Matthew

At long last, we enter the New Testament! We begin here in the Gospel According to Matthew. This book presents a sort of biography of Jesus, the central figure in the Christian religion, and it has much in it that is good. However, it reads more like the tall tales about Paul Bunyan or Robin Hood than a true work of non-fiction. After all the work I did in the Old Testament, I had gotten used to finding verses for comment at a rate (on average) of 1 or 2 every chapter or so. Here, they come fast and furious; this one book of 28 chapters produced more comments than the book of Psalms!

Matt 1:16 - ...and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
I find it interesting here at the start that Matthew goes through all sorts of work to list a nice, symmetrical genealogy for Jesus to establish his relationship with David and Abraham, then says that his only relationship to the latest male of the line is by his mother's ENGAGEMENT to Joseph.

Matt 1:21-23 - She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."
This is a false prophecy, as outlined in the reference already made in my page on Isaiah. It's also quite interesting that nowhere else in the Gospels does anyone refer to Jesus by the name "Emmanuel."

Matt 2:1,2 - In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."
This verse hints at the astrological beliefs surrounding the beginnings of the Christian faith. Why would an astrologer, who is not a member of the Jewish faith, be concerned about a prediction of the birth of a Jewish king? I'm pretty sure there's no real room for astrology in the Jewish faith, at least as it's practiced today. However, this does give a hint to a connection with the religious sect known as Essenes, who were the makers of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and who were very much into astrology.

Matt 2:9,10 - When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
In the passage quoted above, these "wise" astrologers were going around, looking after a star. This passage says that the star wandered around, leading them to the very spot where the baby they were looking for lay. If they had this supernatural guide, what could possibly have been the point in going to Herod to ask for directions?

Matt 2:16-18 - When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."
First off, this passage from Jeremiah was not a prophecy of a future atrocity, but rather a description of a tragedy that happened in Jeremiah's time. The other interesting thing is that this part of the story of Jesus' birth is a very common part of messiah stories found in many religions contemporary with the writing of Matthew, including the births of Krishna to the east in India and Horus to the west in Egypt.

Matt 2:22,23 - But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
There are problems with this attempt to link Jesus with Jewish prophecy. The problem is that there is no mention of such a word in the entire Old Testament. Another big problem is that archeological evidence indicates that the town of Nazareth was built in the 3rd Century CE, when Christians had enough political power to cause this glaring problem to be covered over.

Matt 3:11,12 - "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
This is John the Baptist speaking. In speaking of baptism, it should be noted that while the ceremony was definitely not a part of Jewish tradition, it was part of many other religious traditions practiced in the area of western Asia at the time of the first century, including, interestingly, Zoroastrianism, which bears a striking resemblance to Christianity. Also interesting is the mention of a flaming fate for those who are not acceptable to God - which is also a very non-Jewish belief.

Matt 3:13-15 - Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
There are some historians who think it's possible that John the Baptist was a member of the religious community known as the Essenes. It will be interesting to investigate whether the Essenes performed baptisms as part of their initiation ritual. I also would wonder at the statement that Jesus needed to be baptized to fulfill righteousness. This is something obviously not mentioned in Judaism at all, so how could this fulfill any Jewish requirements?

Matt 4:18-22 - As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea-for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
These four followers that Jesus picked up were not pursuing a hobby. They were men working to support themselves and their families. In particular, it looks like Zebedee was left in the lurch to fend for himself. Is this a good way for Jesus to encourage his followers to honor their parents?

Matt 5:5 - Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
As will all the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, this give a promise of extravagant future rewards in return for questionable behavior. Here, being meek (unassuming and yielding, according to the dictionary) is given as a good personality trait, one that will earn those who follow the whole world - one day. In the meantime, they are to spend their lives as doormats for those who surround them, waiting for the extravagant payoff. It's little wonder church leaders are so fond of these verses!

Matt 5:10-12 - Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Here, we see more extravagant promises of reward in return for suffering needless pain. This basically instructs people to be happy when they are hurt or killed. The glorification of suffering found in this book is one of its most horrible features.

Matt 5:17,18 - Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
It seems to me that here, Jesus is saying that the Jewish law remains in force, and it will stay that way until the end of time (otherwise known as "Judgment Day").

Matt 5:22 - But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, "You fool," you will be liable to the hell of fire.
I find this interesting, mainly because Jesus at later points in the Gospels, calls his enemies fools, becomes angry with his followers and others, and insults people who come to him for help. It's obvious that if Jesus was defining these things as sins, he should be labeled as a hypocrite, at best.

Matt 5:27-30 - You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery." But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.
In another rather revolting addition to the theological baggage Jesus is loading onto his followers, he makes a person liable for his feelings in addition to his actions. These verses are also barbaric, in that it talks of self-mutilation as a result of committing a sin. At the very best, this can be seen as an order to tear oneself apart in an emotional sense in remorse over giving offense to God for thinking the wrong thing. However, the language used here is pretty explicit, and any person with sense would be aware that there are an awful lot of people who would carry them out literally, feeling them to be orders from God. No matter which way you look at this, it is reprehensible and harmful.

Matt 5:38-41 - You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.
This sort of statement has been balm to the ears of evildoers for millennia. It orders the followers of Jesus, yet again, to become doormats, allowing and even assisting abusive people to harm them. While I find it pretty rare for any adult Christian to follow these instructions, or to even come close to doing so, I expect that abused children have heard these verses quite regularly.

Matt 5:42 - Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
Yet another order from Jesus that is harmful, but how often do you think it's followed?

Matt 5:44 - But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Here, Jesus commands his followers to love people in a way that goes against their natural tendencies. The reasoning he gives for this is rather spurious, to say the least - because nature doesn't discriminate between the various types of humans. Another interesting touch is the overt appeal to his followers - that they should follow this order to get a reward from God!

Matt 5:48 - Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Talk about getting a tall order! And this is one that devout followers are sure to fail at, regardless of what criteria one may choose to use for the term "perfection."

Matt 6:1 - Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Earlier in the sermon, Jesus ordered his followers to go their good deeds in front of people, so that God could be glorified! Faced with this contradiction, which way would you go?

Matt 6:14,15 - For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
This appears to be Jesus' first statement on how to obtain forgiveness from God. Quite a far cry from what you often see in religious brochures, isn't it?

Matt 6:24 - No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
This appears to me to be what is known as a false dichotomy. Your only choices are God or wealth? On the religion side, of course, there are a host of other gods to look to, but that's no major problem here, I think. On the other hand, there is a problem with trying to imply that if you don't serve God, you must be serving or loving wealth. There are plenty of examples where a person was not religious, but also did not concentrate on the accumulation of wealth - myself being one such person.

Matt 6:25,26 - Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
How many people over the centuries have been harmed by following this little lesson? How many people believe that God ensures that all humans are as well-fed as wild birds?

Matt 7:7,8 - Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
I had forgotten this verse - a blanket promise by Jesus to give anything to his followers. All they had to do was ask! There are no conditions or exceptions mentioned here. So, how many Christians have found that all things they ask for have been granted?

Matt 7:21-23 - Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?" Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers."
My question on this would be - How could someone perform miracles in the name of Jesus without those miracles being within the will of God? If it was the case that miracles were done in accordance with God's will, why would anyone be able to consider them to be evildoers?

Matt 8:16,17 - That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."
This shows the common superstition that physical and mental problems were caused by demons. I think that, except for a small number of people, this superstition is no longer accepted. Most of today's Christians feel that demons are not meant literally, though it's pretty obvious that the authors of the Bible did mean that demons are literally supernatural entities.

Matt 8:21,22 - Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Here's true family values! Jesus takes a follower who wants to honor his father as the 10 commandments state, and tells him not to have anything more to do with his grief-stricken family! I'll bet this would have a very telling effect on any family!

Matt 8:23-26 - And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm.
Of course, this is interesting, because it puts the reader in mind of the story of Jonah, who also had a penchant for sleeping through the middle of deadly storms. In desperation, these experienced sailors go to ask for help from Jesus, who by all I can see, had no sailing experience. When he woke up, he then set things right and chided the disciples for having little faith?! I would think he'd have done better to thank them for not tossing him overboard as Jonah was!

Matt 8:28-32 - When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine." And he said to them, "Go!" So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water.
Here's another bit of demon superstition, and it's pretty weird. First, notice how the demons greet Jesus. It is the same way, word for word (in Greek), that Jesus greets his mother in John! Also, it's interesting that Jesus allowed these supernatural enemies to decide where they would go when cast out of their "victims." There are many these days who see this as a political metaphor, a story about driving the "unclean" Romans out of the area, into the sea.

Matt 9:2,3 - And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Then some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."
Ah, the plot thickens! Jesus steps into the business normally reserved for the Levites (otherwise known as "priests") and that threatens their monopoly of a psychological grip on people. Is it any wonder that those used to power and authority weren't pleased with having Jesus wandering around?

Matt 10:13-15 - If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
So, regardless of how well or poorly a follower of Jesus presents this message, it's the responsibility of the hearers to believe, without hope of reprieve? That seems to be rather unfair, doesn't it?

Matt 10:17-20 - Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Here's another interesting piece of magical thinking. Believers are going to lose their self-control during their coming persecution, because God will take over and pull their strings when "push comes to shove," as they say. I wonder how many people in such extremes just stood letting their jaws hang when they thought God was going to take over for them?

Matt 10:23 - When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
This is Jesus talking privately to his disciples. He promises to come before the disciples can take their message to the entire area of Israel. Makes one wonder what the difficulty might be, since the message actually has been delivered in that area!

Matt 10:34-36 - Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household.
It's unfortunate that this was one of the few prophecies made by Jesus that have come true. However, given his preaching that people should abandon and hate their families in favor of this cult he was working to set up, it's hard to imagine an easier prophecy to make!

Matt 10:39 - Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
An open invitation to martyrdom, and an order to avoid the natural tendency of humans to self-preservation. This is looking like a textbook for a suicide cult - much like the many that have come and gone in response to the messages like this spread throughout the Bible!

Matt 11:11 - Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
According to Matt 1, Jesus was born to a woman named Mary. This appears to imply that at best, John the Baptist is the equal of Jesus! It sort of makes you wonder why Jesus would say something like this!

Matt 11:25 - At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants..."
Apparently, Jesus was not very keen on anyone who was wise or intelligent. In several places, including here, he seems to praise children and infants who have no choice but to obey and believe parents without question. In my opinion, this is not a healthy attitude to foster.

Matt 12:1-4 - At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests.
Beyond the issue of Jesus breaking the commandment about keeping the sabbath, there's a little problem about Jesus' knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures. In 1 Sam 21:1-6, David did indeed take the bread from the priest, only he was alone and only lied about having companions. You'd think Jesus would have known such an interesting detail, wouldn't you?

Matt 12:5,6 - Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
In other words, Jesus considered himself to be above the law and not bound to obey it. So why do we always hear about how Jesus completely obeyed these Jewish laws?

Matt 13:10-13 - Then the disciples came and asked him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that "seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand."
Now, what good could it do to trick and deceive the people that Jesus claimed he wanted to save? This is the attitude of a cult leader who wants to set up a mystique of superiority among his brain-washed followers, not a savior who wants all people to know him and believe.

Matt 13:31,32 - He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."
I think it's odd that Jesus, who was supposed to be God made flesh, made this statement, that mustard seed is the smallest of ALL seeds, when there are spores that are smaller.

Matt 13:34 - Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.
In other words, Jesus spent all his time talking to those outside his cult in riddles, showing his followers how easy it was to mislead and trick all those who wanted to learn from him.

Matt 13:41,42 - The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This seems to be saying that the cause of sin is external to people, that it can be removed by an action of God. Why God didn't do this in the very beginning, back in Eden, is an interesting question. Jesus does seem to be rather fond of telling people about the fire and the gnashing of teeth, though, doesn't he?

Matt 13:57,58 - And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house." And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.
The people of Jesus' home town weren't buying the line that Jesus was performing miracles. This passage makes it apparent that for "deeds of power" to be accepted, the miracle worker needs a credulous audience. If Jesus was truly a person of supernatural powers and interested in saving all humanity, you'd think he would have done more wonders in the presence of the more intransigent skeptics. Instead, he went away, never to return, and blaming the unbelievers for their lack of willingness to follow him without question.

Matt 14:16-20 - Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.
I suppose this is one of the most famous miracles of Jesus, but it is not original. Elisha did the same thing, in 2 Kings. It strikes me as being rather a common myth in many religions - much like the pagan cornucopia.

Matt 14:28-31 - Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Here's a verse that supports the strange magical thinking I have experienced in the past! God's miraculous power can be overcome by a simple lack of faith! That doesn't qualify as omnipotence, in my book - but rather as the power of a charlatan and confidence man that can't stand too close an inspection.

Matt 15:17-20 - Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile."
Imagine how much harm this little statement has done! Not the concept that what one eats has no bearing on the goodness or evil of a person, but the fact that Jesus endorsed the eating of food without washing your hands! Maybe he didn't know what good sanitary practices really were useful for!

Matt 15:22-28 - Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." He answered, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly.
Ah yes! Jesus the bigot! Here, he states that his only reason for being there is to save the Jews. After an embarrassing scene, in which a woman begs and accepts the title of a "dog," does Jesus relent. Yet another good example from this "ultimate role model."

Matt 15:33-36 - The disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" Jesus asked them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
I suppose this is meant to show that Jesus was at least twice as godly as Elisha was. I think it's odd that it shows these disciples as being so dim-witted as to have forgotten the earlier, exact same situation. If the memory of these guys was so poor here, how could we expect them to remember things all that accurately when it came to writing these books?

Matt 16:1-4 - The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." Then he left them and went away.
Once again, instead of doing something that would convince skeptics and unbelievers, Jesus decides to unload a pile of aphorisms in his enemies' laps. When his enemies ask for a sign, there are none to be found, and they're called evil for asking for a performance. When Jesus is surrounded by people who desperately want to believe, he appears to have no trouble making things happen. I wonder why?

Matt 16:21,22 - From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you."
This concept of a "suffering messiah" was a big part of the Essene belief system. The actual prophecies in the Old Testament of a coming messiah often conflict with this view, and the issue is further clouded by the fact that many of the verses Christians look to as prophecies of the messiah are not really prophecies at all.

Matt 16:27,28 - For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
Here, Jesus is talking to his disciples, right after telling them that he must be executed. He's not talking about a generation of some indeterminate end-time to come 2000 years or more in the future. He's telling these twelve men that at least two of them (since he used the plural) will live to see the end of the world.

Matt 17:5 - While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"
Apparently, it was felt necessary to get an endorsement of Jesus from God himself.

Matt 17:15-18 - ...and said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him." Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.
More interesting demonology here - this time, a demon is causing epilepsy. Of course, we still see this disorder in today's world, but no one thinks it is caused by demons (well, no one with access to modern medicine!), or that it is a condition that can't be treated. At best, one would have to wonder why the actions of a supernatural critter like a demon would be affected by such drugs?

Matt 17:20 - He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
Here's a good little promise from Jesus! Have only a tiny bit of faith, and nothing will be impossible! Ever wonder why things are still impossible for believers? It's their fault, according to this!

Matt 17:24-27 - When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?" He said, "Yes, he does." And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?" When Peter said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me."
Here's a pretty pointless little miracle. It would have been a little more efficient, time-wise, if Jesus had just pulled the coin from Peter's ear. And just as believable!

Matt 18:1-6 - At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea."
So we are told that the ideal mindset for Jesus' followers is to be "humble" like a child. And what does this humility entail? Unquestioning faith, which is a hallmark of young children. They look up to their parents and accept everything told them without question. This is quite a useful thing for any priest to have in his flock of sheep. No difficult questions to be bothered with, and orders are followed. Jesus then gives a dire warning to keep outsiders from tampering with this blind faith that he wants. Also very handy for the priests, especially the pedophilic ones!

Matt 18:8,9 - If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire.
More instructions ordering self-mutilation. While most people don't take this seriously, it is known that some have followed this literally. It was also used as an excuse for tortures handed out in the various atrocities of Christian history - the Inquisitions and Crusades among them.

Matt 18:14 - So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
This brings into question the status of God's supposed omnipotence. If an infinitely-powerful being wants something, how could it not happen? There's obviously something wrong here, logically. Either God's not truly omnipotent (since little ones ARE lost, by biblical standards), or the will of the omnipotent God IS that some should be lost. Considering that fact stated earlier that God purposely confuses people, we'd have to go with the latter option.

Matt 18:18-20 - Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.
This appears to state that Jesus was giving his followers control over what God does! All you need is a pair of believers, and they will be allowed to order God around with no limits!

Matt 18:21-22 - Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times."
Once again, Jesus give out very questionable advice. In fact, it is downright harmful. It makes his followers into doormats, and give open invitation to abusive persons who just love to be forgiven for the worst offenses.

Matt 19:11,12 - But he said to them, "Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can."
There are recorded instances of religious zealots who read this passage and castrated themselves, thinking that they were making Jesus happy. Even if this were just a "complete abstinence from sex" statement from Jesus, it is a very harmful attitude to have toward one's own body.

Matt 19:20,21 - Then someone came to him and said, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "I have kept all these; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
This is another instance of Jesus telling a person to do something (a good work) in order to be saved. He says nothing here about having faith in Jesus!

Matt 19:27-29 - Then Peter said in reply, "Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life."
That's funny. Jesus is promising his 12 special followers that they'll all have thrones to sit in judgment in heaven, including one Judas Iscariot! Was there an oversight somewhere?

Matt 20:21-23 - And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
Here's another statement by Jesus that calls this concept of a trinity into question. He's saying that he doesn't have authority to do something concerning heaven. God has the authority, but not Jesus!

Matt 21:1-3 - When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately."
This shows Jesus ordering his followers to take something that doesn't belong to them. Otherwise known as stealing, which is pretty universally frowned upon, including in the Old Testament.

Matt 21:6,7 - The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.
Here's a less well-known miracle! Jesus sitting on two pack animals! Most circus performers can only ride two animals by standing, one foot on each beast. I wonder what sort of weird image was floating in the mind of the person who wrote this book?

Matt 21:12,13 - Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it a den of robbers."
I often wonder why it is that so many Christian organizations have become such big businesses, in light of this passage? Seems that Jesus, their big cheese, really frowned on this concept!

Matt 21:20-22 - When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" Jesus answered them, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."
Here's more promises of unlimited power for performing magic! Any Christians out there feel like taking advantage of this offer?

Matt 21:37-41 - "Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time."
This is an interesting parable, but the question I have is: How could the landlord in this story be sure that the "new tenants" (Christians) would be any better tenants than the original ones (Jews)?

Matt 21:45 - When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them.
Isn't it odd that these parables that Jesus was using to try and confuse people were understandable by his enemies?

Matt 22:10-14 - Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?" And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For many are called, but few are chosen.
I don't know - I would have thought that a universal invitation should have meant what it said. Instead, this parable states that everyone is invited, but unless they conform, their invitation will be canceled. That's not a universal invitation!

Matt 22:18-21 - But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."
I was always puzzled by this verse. It's as if Jesus thought that the coins actually belonged to the person whose image was on it, instead of it being a government-issued piece of legal tender to be used in place of a barter system!

Matt 22:31,32 - And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? He is God not of the dead, but of the living."
This is the best scripture Jesus could pull up in a theological argument? Any biblical scholar could shoot this down with plenty of Old Testament passages (from Job, Isaiah, Psalms and Ecclesiastes, for instance) to refute this idea of a resurrection.

Matt 22:35-40 - ...and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
These very words were uttered by a great Jewish philosopher a hundred years BCE. It's entirely possible that Jesus was thus a plagiarist!

Matt 23:9 - And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-the one in heaven.
Well, this is really a good one for the "family values" crowd! Jesus wants his followers to disown their biological fathers, in favor of God!

Matt 23:17 - You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred?
We saw earlier what Jesus said about calling anyone a fool. However, I also think it interesting that he seemed to think that the location of a piece of metal is what makes it sacred. Strange, I think.

Matt 23:29-33 - "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell?"
Well this, at least, agrees with the concept of "justice" presented so frequently in the Old Testament. That is, he presents the idea that it is just to hold the descendants liable for the actions of ancestors long dead. Of all the moral lessons to pick up from the ancient religion of the Hebrews, this is one of the worst!

Matt 24:4-8 - Jesus answered them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Messiah!' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs."
In other words, things will be about the same as it has been all through history. There has not been a time when there haven't been wars, rumors of wars, famines or earthquakes. Not to mention charismatic religious nut cases. This is far too vague a prediction to be worthy of the name.

Matt 24:32-34 - From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
Jesus re-states his prediction that the world will come to an end before all who were around in his day died. Yet, people are still waiting! Weird.

Matt 24:48-51 - But if that wicked slave says to himself, "My master is delayed," and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Wow! We get a full range of barbarism here! Misbehaving slaves are one thing. Jesus never said a single word, apparently, that might indicate that slavery might be a bad thing. However, in this delightful quote, the misbehavior results in dismemberment, and the now-familiar weeping and gnashing!

Matt 25:24-30 - Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, "Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours." But his master replied, "You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Here's a cheery thought for the followers of Jesus! Even if they're happy with their ticket to heaven, it could all be for naught! Being saved will not get you into heaven, if you don't have some people you've brought into the faith to hand to God! This clearly shows that those who don't proselytize will be tossed out for the "weeping and gnashing" treatment!

Matt 25:41-46 - Then he will say to those at his left hand, "You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me." Then they also will answer, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?" Then he will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
So faith is not the final criterion for eternal life, Jesus appears to be saying here. Followers must take care of their fellows and strangers, otherwise, they'll be tossed out as trash. Anyone for more weeping/gnashing?

Matt 26:6-11 - Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, "Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me."
Here, we see Jesus as a petulant ruler of sycophants. The disciples, apparently remembering the many times Jesus talked about social justice and self-sacrifice to help the poor, think that this is a perfect example of someone failing to correctly follow their master's teaching. However, they apparently didn't realize that wasting money on Jesus was a completely different story! Thus, the poor can wait - they'll always be there, waiting to help followers earn their way into heaven. But giving expensive gifts to Jesus - that's got to be a higher priority! And so it is, to this day, only now, people are encouraged to give their expensive gifts to Jesus' representatives on Earth - the priests - for them to pass on to God.

Matt 26:26-28 - While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
I was amused in watching the movie Gandhi, when a Hindu fellow talks to a Christian minister and says, "I know a Christian - she drinks blood. Blood of Christ, every Sunday!" It was funny, but the interesting thing here is that the Christian communion is a copy of ceremonies used by other, older religions. They all had the same significance - sharing in the immortality of their god by eating its flesh and drinking its blood.

Matt 26:59-61 - Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.' "
I find it hard to believe that a kangaroo court would be unable to find anyone who could tell a lie in order to convict Jesus. I mean, unless the book's author is trying to convince us that the entire city of Jerusalem had become incapable of telling a lie! I also wonder why they couldn't have just had some people tell the truth - Jesus said things the OT calls blasphemous. According to Deuteronomy, that deserves death!

Matt 27:6-10 - But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money." After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter's field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."
Here's an interesting mistake by the author of Matthew! The book of Jeremiah has no such verse. In my Bible, there's a footnote to the effect that other manuscripts cite Isaiah or Zechariah - Zechariah being the closest one. So why was there confusion on this?

Matt 27:24,25 - So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." Then the people as a whole answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"
Oh this is believable! The Jewish crowd, knowing that God punishes children, often for all generations, actually wants blood on their hands? I have my doubts. If that were the case, they had no need of getting the Romans to do their dirty work. However, this has been quite useful for those who like to have God's support for hating and punishing Jews.

Matt 27:44 - The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.
That's weird! I had always heard that one criminal had supported Jesus while they were on their crosses! Here, we see that's not the case.

Matt 27:46 - And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Ah yes! The classic scene of the heroic innocent using his last breath to quote from the Psalms! Can we say "poetic license?"

Matt 27:51-53 - At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many.
You'd think that something this momentous would be easy for an historian to verify, wouldn't you? I mean, an earthquake, serious damage to the temple, and zombies wandering all over the place, in the plain sight of "many" people? Unfortunately, there's not a peep about such shenanigans from any historian of the time.

Matt 28:12-15 - After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You must say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.
OK, how many people actually believe that any soldier would take a bribe to do something that would doubtless end in his execution? No soldier would ever admit to falling asleep while on duty - that would be sure suicide in those days, and heavy prison time even today.