Those who try to pry out signs of Christ's coming, whether they adduce their signs from falling meteors as did the Millerites, or from some manipulation of the figures in the book of Daniel, as have Seventh-Day Adventists and others sometimes, or from measurements of the Great Pyramid as have the British Israelites, or from wars, apostasy, and sin, are all mistaken. Jesus Christ plainly taught us that no one is to know the day nor the hour. People who look for such signs violate the plain intent of Deuteronomy 29:29. "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." - John R. Rice [Matthew, pg. 392]
No man who rejects Christ can know to what awful depth of sin he will be led by Satan. - John R. Rice [Matthew, pg. 431]
It must be understood that no one is saved by taking the Lord's Supper. All the power is in the Saviour Himself, not in the bread nor grape juice which pictures Him. God does not put it in the hands of priests or churches to pass out salvation through bread and wine. This is a holy rite, to be done in remembrance and showing forth Christ's death. We become real partakers of the body and blood of Christ through faith (John 6:27-58, noticing particularly verses 29, 35, 40, and 47). "This is my body" and "this is my blood" are intended to be figurative, as the context clearly shows. The passover lamb was not Christ's flesh but PICTURED His flesh. The blood on the doorpost was not the blood of Christ but PICTURED Christ's blood. All Jews were accustomed to this symbolism and would understand what Jesus said and meant. - John R. Rice [Matthew, pg. 434]
The trial of Jesus was a fake trial. The chief priests did not impartially seek to find the truth. Rather "they sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death" (vs. 59). Malice and hate were their motives. Let this remind us that there can be no such thing as an honest rejection of Jesus Christ. The only reason anybody ever rejects Christ is from a wicked heart, loving sin and so hating Christ. See Matthew 6:24 and Luke 11:23. - John R. Rice [Matthew, pg. 450]
John 3:18-21 plainly shows there can be no such thing as innocent unbelief. Behind all unbelief is love for sin and deliberate rejection of Christ, the Light of the world, because men love darkness. Thus God calls the man who says "no God," a "fool" (Ps. 53:1), and the man who is even slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken," a "fool" (Luke 24:25). The evidence that there is a God, that the Bible is His holy, inspired, and infallible Word, that Jesus Christ is His Son, is so overwhelming to any honest mind that only wicked malice could keep one from gladly accepting it. - John R. Rice [Matthew, pg. 450-451]
Anyone who rejects Christ may be expected to have false reasons. There are no good reasons for rejecting Christ nor for not believing the Bible. Insincere hearts are behind all infidelity and all Christ-rejection. - John R. Rice [Matthew, pg. 451]
"The middle wall of partition" (Eph. 2:14) was the wall that separated the Court of the Gentiles from the Court of Israel and the indication is that when Christ died that partition was was broken down the same time the veil in the temple was rent in twain. Certainly that was true symbolically and likely it was true physically. When the veil was torn down, then every barrier between God and man was removed for those who are willing to come through the torn veil (the crucified Saviour). - John R. Rice [Matthew, pg. 480]
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