Matthew 23:23 (KJV) Can Money Replace Righteousness?

Matthew 23:23 (KJV)

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 

 

Since the scribes, Pharisees, and other groups of Jews (Sadducees, Sanhedrin, high priests, etc.) no longer exist in their biblical forms, it is easy to either dismiss them or accuse just about anyone we wish of being like them. However, there is no question that this entire chapter is taken up with Jesus’ critical judgment of these groups.

 

I can relate to many of these observations within Christian circles I’ve been associated with. Religious circles and Jesus are not the same. Jesus must not be judged by those claiming to be His followers. Even the best followers are followers at best. If we are humble and honest enough, I expect we can see ourselves in a few of these judgments.

 

I wish to focus on the observation in this passage that a person cannot buy their way into righteousness. No amount of money can replace, as Jesus put it, the weightier matters of the law.

This reminds me of those in the Civil War (and I believe it happened in WWI as well) who paid someone else to take their place fighting in the war. It was a common practice, considered legitimate, and might have seemed both practical and logical. After all, it provided paying wages to the one who agreed to fight and spared our country’s “best and brightest” from the risk of death. But it cast a shadow on the one who stayed behind.

 

Teddy Roosevelt’s father was a wealthy businessman, philanthropist, and supporter of the Union cause during the Civil War. However, as i understand it, Teddy was “embarrassed” that his father never put his body where his money was. Roosevelt grew up believing in philanthropy but also believed he must do more than give—he had to fight!

 

On the other hand, Jesus said that doing right was no excuse for skipping the tithe.

 

We now live in a time when large numbers of professing Christians challenge whether tithing is biblical, claiming it is Old Testament law and therefore not binding for New Testament Christians. I cannot know the heart of everyone who takes this position. Perhaps some of them give far more than what their tithe would have been to the house of God. I would be interested in hearing from someone of this mindset who is willing to share how much they give.

 

However, I have met my share of professing Christians who view themselves as struggling financially and use the Old Testament argument as an excuse to give less than the tithe—or nothing at all.

 

Jesus said giving is no excuse for not being righteous, and righteousness is no excuse for not giving.

 

Do the one. Do not leave the other undone.

 

#BiblicalPerspective #WeightierMatters #TrueRighteousness #GivingAndLiving #ChristCenteredFaith

Can Money Replace Righteousness?  The Weightier Matters

What do you think are the “weightier matters” we often overlook in our walk with God? Share your thoughts in the comments! This week, take action by faithfully tithing in your local church. For more biblical insights and resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org. 

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To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

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Matthew 23:23 (KJV) Can Money Replace Righteousness?

Matthew 22:12 (KJV) Ye Do Err

Matthew 22:12 (KJV)

And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 

I want to tie this verse—and indeed the whole parable of the wedding in Matthew 22:1-14—to Matthew 22:29 (KJV):
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

There are some aspects of the parable that are hard to understand:

•       Why would the king destroy a city because the people refused to attend the wedding?

•       Why would he be so furious that a man, compelled to attend, did not wear a wedding garment? Doesn’t the Bible teach us not to judge people for their clothing?

•       Why would the king be so harsh as to cast him, bound, into outer darkness for simply being improperly dressed?

A person who does not know God—though these were self-professed spiritual experts—and a person who does not know the Scriptures—though this group had written volumes about them—errs in their judgment of the Scriptures.

I’ve had many conversations with people who twist the Bible and quote it to argue that the Scriptures, and the God of the Bible, are either false or monstrous.

It’s essential to recognize that this account is a parable.
"The kingdom of heaven is like…" The subject is not a wedding; the subject is eternity. The king is not a corrupt or doting father—He is God. The stakes are not the happiness of His precious daughter. Jesus is addressing the righteousness of God versus the sin of mankind.

The lesson is clear: 

Everyone—Jew, Gentile, rich, poor, farmer, laborer, prince, or pauper—is invited.
But the standards are high, and only those who enter through the righteousness of Christ are accepted.

The alternative is one to avoid at all costs.

• God’s grace is demonstrated in His invitation to all.
• God’s grace is revealed in His purchase of our salvation through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
• God’s holiness is manifested in the reality that there is only one salvation offered.

No matter the reason for rejection, those who do so err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

#GodsGraceAndHoliness #RighteousnessThroughChrist #ParableOfEternity #ScriptureTruthMatters #KnowGodKnowTruth

Ye Do Err: God’s Grace, Christ’s Righteousness, and Eternal Stakes

 

What do you think the wedding garment represents in Matthew 22? Share your thoughts in the comments! This week, take a moment to read Matthew 22:1-14 and share the Gospel with someone you know. For more biblical insights and resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org. We’d love to see you there!

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
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Matthew 22:12 (KJV) Ye Do Err

Matthew 21:11 (KJV) Who Is This?

Matthew 21:11 (KJV)

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

 

The triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem ought to have been one of the most notable events in the city’s history, far surpassing the time when David orchestrated a similar event with Solomon.[1] The city of Jerusalem was equally in an uproar back then. David was still alive, his son Adonijah had proclaimed himself king, but David knew Solomon was God’s chosen man. David proved who was king by placing Solomon on his own mule and parading him through the streets of Jerusalem.

 

When Jesus, God’s anointed King, rode into Jerusalem. 

The people of Jerusalem were perplexed and asked, “Who is this?”

They should have known. This wasn’t Jesus’ first visit. However, most people were too focused on themselves and their problems to see the bigger picture.

 

The multitude was partially correct. 

They recognized Him as Jesus but only knew Him as the prophet of Nazareth. Jesus is so much more than a great leader, a perfect teacher, or a prophet of God. He is the Messiah, the Saviour, born to be the King of the Jews and to sit on the throne eternally.

 

The priests were indignant.

Their indignation ultimately led the multitude to turn against Jesus.

 

There is only one group of people who will stand with Christ without reservation.

Those who are convinced that He is all the Bible claims Him to be.

•  Christendom often sees Him as a mascot.

•  Religion may include Him in their documents.

•  Secularism wants to rid itself of Him.

 

But the born-again will die with Him, knowing they will eternally live with Him.

 

#JesusIsMessiah #TriumphantEntry #KingOfKings #EternalThrone #BornAgainFaith

Who Is This? Prophet, Saviour, and Eternal King

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[1] 1 Kings 1:38 (KJV)

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

What does Jesus mean to you—Prophet, Savior, or King? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Take an active step today by reading Matthew 21 and telling someone about Jesus. For more biblical insights and resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org. 

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
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Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Matthew 21:11 (KJV) Who Is This? 

Matthew 20:22 (KJV) Ye Know Not What Ye Ask

Matthew 20:22 (KJV)

But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

 

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, had two very different yet vital roles in the founding and early work of the church. James was executed almost before the work began, while John lived into the final decade of the first century, receiving the Revelation of Jesus Christ—the final prophecy of the Bible. Truly, they stand among the greatest of believers.

 

When they came with their mother to ask for places of honor beside Jesus in His kingdom, He responded, “Ye know not what ye ask.” This wasn’t necessarily a rebuke but a statement of reality.

 

I believe they were sincere. Their request doesn’t have to be seen as self-serving; rather, it may reflect the longing expressed in the hymn, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.”[1]

 

Let’s consider Christ’s challenge: “Ye know not what ye ask.”

This statement reminds us of the limitations in our own understanding. Even in the most spiritual and sincere matters, we are often unaware of the full consequences of our requests. Our perspective is so finite, so short-sighted, that we cannot fully comprehend what we are asking of God.

•                When we pray for our leaders,

•                for the salvation of souls,

•                for the growth of ministries, or

•                for blessings upon our churches,

we often see only the surface of these requests. Even the most holy petitions may carry consequences or answers beyond our understanding.

 

It’s commonly said that God answers prayers with “yes,” “no,” or “wait.” But perhaps there’s another answer: the response to the prayer we didn’t even know to ask.

 

This truth is not meant to discourage us from praying. Scripture teaches us to approach the throne of grace boldly. Rather, the point is to trust God in our asking. Prayer is not fatalistic resignation but an act of submission to the will of a God who answers above what we could ask or think.

 

#PrayerAndFaith #TrustInGod #BiblicalTruth #GodsWill #ChristianLiving

Ye Know Not What Ye Ask: The Depth of Divine Answers

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[1] From Wikipedia, “The precise author of "A Closer Walk" is unknown. Circumstantial evidence strongly suggested it dated back to southern African-American churches of the nineteenth century, possibly even prior to the Civil War, as some personal African American histories recall "slaves singing as they worked in the fields a song about walking by the Lord's side." Horace Boyer cites a story that repudiates this claim, stating:

“On a train trip from Kansas City to Chicago, composer Kenneth Morris exited the train on one of its stops to get some fresh air and heard one of the station porters singing a song. He paid little attention at first, but after he re-boarded the train the song remained with him and became so prominent in his mind that at the next stop, he left the train, took another train back to the earlier station, and asked the porter to sing the song again. Morris wrote down the words and music and published the song “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” that year, 1940, adding a few lyrics of his own to provide more breadth. Within two years the song became a standard in gospel music, eventually becoming a standard in Jazz, and then moving into the realm of American folk music, known and sung by many...”

What’s one prayer you’ve seen God answer in a way you didn’t expect? Share your story in the comments! Take a moment today to think about your recent prayers and submit them to God’s will with trust. For more biblical insights and resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Matthew 20:22 (KJV) Ye Know Not What Ye Ask

Matthew 19:15 (KJV) The Power of Simple Prayer

Matthew 19:15 (KJV)

And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

 

The Bible does not tell us who brought these children to Jesus. One might assume it was their parents. Nor does the Bible provide any specific reason for seeking this prayer. We are not told of any illness, disease, or malady afflicting them.

 

Perhaps the disciples would not have felt it necessary to rebuke those bringing the children if there had been an obvious need for prayer. Yet, there is always a need for prayer.

 

It is a vain man who does not recognize his need for prayer, does not often seek it, and fails to appreciate it when it is offered.

 

Interestingly, in this case, we are not told of any remarkable event or visible change after Jesus laid His hands on the children and prayed. The Word of God simply says, “He departed.”

 

Was His prayer ineffectual? Does prayer always require some visible result to be considered answered?

 

Far too often, we focus on outward results rather than the heart, the intent, and the care of others.

 

That Jesus prays for us, that He always has time to do so, and that He lives, as the Bible says, to make intercession for us—

Is that not enough?

 

#PrayerfulLiving #IntercessionMatters  #FaithOverResults #ChristOurExample #AlwaysInPrayer

The Power of Simple Prayer: Lessons from Jesus and the Children

 

What do you think is the most important lesson we can learn from Jesus praying for the children in Matthew 19:15? Share your thoughts in the comments! Take a moment right now to pray for someone in your life who may not even realize they need it. For more biblical insights and resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Matthew 19:15 (KJV) The Power of Simple Prayer