Woes

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At the beginning of the episode, Jesus tells his disciples not to be afraid. He invites them to trust him, explaining that he is preparing a place for them and will return one day. The disciples are confused and wonder where he is going. In response, Jesus declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” and he reassures them with a promise, “I will not leave you as orphans … I will give you the Holy Spirit.”

But the disciples don’t want anyone else—they want Jesus. How could anyone possibly take Jesus’ place?

The promise feels mysterious and unsettling. Yet Jesus reiterates that the Spirit of truth will not only be with them, but in them.

Have you ever felt afraid when someone important left you? What was your response?
Why do you think the disciples struggled to understand Jesus’ words?
If you had been there, what would have troubled you most?

Jesus introduces a profound truth: He is the way, the truth and the life. And he promises his disciples that they will not be left alone—the Holy Spirit will come. Let’s read John 14:6, 16-20, 26-27.

John 14:6, 16-20, 26-27

What does it mean when Jesus says he is the way, the truth and the life?
How have you personally experienced this to be true?
What do these verses teach us about the Holy Spirit?
Why do you think Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth”?

In Acts, the early believers were known as people of “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9). Following Jesus was not just believing ideas—it was walking a path. When Jesus says he is the way, he is inviting us into a relationship through which he gives us direction.

The Holy Spirit is not a replacement for Jesus. The Holy Spirit unites us with the risen Jesus and makes his presence real in our lives.

What does it mean for your life to trust Jesus as the way?
Where do you need Jesus as the truth right now?
Where do you long to experience real life and not just survival?
What would it look like to live more intentionally with the Holy Spirit this week?

In this episode, we again see Matthew’s eagerness to learn and his deep desire to stay close to Jesus. He is unsettled by the unexpected events unfolding around them, yet he says, “I’m willing to be surprised. I crave surprise, in the sense that surprise is something unexpected, but it brings me closer to understanding. Shock, on the other hand, separates me from understanding.” Jesus responds, “And above all, you seek understanding.” Matthew answers, “Above all, I seek you.” And Jesus replies, “Then you already understand” [23:00-25:12 min].

What do you think of Matthew’s willingness to be surprised?
What is the difference between seeking understanding and seeking Jesus?
What do you think Jesus meant when he said Matthew already understands?
In your own life, do you seek clarity first or Christ first?

After answering a Pharisee’s question about the greatest commandment, Jesus tells the people to listen to the Pharisees’ teachings, but not to imitate their actions, “For they preach, but do not practice” [38:56-39:38 min]. He then speaks a series of strong warnings, often called “woes”, directed at the Pharisees. Let’s read Matthew 22:37-40 and 23:13-36.

Matthew 22:37-40

Matthew 23:13-36

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’

17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?

18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’

19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.

22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.

28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.

30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

What does it mean to love God with all your heart, soul and mind?
Why does Jesus say the command to love your neighbour as yourself is like the first commandment?
Is there one “woe” in Matthew 23 that particularly challenges you? Why?
What do these warnings teach us about living our faith authentically? What should we avoid and what should we pursue as followers of Jesus?

Matthew thanks Jesus for letting him help prepare the Sermon on the Mount. He recognises how much he has learned. Jesus responds that Matthew has learned these lessons in order to share them.

Matthew feels insecure, like he still understands so little. Jesus gently tells him the time for one-on-one preparation is ending. It is time for Matthew to begin discerning the message and teaching others.

This marks a turning point in discipleship: when the disciple moves from receiving to sharing. To live your faith with others, you do not need perfect understanding. You need devotion. Loving God leads to loving people. And what we receive from Jesus is meant to be shared.

Since we cannot physically walk with Jesus as Matthew did, what does it look like today to seek and learn from him?
How do you discern his voice in your life?
What might it look like for you to move from learner to sharer?
How do you respond when you feel insecure because you don’t understand everything?

At the end of the episode, Jesus leaves Jerusalem and goes to the Mount of Olives to be alone. Peter, Zee, Andrew and John follow him to ask what feels like an important question: When will the things he foretold happen, and what will be the sign of his coming and the end of the age?

They are looking for clarity about the future.

Do you ever think about questions like these—about the end times or Jesus’ return?
What feelings do these topics stir in you: fear, curiosity, hope, confusion?
Why do you think the disciples wanted to know?

Jesus responds with a warning, “Watch out that no one deceives you.” Let’s read Matthew 24:1-14, 35-36 and 42.

Matthew 24:1-14, 35-36 and 42

1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.

2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.

5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.

6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

What does this passage tell us about the future?
What does it reveal about human nature?
What does it mean to stand firm to the end?
Why do you think Jesus emphasises watchfulness?
What stands out to you most in these verses? Why?

There are many things about the future we do not know, but one thing we do know: Jesus will return. Uncertainty can either lead to fear or to deeper faith. Jesus does not give his followers a date, but he does give us a direction. He calls us to stay alert, remain faithful, endure, refuse deception and trust his words.

How do you usually respond to uncertainty in your life?
How do you hold onto what is sure when so much feels unclear? How do others help you with that?
What does being watchful look like in your daily life?
What practices help you stay rooted in truth and to guard against deception?

The Pharisees try to trap Jesus by asking difficult, loaded questions. They send their disciples together with some Herodians to ask him whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.

The tension behind this question is clear. Why should God’s chosen people give money to a pagan ruler who claims divine status and occupies their land? Caesar even identifies himself as “son of a god”. How can God’s people be faithful to the one true God and still give money to a blasphemous occupying power?

What do you think about the religious leaders trying to trap Jesus like this?
What role do authorities play in your own context?
When have you felt tension between faith and political or cultural systems?

Again and again, Jesus turns the questions meant to trap him into powerful teaching moments. What was meant to expose him instead reveals a deeper truth. This moment is no different. Let’s read Matthew 22:15-22.

Matthew 22:15-22

What is Jesus really addressing in this passage?
What is the significance of the image and inscription on the coin?
Why doesn’t Jesus simply reject paying taxes?
What does his answer reveal about allegiance?

Jesus reminds his listeners that this is God’s world. Paying taxes does not mean affirming everything a ruler claims about himself. It simply acknowledges that you live within a system—funding roads, security, infrastructure.

Caesar may have stamped his image on coins, but God has stamped his image upon every human being. “The coin belongs to Caesar. You belong to him [God]” [33:00-36:42 min].

Jesus shifts the conversation from money to identity. Giving hands and feet to our faith means aligning our finances, priorities and identity with the One whose image we bear.

What in your life reflects “Caesar’s image” and what reflects God’s image?
What does it look like in practice to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s?
How does Jesus’ teaching here affect how you use your time, energy, influence and loyalty?
How can we guard against forgetting the true meaning of a symbol or allowing it to become empty or distorted?

SEASON 5 - EPISODE 3

Woes

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Initial Reflections

Dig In

John 14:6, 16-20, 26-27

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Initial Reflections

Dig In

Matthew 22:37-40

Matthew 23:13-36

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Initial Reflections

Dig In

Matthew 24:1-14, 35-36 and 42

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Initial Reflections

Dig In

Matthew 22:15-22

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