Matthew 17-19 Class Comments

1. 17:1-13 Which disciples did Jesus choose to take with Him to the high mountain? What was Peter’s reaction when he witnessed the transfiguration? Class Answers: Peter, James, and John, the same men Jesus requested to accompany him in the raising up of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37) and for prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). Peter wanted to build three tabernacles, three tents. Apparently, he wanted Moses and Elijah to stay a while. CB note: We didn’t bring this up, but I’ve often wondered how Peter recognized Moses and Elijah. At this reading, I noticed that Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus. It would be easy from their conversation for Peter to determine who they were.
2. 17:14-21 Why couldn’t the disciples cure the epileptic boy? [Consider: How does our lack of faith limit our ability to do God’s will?] Class Answers: They couldn’t cure the epileptic boy because of their lack of faith. We often demonstrate our lack of faith when we know God’s will in a matter, but can’t believe that He will help us carry it out. An example: A lack of funds is all there is to keep us from going into a foreign mission field. Rather than making a commitment, we give up before we even try.
3. 17:22-23  What distressed the disciples? Class Answers: Jesus’ statement that the Son of Man would be killed. They obviously identified Him as the Son of Man, but didn’t seem to hear the part about His being raised up. Peter had a similar reaction back in 16:22. When you examine that verse, you realize that when Peter told Jesus, “this shall not happen to You!” he was also referring to the resurrection.
4. 17:24-27  Besides being amazed at Jesus' reading Peter's mind and the fish with a coin in its mouth, what lesson can we learn from Jesus here? Class Answers: 1) That we should pay taxes to whom taxes are due; 2) Even the King obeys earthly ordinances; 3) Jesus did not want to offend the tax collector needlessly; 4) Jesus considered that He and the disciples were “sons” of the temple. In fact, as God, the temple was His; 5) Jesus didn’t conjure up any money, though he could have. Rather, Peter had to go find it.
5. 18:1-5 What is a characteristic of those who want to be part of the kingdom of heaven? Class Answers: Humility. Be converted and become humble; be humble like a little child; use humility in accepting children.
6. 18:6-9 What would a person deserve who would cause a little child to stumble in his belief? Class Answers: A millstone hung around the person’s neck and drowned in a deep sea. Short answer: death. This would include  stifling a child’s growth in God intentionally or unintentionally, by not giving the child a good example of trust in God.
7. 18:10-20 How does Jesus’ story of the lost sheep relate to His instruction about restoring a church member who sins against another member? Class Answers: 1) It’s worse for a believer to fall than never have to believed; 2) We must do everything we can to restore a brother. This is not a list of legal steps we must take before we can legally “oust” someone from the church. They are steps we take to restore someone to the fold, the fellowship of his or her brothers and sisters.
8. 18:21-35 What recognition will help us forgive others? Class Answer: That we have more to be forgiven for than we need to forgive. We owe much more to God than anyone owes us.
9. 19:1-12 What was the motive for the question about marriage? In the beginning, what was God’s plan for marriage? Class Answers: The Pharisees were again trying to trap Him. When He answered from the passage in Genesis 2:24, they were hoping He would either condemn Moses or excuse divorce. Instead, He explained Moses’ permitting certificates of divorce on the hardness of their hearts, referring to the Pharisees’ ancestors. God’s original plan for marriage was always one man married to one woman for life. Any other arrangement involves adultery and sin.
10. 19:13-15  Why would Jesus' disciples respond to the children in this way? How can we be guilty of the same thing? Class Answers: Because they misunderstood the importance of children. Teaching children while they’re young is important to their spiritual growth. We can become like Jesus’ disciples when we think we have nothing to learn from children.
11. 19:16-30 How hard is it for the rich to enter heaven? [Consider: How does Jesus’ response in verse 26 answer the young man’s question in verse 16?] Class Answers: It’s impossible, if he thinks he has to do something to enter heaven, or if he values his riches more than he does the kingdom. In verse 16, the young man asked what he could do, what law he could follow that would make him perfect. In verse 26 Jesus teaches that only God can save; we can do nothing to earn salvation.