you received them freely, so give them freely.

9 Don't carry any money with you, gold, silver or copper.

10 Don't carry a traveler's bag with an extra coat and sandals or even a walking stick. Do not
hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to have their needs met.

11 So when you go to a town or a village, find someone worthy enough to have you as their
guest and stay with them until you leave town.

12 When you go into a home, give it your blessing of peace. 13 If the home is deserving, let your
blessing remain with them.

But if they do not welcome you, they are not worthy of your peace. Take back the peace you
wished for them.
14 If someone will not welcome you or listen to your message, leave their home or that town
and shake its dust off your feet.

15 I promise you that the day of judgment will be easier for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah
than for the town that rejects your message.

What the Apostles Were to Expect.

[2 Timothy 3:12
John 15:18-21]

16 Look, I am sending you out like lambs into a pack of wolves, so you be as wary and shrewd
as serpents, but be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.

17 Be on guard against men whose way is to act in opposition to God; for they will deliver you
up to councils and flog you in their synagogues,

18 And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a witness to bear
testimony before them and to the Gentiles (the non-Jewish nations).

19 But when they deliver you up, there is no need to be anxious about how or what you are to
say; for what you speak will be given you in that very hour and moment,

20 For it is not you who is speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 And brother will give up brother to death, and a father his child: and children will go against
their fathers and mothers and see them put to death.

22 You will be commonly hated because you follow me; but anyone who stands firm to the end
will be saved.
23 When you are treated badly in one city, go to another city. I promise you that you will not
finish going to all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes again.

24 A Student is not better than their teacher. A Servant is not better than their master.

25 Students should be glad to be treated the same as their teacher. And servants should be glad
to be treated the same as their master.

If those people call me 'the ruler of demons,' and I am the head of the family, then it is even
more certain that they will insult you, the members of the family!

Do Not Fear Them.

[Luke 12:4–7]

26 "So don't be afraid of those people.

Everything that is hidden will be exposed. Everything that is secret will be made known.

27 I tell you all this secretly, but I want you to tell it publicly.
Whatever I tell you privately, you are to shout for everyone to hear.

28 "Don't be afraid of people.

They can kill the body, but they cannot kill the spirit GOD gives.

The one you should fear is GOD who can send the body and the spirit to destruction in a
Gehenna.

29 Are not two little sparrows sold for next to nothing?

And yet not one of them will fall to the ground and die without your Father's notice.

30 GOD even knows how many hairs are on your head.

31 So don't be afraid, for you are worth far more than a whole flock of sparrows.

Professing Christ
[Luke 12:8–12]

32 "If you stand up for me before others and are willing to acknowledge Me (out of a state of
oneness with Me), then I will tell my Father in heaven that you belong to me.

33 But if you stand before others, and say, you deny me and do not put faith in me, then I will
tell my Father in heaven that you do not belong to me.

No Peace but a Sword

(Micah 7:1–6
Luke 12:49–53)
34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world.

No, I did not come to bring peace, but conflict.

35 I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law.

36 Among a person's enemies will be the members of their own family.

37 "The person who loves his father or mother more than me does not deserve to be my
disciple.

The person who loves a son or daughter more than me does not deserve to be my disciple.

38 And he who does not take up his b stauros and follow Me (cleave steadfastly to Me,
conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also) is not worthy of Me.

39 Those who try to preserve their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake
will gain it.

Hospitality to You Is Being Hospitable to Me.

[2 Kings 4:8–14])

40. Anyone who welcomes you as my follower, also welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes
me also welcomes the one who sent me.

41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the
reward of a prophet.

Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same
reward as the good person.

42 And I can guarantee you this; anyone who gives even one of my most humble brothers and
sisters a cup of cool water, just because that person is my disciple, will surely be rewarded.
FOOTNOTES for Chapter TEN:

a apostle = The Greek word for Apostle is apostolos {ap-os'-tol-os} carries the meaning of a delegate or
messenger, one who is sent forth with special orders or a special message.

b stauros = Incorrectly rendered “cross” in most Bibles. The Greek,’stauros was a pointed upright stake,
a well-known instrument of most cruel and ignominious punishment, borrowed by the Greeks and
Romans from the Phoenicians; to it were affixed, among the Romans down to the time of Constantine the
Great, the guiltiest criminals, particularly the basest slaves, robbers, the authors and abettors of
insurrections, and occasionally in the provinces, at the arbitrary pleasure of the governors, upright and
peaceable men and even Roman citizens themselves. It was the device upon which impalement of Christ
was known to have occurred.