Matthew Archives - Page 3 of 19

July 5, 2025July 5, 2025

MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN / MATTHEW 26:39

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(KJV) Matthew 26:39

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN / MATTHEW 26:39

What Christ meant by “the cup”has been the subject of much discussion and debate.

It is doubtful that Charist was praying to be saved from physical death because that was the reason He came to earth. He had prepared His entire life to finish that mission and die for the sin of humanity (Mark 10:33-34; Luke 9:51; John 12:24, 27; Hebrews 10:5-9).

It is more likely that Jesus was praying to be spared from the agony of separation from God the Father – that separation being the ultimate penalty for sin – which He would have to endure as He literally took the guilt and punishment of all sin upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). As Christ prayed, He knew that His physical death would be accepted as full payment for sin, but the spiritual aspect of death – separation from the Father – was far more troubling. However, Jesus prayed, “yet not as I will, but as you will.” He then committed Himself to endure both physical death and spiritual separation from His heavenly Father in order to obtain and guarantee our spiritual salvation (Matthew 27:46). It is apparent that the Father heard His prayer and gave Him the strength to drink the bitter “cup” He was destined to receive (Hebrews 5:7).

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July 5, 2025July 5, 2025

HE BEGAN TO BE SORROWFUL / MATTHEW 26:37

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(KJV) Matthew 26:37

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

HE BEGAN TO BE SORROWFUL / MATTHEW 26:37

This is the first stage of Christ’s sufferings (which would eventually lead to His death). The physical and spiritual sufferings of Christ begin in Gethsemane as He prayed about what was ahead. “His sweat was like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). Under extremely intense stress, the small capillaries in the sweat glands can break and mix blood with sweat.

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July 5, 2025July 5, 2025

IN MEMORY OF HER / MATTHEW 26:13

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(KJV) Matthew 26:13

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

IN MEMORY OF HER / MATTHEW 26:13

Jesus proclaimed that this story of Mary (Matthew 26:6-13) should always go along with the preaching of the gospel – the “good news” of how Jesus provided us with the opportunity for forgiveness, new life and an eternal relationship with God. This is because she was one of the highest examples of the selfless and wholehearted dedication that all followers of Christ should have. Her act of kindness and humility demonstrated her deep devotion to and radical love for the Master. Some considered this act a “waste” (Matthew 26:8). However, Jesus accepted it, not because He was any less concerned about “the poor” (Matthew 26:9), but because He knew that His time on earth was limited (Matthew 26:11-12). It was precious to Him that someone would make the sacrifice to do something that special just for Him. We must always remember that the primary purpose and privilege of the Christian faith is to love and serve Jesus Himself. That is the most valuable aspect of our relationship to Him (John 21:15).

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July 5, 2025July 5, 2025

PASSOVER / MATTHEW 26:2

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(KJV) Matthew 26:2

Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

PASSOVER / MATTHEW 26:2

The Passover (Greek pascha) was a spring festival associated with the historical event of Israel’s mass departure from slavery in Egypt (the “exodus”). It celebrated the “passing over” of the Hebrews’ houses by the destroying angel because the people had obeyed God’s command to apply lamb’s blood to the doorposts and frames of their houses (Exodus 12:7). It was extremely significant that Christ’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:35) occurred on “the day of Preparation of Passover Week” (John 19:14). One of Christ’s titles is “Lamb of God” (John 1:29; Revelation 5:12; Revelation 14:4; Revelation 15:3; 17:14; 19:9) because He became the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. In a spiritual sense, His blood is applied to our lives when we accept Him – “Christ, our Passover lamb…sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7) – and our lives are spared from the death penalty our sin deserved.

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July 4, 2025July 4, 2025

SHEEP FROM THE GOATS / MATTHEW 25:32-46

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(KJV) Matthew 25:32-46

SHEEP FROM THE GOATS / MATTHEW 25:32-46

This judgment likely occurs after the tribulation and Christ’s physical return to earth but before the beginning of His earthly reign (Daniel 7:9-14; Revelation 5:10; 19:11-20:4). Its purpose will be to determine who is allowed to be part of God’s kingdom and who will be sent to the place of eternal punishment. Of all the parables, analogies and other word pictures that Jesus uses to describe God’s kingdom and the end times, this is one of the few that describe what will take place “on that day” (Matthew 7:22) – when Christ actually judges individuals for their time on earth and pronounces their eternal destiny. This passage reveals one of the primary bases of God’s judgment.

At the time of Christ’s coming, both the saved and the lost – those who have a personal relationship with Christ and those who do not – who survived the tribulation are still together on earth.
The judgment involves the separation of the wicked from the righteous (Matthew 25:32-33; 13:41).
The judgement will be based on outward works of love and kindness to those who follow Christ and who are suffering or in need. Although good works cannot save us, all accounts of judgment described in the Bible indicate that our actions and responses to opportunities on earth will affect our reward or punishment. The expression of true love and active compassion is a natural part of genuine Christian faith and salvation (Matthew 25:35-36).
The wicked will not be allowed to enter Christ’s kingdom but will go into eternal punishment (Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 14:11).
The righteous will inherit eternal life (Matthew 25:46, which is to know Christ and live forever with God, John 17:3) and the kingdom of God (Matthew 25:34; Revelation 20:4).

This account of end-time judgement is a lesson in how Jesus expects His followers to be aware of and help people who are hurting or in need.

In fact, one of the primary ways we can serve God in a very real way is to show kindness to “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40, 45), which includes anyone – particularly those among God’s people (“my brothers,” Matthew 25:40) – who could use our help or attention (Matthew 25:35, 36). These are people whom others often overlook because they cannot repay the kindness. Jesus said that when His followers practice active compassion toward others, they are actually doing something for Him (Matthew 25:40). This means that if we want to see or touch Jesus directly, we will have to look for Him in people who are hurting or in need.

Notice that both the faithful and the unfaithful were unaware of times when they encountered Jesus in life (Matthew 25:37-39, 44). Even those who did the right thing were seemingly oblivious to when they acted with compassion. It seems that on those occasions when they helped others, the act or actions were not unusual or special in any way; serving others was simply a way of life for them. All of this shows that true service to God often takes place in the more routine and unassuming areas of life – when no one else notices. But God always notices when we do something for Him, and He will reward us accordingly on judgement day.

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July 3, 2025July 3, 2025

EVERYONE WHO HAS / MATTHEW 25:29

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(KJV) Matthew 25:29

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

EVERYONE WHO HAS / MATTHEW 25:29

Jesus teaches an important principle about a Christian’s reward and position in heaven. What the followers of Christ receive in the future kingdom of God will depend on how much they lay hold of and pursue God’s purposes now. What we do to benefit God’s kingdom on earth will affect the “benefit” we receive in the kingdom of heaven. On the surface, it may seem unfair and unreasonable that the one who had originally received the most was given even more. However, Jesus is making the general point that a Christian’s reward in heaven will be in proportion to his or her present commitment to God and faithfulness to use what he or she has been given – regardless of whether it seems like a little or a lot (Luke 22:24-30).

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July 3, 2025July 3, 2025

TALENTS / MATTHEW 25:15

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(KJV) Matthew 25:15

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

TALENTS / MATTHEW 25:15

The term “talent” was first used as a measure of weight (about 75 pounds) and then as currency or money. The parable of the talents warns us that our place and service in heaven will depend on our faithfulness and service on earth (Matthew 25:29). A talent represents our abilities, time, resources and opportunities to serve God (and others) while on earth. God has entrusted all of these things to us, and He expects us to use and apply these gifts in the wisest possible way so that Christ can see a return on His investment. Keep in mind that this parable – as any parable – is meant to make a point or teach a spiritual lesson. Not every aspect of the parable is a direct analogy or comparison to something else. For example, the master represents God, but God is not a hard master who harvests where He has not planted or takes what He has not worked for (Matthew 25:24). This was the judgment of the foolish servant who did not have a proper understanding and relationship with his master in the first place. Notice that the master never admitted to the servant’s incorrect judgment of his master but only repeated the lazy servant’s words back to him in the form of a question (Matthew 25:26).

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July 3, 2025July 3, 2025

OIL / MATTHEW 25:4

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(KJV) Matthew 25:4

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

OIL / MATTHEW 25:4

Through a series of illustrations (Matthew 25), Jesus stresses the requirement of faithfulness and watchfulness (readiness and expectancy) until He returns. The parable of the ten virgins stresses the necessity of spiritual perseverance and preparedness because of the reality of Christ’s coming at an unforeseeable date (Luke 21:19). The oil in the parable represents true faith, a right relationship with God and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in a person’s life. All true followers of Jesus can enjoy that presence. If we want to be ready, like the wise virgins, our lives need to be pure and full of the faith and righteousness that come only from God’s Spirit. Five other parables that teach the lesson of perseverance are the Sower (Luke 8:4-15), the owner of the house (Luke 12:35-40), the manage (Luke 12:42-48), the tower builder (Luke 14:28-30) and the tasteless salt (Luke 14:34-35).

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July 3, 2025July 3, 2025

PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS / MATTHEW 25:1

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(KJV) Matthew 25:1

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS / MATTHEW 25:1

This parable (a brief story that makes a specific point or teaches a lesson) points out that all who believe in Christ must constantly examine their own spiritual condition in light of Christ’s coming at an unknown and unexpected time. They must remain true to their faith in Christ no matter what, so that when the day and hour arrive, they will be ready for Him and He will receive them when He returns (Matthew 25:10). Failure to be in a devoted personal relationship with the Lord when He returns will mean being left out of His kingdom.

The difference between the foolish and the wise virgins is that the foolish failed to recognize that the returning Lord (John 14:3) would come unexpectedly, without obvious signs as the time approached (Matthew 25:13; 24:36, 44).
Christ indicates here and elsewhere (Luke 18:8) that a large portion of the church will be unprepared at the time of His return (Matthew 25:8-13). He makes it clear that He will not wait until all churches and professing believers are prepared for His coming.
Notice that all the virgins (both faithful and unfaithful) were taken by surprise at the bridegroom’s coming (Matthew 25:5-7). This suggests that the parable of the ten virgins applies to believers living before the tribulation and not to those living during the tribulation, who will have adequate signs preceding Christ’s return at the end of the tribulation. It seems that all the virgins may have at one time been ready for the groom to return, but the foolish failed to prepare for the wait. Perhaps they planned to take care of things later but instead they fell asleep. By the time they awoke, it was too late. This should serve as a challenge to all those who make a decision to follow Christ. That initial choice is one thing but sticking to that decision and staying ready for Christ’s return takes persistence and deduction. If Christians do not stay active and grow spiritually – or if they view His return as being distant – the sense of urgency will easily fade. However, if we maintain a high level of expectancy, we will be ready at a moment’s notice.
The fact that both the faithful and the unfaithful “fell asleep” does not seem to be an issue in this story. In fact, if we are spiritually prepared, we can be at peace and enjoy rest in life. Then, when Jesus returns unexpectedly, we will be ready to go with Him.

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July 2, 2025July 2, 2025

MY MASTER IS STAYING AWAY / MATTHEW 24:48-49

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(KJV) Matthew 24:48-49

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; ⁴⁹And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

MY MASTER IS STAYING AWAY / MATTHEW 24:48-49

Christ’s unexpected return will not motivate those within the church who are unfaithful to the Lord and who see no need to be prepared and to remain ready.

Anyone who claims to be a Christian but continues to ignore God’s standard and lives in sin, believing that Christ will delay His coming for a few years, can be compared to the wicked servant. Such a person will feel no immediate threat that the Lord’s return will take him or her off guard (Matthew 24:44; Luke 12:45-46).
It is significant that Jesus connects spiritual unfaithfulness and insincerity with the belief and desire that Christ will not come anytime soon.

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MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN / MATTHEW 26:39

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HE BEGAN TO BE SORROWFUL / MATTHEW 26:37

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IN MEMORY OF HER / MATTHEW 26:13

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PASSOVER / MATTHEW 26:2

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SHEEP FROM THE GOATS / MATTHEW 25:32-46

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EVERYONE WHO HAS / MATTHEW 25:29

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TALENTS / MATTHEW 25:15

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OIL / MATTHEW 25:4

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PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS / MATTHEW 25:1

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MY MASTER IS STAYING AWAY / MATTHEW 24:48-49

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