SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 9:35-38
Jesus began travelling through all the towns and villages, preaching the Good News and healing every disease and sickness. Jesus has compassion on the crowds. He told his disciples that they needed more people to preach, so ask the Lord to send out more workers to meet the need.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 11, Day 2: Matthew 9:35-38
3a) “They were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Basically, they were ignorant of God’s Word and needed to be fed.
b)
Psalm 23:1-3: God is our shepherd, providing us with everything we need. He restores our souls and guides us in righteousness.
Isaiah 53:6: All of us sin, but God leads us back.
Ezekiel 34:5-16: God will be our shepherd and look after us, his flock. He will rescue us and pasture us and gather us. God will bring back the lost, bind up the wounded, and strengthen the weak.
John 10:11-15: Jesus says he is the good shepherd. He knows his sheep, and the sheep know him. He lays down his life for his sheep.
1 Peter 2:24-25: Jesus died for our sins so that we could live. His wounds healed us. We were sheep that had gone astray, but now we have returned to the Shepherd.
c) Knowing they all need a Savior. The desire to help in a broken world.
4) There are more needy people than those who can help them, essentially.
5) God is the Lord of the harvest, so the Lord of everything. He is asking for prayer for more followers to preach the Good News.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 11, Day 2: Matthew 9:35-38
I love the shepherd analogy. Shepherds weren’t the highest of classes in ancient times, so when God and Jesus say they are shepherds, they are identifying with us all.
Try this light for better reading during these shorter days!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 11, Day 2: Matthew 9:35-38
We see God as a shepherd all throughout the Bible, beginning with Jacob (Genesis 48:15) to Revelation 7:17. It was a powerful image for those who were shepherds in ancient times.
The original Greek word for “moved with compassion” is a very strong word that was used for pity.
Jesus is saying that for so long, the people have had no shepherds because the Levite priests were not doing their job and were corrupt themselves. It’s like they had no shepherd. In order to reap the most out of the harvest, workers are needed. We are to be the workers and help those seeking the Lord come to him.
“Send out workers” or thrust them forward in the ancient Greek. We are all to work for God’s kingdom.
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Concerning the harvest. There are only two choices. We are either In Christ (saved), or we are In Adam (unsaved). True believers obey and work in the fields of God to harvest. Unfortunately, far too many believe they are saved (as per Matt 7:21-23) yet are really part of the harvest (constantly taking in the word yet without allowing an outlet for it) themselves. All In Adam are spiritually dead (Col 2:13, Eph 2:1,5, Rom 5:12) and as a result cannot seek nor understand the things (such as the Word) of God (Rom 3:11, 1 Cor 2:14).
Please stop spewing Arminian philosophies in your write ups. Arminianism (Synod/Council of Dort 1618-9AD) is the fruit of the Pelagian (Council of Ephesus 431AD) and Semi-Pelagian (Council of Orange 529 AD) heresies decreed by Bible loving Councils through the ages.
John 1:12-13 is clear that those who believe have come to believe “not by the will of man” (the spiritually dead have no ability to spiritually choose (see above verses) but by the “will of God”. Psalm 65:4 and 1 John 4:19 explain it for those with an ear to hear. Psalm 65:4 teaches that God both CHOOSES whom He wills (Eph chap 1) for His own good pleasure and by the council of His will) and CAUSES those who come to Him. 1 John 4:19 shows cause and effect. We love, because (causality) He first loved us.
Heb 12:2 adds that God is both the author (initiator) and finisher (completer) of our faith. We play no part in salvation. If we did then as Paul puts it, grace would no longer be grace. Man can only choose the things of his old nature until God graces him with the new nature capable of interacting with God. When man takes credit for what only God can do, we are stealing His glory. Lucifer did this once (Isaiah 14:14 onward) and received a name change among other things. Don’t think you should test those waters. However most so called churches continue to do it today. Many are called (general call) but few are chosen (specific call of the Holy Spirit which enables (John 6:65)).
Both faith and it’s cause, grace, are provided to those God chooses (Eph 2:8). Again, we can’t choose Him because we are spiritually dead. It is not until the Holy Spirit regenerates us to new life, gifts us our faith, orchestrates that faith to critical mass, resulting in repentance and conversion, are we saved. Thinking we are involved in our salvation is a work and a boast (Eph 2:9).
Please get Greek scholars to write your notes as they are “90% plus” great but sprinkled with enough poison and heresies to mislead many. Don’t think that is your goal, but that is what you have created. Again please get Greek scholars well versed in the difference between being In Adam and being In Christ.
Anyone who raises the human, fallen, sinful, corrupted, condemned, spiritually dead, will of man (often referred to as free will) to be on par with the sovereignty of God is in Satan’s camp. Please come out, as you may be responsible for misleading many to be like the men of Matt 7:21-23 who only thought they were saved but got a surprise when Jesus told them to depart from Him, He never knew (loved/chose) them.
May God’s grace, and wisdom, and peace richly dwell in you as His Spirit opens your eyes to see the glory and truth of His Word. Agape to all.
Teaching Chaplain, Major RAI USMC ret.