As we move through this week we will walk through Palm Sunday and the week leading up to the Crucifixion in Matthew's Gospel. Please read the following chapters this week; Monday - Matthew 21, Tuesday - Matthew 22, Wednesday - Matthew 23, Thursday - Matthew 24, and Friday - Matthew 25.
Chapter 21 takes place on what the Jewish people knew as Lamb Selection Day. as prescribed in the Book of Exodus, this was the day the people were to select a lamb for the Passover celebration. As the nation went about the process of selecting their lambs for the passover sacrifice, Jesus offers himself to them.
Jesus comes riding in to Jerusalem as a King would. The people celebrate him as one who will save them from their oppressors. Jesus had just this in mind, but he saw their oppressor as sin and death and they saw their oppressors as the Romans. This disparate notion of the root of the problem may be the issue that causes the crowd that shouts "Hosanna" today to shout "Crucify Him" on Friday.
The next morning (Monday) when he returns to the city, he is hungry and looks for fruit on a fig tree. When there is no fruit to be had he curses the fig tree and it withers and dies.
When Jesus arrives at the temple he begins teaching the crowds, and the Chief Priest and the Elders of the people confront him and ask him where he derives the authority to do all that he is doing. Jesus turns the question on them and asks them to identify where John the Baptists baptism originated - from human beings or from God? The Chief Priests and Elders are caught in a dilemma. Either answer will get them into trouble with the people, so they refuse to answer. Jesus, then, also refuses to answer where he draws his authority from.
Jesus then tells 3 parables (2 of them are within chapter 21, and 1 begins chapter 22) that deal with the Kingdom expectations and God's grace. These parables are interesting especially when we realize the time frame in which the teachings are given. This is Holy Week friends. Jesus speaks these parables as a final teaching to call the disciples and the nation to repentance.
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
3 comments:
Bill, One could easily do a sermon on just 21:19. This is where a good study bible tells more than mere reding of the WORD. A beautiful church without faith is not worth attending!
There does seem to be a change in the intensity of the parables as Jesus nears his trial and crucifixion...
The fig tree - relieving stress? Just making a point? Seems strange.
Wow Holy week again! Didn't we have a gospel reading last holy week? That was cool too. It's good to remember holy week and what happens at Easter throughout the year. I never thought of Jesus offering himself as this lamb during the festival - I knew that was the idea but with the context it makes a lot more sense. I love the picture of the people worshping Jesus on the way into town - I wish it were always like that. So often the world is turned the other way, not dropping all their things and finding anything they can ( a tree branch) to praise him. How crazy to think about how they will be shouting against him on Friday - the same people!
What is it about that fig tree? It certainly shows that he has power - that even something as natrual and strong as a tree can listen to his commands...pretty awesome! However, is it an anger thing...because we don't usually see Jesus perform things becasuse he is angry...he keeps a pretty good temperment through the whole crucification even!
The parables do get much more serious. The people dying in the parable of the tenants - and how that relates to the crucifiction. I wonder if part of this was his way of showing that he was a little nervous for the upcoming events...
Happy Holy Week!
Marshall
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