Lesson #46

PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #46
THE PARABLE OF THE CUP AND THE PLATTER (MAT 23:25-26) AND
THE PARABLE OF WHITED SEPULCHERS (MAT 23:27-32)

• MEMORY VERSE: 1THE 4:12

• READ MAT 23:1-36 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THESE TWO PARABLES.
• JESUS SPOKE THESE TWO PARABLES TO THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE TIME.

• THE PARABLE OF THE CUP AND THE PLATTER (MAT 23:25-26)
• WHAT WERE THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS DOING THAT JESUS CONDEMNS?
• THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WERE VERY CONCERNED WITH EXTERNAL CLEANLINESS TO THE POINT OF MAKING LEGALISTIC RULES AND REGULATIONS REGARDING THE RITUALISTIC WASHING OF HANDS AND THE EATING OF FOOD.
• THEY SPENT SO MUCH TIME CONCERNED WITH THE EXTERNAL CLEANLINESS THAT THEY NEGLECTED THE INTERNAL CLEANLINESS OF THE HEART.
• GREED WAS THEIR MOST OBVIOUS FEATURE OF THEIR CHARACTER. (LUK 11:39-41)
• THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WERE NOT SO MUCH CONCERNED WITH DIRT AND BACTERIA, BUT WITH THE EXTERNAL SHOW OF SPIRITUAL CLEANLINESS.
• THIS PARABLE REMINDS ME OF HOWARD HUGHES WHO WAS SO FEARFUL OF TOUCHING A DOORKNOB BECAUSE OF THE BACTERIA THAT MIGHT CONTAMINATE HIM. HE BECAME OBSESSED WITH WASHING TO THE POINT THAT HE LIVED IN HORRIBLE CLUTTER AND FILTH AROUND HIM. HE WAS FEARFUL OF TOUCHING ANYTHING DIRTY EVEN TO CLEAN IT UP.
• THE PROBLEM:
• LIKE HOWARD HUGHES, THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES DID NOT HAVE RIGHT PRIORITIES.
• GOD IS MORE CONCERNED WITH THE HEART THAN WITH THE EXTERNAL
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE?
• GOD IS THE GOD OF THE INNER MAN AS WELL AS THE OUTER MAN. IF YOU ALLOW GOD TO CLEAN UP THE INNER MAN, THE OUTWARD ACTIONS WILL ALSO BE CLEAN. WHY?
• READ PSA 24:4-6
• READ PSA 37:31
• READ PRO 16:9

• THE PARABLE OF WHITED SEPULCHERS (MAT 23:27-32)
• WHAT ARE WHITED SEPULCHERS?
• A SEPULCHER IS A TOMB. TOMBS WERE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE TO CITIES. ONCE A YEAR THE PEOPLE PAINTED A WHITE WASH OVER THE TOMBS JUST BEFORE PASSOVER SO THAT VISITORS TO THE CITY COULD EASILY DETERMINE WHERE THE GRAVES WERE LOCATED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRACTICE WAS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM WALKING ON THE GRAVES OR INTO A BURIAL CAVE. IF A PERSON WALKED ON A GRAVE OR INTO A BURIAL CAVE, HE WOULD BE RELIGIOUSLY UNCLEAN AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES AT THE TEMPLE.
• WHAT DID THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES DO THAT JESUS CALLS THEM, “WHITED SEPULCHERS”?
• THEY APPEARED CLEAN AND RELIGIOUS ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE A CLEAN AND PURE HEART. INSTEAD, SPIRITUAL DEATH WAS INSIDE OF THEM.
• READ PSA 5:9
• MANY OF THE TOMBS THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS HONORED WERE THOSE OF THE PROPHETS THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAD PREVIOUSLY KILLED. (MAT 23:31)
• FOR EXAMPLE:
• ZECHARIAH WAS A PROPHET WHO PREACHED GOD’S WORD AND WAS KILLED FOR IT.
• READ 2CHR 24:20-22
• CORRUPTION IN THE PRIESTHOOD WAS VERY COMMON FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE JESUS CAME TO EARTH.
• READ MAL 1:6-8; MAL 2:7-8
• DESPITE THESE FAILINGS, GOD WAS MERCIFUL AND PATIENT FOR 470 YEARS WAITING FOR THEIR REPENTANCE THAT NEVER CAME.
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE?
• OUTWARD RELIGIOUS APPEARANCE DOES NOT INDICATE THE PURENESS OF ONE’S HEART.
• APPLICATION AND DISCUSSION:
• HOW CAN WE HAVE A PURE HEART WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE HEART OF MAN IS DESPICABLY EVIL?
• 2COR 5:17
• GAL 2:20
• 1JOH 1:9
• ACCORDING TO HUMAN NATURE, WE OFTEN JUDGE PEOPLE BY THEIR OUTWARD APPEARANCE EITHER NEGATIVELY OR POSITIVELY.
• DISCUSSION: WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE TEND TO JUDGE BY OUTWARD APPEARANCE?
• READ JAM 2:1-9
• DISCUSSION: WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT YOURSELF FROM JUDGING BY OUTWARD APPEARANCE?

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF THE HEN AND THE CHICKENS ( MAT 23:37-39)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE CUP AND THE PLATTER (MAT 23:25-26) AND THE PARABLE OF WHITED SEPULCHERS (MAT 23:27-32)
• WHAT AREAS OF YOUR INNER LIFE DOES GOD WANT TO CLEAN UP?
• IN PRAYER, COMMIT THIS AREA OF YOUR INNER LIFE TO HIM FOR CLEANSING AND FORGIVENESS. ASK HIM TO SUPPLY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CHANGE YOU. WRITE YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE.

• PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF THE HEN AND THE CHICKENS (MAT 23:37-39)
• READ MAT 23:37-39 AND DEU 32:7-12 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE.
• WHO DOES THE HEN REPRESENT?

• WHO DO THE CHICKENS REPRESENT?

• WHY IS JESUS SO SAD?

• WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE TELL YOU ABOUT JESUS AND ABOUT GOD, THE FATHER?

• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE?

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 86:15