Message Notes

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL 28 June 2020

Title: THE PARABLES OF JESUS

THE OPPONENTS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

1. Scribes (Mark 2:6)

2. Pharisees (Matthew 9:11)

3. Sadducees (Matthew 22:23-34)

4. Herodians (Mark 3:6; 8:15; Matthew 22:15-22)

5. Chief priests (Mark 14:1; Luke 20:19)

GROUPINGS NOTED IN THE GOSPELS

1. The scribes (Mark 2:6; Matthew 9:3; 12:38)

2. The Pharisees (Matthew 9:11; 12:14, 24; 16:11; 22:15)

3. The scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 12:38; 23:2)

4. Chief priests and scribes (Mark 14:1; Luke 20:19)

5. Chief priests and Pharisees (Matthew 21:45)

6. Chief priests, scribes and elders (Luke 20:1)

7. Sadducees (Matthew 22:23-34)

8. Pharisees and Herodians (Mark 3:6; Matthew 22:15-22)

WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE?

1. Scribes

a) They were like lawyers

b) They draft legal documents

i) Wills

ii) Divorce

iii) Contracts

c) These were “experts” of the Mosaic Law

d) They were professionals

e) They took pride in their knowledge

2. Pharisees

a) They believed in “separatism”

b) They kept the traditions of Judaism

c) They were landowners/ business people

d) They took pride in their self-righteousness

3. Sadducees

a) Jewish aristocrats

b) They controlled the Temple

c) They were part of the Sanhedrin Council

d) They were rich and corrupt

e) Their backers were the Romans

f) They were highly influential

g) They believed only in the law of Moses

h) They rejected the doctrine of the resurrection

4. Chief priests

a) Priests work in the Temple

b) There were many of them

c) The chief priests were those who were in charge of the priests

5. Herodians

a) More of a political group

b) They were opposed to the Pharisees

c) They wanted to ensure that the Herodian dynasty would last

d) The Lord warned about the leaven of Herod (Mark 8:15)

AN ANALYSIS OF THE LORD JESUS
Matthew 23

1. Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:2)

a) Sit in Moses’ seat

i) They see themselves as the expert interpreters of the law of Moses

ii) Do what they tell you

iii) Don’t do what they do

iv) They say but do not do (Matthew 23:3)

b) They bind heavy burdens on people

They will not move them with one finger (Matthew 23:4)

c) Their works

i) Only to be seen by men (Matthew 23:5a)

ii) They make their phylacteries broad (Matthew 23:5b)

iii) They enlarge the borders of their garments (Matthew 23:5c)

d) They love:

i) The best seats at feasts (Matthew 23:6a)

ii) The best seats in the synagogues (Matthew 23:6b)

iii) Greetings in the marketplaces (recognition) (Matthew 23:7)

iv) Being called “Rabbi” (Matthew 23:7)

2. Pronouncement of Woe

a) Hypocrisy (Matthew 23:13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29)

b) The wicked things they do:

i) Shutting up the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23:13a)

ii) They do not go in (Matthew 23:13b)

iii) They do not allow people to enter (Matthew 23:13c)

iv) Devour widows’ houses (Matthew 23:14a)

v) Make long prayers (for the widows) (Matthew 23:14b)

vi) Make proselytes (Matthew 23:15a)

vii) These proselytes are worse off (Matthew 23:15b)

c) Spiritually blind guides (Matthew 23:16a, 26)

d) Foolish and blind (Matthew 23:17, 19)

e) Reptiles

i) Serpents (Matthew 23:33a)

ii) Brood of vipers (Matthew 23:33b)

3. Judgment

a) Greater condemnation (Matthew 23:14)

b) Condemnation of hell (Matthew 23:33)

c) Your house is left desolate (Matthew 23:38)

WHY COULD THEY NOT LISTEN TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?

1. Hypocrisy (Matthew 23:27-28)
Refusal to repent

2. Blindness
Refusal to acknowledge blindness (John 9:40-41)

3. Foolishness
They thought themselves wise

4. Unwilling to come to the Lord (Matthew 23:37)
They remained stubborn

PARABLE OF AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT RETURNING
Matthew 12:43-45

1. An unclean spirit indwells

2. He leaves

3. He returns to his old haunt

4. He finds it “clean”

5. He finds other spirits

6. They inhabit the person and he is worse off