The Gospel of Mark: Who Does This Guy Think He Is? God?

Some people have an amazing ability to walk into any kind of situation and immediately take charge of it. Stephen Spielberg’s movie Catch Me If You Can is about a guy who’s like that. The movie is based on the real life story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. This guy had one of those charismatic personalities that enabled him to charm his way into virtually any situation. That ability made Abagnale one of the most famous con men in history. Before his 19th birthday, he had posed as a pediatrician, a co-pilot for a major airline, and an attorney. He cashed over $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in every state and 26 different countries. He escaped from U.S. custody twice. He was finally captured in France where he served several years in prison. Upon his release, he was returned to the United States where he spent five years in jail, before being paroled to become a consultant for the FBI. In fact, he’s still a security consultant to this day.

Frank Abagnale had the extraordinary gift of being able to walk into any situation and take it over. He used this gift to live a life of adventure and deception. Other people have used the same kind of gift to lead people astray into religious lies. I think about people like cult leaders David Koresh and Marshall Applewhite, men who led people — not only into error — but death.

These guys also had an incredible ability to charm people. They were able to persuade their followers to do things and believe things that under normal circumstances would seem irrational. Whether you call people like this sociopaths, con men, or whatever, the world is filled with them.

And that’s pretty much how the religious leaders 2000 years ago viewed Jesus. They believed he was a deceiver, a con man, a self-proclaimed messiah who was leading the nation astray. Virtually everyone who came in contact with Jesus during his public ministry on this earth, at some point asked themself, "Who is this guy?"

This evening, I want us to consider two points: 1) The Debate in the Temple Courts, and 2) The Dilemma of a Pointed Parable. Then we’ll look at the lessons we can learn.

I. THE DEBATE IN THE TEMPLE COURTS (Mark 11:27-33)

1. this debate comes on the heels of the most radical action Jesus did during his ministry

a. in Mark 11:15-17 Jesus had cleansed the Temple, driving the money changers and animal merchants out of the temple

1) this effectively caused the temple sacrifices to come grinding to a halt that day

b. that event sealed the conclusion of the Jewish religious authorities that Jesus as a dangerous man, and a potential threat to the nation

2. in response to Jesus’ actions, an official delegation from the Sanhedrin comes to Him demanding to know by what or who’s authority Jesus had made such a scene in the temple courts

a. the Sanhedrin can best be understood as Israel’s executive/legislative/judicial body all rolled up into one group of men

b. the Sanhedrin was composed of 71 members, and each member was either a priest, a teacher of the law or an elder

1) this group had absolute authority in the temple

c. the Chief Priests were the clergy, the professional ministers who drew their income from the temple — it included Joseph ben Caiaphas, the High Priest and Annas, the former High Priest and Caiaphas’ father-in-law

ILLUS. It was Caiaphas who organized the plot to kill Jesus and presided over the trial of Jesus when he was brought before the Sanhedrin. In November 1990, workers building a road in Jerusalem found an ornate limestone ossuary with an Aramaic inscription on the side that read "Joseph son of Caiaphas."

d. the Teachers of the Law were the Scribes and theologians — they were the ones who meticulously copied the Scriptures, and were considered the guardians of orthodoxy, the appointed experts in understanding and applying the Scriptures

e. the Elders were the lay leaders, most of them part of a renewal group called the Pharisees

A. THE QUESTION OF AUTHORITY

Mark 11:27-28 "They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

1. I can only imagine the meeting that must have taken place among these religious leaders after Jesus has cleansed the Temple

a. they have repeatedly tried to trip Him up, but Jesus has always made them look like fools in the attempt

1) I have no doubt that the older men are saying, “Not me, brother. I ain’t gonna confront him. I’m not gonna be made to look like an idiot again.”

2) they probably choose straws — short one losing and having to go confront Jesus

2. their question of Jesus is a set up, intended to make Jesus vulnerable to accusation

a. by publicly demanding Jesus’ authority for his scene in the temple, they’re seeking to discredit Jesus without accusing him outright

b. nothing happened in the Temple complex without the express approval of the religious authorities, and obviously they had not approved of the melee Jesus had caused

1) and if Jesus didn’t have any human authority behind his actions, that could only mean that he’s claiming to act by God’s own authority

2) and if Jesus is claiming to act by God’s authority that was a very dangerous claim to make

3) and if they can get Jesus to admit that He has done this under God’s authority, then they can denounce Him for blaspheme, accuse Him of subversion, and turn Him over to the Roman authorities

c. it was all a very slick and well-thought-out scheme

3. Jesus’ response is totally different than what they expect

Mark 11:29-30 "And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.”

a. and the Temple complex suddenly got very quiet

1) by this question Jesus placed these religious leaders on the horns of a dilemma

2) these religious leaders suddenly got very nervous and huddled together to discuss their answer

b. by refusing to answer their question until they answer his question, Jesus takes charge of the situation

1) instead of being the accused on the defensive, Jesus becomes the interrogator on the offensive

2) don’t ya just love it?

B.QUIBBLING OVER TRUTH

Mark 11:31-32 "And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? 32 But if we shall say, Of men ... ; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed."

1. now, you need to remember who John the Baptist is

a. the common people considered John to be the first prophet Israel has heard in over 400 years

b. Malachi was Israel’s last prophet

1) since his time, God has been silent

c. suddenly comes this messenger in the wilderness preaching that the coming of the Anointed One is close at hand

2. the Gospel of Mark begins by connecting John’s ministry with the predictions of the ancient prophets

Mark 1:1-4 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."

a. in that passage, Mark cites two ancient Hebrew prophecies—one from Malachi and one from Isaiah — that describe John and his ministry

b. the reason that Jesus points these religious leaders back to John the Baptist is the Malachi 3 passage

Malachi 3:1 “See I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple.”

c. the promised messenger who prepares the way will be followed by the arrival of God himself in the Jewish temple

1) thus, if John was the fulfillment of the first half of the promise, Jesus is the fulfillment of the second half

2) that’s where Jesus gets his authority to make a scene in the temple, because Jesus is the Lord who follows the forerunner John

3. notice that these religious leaders never stop to ask themselves what the truth is — could Jesus actually be the Lord who has come to His Temple?

a. instead, like cynical politicians, they debate how their answer will make them look to others

b. if they admit that John’s ministry was ordained by God, then Jesus will ask, "Why didn’t you believe what he said about me?"

1) believing in John’s ministry was more than admitting that he was a prophet

2) it was also admitting that the Temple ritual was unnecessary, but repentance of the heart was

c. if they admit that John’s ministry was not of God, they risked the anger of the common people

1) the passage says that the people believed that John was a true prophet

4. in chess, this dilemma is called a fork — no matter what you do, you’re going to lose a piece

a. these men knew that whatever they said, they were trapped

b. so they take the path of non-commitment — they feign ignorance, pretending that they don’t know

c. of course what they really mean is, "We don’t want to tell you what we really think, because it will make us look bad."

b. Jesus sees through their answer, and says, "Then I won’t tell you where I get my authority."

II. THE DILEMMA OF A POINTED PARABLE (Mark 12:1-12)

1. this debate continues into the next chapter with a parable

a. this parable has traditionally been called The parable of the wicked tenants

1) I think a better title for this parable is The Parable of the Renters from Hell

2. this parable is a landlord’s greatest fear come true

a. a land owner builds a vineyard to grow grapes

1) he leases out the land to some farmers, and then he goes away on a long journey

b. the practice of what we would call sharecropping was very common in ancient Palestine

1) the land owner and the farmers would’ve agreed on a percentage of the profits that would go back to the owner

2) at harvest time, the owner sends his servant to collect his share of the profits

3) but instead of giving the servant the owner’s cut, the renters grab the servant, beat him up, and send him back empty handed

4) this leads to an escalation of violence that gets worse and worse, until the renters actually kill a servant

c. finally the land owner sends his own son to collect

1) part of his reason for this is that the servants didn’t have the legal authority to evict a tenant, but a son did have that legal authority

2) if they refused to cough up the owner’s money to the son, the son could legally evict them from the land

3) but instead of listening to the son, they conspire to murder him

4) in a weird kind of reasoning, they somehow figure that if they get rid of the son that they’ll be able, not only to keep the profits, but also the property for themselves

3. Jesus asks these religious leaders what the owner would do

a. in Matthew’s gospel we’re told that someone blurts out, "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end" (Matt 21:41)

4. after telling the parable, Jesus then quotes a passage from Psalm 118

a. it’s a passage about the stone initially rejected by the builders becoming the capstone for the building

1) the Jewish people in Jesus’ day understood this verse to be speaking about the ancient Jewish king David

2) although David was initially rejected by the religious leaders as king, ultimately God overruled this initial rejection and established David as the king

3) and not only did God establish David as Israel’s true king, but he also established David’s dynasty

b. David was the rejected stone, who ultimately became Israel’s capstone, it’s greatest king

c. now Jesus is coming as a descendant of David, as the true heir to David’s throne

5. by this point, the religious leaders realize that Jesus is indicting them

a. the elements of this parable are pretty clear

b. the vineyard represents the nation of Israel (Isa. 5:1-7)

c. the owner represents God — the master who sends the servants

1) His servants are the prophets who came to Israel’s leaders with warnings from God

d. the religious authorities are the renters in the parable

1) they are the wicked tenants who cheat the owner, mistreat his servants and ultimately murder the owner’s son

2) they are the builders rejecting the stone that would become the capstone

e. finally, the beloved son of the land owner represents Jesus himself

1) Jesus isn’t just another prophet

2) He comes as the true Son of God

3) the shameful treatment of the son in the story foreshadows Jesus’ arrest, beating and execution in just a few days

6. I find it interesting that so many modern day historians and biblical scholars debate who Jesus thought he was and what he was trying to do when he made a scene in the temple

a. some people claim that he came as a social reformer — the social justice warrior of his day — upset by the way the rich were treating the poor

b. others claim that he came as a revolutionary, and that he hoped others would join him in taking over the temple by violence

c. still others claim that he came as a prophet, denouncing the establishment like the ancient Hebrew prophets from years earlier

7. but from this story, clearly Jesus believes himself to be exactly what orthodox Christianity has claimed for Him — Jesus claimed to be the beloved Son

a. He was indeed a prophet, but He was more than a prophet

b. He was indeed a reformer, but He was more than a reformer

c. Jesus and His message were certainly revolutionary, but He was more than revolutionary

d. He came with the unique authority as the beloved Son of God

8. from this dialogue with the religious leaders who had authority over the temple, we find some very important principles for our own lives.

III. LESSONS FROM MARK 11:27-12:12

A. WE SHOULD NEVER DEBATE TRUTH WITH GOD

1. like these religious leaders, do we debate with God over His right of ownership to the Temple?

1 Corinthians 3:19-20 "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."

a. when God speaks to us through His Word, or through His Spirit, or through His Church, are we obedient to what He says?

b. or do we feel that His Will and His Ways are optional if we don’t like them?

2. living the Christian life is a radical call to live out truth

a. the religious authorities were more interested in how they looked to the people around them then in dealing truthfully with the question that Jesus asks

b. this is a part of our sinful human nature

1) we see it in the Garden immediately after the fall

ILLUS God comes to Adam and Eve who hiding from God after they have disobeyed him. When God asks why they are hiding, they tell God, they are hiding because they are naked and ashamed. God then wants to know who told them that they were naked? He then asks if they have been eating of the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve again begin dancing around the truth.

c. man has been dancing around truth ever since

3. seeking truth, being truthful, and bearing witness to the truth ought to be a focus of the Christian life

Psalm 51:5-7 "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

a. God wants truth to reign in the inward parts of our lives

4. any time we enter into a debate with God, we’re going to be on the losing end of that debate

B. WE ARE STEWARDS OF GOD’S VINEYARD, NOT OWNERS

1. the mistake the renters in the parable made was thinking that the vineyard belonged to them

2. the mistake made by Israel’s religious leaders was in thinking that they owned the temple and had ultimate authority for what happened there

a. they should’ve seen themselves as stewards, not owners

1) a steward is a person entrusted with someone else’s property

2) a steward is a manager, not an owner

3) stewards must prove themselves trustworthy, and stewards are accountable for how they discharge their trust

3. as church members it is tempting to think,"This is our church. This is our property. These are our facilities"

a. it’s easy to think that the church belongs to us

b. it’s easy to think that these facilities exist for our needs and our families rather than to impact other people outside our ministry

c. it’s tempting to think that the youth ministry exists to care for our kids rather than reaching unchurched students in our community

d. it’s easy to forget that we’re stewards, not owners of everything in this ministry

C. GOD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CLEANSE OUR LIVES WHEN AND HOW HE WANTS

1. there is not a Christian here this evening into whose lives sin has crept in and fouled our lives

a. sin makes us dirty ... spiritually dirty

2. God has given us a remedy for cleansing

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)

a. we need to periodically allow the Holy Spirit of God to sweep away the sin in our lives

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:4–11, NIV84)

Conclusion: Jesus is God’s beloved Son sent for us. He’s not just another prophet, social reformer, or revolutionary. He’s unique, in a category all by himself.

And responding to Jesus is the most important decision you’ll ever make in your life. Your life is like the vineyard God created. And God’s been sending his servants to you throughout your life, calling you to a relationship with him. And then he sent his Son, to die for your sins. Your response to that offer is the most important decision you can make in your life.

Related Media

Related Sermons