Third Narrative: Confronting the Opposition

Outline of the Third Narrative: Confronting the Opposition - Matthew 11:2-12:50 1. JESUS CONFRONTS UNBELIEF AND RELIGIOSITY 11:2-12:21 A. THE DELEGATION OF JOHN COMES - ISAIAH PROPHECY 11:2-6 (interlude) JOHN: MORE THAN A PROPHET 11:7-15 a. More than a Prophet 11:7-9 b. John's Mission 11:10 c. John's Revelation 11:11 d. John's Opposition 11:12-13 e. John's Identity 11:14-15 B. REBUKE FOR UNBELIEF 11:16-24 a. REBUKE OF THE UNBELIEVING GENERATION 11:16-19 b. REBUKE OF THE UNBELIEVING CITIES 11:20-24 1) Introduction 11:20 2) Rebuke of Chorazin and Bethsaida 11:21-22 3) Rebuke of Capernaum 11:23-24 C. JESUS: SOURCE OF REVELATION 11:25-30 a. The Father's Pleasure to Hide and Reveal 11:25-26 b. The Son's Authority to Reveal 11:27 c. The Son's Invitation 11:28-30 B'. REBUKE FOR RELIGIOSITY 12:1-14 a. REBUKE OF THE PHARISEES REGARDING THE SABBATH: COMPASSION, NOT SACRIFICE 12:1-8 1) Setting 12:1 2) Accusation 12:2 3) First Defense (from the Writings) 12:3-4 4) Second Defense (from the Law) 12:5-6 5) Third Defense (from the Prophets) 12:7-8 b. REBUKE OF THE PHARISEES REGARDING THE SABBATH: IT IS LAWFUL TO DO GOOD 12:9-14 A. Setting 12:9-10a B. Healing on the Sabbath? 12:10b C. It Is Lawful to Do Good 12:11-12 B'. Healing on the Sabbath! 12:13 A'. Conclusion 12:14 A'. JESUS WITHDRAWS - ISAIAH PROPHECY 12:15-21 a. Prologue 12:15-17 A. Justice for the Gentiles 12:18 B. Humility and Gentleness 12:19-20 A'. Hope of the Gentiles 12:21 2. JESUS CONFRONTS BLASPHEMY AND A WICKED GENERATION 12:22-45 A. DEMON CAST OUT - BLASPHEMY 12:22-24 a. Healing 12:22 b. Crowd's Response - Praise 12:23 c. Pharisee's Response - Blasphemy 12:24 B. BLASPHEMY EXPOSED 12:25-29 a. 1st Argument: A House Divided Cannot Stand 12:25-26 b. 2nd Argument: If Me, then You Too 12:27-28 c. 3rd Argument: More Power Required 12:29 C. WORDS REVEAL THE HEART 12:30-37 A. For or Against 12:30 B. Words Judged 12:31-32 C. Good or Bad Tree 12:33 C'. Good or Evil Man 12:34-35 B'. Words Judged 12:36 A'. Justified or Condemned 12:37 B'. Evil Generation Condemned 12:38-42 a. Craving for a Sign 12:38 b. The Sign of Jonah 12:39-40 c. Condemnation by the Men of Nineveh 12:41 d. Condemnation by the Queen of the South 12:42 A'. DEMON RETURNS - JUDGMENT 12:43-45 3. JESUS' TRUE FAMILY 12:46-50 A. Behold His Mother and Brothers 12:46 B. Behold Your Mother and Brothers 12:47 C. Who Is My Mother and Brothers 12:48 B'. Behold My Mother and Brothers 12:49 A'. Is My Brother and Sister and Mother 12:50

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Matthew 11:2-12:50

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Jesus Confronts Unbelief and Religiousity

A. THE DELEGATION OF JOHN COMES - ISAIAH PROPHECY

Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples

and said to Him,

“Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?”

Jesus answered and said to them,

“Go and report to John what you hear and see:

the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

JOHN: MORE THAN A PROPHET

More than a Prophet

As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,

“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces!

But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.

John's Mission

This is the one about whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way before You.’

John's Revelation

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!

Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

John's Opposition

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

John's Identity

And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

B. REBUKE FOR UNBELIEF

Rebuke of the Unbelieving Generation

“But to what shall I compare this generation?

It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say,

‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking,

and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

The Son of Man came eating and drinking,

and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Rebuke of the Unbelieving Cities

Introduction

Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.

Rebuke of Chorazin and Bethsaida

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!

For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you,

they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

Rebuke of Capernaum

And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades;

for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you,

it would have remained to this day.

Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

C. JESUS: SOURCE OF REVELATION

The Father's Pleasure to Hide and Reveal

At that time Jesus said,

“I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.

Yes, Father, for this way was well- pleasing in Your sight.

The Son's Authority to Reveal

All things have been handed over to Me by My Father;

and no one knows the Son except the Father;

nor does anyone know the Father except the Son,

and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

The Son's Invitation

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy- laden,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

B'. REBUKE FOR RELIGIOSITY

Rebuke of the Pharisees Regarding the Sabbath: Compassion not Sacrifice

Setting

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath,

and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat.

Accusation

But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him,

“Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”

First Defense (from the Writings)

But He said to them,

“Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions,

how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?

Second Defense (from the Law)

Or have you not read in the Law,

that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?

But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.

Third Defense (from the Prophets)

But if you had known what this means,

‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’

you would not have condemned the innocent.

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Rebuke of the Pharisees Regarding the Sabbath: It Is Lawful to Do Good

A. Setting

Departing from there, He went into their synagogue.

And a man was there whose hand was withered.

B. Healing on the Sabbath?

And they questioned Jesus, asking,

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—

so that they might accuse Him.

C. It Is Lawful to Do Good

And He said to them,

“What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep!

So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

B'. Healing on the Sabbath!

Then He said to the man,

“Stretch out your hand!”

He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.

A'. Conclusion

But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

A'. JESUS WITHDRAWS - ISAIAH PROPHECY

Prologue

But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there.

Many followed Him,

and He healed them all,

and warned them not to tell who He was.

This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

A. Justice to the Gentiles

“Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well- pleased;

I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

B. Humility and Gentleness

“He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

“A battered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory.

A'. Hope of the Gentiles

“And in His name the Gentiles will hope.”

Jesus Confronts Blasphemy and a Wicked Generation

A. DEMON CAST OUT - BLASPHEMY

Healing

Then a demon- possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus,

and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

Crowd's Response - Praise

All the crowds were amazed, and were saying,

“This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?”

Pharisee's Response - Blasphemy

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said,

“This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

B. BLASPHEMY EXPOSED

1st Argument: A House Divided Cannot Stand

And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them,

“Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.

If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself;

how then will his kingdom stand?

2nd Argument: If Me, then You Too

If I by Beelzebul cast out demons,

by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God,

then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

3rd Argument: More Power Required

Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property,

unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

C. WORDS REVEAL THE HEART

A. For or Against

He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

B. Words Judged

“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people,

but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him;

but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

C. Good or Bad Tree

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad;

for the tree is known by its fruit.

C'. Good or Evil Man

You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good?

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.

B'. Words Judged

But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.

A'. Justified or Condemned

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

B'. EVIL GENERATION CONDEMNED

Craving for a Sign

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him,

“Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

The Sign of Jonah

But He answered and said to them,

“An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign;

and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;

for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster,

so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Condemnation by the Men of Nineveh

The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it

because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;

and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Condemnation by the Queen of the South

The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it,

because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon;

and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

A'. DEMON RETURNS - JUDGMENT

“Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man,

it passes through waterless places seeking rest,

and does not find it.

Then it says,

‘I will return to my house from which I came’;

and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.

Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself,

and they go in and live there;

and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.

That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”

Jesus' True Family

A. BEHOLD HIS MOTHER AND BROTHERS

While He was still speaking to the crowds,

behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.

B. BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER AND BROTHERS

Someone said to Him,

“Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”

C. WHO IS MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS

But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said,

“Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”

B'. BEHOLD MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS

And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said,

“Behold My mother and My brothers!

A'. IS MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND MOTHER

For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Up until now, OT prophets including John spoke. Now the kingdom is forcefully advancing and violent men are opposing it.

phrasing

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