WE CONTINUE WITH THE SYNOPTIC HIGH POINTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORD OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST FROM ST. MATTHEW THE APOSTLE. THIS IS THE STORY OF THE SAVIOR OF ALL HUMANITY, EVEN JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE SON OF GOD, WHO IS GOD.
SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 8 SYNOPSIS:
WHEN CHRIST CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN GREAT MULTITUDES FOLLOWED HIM.
A LEPER CAME WORSHIPING CHRIST SAYING, “LORD IF YOU WILL, YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN”.
JESUS TOUCHED HIM SAYING, “I WILL; BE YOU CLEAN”, AND IMMEDIATELY HIS LEPROSY WAS GONE.
JESUS TOLD HIM, “SEE THAT YOU TELL NO MAN; BUT GO YOUR WAY, SHOW YOURSELF TO THE PRIEST, AND OFFER THE GIFT THAT MOSES COMMANDED, FOR A TESTIMONY TO THEM”.
(COMMENTARY: CHRIST INTENDED TO BEGIN SHAKING UP THE PRIESTS OF JUDAISM WITH EVIDENCE OF HIS ABILITY TO PERFORM THE MIRACLES OF GOD.)
WHEN JESUS ENTERED INTO CAPERNAUM, THERE CAME A CENTURION BESEECHING HIM SAYING, “LORD, MY SERVANT LIES AT HOME SICK OF THE PALSY, AND IN GREAT TORMENT”.
JESUS SAID TO HIM, “I WILL COME AND HEAL HIM”.
THE CENTURION ANSWERED AND SAID, “LORD, I AM NOT WORTHY THAT YOU SHOULD COME UNDER MY ROOF: BUT SPEAK THE WORD ONLY, AND MY SERVANT SHALL BE HEALED”.
WHEN JESUS HEARD IT, HE MARVELED, AND SAID TO THEM FOLLOWING HIM, ” I HAVE NOT FOUND SO GREAT FAITH, NO, NOT IN ISRAEL.
“AND I SAY TO YOU, THAT MANY PEOPLE SHALL COME FROM THE EAST AND THE WEST, AND SHALL SIT DOWN WITH ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. BUT THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS: THERE SHALL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.”
(COMMENTARY: THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PASSAGE AS HEREIN JESUS ADMITS THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WILL ONE DAY BE IN HEAVEN.)
JESUS SAID TO THE CENTURION, “GO YOUR WAY; AND AS YOU HAVE BELIEVED, SO BE IT UNTO YOU”. AND HIS SERVANT WAS HEALED IN THE SAME HOUR.
WHEN JESUS CAME TO PETER’S HOUSE, HE SAW HIS WIFE’S MOTHER (YES, PETER THE APOSTLE WAS MARRIED) LAYING DOWN SICK WITH A FEVER. HE TOUCHED HER HAND AND THE FEVER LEFT, AND SHE AROSE.
WHEN THE EVENING CAME, THEY BROUGHT TO JESUS MANY PERSONS THAT WERE POSSESSED WITH DEVILS: AND HE CAST OUT THE SPIRITS WITH HIS WORD, AND HEALED ALL THAT WERE SICK. THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY ISAIAH THE PROPHET SAYING, “HE TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES, AND BARE OUR SICKNESSES.”
A CERTAIN SCRIBE CAME TO JESUS SAYING, “MASTER, I WILL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.”
JESUS SAID TO HIM, “THE FOXES HAVE HOLES, AND THE BIRDS HAVE NESTS, BUT THE SON OF MAN HAS NOWHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD”.
(COMMENTARY: JESUS LET THE SCRIBE KNOW THAT HE WAS HOMELESS BY CHOICE ON A MISSION THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE SCRIBE TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF COMMITMENT).
ONE OF THESE DISCIPLES (SCRIBES) TOLD JESUS, “LORD, LET ME FIRST GO AND BURY MY FATHER”.
JESUS SAID TO HIM, “FOLLOW ME; AND LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD”.
(COMMENTARY: HERE ANOTHER RADICAL STATEMENT IS MADE BY JESUS. WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IF CHRIST REQUIRES OUR SERVICE, AFFECTION EVEN FOR THE DEAREST RELATIVES, AND FOR OTHER THINGS WHICH WE CONSIDER TO BE A DUTY, MUST GIVE WAY. TRULY CHRIST IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY FIGURE.)
JESUS ENTERED INTO A SHIP WITH HIS DISCIPLES FOLLOWING. THERE AROSE A GREAT TEMPEST IN THE SEA, SO MUCH THAT THE SHIP WAS COVERED WITH WAVES: BUT JESUS SLEPT.
THE DISCIPLES CAME TO HIM AND AWOKE HIM SAYING, “LORD, SAVE US: WE PERISH.”
HE SAID TO THEM, “WHY ARE YOU FEARFUL, O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH?”
THEN HE AROSE, AND REBUKED THE WINDS AND THE SEA; AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM.
BUT THE MEN MARVELED SAYING, WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS THIS, THAT EVEN THE WINDS AND THE SEA OBEY HIM!
WHEN JESUS HAD COME TO GERGESENES, THERE MET HIM TWO PERSONS POSSESSED WITH DEVILS, COMING OUT OF THE TOMBS, EXCEEDINGLY FIERCE, SO THAT NO MAN MIGHT PASS BY THAT WAY.
THEY CRIED OUT SAYING, “WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH YOU, JESUS, YOU SON OF GOD? ARE YOU COME HERE TO TORMENT US BEFORE THE TIME?”
(COMMENTARY: HEREIN IS PROOF THAT DEVILS/EVIL SPIRITS RECOGNIZE CHRIST AS THE ULTIMATE JUDGE. THESE FALLEN MUST GIVE UP POSSESSION OF HUMANS, WHEN HE COMMANDS.)
A GOOD WAY OFF FROM THEM WAS A HERD OF PIGS FEEDING. SO THE DEVILS BESOUGHT HIM SAYING, “IF YOU CAST US OUT, SUFFER US TO GO AWAY INTO THE HERD OF SWINE”.
JESUS SAID TO THEM, “GO”.
THE DEVILS CAME OUT OF THE MEN AND WENT INTO THE HERD OF PIGS: AND THE WHOLE HERD RAN VIOLENTLY DOWN A STEEP CLIFF INTO THE SEA, AND PERISHED IN THE WATERS.
AND THE KEEPERS OF THE HERD WENT TO THE CITY AND TOLD THE ENTIRE STORY. THE ENTIRE WICKED CITY CAME OUT TO MEET JESUS, AND WANTED HIM TO DEPART OUT OF THEIR COASTS.
SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 9 SYNOPSIS:
JESUS ENTERS A SHIP AND COMES TO HIS OWN CITY. (WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT “CITY” IS SPOKEN OF).
A MAN SICK WITH PALSY IS BROUGHT TO HIM LYING ON A BED. JESUS SEEING THE FAITH OF THE PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND SAID TO THE SICK MAN, “SON, BE OF GOOD CHEER, YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN”.
CERTAIN OF THE SCRIBES SAID WITHIN THEMSELVES, “THIS MAN BLASPHEMES”.
AND JESUS KNEW THEIR THOUGHTS AND SAID, “WHEREFORE THINK YOU EVIL IN YOUR HEARTS? FOR WHICH IS EASIER, TO SAY, YOUR SINS BE FORGIVEN YOU, OR TO SAY, ARISE, AND WALK?
“BUT THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE SON OF MAN HAS POWER ON EARTH TO FORGIVE SINS, (THEN SAYS HE TO THE SICK OF PALSY), ARISE, TAKE UP YOUR BED AND GO TO YOUR HOUSE.”
AND HE AROSE, AND DEPARTED TO HIS HOME.
THE MULTITUDES SAW IT AND THEY MARVELED AND GLORIFIED GOD, WHICH HAD GIVEN SUCH POWER TO MEN.
AS JESUS PASSED FORTH FROM THERE, HE SAW A MAN, NAMED MATTHEW, SITTING AT THE RECEIPT OF CUSTOM (TAX COLLECTION):
AND HE SAID TO HIM, “FOLLOW ME.” AND HE DID. (AGAIN THE AUTHORITATIVE NATURE OF CHRIST WAS HARD TO RESIST).
AS JESUS SAT AT DINNER THAT EVENING, MANY PUBLICANS AND SINNERS SAT DOWN WITH HIM AND HIS DISCIPLES.
AND THEN THE PHARISEES (A RELIGIOUS SECT AMONG THE JEWS THAT WOULD BECOME A MAJOR OBSTACLE FOR THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST TO THE JEWS) THEY SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, “WHY DOES YOUR MASTER EAT WITH PUBLICANS AND SINNERS?”
WHEN JESUS HEARD THEM, HE SAID, “THEY THAT BE WHOLE NEED NOT A PHYSICIAN, BUT THEY THAT ARE SICK. BUT GO AND LEARN WHAT THAT MEANS, I WILL HAVE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE (FOR CHRIST WAS THE LIVING SACRIFICE) FOR I AM NOT COME TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS TO REPENTANCE.”
THEN CAME TO HIM THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN SAYING, “WHY DO WE AND THE PHARISEES FAST OFT, BUT YOUR DISCIPLES DON’T.”
JESUS SAID TO THEM, “CAN THE CHILDREN OF THE BRIDECHAMBER MOURN, AS LONG AS THE BRIDEGROOM IS WITH THEM? BUT THE DAYS WILL COME, WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THEM, AND THEN SHALL THEY FAST.”
(COMMENTARY: THE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST ARE CONSIDERED THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, OBVIOUSLY CHRIST IS THE BRIDGEGROOM.)
“NO MAN PUTS A PIECE OF NEW CLOTH UNTO AN OLD GARMENT, FOR THAT WHICH IS PUT IN TO FILL IT UP TAKETH FROM THE GARMENT, AND THE RENT IS MADE WORSE. NEITHER DO MEN PUT NEW WINE INTO OLD BOTTLES: ELSE THE BOTTLES BREAK, AND THE WINE RUNS OUT, AND THE BOTTLES PERISH: BUT THEY PUT NEW WINE INTO NEW BOTTLES, AND BOTH ARE PRESERVED.”
(COMMENTARY: CHRIST WAS MAKING A PARABLE ABOUT HOW THE OLD WAYS OF THE CORRUPT PRIESTS OF PHARISEES COULD NOT CONTAIN (OR COPE WITH) THE NEW MESSAGE OF GOD CHRIST WAS BRINGING TO THE WORLD.)
WHILE JESUS SPAKE THESE THINGS TO THEM, THERE CAME A CERTAIN RULER AND WORSHIPED HIM, SAYING, “MY DAUGHTER IS NOW DEAD BUT COME AND LAY YOUR HAND UPON HER, AND SHE SHALL LIVE.”
AND JESUS AROSE AND FOLLOWED HIM WITH THE DISCIPLES.
A WOMAN WHICH WAS DISEASED WITH AN ISSUE OF BLOOD TWELVE YEARS, CAME BEHIND HIM, AND TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT. FOR SHE SAID WITHIN HERSELF, IF I MAY BUT TOUCH HIS GARMENT, I SHALL BE WHOLE.
JESUS TURNED ABOUT AND WHEN HE SAW HER, HE SAID, “DAUGHTER, BE OF GOOD COMFORT; THEY FAITH HAS MADE THEE WHOLE.” AND SHE WAS.
WHEN JESUS CAME INTO THE RULER’S HOUSE HE SAW THE MINSTRELS AND THE PEOPLE MAKING A NOISE. HE SAID TO THEM, “GIVE PLACE: THE MAID IS NOT DEAD, BUT SLEEPS.” AND THEY LAUGHED HIM TO SCORN.
JESUS WENT IN, TOOK THE MAID BY THE HAND, AND SHE AROSE. AND THE FAME OF THAT ACT WENT ABROAD IN ALL THE LAND.
WHEN JESUS DEPARTED THENCE, TWO BLIND MEN FOLLOWED HIM, CRYING, AND SAYING, “YOU SON OF DAVID; HAVE MERCY ON US.”
JESUS SAID TO THEM, “BELIVE YOU THAT I AM ABLE TO DO THIS?”
THEY SAID, “YES, LORD.”
THEN HE TOUCHED THEIR EYES, SAYING, “ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH BE IT UNTO TO YOU.” AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED.
AND JESUS CHARGED THEM STRAITLY SAYING, “SEE THAT NO MAN KNOW IT.” BUT THEY SPREAD HIS FAME IN ALL THAT COUNTRY.
THERE CAME TO JESUS A DUMB MAN POSSESSED WITH A DEVIL. WHEN THE DEVIL WAS CAST OUT, THE DUMB SPAKE: AND THE MULTITUDES MARVELED SAYING, “IT WAS NEVER SO SEEN IN ISRAEL.”
BUT THE PHARISEES SAID, “HE CAST OUT DEVILS THROUGH THE PRINCE OF DEVILS.”
JESUS WENT ABOUT ALL THE CITIES AND VILLAGES, TEACHING IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES, AND PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, AND HEALING EVERY SICKNESS AND EVERY DISEASE AMONG THE PEOPLE. BUT WHEN HE SAW THE MULTITUDES, HE WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION ON THEM, BECAUSE THEY FAINTED, AND WERE SCATTERED ABROAD, AS SHEEP HAVING NO SHEPHERD.
HE SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, “THE HARVEST (PEOPLE READY TO EMBRACE AND LIVE THE TRUTH OF CHRIST) TRULY IS PLENTEOUS, BUT THE LABORERS (MISSIONARIES) ARE FEW; PRAY YOU THEREFORE THAT THE LORD OF THE HARVEST, WILL SEND FORTH LABORERS INTO HIS HARVEST.”
(COMMENTARY: CHRIST MAKES REFERENCE HERE AS TO WHY HE IS SENDING THE DISCIPLES OUT AS MISSIONARIES. IT WAS BECAUSE THE SECULAR PEOPLE THEY WOULD BE SENT TO HAD NO DIRECTION IN THEIR LIVES. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THE GOSPEL WOULD GO INTO MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD. CHRIST DIRECTED THE APOSTLES TO DO THIS. FROM OUR MODERN VIEW WE MIGHT CONSIDER THE HISTORICAL FRUITS OF SUCH A LABOR AS MEETING WITH MIXED SUCCESS, AS FAR AS THE VERIFIABLE NUMBERS OF CONVERTS GLEANED FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORD GOES. BUT CHRIST KNEW THIS GOSPEL OF IRON TRUTH WOULD CREATE CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS WAVES OF REVOLUTIONARY REALIZATIONS AND INNER REFLECTIONS TO EVERYONE THAT CAME IN CONTACT WITH ITS TEACHING. THE GOSPEL WOULD CAUSE MANY PEOPLE OF DIVERSE CULTURES TO REFLECT UPON THEIR PAGANISM AND FALSE TRADITIONS, THUS REALIZING ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL THEIR BASE LUSTS AND LACK OF SPIRITUAL REFINEMENT. WHY? SO THEY WOULD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER AND ATTAIN THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE. MANY BIBLE SCHOLARS AGREE ON THIS WISE—
AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THE GOSPEL WOULD EVENTUALLY SPREAD TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. AT THAT SAME MOMENT, THE LAST DAYS WOULD ACTUALLY BEGIN, THE FINAL 2000 YEARS OF MAN IN SELF-GOVERNANCE, THE FINAL DAYS OF GRACE (TIME ENOUGH FOR EMBRACING THE TRUTH) BEFORE CHRIST WOULD RETURN AGAIN. YES PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS FOR 2000 YEARS!
BUT NOW OUR GRACE PERIOD IS ENDING. THE DAY WE LIVE IN IS LIKE THE DAYS OF NOAH BEFORE THE FLOOD, JUST LIKE THE SCRIPTURES PREDICTED. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO KID YOURSELF THAT I AM ESPOUSING END TIME PARANOIA, THOSE OF YOU WATCHING THE NEWS, DEALING WITH PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS (ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ORIGINAL 911 ATTACK) MUST HAVE NOTICED THINGS ARE NOT THE SAME OLD WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE. TIME IS AT THAT PROPHEISED APEX—WE ARE LITERALLY 11:59 PM FOR THE APPROACH OF THE MAIN EVENT—THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH, FOLLOWED BY THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD OF MANKIND.
OUR INDIVIDUAL SPIRITUAL CONDITION HAS EITHER COME TO A POINT WHERE WE SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH FOR THE SECULAR EVIL THAT SURROUNDS US, OR WE CONTINUE TO GO WITH THE FLOW OF THE CULTURE FOLLOWING IT RIGHT INTO THE HELL THAT SOON AWAITS HERE ON EARTH AND INTO THAT AWFUL FATE OF HELL (THE SECOND DEATH) THAT FOLLOWS FOREVER.
I BESEECH YOU TO SEEK AND ACCEPT THE MIGHTY CHANGE TO CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE, THE MIGHTY CHANGE TO SPIRITUAL HEART PURIFICATION. LET US END THE COLD INDIFFERENCE AND ISOLATIONISM OF ONE ANOTHER. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE YOU TO REALIZE THAT OUR SECULAR WORKS HAVE NO LASTING EFFECT ON ANYTHING BEYOND THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OR YEARS OF OUR PUNY LIVES? HOW LONG UNTIL WE REALIZE THAT OUR CARS, OUR CREDIT CARDS, OUR POSSESSIONS WILL NEVER BRING US LASTING FULFILLMENT? HOW LONG UNTIL WE REALIZE THERE IS MORE TO LIFE? WE HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME.
OUR LAST DAYS CULTURE HAS ALL THE SIGNS OF SICKNESS (THAT ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS INDICATED FROM THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO) WHICH SHOWS WHAT SOCIETY IS BECOMING —THE SELFISH MONSTERS OF PROPHESIED SCRIPTURE. THIS SICKNESS HAS INFECTED MANY OF OUR FAMILIES AS TO MAKE SOME STRANGERS; MANY OF US ARE EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY SELF-SEEKING BEYOND ALL BELIEF. THIS IRRATIONALITY HAS LONG AFFECTED OUR FRIENDSHIPS SINCE THE LATE 1960’S AND HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE BY GREATER DEGREES. THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT GOSSIP, TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO DON’T RETURN BORROWED ITEMS OR PHONE CALLS OR E-MAILS. THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP LATE OR NOT AT ALL.
THE BIBLE ALSO MAKES MANY REFERENCES TO HOW FEW FRIENDS WE WOULD HAVE IN THIS WORLD, AND WE REALIZE IT MORE EACH DAY.
TOO, OUR RULING WESTERN CULTURE HAS MOVED TO THE POINT OF EMBRACING ABJECT EVIL THROUGH THE GLORIFICATION OF CULTURAL TRENDS ONCE CONSIDERED “SEEDY” IN THE PRE-HIPPIE CULTURE OF THE 1960’S— THINGS LIKE—
BODY PIERCING/ TATTOO PARLORS, USURY PAWNSHOPS, EARLY CHECK CASH CENTERS, CAR TITLE LOAN COMPANIES, GAMBLING CASINOS AND BOATS, SHOCK REALITY TV, MOVIES, DESENSITIZING VIDEO GAMES AND MOST POPULAR MUSIC HAS BEEN A MORASS OF THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR FOR DECADES.
MANY OF YOU SEE THESE TRENDS FOR WHAT THEY ARE, BUT DOESN’T IT CONCERN YOU HOW THIS AFFECTS THE CHILDREN? JUST ONE GENERATION RAISED ON THIS REFUSE WILL SPAWN MUTANTS OR AN ARMY OF COLUMBINE KILLERS. WE ARE ALREADY SEEING PROOF OF THIS IN SOME MILLENIAL AND LINKSTERS WITH THEIR EMBRACE OF ANTIFA, BLACK LIVES MATTER, AND A HOST OF OTHER MARXIST GROUPS. THESE BROKEN SOULS WITHOUT PURPOSE OR PERSONAL SALVATION, OFTEN UNEMPLOYED OR LIVING WITH PARENTS IMAGINE THEMSELVES TO BE VICTIMS!
I FEEL THE TIDE OF DELUSION IS SO STRONG THAT ONLY CHRIST CAN HELP US NOW. THAT IS WHAT HE IS FOR! SAY YOUR PRAYERS IN CHRIST AND BELIEVE IN MIRACLES, SINCE THIS IS WHERE THE AUTHORITY LIVES!
NEXT . . . SAINT MATTHEW CONTINUED