[Faith-talk] {Spam?} Baffling Bible Questions Answered for Monday, October 31, 2016

[Paul Smith]

Hello and greetings once again to my fellow astute Bible students.  I 
hope that your day is going well as you read this message, by God's 
matchless grace and His providential care.

Let's take yet a more in-depth look at the Gospel of Matthew.



Matthew 9:23

QUESTION:  What were flute players and a noisy crowd doing outside the 
house of a dying girl?

ANSWER:  Our culture takes a solemn approach to death, and those 
attending a funeral are generally quiet and very reserved.  In first 
century A.D. Judaism, a death was greeted with loud wails and great 
crowds of mourners gathered to noisily express their grief for the 
family, often accompanied by shrill music.  What Matthew describes was 
the typical reaction of the neighborhood to a death in one of its families.



Matthew 10:1

QUESTION:  What were "evil spirits?"

ANSWER:  "Evil spirit" is another name for the angels who followed 
Satan and rebelled against God.  They are the same as the demons of the 
Gospels.  (See explanation of Matthew 8:28, from last week).



Matthew 11:12

QUESTION:  What is the meaning of Jesus' words, "The kingdom of heaven 
has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it?"

ANSWER:  The context shows that Jesus identified the appearance of John 
the Baptist as one of history's turning points.  Jesus' own ministry, 
marked by miracles, a great fllurry of demonic activity, and 
intensifying opposition from the Pharisees, demonstrates that the 
kingdom of heaven is advancing in spite of fierce resistance.  Satan 
and humanity might fight against God, but the advance of God's kingdom 
is irresistible.



Matthew 11:14

QUESTION:  How could John be Elijah? What did Jesus mean when He made 
this identification?

ANSWER:  The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, announces that 
God will send Elijah to His people before the "great and dreadful day 
of the Lord comes" (Mal. 4:5).  Some take this prediction to refer to 
the actual Elijah, who was taken up into heaven without experiencing 
biological death (2 Kings 2:11).  Others see Elijah as a type of the 
last great prophet and understand the prediction to mean that an 
Elijah-like prophet will appear just before history's end.  Here, Jesus 
tells His listeners that, if they had responded to John's message with 
faith--and thus had accepted the one John announced as their 
Messiah--John could have been considered to have fulfilled Malachi's 
prediction.  Jesus implies that, since the Jewish people did not turn 
to Christ as their Messiah, another person will appear in the future to 
fulfill Malachi's prediction before God's kingdom is established on earth.



Matthew 11:16-17

QUESTION:  What did Jesus mean by comparing His generation to children 
playing in the marketplace?

ANSWER:  "We played the flute for you and you did not dance" refers to 
children playing wedding.  "We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn" 
refers to children playing funeral.  The pouting children in Jesus' 
story complain, because whatever they try to play, their companions 
won't join in.  In the same way the adults of Jesus' time would not 
respond to God, whether the Lord spoke to them through the ascetic John 
or through the warm and caring Jesus.

And there you have this week's baffling Bible questions answered column 
which I hope gave you some insight on Matthew's Gospel that you did not 
previously know.  Until next Monday when, Lord willing the next in this 
series of columns will be posted, may the God of Abraham, Isaac and 
Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last 
days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul