Advent Day 13

In Chapter 13, Jesus heals a woman who for 18 years had an illness caused by a spirit. After being rebuked by the synagogue leader for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus points out the Pharisees’ hypocrisy because they realized that works of necessity and mercy were allowed on the Sabbath. By Jesus saying that she was a daughter of Abraham, He emphasizes His ministry to the nation and specifically to the poor of the flock, poor being a euphemism for believer. He loosed her out of Satan's control of her health, and the result was His adversaries were put to shame.

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN A MUSTARD SEED: He describes the new nature of the mystery Kingdom. It is a mystery because the Gentiles being joined into one body of believers with the Jews was never explicitily mentioned within the Old Testament. We live in a parenthetical age, hidden, Paul says, from the saints of the past. This Kingdom would grow exceedingly large, but from leaven that wasn't good. Leaven in the Old Testament always referred to sin. As verse 21 says, like leaven, this new Kingdom would grow large but not all of it would be truth. It refers to the false doctrine that would eventually work its way into the seen church, while the unseen church/the true Christians would also be in this Kingdom.

At the end of the chapter, Jesus prophesies of the destruction of Jerusalem and gives a veiled reference to the repentance of Israel (Zachariah 12:10) at the end of the tribulation, when all of Israel still living will repent, be saved, and bring our King back!!! Alleluia!

Questions for Reflection:
Theologian Sinclair Ferguson recently wrote "martyrdom can never destroy the church but false teaching always will". Jesus teaches of the "leaven of sin" working its way into the church. How are you equipping yourself with God's Word to recognize sin and false teaching? Pray for the truth of God's Word to always be the foundation of your life, and our church.