Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19961027.htm

MATTHEW: JESUS AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH AND HIS MESSIANIC KINGDOM
Part X. Christ's Messianic Kingdom Postponed
K. Christ's Warning To Watch Out For Theological Traditionalism And Rationalism
(Matthew 16:1-12)
  1. Introduction
    1. At Nepaug Church we take theological stands for the truth against two major tendencies: (a) we believe that Scripture's teaching on miracles is true and evolution and denials of miracles so promoted by Liberalism is false. (b) We also believe that we should not add Christendom's sacraments and man-made rules to Scripture, for only God's Word is to be accepted as true.
    2. Well, in making such a stand for the supernatural and against rationalism, and for Scripture only and not human traditions, are we really on the beam, or are we a bit excessive? How do we know?
    3. Jesus' input regarding theological error in His day comment on our stand as a body as follows:
  2. Christ's Warning To Watch Out For Theological Traditionalism And Rationalism, Mtt. 16:1-12.
    1. When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus desiring a sign, they were not coming to seek something that they could believe, but they sought evidence to reject Jesus, Mtt. 16:1.
      1. The Pharisees were traditionalists, and believed that Jesus was not God's Son because He violated their regulations and man-made beliefs. Thus, though they believed in miracles, they felt Jesus was the wrong party to produce them from heaven, and would have condemned a miracle by Him as satanic.
      2. The Sadducees were rationalists, denying that miracles could occur. Thus, they felt safe in asking Jesus to do them as they were convinced He would do no miracle, G. Campbell Morgan, Matthew, p. 205.
    2. Jesus responded with the criticism that both parties had failed to note the signs of the times as the fulfillment of Scripture, Mtt. 16:2-3:
      1. He noted that both parties could look at an evening sky and tell that if the sky was red there would be fair weather in the morning, Mtt. 16:2.
      2. He noted that both parties could look at a morning sky with the sun rising in the east, and tell that if that horizon was red, the weather would be bad that day, Mtt. 16:3a.
      3. However, though they could read these signs, they could not read His fulfillment of Isaiah 35:5 and 61:1-2 by way of miraculous signs and conclude that He was the Messiah, Mtt. 16:3b.
    3. This failure was caused by rebellious unbelief, and Jesus would give no more signs until after it was too late for Israel to believe for the Kingdom, after He had died and risen three days later, 16:4a,b & 12:39-40.
    4. Accordingly, Jesus left these apostates, took His disciples off alone and warned them about the theological errors of Pharisaic traditionalism and Sadducean rationalism, Mtt. 16:4c-12:
      1. After refusing to give any more authenticating signs until it was too late for that generation to have the Kingdom, Jesus withdrew, refusing any more contact with these apostate Pharisees and Sadducees, 4c.
      2. When He got the disciples alone, He urged them to take heed and beware of the leaven of these two groups. To "take heed" means to note, and to "beware" is to hold yourself against it, Ibid., p. 206.
      3. When they thought He was speaking of literal bread, that He had admonished them not to purchase the foods of these theological groups, Jesus chided them: His taking care of feeding 5,000 and then 4,000 people miraculously would cover t heir food needs so that they needn't buy bread; Jesus was talking about the theological error of these groups, Mtt. 16:7-12.
      4. The error of these groups was the (a) rationalism of Sadduceeism that denied the miraculous, and (b) the traditionalism of Pharisaism that elevated man's words to the stature of Scripture!
Lesson: Jesus Christ ordered His disciples to (a) note and then (b) hold themselves against those theological movements that (c) failed to take Scripture's teaching at face value in (d) denying miracles in Scripture as mythological and (d) that add ed man-made ideas to the level of God's inspired Word.

Application: (a) Christ thus appreciates our Statement of Faith and stands that note and then stand against Liberalism that denies the supernatural inspiration of Scripture, and its accounts of miracles, and against all human ideas that are elevate d to equal the level of Scriptural authority! (b) Also, He appreciates our interpretation of Scripture at face value to understand His working in our midst.