Holy Tuesday

They find themselves at the fig tree again

The Chronological Life of Christ § 131 Lessons from the Withered Fig Tree (Mt 21:19b–22; Mk 11:19–25; Lk 21:37–38)

20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

The Chronological Life of Christ § 131 Lessons from the Withered Fig Tree (Mt 21:19b–22; Mk 11:19–25; Lk 21:37–38)

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 131 Lessons from the Withered Fig Tree (Mt 21:19b–22; Mk 11:19–25; Lk 21:37–38)

[MT 21:]21 “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 you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.”

The Chronological Life of Christ § 131 Lessons from the Withered Fig Tree (Mt 21:19b–22; Mk 11:19–25; Lk 21:37–38)

[MK 11:]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 may forgive you your sins.”

The fig tree, given what follows this day, is likely a symbol of the Jewish leaders (cf. Jer 8:13; Hos 9:10; Mic 7:1–6; Nah 3:12). Their appearance was deceitful. Outwardly they looked like productive trees - they did all the right things, but upon closer inspection, they had no real fruit.

The looooong day. How are we going to do this?

The Chronological Life of Christ Lk 21:37–38

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, 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 132a Jesus’ Authority Questioned by the Sanhedrin (Mt 21:23–27; Mk 11:27–33; Lk 20:1–8)

[MK 11:]27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts {teaching the people and preaching the gospel,LK} the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 132a Jesus’ Authority Questioned by the Sanhedrin (Mt 21:23–27; Mk 11:27–33; Lk 20:1–8)

28 “{Tell usLK} By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

The Chronological Life of Christ § 132a Jesus’ Authority Questioned by the Sanhedrin (Mt 21:23–27; Mk 11:27–33; Lk 20:1–8)

29 Jesus replied, “I will {alsoMT, LK} ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!”

Immediately, the Sanhedrin is in Jesus’ face. It hints that this is going to be a full day, packed with questions and controversies. In fact, there are more details given about this day in the life of Jesus than any other. Matthew devotes nearly one sixth of his gospel to it. Representatives from all three “branches” of the Sanhedrin are there: Chief priests (Sadducean), teachers of the law (Pharisaic), and elders (“lay” leaders).

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 21:25b–27 with Lk 20:6; Mk 11:32

25 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men’—we are afraid of the people {[that they] will stone us,LK} for they all hold that John {reallyMK} was a prophet.”

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 21:25b–27 with Lk 20:6; Mk 11:32

27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Suddenly the hunters become the hunted. Their private discussion/ debate betrayed the fact that they were in a catch-22. No matter what they say, it will be turned against them. If they say, “John’s authority was from heaven,” then Jesus also gets his authority from the same place. What’s worse, they refused to follow John. Thus this answer would betray their blatant hypocrisy. On the other hand, if they say, “John’s authority was from men,” they might very well get stoned on the spot. This pilgrim crowd adamantly believes in John. They were still seething over his murder by Herod. Furthermore, just two days ago, they hailed Jesus, John’s successor, king at the Triumphal Entry. If these Sanhedrin delegates turn on John (and Jesus), they might very well turn this precarious crowd against them.

So they cop out. “We don’t know,” they say. Jesus responds in kind. But notice, he didn’t say, “I don’t know” but “Neither will I tell you.” Jesus knows they’re not ignorant. They simply refuse to admit the truth. And if they refused the truth before, they are not likely to receive it now. So Jesus doesn’t waste his words. They’re not looking for an answer but an opportunity. The Master is not about to give it to them.

So, three parables on accepting/rejecting Jesus are offered.

The Jewish leaders refuse to answer Jesus’ question about John’s authority. Jesus responds to their silence with three appropriate parables. Only Matthew includes all three; Mark and Luke only tell the parable of the vineyard. Nonetheless, all three parables are designed to show how the Jews had rejected God’s authority through Jesus.

Parable of the Two Sons

This is a simple parable. Jesus says, “It’s not those who talk the right talk that honor God, but those who walk the right walk.” While this is obvious to us, it wasn’t to them. You see, in Middle Eastern culture to speak back to one’s father was scandalous, perhaps even worse than disobedience. Thus Jesus’ parable offers not a choice between good and bad but between two evils. This is the first time that Jesus openly applies one of his parables to the Jewish leaders. They are scandalized by it. Why would tax collectors and prostitutes enter the kingdom ahead of religious folks? According to the story, they repented and did what God asked them to do. Now, the Pharisees would be shocked at Jesus’ implication that they were not working for God. Their lives were devoted to his work … or so they thought.

Parable of the Vineyard

Just as with the previous parable, they know the correct interpretation but badly miss its application. They are the wicked tenants. God has sent prophets to them time and again whom they beat and killed (Jer 20:1–2; 26:20–23; 1 Kgs 18:4, 13; 2 Chr 24:20–21; Mt 23:34; Heb 11:37). Now God is sending them his very own Son. But they are plotting to take his life in order to save their own positions and prestige (cf. Jn 11:45–54, § 119). They are about to fulfill Psalm 118:22. They will reject Jesus by killing him. With that act, Jesus will be placed by God as the cornerstone. Jesus introduces Psalm 118:22 with this insulting retort, “Have you never read?” (Mt 12:3; 19:4; 21:16; Mk 12:10). It was a common Messianic psalm. In fact, the targum on Psalm 118:22 interprets the rejected cornerstone as a son of Jesse! This is not merely Messianic but Davidic: “The lad that the builders abandoned was among the sons of Jesse; and he was worthy to be appointed king and ruler.”

Jesus tells ‘em

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 21:43–46 with Mk 12:12

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 broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 21:43–46 with Mk 12:12

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. {So they left him and went away.MK}

Finally, Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Verse fourteen helps us understand much about the sovereignty of God. It says that many, that is “virtually all” in Semitic usage, are called (NIV “invited”), but few are chosen. How are they called? The messengers in the parable represent the prophets who were rejected and killed. Their preaching was the invitation—the calling. And how were they chosen? By their willingness to respond to the call of God (i.e., the preaching). According to this text, the call of God is not irresistible. God’s election includes our response as well as his choice.

Next round; Herodians, Sadducees, and Pharisees

In the following passages we will read about four questions. The first three are asked by Jesus’ opponents, representing the three major political/religious parties of the day: Herodians, Sadducees, and Pharisees. In turn, they each try to trap Jesus with a particularly difficult question. Not only does Jesus answer their questions so well that they don’t dare ask him another, but he perceives and exposes their true hypocritical and hostile motives in the process. Finally, Jesus asks his own difficult question which no one is able to answer. This will end the discourse between Jesus and his enemies. There is nothing left to talk about. Now their only recourse is assassination.

Question #1, by Herodians: Paying Tribute to Caesar

‌ The first group to try their hand at outwitting Jesus is a tag-team of Pharisees and Herodians. Under normal circumstances, these two groups were enemies. The Pharisees represent the religious right wing. The Herodians, on the other hand, believe the road to peace and prosperity in Palestine is alignment with Rome. Since no one did that better than the Herod family, they are supporters of the Herods in their various governmental positions. Through their false flattery they act like they sincerely want an answer. They say to Jesus: (1) You are a man of integrity, therefore, we can follow your example in this. (2) You accurately teach the will of God, therefore we can trust your opinion on this. And (3) you are not swayed by men, therefore we can believe your answer will be unbiased. No one is fooled by their false flattery. It is clear that their simple question, “Should we pay taxes to Caesar or not?” is designed to trap Jesus. If he says, “No,” the crowds will be delighted, of course. They hate taxation. More than one third of their income goes to pay Roman taxes. In addition, the coin itself has an offensive inscription: “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus” and on the flip side, “pontifex maximus” (“the most high priest”).

Question #2, by Sadducees: Marriage in the Resurrection

‌Here comes “round two”: The Sadducees. This group died out with the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. So the little we know of them comes from the Bible (only mentioned fourteen times in the Gospels), from Josephus, and early Christian writers. Since all of these sources were “enemies” of the Sadducees we should handle our information with care. Nevertheless, the Sadducees were apparently the religious “liberals,” denying any kind of a resurrection, either in the form of angels or spirits. They also apparently prioritized the Pentateuch over the rest of the OT, and certainly denied the validity of the oral traditions of the Pharisees. It looks like they were the dominant force in the priesthood, hence they would also control the temple.

Their question concerns Levirate marriage as it would apply to the resurrection. All three Synoptics clarify that the Sadducees do not believe in a resurrection. Thus their goal is not to trap Jesus with a false dilemma or to illicit any kind of real answer from him. Rather, they try to force him to deny the concept of resurrection by showing how ridiculous it would be with a “worst case scenario” of Levirate marriage (loosely citing Deut 25:5 and Gen 38:8). In doing so they would not only defeat Jesus, but the Pharisees as well. Levirate marriage was not at all common in Jesus’ day, if even practiced at all. In fact, the only two recorded examples of it in the OT are Tamar and Ruth.

Quoting from Exodus 3:6, Jesus uses typical and acceptable Jewish interpretation. Arguing from the verb tense, Jesus asserts that the resurrection is a logical necessity. But more than this, God’s immense greatness demands his servants be raised in his presence. That is, God is the God of the living and not the dead. Again, the crowds are duly impressed. The teachers of the law (Pharisees) are pleasantly surprised.

Question #3, by Pharisees: Which is the Greatest Commandment. The quality of love, this bears looking into.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 135 Question #3, by Pharisees: Which Is the Greatest Commandment (Mt 22:34–40; Mk 12:28–34; cf. Lk 10:25–27)

[MT 22:]34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 135 Question #3, by Pharisees: Which Is the Greatest Commandment (Mt 22:34–40; Mk 12:28–34; cf. Lk 10:25–27)

[MK 12:]28 One of the teachers {expertsMT} of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

The Chronological Life of Christ § 135 Question #3, by Pharisees: Which Is the Greatest Commandment (Mt 22:34–40; Mk 12:28–34; cf. Lk 10:25–27)

The lawyer’s question was a common debate among the Pharisees. With six hundred and thirteen OT commands and innumerable oral traditions, the answer is not a simple one. We should also note that this is not the first time Jesus has been asked this question. One day a lawyer came to Jesus and asked him “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus turned the question back on him by asking, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” The lawyer answered by citing these same two commands. This became the springboard into the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25–37; § 103). Hence, neither the question nor Jesus’ answer is new.

The Chronological Life of Christ Mk 12:29–30

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 22:38

38 “This is the first and greatest commandment.”

The Chronological Life of Christ Mk 12:31 with Mt 22:39

31 “The second is this {like it:MT} ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 22:40

40 “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The first command, from Deuteronomy 6:4–6, is called the Shema, named after the first Hebrew word in the sentence, “Hear.” Pious Jews recited it at the beginning and end of each day and it opened the synagogue services each Friday evening. This was the “John 3:16” of Judaism. This passage was commonly placed in phylacteries and mezuzahs. It affirmed the unity of God and our obligation to love him with our entire being. For the Jew, there was no greater obligation and no greater theological tenet. Jesus chose wisely the greatest commandment.

The astute student will observe that while there are only three descriptors in Deuteronomy (heart, soul, strength), Mark uses four, adding mind to the list. The reason is that the third Hebrew word can indicate a couple of different things. Mark (12:30) and Luke (10:27), both writing to a more Gentile audience, use two Greek words (mind and strength) to adequately translate that single Hebrew word. None of these four, however, are mutually exclusive. All of them are intertwined.

The second greatest command comes from Leviticus 19:18. Once we recognize that our greatest obligation is to love God, the obvious question is, “How does one express his love to God?” Certainly we can do so through liturgy and worship, that is, religious piety. But this is not so very helpful in the community. God would rather us show our love to him by meeting the needs of our fellows which, according to Jesus, is anyone we come in contact with. If we keep these two commands we will, by necessity, fulfill all the crucial features of the entire Old Testament law.

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 12:32–34

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 12:32–34

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

This “lawyer” is impressed. Not only is this legal expert impressed with Jesus, Jesus is impressed with him. He has approached Jesus respectfully and has asked him a serious and important question. Now he publicly acknowledges the beauty of Jesus’ answer. So Jesus affirms him by saying, “You are not far from the kingdom.” We’re not told if he ever entered or not. This little tidbit reminds us that all of Jesus’ opponents are not all bad. The Pharisees are not evil incarnate. Coming to Christ was a serious sacrifice for this group. Well, that was strike three—the Pharisees are out. All three major religio-political parties have tried their hand at trapping Jesus, only to be badly rebuffed. It is no small wonder that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Question #4, by Jesus: How Can the Christ Be David’s Son?

‌ It was a simple question, “Who is the Christ?” Well, that would be David’s son (progenitor); everyone knew that. “All right,” Jesus says, “that being the case, let’s exegete Psalm 110, beginning at verse 1. How can the Christ be both the son of David and his Lord (adonai)?” Now that was a more difficult question. In Jewish culture, the father was always greater than the son. There is simply no “natural” way that David would call one of his offspring his Lord.

“Woe to you, Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees.” The 7 Woes

Woe #1: Turning People Away from the Kingdom of Heaven

Woe #2: Turning Proselytes toward Hell

Woe #3: Deceptive Oaths

Woe #4: Deceptive Tithes

Woe #5: Unwashed Insides

Woe #6: Whitewashed Outsides

Woe #7: Finale - Murderous Desires

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem…again

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 23:37–39

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 who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

This pericope forms a bridge between Jesus’ warnings against the Pharisees and against the city of Jerusalem. It prepares us to read the Olivet Discourse. Here Jesus spoke as God did. He uses an OT figure of God for his own desire to gather Israel under his wings.

The Widow and her humble offering, faith lived out.

The Chronological Life of Christ Mk 12:41–44 with Lk 21:1

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. {As he looked upLK} Many rich people threw in large amounts.

The Chronological Life of Christ Mk 12:41–44 with Lk 21:1

42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.b

The Chronological Life of Christ Mk 12:41–44 with Lk 21:1

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. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Jesus leaves the temple courts proper for the last time. He seats himself in the court of the women across from the 13 trumpet-shaped bronze receptacles. Each of these boxes were for different kinds of offerings, with labels telling what the money was for. Jesus watched deliberately and carefully as the rich proudly tossed in fistfuls of coins. As they slid down the bronze coffer and clanked against the metal, they made quite a clamor and no doubt attracted a great deal of desired attention. In the midst of this spectacle, there came an unassuming widow. In fact, she probably wanted to go unnoticed, a bit embarrassed by her meager gift. You could barely hear her two puny coins in the coffer. They were so small, in fact, that their name lepta, often called mites, was derived from the word “to peel.” They were a mere shaving of metal. Together, they were only worth 1/64 of a day’s wage.

Preparation for the Death of the Christ - Questions

In this section Jesus will describe two events: The destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) and the Second Coming. Somewhere in the middle of this chapter we need to draw a line between these two events. But that is easier said than done, and there has been great diversity in where various scholars draw their lines. There are several reasons this simple task has been so hard.

First, some of this stuff we’re about to read could easily describe both the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Coming.

Second, prophecy is often fulfilled figuratively. Somehow we feel sheepish about interpreting these things figuratively. It just feels less “faithful.” But if we interpret something literally that was intended to be figurative we will miss the real meaning of the passage. Furthermore, we assume that this passage moves along chronologically, but that may not be the case. Some have suggested that Jesus moves back and forth, intertwining talk about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Coming.

Third, this is apocalyptic material. It is filled with prophetic imagery and vocabulary, much of which is nonliteral. Although this sounds very odd to us in the 20th century, apocalyptic literature was not all that uncommon in the first century. Even so, it clearly is a difficult genre to interpret. Part of the problem is that it was not written for the purpose of explanation as much as for exhortation. That is, apocalyptic literature is not designed to describe eschatological chronology but to encourage suffering saints to remain faithful until the end.

Fourth, the millennial system with which we approach this passage will affect where we “draw our line.” These will color our thinking and partially determine where we draw the line between A.D. 70 and the return of our Lord.

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 24:1–3 with Mk 13:1–3; Lk 21:5–6

1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. {“Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!MK} {adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God.”LK}

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 24:1–3 with Mk 13:1–3; Lk 21:5–6

2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, {the time will come whenLK} not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

The Chronological Life of Christ Mt 24:1–3 with Mk 13:1–3; Lk 21:5–6

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives {opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew,MK} the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

The temple was a spectacular sight. Herod the Great began renovating it in 19 B.C. It would not be completed until about A.D. 60. But even now it was mostly finished and elaborately decorated. Jesus lays a bombshell on them: “Do you see these buildings? They will be obliterated!” Then, without any further word of explanation, Jesus walks out of the eastern gate, across the Kidron Valley and up the Mt. of Olives about three fifths of a mile away, overlooking the temple mount. There he sits down. A bewildered group of disciples catch up with him. Mark says that it is Peter, Andrew, James and John who ask the questions, but surely the other disciples followed along and are also privy to Jesus’ answer. The disciples ask three questions: (1) When will the temple be destroyed? (2) What will be the sign of your coming? And (3) what will be the sign of the end of the age? In their minds all three of these things will happen simultaneously. They cannot imagine the destruction of the temple before the “end of the age.” From our vantage point we can see at least two distinct events: (1) The destruction of Jerusalem; and (2) the Second Coming. Jesus will describe both events in the following chapter. Unfortunately, he will make as little distinction between the two events in his answer as the disciples did in their questions. This has caused a great deal of difficulty in explaining this passage.

The Olivet Discourse, tough to exegete and that is not to mention what follows. That fig tree again...

The Chronological Life of Christ § 139e Lesson of the Fig Tree (Mt 24:32–41; Mk 13:28–32; Lk 21:28–33)

[MT 24:]32 “Now learn this lesson {parableLK} from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 139e Lesson of the Fig Tree (Mt 24:32–41; Mk 13:28–32; Lk 21:28–33)

33 Even so, when you see all these things {happening,MK} {stand up and lift up your heads, becauseLK} you know that it {your redemptionLK} is near, right at the door.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 139e Lesson of the Fig Tree (Mt 24:32–41; Mk 13:28–32; Lk 21:28–33)

34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

The Chronological Life of Christ § 139e Lesson of the Fig Tree (Mt 24:32–41; Mk 13:28–32; Lk 21:28–33)

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

Four Parables to Urge Us to Be Ready for Jesus:

#1: Like a Thief in the Night: Jesus Comes Unexpectedly

#2: Like a Faithful Servant: Jesus Comes Later than Expected

#3: Like Foolish/Wise Virgins: Jesus Comes Sooner than Expected

#4: Like Servants Entrusted with Wealth:

Judgment at the Second Coming (Mt 25:31–46)

This pericope concludes the series of parables about Jesus’ return, and closes out the entire Olivet discourse. It shares the basic theme of the previous parables: Be ready … Jesus IS coming back! This scene, though, does not appear to be a parable itself. Rather it looks like a sketch of the judgment which comes with Christ’s return. The sheep and the goats are metaphors for the righteous and the wicked. But the rest seems to be a true description rather than a parabolic illustration of judgment

But it can all be summed up in one word- Hope. Jesus is coming again.

There we have it - Faith, Hope, and Love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.