Matthew

Matthew 24: Signs Of The End Of The Age Collin Leong. 31/5/2025 (v1-3) Destruction of The Temple.   (Mark 13:1-9; Luke 21:5-9) (v1-3) When Jesus left the temple, his disciples called his attention to the temple buildings. Jesus told them that not one stone will be left of another, and every one will be thrown down. When they reach Mount of Olives, the disciples asked him when will this (destruction of the temple) happen, and what will be the sign of His coming and the end of the age.  This chapter is known as the Olivet Discourse , as He spoke at the Mount of Olives. It was on a Tuesday of Passion Week, just three days after He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus just prophesied the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70AD. The disciples are asking him two questions: (a) when will the temple be destroyed , and (b) what will be the signs of His second coming and the end times, which He will answer next.   (v4-14)  Birth Pains and First Half Of Tr...

Matthew 23: Hypocrisy of Pharisees and Lament Over Jerusalem Collin Leong. 24 May 2025 (v1-12) Warning Against Hypocrisy  (Luke 11:37-54) (v1-4) After the Pharisees left in chapter 23, Jesus spoke to the crowd saying that the teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. They must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They put heavy and cumbersome loads on people, but they are not willing to lift a finger to move them.  Jesus mentioned two roles of religious leaders. Teachers of the law refers to the Scribes, who were scholars and interpreters of the Jewish Scriptures. They were responsible for copying and preserving the sacred texts and often served as legal experts in religious matters. Pharisees are known for their strict adherence to the law and traditions. They emphasized ritual purity, observance of commandments, and separation from anything considered unclean. (v5-7) Jesus said...

Matthew 22: Few are Chosen and the Greatest Commandment Collin Leong. 19 March 2025 (v1-14)  Parable of the Wedding Banquet  (Luke 14:15-24) (v1-7) Jesus told them (the priests, pharisees and crowd), that the kingdom of heaven is like a king preparing a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had invited, but they refused to come. Then he sent other servants to tell them the oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered and everything is ready for the wedding banquet. Yet they paid no attention and went off to their fields and others to their business. Some of them mistreated the servants and killed them. The king was enraged, and he sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.  This parable of the wedding is similar to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where Jesus and the Church were united (Revelation 19:7-9) . Jesus was the son of God the Father - the King of the Universe. Similar to the parables of the tenants in previous ch...

Matthew 21: Triumphal Entry and Change of Tenants Collin Leong. May 15, 2025 (v1-11)  Jesus Triumphal Entry  (Zechariah 9:9-13; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19) (v1-7) They came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, near to Jerusalem. Jesus sent two disciples to the village nearby and they will see a donkey tied there, with the colt beside her. They are to untie them and bring it to Him. If anyone says anything to them, tell them that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away. The disciples went and did what Jesus told them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.  Jesus came to Jerusalem five days before the Passover. Before this He was at Bethany, being anointed by Mary with perfume at Lazarus house (John 12:1-3) . The day He entered Jerusalem is celebrated as Palm Sunday by Christians, the day of the final week leading to His crucifixion.    This fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 - ...

Matthew 20: How To Be First and How To Be Great Collin Leong. May 10, 2025 (v1- v16) Parable of the Vineyard Workers (v1-2) The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who hire workers for his vineyard in the early morning. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day's labor. (A denarius is a standard daily wage for laborer at Jesus' time.) (v3-7) About 9am he went out and saw others at the marketplace doing nothing. He told them to work in his vineyard, and he will pay whatever is right. At noon, and 3pm and 5pm he continued to hire people to work in his vineyard.  (v8-10) When evening came, the owner said to his foreman to call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first. The workers hired at 5pm received a denarius. So the ones who was hired first expected to receive more. However, they also receive a denarius.  (v11-12) They began to grumble against the owner, that those who are hired last worked on 1 hour, and yet they...