Jesus and His apostles were journeying to Jerusalem. All the while, He was preparing their mindset for carrying on the Gospel when He departs (see Listen Up if You Want to Follow Jesus to Heaven).
As they continued their trek, the apostles began to feel the onset of fear, because they were uncertain about what awaited them in the city. Perceiving this, Jesus stops, and lays bare His fate:
“Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true.” Lk. 18:31 NLT
“…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
(…let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus…Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. Heb. 12:1 – 3. NLT)
Jesus is explaining that in Jerusalem, the culmination of all the prophecies concerning the Messiah, (which date back to the Garden of Eden), would now come to pass – including those of His impending death and resurrection.
The apostles could not comprehend anything that Jesus was saying. Nor, did they understand why the Messiah had to suffer.
Moreover, [as if they didn’t just hear Jesus’ teaching about being humble (see last week’s post cited above)], the apostles James and John approach Him and ask to be placed in high seats of honor when they join Him in heaven. Christ responds:
“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
Jesus was warning them about the magnitude of the things He had to suffer before His resurrection. The two apostles had the temerity to tell Him that they could handle the same. Jesus answers that they would indeed suffer a similar arduous path (Mk. 10:39).
Indeed, James would be the first apostle to be martyred, and John would suffer persecution and exile. Yet, this is also a reason for celebration:
(…rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. 1 Pt. 4:13 CSB)
Christ again speaks to James and John’s request:
“…to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” Mt. 20:23 NKJV
The other apostles overhear this exchange and become angry with James and John. Jesus gathers them all together, to redirect their thinking:
“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
So again, Jesus is driving home that humility and having a servant’s heart, are primary essentials for entering the Kingdom of God, using Himself as the ultimate example…
Traveling through the city of Jericho, they pass by a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, sitting on the side of the road. When he hears that Jesus is present, he shouts out:
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mk. 10:47 NKJV
Christ heals him on the spot, and says:
“Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. Mk. 10:52 NLT
A crowd gathers around Jesus and the apostles, as they continue their journey. He is passing by a tree, where a tax collector by the name of Zacchaeus had climbed, to get a better view of Christ. He suddenly looks up and calls him by name – telling him to prepare his house, as He will be his guest this very day (Lk. 19:5).
Zacchaeus was thrilled; but the crowd disapproved of Jesus’ decision to consort with a sinner.
Zacchaeus looks at Jesus and tells him (loud enough for the crowd to hear) that he was going to give half of everything he had to the poor. Furthermore, he says that if he has cheated anyone, he will restore their losses by fourfold. He was demonstrating genuine repentance.
Jesus addresses the crowd:
“Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Lk. 19:9, 10. NLT
(“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them white as wool.” Is. 1:18 NLT)
(…all must repent of their sins and turn to God – and prove they have changed by the good things they do. Acts 26:20 NLT)
Zacchaeus then, was a physical descendant of Abraham, as are all Jews. Because of Jesus’ salvation conferred upon him, he had become a spiritual descendant as well.
Jesus was letting the crowd know that it was sinners He came to save, those who had faith in Him and a spirit of true repentance.
Then, Jesus began to perceive that many in the crowd believed He was the Messiah, who has come to overthrow the Roman occupying forces in Jerusalem; and to set up a physical kingdom of God in present-time.
Christ uses a parable (‘parable of the Minas – like the ‘parable of the talents’), to clarify Himself and His intents (Lk 19:11 – 25). A ‘mina’ was a unit of money determined by weight.
In the parable, a nobleman leaves his home to travel to a foreign country, to acquire his rightful kingship to reign over it. Just before he began his journey, he gave each of his 10 servants 10 minas – instructing them to do business with the money while he was away. (We are also told that his subjects hated him).
When the ‘new king’ returned, he asked his servants how they had invested his money. One had multiplied the king’s money tenfold, another fivefold, but the third servant hid his allotment. Worse, that same servant told the king he did so, because the king was such an exacting man, so much so, that he was afraid of punishment should he lose some of it.
The king asked him why he didn’t put it in the bank to at least gain interest. No answer. So, he gave this servant’s money to the one who multiplied his allocation tenfold. The other servants protested, but the king rebuffs them:
“…to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king – bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.” Lk. 19:26, 27. NLT
What Jesus means to convey, is that He is ascending to heaven to receive His kingship. And when He returns, near the end of this present world, He will judge each of God’s children according to their relationship to Him, by their adherence to the word of God, and what they did with God’s gifts – instilled within them, for advancing His Kingdom.
He is also telling the crowd that the Kingdom of God will come to fruition when He returns from heaven, and not when He arrives at Jerusalem.
Those who reject their King, will find out about their final disposition the hard way…
(For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Cor. 5:10 CSB)
(But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 1 Cor. 11:31 NLT)
Passover is approaching, and all of Jerusalem is abuzz about whether Jesus would show up. The priests and the Pharisees planted spies everywhere in case He did, so that they could arrest Him.
It is now Sunday (‘Palm Sunday’, as it would come to be known), the beginning of the week before Jesus’ heavenly transformation. Jesus has reached the town of Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, just outside of Jerusalem. He is ready to enter.
But first He sends two of His apostles to go to a nearby village, where they will find a colt tied to a post that had never been ridden. They were to bring it to Him, and should they be questioned, He told them to say:
“Because the Lord has need of it.” Lk. 19:31 NKJV
And that’s exactly how it happened. Much to the apostles’ surprise, Jesus mounts the colt, fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy (Zech. 9:9), riding into Jerusalem – publicly proclaiming Himself as the Messiah!
A crowd gathers, laying clothes and palm branches on 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 calling Jesus ‘Son of David’ acknowledges Him as the Messiah.)
As you would expect, the Pharisees get their feathers ruffled, and they tell Jesus to quiet the crowd. He retorts by telling them if He did that, the rocks themselves would cry out with praise! So, He is saying that the crowd’s exhortations were legitimized.
Yet, as Jesus approaches the city, He is struck with a heavy heart, and begins to weep and cry out:
“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
Heavy words. God had given, through His Son, countless opportunities for the Jews to return to Him. But most rejected Jesus, thus rejecting God. In other words, the Jews of His day, had their chance and blew it in a very BIG way.
Christ is also prophesying about the total annihilation of the Temple, (which would occur in 70 A.D. at the hands of the Roman general, Titus).
At the end of the day, Jesus and the apostles returned to Bethany.
So, it begins…
Goodnight and God bless.