Matthew

Matthew 17: Transfiguration and Healing of the Possessed Boy Collin Leong. 29/4/2025 (v1-13) The Transfiguration  (Mark 9:1-13; Luke 9:28-36; 2 Peter 1:16-21) (v1-3)   Six days later,  Jesus took Peter, James and John (the brother of James) to a high mountain. There Jesus was transfigured, where His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as the light. Then Moses and Elijah appeared, talking to Jesus.  "Transfiguration" refers to a complete change in form or appearance, often into something more beautiful or spiritual. In this case, Christ transformed into radiant glory the demonstrate his divine nature.  Luke 9:28-31  gave us more details about that event. It said that Jesus was there praying before His face changed. Moses and Elijah were speaking to Him about his departure, that will be fulfilled in Jerusalem. The  "departure"  refers to His upcoming death, resurrection, and ascension. The Greek word used here is  "exodos" , w...

Matthew 16: Jesus Is The Messiah and Taking Up Your Cross Collin Leong. 26/4/2025 (v1-4): The Demand for a Sign   (Mark 8:11-13; Luke 12:54-56) (v1-4)   The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested Him by asking Him to show a sign from heaven. Jesus told them they could predict whether it will be stormy when the sun is red and overcast. They can predict the weather but they cannot interpret the signs of the times. Jesus said this wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given except the sign of Jonah.  This is the second time they asked Jesus for a sign. The first one is in Matthew 12:38 . These could be different religious leaders, but this time they are asking for a sign from heaven. They ignore the miracles that Jesus have done, but wanted some sign from God Himself.  But they are truly blind, as they had seen a sign from heaven when Jesus was born. They knew the prophecy of Numbers 24:17 , where Balaam prophesied: "A star...

Matthew 15: Command versus Tradition; Feeding of Four Thousand. Collin Leong; April 22, 2025 (v1-20) Command verses Tradition (1-3)  Some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked Him why His disciples break the tradition of elders when they did not wash their hands before they eat. Jesus asked them back, why did they break the command of God for the sake of their tradition?  (4-6) For God said to honor your father and mother, and anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. But their tradition said that anything you declare to be devoted to God, then you are not to honor their father and mother with it. Thus they are nullify the word of God for the sake of their tradition.  In their tradition, resources devoted to God is called "Corban."   They can verbally declare that a specific assets are “corban” to the religious authorities and recorded in temple records. Then the asset is considered sacred and off-limits for ...

Matthew 14: Jesus Fed Thousands and Walked on Water Collin Leong. April 19, 2025 v1-12: John The Baptist Beheaded  (Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9) (v1-2) When Herod heard about Jesus, he said to his attendance that he is John the Baptist who had risen from the dead, which is why he has miraculous powers.  (v3-5) What happened was that Herod has captured John because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  John had been saying to Herod that is it not lawful for him to have her. Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people as they believed John was a prophet.  Herodias has left Philip, her husband, and married Herod Antipas. There were no historical record of Philip's reaction. Herod Antipas is a different than Herod the Great who ordered the killing of males 2 years old and below after Jesus was born.  (For details about the "Herods", please see the Appendix.) (v6-12) On Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for the guest and pleased Herod. ...

Matthew 13: Parables of The Kingdom of Heaven Collin Leong.  April 17, 2025 v1-23: Parable of the Sower  (Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15) (v1-2 )      After Jesus gave the Pharisee the sign of Jonah in Matthew 12, he went to sit at the lake. Large crowds gathered around him, that he got into a boat and sat in it.  (Note: many of the events by the gospels centered around pivotal moments in the same day. According to scholars, they only covered 30-40 days of Jesus' ministry.)   (v3-9)   He spoke to the people on many things using parables. He told them that a farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of the seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places with shallow soil; these springs up quickly but they withered as they had no root. The seed that fell among thorns, which grew up and choke the plants. The seed that fell on good soil, where it produced a crop tens of times what was sown. He told them whoever has ear...

Matthew 12:  The Sabbath, The Holy Spirit, and The Sign Collin Leong.  13 April 2025  v1-13: Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath  (1 Samuel 21:1-9; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5) (v1-2) On a Sabbath day, Jesus went through the grainfields, and the disciples were hungry and pick some grains and ate them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus that His disciples were doing what is unlawful on Sabbath.  (v3-4) Jesus reminded them that David and his hungry companions ate the consecrated bread in the temple, which is unlawful to do, as the bread can only be eaten by the priest. This source of this story is from Samuel 21:1-6.   David was fleeing from King Saul and visited priest Ahimelech at the tabernacle of Nob. Ahimelech gave him and his people the consecrated bread.  (v5) Jesus also reminded them that the priests on Sabbath duty desecrated the Sabbath and yet were innocent?  Jesus is referring to the priests performing their temple duties are actual...

Matthew 11: Woe to the Unrepentant and Rest for the Weary Collin Leong. April 8, 2025  v1-19:  Jesus and John the Baptist (v1-3)   After sending the twelve out, Jesus continued to preach in the towns of Galilee. When John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about Jesus' deeds, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus whether He is the messiah or whether there's someone else.  (v4-5)  Jesus asked his disciples to tell John what they heard and saw - where the blind can see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the leprosy cleaned, the dead are raised and good news in proclaimed to the poor.   Isn't it strange that John was questioning whether Jesus is the messiah? Didn't he already knew who Jesus was, when he was baptizing Him? He said in Matt 3:11 - "But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."   I believe John also saw the Holy Spirit descending on Jesu...