PART X

CHRIST'S FINAL MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM

A Culminating Clash With The Jewish Leaders

Sunday to Wednesday Morning, April 2-5, A.D. 30

134 Riding into Jerusalem, Jesus Dramatizes His Messiahship and Wins Popular Support

Sunday, April 2.

Matt 21:1-11, mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-44, John 12:12-19

29 As he approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a donkey tied there with her colt which not one has ever ridden. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you. tell him that the Lord needs them and will send them away."

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. (Lk 32b) just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners 5b standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus told them to, "The Lord needs it."and the people let them go.

7 They brought the donkey and the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the (Mk 8b) road, while others spread branches they had put in the fields. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, (Jn12b) the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

"Hosanna!"

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

"Blessed is the King of Israel!"

9 The crowds that went ahead and those who followed (Lk 37b) began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen;

"Hosanna!"

"Hosanna to the Son of David!"

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"

"Hosanna in the highest!"

"Peace in heaven, glory in the highest!"

17 Now the crowd that was with him had continued to spread the word that he had called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion, (Jn 15 ) 'Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king (Mt 5b) comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey'"

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and your children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you ." 10 When Jesus entered, Jerusalem, and went to the temple. (Mt10b) the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" 11 The crowds answered, "This is the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." (Mk 11b) He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with Twelve.

135 Jesus Condemns a Fruitless Fig Tree

Monday, April 3

Matt 21:18-19, Mark 11:12-14

12 The next day 18 Early in the morning as he was (mk12b) leaving Bethany, on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing (Mk13b) in the distance a fig tree (Mt19b) by the road, (Mk13b) in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not in season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, "may no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. (Mt19b) Immediately the tree withered.

136 The Second Cleansing of The Temple

Monday, April 3

Matt 21:12-16, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-48

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out (Mt12b) all who were buying and selling there. he over turned the tables of the money changers (Mk 15b) and the branches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise though the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written:

But you have made it ' a den of robbers'" 14 The blind and lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.

"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,

47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people (Mk18b) heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

137 The Desire of Some Greeks to See Jesus Occasions Great Discourse of the Significance of His Approaching Death

Monday, April 3

Matt 21:17, Mark 11:19, John 12:20-50

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. my Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 "Now my heart is trouble, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"

Then a voice came to heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there it heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

34 The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The son of Man must be lifted up?' Who is this 'Son of Man'?"

35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, that up may be the sons of light. " When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

37 Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous sings in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

"Lord, who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah say elsewhere:

41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory an spoke about them.

42 Yet at the same time many among the headers believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue: 43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

44 Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

47 "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world but to save it. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word of which I spoke will condemn him to the last day. 49 For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."

(Mk19) When evening came, (Mt17b) he left then out and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

138 The Withered Fig Tree - A Lesson Faith

Tuesday, April 4

Matt 21:20-22, Mark 11:20-25

20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.

21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also (Mk22b) if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be down for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven many forgive you your sins."

139 Challenged by the Sanhedrin as to His Authority, Jesus Replies With a Shrewd Question and Pertinent Parables.

Tuesday, April 4

27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus (Lk1b) was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.

28 "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?"

(Mt24) Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John's baptism - where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!"

31 They discussed among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 32 But if we say, (Lk 6b) 'From men,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."

7 So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."

8 Jesus said, "Neither will tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

1 He then began to speak to them in parable:

(My 28) "What do you think? There was man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

29 "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 "Then the father went to his other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?"

"The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

33 "Listen to another parable: 'There was a land-owner who planted (Mk 1b) a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the wine press and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to (Lk 9b) some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the (Mk2b) tenants to collect from them some fruits of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty- handed. 4 Then they sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him (Lk11b) shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. 5 He sent still another, and that one got killed; he sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. 13 "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'

14 "But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. (Mk7b) come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 "Therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

41 "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at the harvest time."

(Lk16b) When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"

17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

43 "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will crushed."

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

5 "But they paid no attention and went off - one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8 "Then he said to his servants, 'the wedding banquet is ready, but hose I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anybody you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot and throw him out into the outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, (Mk 12b) because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

140 Some Pharisees and Herodians Try in Vain to Ensnare Jesus With a question About Paying Taxes to Caesar.

Tuesday, April 14

Matt 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:20-26

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. (Lk 20) Keeping a close watch on him, they (Mk 13b) sent some of (Mt16b) their disciples to him along with the Herodians (Lk20b) who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power of the governor. 21 So the spies (Mk14b) came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but (Lk 21b) you speak and teach what is right, and (Mk14b) you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar (Mk13c) or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

18 But Jesus knowing their evil intent, sent, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax."

They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"

"Caesar," they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" 22 When they heard this, they (Mk17b) were amazed at him.

26 They were unable to trap him in what he said there in public and astonished by his answer, they became silent.

(Mt 22c) So they left him and went away.

141 Jesus Replies to a Skeptical Question From Some Sadducees About the Resurrection

Tuesday, April 4

Matt 22:23-33, Mark 12:18-27, Luke 20:27-40

23 That same day 27 Some of the Sadducess, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 "Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third brother, right on to the seventh. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of seven, since all of them were married to her?"

24 Jesus replied, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 Those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.

26 Now about the dead rising - have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how even Moses showed that the dead rise, for God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive. You are badly mistaken!"

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching, 39 Some of the teachers of the Law responded, "Well said, teacher!" 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions. 37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.

143 Jesus Finally Silences the Pharisees With a Question About the Messiah

Wednesday, April 5

Matt 22:41-46, Mark 12:35-37a, Luke 21:38; 20:41-44

38 And all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, 35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked them, 42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"

"The Son of David," they replied.

43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For (Lk42b) David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:

"'The Lord said to my Lord:

"Sit at my right hand 43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'

37 David himself calls him 'Lord.' 37 How then can he be his son?" 42 No one could say a word say a word in reply , and from that day on one dared to ask him any more questions.

144. Jesus Publicly Denounces the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees.

Wednesday, April 5

Matt 23:1-39, Mark 12:37b-40, Luke 20:45-47

37b The large crowd listened to him with delight. 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

"Watch out for the teachers of the Law. they and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they do, for they practice what they do not preach.

5 "Every thing they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels of the prayer shawls long; 6 they (Mk38b) like to walk around in flowing rodes and (Mt 6b) love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the market places and to have men call them 'Rabbi.' 40 They devour widows houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

8 "But are you not called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 "Woe to you, teachers of law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men'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 he becomes one, you make him twice as much the son of hell as you are.

16 "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, he is bound by his 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 if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath' 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the alter which makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the alter swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 22 And he 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 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 law and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside the are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisees, you hypocrites! 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 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 forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

31 So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!

33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men 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 Berakiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the alter. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he comes in the name of the Lord.'"

145. A Widow's Two Small Coins

Wednesday, April 5

Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offering were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small coins, worth only a small fraction of a penny. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. (Lk 4) All theses people gave their gifts out of their wealth; (Mk44b) but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on."