The Bible, the Gospel of Matthew with comments for better understanding and practical application. More videos and articles on: https://nekomunatobezalezi.cz/en/ ‘Whoever wants to follow me, stop thinking about yourself, don’t be afraid to suffer for me (I’m still with you) and follow me.’ verse 24
- Religious leaders ask for signs from heaven
Once the religious leaders of that time came to Jesus and demanded proof from him that he had God’s mandate… He answered them: You can judge the phenomena in the sky, and what happens before your eyes is still not enough for you? Comment: … Sometimes when people don’t want to believe, they will keep asking the same questions and not moving forward. Christian Frank Turek says that when he gives lectures at universities and the students get a microphone and he asks them if they had evidence that Jesus existed and was what he said he was and that the Bible is historically documented, etc., if they would believe. To his shock of more than 90 percent of them, he will say no!!! Some of the same students claim that Christians do not use reason and that they personally only believe what is documented, but when it comes down to it, they are able to say this! …As someone wise said, Jesus was not just a historically documented person, he was what he did and what he said about himself. And if he said of himself that he was the Son of God and the Messiah, then he was either a fool or it was true. And if someone can predict that he will die and rise from the dead 3 days later, I would be very interested in what he ever said, who he is and what effect it has on my life!
- Jesus warns against false teaching
Jesus said to them: ‘Beware of the Pharisaic and Sadducean leaven!’ … Only then did they understand that by Kvass he meant the distorted teachings of the Jewish leaders. Comment: We encounter distorted learning everywhere. If we want to know what is true, we need to keep studying the Bible in order to be able to recognize what is really there and what is not. … When we read what she did for them then, it gives us the belief that she can do the same for us. Romans 10:17 says: Faith grows from the hearing of God’s word. The more faith we want to have, the more we will read or listen to God’s word. – Maybe even various sermons on YouTube, etc.
- Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah
… Simon Peter exclaimed: ‘You are Christ, the Son of the living God!’ … (Jesus) then ordered his disciples not to tell anyone yet that he was the expected Messiah. Comment: Did Jesus ever say that he is the Messiah? Yes, and several times! What does verse 19 mean? – I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: What is decided here on earth will also apply in heaven.’ This is a beautiful promise! The Bible is full of promises that apply, not only to Peter or the people of Jesus’ time, but also to us. This promise says that those who accept Jesus and the news about God here on earth will have a place in heaven. And it also concerns prayer As such – if we ask for something here on earth, heaven will give it to us.
- Jesus predicts his death
From that day on, Jesus began to speak openly with his disciples about the fact that he must go to Jerusalem and what awaits him there – much will suffer from the Jewish religious leaders, he will be killed, but on the third day he will rise again. Petr took him aside and started talking to him: ‘Don’t talk like that, we won’t allow anything like that.’ However, he turned away from Peter and said: ‘Get out of my way, Satan! You tempt me, because you see it only from a human point of view and not from God’s point of view!’ Comment: Wow! This seems rough. As if he was telling Peter that he was Satan. In fact, Jesus knew what his mission was and what awaited him, and it took him a lot of strength to concentrate on giving it and the devil trying to dissuade him from this mission through Peter. …Imagine what would happen if Satan deterred him from the trip! If Jesus had not died for us! The impact of such a decision would have a big impact on our lives! We could not restore our way to God ourselves! I think that’s why Jesus used such strong words. Then he said to the disciples: ‘Whoever wants to follow me, stop thinking about yourself, don’t be afraid to suffer for me and follow me. Comment: This summarizes true pure Christianity – stop thinking only of yourself, don’t be afraid of suffering (Jesus is always with you) And follow it – ideally every day, being led by the Holy Spirits in all that we do! Anyone who wants to keep their lives for themselves will lose it. Whoever gives his life to me will gain it. What Does it benefit a person when he gains the whole world and loses his real life? What can balance the value of eternal life? I will come in the glory of my father with my angels and then I will judge each person by how he lived. You will witness the glory and power of my kingdom.’ Commentary: What it means to become witnesses of the glory and power of God’s kingdom during this lifetime and which of the disciples we will read in the next two verses in the following chapter. Let’s not forget that the Bible was divided into chapters later, only in the 13th century. When Matouš wrote it, it was a complete text. Therefore, for a correct understanding of the Bible, it is often good to read the chapter before and after, because of the context. Mostly SNC Bible translation online:https://www.bible.com/cs/bible/162/MAT.16.SNC
