Lesson#23

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #23
THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND A PIT (MAT 12:10-13)

MEMORY VERSE: ROM 13:10

THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND A PIT (MAT 12:10-13)

READ MAT 12:1-8 FOR CONTEXT.

VERSE 2 RELATES THE PROBLEM THAT THE PHARISEES HAD WITH THE DISCIPLES WHO PICKED GRAIN TO EAT ON THE SABBATH. THE PHARISEES OBJECTED TO THE BREAKING OF THE LAW.

THE SPECIFIC LAW IS STATED IN DEU 23:24-25. IT IS A LAW ABOUT GLEANING. HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT MENTION THE SABBATH.

VERSE 4 RELATES TO A STORY ABOUT DAVID WHO FLED FROM KING SAUL. HE AND HIS MEN WERE HUNGRY SO THEY STOPPED AND TOOK THE HOLY BREAD OFF OF THE ALTAR IN THE TABERNACLE. IT WAS UNLAWFUL FOR DAVID TO ENTER THE TABERNACLE BECAUSE HE WAS NOT A PRIEST, MUCH LESS EAT THE HOLY BREAD. (1SAM 21:1-6)
VERSE 5 REFERS TO NUM 28:3-4 WHERE GOD TELLS THE PRIESTS TO DO THE WORK TO OFFER SACRIFICES EVERY MORNING AND EVENING WITH NO BREAK FOR THE SABBATH.

WORK DONE FOR THE LORD IS NOT WORK BUT LOVE.

IN VERSE 6 JESUS SAYS, "IN THIS PLACE IS ONE GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE."

JESUS REFERS TO HIMSELF AS GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE.

WHAT IS JESUS’ POINT?

JUST LIKE DAVID WAS THE REJECTED KING, SO IS JESUS THE REJECTED KING.
GOD IS INTERESTED MORE IN AN INTERNAL LOVE THAT COMES FROM THE HEART THAN FROM AN EXTERNAL DEMONSTRATION OF OBEDIENCE.

THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND A PIT (MAT 12:10-13)

READ MAT 12:9-13

TO WHOM DID JESUS SPEAK THE PARABLE?

JESUS SPOKE THIS PARABLE TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN THE SYNAGOGUE.

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE IN MAT 12:10-13?

EVEN THE MOST LEGALISTIC PHARISEE WOULD SAVE HIS PERSONAL PROPERTY NO MATTER WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK IT WAS.

THE LAW OF LOVE OVERRIDES THE LAW OF TRADITIONALISM.

WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY IN MAT 12?

THE CONTROVERSY INVOLVES THE KEEPING OF THE SABBATH TO THE LETTER OF THE MOSAIC LAW.

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT GOD GAVE THE LAW IN THE BOOKS OF EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS AND DEUTERONOMY.

HOWEVER, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS ADDED DETAIL UPON DETAIL TO THE LAW CREATING A BURDEN OF BONDAGE FOR THE PEOPLE.

FOR EXAMPLE: IF I WERE GOD AND DECREED: THOU SHALT NOT SET THY FOOT IN THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

THEN YOU CAME ALONG AND SAID THAT WHAT I REALLY MEANT WAS:

THOU SHALT NOT GO TO BARS.

THEN ANOTHER PERSON COMES ALONG AND SAYS:

THOU SHALT NOT GO TO RESTAURANTS HAVE BARS IN THEM.

THEN ANOTHER PERSON COMES ALONG AND SAYS:

THOU SHALT NOT GO TO RESTAURANTS THAT SELL LIQUOR.

THEN ANOTHER PERSON COMES ALONG AND SAYS:

THOU SHALT NOT GO OUT TO EAT.

THEN ANOTHER PERSON COMES ALONG AND SAYS:

THOU SHALT NOT GO OUT.

IT REMINDS ME OF A SMALL TOWN IN NEW MEXICO THAT HAD TROUBLE WITH INDIANS GETTING DRUNK EVERY WEEKEND AND DESTROYING THE TOWN. THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PASSED A LAW THAT BARS AND RESTAURANTS WILL NOT SERVE LIQUOR ON THE TABLES TO INDIANS. SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO TELL WHEN A PERSON IS PART INDIAN, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS ILLEGAL TO ASK A PERSON ABOUT HIS ETHNIC ORIGIN. THEREFORE, TO LIVE UP TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW, BARS DECIDED NOT TO SERVE LIQUOR TO ANYONE. HOWEVER, THEY WERE IN BUSINESS TO SERVE THEIR CUSTOMERS. THEREFORE, THEY INTERPRETED THE LAW AS SAYING THAT THOU SHALT NOT SERVE LIQUOR BY PUTTING IT ON THE TABLE. AS A RESULT, ALL LIQUOR WAS SERVED ON THE FLOOR TO ANYONE WHO ORDERED IT. DID THEY ABIDE BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW? NO, BECAUSE THE PURPOSE OF THE INITIAL LAW WAS TO PRESERVE THE TOWN. HOWEVER, THEY DID LIVE UP TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW.

WHAT DO THE SHEEP REPRESENT?

THE SHEEP REPRESENT ANYONE WHO IS NEED.

WHEN JESUS HEALED THE MAN ON THE SABBATH, HE WAS MAKING A STATEMENT THAT A MAN IS BETTER THAN A SHEEP, AND THAT LOVE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

MAN IS GOD’S PROPERTY AND HAS A HIGHER VALUE AND A RIGHT TO BE RESCUED THAN EVEN A POOR ANIMAL.

WHAT DOES THE PIT REPRESENT?

THE PIT REPRESENTS ANY SITUATION IN WHICH A PERSON IS CAUGHT AND NEEDS HELP.

IF GOD DID NOT MEAN FOR MAN TO KEEP THE LAW, WHY DID HE GIVE IT?

READ GAL 3:21-26

GOD GAVE THE LAW AS A SCHOOLMASTER TO BRING US TO CHRIST.

THE LAW WAS FOR THE OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
THE LAW SHOWED MAN WHAT SIN WAS.

READ ROM 7:4

THE BELIEVER IS DEAD TO THE LAW BECAUSE HE IS NOW ALIVE TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THE BELIEVER NOW HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT IN HIM TO CONVICT HIM OF HIS SINS. HE DOES NOT NEED THE LAW TO DO THAT.

THE BELIEVER’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE MOSAIC LAW:

PARTS OF THE MOSAIC LAW	THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW	THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER’S SCRIPTURAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE LAW
THE CIVIL AND JUDICIAL LAW	JESUS CHRIST FULFILLED THE LAW	THIS PART OF THE MOSAIC LAW IS NO LONGER BINDING ON THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER ROM 6:14 EPH 2:14-15
THE CEREMONIAL AND RELIGIOUS LAW	JESUS CHRIST FULFILLED THE LAW	THIS PART OF THE MOSAIC LAW IS NO LONGER BINDING ON THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER COL 2:14 HEB 9
THE MORAL PART OF THE MOSAIC LAW	JESUS CHRIST HAS FULFILLED THIS PART OF THE LAW, BUT MAN IS STILL IN HIS PHYSICAL BODY	THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER IS NO LONGER UNDER THE LEGALISTIC CODE OR UNDER ITS CONDEMNATION. NO PENALTY OF THE LAW OR POWER OF THE LAW IS OVER THE BELIEVER. ROM 7:6
THE MORAL PART OF THE MOSAIC LAW		THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER STILL IN SOME WAYS HAS A RELATIONSHIP TO THE MORAL PART OF THE LAW. THE MORAL STANDARDS OF THE LAW ARE BASED ON THE MORAL CHARACTER OF GOD. GOD HAS NOT CHANGED. THEREFORE, MORAL HOLINESS IS STILL REQUIRED BY GOD TO AN EVEN HIGHER LEVEL THAN THE OLD MOSAIC LAW. 1COR 9:20-21 ROM 8:2

APPLICATION:

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE HAS A HIGHER STANDARD THAN LAW. THAT HIGHER STANDARD IS LOVE.

WE OBEY CHRIST BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM, NOT BECAUSE WE ARE BOUND BY LAW TO DO SO.

WE LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BASED ON LOVE FOR GOD AND LOVE FOR OTHERS.

WE MEET THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE BECAUSE WE LOVE GOD AND LOVE OTHER PEOPLE, NOT BECAUSE WE ARE BOUND BY LAW TO DO SO.

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF JONAH AND THE QUEEN (MAT 12:38-42)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND A PIT (MAT 12:10-13)

DO YOU OFTEN GET TOO BUSY WITH DAILY SCHEDULES, THAT YOU HAVE NO TIME TO MINISTER LOVE TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT AT THE TIME HE NEEDS IT? WE ALL DO!

THIS WEEK, LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO RESCUE GOD’S SHEEP NO MATTER WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON. REMEMBER THAT IF GOD IS IN CONTROL OF TIME IN YOUR LIFE, HE WILL NOT GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE LOVE THAT HE DOES NOT ALSO ENABLE YOU TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN OTHER AREAS OF YOUR SCHEDULE. WRITE YOUR EXPERIENCES.

PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF JONAH AND THE QUEEN (MAT 12:38-42)

FOR CONTENTS AND BACKGROUND:

READ MAT 12:38-42
READ JONAH 1:17
READ 2CHR 9:1-12

THE PARABLE IN MAT 12:38-42 IS IN TWO PARTS, EACH WITH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MEANING.

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE SIGN OF JONAH?

WHY DID JESUS USE THIS SIGN? (MAT 12:41)

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE SIGN OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA?

WHY DID JESUS USE THIS SIGN?

WHY DO YOU THINK JESUS USED TWO SIGNS?

MEMORY VERSE: GAL 3:28-29