JCSCK #63 Jesus' Last Week Monday-Tuesday Teaching In the Temple Text: Matthew 20-21

 

JCSCK #63 Jesus' Last Week

Monday-Tuesday  Teaching In the Temple
Text: Matthew 20-21

 

Introduction – Passion Week Timeline

The Climax of Jesus’ 3 ½ years ministry on earth

Everything event, in the life and ministry of Christ has been building to this final week. From  his baptism by John, to John calling out “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”  From His temptation in the wilderness, to the calling of the apostles, to His encounters with Nicodemus and the woman at the well. From the early secret healings like the man by the pool of Bethesda until the loud rejoicing of the healing of the ten lepers, From the quiet resurrection of the Jairus daughter to the famous and widely seen resurrection of Lazarus, all have been leading to the events of this last week of Jesus’ earthly life.

This week is so important that over half of John’s Gospel is dedicated to just it. This week brings Jesus to Jerusalem on the most important holy days of Unleavened bread and will end with Passover. Though Jesus never hid His ministry, in the first year it was kept quiet but this week Jesus will teach the people, heal the sick and confront the Jewish leaders in more public and open ways that ever before. The result of this week will not be the Nation of Israel accepting their Messiah but instead their Messiah will be crucified. This week will end not with Jesus on a throne but upon a cross. This week will end not in a triumph as it began but with a tragedy of betrayal, beatings and blood.

I could probably preach another year and a half just on the Passion Week, there is so much here, but instead I hope to cover it in two or three messages at the most. That means many events, important teachings and prophecies must be just glanced at as we go by them. I don’t know myself which ones we will stop and linger at, except for today’s message and a future one on Jesus Crucifixion. I do want us to keep track of what is happening even if we can’t stop and listen. So I want to use our timeline again and like passengers on a train look out the window as we keep going to our next station, or in this case our next sermon.

Let’s back up to Saturday and the Supper at Simon’s house where Martha, Mary and Lazarus host Jesus. We are doing to put that on Saturday. Now I will warn you that even though this is the most document week in a person’s life, it is still very hard to put all these events on a particular day of the week. Other than following Sunday, the first day of the week, the day of the resurrection we are not given what event took place on what day of the week. We are given the events in the order they occurred but sometimes Matthew will skip telling us that it is the next day, or will combine events like the cursing of the fig tree and the lesson of the cursed fig tree together, for emphasis. John covers the last supper and all the discourse in the upper room and the agony in Gethsamene, but Matthew, Mark and Luke do not.

So I am going to go with a Thursday crucifixion and burial, most independent Baptist go with Wednesday, most of the rest of Christianity put the crucifixion and burial on Friday. And that is just one example of how hard it is to put these event on a timeline. But lets try.

Saturday

The Sanhedrin plots against Jesus & Lazarus – John 11:55-12:1,9-11

Supper at Simon’s House, Mary anoints Jesus – Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, John 12:2-8

Sunday

Triumphal entry into Jerusalem – Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19

Monday

The Barren Fig Tree Cursed – Matthew 21:18-19, Mark 11:12-14

Second Cleansing of the Temple, healing in the Temple, Hosannas of the children – Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48

Greek proselytes ask to see Jesus – John 12:20-22

Jesus Again Foretells His death – John 12:23-36

The Jewish leaders continue to reject their Messiah – John 12:37-50

 Tuesday

The lesson of the Cursed Fig Tree – Matthew 21:20-22, Mark 11:20-26

The Sanhedrin questions Jesus’ authority – Matthew 21:23-27, Mark 11:27-33, Luke 20:1-8

Jesus teaches three parables: Two Sons In the Vineyard – Matthew 21:28-32, The Vineyard and the Rebels, The Wedding Feast Invitations – Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus questioned about taxes for Caesar – Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:20-26

Sadducees challenge Jesus on the resurrection – Matthew 22:23-33, Mark 12:18-27, Luke 20:27-40

Jesus proclaims The Greatest Commandment – Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34

Jesus shows that the Messiah must be David’s Lord and God’s Son – Matthew 22:41-46, Mark 12:35-37, Luke 20:41-44

Jesus pronounces woe upon the Scribes & Pharisees – Matthew 23:1-36, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:45-47

The widow and her mite show true giving and faith – Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4

 

Wednesday (Friday Burial means nothing happens on this day, Wednesday burial means combing all these events and Thursday)

Jesus teaches The Parable of the Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus teaches The Parable of the Talents – Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus talks of the sheep and the goats – Matthew 25:31-46

The Sanhedrin continues to plot against Jesus – Matthew 26:1-5, Mark 14:1-2, Luke 22:1-2

Judas plans to betray Jesus – Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:3-6

Preparations made for the Passover meal – Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:7-13

 

Jesus In the Upper Room / The Last Passover / Last Message

Jesus washes the disciples’ feet- John 13:1-20

Jesus identifies Judas as the betrayer – Matthew 26:20-25, Mark 14:17-21, Luke 22:21-23, John 13:21-30

Jesus gives a new commandment – John 13:31-35

Jesus foretells His disciples’ denial of Him – Matthew 26:31-35, Mark 14:27-31, Luke 22:31-38, John 13:36-38

Jesus teaches about true greatness – Luke 22:24-30

Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper – Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20

 

The Upper Room Discourse – John 14:1-16:33

Jesus comforts His Disciple and Promises another Comforter – John 14-15

Jesus intercedes for His disciples – John 17:1-26

Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane – Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:26,32-42, Luke 22:39-46

 Wednesday night late into Thursday morning

Jesus betrayed, arrested – Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:1-12

Jesus’ hearing before Annas – John 18:12-14,19-23

Jesus appears before Caiaphas – Matthew 26:57,59-68, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:54,63-65, John 18:24

Peter denies knowing Jesus – Matthew 26:58,69-75, Mark 14:54,66-72, Luke 22:54-62, John 18:15-18,25-27

Sanhedrin condemns Jesus – Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1a, Luke 22:66-71

Judas Iscariot commits suicide – Matthew 27:3-10

 Thursday

Jesus’ first hearing before Pilate – Matthew 27:2,11-14, Mark 15:1b-5, Luke 23:1-5, John 18:28-38

Pilate sends Jesus to Herod Antipas – Luke 23:6-10

Herod returns Jesus to Pilate – Luke 23:11-12

Jesus is condemned to death in place of Barrabas – Matthew 27:15-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:13-25, John 18:39-19:16

Soldiers mock Jesus – Matthew 27:27-31, Mark 15:16-20

Simon carries Jesus’ cross – Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26

Jesus speaks to “Daughters of Jerusalem” – Luke 23:27-31

 

Jesus is crucified – Matthew 27:33-37, Mark 15:22-26, Luke 23:33-34, John 19:17-24

Women and followers at the cross, including Mary – Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, Luke 23:49, John 19:25-27

Crowd mocks Jesus – Matthew 27:39-43, Mark 15:29-32, Luke 23:35-38

Two criminals crucified with Jesus – Matthew 27:38,44, Mark 15:27-28, Luke 23:32,39-43

Supernatural and final events surrounding Jesus’ death – Matthew 27:45-54, Mark 15:33-39, Luke 23:44-48, John 19:28-30

Soldiers pierce Jesus’ side – John 19:31-37

 

Thursday Before Sundown

Jesus buried in tomb of Joseph of Arimathea – Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:42-46, Luke 23:50-54, John 19:38-42

Women mourn at Jesus’ tomb – Matthew 27:61, Mark 15:47, Luke 23:55-56

 

Friday / Saturday In the Tomb

Three Parables One Lesson

Matthew 21:23-27 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? 24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. 27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things

 Jesus, The Jewish Nation and Judgment

That Monday morning on the way into Jerusalem Jesus saw a fig tree in full leaf. He went to get some fruit but it was barren and Jesus cursed the tree. The next morning on Tuesday, as the apostles are coming again from Bethany to Jersalem they see the fig tree and it is shriveled, “from the root up.” This action and cursing of Jesus is really the theme of almost everything that will happen during this week of Unleavened bread and the Passover. The fig tree looks good but it is a lie, there is not fruit when the Messiah comes to the tree therefore the tree is judged. Israel as a nation especially during this Passover week looks good, holy, righteous, but when the Messiah comes there is not fruit and judgment is passed. The fig tree and the parables we will look at this morning, tell us the consequences for a nation and for a person who ignores, rejects or rebels when the Savior comes near.

On this day in the Temple Jesus is going to contend with several different classes of people from the Jewish leadership of Israel, the chief priests, the pharisees, the Sadducees and the elders. This all represent Israel.

The first confrontation is with the chief priest and the elders who want to know by what authority Jesus is doing all the things He is doing, the triumphal entry, the teaching and healings in the temple, accepting the praise of the children and especially the cleansing of the Temple. The buyers, sellers, money exchangers and all the others were there by the authority of the Sanhedrin and Jesus kicked them out showing that He had greater authority and that He was the son of the Father, the Son of God.

Jesus answers their question about authority with His own question about authority and John the Baptist. His answer continues after the chief priest and elders won’t give an answer. So Jesus gives his answer in the 3 parables given on Tuesday in the Temple.

I have to share this with you, Warren Wiersbe outlines these chapters in Matthew as…

Three Parables (21:23–22:14)

The two sons (vv. 23–32). They rejected the Father.

The vineyard (vv. 33–46).They rejected the Son.

The wedding (vv. 1–14).They rejected the Spirit.

Three Questions (22:15–46)

Tribute to Caesar (vv. 15–22).Political question from Herodians.

The resurrection (vv. 23–33).Doctrinal question from Sadducees.

The great commandment (vv. 34–46). Legal question from Pharisees.

Three Discourses (23:1–26:46)

Condemnation of the Pharisees (chap. 23).

Explanation of the future kingdom (chaps. 24–25).

Preparation of the disciples for the cross (26:1–46).

Three Trials (26:47–27:66)

Before Caiaphas and the council (vv. 47–75).

Before the council in the morning (vv. 1–10).

Before Pilate, leading to Christ’s death (vv. 11–66). - Warren W. Wiersbe, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament

Parable of the Two Sons

Matthew 21:28 - 22:14 28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Prostitutes, Publicans and Pharisees

Can you imagine how this must have stung the pride of the Pharisees, the most holy, most righteous, most law keeping of all the people of Judea and yet Jesus’s parable slaps them in the face. Jesus no longer has the time of the inclination to talk nice to the Scribe and Pharisees. He condemns them and son will pronounce utter doom upon them.

This parable has a simple meaning doesn’t it? The Man with two sons would be seen as the Father, and the two sons are those who sin against the Father but then repent, while the other son are those who say they are obeying God but in reality are liars and hypocrites. The publican and harlots repented and were counted as citizens of the Kingdom but the self-righteous Pharisees, scribes, elders and Sadducees would not repent and would not enter, would not be saved.

And Jesus comes back to the question and answer of authority, vs. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

John had the authority of the forerunner and sinners repented and believed, by the same reasoning, Jesus had the authority of the Messiah, the anointed One and sinners repented and believed but you, the leaders, the identity of Israel, rejected both John and Jesus.

The Next Parable

Is even more of a harsh condemnation that the first parable, Go to vs. 33

Parable of The Vineyard

33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

Rebels, Robbers and Rogues

Again this parable needs very little explanttion, even the Pharisees in their spiritual blindness understand it is about them. They are they one giving charge of the Lord’s vineyard. Throughout the Bible the vineyard is a symbol of Israel. The householder means a property own, who has authority over his possession, so this is in keeping with the question about authority that the Pharisees themselves had raised. When all of this is over I imagine they wish they had never brought up the subject.

God, the father, the householder prepares a vineyard with a hedge, a wall and even a tower all for its protection, but it must be put into the care of the husbandmen, the workers, who will care for God’s vineyard, Israel.

When it is time to see the fruit of the investment in the vineyard, the householder sends representatives to collect the owners percentage of the fruit. Instead of giving what is rightfully due, the husbandman rebel against the One who has blessed them. They beat one of the sent ones, they kill another they stone another. Finally, the householder sends his own son, “Surely, they will reverence my son.” The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Jesus then asks what do you think will happen when the Lord of the vineyard comes? What will he do those given responsibility over the vineyard. The people answer, “He will put those rebels, those wretched men to a miserable, terrible death and give the vineyard to others who will give the Lord his fruit in season.”

The rebels, the traitors are of course the Pharisees, scribes and leaders of Israel and all those all the way back to the Old Testament who when given the responsibility of caring and leading Israel instead killed God’s prophets and now before them stand the son. The Son of God and they are planning to do exactly what the rebels in the parable did. They are scheming to kill the heir of God and take the nation of Israel from Him.

Jesus makes sure the Pharisees understand, “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”

The Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God for which Israel had prayed and waited will be taken from them and given to a different people, a different nation. That is us the Gentiles, we now have the responsibility of bringing in the fruit and giving it, in its season to the Lord.

Matthew ends by telling us, Matthew 21:45-46 when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

One more parable

This parable is the most condemning and it is also the one that goes beyond the Passion week and is as much a parable for us as it was for them.

 

 Parable of The Kings Invitation

​1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Invitations, Indifference and Infuriation

The third parable like the first two has one in authority, this time a king. Like the first two it has people who are under that authority and should welcome the blessings, the responsibility and the hope offered by the Father, the householder or the King but instead wickedly lie, steal and even kill those who come from the Father, or King.

Here Jesus says, The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a great marriage for his son. In this time a marriage could last for a week and so the preparation would begin years in advance and all those who would be invited would be told to be ready. When the time was right and all the preparation finished, the king send out his invitations, “I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.”

This is similar to another parable in Luke but this is a different time and has a different purpose, though the overall inviting shares the same theme.

Here the king sends his servants and once again they are rejected, ignored and even killed. The king was wroth (the ESV says angry, no I think wroth is a much better word) The king was furious, he was filled with wrath. Yes he was angry but that anger was not just an emotion it was a also brought a repercussion.  Matthew 22:7 he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

In less than 40 years from this parable, Rome will come and under the general Titus will burning Jerusalem to the ground and Judea will no longer be a nation, but will be wiped from the Roman provinces and placed under a region called Palestine.

The King though will not be stopped by these unfaithful, ungrateful people. No, instead he sends out new invitations. Matthew 22:8-10 The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

That is us, the Gentiles the good and the bad, the great and the small, the lost and the found. They are brought in to the wedding feast. And what makes these new guests welcome? It’s in the next verse, Matthew 22:11-14 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And Jesus sums it up by saying, 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

All were invited, all, but only those who had the wedding garments on were allowed to partake. What does this mean?

When a person hears the Gospel, when we see Jesus lifted up then the Holy Spirit draws us to Jesus and we are invited, not forced, not irrestibly drawn as this parable clearly shows. We answer that invitation, that calling, that drawing by repenting or our sin, removing our filthy robes of worthlessness and take up the robes of righteousness given to us by Jesus death upon the cross.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

The special guest at a wedding feast in New Testament times was given a robe by the host of the wedding. Putting on that robe made you worthy to enter the feast. Rejecting that robe meant you were rejecting the One who offered you the robe. For us it means rejected the robe of righteousness made white by the blood of the Lamb of God. It means trying to enter this wedding feast, the kingdom of Heaven in my own righteousness.

Many are called, but few are chosen. All who hear the Gospel are called but only those who have clothed themselves in the righteousness of Jesus are chosen. Election isn’t a forbidden or mysterious part of salvation. The elect are those who are chosen through and by their rejecting their own garments of sin and choosing the garments of salvation.

In that same chapter of Isaiah is a passage that Jesus claimed as His own at the beginning of His 3 year journey on earth, Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Conclusion

Straightforward Parables, Straightforward Applications

The Pharisees, Elders and scribes fully understood what Jesus was saying that Tuesday in the Temple. God the Father sent His son, Jesus and you have rejected Him and now God will take the Kingdom from you, give it to another and you, who have rejected your savior, your messiah are condemned and God will bring terrible judgment upon you as a people, as a city and as a nation. Ultimately that judgment will mean be cast into outer darkness, Hell with all its terrible torment, pain and eternal regret.

The application to us is just as plain isn’t it? Jesus and John stated it this way in John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Where is your place in these parables? Who are you in these parable? If you say I wouldn’t do what these rebels and traitors did? But what did they really do, historically they killed the servants of God but spiritually all they did was reject and ignore God and His word. Why was the one who could have been a friend of God cast out? He refused the garments offered by the King. He simply rejected the robe of righteousness, paid for by the shed blood of Kings son.

Simple parables, simple application and oh so simple action on our part. Repent like the son in the first parable, received the Son of the Father when He comes near, and accept the invitation by putting on the Robes washed white as snow in the blood of the lamb.