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This Week's Reading: Matthew 4; Luke 4–5
Come Follow Me Insight #1
Could Satan really offer Jesus the world?
Have you ever wondered if Satan really has control over the world? After all, Satan offered the world to Jesus when he was tempting Him.
Well according to Brigham Young that’s a hard “no.” He said,
“Who owns this earth? Does the Devil? No, he does not, he pretended to own it when the Savior was here, and promised it all to him if he would fall down and worship him; but he did not own a foot of land. . . .” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 15:5)
So does Satan own the earth? Nope- even though he does seem to have minor amounts of control over some elements- the earth belongs to Jesus!
Come Follow Me Insight #2
Did Simon follow a stranger?
In our reading this week, Matthew 4:18-20 reports that Jesus walked past Simon and Andrew as they worked on their boats when He called them to follow Him. They immediately left their nets and followed Jesus. Was this based just on the words Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”? No! It is only told in the gospel of John that Simon (as well as Andrew and John and likely James) had actually interacted with Jesus and went with Him to the place He was staying. It is amazing that they left their nets immediately, but it’s also helpful to realize they did so after having interacted with Jesus and realized He was the Messiah! (John 1:35-41)
Come Follow Me Insight #3
Calling the disciples – Matthew the publican
Luke 5:27-28 records the calling of Matthew to be a disciple. While we are very comfortable with this disciple, his calling must have shocked Jesus’ other disciples.
Matthew’s job as a tax collector was seen by most Israelites as a fellow-Jew helping the Romans force them to pay for their oppressors to oppress them.
Tax collectors were often dishonest and according to Bible scholar John MacArthur, “. . . they (tax collectors) often strong-armed money out of people with the use of thugs. Most were despicable, vile, unprincipled scoundrels. . .” MacArthur also highlighted the social outcast status of publicans: “. . . tax collectors had to keep their distance from any group, because they were so hated. The Jewish Talmud taught that it was righteous to lie and deceive a tax collector, because that was what a professional extortioner deserved” (Source).
My Favorite Scriptures for the Week
- Matthew 4:1, 10
- Matthew 4:18-20
- Matthew 4:21-22
- Luke 4:16-18
- Luke 4:33-36
- Luke 4:38-39
- Luke 4:40-41
One Minute History
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