My mother said: "You are tall enough in God's eyes if your feet reach the ground!" She also said that "Zacchaeus" was a hard name to spell. I think she was right in both cases.
The debate seems to be about usury. Why Jesus would mention something with favor that the Bible speaks against. But if we take a deeper look, we understand it is not the usury, but the greed that motivated usury. In the case Jesus spake of, we find it was not greed, but respect of the Nobleman that would have motivated the servant to the act of usury. I myself think that all usury is not wrong, only that which is deceitful, begotten by extortion. One more thought, if usury is wrong, and both parties make an agreement that involves usury, then both are guilty, the lender, and the borrower. So in closing, I feel that as the secrets of the heart are known of God, the reason you lend for usury must be taken into consideration when judgment is passed. Let God do the judging, and let Him teach each individual. Another question I might ask, We know that in Business usury is a part of the gain. So is all Businesses wrong? Thanks for hearing me out. I'll close this book, and maybe the thoughts will help someone sort out their thoughts. God Bless us all with His understanding on this subject. Pastor Gerald
i think that this chapter teaches about recieving and giving. You can't take what God has given you and hide it . If you share and work with what he has given you your blessings will be multiplied. Don't ever think that you don't have enough to share because little becomes much when you place it in his hands(in other words when you share,what have you will see the hand of God work in your life.When Zaccheus became enlighten he was willing to give back that which he had taken falsly,not only give back but multiply tahat which he had taken wrongfully.
Jesus were given his disciples and followers specific commands, a kind of worldwide works that individually should follow,if truly they are an obedient followers. This is about the preaching work about the Kingdom of God and discipleship making. Please read Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:18,20
But most people around the world still do not know what is the Kingdom of God? And which among many religions are truly followers of Jesus, since Jesus himself warned that "many" will confess him as Lord but "will deceived many"- Matthew 24:4,5
The safest things to do is to stay at home and wait someone to knock on our door. Why? Because Jesus had specific command to his true followers, at Matthew 10:5-11 Jesus commanded his follower to " Preach the good news of the kingdom of God through house to house method, village to village and city to city." Also read Acts 20:20
Yes, if we are truly determined to obey Jesus command, We should stick to his "specific" teachings and wait until we meet this kind of people, right on our doorway. Ask them like, " Do you know what is the Kingdom of God?"
Here are some truth about the Kingdom of God:
When Will
God’s Kingdom Come?
“LORD, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” ( Acts 1:6) The apostles were eager to know when Jesus would establish his Kingdom. Today, some 2,000 years later, people are still eager to know: When will God’s Kingdom come?
Since Jesus made the Kingdom the theme of his preaching, you might expect that he discussed this question. And indeed he did! He spoke extensively about a marked period of time that he called his “presence.” ( Matthew 24:37) That presence is closely tied to the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom. What is this presence? Let us consider four truths the Bible reveals about the presence of Christ.
1. Christ’s presence would begin a long time after his death. Jesus gave an illustration in which he likened himself to a man who “traveled to a distant land to secure kingly power,” or to “secure a kingdom.” ( Luke 19:12; footnote) How was that prophetic illustration fulfilled? Well, Jesus died and was resurrected; then he traveled to the “distant land,” that is, heaven. As Jesus foretold in a similar illustration, his return in kingly power would come only “after a long time.”— Matthew 25:19.
Some years after Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostle Paul wrote: “This man [Jesus] offered one sacrifice for sins perpetually and sat down at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.” ( Hebrews 10:12, 13) So a lengthy period of waiting followed Jesus’ arrival in heaven. The wait finally ended when Jehovah God made his Son the King of the long-promised Messianic Kingdom. That was when Christ’s presence began. Would humans on earth see this momentous event?
2. The presence is invisible to human eyes. Remember, Jesus discussed the sign of his presence. ( Matthew 24:3) If his presence were visible to human eyes, would a sign be needed? To illustrate: Imagine that you are traveling to see the ocean. You may see road signs directing you along the way, but once you are at the shore, standing at the water’s edge with the vast expanse of water stretching out to the horizon, would you expect to see a sign with a big arrow pointing ahead, emblazoned with the word “Ocean”? Of course not! Why have a sign to point out what you can easily identify with your eyes?
Jesus described the sign of his presence, not to point out something that humans could see with their eyes, but to help them discern something that would occur in heaven. Thus, Jesus said: “The kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness.” ( Luke 17:20) How, then, would the sign show those on earth that Christ’s presence had begun?
3. Jesus’ presence would be marked by a time of profound troubles here on earth. Jesus said that his presence as King in heaven would be marked on earth by wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences, and lawlessness. ( Matthew 24:7-12; Luke 21:10, 11) What would cause all this misery? The Bible explains that Satan, “the ruler of this world,” is full of rage because he knows that his time is very short now that Christ’s presence as King has begun. ( John 12:31; Revelation 12:9, 12) Such visible evidence of Satan’s rage and of Christ’s presence has been abundant in our time. Especially since 1914, a year that historians acknowledge was a turning point, has this evidence appeared on an unprecedented and global scale.
All of that may sound like bad news, but it is not. It means that the Messianic Kingdom is ruling now in heaven. Very soon, that government will exercise its rule right here over all the earth. How, though, would people know about that Kingdom in order to accept its rule and become its subjects?
The bad news we hear every day proves that good things are coming soon
Two women discussing Jesus' prophecy
4. Jesus’ presence is marked by a global preaching work. Jesus said that his presence would be like “the days of Noah.”* ( Matthew 24:37-39) Noah was more than an ark builder; he was also “a preacher of righteousness.” ( 2 Peter 2:5) Noah warned people that a judgment from God was on its way. Jesus said that his followers on earth would be doing something similar during his presence. He prophesied: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”— Matthew 24:14.
As we saw in the preceding article, God’s Kingdom will destroy all the governments of this world. The preaching work alerts people that this heavenly government is about to act, giving all an opportunity to escape the coming destruction and become subjects of that Kingdom. The key question, then, is, How will you respond?
Will God’s Kingdom Mean Good News for You?
The message that Jesus preached was one of incomparable hope. After the rebellion in Eden thousands of years ago, Jehovah God purposed to form a government that would set matters right, returning faithful humans to the condition that God had in mind for them from the start—life eternal in a paradise here on earth. What could be more thrilling than the knowledge that this long-promised government is ruling right now in heaven? It is not some remote, abstract concept but a living reality!
Now, God’s appointed King is ruling in the midst of his enemies. ( Psalm 110:2) In this corrupt world alienated from God, the Messiah is fulfilling his Father’s desire to search out all who want to come to know God as he really is and to worship him “with spirit and truth.” ( John 4:24) The hope of living forever under the rule of God’s Kingdom is available to people of all races, ages, and social backgrounds. ( Acts 10:34, 35) We urge you to take hold of the marvelous opportunity before you. Learn about God’s Kingdom now, so that you can enjoy living under its righteous rule forever!— 1 John 2:17.
Many have assumed this parable to mean usury and banking are biblical, but they are not. This is why he spoke in parables, to separate the wheat from the chaff.He is speaking so the unlearned can relate in their world. For the word says you cannot serve God and Money, for you will hate one and love the other. This verse is a confirmation of God's kindom and the kingdom of the world. The world requires usury, but not God.
This verse of the parable teaches us that we must strengthen and multiply the grace we have been given so that we may be saved and help save others from eternal death when Our lord comes. Jesus has paid a price for us ( his saints) and has taken us out of the world of sin and we must stay where he has placed us ( in his Grace) busying ourselves with the affairs of our salvation.
But most people around the world still do not know what is the Kingdom of God? And which among many religions are truly followers of Jesus, since Jesus himself warned that "many" will confess him as Lord but "will deceived many"- Matthew 24:4,5
The safest things to do is to stay at home and wait someone to knock on our door. Why? Because Jesus had specific command to his true followers, at Matthew 10:5-11 Jesus commanded his follower to " Preach the good news of the kingdom of God through house to house method, village to village and city to city." Also read Acts 20:20
Yes, if we are truly determined to obey Jesus command, We should stick to his "specific" teachings and wait until we meet this kind of people, right on our doorway. Ask them like, " Do you know what is the Kingdom of God?"
Here are some truth about the Kingdom of God:
When Will
God’s Kingdom Come?
“LORD, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” ( Acts 1:6) The apostles were eager to know when Jesus would establish his Kingdom. Today, some 2,000 years later, people are still eager to know: When will God’s Kingdom come?
Since Jesus made the Kingdom the theme of his preaching, you might expect that he discussed this question. And indeed he did! He spoke extensively about a marked period of time that he called his “presence.” ( Matthew 24:37) That presence is closely tied to the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom. What is this presence? Let us consider four truths the Bible reveals about the presence of Christ.
1. Christ’s presence would begin a long time after his death. Jesus gave an illustration in which he likened himself to a man who “traveled to a distant land to secure kingly power,” or to “secure a kingdom.” ( Luke 19:12; footnote) How was that prophetic illustration fulfilled? Well, Jesus died and was resurrected; then he traveled to the “distant land,” that is, heaven. As Jesus foretold in a similar illustration, his return in kingly power would come only “after a long time.”— Matthew 25:19.
Some years after Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostle Paul wrote: “This man [Jesus] offered one sacrifice for sins perpetually and sat down at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.” ( Hebrews 10:12, 13) So a lengthy period of waiting followed Jesus’ arrival in heaven. The wait finally ended when Jehovah God made his Son the King of the long-promised Messianic Kingdom. That was when Christ’s presence began. Would humans on earth see this momentous event?
2. The presence is invisible to human eyes. Remember, Jesus discussed the sign of his presence. ( Matthew 24:3) If his presence were visible to human eyes, would a sign be needed? To illustrate: Imagine that you are traveling to see the ocean. You may see road signs directing you along the way, but once you are at the shore, standing at the water’s edge with the vast expanse of water stretching out to the horizon, would you expect to see a sign with a big arrow pointing ahead, emblazoned with the word “Ocean”? Of course not! Why have a sign to point out what you can easily identify with your eyes?
Jesus described the sign of his presence, not to point out something that humans could see with their eyes, but to help them discern something that would occur in heaven. Thus, Jesus said: “The kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness.” ( Luke 17:20) How, then, would the sign show those on earth that Christ’s presence had begun?
3. Jesus’ presence would be marked by a time of profound troubles here on earth. Jesus said that his presence as King in heaven would be marked on earth by wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences, and lawlessness. ( Matthew 24:7-12; Luke 21:10, 11) What would cause all this misery? The Bible explains that Satan, “the ruler of this world,” is full of rage because he knows that his time is very short now that Christ’s presence as King has begun. ( John 12:31; Revelation 12:9, 12) Such visible evidence of Satan’s rage and of Christ’s presence has been abundant in our time. Especially since 1914, a year that historians acknowledge was a turning point, has this evidence appeared on an unprecedented and global scale.
All of that may sound like bad news, but it is not. It means that the Messianic Kingdom is ruling now in heaven. Very soon, that government will exercise its rule right here over all the earth. How, though, would people know about that Kingdom in order to accept its rule and become its subjects?
The bad news we hear every day proves that good things are coming soon
Two women discussing Jesus' prophecy
4. Jesus’ presence is marked by a global preaching work. Jesus said that his presence would be like “the days of Noah.”* ( Matthew 24:37-39) Noah was more than an ark builder; he was also “a preacher of righteousness.” ( 2 Peter 2:5) Noah warned people that a judgment from God was on its way. Jesus said that his followers on earth would be doing something similar during his presence. He prophesied: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”— Matthew 24:14.
As we saw in the preceding article, God’s Kingdom will destroy all the governments of this world. The preaching work alerts people that this heavenly government is about to act, giving all an opportunity to escape the coming destruction and become subjects of that Kingdom. The key question, then, is, How will you respond?
Will God’s Kingdom Mean Good News for You?
The message that Jesus preached was one of incomparable hope. After the rebellion in Eden thousands of years ago, Jehovah God purposed to form a government that would set matters right, returning faithful humans to the condition that God had in mind for them from the start—life eternal in a paradise here on earth. What could be more thrilling than the knowledge that this long-promised government is ruling right now in heaven? It is not some remote, abstract concept but a living reality!
Now, God’s appointed King is ruling in the midst of his enemies. ( Psalm 110:2) In this corrupt world alienated from God, the Messiah is fulfilling his Father’s desire to search out all who want to come to know God as he really is and to worship him “with spirit and truth.” ( John 4:24) The hope of living forever under the rule of God’s Kingdom is available to people of all races, ages, and social backgrounds. ( Acts 10:34, 35) We urge you to take hold of the marvelous opportunity before you. Learn about God’s Kingdom now, so that you can enjoy living under its righteous rule forever!— 1 John 2:17.