Passion Week Teachings 1

Good Morning! 

Passion Week!  For believers, this week is both a wake and a celebration.  We began the week with Jesus entering Jerusalem, riding on a donkey as prophesied (Zechariah 9:9). According to Matthew, Jesus makes His way to the Temple where He sees the merchants there, misusing the laws regarding sacrifices to cheat pilgrims.  Angered, Jesus throws a righteous fit, overturning the tables of the moneychangers and denouncing the practice. He then returned to Bethany for the night.  The next day He returned to Jerusalem. 

This morning, I want to take a look at Jesus’ teachings on Monday of this pivotal week in history from the perspective of Matthew … primarily because Matthew writes his gospel account to the Jews, pointing to Jesus as the Messiah.  So, let’s take a look in Matthew 21:23-46:

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 

24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” 

And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.”

And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Keep in mind that, in the minds of the priests and elders of the people, the Temple was THEIR domain. People couldn’t just come and go as they liked. To enter certain parts of the Temple, one had to be a pure blood Jewish male. Other parts were set aside for their wives and daughters.  If you were a convert to Judaism, you were kept in the outer part of the Temple.  Most of the teaching of Jesus take place in the outer courtyard.  Still, the priests and elders demanded one have authority to speak.  Imagine if you were to go to the State Capitol building in Atlanta to hold a rally … you better have a permit or you are going to be told to move along.  This is what is happening  to Jesus.

If anyone OWNED the Temple, it was Jesus – God Incarnate.  Imagine if He were to come right out and tell these pretenders Who He really was.  “I am and that gives me all authority.”  We see in John’s gospel what happens when He proclaims “I am” … all the troops sent to arrest Him fall to the ground.  But Jesus chooses not to make that proclamation.  He asks them a question about John, the Baptizer.  And that is when it becomes clear that they are pretenders … afraid to give a straight answer because of the political implications.  So … Jesus gives two teachings:

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” 

They said, “The first.”

Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants

33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants[a] to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;[b]
this was the Lord's doing,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”[c]

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

Footnotes:

a.     Matthew 21:34 Or bondservants; also verses 35, 36

b.     Matthew 21:42 Greek the head of the corner

c.     Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts omit verse 44

No one enjoys facing the truth about themselves.  And these religious leaders, when they perceived that Jesus was talking about their failure to actually do the work that God had appointed them to do, they became enraged.  Rather than respond by repenting and hearing God speak to them, they sought to arrest and to kill.  But they were afraid to do so openly.

What about me?  Are there times when God speaks truth to me about who I really am? How do I respond?  Do I repent, seek forgiveness and cleansing … or do I make excuse or try to run from that truth?  If I am to grow in Christ, I must realize what I am (a sinner, redeemed by grace); agree with God that I am wrong; turn to Him and ask for Him to make me whole again. 

He has promised that He will … 1^st John 1:5-10

Agape’

Mr. Jim

Prayer: Father, thank You for reminding this “leader” of his need to walk in Your way and not his own.  Thank You for reminding me that I am YOUR possession … and not vice versa.  Teach me to be aware of when I fail … and give me the courage to seek You in those times so that I might be restored.  In Jesus’ Name … Amen.

Scripture for today: Matthew  21:23-46