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Holy Week of Christ

What is the Significance of Palm Sunday?

To get a better context, let us consider what the Son of God taught His apostles on their way to Jerusalem. They were apprehensive about entering the city, wondering if any harm would come to them.

                  For the third time now, Jesus explains what’s coming, (see also Lk. 9:22 & 33 – 45):

… “Listen carefully: we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled and completed. He will be betrayed and handed over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities), and will be mocked and ridiculed and insulted and abused and spit on, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise [from the dead].” Lk. 18:31 – 33. AMP

            And neither do the apostles understand Him now. What He is trying to get them to understand is that every event surrounding His impending death has been orchestrated and is totally under the control of the Father and the Son.

                  The apostle Matthew’s recollection of Jesus’ reply to His apostles was very similar:

“…the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” Mt. 20:18, 19. NLT

                  Christ was conveying to them that in this trip to Jerusalem, the culmination of all the prophecies concerning the Messiah, (which go as far back in time as the Garden of Eden), would now manifest, even His death and resurrection.

            Heretofore, Jesus had mostly behaved in a humble manner. It obviously did not rub off on His apostles, as during this same trip to Jerusalem, James and John beseech Him for seats of high honor in heaven.

                  Christ rebukes them:

“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism [of suffering and death] with which I am baptized?” Mk. 10:38 AMP

                  He is trying to prepare them for the horrific violence He must face, and they must witness. Moreover, instead of the ‘high honor’ that some of the apostles’ desire, He shows them a completely different road:

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.

“But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mt. 20:25-28. NLT

            A crowd gathers, whereupon Jesus perceives omnisciently that many believe that He came as a ‘military’ Messiah, who would tear down Roman rule, making way for a ‘physical’ kingdom of God in present time.

                  Christ teaches them a parable, (Lk. 19:11 – 25.), where He is trying to impress upon them that He’s ascending to heaven to receive His kingship and that the kingdom of heaven will finally manifest when He returns from heaven.  

                  It is now time for the Passover celebration in Jerusalem and everyone is wondering if Jesus will show up; and the priests and Pharisees have spies in place to arrest Him if He does.

            This Sunday would forever be known as ‘Palm Sunday’, marking the beginning of Christ’s ‘Holy Week” before His ascension to His Father. Jesus is in town of Bethany, just outside of Jerusalem, to prepare for His holy entrance.

                  How? The Son of God sends two of His apostles to a nearby village, where they would find a colt that had never been ridden, tied to a post, and tells them to bring it to Him.

                  Jesus mounts the colt and rides into Jerusalem, publicly proclaiming His Messiahship – fulfilling another messianic prophecy (see Zec. 9:9).  

            A gathering crowd lays clothes and palm branches onto the path before Him, shouting as He passes by:

“Hosanna to the Son of David (Messiah); blessed [praised, glorified] is He who comes in the name of the LORD; Hosanna in the highest [heaven]!” Mt. 21:9 AMP

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” Lk. 19:38 NLT

‘Hosanna’ means save now; and ‘Son of David’ recognizes Jesus as the true Messiah. The Pharisees get upset, but Jesus tells them that the crowd’s worship was appropriate.

Still, Christ knows that many will not accept Him as Savior, and He weeps for Jerusalem’s inhabitants:

 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.” Lk. 19:42 NLT

“Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.” Lk. 19:43, 44. NLT

                  Jesus wept for those who would not recognize their King of Salvation (thus rejecting His Father as well). He entered the city as their King and left as their Prophet, telling them of the coming destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Roman general Titus in 70 A.D.

                  Christ and His apostles returned to the city of Bethany…

                  Goodnight and God bless.

The Final Week of the Incarnated Christ 5

Last time, (see part 4), we looked at Wednesday of Christ’s Holy week – where Jesus revealed the exact day of His crucifixion, and where Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus to the chief priests and the Temple guards. Then we looked a part of Thursday, seeing the Last Supper, where Judas is exposed in his treachery.

Thursday (cont.):

         Let’s return to the Last Supper, right after Judas flees into the night…

            Jesus immediately says:

“The time has come for the Son of Man to enter his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once.” Jn. 13:31, 32. NLT

            Christ is saying that everything has now been set in motion for His imminent death and resurrection, which glorifies His Father – for Jehovah’s wisdom put forth in His salvation plan for humankind. It also glorifies the Son, for His passion for God’s children, and for His willingness to be our sacrificial substitute, to take our punishment for our sins:

(He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief…it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down…he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed…the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. Is. 53:3 – 6. NLT)

            Jesus continues:

“Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Jn. 13:33 – 35. NLT

            This ‘new commandment,’ evolves the Mosaic Law of ‘loving your neighbor as yourself’ to a higher level. Christ is implying that love must be the primary drive behind all that we think and do, as well as to have an attitude of selflessness and servitude, as we strive to emulate Christ.

            However, Jesus’ love commandment must have gone right over Peter’s head, because he is still stuck on the part where Christ said He was going to leave. Peter tells Him that he would follow Him anywhere, even laying down his life if necessary.

            Jesus shocks Peter with His answer:

“Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter – before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny that you even know me.” Jn. 13:38 NLT

            He then turns to the other ten apostles and declares:

“Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd and the flock will be scattered.’ (Zech. 13:7) But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.” Mt. 26:32, 32. NLT

            Next, Christ initiates the celebration of Communion:

And when He had taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant [ratified] in My blood.” Lk. 22:19, 20. AMP

And when He had taken a cup and gave thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the [new and better] covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many [as a substitutionary atonement] for the forgiveness of sins.” Mt. 26:27, 28. AMP

(…every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread and drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 1 Cor. 11:26 – 29. NLT).

            When we take ‘Communion,’ we are performing a ritual, whereby we take something physical, (often referred to as a ‘sacrament’), to remind us of the offer of Jehovah’s grace through Jesus Christ.

            We visibly utilize the sacrament to act out Christ’s proclamation, (in faith), trusting in the power of the grace of the New Covenant that replaces / transcends / enhances the Mosaic Law.

            We do not put our faith in the physical sacrament itself (that would be trying to earn salvation by works). Rather, it is our faith in Christ’s forgiveness of our sins, that is replayed and renewed in our memories, when we accept the sacrament – knowing there is nothing else upon which we can rely.

            Jesus concludes the Communion, and gives the apostles what would be their last in-depth teaching:

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.” Jn. 14:1 – 3. CSB

[For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 Cor. 5:1 NLT]

            Awesome, yes? Christ then reinforces how there is only one way to get to that heavenly home:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jn. 14:6 NKJV

(“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 NLT)

            Christ is the only door to the Kingdom. He is the living word of God, and the giver of life. There are no gray areas here. It’s matter of life or death. God said, “choose life” (Dt. 30:19), and He is still saying it today.

            Jesus then taught them that because the very essence of God fills Him, and is expressed by Him, they have essentially had God in their midst the entire time that they’ve been together:

“If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” Jn. 14:7 NLT

            Philip pops up and asks to see the Father. Christ gently rebukes him:

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!…The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.” Jn. 14:9 – 11. NLT

            Jesus is empowering His disciples. He foreknew it would be difficult for them when His physical presence was gone. He’s building up their faith:

“…anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.” Jn. 14:12, 13. NLT

            He then shifts gears and tells them how best to express their love for Him and their Father in heaven:

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them…and we will come and make our home with each of them.” Jn. 14:21 & 23. NLT

“…if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” Jn. 15:7- 9. NLT

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jn. 15:11 NLT

            Jesus then assures them that He is not abandoning them. In fact, He will always be available – through the ‘Holy Spirit:’

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

No, I will not abandon you as orphans – I will come to you.” Jn. 14:15 – 18. NLT

(…let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves…which is the opposite of what the Spirit wants…These two forces are constantly fighting each other… Gal. 5:16, 17. NLT

…the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Gal. 5:22, 23. NLT)

(…God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets…And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 1 Cor. 2:10 & 12. NLT)

            Christ continues:

“I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” Jn. 14:25, 26. NLT

“…I will send you the Advocate – the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.” Jn. 15:26 NLT

“…in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sins, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.

There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.” Jn.16:7 – 9 & 12 – 14. NLT

            In a nutshell, Jesus is saying that because He taught them so much, they would not be able to recall it all. However, the Holy Spirit would bring what they need, to the light of remembrance. Also, because of Christ’s limited 3-year ministry on earth, the Holy Spirit will give ongoing revelations about the full nature of our Savior. 

            Next, Jesus offers us even further comfort:

“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am.” Jn. 14:27, 28. NLT

            (When Jesus was tied to the flesh, He was inferior to His Father, His resurrected self is not.)

            Jesus would not leave this earth until He accomplished everything His Father intended Him to do – even to the point of submitting to the violence of Satan; and He did it all for you:

“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches me. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father.” Jn. 14:30, 31. NLT

            Lastly, Jesus draws up an allegory of our intertwined relationship with Him and Jehovah:

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” Jn. 15:1, 2. NLT

            Our Savior is saying that it is not enough to know God. We must live, as He would have us live. And, from time to time, (like any good parent), our Father in heaven will dole out a little divine discipline to nudge us back on track when we stray from His ways.

            Indeed, we need this relationship:

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.” Jn. 15:4 – 6. NLT

(My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. Pr. 3:11, 12. NLT)

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you what you ask for, using my name.” Jn. 15:16 NLT

            You were chosen by Christ Himself for the Kingdom of God, and for advancing it by inviting others to the love of God, through the love of His Son.

            Jesus wraps up the Last Supper with these words:

“…the time is coming – indeed it’s here now – when you will be scattered, each going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Jn. 16:32, 33. NLT

Goodnight and God bless.

The Final Week of the Incarnated Christ 2

            Previously, we examined all the events that occurred on the second day (Monday) of Christ’s Holy Week (see Part 1).

Tuesday

         In the morning, Jesus and His apostles set out for Jerusalem again. Along the way, they come upon the fig tree that Christ had cursed the day before. Peter is astonished because the tree is completely withered in only a day. Jesus addressed his consternation:

“Have faith in God…you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart…you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins too. Mk. 11:22 – 25. NLT

            So, the withered fig tree was an object lesson about the power of faith-based prayer, and the necessity for doing so, with no ill will towards anyone.

(Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Heb. 11:1 NLT)

            (Some biblical scholars see His response as using prayer to remove the things in your path (‘mountain’), that keep you from bearing fruit in your life. Others, see it as a metaphor of a virtue-signaling church – looking polished and proper on the outside but fruitless in the eyes of God.)

         When they arrive in Jerusalem, Jesus heads for the Temple and begins to preach; but as He is doing so, the chief priests and church elders confronted Him. They demanded to know by whose authority Christ was teaching, seeing as how He was neither priest nor scribe.

            Jesus answered their question with a question of His own:

“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” Mt. 21:25 NLT

            He is placing His confronters in a spiritual pickle. If they answered, ‘from heaven,’ they would have to acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God – as John the Baptist professed. If they said, ‘it was merely human,’ they would be denying that John was a prophet, in front of a crowd, who fervently believed that he was. (Jesus was trying to force them to delineate where they got their authority.)

            Moreover, if they would take that stance, they believed their immediate physical well-being would be in jeopardy. So, they took the easy way out and said that they didn’t know.

         And so, neither did Jesus answer them. Instead, He peppered them with a barrage of parables.

The first one was about a man who owned a vineyard, who asks his two sons to go out and work in it. The first son refuses, but has a change of heart, deciding to heed his father’s request. The second, said he would work it, but didn’t.

            Jesus asked the priests to answer which of the two was the obedient one. They rightly identify it being the ‘first son.’ Christ responds:

“…corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did.

“And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.” Mt. 21:32, 32. NLT

         Christ is saying that ‘repentant sinners’ would enter the Kingdom, but that access would be denied to the hypocritical, self-righteous religious folks, like the priests.

            In a second parable, He tells of a landowner who leased his land to vinedressers. When harvest time came, the landowner sent three of his servants to the vinedressers to get his share of the wine, as was stated in the lease.

            However, the vinedressers reneged on the lease – killing one of the servants and badly beating the other two. The landowner sends three more servants, who receive the same treatment.

            Finally, he sends his own son, thinking the vinedressers would respect him; but they kill him as well.

(Obviously a metaphor for the killing of the prophets and the imminent murder of the Son of God.)

            Jesus pauses, turns to the priests, and asks them what they think the landowner should do to the vinedressers. They answer that they should be killed and replaced with honorable ones. Christ responds by asking them if they had read Ps. 118:22, 23 – which He quotes:

‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ Mt. 21:42 NLT

         This is an Old Testament Messianic prophecy that Jesus is declaring now fulfilled – where He has become the Cornerstone in the Kingdom of God. Furthermore, He is outing the priests, as being part of those who reject Him. Then, He tells them what that will cost them:

“…the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit. Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will shatter him.” Mt. 21:43, 44. CSB

            In other words, the Kingdom of God will now be ripped away from the ‘religious system’ in Israel, and be given to all His Jew and Gentile followers in other nations.

         Finally, Jesus hits them with a third parable, whereupon He likens the Kingdom of heaven to a king who sends out his servants to bring the guests who were invited to the wedding of his son. However, the guests refuse to come.

            He sends his servants a second time, declaring that the king has prepared an exquisite feast. Not only do they still refuse, but they also kill the king’s servants. The king retaliates by having his army slay them.

            The king then sent out other servants into the streets to gather new guests, (some evil, some good) to fill the wedding hall. But, one guest was tossed out, because they had no wedding garment, whose final disposition is elucidated by Christ:

“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Mt. 22:13 NKJV

            He then directly addressed the priests:

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Mt. 22:14 CSB

         Similarly, as in the second parable, this metaphorically illustrates that God first called the Jews to come to Him, both through His prophets and His Son. The Jews killed many of the prophets and are about to crucify His Son.

            Subsequently, corporate Israel has now lost its chance for salvation, during the time of Jesus’ incarnate visit to Israel. Instead, salvation is being offered to the Gentiles and to the believing Jews outside of Israel – to those who have faith in God and Christ (i.e., ‘wearing the wedding garment’)…

         The Pharisees and high priests were beside themselves, due to Jesus’ verbal spankings. In a counterattack, they try to force Him to blaspheme Himself. First, by approaching Him with a group of Herodians (those loyal to Governor Herod Antipas and to the Roman occupiers who kept Herod in power) – to try to trick Jesus by asking Him if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.

            You see, if Jesus says ‘yes,’ He would be betraying the Temple, that advocated for all taxes to be paid to it; and if He says ‘no,’ the Herodians would accuse Him of being a traitor to the Roman empire.

            Jesus is not fooled. He replies:

“You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “whose picture and title are stamped on it?” Mt. 22:18 – 20. NLT

            They rightly answer that it was Caesar’s. Jesus replies:

“Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” Mt. 22:21

            Foiled again!

         Then the Sadducees (the other major Jewish religious sect (who didn’t believe in resurrection), approaches Him with a ridiculously absurd scenario for Jesus to try to explain, in hopes to show Him, the flaws in the concept of resurrection, which would then discount all of Christ’s teachings.

            They began by quoting a Mosaic law (Dt. 25:5 – 10.), stating that the brother-in-law of a childless widow must marry her and have children with her, to perpetuate the deceased brother’s lineage.

In the Sadducees’ twisted example, a childless widow was married to her six surviving brothers-in-law, because each of them died sequentially. None of them left her with child. So, they ask Jesus, which of the six brothers would be her husband in heaven. He answers:

“Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.” Mt. 22:29 – 30 NLT

“And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.” Lk.20:36 NLT

“But now, as to the resurrection of the dead – haven’t you read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’* So he is the God of the living, not the dead.” Mt. 22:31, 32. NLT *(Ex. 3:6)

            Jesus is saying that they are unable to understand the transcendent relationships of the children of eternity.

         When the Pharisees saw that Jesus debunked the Sadducees rejection of the resurrection, they sent a lawyer (scribe) to Him to ask which of the Ten commandments was the greatest. Christ answers:

“’You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Mt. 22:37 – 40. NLT (see also Dt. 6:5; Lv. 19:18)

            His response is met with grudgingly approval. But now, It’s Jesus’ turn. He asks the Pharisees:

“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” Mt. 22:42 NLT

            Jesus counters:

“Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord? For David said,

“‘The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’”

“Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” Mt. 22:43 – 45. NLT

         Christ is quoting Ps. 110:1 – a very well-known and highly authoritative Messianic prophecy, showing that the Messiah cannot be a mere man because He is acknowledged by King David as his ‘Lord.’ Moreover, God (LORD) is saying that this ‘Lord’ will sit at His right hand – the place only reserved for His Son.

            Jesus’ logic was irrefutable. The Christ was not the nationalistic military hero that many of the Jews were waiting for. He was the Son of God, who existed both before and after David.

            So, we come full circle in this very extended answer to why Jesus had the authority to preach and teach in the Temple…

            Jesus turns to His apostles and to the crowd that surrounded them to try to open the eyes of the Jewish laity to these devils that teach in the Temple (Pharisees and scribes), of which we will listen to – next time.

Goodnight and God bless.

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