Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 17:1–13

1. Why did Jesus only pick the three disciples closest to Him to have such an unusual encounter, especially in light of 16:28? (If what Peter said in 16:16 and 22 represents the mind of the three, what might the purpose of this transfiguration be?)

2. Does such a special spiritual experience need to happen in a place like a high mountain?

3. What does “transfiguration” mean? (Refer to Mk. 9:3, Lk. 9:29 and Rev. 1:12-16. How would you feel if you were one of the disciples upon seeing Jesus in His transfigured form? Read Isa. 53:2. Can you define “humility” in light of Jesus’ incarnation?)

4. Moses gave the Law and Elijah was often perceived as one of the greatest prophets (if not the greatest). What was the significance of their presence here?

5. As much as Peter spoke in haste and fright (Mk. 9:6), what might the suggestion to build shelter reveal about the mind of Peter?

6. The Father spoke words that were similar to those at Jesus’ baptism (see Matt. 3:17), but with one difference. What is that difference, and how may this reveal the purpose of this unusual spiritual experience?

7. Why did Jesus caution them not to share this experience with others? What if they shared this with the other nine disciples? How would they feel?

8. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 17:14–21

1. Why didn’t the father of the boy give up?

2. Why couldn’t the other nine disciples drive out the demon according to Jesus?

3. Why then did their “little faith” cause Jesus to lament?

4. Why did Jesus’ lament extend to the entire generation?

5. Mull over Jesus’ lament: How intense was this emotion? Why would this incident evoke such deep emotion?

6. Will your current spiritual condition as a disciple of Christ also evoke the same emotion in Jesus?

7. What is meant by an “unbelieving and perverse” generation?

8. Just a thought: If Peter, James and John were there, could they have driven the demon out? What do you think?

9. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 17:22–27

1. Jesus now repeated his impending death and resurrection. Why did Jesus choose to repeat this message? Did the disciples handle it differently?

2. Consider the three disciples closest to Jesus. What might their experience in the mountain mean to them concerning this message?

3. The incident about temple tax collection was unique to Matthew. Who was Matthew and where did he come from?

4. The Roman government gave the Jewish authorities power to collect the temple tax (which, at that time, the 2 million Jews living outside of Jerusalem considered not so much a duty as a privilege—Rob Haskell’s Regent Thesis). Since the tax was supposedly used toward the maintenance of the temple, what was the point of Jesus’ question to Peter in v. 25?

5. As the Son of God, Jesus obviously is exempt. Why did He choose to pay?

6. Jesus was not shy to offend the Pharisees and the scribes (e.g. in healing on the Sabbath). Why did He choose not to offend them now? What might be the difference in occasions?

7. What can we learn from this and what is the application to your life?

8. Why did Jesus choose to pay the tax with money from the mouth of the fish?

a. For the sake of performing another miracle to Peter

b. So that, technically, He did not pay the tax Himself

c. Or…

9. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 18:1–11

1. Why did the disciples raise such a question in the first place? Why did they care who might be the greatest in heaven?

a. Was it because they thought they had given or risked much in following Christ?

b. Was it because they still had an earthly mindset?

c. Or…

2. Then Jesus emphatically proclaimed that “unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

a. What is meant by “becoming children”?

b. Why do we have to become like children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven?

c. How can one become like children? Is it an easy or hard thing to do so? Why?

3. The disciples were asking about who was the greatest, and yet Jesus gave a two-fold answer, both on entering and being the greatest. Do you think there is necessarily one who is the greatest in God’s kingdom?

4. We all love children. Then why did Jesus imply that we in fact have a hard time “welcoming these little children”? What does welcome mean? What does that little child represent?

5. Why would Jesus contrast the welcoming of a child with that of causing them to sin? How might not welcoming a believer cause one to sin?

6. Did you ever cause anyone to sin? What did you do? Could you have avoided it? Did it have anything to do with you “looking down” on this “little one”?

7. The analogies of losing a hand, foot and eye are called hyperboles, which use exaggeration to make a point. What then is the main point of these hyperboles? How does this apply to your life today?

8. The Bible does not teach a whole lot about angels, but what insight does v. 10 give you in this respect?

9. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 18:12–20

1. What might be the reason a shepherd is willing to leave the ninety-nine to seek the one lost sheep in real life?

2. What might be the difference between a human shepherd and our Father in heaven in this case?

3. How does this parable speak to you concerning those whose salvation you have been praying for?

Vv. 15-20 gives us insights concerning the church:

4. What kind of sin is Jesus talking about?

5. What are the three steps to be taken in resolving the sin?

6. Why are the three steps necessary?

7. Some manuscripts do not have the words, “against you” in describing the sin. Will the three steps still apply if such is the case?

8. What is the church to do if the sin is established by evidence and the guilty party still does not repent? What is meant by treating the person as “a pagan or a tax collector”? (See 1 Co. 5: 9-13)

9. Would such treatment be too harsh?

10. What power has Jesus vested in the church when it comes to

a. The negative aspect of church discipline?

b. The positive aspect of prayers?

What might be the basis for the above?

11. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 18:21–35

1. How did Peter respond to Jesus’ teaching about dealing with being sinned against? Why did he ask such a question?

2. Jesus obviously will not contradict Himself. But, does His answer in v. 22 not contradict the three steps of dealing with sin taught earlier? Then, if we are wronged, should we immediately take the three-step approach or that of forgiving seventy-seven (i.e. unlimited) times?

3. How appropriate is the analogy of the first servant and his master as it applies to you?

4. Why did this first servant dare treat his fellow servant like this? What might be his justifications?

5. When you hold a grudge against another person, what might be your justifications?

6. Why would the master be so harsh on the unforgiving servant? Does the unforgiving servant deserve the punishment? Why?

7. Why did Jesus emphasize forgiveness from the “heart”? When is it not from the heart? When is it from the heart?

8. Under what circumstance might it be hard for you to apply this truth? What should you do then?

9. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 19:1–12

The Jews (i.e. the rabbis) by Jesus’ time, have adopted as legal what was called an “any cause divorce” (Instone-Brewer’s Divorce, p.55) invented by Rabbi Hillel. Some Jews saw it as contrary to the Law of Moses but it appeared that they were in the minority. Both gave permission to divorce, except that Hillel almost gave men the license to divorce their wives at will. It appears that the Pharisees were testing Jesus, perhaps, hoping that he might agree with the more conservative of the two.

1. If that was the case, did they succeed? Why or why not? What was their problem in the matter of divorce, as much as they might prefer a stricter rule in this respect?

2. How does the fact that “the two will become one flesh” reflect the original intent of God’s creation of male and female?

3. What does “let man not separate” mean and how does it form the basis of the rationale used by Jesus in v. 9?

4. What kind of a reaction did the disciples give? What kind of a secular mindset did they reflect?

5. How then shall we look at “marriages” and at “divorce” today?

6. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?