Matthew 20:3   The third hour would probably be around 9:00 AM. These workers were standing in the marketplace, still waiting to be hired. Evidently they were less desirable, or had passed up other opportunities, or were late in getting to the marketplace. The marketplace would be a common gathering place for those seeking work. Bible Reading: Acts…

Matthew 20:1-2 *There’s a first for everything, I suppose. Yesterday, for the first time, I evidently had a technical difficulty. I am pretty sure I know what happened, and I think I can prevent it. Needless to say, although I did post yesterday, the post was deleted.   1: Many of the parables of Christ in…

Matthew 19:30   This verse introduces the parable in the next chapter. The thought here is that Almighty God rewards in the way he sees fit. What we would expect in regards to his rewarding of persons may not be what will actually occur. Bible Reading: Acts 5:1-6:15 Scripture Memory: 1 John 5:15 “And if we know…

Matthew 19:29   This idea of receiving one hundred times as much may seem a bit far-fetched. However, notice if you will exactly what he says. The forsaking is done for the sake of the name of Christ. The sense here is that Jesus is speaking of things and persons that had to be left in…

Matthew 19:28   Some have tried to avoid interpreting this passage literally; but, I do not believe that you can do that. The term regeneration, which Jesus uses, is really the key to understanding the passage. It could refer to the future generation of all the earth and heaven, you know the new heaven and new…

Matthew 19:27   Peter asked this because of Jesus’ interchange with the rich man. Jesus mentioned treasure in heaven, so Peter was trying to figure out what this entailed, and if the disciples would get it. His question might be seen by some as kind of greedy or assuming. But, I think it was appropriate because…

Matthew 19:26    God gets the glory when a person turns to him. Without God’s working in our lives we would never come to him on our own. The word Jesus uses here cannot be softened. He says it is impossible for salvation to come about without God being involved. This only makes sense, though people…

Matthew 19:25    We see that the disciples understood Jesus to mean that it was impossible for rich persons to be saved. Thus, as a result, they wondered if anyone might be saved. Jesus was trying to help them understand what it is that brings a person to the place of repentance. It is always an…

Matthew 19:24    Jesus uses a figure of speech in this verse that has led to some confusion. This confusion has arisen because many want the passage to say one thing, while it really says another. Jesus is using an expression evidently fairly common among Jewish teachers. This reference to the needle’s eye was used to…

Matthew 19:23    Jesus makes an observation here that may seem quite easy to grasp. However, remember that in that time, and still among some Jews today, material blessings were seen as an indication of salvation. If a person was rich, though not through questioned means such as being a tax gatherer for the Romans, that…