New Testament / Matthew

  • Beware of Idolatry

    Deuteronomy 4:15–31

    Their denial of biblical authority makes it easy to accuse liberals of committing refined idolatry. The evangelical church in our day, however, can also build refined idols. Those who believe in a “God of love” without acknowledging His just wrath ...Read More

  • Persecutors of the Prophets

    Matthew 23:29–36

    Matthew Henry says it is easy for us to assume that we would be unlike the scribes and Pharisees and follow Jesus willingly. Yet even centuries later, he writes, “Christ in his Spirit, in his word, in his ministers, is ...Read More

  • Dead Men Walking

    Matthew 23:27–28

    Truth be told, there is a bit of hypocrisy in all of us. We often try hard to impress other people with our piety, trying to get the pastor and other people to notice our willingness to pray and serve ...Read More

  • Inward Cleanliness

    Matthew 23:25–26

    According to Matthew Henry: “those sins must be conscientiously abstained from, which the eye of God only is a witness to, who searches the heart.” We can easily think we are being obedient if we do many good deeds, however ...Read More

  • Weightier Matters of the Law

    Matthew 23:23–24

    John Calvin writes, “The Law is kept only when men are just, and kind, and true, towards each other; for thus they testify that they love and fear God, and give proper and sufficient evidence of sincere piety.” Commitment to ...Read More

  • The Sanctity of Vows

    Matthew 23:16–22

    John MacArthur comments that “swearing by those things [temple, altar, and so on] is tantamount to swearing by God Himself” (The MacArthur Bible Commentary, p. 1,169). Any godly commitment we make must be honored, for the Lord prizes truth ...Read More

  • Increasing Another’s Guilt

    Matthew 23:13–15

    As we preach the Gospel to our friends and neighbors we must always stress grace, otherwise we can convert people to a Christianized form of moralism that implies it is possible for us to get right with God through our ...Read More

  • Giving Caesar His Due

    Matthew 22:15–22

    Our Lord’s teaching is a useful principle for understanding when it is lawful to obey the state. As long as it does not claim for itself the rights that appropriately belong to God, Christians must obey the ruling authorities ...Read More

  • Ejected From the Feast

    Matthew 22:11–14

    Matthew Henry comments, “Those, and those only, who put on the Lord Jesus, and to whom he is all in all, have wedding clothes.” Personal, saving trust in Christ is necessary to be a part of His banquet. Such faith ...Read More

  • The Wedding Feast

    Matthew 22:1–10

    Jesus tells us in Luke 12:48b that “everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” The more we have been blessed with ...Read More

  • The Parable of the Tenants

    Matthew 21:33–46

    Every professing Christian should read today’s passage as a warning. All who are truly in Christ, of course, cannot finally fall away from grace, but only those who bear fruit for the kingdom are truly in Christ. Believers may ...Read More

  • A Tale of Two Sons

    Matthew 21:28–32

    Being able to discern the faithful son is actually an act of self-indictment on the part of the leaders. If they can rightly choose as faithful the son who left his disobedience, surely they must also be able to discern ...Read More

  • A Question of Authority

    Matthew 21:23–27

    Matthew Henry comments on today’s passage, saying that “those who imprison the truth they know, in unrighteousness are justly denied the further truths they enquire after.” When we, like the scribes and priests in today’s passage, refuse to ...Read More

  • A Lesson From a Fig Tree

    Matthew 21:18–22

    Matthew Henry writes, “The fruit of fig trees may justly be expected from those who have the leaves. Christ looks for the power of religion from those who make profession of it.” The cursing of the fig tree is a ...Read More

  • From the Mouth of Babes

    Matthew 21:14–17

    Pride has traditionally been regarded as the greatest of all sins — and with good reason. Those who are puffed up with themselves are too proud to admit their failures and need of God. The proud become so concerned with maintaining ...Read More