Matthew 23:37

6.06 pm/6:44 pm March 16th 2022

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

King James Version (KJV)

Commentary:

Context Summary

Yeshua - Ennanuel

"Matthew 23:37–39 contains Jesus' cry of mourning over Jerusalem's unfaithfulness and impending ruin. He describes a devastating legacy of killing prophets and stoning God's messengers. Christ speaks from His divine perspective as a member of the Trinity. He expresses the longing God shows, in both the Old and New Testaments, to protect Jerusalem's children. Yet they have rejected Him. Now He will withdraw, and God's judgment will come. Jesus' public ministry in Jerusalem is now over: the city at large will not see Him again until they are ready to apply the words of Psalm 118: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! "

Now then the pharasiies how did they fail

They talk about legalism in biblical Christianity. I once heard during a service a preacher say don't be good just don't try. I thought at that time you know the scripture that says those who teach people to break the commandments will be called the least in the kingdom. Today I know what he was talking about. In a sense Legalism. We did many wonderful works. I never knew you. Their works couldn't save them because their faith was in their works. The Bible says workout your salvation with fear and trembling. Although you are not saved by works your works do matter. If you love me keep my commandments. Now Christ said these hard nosed religious leaders of the elite were to strict and shut up the Kingdom of heaven onto men. They did not enter nor did they let others enter. And at a time they were conquered by different nations.  Now God sent depending on the time various prophets to warn them. And he expected them to change and listen to the warning of the watchmen. Somehow they became strict pharaseiies. Where did they go wrong? He God chose them.

You can become conceited in your positions. Even though Christ was the master he gave different Apostles different roles. Different responsibilities. And he never acted like he was the head chief he was humbled but he did act like a man in authority. Remember they despised him for being a carpenter. They thought highly of themselves and they thought the scum on the streets we're scum. They treated people by their social positions. God said the poor are blessed when they hear the gospel. That doesn't excuse sin. And so many fall into the same prideful arrogant snare

I guess as the youth were growing up they picked up the downsides of other cultures that conquered them. Some say they could have picked up some of these things in Babylon when they were exiled. You know the only thing you could do is teach. But if you become an elite and as one of those pharaseiies it can become a problem. Its easy for us to give our point of view but its never easy in real life. And we have to learn from this as Christians because we can get into legalism. Christ has be our teacher. After all he sends the comforter.

If you talk to a different group of preachers or even from different centuries there might be some common denominators but there are going to be things that they don't agree with. They say the Christianity of the first and second century is not what we have now. We never know who God is working with and it's so easy for us to judge them.

Look what it says in the book of Romans

Romans 14:5-12

King James Version

5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

Now just a couple of points to mention. The Vine is the one who prunes the branches. The Holy ghost is the one who teaches. So you got to ask yourself why would Satan or those fallen angels or even demons seek to deceive you and eventually get you sent to hell. They were kicked out of heaven. They will never go back in. They we're already in the Holy place.

So what are demons and where did they come from? Here is something I came across that is interesting

"Many early Christians, like Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria and Lactantius assumed demons were ghosts of the Nephilim, known from Intertestamental writings."

When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. (Matthew 12:43,44)

"Scripture makes it very clear that demons exist, it does not, however, tell us where they came from. Though various theories have been put forward, no one knows for certain about their origin. The Bible simply does not tell us. The best answer seems to be that demons are fallen angels, since the same titles are applied to both of them."

Source: https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_51.cfm https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_51.cfm

We know that Christ was very angry with the Pharisees and he called them whitewashed tombs and of their father the devil. He instructed to disciples and others not to follow the leaven of the Pharisees. Now remember today Isaiah 53. You can study that on your own time.

You're going to get Christian Pharisees but at the same time some people if they are not saved they might be judged solely on their works. After all God is a righteous judge but we should not stick to that scenario. It's so easy to become Pharisees. Jesus said turn the other cheek and offer the other one. If you have a hand or foot that does evil it's better not to have them. He's not saying physically but what he is saying is the more sin you stack up the wages of sin is death. But your judgment will be increased. Now at the same time if you put your faith and Trust in Christ you'll do well. If you don't have wisdom pray that God gives you wisdom. Head knowledge it's not good enough.

Matthew 23:13-39

King James Version

13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in .

Remember God was merciful with you and it might have taken you a long time to get over what you got over. You might have been mastered by many things such as alcohol and drugs and all sorts of shortcomings and yet God was merciful with you. Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself. At the same time God was going to puke the lukewarm church out of his mouth. He's talking to a body of believers in a certain system. He knows their shortcomings and their strengths. But he still has a problem with some of them. See he prunes the branches.

Romans 14:10

“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”