The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 20 Part 8 Jesus Teaches The Essential Core Of Gospel Truth

We learned beautiful truth about the kingdom of heaven from Jesus' Parable of the Laborers and the Vineyard.

The remainder of this chapter continues Matthew's record of all that Jesus said and did.

Jesus again repeats the essential, non negotiable core of gospel truth to His disciples. 

Matthew 20:17-19  And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18  Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19  And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

This is the third time that Jesus spoke His disciples of His suffering, death and resurrection.

Jesus described the order of events that are recorded later in this gospel.

Christ and His disciples would travel to Jerusalem in time for the Passover.

Someone will betray Him and Jesus will be detained, condemned and mocked by the Jewish religious leaders.

Then, Jesus will be given to Roman rulers, abused and ridiculed, and crucified on a cross.

After three days in the grave, Jesus will rise from the dead by the omnipotent power of God.

After Christ's resurrection and ascension the apostles become public heralds of the gospel.

Matthew 10:27  What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 

We see privacy of this prediction, such that Jesus took the twelve disciples apart away from throngs of people. 

This is one of those truths which were told to them in darkness, but which afterward they were to proclaim boldly in the light, on rooftops. 

Jesus shared these truths with them as His friends. It was a hard saying, but if any could bear it, they could. 

Jesus' disciples would be exposed to great trouble when the time of His betrayal and arrest arrived, so forewarning them was important. 

It was not yet time for public declaration of Christ's sufferings, death, burial and resurrection,  but His disciples would boldly preach it after His ascension.

Thus, Jesus communicated the essential truths of the gospel of Christ that must never be altered or given up.

Matthew 20:17-19  And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18  Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19  And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Jesus repeated the same essential truths that He said to His disciples before (See Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23). 

Jesus not only saw clearly what troubles lay before Him, but He demonstrated to His disciples that His heart was focused the cross and His sufferings. 

Jesus had great joy knowing countless sinners would repent and trust Him for salvation.

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Jesus was not filled with fear and trepidation, but with desire and expectation.

He knew that His sufferings necessarily preceded the glory He would later receive from His Father after His triumph over the grave.

Thus, Christians are encouraged to look to Jesus because He is the initiator and finisher of our faith, through His suffering, death, burial and resurrection for us, for our sakes.

Luke 15:7  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Luke 15:10  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Christ's attitude as He approached the cross, was one of great joy, stemming from His perfect foreknowledge of an innumerable host of sinners saved and made children of the living God.

In like manner, heaven is filled with joy when a sinner comes to repentant faith in Jesus Christ. 

The angels of God share in this same joy over the salvation of each sinner.

Jesus is made complete by suffering and after glory was poured out on Him by His Father.

Hebrews 2:10-12  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 

Again, hear the writer of the book of Hebrews. Jesus created all things for Himself with the goal of bringing many sons into glory, through repentant faith in Christ.

It is the heavenly Father whose wise plan of redemption included making Christ, the captain of our salvation, perfect through sufferings.

Jesus Christ as God manifest in the flesh, did not need to be made perfect, because He is the sinless Son of God.

Rather, this word means to finish something, to make it complete or whole. It means to carry something through to its designed end.

Christ completed His Father's plan of salvation by suffering for us, dying for us, rising from the grave for us and returning to the Father for us.

It was all for us, not for Himself, because we need salvation from our sins.

Innocent blood must be shed because without the shedding of blood there is no remission from sin (See Hebrews 9:22).

Hebrews 10:4  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Animal blood from goats, bulls or sheep that Israel sacrificed, cannot take away mankind's sins. 

This is why God took on flesh, so that Christ could be mankind's innocent substitute suffering and dying for all. 

This is why Jesus in eternity past said "a body thou hast prepared me" and this is why John the Baptist said "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world" (See John 1:29; 1:36).

Hebrews 2:12-15  12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 

We have the blessed privilege of studying dozens of Old Testament connections with the suffering, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ. 

In Hebrews 2:12, we see connections with Psalm 22:22; 22:25; and 40:10!

In verse thirteen, we see connections with Isaiah 8:18 and 53:10!

In verse fourteen, we see connections with Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 53:12; 25:14; Hosea 13:14!

In verse fifteen we see connections with Psalm 55:4; 56:13; 89:8!

It is Christ Jesus who declares the glorious name of the One, True, Living God of heaven to the Jewish people and to His church, composed of Jews and Gentiles.

It is Christ who exclaims to His Father "Behold the children thou hast given me."

Philippians 2:5-11  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Paul tells us we must have the mind of Christ in us, so that we see life as He does and live for heavenly things, not earthly things.

Paul describes the incarnation of Christ as Jesus humbling Himself, setting aside His glory, and taking on flesh, being made a little lower than the angels.

We too, must be humbled and led to repentant faith in Christ.

We too, must expect to suffer for His name's sake.

We too, expect future glory from God when He calls us home to heaven.

Christ live a perfect life, fully satisfied God's law and voluntarily became our substitute, dying on the cross in our place.

After the resurrection and ascension of His Son, the Father highly exalted His Son and gave Him the most pre-eminent name in all creation.

A day is coming when Christ returns and all nations and people will bow down at the name Jesus. 

All tongues will say that Jesus is Lord and the Father will be glorified.

Why did Jesus, the Son of God become a man? 

In order to redeem humanity from sin, He must take on a body of flesh like ours if He is to live a perfect life for us, suffer for us, die for us, be buried for us and rise from the grave for us.

The key distinction is that Jesus was born of a virgin, proving that God is His Father and that the blood which Christ shed on the cross is indeed, the blood of God (See Acts 20:28).

Isaiah 25:8-9  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. 9  And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. 

Hosea 13:14  I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. 

Isaiah prophesied of Messiah that He would swallow up death in victory and wipe all tears away from the redeemed children of God.

When Jesus rose from the grave, those who waited for Messiah shouted "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

Since that time, generations of Christ have shouted the same joyous truths about Jesus.

When Jesus rose from the grave He showed that the power of the grave and death were conquered and destroyed. 

When Jesus died on the cross, Satan thought he gained the victory. 

The Devil was ignorant of the scriptures that said by dying, Messiah would destroy the Devil and his power of death.

Satan did not know of God's plan of salvation that was hidden in Christ before the world was even created.

Romans 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

Thus, Paul shouted praises to God for His glorious plans and eternally wise counsel that made salvation, redemption, justification and reconciliation possible.

Colossians 2:9-15  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 

The Divine fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily.

Each believer in Christ is made complete in Him and given all spiritual blessings from heaven (See Ephesians 1:3).

It is the cross of Christ where Jesus died that all the sins of all humanity for all time were nailed, taken out of the way and permanently blotted out.

Each sinner who repents of sin and trust Christ, has his or her sins removed as far as the east is from the west (See Psalm 103:10-12).

Although we are not equipped to see into the spiritual realm that is all around us, scripture tells us that Jesus arose from the grave with a mighty shout, openly triumphing over sin, death, the grave, Hell and the Devil.

From that moment, our fierce enemy was made an eternal loser. He knows his time is short and he works relentlessly to deceive people and damn their souls to Hell.

We must be equally relentless in sharing the gospel of Christ with those who do not yet know Him.

The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation. 

Preach it, teach it, publish it and speak of it. 

Trust God's Spirit to do the heart work to lead sinners to repentant faith in Christ.

Let us be thoroughly acquainted with the core truths of the gospel of Christ and be ready to share it with other people.

It is now time to publicly proclaim the gospel of Christ wherever we are, to whomever we can.

Today is the day of salvation if you will hear His voice.

Bob