Matthew (Written)

Monday, 27 January 2025

“Judge not, that you be not judged. Matthew 7:1

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “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).

“Not you judge, that not you may be judged” (CG).

The previous verse closed out Chapter 6. Now, Chapter 7 opens with one of the top misused verses of all time. Jesus says, “Not you judge.”

Those words alone are what are torn out of their context, shoved in the faces of others, and used as a pretext to claim nobody has the right to ever make a moral decision or render a judgment concerning pretty much any matter someone else doesn’t want to be judged over.

The Greek word is krinó. Essentially, it means to distinguish. From that, its meaning is based on the context of what is being said, such as to decide (whether mentally or judicially), to try, condemn, punish, decree, judge, sue, call into question, etc.

Taking these words out of context and misapplying them as people do essentially means that no person could ever make a decision on anything, ever. However, throughout Scripture judgments are both expected to be made and are openly promoted as necessary. In fact, in verse 7:6, Jesus will instruct His disciples to make necessary judgments.

This continues throughout the gospels, Acts, and the epistles. So what is Jesus saying? The verse continues with, “that not you may be judged.”

Jesus is not actually saying, “Not you judge” period. There is a second half to His words and a greater context in which they are spoken. He says, “Not you judge, that not you may be judged.”

There is a standard that is being conveyed to His disciples. It is a standard that is further explained in His coming words. For now, it is evident that He is telling them that when they judge, judgment will return to them. It almost mirrors Newton’s Third Law of Motion, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

When certain things happen in the moral world of judgment, certain other things of a like kind are to be expected. The more judgmental someone is, therefore, the more judgment he will bring on himself. A good word for a person with such an attitude is censoriousness.

The more censorious someone is, the more censored he can expect to be.

Life application: One of the most nauseating things on the planet is when people post the first words of Matthew 7:1 on social media or cite them in some forum or another. Doing this is an immediate attempt to shut others down about some particular issue or another.

More often than not, it is directed toward Christians by non-Christians. The very people who don’t even believe in the Lord, use His words against those who do, but who are unprepared for responding to such citations.

And far too often, Christians then cave in their stand against moral perversion and even outright wickedness. They are unwilling to learn what the Bible is saying, especially in its proper context. If a person is not a part of the solution, he is a part of the problem.

In the case of citing Matthew 7:1, it is a huge problem. Be prepared to respond to people whose agenda is to restrict, silence, or eliminate the moral standards expected of Christians.

Lord God, help us to make right judgments as we live in Your presence. When we judge, we can expect return judgment, so help us to not make decisions or judgments unwisely. Above all, help us to rightly understand Your word in the proper context for the situations in which we find ourselves. Amen.

Sunday, 26 January 2025

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “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 Matthew 6 translation on YT (Click Here) or on Rumble (Click Here). You can also read it at the end of today’s writing below.

“Therefore, not you shall be disquieted into the tomorrow, for tomorrow – it will be disquieted itself, its evil – sufficient to the day” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus instructed His disciples to seek the kingdom of God first. In doing this, all the other things will then be added. Having told them that, He now finishes Chapter 6, saying, “Therefore, not you shall be disquieted into the tomorrow.”

The meaning of “into the tomorrow” is as most translations render it, “about tomorrow.” The Lord instructs the disciples to not let what is ahead in time, and completely out of one’s grasp, get the best of them.

It is contradictory to calmness to reach into the next day and start agonizing over what may transpire. The only thing that will do is to rile up any chance of mental calm on a day that has nothing to do with the next, except that it happens to be the one before the next occurs. Understanding this, He next says, “for tomorrow – it will be disquieted itself.”

Like any other day that comes to pass, there are to be expected complications, difficulties, sadness, moments of confusion and loss, etc. For those who invest, there may be a morning of 25% profit in the portfolio, but by midday, there may be a 90% loss. Driving to or from work may find a nail in the tire, maybe even one in both directions.

The list is absolutely endless as to what might go wrong on any given day. This is why Jesus finishes with, “its evil – sufficient to the day.”

The word kakia is found only here in the gospels. It is in Acts and the epistles though. It is a strong word signifying evil which includes wickedness, depravity, malignity, etc. It is badness in general. HELPS Word Studies defines it as “the underlying principle of evil (inherent evil) which is present, even if not outwardly expressed.”

It is this that Jesus notes is arketos, sufficient, to the day. It is also a new word indicating being enough. Each day can be expected to have enough evil to fill it that inserting the problems of a day ahead will only lead to a day overflowing with disquietness and anxiety.

And yet, how often do we do our best to insert that which is unknown into the problems we are already facing? Jesus instructs His disciples not to do this. As these words form a general precept, apart from the law itself, they contain truth that we can apply to our own lives in this dispensation. And more, we have the continued words of the Lord through Paul to guide our daily walk –

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6 7

Life application: Jesus divides the acceptable period of taking on life’s challenges into days. This is for obvious reasons. Our lives are divided up into these most basic units based on how God has structured the rotation of the sun. Paul’s words, on the other hand, bring things down to a case-by-case situation.

There is no contradiction in this. Nor would we be wrong to say the same thing about something that will occur later in the afternoon or even something coming in an hour. We have no control over what lies ahead. Planning is something we need to do, but it is something that must consider that things may not work out.

The best thing to do is to allow the future to unfold as it will without the added stress of worrying about how it will do so. We make plans, but the events that follow must be left to the overarching providence of God.

Tractors tires get stuck, shipments of supplies are delayed, rains come, and the house sits idle waiting to be completed. We could not have prevented any of those things. So why be distressed over what may or may not happen? Live with the future planned to whatever degree is necessary, but do so knowing that the Lord may have other plans.

No matter what, He is in control. Our future in His presence is assured because of Jesus. We just have to get through this unknown earthly walk as best as we can in the process, trusting Him with each step as we go.

Lord God, help us to confidently walk in this world, knowing that no matter what happens, we are Yours. Whatever trials we may face, they will be behind us someday. Even death itself cannot keep us from standing before You spotless and pure. Because of Jesus, we have full assurance of reconciliation and peace. Amen.

Matthew 6

6 You beware of your compassionateness, not to do before men to be seen by them. And if otherwise, no reward you have from your Father, the ‘in the heavens.’ ² Therefore, when you do compassionateness, you trumpet not before you just as the hypocrites – they do – in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Amen! I say to you, they obtain their reward. ³ And you doing compassionateness, not it know your left what it does your right, ⁴ that your compassionateness – it may be in secret. And your Father, the ‘seeing in the secret,’ He will reward you in the revealed. ⁵ And when you may pray, not you will be just as the hypocrites, for they love to pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the plazas – having stood – that they may be seen of men. Amen! I say to you, they obtain their reward. ⁶ And you, when you may pray, you enter into your chamber, and having closed your door, you pray to your Father, the ‘in the secret.’ And your Father, the ‘seeing in the secret,’ He will reward you in the revealed. ⁷ And praying, not you shall stammerer-speak just as the ethnicities. For they think that in their verbosity they will be heard. ⁸ Therefore not you resemble them, for your Father, He has known, what you have need before you ask of Him. ⁹ Therefore, thus you – you pray:

“Our Father, the ‘in the heavens,’ it be hallowed – Your name.” ¹⁰ Your kingdom – it come. Your will – it be done as in heaven, even upon the earth. ¹¹ Our necessary bread, You give us today. ¹² And You forgive us our debts as also we, we forgive our debtors. ¹³ And not may You lead us into temptation, but rescue us from the evil. For Yours, it is, the kingdom, and the power, and the glory to the ages. Amen. ¹⁴ For if you may forgive men their transgressions, also your Father, the Heavenly, He will forgive you. ¹⁵ And if not you may forgive men their transgressions, neither – your Father – He will forgive your transgressions. ¹⁶ And when you may fast, you be not just as the hypocrites, sullen-faces. For they mask their appearance that they may appear fasting to men. Amen! I say to you they obtain their reward. ¹⁷ And you, fasting, you anoint your head, and your face – you wash, ¹⁸ that not you may appear to men fasting, but to your Father, the ‘in the secret,’ and your Father, the ‘seeing in the secret,’ He will reward you in the manifest.

¹⁹ You amass, not – yourselves – treasures upon the earth, where moth and an eating – it evaporates, and where stealers – they tunnel, and they steal. ²⁰ And you, amass – yourselves – treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor an eating – it evaporates, and where stealers – they tunnel not, nor they steal. ²¹ For where your treasure, it is, there also your heart, it will be. ²² The lamp of the body, it is the eye. Therefore, if your eye, it may be unblurred, your whole body – it will be lustrous. ²³ And if your eye, it may be evil, all your body – it will be benighted. Therefore, if the light, in you it is darkness, the darkness – how much! ²⁴ None, he is able, to serve two lords. Or – for he will detest the one and he will love the other. Or – he will enclasp one, and the other he will disesteem. Not you are able to serve God and mammon. ²⁵ Through this, I say to you, not you disquiet your soul – what you may eat and what you may drink, nor your body – what you may don. Not more, it is, the soul, the food and the body, the apparel? ²⁶ You gaze at the birds of the heaven, that not they sow nor they reap, nor they collect into barns. And your Father, the heavenly, He nourishes them. Not more, you – you excel – them? ²⁷ And who from you, disquieting, he can add upon his maturity one forearm? ²⁸ And about apparel, why are you disquieted? Fathom the lilies of the field, how it grows. Not it labors, nor it spins. ²⁹ And I say to you that neither Solomon in all his glory, he was arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ And if the herbage of the field, today being and tomorrow throwing into the furnace, God thus enrobes, not much more you – little-faithed? ³¹ “Therefore, not you shall be disquieted, saying, ‘What we shall eat?’ or ‘What we shall drink?’ or ‘What we shall don?’” ³¹ For all these the Gentiles, it seeks upon. For your Father, the heavenly, He has known that you need all these. ³² For all these the Gentiles, it seeks upon. For your Father, the heavenly, He has known that you need all these. ³³ And you, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and these all – it will be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore, not you shall be disquieted into the tomorrow, for tomorrow – it will be disquieted itself, its evil – sufficient to the day.

Saturday, 25 January 2025

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “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 you, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and these all – it will be added to you” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that the heavenly Father knows all the things we need. Therefore, He next says, “And you, seek first the kingdom of God.”

It should be noted that some manuscripts do not include the words tou theou (the God, indicating “of God”). Whether they are original or not, they are to be understood because of the surrounding context of what Jesus is explaining.

To understand what “kingdom” Jesus is speaking of, refer to the comments on Matthew 6:10 where Jesus said, “Your kingdom come.” The term kingdom is used to apply to different things within the dispensations God has set forth in the plan of redemption. What He is speaking of is sufficiently explained in that commentary. Along with seeking the kingdom of God, Jesus next says, “and His righteousness.”

This would correspond to the next words of Jesus in Matthew 6:10, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Seeking God’s righteousness is to seek that His will is done at all times in our lives before Him.

The disciples were instructed on prayer. Jesus then explained the things His prayer detailed. For example, saying, “And do not lead us into temptation,” is explained through Jesus’ examples concerning treasures on earth. If our treasures are in heaven, we will not be led into temptation over earthly things.

As such, what Jesus is now saying is a summary of everything He has explained since the giving of the Lord’s prayer. Praying for the will of God to be done and for the coming of His kingdom was noted in Matthew 6:10. It was then plainly expressed in the closing words, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”

The intervening words since then have not been a lot of new and disconnected thoughts. Rather, they have been helping us understand what it means when the Lord’s Prayer is spoken. Therefore, in seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, Jesus next says, “and these all – it will be added to you.”

Notice how Jesus’ words speak of the plural, these all, and then are summed up in the singular, it. It is an indication that the plural/singular words of the previous verse are probably the correct textual rendering. Jesus is taking plural concepts and then referring to them as a single unit.

Jesus assures His disciples that the things they need will not be kept out of reach when they put God first. Rather, the things they need will find their proper place in their lives.

Life application: Notice how the words of Jesus here actually dispel the notion that having wealth is somehow inappropriate. How often has it been seen that people focus too heavily on certain words while ignoring the greater context.

By telling His disciples to not worry about their lives in regard to food, drink, and clothing, people assume that Jesus is saying that we should not possess such things. This seems bolstered by His words that say, “For after all these, the Gentiles seek.” If the Gentiles seeking them is stated in a negative way, then it must be that Jesus is saying, “Get rid of all your stuff!”

With that, they quit their jobs and join a monastery, or they promise themselves to give away everything they have earned, dying without a penny left in the bank, as if they are only responsible with each week’s paycheck by doing this.

Such an attitude is dispelled throughout the Bible where godly people are seen to have great wealth, such as Job and David. Good men are also noted as saving even for their grandchildren (Proverbs 13:33). But the attitude is also dispelled by Jesus’s word of this verse.

Jesus doesn’t tell them to not have these things. Rather, He is speaking of priorities. Put God first, and God will still give them these things. A person will not be without them, but the possessions will be in the right place in one’s life.

Be sure to take the entire context of what is being said into consideration. Who is speaking, when and where is the person speaking, who is being spoken to, etc. From there, consider the rest of the words as they are presented without over-fixating on a single thought that will then result in a faulty conclusion about the overall presentation. This is the responsible way of looking at all things in Scripture.

Lord God, help us to always put You first in our lives. It is easy to get misdirected with the things of life that crop up and distract us. We know that it is right to seek You, Your kingdom, and Your righteousness first. May we do so, to Your glory. Amen.

Friday, 24 January 2025

For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Matthew 6:32

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “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).

“For all these the Gentiles, it seeks upon. For your Father, the heavenly, He has known that you need all these” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus instructed His disciples not to worry. They should not anxiously ask about what they would eat, drink, or wear. Such things should not be points of concern, realizing that God is in complete control and has provided sufficiently for His people. Jesus next says, “For all these the Gentiles, it seeks upon.”

Jesus uses the term ethnos, Gentiles, or nations. It is a word associated with the people of the non-Jewish nations of the earth. It is derived from ethō, the forming of a custom or culture.

He notes that the nations who do not know the Lord as God don’t possess sufficient knowledge to understand that He is there tending to them and taking care of them, just as He has been doing thus far. Therefore they “seek upon” the things of the world. As they cannot trust in God beyond this world, their trust must be placed in what is derived from this world.

The word translated as “seek upon” is introduced here, epizéteó. It is derived from epi, upon, and zéteó, to seek, search for, etc. By adding epi, it intensifies the word. They don’t just look for food and clothing, they do so diligently. They hungrily look for what will satisfy them in this life.

It should be noted that, in some texts, this word is singular, thus the translation “it seeks.” New translations use another source text where the verb is in the plural form, “they seek.” One would think that the plural is correct, but it may be that Jesus was considering the entirety of the nations and making a point by lumping them into one unit by using the singular.

Either way, He next continues with, “For your Father, the heavenly, He has known that you need all these.”

Jesus uses the verb in the perfect tense. The Father has known the state of His people. His knowledge of this is, and it will not change even into the future. As this is so, Jesus’ words are to be taken as such. “Don’t worry and don’t fret. Your heavenly Father has it all under control, and that isn’t changing, even as you go forward into the unknown.”

The point of Jesus’ words is that when one knows the true God and how He has set things in motion, there should be no reason to worry about what lies ahead. He has a plan that has been in the works since the very beginning. We are living in the unfolding of that plan as the future continuously meets with the present.

We don’t know what the future holds, but He does. Therefore, in not worrying about the future, His people are acknowledging that He is already there, tending to what is ahead so that the plan He initiated will come to pass. This is what trust is. It is also the source of our faith –

“And faith, it is confidence of hoping, conviction of matters not seeing” Hebrews 11:1 (CG).

Life application: By using the term ethnos, Jesus has clearly and without any contestation, demonstrated that His words here are not inclusive of Gentiles. He has set an absolute distinction between His audience and the Gentiles by using this word.

It is true that the word is used to describe Israel several times, such as in John 18:35 –

“Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? Your own nation [ethnos] and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?’”

However, what Pilate has done is to note the distinction between Israel and other nations. If a Chinese were to speak of other nations, he would do the same. Thus, he would be indicating they are not Chinese. The reason why this is important is that it tells us that at this time, Jesus’ words are not being spoken to the church, an entity that will eventually be Gentile led.

Rather, He is directing His words to those of Israel. Some of the truths of what He says will apply later to the church, when they possess the knowledge of the true God, but that is not the context here in Matthew.

Therefore, to shove the church into the words of Jesus here is wholly inappropriate. We are to evaluate what He is saying, consider it in light of the context, and understand the truths as presented. When the time comes, and Jesus has fulfilled the law and set it aside by introducing a New Covenant, Jesus’ words can then be properly evaluated from this new context.

Those matters that deal with law, or which are specifically addressed to Israel as points of doctrine, are to be left in that context. Greater truths, such as those presented in Matthew 6:26, can then be considered general rules of conduct at any given time. What He is saying in this verse is not so much a matter of law as it is a matter of the expected interaction of God’s people with their heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father, help us to consider the context of Jesus’ words as we evaluate His ministry. At what point do we directly apply them to our lives and doctrine, and when do we stand back and note that they are directed to Israel for a different purpose? Help us to think clearly in this lest we get misdirected. His work under the law is complete. May we rest in that and live our lives accordingly. Amen.

Thursday, 23 January 2025

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Matthew 6:31

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “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).

“Therefore, not you shall be disquieted, saying, ‘What we shall eat?’ or ‘What we shall drink?’ or ‘What we shall don?’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of how God enrobes man. Because of what He does, Jesus next says, “Therefore, not you shall be disquieted.”

God has ordained how things are. He has invested man with ability, and He has provided the earth with abundance. Taking these things together, man can feel confident that he has what he needs to have sufficiency. Fretting about what might be is pointless.

Those things that we cannot change are not going to change through anxiety attacks. Therefore, there should be no reason to get disquieted, and there is no reason for us to be “saying, ‘What we shall eat?’ or ‘What we shall drink?’ or ‘What we shall don?’”

This takes the reader right back to verse 6:25 –

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”

Rather than focusing on these earthly, temporary things, man should consider the Source and Giver of these things first. Having faith in His provision and how He has orchestrated things should be where our trust lies. The birds go out each day and find what they need. When they find it, they use what He has provided, a beak, for example, to obtain it.

Flowers are sown into the earth. They come up according to His plan and adorn it with beauty. The flower doesn’t consider what is coming tomorrow. It simply exists as a beautiful adornment of the earth.

As God has placed man on the earth, based on how He has orchestrated everything else, surely He must have given man what he needs to exist as well. As we are a part of this ongoing cycle, we should accept that this is so, trust Him to continue to provide, and not fret about what lies ahead.

Life application: There are people all over the world. Man is found in the hottest, driest places, the most barren and cold areas, sweaty heated sauna-like places, along coasts, and in the mountains.

Wherever man has gone, someone in the traveling party has said, “This would be a great place to live!” And so, he settled in and became accustomed to the area and what it provides. Others said, “No way, Jose! I am moving on. Who would ever want to live here?” And so, onward he went until he found a place suitable to his desires.

From there, the earth was fully inhabited. But everywhere people have settled, they have adapted to the location because God set up the earth to give them what they need. Some things are more abundant in one place but lacking in another. However, the things that are necessary for man to survive have been found and exploited.

This is how God has provided and continues to provide. We adapt because God has given us the ability to do so. When a place is too inhospitable, man moves on. In this manner, the earth is filled with humanity.

There is always one thing that is truly necessary but which is initially lacking except when it is brought into man’s various places of dwelling. Shouldn’t we be willing to get it out to others. What is this thing? It is the gospel of Jesus found in the word of God.

Man exists around the globe because God has made it possible for him to do so. But man exists without salvation unless we are willing to share what God has done. Let us help turn the temporary existence of each man on earth into an eternal existence in the presence of God. May we be a part of filling this otherwise unfilled necessity.

Glorious God, You have provided life and abundance for us to dwell in Your presence. You have also provided the way that we can do so for all eternity. However, that way will not be available to others unless we are willing to make it happen. Help us, Lord, to share the message of Jesus to those who so desperately need it. Amen.