Matthew 21-28

Answers

2009

Chapter 21 - The Triumphal Entry

In the last few chapters, we have seen Jesus declare that He was indeed the Christ and in chapter 20, he plainly predicted His own death.

Why then is He going to Jerusalem, knowing that the Jewish leaders are seeking to kill Him? (A) It was the Passover and the Jews were required to attend the Temple. There were probably about 2 million people in and around Jerusalem. He knew that He must die to fulfill His Father’s salvation plan and to fulfill prophecy that the Lamb of God be crucified on Passover.
The OT ‘s purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah. Zechariah 9:9 is a specific Messianic prophecy that the Jews could not misunderstand. How was it fulfilled? What were the people looking for and why in light of vs. 10 of Zechariah? (A) Jesus is indeed the King promised to Israel, but He was a King coming in humility, not in arrogance and in war. They were looking for a political king to overthrow Rome, but vs. 10 says that He would remove the battle chariots and warhorses from Jerusalem and destroy all the weapons used in battle. This Messiah was indeed different!
Another reason for Jesus’ public demonstration (so unlike any previous action on His part, i.e. not wanting to have His miracles made known). It was to force the Jewish leaders to act. *Note: In the years prior to this, Jesus required that His miracles be kept secret so as not to give the religious leaders any more reason to condemn Him than they already had. The time was not yet right for His death. The time had now come! How did it force them to act? Why would they do so in opposition to all the evidence of the OT scriptures? (A) When they saw the spontaneous demonstration of the people, they knew that if they did not kill Him soon, the people would crown Him king. The religious leaders were spiritually blind and had substituted oral tradition for truth. They were interested only in their own self-interests.

The Cleansing of the Temple

This was the second time He cleansed the Temple. The first was when He began His ministry and now, it is at the end of it.

Scriptures tells us He cleansed the Temple. What part of it? Why? (A) They had turned the outer court, the Court of the Gentiles, into a money making place to do business, that is, exchanging money from visiting Jews attempting to purchase sacrifices and charging them exorbitant exchange rates and prices. There could be no competition. The high former high priest Annas and his sons ran the business. The purpose of this Court of the Gentiles was to give the Gentile outcasts a place to enter the Temple and learn from Israel about the true God. This Temple was God’s House and when Jesus quoted “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves (v 13), He was affirming that He was God.
What does God want in His house? Consider Spring of Life His House too! (A) He wants prayer among His people (1Tim.2: 1), for true prayer is an evidence of our dependence on God and our faith in His Word. He wants people being helped. The needy should feel welcome. There should be power in God’s house, the power of God working to change people and there should be praise.
In the parable of the fig tree, what does the fig tree symbolize? (A) It is a symbol of Israel and its barrenness symbolizes God’s divine judgment because of her spiritual fruitlessness, despite all of her spiritual advantages. Israel rejected her Messiah.
V. 21 quotes, “…if you have faith and do not doubt…” – how can we ever achieve this? (A) This presupposes that the thing requested is actually God’s will, for only God-given faith is so doubt-free. His power is immeasurable and is ours.
In the parable of the Evil Farmers (vs. 33-44), who do the servants represent? The son? The stone? (A) The servants sent by the master represent the OT prophets sent to prepare the way for the Kingdom. The son is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whom they killed and thereby incurred divine judgment. The stone refers to His crucifixion and the restoration of “the chief cornerstone” anticipates His resurrection. The whole of the salvation plan rests on this “cornerstone.”

Chapter 22 – The parable of the Marriage Feast

Once again, Jesus condemns Israel and her rejection of her Messiah. In this story, the king is God and the servants who are sent out are once again the OT prophets and calling the people to come to the Marriage feast of the king’s own son. Even after Christ’s death and His resurrection, we see the Holy Spirit sent out to draw Israel (“To the Jew first”, Acts 3:26.) When the king says that, “…I have prepared my dinner…and all things are ready (v.4)” what does this mean? Does it surprise you that so many refused? Who are the other guests taken from the highways and byways? (A) It should not come as a surprise – Israel refused to accept her role as God’s chosen people repeatedly. The newly invited guests are the Gentiles who respond to the call of the gospel.
One man refuses to wear the wedding garment. Why is this significant? (A) All the guests were rounded up from the highways, so none would have a wedding garment to wear; indeed, the king provided the garments! To refuse to wear the appropriate garment, especially when it was free, was an insult to the king and his son. This represents those who identify with the kingdom externally, profess to be Christians, belong to the church in a visible sense – yet deny the “garment” of righteousness Christ offers.
V.22: 14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” – why does Christ complete the parable with this verse? What is the “call” spoken of here? (A) This call is sometimes referred to as the “general call” – a summons to repentance and faith that is inherent in the gospel message. The call extends to all who hear the gospel. “Many” hear it; “few” respond. Those who do respond are the “chosen,” the elect. Paul writes of this call and usually it refers to God’s irresistible calling extended to the elect alone (Romans 8:30) – known as the “effectual” call. The effectual call is the supernatural drawing of God which Jesus speaks of in John 6:44. Here a “general call" is in view, extended to all who hear the gospel. This is the great “whosoever will” of the Gospel (Rev. 22:17)? This is a huge debate that has raged for many years, yet cannot be denied in scripture. Here then is the proper balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty: the “called” who reject the invitation do so willingly, and therefore their exclusion from the kingdom is perfectly just. The “chosen” enter the kingdom only because of the grace of God in choosing and drawing them.

Chapter 23 – Jesus Warns the Religious Leaders

In the last chapter, a Pharisee asked Jesus which of the commandments (they had 613) was the greatest. Jesus answered that “You must love the Lord with all your heart…love your neighbor as yourself (vs. 36-39).

1. How does this apply to what Jesus says in 23:2, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat”? (A) He simply meant that these religious leaders were in the place of authority concerning the law. However, He tells the people to do as they say and not to do what they do. To the Pharisee, righteousness meant outward conformity to the Law of God, but their hearts were black.

2. Vs. 37-39, convey sadness over Jerusalem and her people the Jews. Jesus removes the blessing of God from the Temple (v.38). What is He referring to? If God is sovereign, could He not have “gathered your children …”? (A) He is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans in A.D. 70. Ezekiel prophesied this in Ezk.11: 23. A few days earlier, Jesus called the Temple God’s house and now He refers to it as “your house.” The Shekinah glory has departed! While God is sovereign over all things, at times He expresses a wish for that which He does not sovereignly bring to pass. While full of compassion, never desirous of evil, He asks for true repentance from all sinners. The Jews refused to repent.

Chapter 24 – Jesus Foretells the Future

As Jesus looks down at the city and tells the disciples that not one stone of the Temple will be left unturned, they ask him what the sign of His coming and the end of the age will be.

1. What bombshell does He drop on them (vs. 4-25)? (A) They still thought that the kingdom of God would appear immediately as He proclaimed Himself Messiah. They misunderstood God’s timing, so Jesus answers. He talks about His Second Coming, after the time of Tribulation when “nation turns against nations, famines and earthquakes escalate in number, false Christs appear, persecution of believers and death will follow, and sin will be rampant everywhere (vs. 4-12).”

2. Jesus talks about Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 9:27; 11:31) in v.15 – “the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” What is this? (A) While the prophecy originally referred to the desecration of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C., yet Jesus looks to a future event when the Antichrist sets up an image of himself in the Temple and demands worship.

3. In v.13, Jesus says that, “Those who endure to the end will be saved (v 13).” Does this mean that perseverance secures our salvation? (A) Scripture teaches exactly the opposite: God, as part of His saving work, secures our perseverance. True believers “are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation (1Pet.1: 5).” True believers will persevere (Romans 8:38,39; 1Cor.1: 8,9) through the power of the Holy Spirit, who seals us for eternity (Eph.1: 13).

4. V.44, “You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Aren’t believers taken away in the Rapture before His 2^nd Coming? (A) Yes, believers must always be ready, living in the holiness we are blessed with – we will answer for all that we do, not for salvation, but blessing.

Chapter 25 – Story of the Ten Bridesmaids

A Jewish wedding in that day had two parts. First, the bridegroom and his friends would go from his house to claim the bride from her parents. Then the bride and groom would return to the groom’s house for the marriage feast. The scene we see here suggests that the groom has already claimed his bride and they and the wedding procession are on their way back to his house to complete the feast.

What might this parable of the bridesmaids mean? What happened to those who were not prepared? (A) When the bridegroom and the bride appeared, half of the bridesmaids were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil. The ones who had oil lit their lamps and kept them shining bright, It was they who entered into the wedding feast. This suggests that not every professing Christian will enter heaven, for some have not really trusted Christ sincerely. Without the Spirit of God (the lamp oil) and the Word of God (also symbolized by the oil), there can be no true salvation.
What have you found most helpful in refilling your daily “oil supply” through your daily routine and the troubles of life? _____________________________________________
In the Parable of the Talents (vs.14-30), the “Talents” originally stood for a unit of measure, a very large amount of money. The present day use of “talent” as an ability comes from this parable. Which of the three servants can you relate to most as you assess the “ spiritual talents” God has given you? Why was the master so hard on the servant who hid his talent? (A) The servants’ accusation against the master – even if it had been true – did not justify his own laziness.
What is the parable’s message? Check one, or more, if they fit.

q God cannot tolerate laziness.

q God has given Christians a “job” to do until He returns.

q When we use what God has given us, God gives us more.

q Judgment awaits those who do not invest in God’s kingdom.

q Those who despise the riches of God’s goodness, burying them in the ground and holding on to the “riches “ of this world, will ultimately lose everything they have.

In the Final Judgment (vs. 31-46), when Christ comes again in glory to reign on earth, what does the separation of the sheep and the goats describe? (A) This judgment, *Note: this is not the Great White Throne Judgment in Rev. 20:11-15, precedes Christ’s millennial reign, and those judged are those alive at His coming. The “sheep” are living believers and are given a place at His right hand as rulers in His reign. The “goats” are unbelievers given their rightful place of dishonor and rejection.
How does v. 34 make you feel? What is the significance of “…inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world?” (A) If it doesn’t make you shout with joy and fall to your knees in praise, maybe you need to look at your relationship with Jesus! Your salvation is a precious gift from God, not something you earned, and you were chosen by God before the earth was even created and ordained to be holy (Eph. 1:4), predestined to be conformed to Christ’s image (Rom. 8:29). The good deeds, which follow in vs. 35,36, are the fruit, not the root of your salvation.
V. 41 is heavy. It speaks of the punishment of the wicked in never-ending suffering. How can one avoid this righteous judgment? (A) Jesus mentions those who showed true love, taking care of those in need, etc., would be the ones in heaven with him. Those who are greedy and self-centered like the Pharisees, show no interest in what His greatest commandment, to love Him and your neighbor, teaches. The results are devastating and eternal.

Chapter 26 – The Plot To Kill Jesus

The end is near; it is now two days before the Passover when Jesus will be crucified. Why was the Passover an appropriate time for the events of vs. 1-5? (A) Passover was the Jews holies feast, signifying God’s redemptive action on the part of His people Israel. Jesus was to be killed, according to God’s sovereign will, on the Passover, signifying God’s final offer of redemption to the world, especially Israel.
Judas agreed with the chief priests to betray Jesus (v.14-16). Why would he do that in light of all he has seen the Master say and do? (A) While Judas was an apostle, he never truly believed in Jesus as the Christ. When he realized that Jesus was going to be crucified, his hopes in an earthly and political king were shattered.
Jesus sat with His disciples for one last meal. He instituted the celebration of our communion on this solemn occasion. He said, “Take this bread and eat it, this is my body, and drink from the cup, all of you. For this is My blood which seals the Covenant between God and His people (v.26-28). Some believe it His literal body and blood. Is it? What is this New Covenant and why is it important for us? (A) It could not have been His body and blood for He was literally there in the flesh. Covenants required a blood sacrifice. The blood of a New Covenant is not an animal’s blood, but Christ’s own blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and asked the Father that “this cup of suffering” be taken away from Him. What cup was He referring to? What followed this statement and what does it show? (A) A cup was often a symbol of divine wrath against sin. The nest day Christ would “bear the sins of many” (HEB. 9:28), and the fullness of divine wrath would fall on Him. This was the price of sin He bore, and He paid it in full. “Yet I want Your will, not mine (v.39).” Jesus in His humanity surrendered His will to the Father in all things.
Jesus now goes on trial before the Council (the Sanhedrin), the Supreme Court of Israel. Why would such a distinguished group of religious leaders stoop to perjury (v. 59)? Why did Jesus remain silent? (A) They had found no other way to implicate Jesus. Even now, the witnesses couldn’t agree. Jesus knew that He spoke only the truth and had done so throughout His teaching & healing ministry. They didn’t believe Him then, and they were not going to believe Him now.
Caiaphas, the High Priest, put Jesus under oath and demands, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God (v.63)?” What was the significance of this question? (A) Caiaphas was trying to make Jesus’ answer legally binding. By answering this question honestly – they heard Him declare it many times – Jesus would be guilty of blasphemy in their eyes – they did not and would not believe.
Put your self in Peter’s shoes. When asked if he was a follower of Jesus he denied it. What would you have done? Have you ever denied Him?

Chapter 27 – Jesus’ Trial Before Pilot

Jesus is brought before Pilot, the Roman governor, and is asked, ‘Are You the King of the Jews (v.27: 11)?” Jesus is once again silent. What is Pilate’s overriding concern in this trial: Identifying the Messiah? Hearing out Jesus? Doing Justice? Appeasing the Jews? (A) Pilot knew that the Jews had Jesus arrested because of their envy (v.18). He wanted no trouble from an already troublesome group of people.
Why do you think the soldiers were so cruel to Jesus? What does it say about their view of Him? (A) They were Romans and recognized no king but Caesar. They hated the Jews and must have especially hated this perceived pretender, the “King of the Jews.”
Jesus is God yet He cries out “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me (v. 46)?” Christ at that moment was experiencing the abandonment and despair that resulted from the outpouring of divine wrath on Him as the sin-bearer.
As Jesus died, the veil of the Temple that blocked the entrance to the Most Holy Place was torn in two from top to bottom. What did this signify? (A) The tearing of the veil (about 13” thick) signified that the way into God’s presence was now open to all in a new and living way (Heb. 10:19-22). The fact that it tore from top to bottom showed that no man had split the veil. God did it.

Chapter 28 – The Resurrection

Matthew doesn’t go into detail, as do some of the other writers of the Gospels, about the Resurrection morning. But the main idea is that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead as promised.

How do the following people react to the news of the Resurrection: The women? The guards? The chief priests? The disciples? (A) At first, the women were afraid, but filled with great joy. As they met Jesus, they fell down and worshipped Him. The guards were so overcome with fear that they were rendered unconscious. They later chose to lie and conspire with the priests about their experience. The priests were still full of unbelief and made plotted with the guards to lie about Christ’s disappearance. Some of the disciples still doubted, but all worshipped him.
Vs. 18-20 are called The Great Commission. What is the central command Jesus gives his disciples? By whose authority does He command this? (A) Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father hands absolute sovereign authority –lordship over all - to Christ. He is above all things.
Some say that this Commission applied only to the disciples. Does it apply to you too? What have you done about it? What will you do? (A) It applies to all believers. If we are to truly love our neighbors, what better way to show our love than to offer them the gift of Christ!

Matthew 21-28

Questions

2009

Chapter 21 - The Triumphal Entry

In the last few chapters, we have seen Jesus declare that He was indeed the Christ and in chapter 20, he plainly predicted His own death.

Why then is He going to Jerusalem, knowing that the Jewish leaders are seeking to kill Him? (A) It was the Passover and the Jews were ________ to attend the Temple. There were probably about 2 million people in and around Jerusalem. He knew that He must die to _______ His Father’s salvation plan and to fulfill prophecy that the ______ of God be crucified on Passover.
The OT ‘s purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah. Zechariah 9:9 is a specific Messianic prophecy that the Jews could not misunderstand. How was it fulfilled? What were the people looking for and why in light of vs. 10 of Zechariah? (A) Jesus is indeed the King promised to Israel, but He was a King coming in ________, not in arrogance and in war. They were looking for a __________ king to overthrow Rome, but vs. 10 says that He would remove the battle chariots and warhorses from Jerusalem and destroy all the weapons used in battle. This Messiah was indeed different!
Another reason for Jesus’ public demonstration (so unlike any previous action on His part, i.e. not wanting to have His miracles made known). It was to force the Jewish leaders to act. *Note: In the years prior to this, Jesus required that His miracles be kept secret so as not to give the religious leaders any more reason to condemn Him than they already had. The time was not yet right for His death. The time had now come! How did it force them to act? Why would they do so in opposition to all the evidence of the OT scriptures? (A) When they saw the spontaneous demonstration of the people, they knew that if they did not kill Him soon, the people would crown Him king. The religious leaders were spiritually blind and had substituted _______ _________for truth. They were interested only in their own self-interests.

The Cleansing of the Temple

This was the second time He cleansed the Temple. The first was when He began His ministry and now, it is at the end of it.

Scriptures tells us He cleansed the Temple. What part of it? Why? (A) They had turned the outer court, the Court of the _________, into a money making place to do business, that is, exchanging money from visiting Jews attempting to purchase sacrifices and charging them exorbitant exchange rates and prices. There could be no competition. The former high priest Annas and his sons ran the business. The purpose of this Court of the Gentiles was to give the Gentile outcasts a place to enter the Temple and _______ from Israel about the true God. This Temple was _______ House and when Jesus quoted “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves (v 13), He was affirming that He was God.
What does God want in His house? Consider Spring of Life His House too! (A) He wants ________ among His people (1Tim.2: 1), for true prayer is an evidence of our __________ on God and our ______ in His Word. He wants people being helped. The needy should feel welcome. There should be _______ in God’s house, the power of God working to change people and there should be _______.
In the parable of the fig tree, what does the fig tree symbolize? (A) It is a symbol of ________ and its barrenness symbolizes God’s divine __________ because of her spiritual ____________, despite all of her spiritual advantages. It was Israel who rejected her Messiah.
V. 21 quotes, “…if you have faith and do not doubt…” – how can we ever achieve this? (A) This presupposes that the thing requested is actually God’s ___, for only God-given ____ is so doubt-free. His power is immeasurable and is ours.
In the parable of the Evil Farmers (vs. 33-44), whom do the servants represent? The son? The stone? (A) The servants sent by the master represent the OT ________ sent to prepare the way for the Kingdom. The son is _____ ______, the Messiah, whom they killed and thereby incurred divine judgment. The stone refers to His _________ and the restoration of “the chief cornerstone” anticipates His __________. The whole of the salvation plan rests on this “cornerstone.”

Chapter 22 – The parable of the Marriage Feast

Once again, Jesus condemns Israel and her rejection of her Messiah. In this story, the king is God and the servants who are sent out are once again the OT prophets and calling the people to come to the Marriage feast of the king’s own son. Even after Christ’s death and His resurrection, we see the Holy Spirit sent out to draw Israel (“To the Jew first”, Acts 3:26.) When the king says that, “…I have prepared my dinner…and all things are ready (v.4)” what does this mean? Does it surprise you that so many refused? Who are the other guests taken from the highways and byways? (A) It should not come as a surprise – Israel refused to accept her role as God’s chosen people over and over again. The newly invited guests are the ________ who respond to the call of the gospel.
One man refuses to wear the wedding garment. Why is this significant? (A) All the guest were rounded up from the highways, so none would have a wedding garment to wear; indeed, the king provided the garments! To refuse to wear the appropriate garment, especially when it was free, was an insult to the king and his son. This represents those who identify with the kingdom _________, profess to be Christians, ______ to the church in a visible sense – yet deny the “garment” of _____________ Christ offers.
V.22: 14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” – why does Christ complete the parable with this verse? What is the “call” spoken of here? (A) This call is sometimes referred to as the “________ call” – a summons to _________ and _____ that is inherent in the gospel message. The call extends to all who hear the gospel. “Many” hear it; “few” respond. Those who do respond are the “______,” the elect. Paul writes of this call and usually it refers to God’s irresistible calling extended to the elect alone (Romans 8:30) – known as the ________ call. The effectual call is the supernatural drawing of God which Jesus speaks of in John 6:44. Here a “general call" is in view, extended to all who _____ the gospel. This is the great “________ _____” of the Gospel (Rev. 22:17)? This is a huge debate that has raged for many years, yet cannot be denied in scripture. Here then is the proper balance between human ___________ and divine _________: the “called” who reject the invitation do so ________, and therefore their exclusion from the kingdom is perfectly just. The “chosen” enter the kingdom only because of the ________ of God in choosing and drawing them.

Chapter 23 – Jesus Warns the Religious Leaders

1. How does this apply to what Jesus says in 23:2, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat”? (A) He simply meant that these religious leaders were in the place of ________ concerning the law. However, He tells the people to do as they ____ and not to ___ what they___. To the Pharisee, righteousness meant _____________ conformity to the Law of God, but their hearts were black.

2. Vs. 37-39, convey sadness over Jerusalem and her people the Jews. Jesus removes the blessing of God from the Temple (v.38). What is He referring to? If God is sovereign, could He not have “gathered your children …”? (A) He is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans in A.D. 70. Ezekiel prophesied this in Ezk.11: 23. A few days earlier, Jesus called the Temple God’s house and now He refers to it as “your house.” The Shekinah glory has departed! While God is sovereign over ____ things, at times He expresses a wish for that which He does not sovereignly bring to pass. While full of compassion, never desirous of evil, He asks for true __________ from all sinners. The Jews refused to repent.

Chapter 24 – Jesus Foretells the Future

As Jesus looks down at the city and tells the disciples that not one stone of the Temple will be left unturned, they ask him what the sign of His coming and the end of the age will be.

1. What bombshell does He drop on them (vs. 4-25)? (A) They still thought that the kingdom of God would appear _____________as He proclaimed Himself Messiah. They misunderstood God’s timing, so Jesus answers. He talks about His ________ Coming, after the time of __________ when “nation turns against nations, famines and earthquakes escalate in number, false Christs appear, persecution of believers and death will follow, and sin will be rampant everywhere (vs. 4-12).”

2. Jesus talks about Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 9:27; 11:31) in v.15 – “the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” What is this? (A) While the prophecy originally referred to the desecration of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C., yet Jesus looks to a future event when the _____________ sets up an image of himself in the ______ and demands worship.

3. In v.13, Jesus says that, “Those who endure to the end will be saved (v 13).” Does this mean that perseverance secures our salvation? (A) Scripture teaches exactly the ________: God, as part of His saving work, ______ our perseverance. True believers “are kept by the power of God through ______ for salvation (1Pet.1: 5).” True believers will persevere (Romans 8:38,39; 1Cor.1: 8,9) through the power of the Holy Spirit, who ______ us for eternity (Eph.1: 13).

4. V.44, “You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Aren’t believers taken away in the Rapture before His 2^nd Coming? (A) Yes, believers must always be ready, living in the ________ we are blessed with – we will answer for all that we do, not for salvation, but _________.

Chapter 25 – Story of the Ten Bridesmaids

What might this parable of the bridesmaids mean? What happened to those who were not prepared? (A) When the bridegroom and the bride appeared, half of the bridesmaids were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil. The ones who had oil lit their lamps and kept them shining bright, It was they who _______ into the wedding feast. This suggests that not every _________ Christian will enter heaven, for some have not really trusted Christ ________. Without the Spirit of God (the lamp oil) and the Word of God (also symbolized by the oil), there can be no true salvation.
What have you found most helpful in refilling your daily “oil supply” through your daily routine and the troubles of life? _____________________________________________
In the Parable of the Talents (vs.14-30), the “Talents” originally stood for a unit of measure, a very large amount of money. The present day use of “talent” as an ability comes from this parable. Which of the three servants can you relate to most as you assess the “ spiritual talents” God has given you? Why was the master so hard on the servant who hid his talent? (A) The servants’ accusation against the master – even if it had been true – did not justify his own laziness.
What is the parable’s message? Check one, or more if they fit.

q God cannot tolerate ________.

q God has given Christians a “_____” to do until He returns.

q When we use what God has given us, God gives us ______.

q ___________ awaits those who do not invest in God’s kingdom.

q Those who ______ the riches of God’s goodness, burying them in the ground and holding on to the “riches “ of this world, will ultimately _____ everything they have.

In the Final Judgment (vs. 31-46), when Christ comes again in glory to reign on earth, what does the separation of the sheep and the goats describe? (A) This judgment, *Note: this is not the Great White Throne Judgment in Rev. 20:11-15, _________ Christ’s millennial reign, and those judged are those _____ at His coming. The “sheep” are living _______ and are given a place at His right hand as rulers in His reign. The “goats” are _______ given their rightful place of dishonor and rejection.
How does v. 34 make you feel? What is the significance of “…inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world?” (A) If it doesn’t make you shout with joy and fall to your knees in praise, maybe you need to look at your relationship with Jesus! Your ____________ is a precious ____ from God, not something you _______, and you were ______by God before the earth was even ________ and ordained to be ____ (Eph. 1:4), predestined to be conformed to Christ’s ______ (Rom. 8:29). The good deeds, which follow in vs. 35,36, are the ______, not the root of your salvation.
V. 41 is heavy. It speaks of the punishment of the wicked in never-ending suffering. How can one avoid this righteous judgment? (A) Jesus mentions those who showed _____ ______, taking care of those in need, etc., would be the ones in heaven with him. Those who are greedy and self centered like the Pharisees, show no interest in what His greatest ___________, to love Him and your neighbor, teaches. The results are devastating and eternal.

Chapter 26 – The Plot To Kill Jesus

The end is near; it is now two days before the Passover when Jesus will be crucified. Why was the Passover an appropriate time for the events of vs. 1-5? (A) Passover was the Jews holiest feast, signifying God’s _________ action on the part of His people Israel. Jesus was to be killed, according to God’s sovereign will, on the Passover, signifying God’s ______ _______ of redemption to the world, especially Israel.
Judas agreed with the chief priests to betray Jesus (v.14-16). Why would he do that in light of all he has seen the Master say and do? (A) While Judas was an apostle, he never truly _______in Jesus as the Christ. When he realized that Jesus was going to be crucified, his hopes in an ______ and political king were shattered.
Jesus sat with His disciples for one last meal. He instituted the celebration of our communion on this solemn occasion. He said, “Take this bread and eat it, this is my body, and drink from the cup, all of you. For this is My blood which seals the Covenant between God and His people (v.26-28). Some believe it His literal body and blood. Is it? What is this New Covenant and why is it important for us? (A) It could not have been His literal body and blood for He was literally ____ in the flesh. Covenants required a ______ sacrifice. The blood of a New Covenant is not an animal’s blood, but ______ own blood, shed for the __________ of sins.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and asked the Father that “this cup of suffering” be taken away from Him. What cup was He referring to? What followed this statement and what does it show? (A) A cup was often a symbol of divine _______ against sin. The next day Christ would “bear the _____ of many” (Heb. 9:28), and the _______ of divine wrath would fall on Him. This was the _______ of sin He bore, and He paid it in full. “Yet I want _____ _____, not mine (v.39).” Jesus in His humanity ____________ His will to the Father in all things.
Jesus now goes on trial before the Council (the Sanhedrin), the Supreme Court of Israel. Why would such a distinguished group of religious leaders stoop to perjury (v. 59)? Why did Jesus remain silent? (A) They had found no other way to _________ Jesus. Even now, the witnesses couldn’t agree. Jesus knew that He spoke only the truth and had done so throughout His teaching & healing ministry. They didn’t ________ Him then, and they were not going to believe Him now.
Caiaphas, the High Priest, put Jesus under oath and demands, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God (v.63)?” What was the significance of this question? (A) Caiaphas was trying to make Jesus’ answer _______ binding. By answering this question honestly – they heard Him declare it many times – Jesus would be guilty of _________ in their eyes – they did not and would not believe He was God.
Put your self in Peter’s shoes. When asked if he was a follower of Jesus he denied it. What would you have done? Have you ever denied Him?

Chapter 27 – Jesus’ Trial Before Pilot

Jesus is brought before Pilot, the Roman governor, and is asked, ‘Are You the King of the Jews (v.27: 11)?” Jesus is once again silent. What is Pilate’s overriding concern in this trial: Identifying the Messiah? Hearing out Jesus? Doing Justice? Appeasing the Jews? (A) Pilot knew that the Jews had Jesus arrested because of their ______ (v.18). He wanted no trouble from an already troublesome group of people.
Why do you think the soldiers were so cruel to Jesus? What does it say about their view of Him? (A) They were Romans and recognized no king but ______. They hated the Jews and must have especially hated this perceived __________, the “King of the Jews.”
Jesus is God yet He cries out “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me (v. 46)?” Has the Father forsaken Him? (A) Christ at that moment was experiencing the __________ and _________ that resulted from the outpouring of divine wrath on Him as the sin-bearer.
As Jesus died, the veil of the Temple that blocked the entrance to the Most Holy Place was torn in two from top to bottom. What did this signify? (A) The tearing of the veil (about 13” thick) signified that the way into God’s ________ was now open to ____ in a new and living way (Heb. 10:19-22). The fact that it tore from top to bottom showed that no ____ had split the veil. God did it.

Chapter 28 – The Resurrection

Matthew doesn’t go into detail, as do some of the other writers of the Gospel about the Resurrection morning. But the main idea is that He did indeed rise from the dead as promised.

How do the following people react to the news of the Resurrection: The women? The guards? The chief priests? The disciples? (A) At first, the women were _______, but filled with great ____. As they met Jesus, they fell down and __________Him. The guards were so overcome with _____ that they were rendered unconscious. They later chose to ____ and _______ with the priests about their experience. The priests were still full of _______ and plotted with the guards to lie about Christ’s disappearance. Some of the disciples still _______, but all ______________ him.
Vs. 18-20 are called The Great Commission. What is the central command Jesus gives his disciples? By whose authority does He command this? (A) Go and make _________ of all nations, __________ them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father hands ________ sovereign _________ –_________ over all - to Christ. He is above all things.
Some say that this Commission applied only to the disciples. Does it apply to you too? What have you done about it? What will you do? (A) It applies to ____ believers. If we are to truly ______ our neighbors, what better way to show our love than to offer them the ______ of Christ!