Daily Writing

Friday, 25 September 2026

A summary of Matthew Chapter 22.

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen). 

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

To read the CG Translation on YouTube (Click Here), or at Rumble (Click Here).

Daniel also did a link concerning the connection between Matthew 21, the Book of Ecclesiastes, and Isaiah 21. That can be listened by (Clicking Here). His readable notes are (Click Here).

The individual chapters of Matthew have given a broad panorama of what is going on in redemptive history. In the recent chapters, we saw that Chapter 20 was filled with hints of the transition from the dispensation of the law to the dispensation of grace. It dealt with order and propriety concerning the redemptive process, ensuring that each step is completed as the plan progresses.

It also presented the truth that God has made faith in what He has done the necessary condition for man’s salvation. Nothing more can be added to it, and without meeting that one condition, there is no chance of obtaining access.

Chapter 21 continued that thought, dealing specifically with the object of that faith, Jesus Christ. Chapter 21 ended with the parable of the wicked vinedressers. It clearly revealed that the vineyard would be taken away from Israel and given to other vinedressers.

That continued as Chapter 22 began, as seen in the parable of the wedding feast. The symbolism was that the Father was preparing Jesus as a bridegroom. The invitation was made to Israel, but they rejected the offer.

Because of this, they were destroyed and their city, Jerusalem, was burned, exactly what later occurred. Therefore, the message went throughout the world, inviting anyone to come and share in the banquet. At the end of the parable, it was seen that only those who had the appropriate garments, signifying the righteousness of Christ, were welcome. All others would be cast into outer darkness.

The rest of the chapter shows Israel what their true responsibilities are and where their proper doctrine should lie. What is said is directed to Israel. As such, even though the parable of the wedding feast showed that their people and city would be destroyed, it does not mean that it is the end of the line for Israel the nation.

Rather, the interactions show that any future for them must include a right understanding of what is expected of them and how to appropriate their right to be God’s people once again.

The first note of this was the challenge of the Pharisees and Herodians concerning one’s obligation to society. They attempted to trap Jesus into taking one side or another, but He gave a rightly centered third option. We live in the world and must interact with the world around us.

Israel under the law still has obligations to fulfill apart from the law. Using an earthly example of Caesar, the exchange demonstrates that what belonged to Caesar was to be rendered to Caesar. What can be inferred from this is that Caesar is being used as a type of Christ. If God has determined a new path for Israel, apart from the law, they must meet that obligation.

This was seen in the use of the word eikón when Jesus asked, “Whose, the ‘likeness, this’? And whose inscription?” That word is used in 2 Corinthians 4:4 and Colossians 3:14 when referring to Christ. Jesus is the image of God. The inscription that this is the case is seen in Luke 23 –

“And an inscription [epigraphé] also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Luke 23:38

Jesus is the image of God. The inscription at His crucifixion was a sign to Israel that He is their King. God gave the law to Israel, and they were obligated to it. But God also gave Jesus to Israel. Thus, they are obligated to Him. As Jesus fulfilled the law, Israel must come to Jesus (the fulfillment of the law), thus rendering to God what is God’s, both under the law and under the Headship of Christ.

After that, Jesus was challenged by the Sadducees concerning the resurrection. The resurrection is the ultimate sign of Jesus’ authority as the designated Messiah and representative of God. Therefore, if a resurrection was possible and to be expected based on the state of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then it was to be expected that when Jesus resurrected, they should have understood that He was the fulfillment of the messianic promises.

After that, the Pharisees had a lawyer, a man who was a specialist in the law, test Jesus concerning the greatest commandment. Jesus’ response was a two-fold answer: total allegiance and devotion to God and love toward one’s neighbor that matched one’s love of himself. Jesus finished the exchange, saying, “In these, the two commandments, all the law and the prophets, they hang.”

As seen, the impossibility of meeting these two commandments was highlighted. It thus takes the reader’s mind back to the previous two encounters: First, that there is an obligation to God through the law and a fulfillment of it in Christ, to which the people are obligated. Second, that there was an absolute need for Christ because only He could adequately satisfy the demands of the law.

The chapter finished with the final piece of the “need for Jesus” puzzle. Jesus asked the Pharisees, who had gathered, a question concerning the Sonship of the Christ. Their answer was that the Christ was the son of David, something exactingly seen in their Scriptures. However, they missed the important point from those Scriptures that David considered the Christ his “Lord.”

In citing the 110^th Psalm, it is clear that this son of David, who is his Lord, would be given the full authority of God –

“He said, Lord, to the ‘Lord, Mine’,
‘You sit from ‘rights, Me’,
Until if I should put the ‘enemies, Yours’ – footstool, the ‘feet, Yours’.’” Matthew 22:44

As this is so, it is an implicit reference to the deity of Christ. This then solidifies the previous thought even further: the obligation to Israel under the law was to God, but because Jesus is the Lord incarnate, Israel has a full obligation to Him as well. Rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar’s can be seen in this dispensation as “rendering unto Christ what is Christ’s.”

The law is not a means to an end. It is also not the final obligation for Israel. It is a part of God’s redemptive plan that was fulfilled in Christ. To be obedient to the law, one must bow the knee to Christ, who is God incarnate.

Life application: The chapter continues the Bible’s theme of the law versus grace. There is no way around a relationship with Jesus in order to be pleasing to God. As Jesus fulfilled the law, Israel’s obligation is to accept Christ’s fulfillment of the law and come to God through Him. In doing so, they will be rendering their total allegiance to God, because Jesus is God incarnate.

Nothing else will do. And more, for those who teach that people today must observe the Law of Moses, in part or in whole, there will be no salvation for them. If they were saved before heading down that unholy path, there will be no rewards credited to them from that day forward.

God is not in the business of sharing His glory with others. We can either come to Him as He has determined, or not at all. The absolutes of the Christian faith are not negotiable because God, who cannot lie, has set them forth.

“He says to him, the ‘Jesus’, ‘I, I am the Road, and the Truth, and the Life. None, he comes to the Father if not through Me.’” John 14:6 (CG)

Lord God, today we lift up Israel, hoping they will get Jesus right so that many will be saved before the time of trouble comes. We also lift up those who are mired in law observance instead of resting in Christ Jesus. May they give up on their path and walk the road of Jesus alone. Amen.

Matthew 22 (CG)

¹And answering, the ‘Jesus’, again, He said in parables to them, saying, ²“It resembled, the ‘kingdom the heavens,’ man, king, who he made nuptials – the ‘son, his’. ³And he sent, the ‘servants, his’ to call those having been called to the nuptials. And not they inclined to come. ⁴Again, he sent other servants, saying, ‘You say to those having been called, “You behold, the ‘brunch, mine’ I prepared, the ‘oxen, mine’, and the fatted have been sacrificed, and all – readied. You come to the nuptials!’” ⁵The ‘also having been uncaring’, they departed, the – indeed – to the ‘his field’, the also to the ‘emporium, his’. ⁶The ‘also rest’, having seized the ‘servants, his’, they mistreated, and they killed. ⁷Having heard, also, the king, he angered, and having sent the ‘troops, his’ he destroyed the ‘murderers, those’, and the ‘city, theirs’ he burned. ⁸Then, he says to ‘servants, his’, ‘The, indeed, nuptial, ready, it is. Those, also, having been invited, not they were worthy. ⁹You go, therefore, upon the ‘through-departures, the roads’, and as many, if you should find, you call to the nuptials.’ ¹⁰And having departed, the ‘servants, those’ into the roads, they gathered all, as many as they found, evil, both, and good. And it filled, the nuptial – reclinings.

¹¹Having entered, also, the king, to view those reclining, he beheld there – man, not ‘having been donned, apparel, nuptial’. ¹²And he says to him, ‘Shammer! How – you entered here, not having ‘apparel, nuptial’?’ The ‘also’, he muzzled. ¹³Then, the king, he said to the servants, ‘Having bound his feet and hands, you take him, and you cast into the ‘darkness, the outer’. There, it will be the weeping and the ‘gnash, the teeth’.’

¹⁴Many, also, they are invitees, and few, elect.”

¹⁵Then, having gone, the Pharisees, counsel, they took: how, Him, they might ensnare in word. ¹⁶And they send to Him, the ‘disciples, theirs’ with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we have known that true, You are, and the ‘road, the God’ in truth You teach, and not it concerns You about anyone. Not, also, You look to ‘appearance, men’. ¹⁷You tell, therefore, us what to You, it seems? It permits to give census to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸Having known, also, the ‘Jesus’, the ‘depravity, theirs’, He said, “Why, Me, you test, hypocrites? ¹⁹You display to me the ‘coin, the census’.”

They also offered to Him – denarius.

²⁰And He says to them, “Whose, the ‘likeness, this’? And whose inscription?”

²¹They say to Him, “Caesar’s.”

Then He says to them, “You render, therefore, those Caesar’s to Caesar, and those the ‘God’s’ to God.” ²²And having heard, they wondered, and having left Him, they departed.

²³In that, the ‘day’, they approached Him, Sadducees (saying not is ‘resurrection’), and they queried Him, ²⁴saying, “Teacher, Moses, he said if anyone, he should die not having children, he will affinitize the ‘brother, his, the wife, his’, and he will raise seed – the ‘brother, his’. ²⁵They were, also, among us seven brothers, and the first, having married, he died, and not having seed, he left the ‘wife, his’ to the ‘brother, his’. ²⁶Similarly, also, the second, and the third, until the seventh. ²⁷Afterward, also of all, she died, even the woman. ²⁸In the resurrection, therefore, which of the seven, she will be – wife? All, for, they had her.”

²⁹Answering, also, the ‘Jesus’, He said to them, “You roam, not having known the Scriptures nor the ‘power, the God’. ³⁰ In, indeed, the resurrection, neither they marry, nor they are espoused, but like ‘messengers, the God, in heaven’, they are. ³¹Concerning, also, the ‘resurrection, the dead’, not you read the ‘having been uttered to you by the God’, saying, ³²‘I, I am the ‘God, Abraham’, and the ‘God, Isaac’, and the ‘God, Jacob’?’ Not, He is, the God – ‘God, dead’, but living.” ³³And having heard, the crowds, they were outstruck upon the ‘teaching, His’.

³⁴The ‘also Pharisees’, having heard that He muzzled the Sadducees, they gathered upon the same. ³⁵And he queried, one from them – ‘jurisprudent, testing Him’, and saying, ³⁶“Teacher, which-such commandment – greatest in the law?” ³⁷The ‘also Jesus’, He said to him, “You will love – ‘Lord, the God, yours’ in all the ‘heart, yours’, and in all the ‘soul, yours’, and in all the ‘cognition, yours’. ³⁸This, it is – first and great commandment. ³⁹Second, also, like it: You will love the ‘neighbor, yours’ as yourself. ⁴⁰In these, the two commandments, all the law and the prophets, they hang.”

⁴¹Having been gathered, also, the Pharisees, He queried them, the ‘Jesus’, ⁴²saying, “What – you, you think about the Christ? Whose Son, He is?”

They say to Him, “The ‘of David’.”

⁴³He says to them, “How then, David – in Spirit, ‘Lord,’ Him, he calls, saying:

⁴⁴‘He said, Lord, to the ‘Lord, Mine’,

“You sit from ‘rights, Me’,

Until if I should put the ‘enemies, Yours’ – footstool, the ‘feet, Yours’.”’

⁴⁵If therefore, David, he calls Him ‘Lord,’ how ‘Son, His’ He is?” ⁴⁶And none, He could Him answer – word, nor he ventured, any, from that, the day, to question Him longer.

Thursday, 24 September 2026

And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore. Matthew 22:46

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And none, He could Him answer – word, nor he ventured, any, from that, the day, to question Him longer.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus questioned how the Messiah could be David’s Son if He is his Lord. The response is precious, “And none, He could Him answer – word.”

The question certainly formed a problem in their mind. The Scriptures were written, the psalm was considered to refer to the Messiah, and the truth Jesus presented could not be explained away.

The Messiah was to be more than a mere man. Whether they realized this would mean the Messiah was also deity may be in question, but Jesus’ words made it evident that there was more to the picture than they were seeing.

However, the citation of the psalm indicated that the Messiah would have the full authority of Yehovah. To consider Him anything less than deity would make no sense. Because of this, Matthew continues, “nor he ventured, any, from that, the day, to question Him longer.”

A new word is seen, tolmaó, to venture. It includes the sense of being bold, daring, taking a chance or a try at something, etc. They saw that Jesus’ knowledge of the Scriptures was not only extensive, but well thought out. This has been the pattern throughout the chapter.

Jesus has been questioned by Herodians, Pharisees, Sadducees, and even a lawyer. They either were put in their proverbial place, or they were astonished at His teachings and the depth of the knowledge He possessed and that He was able to explain from their sacred oracles.

Life application: Except for the Herodians, the people in this chapter were debating matters from the same source, meaning Scripture. The argument that included the Herodians, however, still touched on matters related to a relationship with God.

The attempt was to put Jesus into an impossible position between allegiance to God and those to be rendered to the state. The other questions and challenges were more Scripture-related. In the last instance, it was Jesus who initiated the question. But in all instances, Jesus’ knowledge concerning the word was considered exceptional.

That brings in an obvious reference point for our own challenges in life. If there is a matter about God, or that may jeopardize our relationship with God, how are we going to be able to defend ourselves and our actions before God if we do not respond according to His will?

And how can we do that if we don’t know what His will is? In this chapter, each challenge has come back to rightly knowing the word of God and then rightly applying that knowledge.

There was no true dilemma between paying taxes to Caesar or not. Because of Jesus’ understanding of the word, He was able to easily destroy their false dilemma, prevailing over their illogical presentation.

By knowing God’s word, we can know God’s will. Without this knowledge, we may do things as He would want or we may not. The problem is that there is no way to know. Thus, our walk before Him will be a risky one. Why live that way?

Wouldn’t it be better to know His word, walk in paths that are pleasing to Him, and stand before Him at our judgment knowing we had lived according to His will? Let us endeavor to make reading the Bible a daily commitment all our days.

Lord God, help our walk in this life to be one that is pleasing to You, honoring of Your will in our lives. May we carefully live out our days in accord with Your word, which tells us of these things. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Wednesday, 23 September 2026

If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” Matthew 22:45

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“If therefore, David, he calls Him ‘Lord,’ how ‘Son, His’ He is?” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus cited Psalm 110:1. He used that as the basis for asking how it was that David, while under the inspiration of the Spirit, called the Christ Lord. He now specifically asks for them to consider David’s words, saying, “If therefore, David, he calls Him ‘Lord,’ how ‘Son, His’ He is?”

The meaning is that by calling the Christ Lord, the Christ must be David’s superior. But this would be contrary to the normal understanding of family relationships. The former is always superior to those who come later. For example, Abraham is superior to Isaac. Isaac is superior to Jacob, and so on.

Respect, including honorific titles, belongs to the one who comes first. However, One would issue from David, whom David calls Lord. In calling Him Lord, David acknowledges Christ’s preexistence in relation to himself.

The answer lies in Christ’s dual nature, He being the God/Man. This state in relation to David is found in Revelation 22 –

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16

David calls the Christ Lord because David stems from the work of Christ when He breathed the breath of life into Adam –

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

The deity of Christ is clearly evidenced in Jesus’ analysis of the psalm.

Life application: An attack on Jesus’ nature forms the basis for almost every heresy found within Christianity. Other heresies, such as the sinless nature of Mary, indirectly attack Jesus’ work on behalf of humanity. In the end, anything that diminishes Jesus’ deity, His humanity, or His all-sufficient work must be rejected.

Jesus is the Lord God come in human form. What He has done is fully sufficient to reconcile man with God. This is why inserting ourselves into the salvation equation is such an offense to the gospel message.

Jesus began the process, performed the necessary work, and then offers the results of His work to us as grace. When we claim that someone was sinless, like the Roman Catholic Church does with Mary, it negates the need for a Redeemer. If God exempted her, He could do so for each one of us, even if He chose not to do so.

The magnificence of the cross is obliterated through such a heresy. Likewise, when we hold to our works as somehow initiating or maintaining the grace of the cross in our lives, it means that the cross is not of grace at all. God is robbed of the honor of blessing His creatures in this manner. It is thus an attack against the very nature of God to set aside the grace of the cross.

Let us hold fast to the truth that God has done everything necessary for our salvation. We are granted God’s forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ through merely believing that God has done it. Trust the gospel! Don’t let anyone tell you that there is more to do to be on God’s good side. He has done it all!

Lord God, how grateful we are to You for what You have done. Jesus! He has come and brought us back to You through His all-sufficient work. We will sing the praises of our God forever and ever. Hallelujah for the exalted name of our Lord – Jesus! Amen.

Tuesday, 22 September 2026

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’? Matthew 22:44

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“He said, Lord, to the ‘Lord, Mine’,
‘You sit from ‘rights, Me’,
Until if I should put the ‘enemies, Yours’ – footstool, the ‘feet, Yours’.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus questioned how David, under the influence of the Spirit, called the Christ “Lord.” In other words, if the Christ is his descendant, how could he subordinate himself in such a manner? Understanding this, Jesus cites the Scripture where this is proven so. He goes to Psalm 110:1, beginning with, “He said, Lord, to the ‘Lord, Mine’.”

In the Greek, the same word, kurios, is used in both instances. The meaning of the word must be determined from the context. However, regardless of the context, Jesus calls this person “Lord.” He thus subordinates himself to this coming Person.

As for the context, it is found in the Hebrew –

“‘Oracle, Yehovah’ to my Lord.
You must sit to my right
Until I will make your hatings – footstool to your feet.” Psalm 110:1 (CG)

David identifies that Yehovah, the covenant God of Israel, spoke an oracle to his Lord. The word is adoni, my Lord. It thus indicates a person to whom he has subordinated himself. The question Jesus asks is how David could designate a person descending from him in this manner. And more, the psalm continues, saying, “‘You sit from ‘rights, Me’.’”

The right, meaning the position of the right hand, is the position of all power and authority. Yehovah has spoken through David that this Person, the Christ, would sit at the position of all power and authority of Yehovah. If this were a mere person, it would be unthinkable that he would be given all of God’s power. And yet, that is what is being stated. The words citing the psalm continue, saying, “Until if I should put the ‘enemies, Yours’ – footstool, the ‘feet, Yours’.”

The meaning is that the enemies of the Christ will be placed as a footstool for His feet. But if this Person is at the right hand of Yehovah, it means that He is the agent by which this is accomplished.

To understand this, one can go to the account of Joseph in Egypt, who was given the full authority of Pharaoh in order to effect the purposes of Pharaoh. This is true of Mordecai’s authority in Esther as well.

The Lord God, Yehovah Elohim, has stated that all authority in heaven and on earth would be granted to a descendant of David, of whom David acknowledges him as his Lord. This is what Jesus has presented to the Pharisees as a question that must be considered in the light of the logical process discussed in the previous verse’s life application section.

Life application: Using the same logic as discussed in the previous verse, whether we believe in Jesus or not, and whether we accept the premise of Jesus’ full authority, we would have to conclude that the Bible clearly presents Jesus as having the full power and authority of Yehovah Elohim, the Lord God.

Scripture is given by God through man. If the New Testament is Scripture, which it is claimed to be so even within itself, then this is the obvious conclusion. Scripture says the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary. Thus, Jesus would be the Son of the Most High, meaning the Son of God.

Despite being a Man, He is also God. Jesus fulfilled the law, as clearly portrayed in the gospels and as explained in the epistles. Jesus died in fulfillment of the law, not for His own sin, but for the sin of others. Jesus came out of the grave, prevailing over sin for us. But it says in Romans that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The meaning is “all men,” because all have sinned (Romans 5:12).

If this is true, and if the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), then Jesus cannot merely be a human. If He were, He would have been born with Adam’s sin. The logical conclusion is that because His Father is God, and because God overshadowed Mary, the offspring – though being a human – is also God. Thus, He is exempted from the “all have sinned” as stated in Romans.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He said that all authority had been given to Him, just as promised by the words of David to the Christ. In Mark 16, it says that Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, just as promised in the words of David to Christ. This is confirmed in Acts and Hebrews. Paul speaks of it in his epistles.

In other words, even if you don’t believe that the Bible is the word of God, nor do you believe in Jesus or that He is God, if you fairly and properly evaluate the Bible, it is clear that this is what the Bible presents. This is where faith comes in. One must not only mentally acknowledge that this is what Scripture teaches, but he must have faith that it is so.

Lord God, we believe the Bible is Your word. We believe that Jesus is proclaimed to be the Messiah and God incarnate. We believe that faith in Him is sufficient to restore us to You. Thank You for the hope we possess. We will live in Your presence forever and ever because of what You have done in sending Jesus. Hallelujah and Amen.

Monday, 21 September 2026

He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: Matthew 22:43

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“He says to them, ‘How then, David – in Spirit, ‘Lord,’ Him, he calls, saying…’” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus asked the Pharisees what they thought concerning whose Son the Christ is. Their answer to him was “David.” Their answer, despite being correct, was incomplete. To get them thinking on the right lines concerning the nature of the Christ, “He says to them, ‘How then, David – in Spirit.’”

The Pharisees have said that the Christ is the Son of David. If this is so, and Scripture testifies to it as a fact, that information doesn’t tell the entire story. David himself testifies to it.

As Scripture is given by God, and as David’s words are recorded as Scripture (in Spirit), then what David said concerning the Christ must be considered. Jesus continues with what David penned while in the Spirit, saying, “‘Lord,’ Him, he calls, saying…”

At this point, what the word “Lord” signifies, or where it is recorded, isn’t stated. That will be seen in the next verse. However, it would be highly unusual for David to call one of his descendants “Lord.” In Scripture, everything traces back to its source.

Each preceding generation of humanity is considered greater due to the respect shown to the parent. Thus, the Christ, being a descendant of David, something already established as being the case as testified to elsewhere in Scripture, would be expected to call David Lord, not the other way around.

Regardless of the term from which the English word “Lord” is derived, it is an honorific being stated from a lesser to a greater. As the people were still waiting for the Christ at Jesus’ time, what David wrote about this “Son” of his asks the reader to question how it can be proper that he would be called Lord by David?

Life application: Thinking Jesus’ logic through, as recorded in this verse, is a way of determining what is going on. It will then help us come to right conclusions about what Scripture is saying.

Jesus refers to Scripture. We have not yet read which one, but that is already an understood premise of His. The assumption is that when Scripture is assigned to David as the author, it is reliably so. Jesus then says that David is in the Spirit as he pens, something also considered axiomatic among the people of Israel.

Scripture is from God. If a human penned it, the understood meaning is that the human was being led by the Spirit to write out what God intended. As this is so, there can be no error in what is written. These things are to be taken at face value from a proper interpretation of Scripture.

People can indeed deny this process actually occurs, but such people must at least admit this is what is considered biblically correct. To not agree with how the process is presented would show a bias against what is clearly understood from the Bible itself. Therefore, even a denier of the Bible being the word of God, if intellectually honest, will at least agree that this is how Scripture presents things.

Jesus confirms that truth here. He testifies to the facts as laid out. David authored what is credited to David. The Spirit led him as he wrote. The Christ is clearly identified as a Son of David in Scripture. And yet, David calls one of his own progeny, who will be the Christ, Lord. This is what Jesus is presenting to the Pharisees.

The process is undeniable. Therefore, the conclusion, if Jesus properly follows this process, will be correct. From there, what the meaning of the conclusion is must be evaluated, and a decision is to be rendered.

Following this process, as set forth by Scripture itself, and as confirmed by how Jesus has used it, will help you as you consider what is said in Scripture. When you come to a passage that presents information, ask yourself what is being conveyed. Follow the logic that you have seen in Jesus’ example. From there, you can form a conclusion about what is said.

Even an atheist can do this. If he accepts that this is how the Bible presents matters, and if he is honest about following the process to form a conclusion, his deductions will be correct, even if he doesn’t believe what the Bible says.

An example to understand this might be a person who believes in a flat earth. He has it in his head that the earth must be flat. However, he knows there is a process that round-earth proponents use to make their conclusions. If he follows that process, even if he doesn’t believe it is correct, the information he comes up with will confirm a round earth.

It is up to him to accept or deny the results, but if he is honest, he will have to admit that the process resulted in a round earth conclusion. As this process goes back to at least the time of Aristotle, he will have to admit that the standard thinking all along has been that of a round earth.

His job is to either accept a round earth, or he will have to find fault in the process. If he cannot find fault in the process, the burden of proof for a flat earth rests upon him in contradistinction to the method used to determine the earth is round.

In other words, whether evaluating the Bible or something like the round vs. flat earth debate, one must be intellectually honest in following the accepted process. Not to do so will inevitably lead to a faulty conclusion that is unsupportable by the process.

Lord God, help us to think clearly and objectively when we consider Your word. If we evaluate it fairly and properly by a set process as You have revealed in it, whatever conclusions we make should be properly in line with what You intend for us. So, Lord, help us to rightly consider Your word at all times. Amen.