Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 19:13–15

1. Why would people feel the necessity to bring children to be prayed for by Jesus? What were they thinking?

2. Did the disciples have any good reason for turning the children away? Would you if you were one of the disciples?

3. As busy as Jesus was, why would He bother to pray for the children? What would He pray for the children?

4. What is the entrance requirement for entering into the kingdom of God? (See Jn. 3:16.) How then does it have to do with children? How does being little children define what “saving faith” really is?

5. As Jesus “placed His hands on them”, was it an act of teaching or an act in essence?

6. How should you treat children, especially in the church?

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 19:16–22

1. From parallel passages in the other synoptic gospels, we understand that this man was young and rich, and was a ruler too. Based on what he asked Jesus and how he asked (i.e. the actions that accompanied his search), how would you describe his character and what would you have expected from his sincere search for eternal life?

2. Why do people always associate good works with eternal life (including Buddhists, Catholics and Mormons)?

3. What was the purpose of pointing out that “There is only One who is good”?

4. When Jesus said, “obey the commandments”, why did He cite only the last six of the Ten Commandments (see Exod. 20)?

5. Do you think the man’s answer that he had kept all these things was a truthful answer? Why? (Note Jesus’ immediate emotional response to his answer in Mk. 10:21.)

6. Since he seemed to honestly think he had kept all six commandments, why did he ask, “What do I still lack?”? If you could honestly keep these six commandments, would you still feel lacking?

7. What is meant by being perfect? (See Matt. 5:48.)

8. What was the “thing” he lacked in terms of having eternal life and what did it entail? Did it have anything to do with the first four commandments that Jesus did not or had yet to ask about?

9. In His encounters with people, He did not ask everyone to physically follow Him (Zaccheus is a case in point). They would still be disciples and did not have to follow Him physically like the Twelve. But here Jesus asked the man to follow Him, and that necessarily demanded him giving up all he had (like the Twelve). What does this tell you about being a disciple of Jesus Christ?

10. Why did the young man leave in sadness? What was he sad over?

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 19:23–30

1. Why did Jesus use a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle to describe how hard it is for a wealthy person to enter into the kingdom? Was it not too much an exaggeration or was it factual? What’s so special about wealth that it could prevent a person from entering into the kingdom? Reflect on the young ruler’s case while reflecting on the above questions.

2. Why did the disciples not respond by saying, “Then, no rich man can be saved”, but asked instead, “Who then can be saved?”? While Jesus was presumably talking only about rich people, the disciples understood they too were like the rich people. In what way might they be like the rich in terms of entering the kingdom of God?

3. More importantly, does wealth still stand in your way? Search yourself honestly.

4. Since wealth is so powerful a force that stands in the way to the Kingdom, what is meant by “for all things are possible with God”? How might God work to help us to be saved?

5. Why did Peter draw Jesus’ attention to the fact that they had left everything to follow Him? What was he expecting from Jesus and did he get his desired response? Why?

6. I think that we all agree that we will have our rewards in heaven, but in Mark 10:30, the reward of a hundredfold refers to the present age. Jesus obviously won’t lie, so what does He mean?

7. What then might the “treasure in heaven” be? Jesus was using it as an “incentive” to the young man. Did it work? What about you? Does it mean anything to you? Why or why not?

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 20:1–16

Background: It is important to note that this particular message by Jesus begins with 19:30 and ends at 20:16 (marked by the inclusion of ‘the last will be first and the first will be last’) and it is a continued response to Peter’s question in 19:27.

1. Review your thoughts about what in essence was the question of Peter in 19:27.

2. What was the bone of contention of the first recruits in the parable? How similar was their attitude to that of Peter?

a. When Peter said, “We have left everything”, what might “everything” include in their case? (See 19:29.)

b. Compared to other disciples, like Zaccheus, what might be the difference?

c. Did Peter expect greater reward because of their greater sacrifice?

3. How does this parable answer Peter’s question?

4. What have the first recruits, like Peter, overlooked in their understanding of fairness within the Kingdom of Heaven? (Look up Eph. 2:8-9. If we really get what each of us deserves, what will we get?)

5. Is there any greater reward in heaven than eternal life?

6. Whose fault is it that some are recruited later than the first recruits? (See 20:7.)

7. The workers in the parable are paid, starting with the last ones hired (20:8). Does it matter who gets paid first and who gets paid last?

8. What then is the meaning of “first” and “last” within this parable?

a. In terms of status?

b. In term of rewards?

c. In terms of time of recruit?

d. In terms of greater sacrifice?

e. In terms of when they get their reward?

f. Or…?

9. Is there really any “first” and “last” in the Kingdom of Heaven?

10. What then is the essential message of this parable and how may you apply it in your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 20:17–28

1. Now, Jesus predicts His death and resurrection with greater details, which include that He will be:

a. “betrayed” to chief priests, and the scribes

b. “condemned” to death

c. “turned over” to the Gentiles

d. “mocked”, “flogged” and “crucified”

e. raised nevertheless to life again

If you were one of the disciples, what new details were you given at this time (see 16:21 and 17:22-33)? What might be the one that grips your heart most?

2. What was the purpose of Jesus’ sharing? What did He expect from the disciples in sharing with them His impending “death” and “resurrection”?

3. What kind of a response did He get from the disciples?

4. As much as their response was most ridiculous, can you detect anything positive from their response?

5. The mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, was one of the faithful women disciples who followed Jesus all the way to the cross (Matt. 27:56). Whose idea was it to ask Jesus — the mother’s or the sons’ (how old might they be)?

6. Who should take responsibility for such an action (note their answer in v. 22)?

7. What did they ask for? What motivated them to make such a request? Why was it important to them?

8. In what sense did they not know what they were asking?

9. Why would they answer, “We can” to Jesus’ question in v. 22?

10. Were they able to? Why or why not?

11. “You will indeed drink from my cup." Does this apply to the two of them only, or all disciples, including us? (See Jn. 15:20.)

12. What was the reaction of the rest of the disciples? Were they right or justified in their reaction, or did it show that they were no better? Why?

13. What was the key difference (as pointed out by Jesus) between the secular kingdom and God’s kingdom? Why must there be such a difference?

14. Should one then be purposely a servant in God’s kingdom in order to be great? What’s wrong with such an attitude?

15. How then should our attitude be, as members of God’s kingdom?

16. We are asked to follow Jesus’ example, but seldom do we need to lay down our lives. So, then, in what ways can we live out Christ’s example?

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 20:29–34

1. What do you know about being blind in Jesus’ day?

2. Had the crowd seen Jesus perform miracles before? Did they not want to see miracles? Why were they trying, so sternly, to keep the blind men quiet? What lesson can we learn from the crowd?

3. Was Jesus’ question to the blind superfluous? Why not?

4. If Jesus asks you today, “What do you want me to do for you?”, what is your reply today? (Take time to think of your reply.)

5. Should you expect this request of yours to be answered? Why or why not?

6. What’s so special about these two blind men?

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 21:1–11

1. Try to imagine yourself being one of the two disciples who were sent to fetch the colt.  Write a journal for this incident at the end of the day.

2. What might this experience mean to you? Was this experience necessary? Why or why not?

3. Imagine being this colt, tied there but which had never been sat on until the Messiah sat on it for His entrance into Jerusalem. What spiritual lesson can you draw out of it? (Note statements like, “The Lord needs them.”)

4. Read Psalm 118:25-26 and Zechariah 9:9-10. What did the crowd’s action signify? What did they expect to happen soon in Jerusalem? What about the Twelve? How different was Jesus’ entrance into His own city as the King of Kings from that of the Greek or Roman emperors of His time? Why did Jesus choose a colt instead of a stallion?

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