Matthew 12: Lessons and Reminders

At my church, we’ve been doing a special service where 20 minutes of the Visual Bible Gospel of Matthew movie featuring Bruce Marciano as Jesus. Marciano’s performance (with few exceptions) has a great way of bringing Christ’s words to life in this word for word performance of the Book of Matthew. I was taken with Matthew 12. When Marciano delivered the lines, I noticed a few things I hadn’t. Here are some thoughts:

And Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?-vs. 25, 26

This stood out to me in regards to our current political situation. In some ways, it’s a quite unpleasant thought. “Every city, every kingdom.” The words are axiomatic and true. Of course, the consequences for our nation are stunning if our current state of affairs continues. Lincoln correctly applied this principle to see the clouds of Civil War rising. One wonders what awaits our divided land at this hour.

He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.-v.30

The “He that is not with me is against me” scripture has always been one I’ve known, but I saw the second part in a new light. Those who are not working to forwarding God’s kingdom are scattering abroad people from the truth. Christ leaves no room for neutral ground here.

Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit.-v. 33

This to me is an affirmation of the importance of first reforming the inward man, rather than the approach of reforming outward conduct. The state of the inward man and the state of the outward conduct are linked. This point is missed by both antinomians who believe in no change of life and the legalist who believes we can be reformed by changing our ways rather than having our spirits reformed. The antinomian believes that if he calls the thistle an Apple tree, it is an acceptable apple tree. The legalist focuses on hot gluing apples onto the thistle in order to make it an apple tree. What’s needed is a change of heart or the type of tree we are.

 But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment.

  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”-vs. 36, 37

My thought: Lord, help me to learn to watch my mouth better. Amen.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, “Master, we would see a sign from thee.”

 But He answered and said unto them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.-vs. 38, 39

This reminded me of someone I know who went around seeking only experiences. He experienced God, experienced the Holy Spirit, next week went and experienced drugs and getting drunk. An adulterous generation is perhaps a generation that wants to be amazed, or perhaps a generation that wants to be entertained. It’s adulterous in that has its affections set on something other than God. If they can get what they want from God, they’ll be with him, but only for a night. So, it can be with us and our obsession with entertainment, professionalism, and feeling good. At its root, it’s pretty simple: an adulterous and wicked generation seeks after something other than God.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

Then he saith, `I will return into my house from whence I came out.’ And when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.-vs. 43-45

The interesting thing here is that I’ve heard this applied mainly to someone who had demons cast out, but didn’t have the Holy Spirit. Jesus was actually referring to an entire group of people who had Jesus (”the Light of the World”) come and cast out demons and drive out evil, but by their refusal to allow him and His Spirit to dwell in them, they were engulfed by an even greater darkness.

While He yet talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brethren stood outside, desiring to speak with Him.

Then one said unto Him, “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand outside, desiring to speak with thee.”

But He answered and said unto him that told Him, “Who is My mother? And who are My brethren?”

And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples and said, “Behold, My mother and My brethren!

For whosoever shall do the will of My Father who is in Heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.”-vs. 46-50

What actually made it come alive to me was Marciano’s performance that made me see the scene in a different light. Usually, I imagine Jesus saying this, standing still and continuing on to whatever point he makes next. Marciano pointed in the direction and began to walk over to his disciples. That seemed more truer to the text than my narrow vision of the event. It reminded me of the close relationship that Christ wants with each of us. To be brothers and sisters. It’s amazing!