Matthew Henrys Commentary on the Whole Bible 1991 Henderson Publishing

Chapter 11: 1-6 John the Baptist asks if Jesus is the coming Messiah. This proves that the coming of the Messiah was doubted by many, if not taken for granted. Johns doubt arouse from his circumstances, (prison). Jesus says blessed are they who are not offended by me. Those who believe in Christ, their faith will be praiseworthy, honorable, and glorified. Chapter 11: 7-15 John the Baptist is praised because he is the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Among those born of women there has not risen on greater than John the Baptist. Chapter 11:25-30 We may take great encouragement from looking to God when all things around us are discouraging. No man knows the Son but the Father, Neither knows any man the Father save the Son. This gives us satisfaction. God and Jesus have a good relationship with each other. Jesus is our ambassador for us with the father. He mediates for us. Chapter 12:1-13 The Jewish leaders had corrupted many of the Old Testament commandments concerning the Sabbath day. Some laws they had neglected/loosely followed while others were made more extreme than was commanded by God. Jesus lays down here what kind of work is ok on the Sabbath. (those of mercy and necessity). God made the Sabbath, he is still Lord of the Sabbath. Therefore all work done on the Sabbath should be dedicated to him. Christ shows by example that acts of necessity are allowed on the Sabbath (eating wheat from the field) and that acts of mercy are ok (Jesus heals the mans hand). This cure had spiritual significance as well. By nature our hands are withered and utterly unable to anything good with them until Christ by his grace cures us by putting life into our dead soul. We stretch our hands out to Christ for healing. Chapter 12: 22-37 Jesus performed miracles to prove that he was the Son of God. This is the response that he got from the people when he healed the demon possessed. The Pharisees, on the other hand, respond with anger and blasphemy, irritated by the response of the people. He heals by Beelzebub. Their argument is totally illogical, as Christ proves after knowing their thoughts, If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided.

Chapter 12: 38-45 The Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign. Jesus does two things. (1). He condemns them for requesting miracles from Jesus like he is a magician. (2). He gives them a sign about Jonah. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a whale, so to Christ will be three days and nights in the grave. The other parallel to the story of Jonah was that the people of Nineveh were a sinful and perverse nation, just as the Jews are stubborn to what Jesus is teaching. Chapter 13 The eight parables in this chapter can be divided into 5 different categories: (a). The hindrances of profiting by the word and how it comes up short. (four sorts of ground) (b). There will be a mixture of good and bad in the church. (wheat and tares, dragnet) (c). The gospel church may be very small at first, but will grow. (mustard seed, unleavened bread) (d). Those who want salvation must give it all up for Christ. (pearl of great price, treasure in field. (e). Direction for disciples and all believers. (good householder) Chapter 13: 1-23 Jesus speaks in parables for two reasons. The first is to make clear difficult things to those who want to believe. The second is to make even more unclear the difficult things of heaven to those who reject God. for to the one that has, more shall be given to him, but to him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. The Parable of the Sower explained: There are four types of people: 1. The path (the people who have heed of Christs speaking or Gods Word) 2. The Stony Ground (the people who trust God immediately, but have no depth in times of trouble. They are hypocrites) 3. The Thorny Ground (the people who are overcome by the sin and temptation of the world) 4. The good Ground (those who receive the grace of God and use the gifts they have been given) Chapter 13: 24- 43 In these verses we have another reason why Christ preaches in parables. (because the time was not yet come for the more clear and plain discoveries of the mysteries of the kingdom) The Parable of the Tares explained: 1. The field (this is the world that we live in) 2. The sower of the seed (the Son of God plants people to be his instruments in the world) 3. The Good seed (the children of God who are saved by Christs grace) 4. The tares (The wicked sinners, hypocrites, and profane people. The Children of the Devil) 5. The enemy (The devil, an enemy to Christ) 6. The harvest (the end of this world; judgment day) 7. The reapers (The angels who execute Christs holy work. 8. The fire. (Hell-torments where the wicked seeds/people will be burned in Gods wrath eternally) 9. The Barn (Heaven; the place where we will spend eternity with God and all believers) The Parable of the Mustard seed is to show that no matter how small the Kingdom of Heaven is, it will grow and become strong. The Parable of the Leaven is much the same as the mustard seed. It is to show that through persistent work in the gospel, it will prevail.

Chapter 13 : 44- 52 The Parable of The Hidden Treasure Explained: 1. The treasure (Jesus Christ, the treasure beyond all earthly riches) 2. The field (The gospel where the treasure is hid. Christ is found through the studying of the gospel). We must realize that richness and be willing to sacrifice all we have for Christ. The parable of The Pearl is very similar in meaning and purpose as the Hidden Treasure. The parable of The Dragnet has similar meaning to the parable of wheat and tares. There will be good and bad people brought up into the net. They will be sorted at the end of Days by Christ. Some he will banish to hell, while others he will accept into heaven.