Lesson 23, Q11~Q12

FIFTH DAY: Read Matthew 23:13-39.

Q11. List with verses the woes Jesus pronounced on the religious leaders. For each woe, try to give an opposite, positive application for your own life. Note: Because some ancient manuscripts have an additional “woe” after verse 13, some versions of the Bible have a verse 14, and others omit it.

13 “Woe to you, who shut the door of the kingdom of heaven; you yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter.

Should repent and share the gospel to the world.

15 “Woe to you, who win a single convert, but make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

Should lead the way for the new believer to Jesus, don’t make others to fall.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides!

Should never swear, nor give the wrong teaching. God is the only one teacher.

23 “Woe to you, who give a tenth of offering, but neglect the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.

Should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

25 “Woe to you, who clean the outside, but inside full of greed and self-indulgence.

First clean the inside of our soul, and then the outside also will be clean.

27 “Woe to you, who look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.

Should live a righteous and pure life.

29 “Woe to you, who testify against themselves.

Stop pretending we are better than others, repent to Jesus for our sins.

Q12.

a. Of whom was Jesus speaking in Matthew 23:33-34? (Read also John 15:18-16:4; Acts 8:2-4.)

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages賢人 and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

Jews, Pharisees and the teacher of the law and the world.

b. Remembering the parables in chapters 21 and 22 of Matthew, what event might Jesus be predicting in verses 35-36 and verse 38 of chapter 23?

verses 35-36 They will crucify Jesus in one week. verse 38 And then the Roman army will capture Jerusalem and destroy the temple in 70AD. There was no temple. It was gone, destroyed, burned down, all the way to the massive foundation stones.

c. What are your thoughts from this passage about the consequences of rebellion and the love of Jesus, especially from verses 35 through 39?

Unless the people repent their sins and believe in Jesus or otherwise the rebellion people won’t have the chance to see Jesus again.

d. What does Jesus mean in Matthew 23:39? (Think also about Zechariah 12:10, Romans 11:26-27, Philippians 2:9-11.)

God’s wrath will be on these peoples who reject the salvation from His Son’s blood. Until we repent and praise the Lord Jesus. God will welcome us in the heaven.