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Luke 19-24

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE SON OF MAN
Volume IV

by LARRY CORY

 

A SUMMARY OF THE MESSAGE OF LUKE

Introduction (1:1-4)
Jesus' human birth and childhood (1:15-2:52)
Jesus, a man of about thirty, prepares for ministry (3:1-4:13)
Jesus' ministry in Galilee (4:14-9:50)
Jesus heads to Jerusalem and to His death (9:51-19:27)
Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem (19:28-21:38)
Jesus' last days (22:1-24:53)

 

Introductory Information about the Book of Luke

1. The author: Although the author does not name himself in the book, evidence external to the book also names Luke as the author.  "Early church tradition has consistently named Luke as the author of these volumes [Luke and Acts].  Justin (Dialogues 103, 19), the Muratorian Canon, Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3:1.1; 3:14).1, the so-called Anti-Marcionite canon and Tertullian (Against Marcion, 4:2.2; 4.5.3) name  Luke as the author." "Taken from Luke by Darrell Bock. Copyright 1994 by Intervarsity Press."

We learn in Luke 1:1-4 that Luke was not an eyewitness of what he writes in the Gospel of Luke, but he "carefully investigated" the reports of the "eyewitnesses."  We also learn in Colossians 4 that Luke was a Gentile and not a Jew.  We also learn from these verses in Colossians that he was a "doctor."  "Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings." (Colossians 4:11-14)  This means that Luke was the only Gentile author of a New Testament book.

From the "we" section in Acts, we learn that Luke traveled with Paul on some of the missionary journeys. See Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-21:18, 27:1-28:16

2. The recipient: We are told in 1:3-4 that the recipient is "Theophilus."  "Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." (Luke 1:3-4)  We are not given any information about this individual.  His Greek name indicates that he was a Gentile.  He may have been a government official—Luke may have referred to him as "most excellent Theophilus" because he was a government official who customarily was addressed in this fashion.

3. The theme:  The "emphasis on the human is the master-key which unlocks Luke's Gospel; it is the 'cipher-key' which interprets the inward meaning behind the outward story." "taken from Explore the Book by J. Sidlow Baxter. Copyright 1960 by Zondervan Publishing House."

Indeed, the humanside of Jesus is emphasized more in Luke than in the other Gospels.  The following are some examples of the Gospel of Luke's emphasis on the manhood of Jesus.  Jesus' genealogy in Luke 3:23-38 goes back to the first man Adam.  Luke mentions many individual men and women: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna, Zacchaeus, the widow of Nain, Jairus, the widow of Zarephath, Naaman the Syrian, Cleopos, Simon the Cyrenian, the centurion at the cross who believed and others.  Many are not mentioned in the other Gospels (Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna, Zacchaeus, etc.).  Luke is the only Gospel that describes the visit of the shepherds to the baby Jesus.  It is the only Gospel that describes Joseph and Mary taking the baby Jesus to the temple.  And Luke is the only Gospel that records Jesus' visit to the temple as a twelve year old boy.  Luke also is unique among the Gospels in the number of women that are mentioned: Elizabeth, Anna, Mary and Martha (10:38-42), Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susana (8:3), the widow of Nain (7:11-15), the sinful woman who anointed Jesus with perfume (7:36-50), and others. See also Lk. 23:27-29 There is also a parable of a persistent widow (18:1-8) and a parable about a woman looking for a lost coin (15:8-10).  We see Jesus' human compassion for those who were outcasts in their society—the tax-collector (18:13-14), Zacchaeus (19:1-19), the many widows, the Prodigal Son (15:11-32), and the thief on the cross (22:43).

 

THE MESSAGE OF LUKE

The Gospel of Luke emphasizes the human side of Jesus Christ.  Because  Luke emphasizes Jesus' humanity, be prepared to be drawn closer to Jesus the man.  Also, because Luke emphasizes Jesus' humanity, this Gospel also helps us to believe that Jesus understands our humanness.

Warren Wiersbe's commentary on Luke is titled Be Compassionate.  He believes, as I do, that Luke describes Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, reaching out to our world of people with great compassion.  He believes that the key verse in Luke is 19:10—and I agree with him.  "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:10)  He says the following about pity:  "Jesus has proved conclusively that pity is a sign of strength, not weakness; and that God's power flows through loving hearts." "Taken from Be Compassionate by Warren Wiersbe.  Copyright 1998 by David C. Cook."

The Bible states God is compassionate.  "But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." (Psalm 86:15)  "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." (Psalm 145:8-9)  "As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." (James 5:11)

CONTINUED: JESUS HEADS TOWARD JERUSALEM (9:51-19:27)

29. The salvation of Zacchaeus the tax collector (19:1-10)

"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.' So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, 'He has gone to be the guest of a “sinner.”' But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.' Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.'"

Thought Question #1: Think of someone you believe would be an unlikely person to become a Christian.  Now, what is there in this account of Zacchaeus that encourages you that even that person could become a Christian?

 

 

Thought Question #2:  What is there in Jesus' response to Zacchaeus that would have led to Zacchaeus feeling accepted by Jesus?

 

 

Thought Question #3:  What signs are there that Zacchaeus truly repented?  

 

 

"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way."

"he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy."  "Jericho" was in the middle of a very productive area.  Hendriksen observes that "Mark Antony" gave "the city to the Egyptian Queen (Cleopatra) as a token of his affection." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

It is understandable that a "chief tax collector" in that region would have been "wealthy."  But, the Jews would have seen his wealth as having been wealth that was stolen from them.

In this account of "Zacchaeus," we will see the camel going through the eye of a needle.  We will see that "what is impossible with men is possible with God." (18:27)  We are about to see a very "wealthy" "chief tax collector" become a repentant believer in Jesus Christ.

We see immediately his curiosity about Jesus.  But he had a problem, for he was "a short man."  All he could see were the shoulders of those in front of him.

Also, his unpopularity as the Romans' "chief tax collector" made it very unlikely that any would move to allow him to see.  So, he threw his dignity aside and, so that he could see Jesus, he climbed a tree.  And, so he could get to the tree before Jesus got there, he ran to the tree.  "In the East, it is unusual for a man to run, especially a wealthy government official, yet Zacchaeus ran down the street like a little boy following a parade." "Taken from Be Compassionate by Warren Wiersbe.  Copyright 1998 by David C. Cook."

"A sycamore fig tree is like a short oak tree, with a squatty trunk and wide branches." "Taken from Luke by Darrell Bock. Copyright 1994 by Intervarsity Press." See Amos 7:14 where Amos is described as a farmer who took care of "sycamore" trees. 

Why was "Zacchaeus" so eager to see Jesus?  Barclay's suggestion is a good possibility.  He may have heard that, though he was rejected by the Jewish society, Jesus "welcomed tax collectors and sinners." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."  After being rejected by his own nation, he may have been ready to be accepted by Jesus.

Many of us have been rejected by someone or even by a group of people.  In my life, I have been on the outside looking in on more than one occasion.  Rejection comes in many forms.  It can come when we are seeking out a mate, seeking out a job, seeking out a friendship, seeking to do what is right when others are opposed to it, and it can even occur when a church becomes more political than gracious and loving.  "Zacchaeus" was on the outside of the Jewish society. 
But, he learned that Jesus was not like the rest of the Jews.  He wanted to be sure to both hear and see this man!

"When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.' So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly."  "Zacchaeus" quickly learned that the rumors about Jesus were correct and accurate for Jesus immediately loved and accepted Him.

We see here, God's response to a seeking soul.  "Zacchaeus" had thrown his pride aside and climbed up a tree to see Jesus.  Can you imagine the richest person in your town climbing up a tree in the park to hear a Christian speaker?  Maybe, a more likely example would be for a rich man to sit in the front seat of a church to hear a Christian speaker.  If that happened, we would be quite sure that this rich man was seeking to learn how he could know God.  "Zacchaeus" had the best seat to hear and see Jesus.  And Jesus took notice of him.

"Zacchaeus" reached out to see Jesus, but Jesus took the biggest step.  He asked to go to the house of this notorious social outcast.  That is acceptance.  If a famous Christian speaker picked you out and asked to stay in your house, how would you feel?  Certainly, you would feel accepted by him.

God has accepted us also, just like Jesus accepted "Zacchaeus."  When we truly reach out to God we reach out to God as the tax collector in Luke 18:13 did. "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." (The tax collector in this parable may have been "Zacchaeus.")  When we reached out to God as the tax collector in this parable did, Jesus took residence in our body.  We went from being a rejected sinner to being a somebody—a child of God! See Col. 1:27 

Notice that Jesus called "Zacchaeus" by name.  We do not know if Jesus had already heard about "Zacchaeus" in some natural way or if He knew of him in a supernatural way.  But, He immediately spoke to him in a very personal way.  Does not this help us?  If it had been you or me up there in that tree, Jesus would have said­­­ ________ (Fill in your name, as I fill in my name), "come down immediately."

"So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly."  "Zacchaeus" must have thought, "This well-known Jewish Rabbi has accepted me and wants to stay at my house.  Of course, He can stay with me.  But, why does He accept me when everyone else hates me?"

"All the people saw this and began to mutter, 'He has gone to be the guest of a “sinner.”'"  Jesus had explained in the past that those who see themselves as sinners are more likely to see their need of a Savior.  "Jesus answered them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.'" (Luke 5:31) See also Lk. 11:34

It is clear from this account of "Zacchaeus" that salvation does not come through good works, but by grace.  "Zacchaeus" had not done good works; rather, he had done bad works.  But, as we will learn, Jesus saved him through His grace toward him.  We will also see, though, that once he was saved he began to do good works. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

"But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.'"  Here, we have true repentance.  Instead of continuing to cheat the people of Israel by requiring more taxes than was due, he was ready to right the wrongs that he had been doing.  Instead of taking from the people, he was going to start giving to them.  And he is going to give them back "four times the amount" that he had taken from them.  This may be as significant a miracle as the blind beggar receiving his sight—a rich man giving up his riches to help the needy and using his riches to make amends by quadrupling what he stole from them.  All that was required by the Jewish law was for him to return what was stolen plus one fifth. See Numb. 5:7 See also Exod. 22:1,4,7,9 

"'if I have cheated anybody out of anything,'"  "It is a condition of the first class (ie. and the aorist active indicative) that assumes it to be true.  His own conscience was at work.  He may have heard audible murmurs from the crowd . . . He had extorted money wrongfully as they all knew." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

"Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham."  Salvation comes by a faith that is like Abraham's faith.  We are not saved by faith that is without any actions, but true faith will result in actions.  Both Zacchaeus' faith and Abraham's faith resulted in action.  "You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" (James 2:20-25) See Gal. 3:8-9,29  See also Gen. 22:1-18; Rom. 4:13-24; Heb. 11:18-19

"'For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.'" See Lk. 15 and Ezek. 34  God is described as One who has made it His priority to seek those who have wandered from Him and are now one of His lost sheep.  A poem by Francis Thompson pictures God as the hound of heaven pursuing us even when we are not pursuing Him.  God pursued Paul even when he was not pursuing God; and he pursued Paul until he turned to Him.  Jesus asked Paul this question:  "'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'" (Acts 26:14)  The "goads" were the painful goading by God and others directed at turning Paul in the right direction.  God has also pursued us using even painful methods to turn us to Himself.  As Jesus sought out "Zacchaeus," so He has pursued us; and so He is also pursuing the lost today.

30. The Parable of the Ten Minas (19:11-27)

a. The reason for the parable (19:11)
"While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once."

The disciples thought that the kingdom reign of the Messiah was going to be an earthly one and that it was about to begin.  We, 2000 years later, know that this was not true.  So, Jesus tells them a parable explaining what they and we are to do in the interim period before Jesus returns.

"near Jerusalem"  It was about 17 miles from Jericho to Jerusalem.

b. The parable (19:12-27)
"He said: 'A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. “Put this money to work,” he said, “until I come back.” But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, “We don’t want this man to be our king.” He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. The first one came and said, “Sir, your mina has earned ten more.” “Well done, my good servant!” his master replied. “Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.” The second came and said, “Sir, your mina has earned five more.” His master answered, “You take charge of five cities.” Then another servant came and said, “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.” His master replied, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?” Then he said to those standing by, “Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.” “Sir,” they said, “he already has ten!” He replied, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.”'"

Thought Question: What do you learn from this parable that motivates you to want to faithfully serve Jesus?

 

 

"He said: 'A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. “Put this money to work,” he said, “until I come back.”'"

This parable has some similarities with the Parable of the Ten Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  In both parables, a "man" goes on a journey and gives money to his "servants."  When he returns, in both parables, the first two "servants" are rewarded for good use of the money and the third servant is rebuked for his poor handling of the money.  But this parable in Luke differs from the Parable of the Ten Talents in that the amount of money given to the servants was a much larger amount.

Also, the theme in this parable that the "man" "went to a distant country" to be "appointed king" is found in the Parable of the Ten Talents in Matthew 25.

It was not unusual at that time for someone who believed that he was due to be the next king because he was heir to the throne to go to Rome and seek their endorsement of his kingship.  About thirty years before this time, Archelaus had gone to Rome seeking to be king.  "Archelaus, to whom Judea had been left, went to Rome to persuade Augustus to allow him to enter into his inheritance, whereupon the Jews sent an embassy of fifty men to Rome to inform Augustus that they did not wish to have him as their king.  In point of fact, Augustus confirmed him in his inheritance, though without the actual title of king." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press." 

We cannot be sure that Jesus was basing this parable on that historical account.  It is more likely that He was basing His parable on what happened generally at that time.  The parable, though, was describing Jesus going to the Father, and then, at some future time, returning as Israel's King.  In the meantime, we who are His "servants" have been entrusted with the stewardship of what He has given to us.  And, as we see here, we are accountable for how we handle this stewardship.

"ten minas."  "a mina was a Greek coin worth 100 drachmas, the drachma being a laborers daily wage." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."  In this parable, differing from the Parable of the Talents, the "ten" "servants" are given "ten minas"—"one mina" apiece.

"'But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, “We don’t want this man to be our king.”'"  It sounds like what happened to Archelaus; but it also predicts Israel's hatred and rejection of their King.  "Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes”?'" (Matthew 21:42)  "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." (Isaiah 53:3) See also Rom. 9:32-33

"He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it."  The attempt to prevent Jesus from being Israel's King will fail, for He will one day return as their King and as the world's King.  At that time, His "servants" (us included) will be rewarded for how we have used what He has left with us.  He has left us with the gospel message. See I Thess. 2:4; I Tim. 1:11, 6:20  God's Spirit is with us and in us; the Bible is with us; He has given to us our bodies with all of our abilities; we have our finances and possessions; and we have all of the resources that are available to us in our countries.  One day, we will learn how well He believes that we have done with all of these resources.

"'The first one came and said, “Sir, your mina has earned ten more.” “Well done, my good servant!” his master replied. “Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.” The second came and said, “Sir, your mina has earned five more.” His master answered, “You take charge of five cities.”'"

What is meant by the reward of taking "charge of ten cities" and "five cities"?  Is Jesus speaking of giving us authority in the future millennial kingdom?  That certainly is a possible interpretation.

Notice these servants' humility.  They do not say that they have increased the "mina" given to them; but, they say "your mina has earned."  They did not say "I have earned."

We can see the obvious parallel to the Christian life.  Do we believe that living a sacrificial life of service to Jesus Christ is the best use of our lives?  It all depends on what we believe about God.  If we truly believe that He is faithful and will reward our service to Him, we will serve Him. 

Also notice that these "servants" faithfulness and trustworthiness with this money, led to them being entrusted with a larger task.

"'Then another servant came and said, “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.” His master replied, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?”'"

This "servant" does not trust "his master."  He believes He will come out the loser if he uses the money given to him to earn more money for "his master."  This third "servant" blames the "master" for his own inactions and laziness.  He does not see himself as a lazy and irresponsible "servant," but he sees his "master" as a cheat and a selfish man who uses other people for his own benefit.

But, this servant's own words convict him, for if he believed that his "master" was so unfair, he could have at least had the money put into a savings account where it would have earned "interest."  Then, he could have pleased His "master" without putting any effort into it.  For, he believed that any effort on his part would not have been rewarded by such a dishonorable "master."

"Then he said to those standing by, “Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.” “Sir,” they said, “he already has ten!” He replied, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away." See 8:18

The point of the parable for us is the following: if we are good stewards of what God has given to us by fully serving God and others while Jesus is gone, it will be richly rewarded when He returns.  It is believing that God "rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)  And the other point of the parable is that those who live only for themselves will lose it all.  It all will be burned up.  "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." (I Corinthians 3:10-15)

Leon Morris summed up the meaning of the  parable as follows:  "In the Christian life we do not stand still.  We use our gifts and make progress or lose what we have." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."

"'“But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.”'"  This is a harsh and terrifying conclusion.  But Jesus' judgment of non-believers as described in Revelation 20:10-15 is harsher and more terrifying.  "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:10-15)

In this parable, a group that hates the "master" declare, "We don’t want this man to be our king."  It also says that "his subjects hated him."  They symbolize the unbelieving world that feels that they can hate and defiantly oppose Jesus and His ways, and there will be no consequences.  They will learn that there are consequences in a place "where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 8:12) See also Matt. 8:12, 13:50; 24:51

It appears that the three individuals and the groups that are described in the parable are as follows:  (1) The "servant" who gains "ten minas" is a Christian whose service is particularly productive in God's work.  (2) The servant who gains "five minas" is a Christian whose Christian service has been productive.  (3) The servant who still had the original "mina" is a Christian who makes little or no effort into his or her Christian service, whose work is unproductive, and loses even what was given to him or her.  Some believe that this third "servant" is not a believer.  (4) "His subjects" who "hated him" are the unbelieving world.

Which of the four do we want to be?  We have the rest of our lives to make that choice.  We will discover, one day, Jesus perception of the life that we have lived.  May we hear, "Well done, my good servant!" (19:17)

JESUS' MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM (19:28-21:38)

1. The Triumphal Entry (19:28-44)

a. Two of Jesus' disciples are sent by Jesus to get His mount for the Triumphal entry. (19:28-35)
"After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” tell him, “The Lord needs it.”'  Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 'Why are you untying the colt?' They replied, 'The Lord needs it.' They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it."

Thought Question:  Do you believe that Jesus previously arranged for the colt to be there when the disciples arrived or do you believe that it was a miraculously arranged event?  Please explain your answer.

 

 

"After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” tell him, “The Lord needs it.”'"

"Bethany" was about two miles from Jerusalem.  "Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem." (John 11:18)  It was the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.  It is believed that "Bethphage" was on the road between "Jerusalem" and "Bethany."  "Bethphage," then, was to the east of "Jerusalem" and "on the Mt. of Olives." "Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia." 

Jesus asks "two of his disciples" to go ahead of Him.  They were not to go all the way into "Jerusalem," but to "Bethphage," a small "village" on the outskirts of "Jerusalem.  Another possibility is the "village" was "Bethany"; but since "Bethphage" was closer to Jerusalem, it is more likely that "Bethphage" was the "village."

There in "Bethphage" they would "find a colt tied."  They were to "untie it and bring it" back to Jesus.  If someone questioned them about what they were doing, they were to merely to say that "the Lord needs it."

"Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 'Why are you untying the colt?' They replied, 'The Lord needs it.' They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it." See also Mk. 11:1-11

In Matthew 21:2, we are told that it was the "colt" of a "donkey."  How did Jesus know that this "colt" would be there and that the "owners" would allow the "two" "disciples" to take it?  There are two possibilities:  (1) It was prearranged between Jesus and the "owners."  (2) It was supernaturally ordained and foreknown.  Bible commentaries are divided over which was the case.

A similar prediction is found in 22:10 that could not have been arranged and, therefore, was a supernatural prediction of what would occur.  "He replied, 'As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.' They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover." (Luke 22:10-13)  It seems to me that it is more likely that the arrangement in both chapters were supernaturally arranged and predicted.

"colt" of a "donkey"  There is disagreement among scholars as to whether they "donkey" was a humble  mount or a kingly mount.  The NIV Study Bible on Zechariah 9:9 has this to say about what type of mount it was.  "A suitable choice, since the donkey was a lowly animal of peace . . . as well as a princely mount   (Jdg 10:4, 12:14, 2Sa 16:2) before the horse came into common use."  If Jesus had come riding a horse, He would have been perceived as coming as a conquering king. 

b. Jesus is greeted with praise as He begins His trip into Jerusalem riding on the colt. (19:37-40)
"As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' 'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'"

Thought Question:  Why do you believe that the religious leaders were upset about what the people were rejoicing about? 

 

 

"As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road."  This scene is similar to an event that happened earlier in Israel's history.  "They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, 'Jehu is king!'" (II Kings 9:13)  Jesus was about to enter "Jerusalem" as the promised King.  Would Israel accept Him as their King?

"When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'" See Ps. 118:26

Up to this point, Jesus had not sought to be recognized as Israel's King.  He had even purposely avoided those who were seeking to make Him King.  "After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, 'Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.' Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." (John 6:14-15)

But, here, He comes in a kingly way surrounded by admirers who are proclaiming Him as their King.  What has changed?  Previously, it was not God's time.  But, even now it was not the time for Him to become their King; it was, rather, the time for Him to be rejected as their King.  It was time for Him to die as the Passover Lamb for all of mankind's sins. See I Cor. 5:7; Jn. 1:29

"where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,"  "They were going by the southern slope of the Mount of Olives.  As they turned down to the city, the grand view stirred the crowd to rapturous enthusiasm.  This was the first sight of the city on this route which is soon obscured in the descent.  The second view bursts out again (verse 41)." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

The people praised God using Ps. 118:26.  "It is a quotation from one of the Hallel Psalms sung during Passover . . . It is a distinctly Messianic Psalm which speaks about the stone which  the builders rejected  and which became the cornerstone." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

"The road descends a slight declivity, and the glimpse of the city is again withdrawn behind the intervening ridge of Olivet.  A few moments and the path mounts again, it climbs a rugged ascent, it reaches a ledge of smooth rock, and in an instance, the whole City bursts into view." "Taken from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Part two, page 369 by Alfred Edersheim Publishing Company.  Copyright 1917 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co."

"'Peace in heaven'"  Jesus is the predicted "Prince of Peace" predicted in         Isaiah 9:6.  But, there would be no peace until Jesus died and His blood brought peace between God and man.  "and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:20)  "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
(Romans 5:1)

"Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' 'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'"  What upset these "Pharisees" about what Jesus' "disciples" were shouting?  It appears that Jesus' "disciples" were so numerous and so enthusiastic that only Jesus could quiet them down.

Why were they so upset by what the people were rejoicing about?  It may narrow down to their ugly jealousy that He was being praised and not them.  To be included in this jealousy was the threat that Jesus might take away their prestige and place of political power in Israel.  So, they wanted Jesus to shut up His followers.

"'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'"  Jesus appears to quote Habakkuk 2:11.  "The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it."

Jesus was and is the Promised Messiah, just as the people were shouting.  Shutting up those who were shouting that He is the promised King does not change what is true.  If these people had been silenced, what is true remains to be true.  If no one says what is true, "the stones" will need to say it.  Nothing with stop the truth from being revealed.

And so, Jesus enters a divided "Jerusalem."  Some believed Him to be the King, or at least, they hoped that He was the King.  Others, totally rejected Him as their King.  As we will see, those who had selfishly maneuvered themselves into places of political power would have their way.  Their way, though, was used by God to accomplish His way.

c. Jesus mourns over Jerusalem's coming judgment. (19:41-44)
"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.'"

Thought Question: What do you believe caused Jesus to weep here?

 

 

"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.'"  The procession again reached a spot where the city was visible.  These words were uttered by Jesus with the "city" fully in His view.  We recently returned from a trip to Israel.  We saw how clearly you can see the temple mount from the Mount of Olives.  In this case, the temple and the city of Jerusalem produced great sadness in Jesus.

There is a complete difference between weeping for ourself and weeping for others.  In the first case, the focus is entirely on ourself and off others; and in the other case, the focus is entirely off ourself and on others.  Jesus, here, is not weeping because He is going to be rejected, but because of the effect that rejection of Him will have on Israel.

Here, we see the incredible love of Jesus and love of God.  Jesus knew the hard-heartedness and cruelty that He was going to face in "Jerusalem"—where "Blessed is the king" would change to "Crucify him! Crucify him!" (Luke 23:21)  Yet, He cared more about the consequences of this rejection on Israel's people than the horror He was about to experience because of these very same people.  He "wept" for them and not for Himself! See Jn. 11:35 for the only other time that it is mentioned that Jesus wept.

Israel will reject Jesus; but when they reject Jesus, they will at the same time lose their opportunity to gain true "peace."  Their hardness toward Jesus will also blind them to why Jesus came—He came to bring them "peace" with God.  Reject Him and we reject the "peace" He brings. See Ps. 122:6-9; Lk. 2:14

"There is an irony here for the name Jerusalem has 'peace' as part of its meaning (cf. Heb. 7:2).  But those in the city of peace did not know what made for peace!" "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."

"We err greatly if we suppose that Christ cares for but His own believing people.  He cares for all.  His heart is wide enough to take an interest in all mankind.  His compassion extends to every man, woman, and child on earth." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle."

Do we have Jesus' heart for the lost?  Do we have His compassion for our neighbors—for the consequences that will come to them because of their rejection of Jesus Christ? See Ps. 119:136; Jer. 9:1; Rom. 9:1-3

"'The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.'"

Jesus is predicting here the overthrow of "Jerusalem" in A.D. 70 by the Romans under Titus.  The Romans did do what Jesus predicted here: they built an "embankment" around Jerusalem as a protection for the Roman soldiers.  From this "embankment," they launched their attack on Israel.  Josephus describes this war in detail—he describes the almost complete leveling of "Jerusalem" and the murdering of its people.  As Jesus looked at "Jerusalem," He saw what would happen to it in about 40 years.  It would happen to them because of their sinful rebellion against God and His ways.  It would happen because they were about to reject and bring about the murder of God's Son.  If we reject God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ, God then gives us over to the consequences of our choice.  The consequences of Israel's choice is that the wall of protection for Israel would be removed and they would be ransacked by their enemies.  "But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you." (Leviticus 26:14-17)

3. The cleansing of the temple (19:45-46)
"Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. 'It is written,' he said to them, '“My house will be a house of prayer”; but you have made it “a den of robbers.”'"

Thought Question #1:  How can what motivated the religious leaders to turn God's house into "a den of robbers" be present in the church today?

 

 

Thought Question #2:  How can Jesus' cleansing of the temple show us how God wants to cleanse us?

 

 

Thought Question #3:  Why did Jesus not sin when He got angry with those who were selling in the Temple?

 

 

"Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. 'It is written,' he said to them, '“My house will be a house of prayer”; but you have made it “a den of robbers.”'"

Mark tells us that this happened on the Monday following Palm Sunday. See     Mk. 11:12-17  See also Matt. 21:12-13  An earlier cleansing of the temple is described in Jn. 2:14-22.

The overall state of the hearts of the people of Israel was publicly exposed by what regularly took place in the temple area during the Passover season.  The Passover Feast was immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread when Israel removed leaven (yeast) from their land.  This was to symbolize the removal of sin from their lives.  It points to our Christian belief in Christ's death—the Passover Lamb being slain—and our desire to remove sin from our lives—the cleansing of leaven from Israel.  "Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth." (I Corinthians 5:7-8) See also Exod. 12:1-30; Lev. 23:4-8; Numb. 28:16-25; Deut. 16:1-8

Everything that was ordained by God to take place at the Passover Feast symbolized how Israel could draw close to God.  The sacrifices pointed to Jesus' blood that was about to be given to pay the penalty for their sins.

But, what took place at the temple at the Passover in Jesus' time was the very opposite of sinless; it was sinful.  And the Passover at that time was not primarily a time where the people of Israel learned how to draw near to God.  Rather, the Passover provided the religious leaders with an opportunity to get rich.  They had discovered that their positions of authority provided them with an opportunity to charge the Jewish people for doing what God required them to do.  The people's need to pay a temple tax and offer prescribed sacrifices gave these leaders a way to make money at the people's expense.  For, they could determine what was acceptable money for the temple tax and what were acceptable sacrifices.  If the people did not have what was acceptable, they had to pay the representatives of these religious leaders to obtain the acceptable money and sacrifices.

We learn in the Gospel of Matthew that the acceptable temple tax was "two drachma." (Matt. 17:24)  In Exodus 30:13-15, we learn that the temple tax was to be a "half shekel."  "Two drachma" was the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "half shekel."  If those coming to the feast had some other type of money, they needed to exchange it so that they could obtain the "two drachma" that they needed to pay.  The money changers made sure that the exchange rate was costly enough so that they and the religious leaders over them made a good profit.

Those coming to the festival could only sacrifice animals that the priesthood determined to be acceptable.  If the animals that they brought did not meet the inspectors' requirements, they needed to buy animals that were deemed to be acceptable by the priesthood.  These acceptable animals, of course, were much more expensive than the normal market price for them.  The temple, therefore, had a carnival atmosphere, where the whole goal was to fleece people of their money.

As was stated earlier, the sacrifices offered at the Passover Feast pointed to Jesus' blood that was about to be given to pay the penalty for their sins.  His death would even pay for the sins of those who were using the temple as a place to fleece God's nation.

Just as Israel was supposed to cleanse themselves of sin, Jesus cleansed the temple of those who had turned it from being a "house of prayer" (see Isa. 56:7) into a "den of robbers" (see Jer. 7:11).

Can this type of thing happen today?  Can people use our desire to get close to God and our fear of God as an opportunity to rob us?  Unfortunately, as television news shows have revealed, there are religious leaders today who get rich by taking advantage of gullible people. 

Jesus is pictured here in an angry fury.  How can that be?  Did Jesus sin by losing His temper?  Since Jesus never sinned, His anger was holy anger.  When is our anger like Jesus' anger that is described here?  When our anger is controlled and is directed to right some type of wrong against God or others.  Jesus was furious, but it was controlled.  Could He have done more destruction?  Obviously, He could have destroyed the whole city or the whole nation.  His anger was meant to make a point about the desecration of the temple at that time.  And He made His point!

4. Jesus teaches in the temple (19:47-48)
"Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words."

Thought Question:  What is the basic difference between those who "hung on his words" and those who "were trying to kill him"? (When does this happen today?)

 

 

"Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words."
 
There were a number of dynamics taking place here:  (1) Jesus continued "teaching" at the very "temple" from which He had just driven out the greedy money changers and animal sellers.  (2) The people "hung on" Jesus' every word.  (3) Almost all the leaders in Israel who were part of the country's power structure continually saw Jesus as a threat to their status in Israel.  They had already decided "to kill him." See Jn. 11:47-53, 12:9-11  (4) They could not kill Him because of His constant popularity with the people.  Jesus was courageous; the people were enthralled; and the leaders were furious and frustrated.

5. Jesus' authority challenged  (20:1-8)

a. The challenge (20:1-2)
"One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 'Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,' they said. 'Who gave you this authority?'"

Thought Question: Describe a time when someone has challenged either your authority or the authority of another Christian to share the gospel or teach what is in the Bible.

 

 

"One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 'Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,' they said. 'Who gave you this authority?'" See Matt. 21:23-27; Mk. 11:27-30

The leaders of Israel were normally not united, but they did become united in their opposition to Jesus and His teaching.  The "chief priests" were liberal with regard to the Bible and "the teachers of the law" were the extreme conservatives and legalists with regard to the teachings of the Bible.  One group was lax with regard to the Bible and the other group was very strict.  The "elders" were the political leaders among the tribes and cities of Israel.  Though divided politically and religiously, they were united in wanting to remove the threat to their places of prestige and power which was called Jesus Christ.

This group that came to Jesus was like a group of university authorities coming to a speaker and challenging his or her right to speak on their campus without first getting their authorization.  This group that came to Jesus may have been sent there by the Jewish Sanhedrin—the highest Jewish legal authority in Israel.  Certainly, Jesus angrily driving the marketers out of the temple court is part of what led to this official visit by the leaders of Israel.  They had decided to publicly challenge His authority to do and say what He had said.

b. Jesus' response to the authorities who were challenging His authority. (20:3-8)
"He replied, 'I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?'  They discussed it among themselves and said, 'If we say, “From heaven,” he will ask, “Why didn’t you believe him?” But if we say, “From men,” all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.' So they answered, 'We don’t know where it was from.' Jesus said, 'Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.'"

Thought Question: If someone challenged your authority to share the gospel or teach the Bible, what question could you ask that would challenge their right to challenge your authority?

 

 

"He replied, 'I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?'  They discussed it among themselves and said, 'If we say, “From heaven,” he will ask, “Why didn’t you believe him?” But if we say, “From men,” all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.'" 

Jesus actually was not evasive.  It was a direct answer to their question.  The Jewish teachers of that time would quote some religious authority upon whom they based their authority to teach something.  They knew that Jesus was not associated with any rabbinical school.  But, they forgot that there was one human teacher with which He was associated—John the Baptist.

This is some of what John said about Jesus.  "'I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'" (Matthew 3:11-12) "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.' Then John gave this testimony: 'I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.'" (John 1:29-34)

John the Baptist said that Jesus is the Son of God.  And the people believed that John the Baptist was a "prophet."

These Jewish leaders thought that they had greater authority to teach in Jerusalem than Jesus did.  The truth is that if John the Baptist was a "prophet" of God, then Jesus had much more authority to teach in Jerusalem than they did.  Instead of putting Jesus in a tight spot by challenging His authority to teach, they found themselves locked into such a tight spot that there was no escape except to plead ignorance.

"So they answered, 'We don’t know where it was from.'"  If they said, John the Baptist's "baptism" was authorized from God, his baptism of Jesus had declared Him to be the Son of God.  "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'" (Matthew 3:16-17)

If they said, "John's baptism" was not from God, the people who were baptized by him and felt that their sins were forgiven through that "baptism" would have turned on them.  They had no choice, so they pleaded ignorance.

Of course, they were not honest.  If they had been honest, they would have said that John's authority was "from men" and not from "from heaven."  Or, they might have said, "We do not want to answer your question."  Their answer, "We don’t know where it was from" made them look like ignorant experts—it made them look foolish.  But, at least, they were not run out of town, nor had they been forced to become a follower of Jesus.

Here, we see the difference between politically-minded religious leaders and people who are searching for the truth.  These leaders were not concerned about whether or not Jesus was the Messiah.  Nor were they concerned about what they should do if that turned out to be true.  Rather, all they were concerned about was retaining their places of prestige and power in the establishment of Israel.

In our society today (I am writing in 2014), what is politically correct is changing as our moral views move speedily away from what the Bible teaches.  How do religious leaders respond to that trend?  How do our Christian political leaders respond to that trend?  Do they stand with the biblical view when it is the popular belief, but then change to an unbiblical view when that view becomes what is popular? 

The leaders in Jesus' time were mostly concerned with holding on to their places of power and prestige.  Believing in Jesus would have meant that they would have had to start from the bottom in His kingdom.

"Jesus said, 'Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.'"  Jesus was not dealing with those who wanted to know the truth, but He was dealing with those who did not want to know the truth.  So, continuing to talk with them would have been futile and fruitless.  Their goal had been to reveal to the crowds that Jesus had no authority to teach to them.  They expected that, after confronting Jesus, that He would lose His authority to teach; and then He would sheepishly walk off and teach no more.  Instead, they walked off sheepishly because they could not successfully challenge His authority.

6. The Parable of the Tenants (20:9-19)

a. The Parable (20:9-16)
"He went on to tell the people this parable: 'A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, “What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.” But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. “This is the heir," they said. “Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 'What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. When the people heard this, they said, 'May this never be!'"

Thought Question:  What do you believe is the meaning of the parable to the Jewish people?

 

 

"He went on to tell the people this parable: 'A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.'"

The people listening to the parable knew that the grape "vineyard" represented Israel.  God had given the people of Israel the responsibility to faithfully take care of His nation and His kingdom.

Many times in the Old Testament, Israel is described as God's "vineyard" or vine.  "I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit." (Isaiah 5:1-2)  "The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress." (Isaiah 5:7)  "I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?" (Jeremiah 2:21)  "You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. It sent out its boughs to the Sea, its shoots as far as the River. Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes? Boars from the forest ravage it and the creatures of the field feed on it." (Psalm 80:8-13) See also Isa. 27:2; Ezek. 19:10-14; Hos. 10:1

The servants who are beaten and wounded refer to God's prophets whom the people rejected, imprisoned, and even killed.  Jesus referred to Israel's rejection of the prophets in the Sermon on the Mount.  "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)  With a sorrowful heart, He spoke of them in Matthew 23:37.  "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." (Matthew 23:37) See also Lk. 11:47-51; Acts 7:52: Neh. 9:26; Jer. 7:25-26, 25:4

"Then the owner of the vineyard said, “What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.” But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. “This is the heir," they said. “Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him."

The "son" clearly points to Jesus, God's Son.  The "tenants," thought that the appearance of the "son" meant that the father had died.  There was a law in Israel at that time that said that if the owner of the land died and there was no heir, those working the land would become the owners of the land.  So, only the "son" stood in the way of their owning the land that they were renting.  So, they conferred together and "killed" the "son."

That is exactly what these leaders were planning to do—kill God's Son.  Jesus told this parable to unveil their murderous plan and predict that they would murder Him outside of Jerusalem. See Mk 15:12; Jn. 1;11; Acts 2:22-23

"'What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. When the people heard this, they said, 'May this never be!'" 

Jesus' words predict the end of Israel as a nation in A.D. 70 and the beginning of the mostly Gentile church—the "others."  The Jews listening were horrified.  They also were horrified when it happened.  They took their hatred out on the early church leaders. See Acts 7:31-8:1; 21:27-32

b. The application (20:17-18)
"Jesus looked directly at them and asked, 'Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone”? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.'"

Thought Question:  What do you believe is the proper answer to Jesus' question?

 

 

"Jesus looked directly at them and asked, 'Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone”?'"  Jesus is quoting from Psalm 118:22.  The NIV note says, "or cornerstone."

The "capstone" was the top stone in a doorway or arch.  The "cornerstone" was a large stone that was laid down first that determined the location of the building and provided the support upon which a wall or a building were built.  Israel had tried to build a religion, but had left out the primary building block for that building—they left out God and His Son.  They tried to build a building without the most important "stone."  As a result, their religious building was about to come crumbling down.

"'“has become the capstone”'"  Though Jesus was rejected by Israel, He is the "capstone" or "cornerstone" of God's religious system.  So, the prophecy of Psalm 118:22 has been fulfilled.  " . . . The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone." (Luke 20:17b) See also Isa. 28:16; Acts 4:11; Rom. 9:33; Eph. 2:20; I Pet. 2:4-7

"'Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.'"  If a large boulder is falling down a hill and is heading right toward you, it would be futile to stand there and try to stop it.  It would crush you.  Jesus, like this boulder, is not One whom it is wise to oppose.  Those who oppose Him will be "crushed."  The "stone" is not in danger, but those who are opposed to the "stone" are in grave danger. See Isa. 8:13-15; Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45

c. The religious leaders' response (20:19)
"The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people."  "Here we see the hardness of the hearts of these religious leaders.  They knew that He was speaking of them, but they refused to humble themselves and repent.  Instead, they were looking for a way to arrest him apart from the crowds.  Judas would give them that opportunity." "Quoted from Digging for Gold on Matt. 21:45-46."

How does all of this apply to us today?  Jesus can be the Rock that we put our trust in or He will be the Rock or the "stone" that crushes us.  He is not One that we should ever want to be opposed to.  These religious leaders appeared to be winning for a while, but in the end they were "crushed."  So, those who oppose Jesus and His teaching may appear to be winning at the moment; but in the end, they will be "crushed."  Is Jesus our Rock of salvation or the Rock that will judge and punish us? See Gen. 49:24; II Sam. 22:2-3; Ps. 18:2; 19:14, 40:2, 61:2-3, 92:15; Isa. 26:4; I Cor. 10:4
7. Should taxes be paid to Caesar? (20:20-26)

a. The pernicious question (20:20-22)
"Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. So the spies questioned him: 'Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?'"

Thought Question:  Could this type of devious question be asked today?  Please explain your answer.  (If you can, give an example.)

 

 

"Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor."

Our enemy is not limited to one mode of attack on us.  If one method of attack does not work, he can use another.  They ended up having their own authority brought into question when Jesus' question forced them to choose for or against John the Baptist.  They lost that battle.  So, Jesus' enemies try another method—they used men who pretended to be on His side to spy on Him.

Mark and Matthew tell us that the Herodians—supporters of King Herod—were among them. See Matt. 25:16; Mk. 12:13  The goal of these spies was to try to catch Jesus saying something that He could be arrested for.

How does this apply to us?  We need to recognize that there are those who will present themselves to us as being our friends, but who are only acting like they are our friends.  They are wolves who are presenting themselves as being sheep. See Matt. 7:15; Ps. 55:20-21  We are to be careful not to be swayed by flattery, for it often disguises a deceitful heart. See Ps. 12:2-3; Prov. 26:28, 27:5-6, 28:23, 29:5; Jude 16

We may want this type of thing to be only something that happened in Jesus' time, but not something that can happen today.  I can remember, though, a nationally known singing group passing through our town.  I made the mistake of scheduling them at the church that I was at during that time.  The whole time they were there, they flattered me.  But, in the end, they wanted our money and, without informing me, they made a big appeal for money during their performance.  The flattery was part of their strategy to raise money.

"So the spies questioned him: 'Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.'"  They pour on the honey of flattery, hoping to lure Him into a trap.  They were hoping that Jesus' answers to their questions would cause the people to turn on Him.  They were saying, "You will answer honestly, even though it may alienate you from someone."  They felt that they had come up with a question that He could not answer without getting Himself in trouble.

"Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?'"  The Jews resented paying this tax.  "It reminded the Jews that they were a subject nation." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."  Barclay summarizes what faced Jesus no matter whether He answered "yes" or "no."  "If he said that the tribute should not be paid, they would at once report him to Pilate and arrest would follow as surely as the night the day.  If he said that it should be paid, he would alienate many of his supporters, especially the Galileans, whose support was strong." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."

b. Jesus' response (20:23-25)
"He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 'Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?' 'Caesar’s,' they replied. He said to them, 'Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.'"

Thought Question: Can you think of a question that people use to trap Christians today?  How could you ask a question back that would turn the tables on them?

 

 

"He saw through their duplicity"  Matthew tells us that Jesus also voiced His awareness of their "evil" motives to them.  "But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, 'You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?'" (Matthew 22:18)  Jesus knew that their question was not an innocent and genuine one as they had feigned it to be.  He saw their true motives—they were trying to destroy Him.

"'Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?' 'Caesar’s,' they replied. He said to them, 'Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.'"  The "denarius" "was a small silver coin equal to a laborer's average wages for one day's work.  It was the amount fixed by law for the payment of the poll tax." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House." 

"'Whose portrait and inscription are on it?'"  The Roman Caesar was stamped on the Roman coins of that time.  So, Jesus' enemies had no choice but to answer, "Caesar's."

"'Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.'"  Jesus' words are echoed in the New Testament letters.  It is not a question of choosing whether to obey God or obey government.  We are to obey God and government—as long as the government is not ordering us to disobey God. See Romans 13:1-7; Acts 4:19, 5:29; I Pet. 2:13-14; Eccl. 8:2-6

Again, Jesus had escaped a trap set by His enemies.  He had both not proposed anything that could get Him arrested; nor had He upset the patriotic Jews.  Nor, had He contradicted anything taught in the Old Testament.

"'give . . . to God what is God's.'"  Paying our taxes does not prevent us from serving God wholehearted and completely.  Out nation's Constitution and the Bill of Rights were designed to give us freedom to serve God without government interference.  That freedom is being threatened today.  This freedom is not present at all in some countries and only partially present in other countries.  It is a healthy state where government and religion are able to coexist together peacefully.  After Jesus' time, the Roman Emperors began to see the church as a threat.  Then, the persecution and killing of Christians began to be sponsored by the Roman government.

Jesus was able to get Himself out of a trap set for Him by the "spies" by asking one short question.  When we are challenged by those opposed to Christianity in a public setting, we also can often ask them a question.  Here is an example:  Someone can challenge Christianity by saying, "If God is good, why does He allow so much evil in the world?"  We can then ask: "How do you determine what is evil and what is good?"  Without a belief in a good God, there is really no way of determining absolutely what is evil and what is good.

c. The religious leaders' response (20:26)
"They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent."  The spies had failed miserably to accomplish their goals of getting Jesus arrested and of getting the people to turn on Him.  They were aghast at how their foolproof plot had completely failed.  They were silenced as Jesus continues on, unaffected by their devious scheme.  "When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away." (Matthew 22:22)

8. The Sadducees try to trap Jesus on the issue of the resurrection. (20:27-39)

a. The trap (20:27-33)
"Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 'Teacher,' they said, 'Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?'"

Thought Question:  What is a question that people today use to ridicule Christianity?

 

 

"Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 'Teacher,' they said, 'Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?'"

God required men to marry his brother's wife if her husband died and she had no children.  "If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel." (Deuteronomy 25:5-6)

These "Sadducees" were religious liberals.  They were also the priestly leaders at the temple.  They did not believe in such things as miracles and life after death.  "In the sense that modernist religion abandons any supernatural belief and keeps only moralism, then the Sadducees were modernists." "Taken from Luke by Darrell Bock. Copyright 1994 by Intervarsity Press."

These "Sadducees" felt that this story of the woman who had "seven" husbands die proved that there could be no "resurrection" from the dead.  For, that would mean that this lady would have "seven" husbands in the "resurrection."  They thought that their logic was flawless, and that Jesus would have no choice but to agree with them.  Then, He would be siding with them against the Pharisees—who believed in a "resurrection" from the dead. See also Acts 23:6-10

 

b. Jesus' response (20:34-39)
"Jesus replied, 'The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord “the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.' Some of the teachers of the law responded, 'Well said, teacher!'"

Thought Question: What does Jesus mean by, "He is not the God of the dead, but the living"?

 

 

"Jesus replied, 'The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection." 

Marriage and the children that come from the institution of marriage are necessary to perpetuate human life on this planet.  The reason for this is that we die and need our children to replace us.  If there were no children, life on earth would have ceased after one generation died.  But, because of marriage and children, our children and our children's children continue on after we are gone.  In the resurrected life, we will "no longer die."  So, there will be no need for marriage and children.

"for they are like the angels."  Even the mention of "angels" by Jesus created a division between Jesus and the 'Sadducees."  The "Sadducees" did not believe in the "resurrection" and they also did not believe in "angels."  ("The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.") (Acts 23:8)

"But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead"  This statement by Jesus should have provoked a question from the "Sadducees" and the others that were listening to this conversation.  They should have asked, "How can we be considered 'worthy'"?  The jailor in Philippi did ask the question they should have asked: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30)  The answer given to him by Paul and Silas was,  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." (Acts 16:31)

These words by Jesus in response to the Sadducees' question give us a look beyond this life and tell us about what life will be like in the "resurrection" for those of us who have believed in Christ.  Paul, in I Corinthians 15 also tells us how our "resurrection" life will differ from our present fleshly life.  "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body." (I Corinthians 15:42-44)

In Philippians, Paul tells us more.  "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21) See the following verses for the Old Testament's teaching on the "resurrection": Job 14:14, 19:25-27; Ps. 16:9-11, 73:24-26; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:1-2; Hos. 13:14

Those like the "Sadducees" of today make fun of our Christian belief in a "resurrection" from the dead.  A British visitor of a Scottish lady in our church years ago told me in a condescending way that my message from the Bible was "pie in the sky," which he obviously dismissed as a fantasy.  But, we have the ultimate proof of the "resurrection," Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born." (I Corinthians 15:1-8)  (Another British visitor to my Scottish friend told me that my viewpoint that the Soviet Union was going to fall also was poppycock.  I need to mention that I am British on my dad's side.)

"'But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord “the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.'" 

Jesus is quoting Exodus 3:6.  They are God's words as He spoke to Moses from the burning "bush."  Jesus is saying here that God was not saying there that He was the God of three "dead" men, but He is the God of three "living" men.  God is not our God temporarily until we die and then are gone forever, He is our God forever.

"Abraham," "Isaac," and "Jacob" died without seeing God's promise fulfilled.  If they died and are gone forever, the promises to them were not fulfilled.  Hebrews eleven tells us that that they were trusting God for a fulfillment of God's promise to them that they would experience after their deaths.  "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Hebrews 11:8-10)

Commentators point out that Jesus' quote came from the Pentateuch—Genesis through Deuteronomy.  This was the only part of the Bible that the Sadducees believed to be inspired by God.  Leon Morris, however, questions whether historical evidence backs up this view.

c. The Pharisees like Jesus' answer (it supported their view) (20:39-40)
"Some of the teachers of the law responded, 'Well said, teacher!' And no one dared to ask him any more questions."  In Jesus' response to the "Sadducees," Jesus said what the Pharisees—"the teachers of the law"—also believed.  They enjoyed seeing their theological adversaries so thoroughly shut down.  So, they said, "Good job!"  At this point, everyone got the message that trying to trap Jesus with some question would only backfire back on them.  And, they would end up looking foolish and not Jesus.

9. Jesus poses a question about how the Messiah can be both David's son and his Lord. (20:41-44)
"Then Jesus said to them, 'How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David? David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ David calls him “Lord.” How then can he be his son?'"

Thought Question: How do you believe that the Messiah can both be a descendent of David's and David can call Him "Lord"?

 

 

"Then Jesus said to them, 'How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David? David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ David calls him “Lord.” How then can he be his son?'" See Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:41-46; Mk. 12:35-40; Acts 2:34-35; Heb. 1:13

The "Son of David" was a title given to the Promised Jewish Messiah.  He was to be a descendent of King David.  Jesus was given this title by the blind beggar.  "He called out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (Luke 18:38)  And He was given this title by the crowds at the Triumphal Entry.  "The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Hosanna in the highest!'" (Matthew 21:9)

But, Jesus immediately created a dilemma for those who were listening to Him.  The dilemma came from what was said about the Messiah in Psalm 110:1:  "Of David. A psalm. The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" (Psalm 110:1)  How, then, can the Messiah be both a descendent of "David" and be his Lord?  The answer is not given, but the incarnation is the only answer—a human baby descendent of David would also be God.  The Messiah was to be a human baby who was also God who preexisted His birth.  And, standing before them was both their God and their Lord, as well as a descendent of David—He was their Promised Messiah! See II Sam. 7:13-14; Isa. 11:1-5,10;   Jer. 23:5-6; Lk. 1:31-32; Rev. 22:16

"'until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'"  A king placing his foot on an enemy's neck, pictured the complete defeat of that enemy. See Josh 10:22-24  The Messiah's ultimate goal and accomplishment is to defeat every enemy of God.  "For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet." (I Corinthians 15:25) See also Heb. 10:12-14

10. Jesus warns His disciples about the teachers of the law. (20:45-47)
"While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.'"

Thought Question:  What can we do not to be like these "teachers of the law"?

 

 

"While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.'" See also Lk. 11:37-54 where Jesus pronounces woes on these Pharisees.

Jesus' complaints that are given here will be given one at a time and commented on:  (1) "'They like to walk around in flowing robes'"  It is a temptation for someone in the ministry to give the impression that he or she is holy.  This impression can be given because of an absence of transparency, humility, and honest.  But, it can also be done by dressing like one is holy.  The Pope, for example, can dress up in holy clothes and be called holy, but no one is holy.  "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23) See also Rom. 3:9-10, 19-20; Eccles. 7:20   Dressing like one is holy does not make that person holy.  We are not to play-act like we are holy.  I always appreciate it when a Christian speaker is honest about his or her faults.  While hearing a pastor for the first time, I heard him say the following: " I have faults.  I don't want you to know them.  But you know most of them anyway."

(2) "'and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.'"  These leaders' real motivation was not to be holy, but to be recognized as being godly men.  They wanted to be recognized as being superior to other men.  They wanted to be recognized in public, in their "synagogues," and on special occasions—the "banquets"—as deserving of adulation.

It is very human for us to want to be admired.  It is easy for us to see why a person would want people to think they are superior to other men.  But, it is hypocritical when he or she does it, because we are all sinful.  "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)  "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6)

We who are Christians, though, are special.  But it is not because of our personal accomplishments, it is because of God's grace toward us. See Eph. 1:3-2:10

(3) "'They devour widows’ houses'"  Jesus does not tell us how this happened, but in some ways they took advantage of windows who had money.   The widows of that time who no longer had the help of their husbands were an easy target for those without compassion and without a conscience.  From Jesus' words, we learn that these religious leaders were taking advantage of these widows, and they were getting rich at their expense.

This, sadly, can take place in the church today.  Many widows, today, have been manipulated into giving more than they can afford by televisions ministers and other ministers.

(4) "'and for a show make lengthy prayers.'"  Sadly, it is true that the length of prayers can be directed more toward impressing people about what a caring and spiritual person is praying the prayer than it expressing a genuine concern for people.  Prayers done in the closet are more likely to be prayers of genuine concern.  "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:5-6)

"'Such men will be punished most severely.'"  Why will they be "punished most severely"?  Some television ministries have been exposed by the secular media for using lies to mislead people into sending them money.  They know the Bible, but they are using it to fleece people.  These Pharisees knew the Bible better than most everyone else in Israel.  But, they were using their knowledge of the Bible to gain prominence with men and to fleece people.  According to Jesus' own words, they "will be punished most severely."

11. The widow's offering (21:1-4)
"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'"

Thought Question:  Why was the widow's small gift of greater value to Jesus than the gifts of those who put in more money than her?

 

 

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'"

Jesus had just exposed the false religion of the Pharisees.  Now, He reveals what true religion looks like.  In the court of the women, where Gentiles were forbidden to enter, there were "thirteen trumpet-shaped chests." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."  Into these "chests," the offerings of Israel were placed.  Jesus noticed the "rich" putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  Then, He saw "a poor widow" putting "two very small copper coins."  Jesus saw that this "widow" gave very little compared to what the rich gave.

But, we see here that Jesus valued her small gift over the gifts of the "rich."  What made her gift of greater value to Jesus than the "gifts" of the "rich"?  Their "gifts" did not change or affect their lifestyle at all.  But she would need to live in even greater "poverty" because of her gift.  She did not give only a little, but she gave all she had to give.

When I heard this story years ago, I heard of it as the story of the widow's mites.  That is how it is translated in the KJV.  In either case, it was a very small amount of money that she gave.  But, it was a great deal of money to her.

The rich religious leaders who stole from the widows are contrasted with a "poor widow."  They took much; she gave much.  Which do we want to be like?

12. End-times' signs (21:5-36)

a. The disciples' question (21:5-7)
"Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 'As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.' 'Teacher,' they asked, 'when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?'"

Thought Question: What do we know now that the disciples did not know that explains the meaning of Jesus' words?

 

 

"Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God."

Barclay gives the following description of the glory of the "temple": "In the Temple the pillars of the porches and of the cloisters were columns of white marble, forty feet high, each made of one single block of stone.  Of the ornaments, the most famous was the great vine made of solid gold, each of whose cloisters was as tall as a man.  The finest description of the Temple as it stood in the time of Jesus is in Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, book 5, section 5.  At one point, he writes, 'The outward face of the Temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise either man's mind or their eyes, for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays.  But the Temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow, for as to those parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceedingly white.'" "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."

So, we can see why the "disciples" were talking of the "temple" with such awe and wonder.  But, their wonder was suddenly changed to horror by Jesus' next words.

"But Jesus said, 'As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.'"  The glory of the "temple" is absent from our world today.  What happened to it?  About 30 years after Jesus' words, in A.D. 70, it was destroyed.  "Fulfilled literally in A.D. 70, when the Romans under Titus completely destroyed Jerusalem and the temple building.  Stones were even pried apart to collect the gold leaf that melted from the roof when the temple was set on fire . . . Excavations in 1968 uncovered large numbers of these stone, toppled from the walls by the invaders." "Taken from NIV Study Bible note on Matt. 24:2." 

"'Teacher,' they asked, 'when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?'"  The "disciples" did not know what we know today.  They did not know that Jesus would soon die, resurrect from, appear to them for 40 days (Acts 1:3), ascend to heaven, and not return for 2000 + years.  They undoubtedly thought that the destruction of the "temple" that Jesus described would be followed by Jesus beginning His kingdom.  They wanted to know the "sign" that would precede all of this.  Certainly, they were expecting a simple answer, not the very complex answer that Jesus is about to give them.

b. Jesus warns them not to be deceived. (21:8)
"He replied: 'Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and, “The time is near.” Do not follow them.'"

Thought Question:  Who are some who have made the claim that they were the second-coming of Jesus Christ?

 

 

"He replied: 'Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he, and, “The time is near.” Do not follow them."  Jesus begins His answer to the disciples' question about the end times with a warning.  There always will be those who will use prophecy to exploit people.  Jesus, here, predicts that there will be false christs who will appear and declare that they are the second coming of Jesus Christ.  One website lists over sixty dates when Jesus was supposed to have returned.  Also, we are warned throughout the New Testament about false teachers. See II Cor. 4:1-6, 11:1-4, 13-15; II Pet. 2; I Jn. 2:18-19, 4:1-3; Jude; Rev. 2:14-16; 20-25

Jesus begins with a warning.  He states here that a long  period of time would pass between His first coming and His second coming.  In the interim, between His first and second coming, there would be many who would claim to be Him.  Some who have made that claim were Simon Magus, Sun Myung Moon, David Koresh, and Jim Jones.  But, many other names can be added to this list.  But, the ultimate false Christ will be the antichrist and the ultimate false prophet will be the false prophet who will point to the antichrist as the true christ.  "Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:11-17)

c. Signs preceding Jesus' return (21:9-19)
"'When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.' Then he said to them: 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life."

Thought Question: What in Jesus' predictions has already taken place and what has not happened yet?

 

 

"'When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.' Then he said to them: 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.'"

Matthew 24:8 refers to these events as "birth pains."  In history, between Jesus' words to His disciples here and our present time, what is there that Jesus describes here has taken place—just as Jesus predicted.  We have had two world "wars," plus many other "wars," all over the world.  We have had "great earthquakes."  in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Japan (2011), Chile (2015), and in many other parts of our planet.  We have had "famines" in such places as Ethiopia, Somalia, Congo, Sudan, and in other parts of the world.  We have had "pestilences" or plagues such as the Black Death in the 1300s where 75 million died. 

"fearful events and great signs from heaven."  A "fearful" event and a "great" sign "from heaven" for me was when Mt. St. Helen exploded and blacked out the sky over our home city in Central Washington state for most of the daylight hours.  Of course, there have been many "fearful events" since Jesus' time—such as tsunamis, hurricanes, and 9/11.  All of these have led many to think that Jesus' return is near.

Jesus may have meant that these "birth pains" will increase in frequency and intensity just before Jesus' return, just as a mother's "birth pains" increase in frequency and intensity just before the birth of her baby.  That would mean that there will be an increase in "wars," "great earthquakes," and the other "signs."

The book of Revelation does give events in the last days that are greater in intensity than we have experienced up to this date.  "I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'" (Revelation 6:12-17)

It appears that these "fearful events" will increase in the last days before Jesus' return.  These scary times will be a warning to all mankind of God's wrath to come, so that they will turn from their sin and turn to God.  Nothing less will get our unbelieving world's attention.  9/11 got our country's attention for a time.  But, then, it was back to normal.  People do turn to God during tragedies.  People who would not consider praying on a normal basis will pray during times of disaster.  Why would God allow such tragedies to occur?  People's eternities are at stake.  Short times of trouble can lead to a completely different eternity.  "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (II Corinthians 4:17-18)

"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."

Jesus predicts that in the end times, the world will be united in turning against God and Christians.  Paul described what it will be like in his last letter.  "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." (II Timothy 3:1-5)

Some might say that these words describe today's world.  But, what has not happened yet in the U.S. is for our leaders to make it illegal to be a Christian and to hold Christian views.  That is true in much of the world today—in Islamic, communist, and Hindu countries.  Or, if it is not illegal to be a Christian, Christians in many countries operate under strong controlling and repressive and political structures.  It appears from Jesus' words here, that what is presently true in these countries that were just mentioned, will one day be true all over the world.

Jesus promised that He will give us the words to say when we stand before government officials or our enemies.  Recently, a man from Iran spoke at a meeting I attended.  He had been brought before an officer of the secret police in Iran.  He was told by this man that if he disowned Jesus, he would be immediately released.  He thought about doing that so he could be freed and go back to witnessing for Jesus.  But, that is not what came out of his mouth.  Instead, he said, "I love Jesus and I will always love Him." See also Acts 4:5-12, 19-20, 22:1-21, 24:10-21, 26:1-29 for examples of God giving His people His words in front of government authorities.

This type of persecution happened in the early church. See Acts 5:17-42, 7:54-8:1, 9:1, 12:1-2  It happened throughout the history of the church.  Foxe's Book of Martyrs describes the deaths of many who died as Christian martyrs.  It, of course, still happens today; maybe in greater numbers than ever before.  In the last days, there will be a worldwide persecution that will exceed everything that has happened before it. 

Jesus says, "But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves."  The opposite of "worry" is to trust.  When we "worry," we lose our composure.  When we trust, we keep our composure.

"You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life."

Thought Question:  How can Jesus say at the same time, "they will put some of you to death" and "not a hair of your head will perish"?

 

 

"You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends,"  Persecution is much harder when it is done by those closest to us.  In the last days, some of those who turn against God will be those in our own family and those who are our closest "friends."

Jesus would explain this further in the upper room just before His death.  "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." (John 15:18-20) See also Matt. 10:21-22, 34-38

As J. C. Ryle put it, "the children of Cain will hate the children of Abel, as long as the earth continues." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle." See Gen. 4:1-12; I Jn. 3:12

"But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life."  How can Jesus say at the same time, "they will put some of you to death" (21:16) and "not a hair of your head will perish"?  Jesus sees our life from an eternal perspective.  We may even die as a martyr as James the apostle did (see Acts 12:1) and as, according to church tradition, all the apostles did except John. But, this will only happen if God allows it to happen.  But even if God allows us to die, we will all resurrect in bodies that are unharmed.  "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) 

Paul demonstrated this type of faith at the end of his life.  Shortly before he died as a martyr, he said these words:  "Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (II Timothy 4:14-18) See also Rom. 8:38-39  Though he died, he was completely victorious and triumphed over his death.  For, he was immediately in the presence of God unharmed.  He did not "perish," for God enabled him to conquer death.

I will close this section with Warren Wiersbe's summation of it.  "No matter what our views of the coming of the Lord, we need His three admonitions.  'Don't be deceived!  Don't be afraid!  Don't worry!'" "Taken from Be Compassionate by Warren Wiersbe.  Copyright 1998 by David C. Cook."

d. The time of desolation (21:20-24)
"'When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.'"

Thought Question:  Do you believe these verses describe what happened when the Romans conquered Jerusalem in A.D. 70 or does it describe the conquest of Jerusalem in the very last days?  Please explain the reason for your choice.

 

 

"'When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.'"  Matthew 24:15-21 and Mark 13:14-17 appear to be describing a time at the end of the age when the antichrist will desecrate the temple in Jerusalem.  It is referred to as the "abomination of desolation."  "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." (Matthew 24:15-16)

Here, Jesus appears to be referring to A.D. 70, when Jerusalem is surrounded by the Roman army and conquered Jerusalem so completely that its temple was leveled and the people of Israel were murdered by the hundreds of thousands.  "The siege began in April of the year A.D. 70, while Jerusalem was still filled with Passover pilgrims.  For the terror that ensued one should read Josephus Jewish War, especially Books IV to VII.  After a siege of about five months the Romans finally overwhelmed the entire city.  According to Josephus the total number of prisoners taken throughout the entire war was 97,000, while 1,100,000 perished during the siege (Jewish War VI.420).  Even though these figures may be exaggerated, the numbers must have been enormous." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House." 

Though Jesus appears to be describing, here, this horrible conquest of "Jerusalem" by Rome in A.D. 70, it also appears to be a foreshadowing of the time still in our future that is described in Matt. 24:15-21 and Mark 13:14-17 when the nations will also surround "Jerusalem." See also Zech. 12:2-3, 14:2

Why do I believe that Matthew's and Mark's account speak of a time still future and Luke looks back to A.D. 70?  Matthew and Mark refer to the "abomination of desolation" and Luke does not.  The "abomination of desolation" is still future. See also II Thess. 2:3-4  It may be, though, that all three accounts speak of the time of judgment that is still in our future.

Dr. Constable also believed that Luke is giving Jesus' prediction of the Roman's attack on Israel in A.D. 70 and not the future attack of the antichrist that is described in Matthew 24 and Mark 13.  Here is what he has said about this:  "Matthew and Mark wrote that Jesus also gave that teaching in the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-20). However, though that teaching is similar, it is different from what Jesus announced here. Here He predicted the destruction of Jerusalem that happened in A.D. 70. . . . The 'great distress' of 'pregnant' women and 'nursing' mothers represents the trouble that all people in and around Jerusalem would face. God's 'wrath,' and the 'wrath' of Israel's enemy, would also be great.  Some of the Jews would die in battle, and others would become captives and have to leave Palestine. 'Gentiles' would dominate (trample 'under foot') 'Jerusalem' itself. This would last until the end of 'the times of the Gentiles.' This is a phrase that describes the period during which Gentiles, rather than Jews, would control the fate of Jerusalem (Dan. 2; 7). It began when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, in 586 B.C., and will continue until Jesus Christ returns at the Second Coming (cf. Dan. 2:34-35, 45; Rom. 11:25). Throughout this entire long period of history, including the present, Gentiles have controlled the fate of Jerusalem.  Luke's reference to 'the times of the Gentiles' is consistent with his interest in Gentiles.  The fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 did not fulfill this prophecy completely, because Jesus said that the times of the Gentiles would end (21:24). Gentiles continued to control Israel's fate after A.D. 70 and still do today.  Also, celestial phenomena and the return of Jesus were to take place at the end (21:25-28), but these things did not happen in A.D. 70.  Again, careful comparison with the similar passages in Matthew and Mark reveals that they were recording Jesus' prediction of the attack on Jerusalem just before His return (cf. Zech. 14:1-2)." "Dr. Constable's notes."

"Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city."  The coming attack on "Jerusalem" would be so severe that the only hope for the people of Israel was for them to "flee" away to remote places where the Roman soldiers could not find them.  Normally, people of that time would escape from their enemies by retreating into walled cities.  Jesus, though, predicts that they would need to "flee to the mountains." See 19:41-44

"For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written."  Throughout the Old Testament, there are descriptions of Israel's sins and predictions of God's judgment on His people for their sins. See Lev. 26:14-39; Isa. 1:4-20  See also Lk. 11:50-51

Just because it does not appear that a sin has been judged by God, does not mean that it will not be judged. See Rom. 2:4-5

"How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people."  It was a horrendous time of coldhearted killing.  There was no sympathy for "women" who were "pregnant" or for "women" taking care of babies.

"They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations." As was mentioned in the Hendriksen quote earlier, "According to Josephus . . . 97,000" prisoners were taken.  "Some of the prisoners were subsequently thrown to the wild beasts, others were sold into slavery 'into all nations,' while a select number of the strongest and best-looking captives figured in the triumphal procession which Rome gave to the conquerors." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."  Jesus' prediction that they would "be taken as prisoners to all the nations" was fulfilled.

"Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.'"  Starting in A.D. 70 until 1948 there was no nation of Israel.  As the Babylonians conquered Israel in 586 B.C., so Israel was conquered by the Romans in A.D. 70.  Even today (July 2014), Israel is under continual siege as rockets are being launched in its land by her enemies.  "The times of the Gentiles" will not be completed until God's judgment on Israel is completed and they turn in repentance to their Messiah.  "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." (Zechariah 12:10)  "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.'" (Romans 11:25-27)

e. Other signs (21:25-26)
"'There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'"

Thought Question: Why do you think that God allows there to be massive earthquakes, hurricanes, and other very dangerous weather conditions?

 

 

"'There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.'"  Luke summarizes what is described in more detail in other places.  Matthew quotes from Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4:  "'Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’'" (Matthew 24:29) 

It is apparent that before Jesus' return there will be both heavenly and earthly signs of such a magnitude that no one will be able to ignore what is happening.  Also, humanity will experience such chaos and instability that it will be like being in a ship on a very violent and stormy sea.

In recent years, we have had massive tsunamis in 2004 and 2006 in the Indian Ocean and in Japan in 2011.  These massive tsunamis were caused by massive earthquakes.  The people in those regions experienced "anguish and perplexity at the roaring of the sea." 

"'Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'"  We live in a mostly stable world.  When our stability is shaken, we become terrified—when a great earthquake strikes, a storm rages, a volcano erupts, or great hailstones fall from the sky.  That is what it will be like in the days before Jesus returns, but at a magnitude beyond what we have ever experienced.

f. Jesus' return (21:27)
"At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."  Luke has jumped from A.D. 70 to the very last days in Jesus' account of what He predicted about the future. 

Jesus' return—His Second Coming—is emphasized throughout Luke.  "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:26)  "'You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.'" (Luke 12:40) See also 12:8, 17:22-30, 18:8

"coming in a cloud"  Coming from heaven is pictured as "coming in a cloud."  This is similar to what Daniel predicts.  "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14) See also Rev. 1:7; Acts 1:9-11

Jesus will one day come as King.  He will rule the world from Jerusalem and come to judge the world. See also Rev. 19:11-20:15; Zech. 14:16-21

Matthew adds a word to Luke's account.  "'At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.'" (Matthew 24:30)  The added word is "sign."  Why did Luke not include the word "sign"?  "Probable solution: the very appearance of the Son of Man upon clouds of glory is itself the sign, the one great final sign from the point of view of the earth." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

According to Matthew and Mark, Jesus will come to "gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens." (Mark 13:27)  This sounds like the Rapture described in I Thessalonians 4:13-17 and I Corinthians 15:51-52.  ("Rapture" comes from a Latin word that means catching up—the catching up of the church to be with Jesus.)  If the gathering up of the "elect" that Jesus describes here is the Rapture of the church, it will take place just before the sixth seal of Revelation six and just before the beginning of God's wrath being` poured out on the world. See Rev. 6:12-17 and Matt. 24:29-31  The complete darkness that will take place at that time as the sun is darkened will be suddenly filled with the light of the glory of Jesus Christ!   First, "the sun will be darkened" (Matthew 24:29).  Matthew 24:30 describes what will take place next:  "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."

This viewpoint on the timing of the Rapture is called the Pre-wrath Rapture and is described in detail in The Pre-wrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin Rosenthal.  I had come to the same conclusion before I read his book.  But, he described in much more detail.

g. Be alert when you see these signs (21:28)
"'When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.'"  These words are only found in Luke.  Vincent explains that the lifting "up" of "heads" implies "being previously bowed down with sorrow." "Taken from Word Studies in the New Testament by M. R. Vincent.  Copyright 1972 by Associated Publishers and Authors."

As a child in the 1940s, I regularly went to the theater to watch cowboy movies.  Often in the movies, helpless people were in the evil hands of those with the black hats.  Then, the hero in the white hat appeared to rescue them.  The success of shows like these movies in the past and the very many shows like them through the years reveals to us that we yearn for the good to win and the evil to lose.  The Bible reveals to us the depth of our sinfulness and God's goodness.  He has given us, in His kindness, more than sufficient time and opportunity for us to repent and cry out for His mercy.  If we have done that, we wait eagerly for His return.  At that time in the future, the One who was a man among us and who is also God, who was crucified for our sins, and who rose from the dead, will return in great glory.  Those who will be there at that time will see great "signs in the sun, moon, and stars" (21:25), and other great signs on earth.  Then, they or we should begin to look skyward, for our "redemption is drawing near."  One will be coming shortly to rescue us.  Then, the darkest hour will swiftly change to the brightest hour!

"your redemption is drawing near.'"  "Redemption" means being freed from enslavement.  At Jesus' return, we will be freed from this evil world that is controlled by Satan.  Satan and evil will have had their day.  But, at Christ's coming their day will be over and God's people will be set from his evil schemes, accusations, deception, temptation, and violence.

h. The Parable of the Fig Tree (21:29-31)
"He told them this parable: 'Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.'"

Thought Question:  What do you believe that Jesus meant by "Look at the fig tree"?

 

 

"He told them this parable: 'Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.'"

So, what is the meaning of "this parable"?  All of us have gone through a long winter and have had our spirits lifted as we see leaves budding on a tree that has had bare limbs all through the hard winter.  We can tell by these signs, "that summer is near."

When we start seeing the signs that Jesus predicts here, we also will be heartened that the long hard winter that has lasted for centuries is nearly over. See also   Matt. 24:32-34; Mk. 13:28-30  Though Jesus "will come like a thief in the night" to the world (I Thess. 5:2), He will not surprise Christians who are awake and alert.  "But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night." (I Thessalonians 5:4-7)

"and all the trees."  As recorded here by Luke, Jesus did not limit His illustration to a "fig tree."  Some interpret "fig tree" to be a symbol for Israel. See Hos. 9:10  But Jesus was using the "fig tree" as a specific example of what occurs with other "trees" as well.  He was using the formation of leaves on any tree as a sign of summer.  So, the "leaves" forming on a tree represent a sign that summer is near.  So, the signs that Jesus has given to us up to this point will be signs that will precede His Second Coming. See also Lk. 12:54-56

i. Jesus' conclusion (21:32-33)
"'I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.'"

Thought Question:  Which "generation" of people is Jesus talking about here? (Was He speaking of the "generation" that He was speaking to?  Was He speaking of the "generation" that sees Israel become a nation?  Was He speaking of the "generation" that will see the signs He is describing to them?)  Please explain your answer.

 

 

"'I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."  Hal Lindsay believed that the "fig tree" symbolized Israel and its rebirth in 1948.  He also believed that a generation was forty years.  So, Jesus should have returned in 1988.  The simple and most natural interpretation of Jesus' words is that the last days Jesus predicted would happen during a person's lifetime.  "The same group that sees the start of the end will see its end." "Taken from Luke by Darrell Bock. Copyright 1994 by Intervarsity Press."

So, if we see these signs that Jesus has predicted, we can know that He will return in our lifetime (if we live a normal number of years).  This would encourage us to trust God at this darkest of times.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.'"  When, in the future, everything will appear to be uncertain and endless, Christians will need the certainty of Jesus' words here.

At that time, the "earth" and the sky will not be the peaceful and orderly "earth" and sky that we know today (in most cases).  "I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place." (Revelation 6:12-14)

There will be the greatest wars and worldwide confusion and fear.  "I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth." (Revelation 6:8)  At that time, believers will need to know with absolute certainty that Jesus is about to return.  And so today, we also need Jesus' certain words.  Jesus' words are the solid rock upon which we base our lives and our future.  The future is certain, so we base our trust and service on the fact that we will one day see the Lord—if we die or if we are there when He returns.

j. A final exhortation (21:34-36)
"'Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.'"

Thought Question:  What is Jesus warning us about here?

 

 

"'Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap."  Jesus tell us here what can so distract us that we miss the signs of His Second Coming—like most missed the signs of His first coming.

Could we become so involved in pleasure-seeking and worry that the end times will catch us by surprise?  In our time, technology has so captivated our attention that we can miss what is happening even to close family members. Could we be so enthralled with looking down at our cell phones that we miss signs that judgment is about to happen? See 8:13, 12:48; I Cor. 10:12

Jesus' words are a warning to His people that we can become so easily entangled in the things of this world that our walk with God can suffer.  It happened to some of the most godly people in the Bible such as David and Solomon, and it can happen to us as well.

"and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap."  Satan is always seeking to destroy Christians.  "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8) See also I Tim. 3:7; II Tim. 2:26  Our enemy and world system are always laying a "trap" for Christians.  Our job is not to fall asleep to what is going on, so that we do not walk right into his traps—like Adam, Eve, Aaron, Judas, Demas, and others did.

"For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth."  The fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 only affected Jerusalem and the nation of Israel.  The judgment Jesus is speaking of here will affect the whole world.  It will be God's judgment on all of mankind for our sins. "See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants— it will be the same for priest as for people, for master as for servant, for mistress as for maid, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word. The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left." (Isaiah 24:1-6)

"Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.'"  Jesus, here, describes the type of Christian life that Jesus wants us to have as we await His Second Coming.

(1) "Be always on the watch"  "We are to live on guard like men in an enemy's country.  We are to remember that evil is about us, and near us, and in us—that we have to contend daily with a treacherous heart, an ensnaring world, and a busy devil." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle."  Jesus wants us not to be fooled when false teaching starts seeping into the church, when seductive temptations allure us, when we are flattered with evil intentions, and when following others will take us off track. See Acts 20:28-30;              Rom.16:17-19; II Cor. 11:4, 13-15; Col. 2:16-23; I Thess. 5:1-11; I Tim. 1:6-7, 18-20; II Tim. 4:3-5; II Pet. 2; I Jn. 2:18-27; 4:1-6; Jude

(2) "pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen"  Prayer comes from humbly recognizing that we are in a battle that we will lose if we fight it ourselves.  Joshua was about to begin a war campaign that was directed at conquering and capturing the Promised Land from the nations that lived there.  Just before the battle began, he was reminded by God whose battle he would be fighting.  "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?' 'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.' Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?' The commander of the Lord’s army replied, 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did so. Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.'" (Joshua 5:13-6:2)

So, we are to be in constant prayer, recognizing that this is a war that we cannot win unless God enables us to win it.  "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (II Corinthians 10:4)  "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:10-12)  "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18)

And, after we have lived this watchful and prayerful type of life, we will "be able to stand before the Son of Man.'"  It is quite common for men and women to live with the some future goal in mind.  We go to college so we can get a better paying job.  We save up money so we can purchase a car or make a down payment on a house.  We raise our children in hope that they will come to know Jesus Christ and experience His abundant life.  The greatest goal of all is for us to live our life now in such a way that we will not be ashamed when we "stand before the Son of Man."  The greatest reward that we can experience is to hear Him say at that time: "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:21)

13. Jesus' ministry summarized (21:37-38)
"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, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple."

Here, Luke describes Jesus' pattern during the last week of His life.  He taught at the "temple" during the day and slept in the evening at the "Mount of Olives."  He either slept on the ground or slept in a home there.  The "Mount of Olives" is just east of Jerusalem.  "Directly east of Jerusalem, it rises to a height of about 2,700 feet, some 200 feet higher than Mount Zion.  Its summit commands a magnificent view of the city and especially the temple." NIV Study Bible note on Mark 11:1."  As we have just returned from Israel, that "magnificent view of the city" and the temple mount is still emblazoned in my mind.

Of course, Judas was aware of Jesus' pattern.  This leads into what would happen to Jesus there on His last evening on the "Mount of Olives." 

"and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple." See Matt. 26:56  In spite of the vile opposition of the religious leaders, Jesus continued to be popular with the crowds.  He was so popular with them that they came "early in the morning to hear him" teach.  It was because of His popularity with "the people" that the religious leaders were afraid to arrest Him.

As Jesus was busy right up to His arrest, so we are to continue in ministry right up to the end of the age.

JESUS' LAST DAYS (22:1-24:53)

1. Judas asks for money to betray Jesus (22:1-6)

a. The leaders desire to get rid of Jesus (22:1-2)
"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people."

Thought Question:  Why did these Jewish religious leaders want to "get rid of Jesus"?

 

 

"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people." See Matt. 26:2-5;
Mk. 14:1-2

"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover,"  The "Passover" was a remembrance of the lamb that was slain in each Jewish household and whose blood was spread on the doorframe of each house while the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt.  That blood saved the firstborn son from the death that occurred to the firstborn of Egypt. See Exod. 12:1-13

The "Passover" lamb was slain on the 14th day of the of the month of Nisan—in the spring time.  The "Passover" was followed immediately by the Feast of Unleavened Bread on the 15th-21rst of Nisan.  It was a Feast when leaven, representing sin, was removed from Israel. See Lev. 23:6-8; Deut. 16:3-4  The "Passover" sometimes referred to both of these Feasts that occurred one after the other without a break in between. See Exod. 12:1-13; Lev. 23:5-8; Numb. 28:16-25; Deut. 16:1-8

"and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people."  Why were the people who should have been the most receptive to their promised Messiah—the Jewish religious leaders who knew the Bible best—the most eager "to get rid of Jesus"?  It is because their hearts were not where a knowledge of the Bible should have led them.  Their knowledge of the Bible had puffed them up— "knowledge puffs up" (I Corinthians 8:1)  Instead of their Bible knowledge purifying and humbling them, it had puffed them up to the point where they thought that they should be exalted rather than God be exalted.  Then, when God's Son came and started being exalted more than them, they needed "to get rid of" Him, so they alone would be exalted.

The irony is that the "Passover" lamb symbolized the slaying of Jesus.  He was to be killed so that His blood would pay the price for all man's sins.  The religious leaders were about to slay the true "Passover" Lamb sent from God.  And they would do it on the "Passover."  John the Baptist knew this when he said:"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

Can this type of thing happen today?  It can happen if our knowledge of the Bible leads to our feeling superior to others.  It happens when we allow our knowledge of the Bible to cause our head to swell up.  Then, we can want "to get rid of" those who are a threat to our prominence and place of power and authority.  We need to be very careful that God's word humbles us as we learn from it of our sinfulness, dependence on God's grace, and the greatness of God.  If we find ourselves getting puffed up with our own sense of importance, we need to quickly repent or we will be finding ourselves doing something similar to what the Pharisees did to Jesus—getting "rid" of someone who is in our way and who is a threat to our place of prestige in a religious organization.

"they were afraid of the people."  Jesus was popular and many believed that He was the promised Messiah.  The religious leaders did not want to make a scene on one of the holy days.  The "people" could have turned on them.

We need to be careful whenever someone speaks of getting "rid of" someone and talks of doing it in the least public way possible.  This type of thing is done in the dark and not in the light.  "Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 'But not during the Feast' they said, 'or there may be a riot among the people.'" (Matthew 26:3-5)  They had been plotting to kill Jesus for some time.  "Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus." (Mark 3:6)  "The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching." (Mark 11:18) See also Jn. 11:53

b. Judas' willingness to help the religious leaders to get rid of Jesus (22:3-6)
"Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present."

Thought Question:  What, do you believe, "delighted" the Pharisees about Judas' offer?

 

 

"Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus."

In Luke 4, right after Satan's unsuccessful temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, we read these words:  "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." (Luke 4:13)  It appears that "Judas," at this time, gave "Satan" "an opportune time."  Peter would, later, also give "Satan" "an opportune time."  "He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. 'Get behind me, Satan!' he said. 'You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.'" (Mark 8:31-33)

Judas, because his heart was more receptive to "Satan" than to God, allowed "Satan" to enter him. See also Jn. 11:57, 13:27; Eph. 4:26-27; James 3:14-16: I Pet. 5:8-9

We see signs of the selfish heart of "Judas" in the Gospels.  He saw Jesus as a means to personal gain.  "Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 'Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.' He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it." (John 12:3-6)

When it looked like following Jesus was not going to pay off for him, "Judas," sold Jesus for money.  "Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over." (Matthew 26:14-16)  See also I Tim. 6:10

"And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard"  "officers of the temple guard.  All of these were Jews selected mostly from the Levites." "NIV Study Bible note."

"Judas" went to those who were seeking to arrest Jesus and kill Him to see what he could get, financially, for betraying Jesus.  He probably had concluded that following Jesus was not going to benefit him personally, so he looked for another way to gain personally from his association with Jesus.

"They were delighted and agreed to give him money."  "They were delighted" that one of the Twelve was now a part of their evil plan.  Now, their man among the Twelve could tell them the most opportune time to take Jesus without riling up the people—the people who sided with Jesus and believed that He was the Messiah.

"and agreed to give him money."  Only Matthew tells us the amount of "money."  "and asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty silver coins." (Matthew 26:15)

"He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present."  Now, there was one in the Twelve who was in agreement with Jesus' enemies.  Jesus had, as we say today, a mole in His flock—a secret enemy within His closest followers.  There was a wolf in sheep's clothing among them.  This enemy spy was looking for the best time for his new partners to arrest Jesus.  "Judas" had made a voluntary choice—Jesus would not be his Lord; Satan would be his lord.

2. The Last Supper (22:7-38)

a. Preparation for the Last Supper (22:7-13)
"Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.' 'Where do you want us to prepare for it?' they asked. He replied, 'As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.' They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover."

Thought Question:  Do you believe that Jesus had prearranged with the man with the "jar of water" about where He and His disciples would eat the "Passover" meal or do you believe that the location of the meal was supernaturally arranged?  Please explain your answer.

 

 

"Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed."  Again, the "Passover" Feast and the Feast of "Unleavened Bread" were two feasts, but they were united into one feast with one name being used to describe the two.  Here, "the day of Unleavened Bread" describes both feasts.  The "Passover" Feast was when the "Passover lamb" was "sacrificed."  "Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight." (Exodus 12:3-6)

"Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.' 'Where do you want us to prepare for it?' they asked. He replied, 'As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.' They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover."

How did Jesus know about all of this?  He could have instructed a man to carry a "jar of water" until Jesus' disciples came up to him.  This man with the "jar of water," then, would be like an undercover spy in a foreign country who is to meet up with an American agent who would be recognized because of his "jar of water." 

This is a possibility, for it was not common for men to carry jars "of water."  "To carry water was a woman's task." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."  Morris said that "women usually carried water jars (men carried water skins)." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."  He, then, would lead them to the prearranged home with "a large upper room," where the Last Supper would be held.

This scenario, though, seems to me to be an unlikely one, in that it would require the two disciples to wander all over crowded Jerusalem until they found exactly the right man.  What is much more likely is that Jesus was telling His two disciples what would happen that He foresaw supernaturally.  Jesus demonstrated this type of supernatural omniscience on a number of occasions.  "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." (Matthew 17:27) See also Lk 19:28-38; Jn. 1:47-50

The secrecy about the location, whereby only "Peter and John" knew about it, may be due to Jesus not wanting Judas to know its location.  He did not want His enemies barging in on Him and arresting Him at this important last meal with His disciples.

b. The meaning of the Last Supper (22:14-20)
"When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, 'I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.' After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.' And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'"

Thought Question: What do you believe Jesus meant when He said that He would not eat the "Passover" "again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God"?

 

 

"When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, 'I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."  No one can really understand the emotions of Jesus as the day of His death for our sins was now upon Him.  He expressed great emotion as He contemplated His death at an earlier time.  "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!" (Luke 12:50)

But here, just before His death, He had a special time with His closest followers.  They would celebrate together what we now call the "Lord's Supper."  It was also the "Passover meal."  This meal symbolized what Jesus was about to do—He was going to be the "Passover" Lamb who would be slain to pay the penalty for all of mankind's sins.  All those who put their faith in Him have put the Lamb's blood on the door frame of their hearts and are protected from God's judgment; a judgment that everyone else will receive.  "Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs." (Exodus 12:7)  Jesus is our "Passover" Lamb.  "Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." (I Corinthians 5:7)

"'For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.'"  The "Passover" was the last of the ten plagues on Egypt.  During the "Passover," the first-born child of each Egyptian home died.  It led to the Pharaoh of Egypt releasing Israel from Egypt.  The "Passover" delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt.  So, Jesus' death will one day deliver all who have put their faith in Him from this sin-cursed world, from these sin-cursed mortal bodies, from the penalty for sin, and from sin.  When Jesus and His "apostles" would next celebrate the "Passover," it would be with Jesus in His heavenly kingdom.  We see that celebration in Revelation five.  "And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.'" (Revelation 5:9)  "In a loud voice they sang: 'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!'" (Revelation 5:12) See Lk. 14:15-24; Rev. 19:9

"After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'"  Hendriksen believed that this "cup" was the first "cup" in the Passover celebration: "A prayer of thanksgiving by the head of the house; drinking the first cup of . . . wine." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."  It appears that "the cup" in verses 17 and 18 is this first cup.

There were four symbolic cups that were drunk at the "Passover."  "The four cups are (1) the cup of sanctification; (2) the cup of praise; (3) the cup of redemption (also called the cup of blessing); and (4) the cup of acceptance (or the cup of Elijah)." "Taken from "Christ in the Passover" by Moishe Rosen.  Copyright 1978 by Moody Press. pp. 75-80."

"'For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'"  Again, Jesus points to the complete fulfillment of the "Passover" Feast.  Jesus' blood was shed some two thousand years ago, but what He accomplished has still not been realized.  The ultimate goal is for His people to be with Him forever in His "kingdom."  It will begin at the "the wedding supper of the Lamb." (Rev. 19:9)

"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'"  The "Passover" lamb that was sacrificed symbolized Jesus' coming death for our sins.  John the Baptist called Jesus "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)  The "bread" represented Jesus' body that was given as a sacrifice for our sins.  "This is my body given for you."

When we eat the bread in our Lord's Supper services, it symbolizes Jesus' body and life entering us.  "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)  "Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' 'Sir,' they said, 'from now on give us this bread.' Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" (John 6:32-35)

There are those in the church who believe that the bread and the cup are more than symbolic of Jesus giving His life for us and of our new life in Christ.  They believe that the bread and the cup truly give us something from God when we take them.  "Jesus is not arguing that the bread becomes his body, the view called transubstantiation.  Nor is he arguing that he surrounds and enters the bread with his presence, a view known as consubstantiation." "Taken from Luke by Darrell Bock. Copyright 1994 by Intervarsity Press."

Jesus was in His physical body when He said, "This is my body." He could only have meant, "this symbolizes 'my body,' that is going to be given for you."

"'do this in remembrance of me.'"  Paul adds these words:  "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."    (I Corinthians 11:26)  Christians are commanded to remember Jesus' death for us "until he comes."  We humans tend to forget what others have done for us.  So, we have holidays each year to help us to remember what others have done for us—Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day.  We are also to regularly remember what Jesus did for us—through Him we have received forgiveness, reconciliation with God, new life from God, and eternal membership in God's family.

"In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'"  A favorite hymn asks the question: "What can wash away my sin?"  The answer is, "Nothing but the blood of Jesus."  In the book of Leviticus, we find this explanation of the need for Jesus' blood to atone or to satisfy God's just wrath for our sins.  "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life." (Leviticus 17:11)

We can't earn heaven or a relationship with God in the way the Old Testament requires.  "We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified." (Galatians 2:15-16)  "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'" (Galatians 3:10)  "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." (Romans 3:19-20)  So, we needed a "new covenant in" Jesus' "blood."  "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" (Galatians 3:13)

This "new covenant" is predicted in the Old Testament.  "'The time is coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,' declares the Lord. 'This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,' declares the Lord. 'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,' declares the Lord. 'For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.'" (Jeremiah 31:31-34) See also Ezek. 36:26-27; Matt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45; Jn. 3:16; II Cor. 5:21

"after the supper he took the cup,"  This is also described by Paul in
I Corinthians.  "In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'" (I Corinthians 11:25)  The third cup, the cup of redemption, was drunk "after" the meal.

c. Jesus predicts His betrayal and His death (22:21-23)
"'But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.' They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this."

Thought  Question: Why do you think that they were unable to recognize that it was Judas who was going to "betray" Jesus?

 

 

"'But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. '"  The Gospel of John tells us that Judas left after Jesus pointed out that he was the traitor. See Jn. 13:18-30  It appears that Luke organized his account logically; whereas, Matthew and Mark and John organized their account chronologically.

"'The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.'"  It was "decreed" and predicted in the Old Testament that Jesus would die for mankind's sins. See Isa. 53; Ps. 22, 41:9

"but woe to that man who betrays him.'"  In Matthew, we are told by Jesus, "woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." (Matthew 26:24)  And, in John 17, Jesus calls Judas "the one doomed to destruction." (Jn. 12:12)  Judas' heart was hardened to the end; and now he waits God's final judgment.  It certainly would have been "better for him if he had not been born."

It was God's purpose that Jesus would be killed, but that does not remove the guilt of those who killed Him.  "This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." (Acts 2:23)

"They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this."  Judas had fooled them.  His fellow disciples did not know that he was a false disciple whose heart was not with them.  Jesus had even warned them some time before that there was a traitor among them.  "Then Jesus replied, 'Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!' (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)"  (John 6:70-71) See also Ps. 41:9, 55:12-14; Matt. 27:4

Certainly, there are false disciples in the church who fool us also; for they, like Judas, look to us like true disciples. See Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43; Jn. 13:23-30

d. Jesus' response to His disciples' argument over who was the greatest (22:24-30)
"Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'"

Thought Question: What is the difference between the way our society determines who is great and how God determines who is great?

 

 

"Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest."  "Dispute" is translated by Vincent as "an eager contention." "Taken from Word Studies in the New Testament by M. R. Vincent.  Copyright 1972 by Associated Publishers and Authors."  It describes those that are "fond of strife," those who have an "eagerness to contend." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

They were arguing over who was the "greatest."  Table seating at that time was based on who was most honored by the host.  But, those Jesus honors are those who put others before themselves.  Paul speaks of this attitude in the book of Philippians.  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:3-8)

Jesus' disciples had this argument over who was the "greatest" at least once before. See 9:46-48  See also 14:7-12

According to Jesus, who was the "greatest"?  We should seek after what is great in Jesus' eyes, even if it is not greatness in the eyes of men.

"'The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.'"  Jesus begins by pointing out that greatness in His eyes and in His kingdom is much different than the greatness the world seeks after.  Greatness in the world is measured by such things as greater income, greater positions of power and authority, and greater prestige in society.  So, it was in the Roman world.  "The Gentiles" sought for greater and higher positions in the Roman world, so they could "lord it over" others.  Has anything changed?  It is still very human to want to control others.  Some seek government positions, so that they can force others to do their will—so they can require others to fulfill their ideological goals for them and others.  Some seek financial success; so that others, for financial reasons, will need to do what they require them to do.  Those in these higher positions in government and business are the great ones in our society.  But, are they great in Jesus' eyes?  No!  Jesus calls His followers to another type of greatness.

"'call themselves Benefactors.'"  "Benefactors (euergetai).  From eu and ergon.  Doer of God." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."  We would say, "do-gooders."  They had earned a high position in society by portraying themselves as doers of good.  They got that name because they liked to get credit for any good that they did.  It is similar to a rich person who has gotten rich at others' expense, then giving to charity a small part of his riches and making sure that everyone knows about it.

"But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves."  Those who are "greatest" in God's kingdom are willing to take the lowest places in society.  The "youngest" were given the lowest places in Jewish society.  The servants also had the lowest positions in their society.

Morris gives us the following insight into what Jesus meant here:  "Jesus is not saying that if his followers wish to rise to great heights in the church, they must first prove themselves in a lowly place.  He is saying that faithful service is itself true greatness." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press." (The underlining was not in the original.)

Ryle says something similar:  "Usefulness in the world and church—a humble readiness to do anything, and put our hands to any good work—a cheerful willingness to fill any post, however lowly and discharge any office, however unpleasant, if we can only promote happiness and holiness on earth—these are the true tests of Christian greatness.  The hero in Christ's army is not the man who has rank, and title, and dignity, and chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.  It is the man who looks not on his own things but the things of others.  It is the man who is kind to all, tender to all, thoughtful for all, with a hand to help all, and a heart to feel for all.  It is the man who spends and is spent to make the vice and misery of the world less, to bind up the broken-hearted, to befriend the friendless, to cheer the sorrowful, to enlighten the ignorant, and to raise the poor.  This is the truly great man in the eyes of God.  The world may ridicule his labors and deny the sincerity of his motives.  But while the world is sneering, God is pleased.  This is the man who is walking most closely in the steps of Christ." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle."

"For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."  In the world's system, the "greater" ones are those who are waited on and served.  Those who cook at and are waiters at expensive restaurants are not looked upon as the great ones, but those who are waited on and are served are seen as the great ones.  But in Christ's kingdom, it is those who live a life of service who are seen as the great ones.  In John 13, Jesus demonstrated this to His disciples when He washed their feet.  Jesus' whole life was a life of service.

Were these disciples willing to use Jesus' standard for greatness in their argument over who was the "greatest"?  Then, they would have shown that they were the "greatest" by immediately beginning to serve each other.

"You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'" See Matt. 19:27-30

Throughout the Bible, there are those who had many faults, but they also continued in faith throughout the tough times.  Abraham failed in a number of ways—he lied twice saying that  he was not married to Sarah, and he lost patience with God's promise that God would give him a child through his aged wife Sarah. See Gen. 12:10-20, 16:1-16, 20:1-18  But, Abraham was still in the Promised Land at the end of his life, waiting for God to fulfill His promise to him.  "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'" (Romans 4:18-22)

Jesus' disciples had many faults; but, as Jesus reveals here, they "stood by" Him "in" His "trials."  At any time, they could have left Him; for at times, the going did get rough.

At one of those times when many of Jesus' disciples did leave Him, He turned to the Twelve and said: "You do not want to leave too, do you?"  Peter gave Him this answer:  "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'" (John 6:67-69)

There were many reasons for them to leave Him.  (1) They knew that He was offending the religious leaders.  "Then the disciples came to him and asked, 'Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?'"             (Matthew 15:12) See also Matt. 13:57  (2) They were confused by what He said. See Lk. 18:18-27  Yet, they persevered and stayed with Him.  Here, Jesus shows His appreciation that they "stood by" Him.

Can we see the parallel in our lives?  We also have many faults.  But, are we also willing to trust God even when there is opposition and even when we are confused about what is happening to us as we seek to trust and obey Jesus?

"And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'"  In 1:32-33, the angel Gabriel promises that Jesus will rule in God's "kingdom." "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:32-33)

This King now promises these disciples that they will have a "kingdom" within His rule.  The disciples were expecting an earthly rule that they would be part of.  But, they will be part of a "kingdom" that will far exceed anything that they imagined at that time.  It would not be in a "kingdom" in the Satan-ruled and sin-dominated world that they were living in, but a "kingdom" in a future and transformed world.  It appears that Jesus is describing His millennial rule—when He will rule over the world from Jerusalem.  At that time, these apostles will rule with Him over "the twelve tribes of Israel."  "Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'" (Matthew 19:28) See also Rev. 20:4; Ezek. 37:24-28; Dan. 7:11-14; Zech. 14:9-21

e. Peter's denial predicted (22:31-38)

(1) Jesus' prayer for Peter (22:31-32)
"'Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.'"

Thought Question: What do these verses tell us about how we can be victorious in our war with Satan?

 

 

"'Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.'"  The repeated "Simon Simon" emphasizes the urgency of the warning.  Jesus used the name "Simon" rather than "Peter."  This may have been a way of expressing Peter's susceptibility to Satan's attack.

"'sift you'"  The you is in the plural (you all) and states that Satan desires to attack all of the disciples.  Jesus is addressing Peter because of his leadership of the Twelve.  It is interesting that in verse 32, where Jesus says, "I have prayed for you,"  the "you" is singular.  Jesus' prayer was for Peter.

"'sift you as wheat'"  "Or, 'winnow'.  Satan wants to shake you all through a sieve and see if he can keep and toss aside or destroy any of you.  He wants to throw you all up in the air and see if he can blow any of you away like chaff.  They all prove to be wheat."  "Taken from Transline New Testament by Michael Magill. Copyright 2002 by Zondervan."

"Satan" asked God to test Jesus' disciples as he asked God to have his way with Job.  "One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, 'Where have you come from?' Satan answered the Lord, 'From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.' Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.' 'Does Job fear God for nothing?' Satan replied. 'Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.' The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.' Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." (Job 1:6-12)

Does "Satan" ask to be allowed to test us?  Have we ever been sifted by "Satan"?  How did we do?  Did we pass the test as Job did and Jesus' disciples did?  This may explain some of what happens to us.  "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

Why does God allow this to take place?  I believe that the answer is that it is in the test that we are forced to choose to trust God or not to trust Him.  In the process of the testing, our hearts are purified and our trust in God grows.  "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5)  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4)

Peter, himself, writes of the certainty that we will face trials that originate from "Satan."  "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." (I Peter 4:12-13)  "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (I Peter 5:8-9)  And he tells us that God is using these trials to refine our character.  "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:6-7)

We can be comforted that "Satan" cannot have his full way with us.  As was true with Job, Satan must ask God for permission before he can bring these times of testing on us.  God only allows "Satan" to do that which will have a purifying effect on us and will lead us to becoming more dependent on Him.  "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
(I Corinthians 10:13) See also II Cor. 1:3-11

Job's faith in a loving and all-powerful God was not crushed by his trials. Peter's faith in God continued even after he denied Jesus.  Satan's goal is to crush and destroy our faith that God has a good goal for us.  Jesus desires that we will continue to trust Him through the trials; and that, after the trials, we will be strengthened in our walk with Him.

"But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail." 
"Notice that the Master did not ask that his servant might be freed from trouble.  The undergoing of difficulty and hardship is an integral part of the Christian way." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."

We learn here a great reason why Christ's church and each of us have persevered in the faith through many trials.  Jesus is praying for us.  Also, others are praying for us.

Peter was not alone in his battle against "Satan."  There was always One who was on his side and praying for him. See Heb. 7:23-26; I Jn. 2:1-2

"And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.'"  Jesus knew that Peter, though he would fail, would ultimately turn "back" to Him.  Then, after he had gone through his trial, he would gain renewed strength which would enable him to "strengthen" others in their faith. See II Cor. 1:3-4

(2) Peter's boast (22:33)
"But he replied, 'Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.'"  Here is a part of Peter that had to go.  Only his failure would teach him his own weakness and the futility of self-sufficiency.  Peter, apparently, did not believe that he needed Jesus' prayers.  He appears to have felt that he was quite sufficient to handle any trial.  He was ready to go even "to prison and to death."

If we have been a Christian for some time, we can probably look back at a time when we felt that God was quite lucky to have us on His team.  We felt that nothing could stop us from serving God.  But, then, trials and opposition brought us to our knees or even to lying facedown on the ground, as we came to recognize our complete inability to handle some trial—as we went from a confidence in our own abilities to becoming aware of our own weakness.

(3) Jesus predicts Peter's denials (22:34)
"Jesus answered, 'I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.'"  Jesus knew "Peter" better than "Peter" knew himself.  Jesus also knew what would happen early the next morning after he had been arrested.  "About an hour later another asserted, 'Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.'  Peter replied, 'Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!' Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly." (Luke 22:59-62)

Other than Matthew 16:18, this is the only time that Jesus addressed him as "Peter."  The next morning, he would not be the rock he was named after.  But, later, he would be the rock because the humbled "Peter" will have learned to trust in the true Rock.  "Peter," then, will be "Peter" the rock, not because he personally is a rock, but because he will have learned to trust in the Rock.

(4) Jesus predicts the spiritual war that they were about to enter into. (22:35-38)
"Then Jesus asked them, 'When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?' 'Nothing,' they answered. He said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: “And he was numbered with the transgressors”; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.' The disciples said, 'See, Lord, here are two swords.' 'That is enough,' he replied."

Thought Question: Why do you think that Jesus told them to "buy" "a sword"?

 

 

"Then Jesus asked them, 'When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?' 'Nothing,' they answered. He said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."

In Luke 10:4, when the seventy-two were sent out, they were told, "Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road."  Jesus tells them here that there was coming a change in the way that they would operate their ministry.  The change would take place because He would no longer be with them.  Jesus' disciples were about to face a time when all their needs would not be met in a miraculous way.  It is the way it is in our time.  Missionaries and we who are not missionaries need to work to earn our food (or, in the case of missionaries, they need to work to raise their support). 

Yet, our task is to continue in the work of the great commission.  "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)

"and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."  Since Jesus later rebukes Peter for using a sword, it is likely that Jesus was using the sword to symbolically describe the spiritual war they were about to enter into.  "When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, 'Lord, should we strike with our swords?' And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, 'No more of this!' And he touched the man’s ear and healed him." (Luke 22:49-51)  "Jesus replied, 'Friend, do what you came for.' Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 'Put your sword back in its place,' Jesus said to him, 'for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.'" (Matthew 26:50-52)

"'It is written: “And he was numbered with the transgressors”; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.'"  Here, Jesus clearly states that Isaiah 53 was written about Him.  And the last verse of Isaiah 53—53:12—was about to take place.  He would be "numbered with the transgressors."  Jesus was about to take our place.  He was about to take on Himself the full penalty for our sins—He would be "numbered with the transgressors."  That Jesus would take our place and receive our penalty for our sins is found throughout Isaiah 53. See Isa. 53:4,5,7,8,11,12

"The disciples said, 'See, Lord, here are two swords.' 'That is enough,' he replied."  According to Morris, Jesus was saying, "enough of this kind of talk."  We can be certain that Jesus was not talking of "swords" being used to bring in His kingdom, but that they would be in another type of war.  "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (II Corinthians 10:3-4)

3. Jesus' prayer at Gethsemane (22:39-46)
"Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.' He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.' An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.'"

Thought Question #1: What do you believe was the greatest cause of Jesus' "anguish"?

 

 

Thought Question #2:  What do you believe is meant by "his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground"?  (Was blood coming out of his pores or was His sweat like "drops of blood"?)

 

 

Thought Question #3:  How does prayer help us not to "fall into temptation"?

 

 

"Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.'"  Jesus had in front of Him something that He had never experienced before.  He knew that Judas knew the place on the "Mount of Olives" where He regularly went to pray.  Jesus knew that Judas would soon betray Him.  He also knew the horrible death that He would soon endure.  Yet, He went to His normal place of prayer to face all that would start there.

"Mount of Olives"  It is located to the east of Jerusalem.  Matthew specifies that it was in "Gethsemane,"  a garden on the "Mount of Olives." (Matthew 26:36)  John calls it "an olive grove." (Jn. 18:1)

"The space within Jerusalem was so limited that there was no room for gardens.  Many well-to-do people, therefore had private gardens out on the Mount of Olives.  Some wealthy friend had given Jesus the privilege of using such a garden." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."  "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," (Luke 21:37)

"'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.'"  This exhortation to "pray" is found in Matthew and Mark, but in those Gospels we learn that it came between Jesus' first and second times of prayer, and after Peter, James, and John had fallen asleep. 

Jesus gives us here the way for us not to give "into temptation."  We need to be continually asking for God's help.  "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:13)  This prayer is an acknowledgement of our weakness and susceptibility to "temptation."  Peter, James, and John, as well as the other disciples, were about to enter a time when they could have easily fallen into despair.  The solution was for them to pray that God would keep them from falling.  Many Christians, myself included, have had dark times.  The solution during those dark times is to pray for God's help—and to pray believing that God will help.  Jesus understands dark times, for he went through a very dark time.  Here, that dark time was just about to start.

"He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.'"  What is the "cup" that Jesus did not want to experience?  We might think that the "cup" is the physical torture and death that Jesus was about to endure.  But, certainly, the "cup" that He feared most was the "cup" of judgment for all mankind's sins—which included my sins and your sins.  In Isaiah 51:17, it called the "the cup of his wrath." See II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Isa. 53 

"'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;'"  We see the human side of Jesus.  As He thought about what was ahead, He prayed that there might be a way that He would be able to accomplish the Father's will without the "cup."  "During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." (Hebrews 5:7)

"'yet not my will, but yours be done.'"  Jesus, in agony, pleads with the Father that He will not need to experience the just wrath for all of our sins; yet, He was willing to submit to the Father's will.  Here is the perfect pattern for us when we face our dark times.  We can plead that God will rescue us, but we need to also pray even if God does not rescue us, we will obey Him.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego followed this pattern when Nebuchadnezzar demanded that they bow down to him or be burned alive.  "At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." (Daniel 2:16-18, NIV) "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.'" (Daniel 3:16-18)

"He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them,"  It was a time between the Father and Him.  Jesus "knelt down and prayed."  He physically expressed His submission to the Father.  He voiced His fears and concerns; yet, He expressed a willingness to do the Father's will—even if it meant that He would experience the "cup" that He dreaded.

Can we see how that applies to us?  We can appeal to God to remove some difficult and painful ordeal but also be willing, if its God's will, to go through it.  By this, we are acknowledging that the Father may have wise and eternal reasons why we are to go through a particular trial.  We do know why Jesus needed to die on the cross for our sins.  How eternally grateful we are for Jesus' submission to the Father's will.

"An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him."  Again, we see here the humanity of Jesus.  He felt this agony as a man.  And an "angel from heaven" "strengthened him."  In Matthew 4:11, we learn that Jesus also received angelic help after Satan's temptation in the wilderness.  "Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." (Matthew 4:11)

Jesus was not forsaken by heaven in His darkest hour.  Nor does heaven forsake us in our dark hours.  As I look back during my darkest hours, there also was definite help from heaven.  One angel God used was my deeply compassionate wife.

"And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground."  No one had ever faced or will face what Jesus faced on that evening.  He faced the full wrath of God for all of our sins.  His "anguish" caused "sweat" "like drops of blood" that fell "to the ground."  "Probably perspiration in large drops, or possibly hematidrosis, the actual mingling of blood and sweat in cases of extreme anguish, strain or sensitivity." "NIV Study Bible note." Only Luke the doctor records this. 

"When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.'"  In Matthew, we are told that Jesus said, "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Matthew 26:41)  Can we not all identify with these disciples?  We commit to have a regular time of prayer; but when the week is over, we did not keep our commitment as fully as we intended to.  We were willing but for various reasons we fell short of our commitment.  Peter had just said, "Peter replied, 'Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.'" (Matthew 26:33)  And, yet, here he is sleeping at the most critical time for Jesus.  But Jesus knew their weakness.  He also knows our weakness.

"exhausted from sorrow."  It sounds like Jesus' words about one of them betraying Him, the opposition to Jesus among the religious leaders, Peter learning that he would deny Jesus, and Jesus' words about His death had exhausted them emotionally.  So, in their exhaustion, they fell "asleep."

Recently, I have a very long day.  My wife Shirley needed me to help her to prepare for a devotion that she was giving on the Trinity on the next day at Vacation Bible School.  It was about 10 P.M., and I had just returned from helping lead a service at the Union Gospel Mission in another city.  I was ready to shut down.  My body was weary and I wanted to go to bed.  My first response was to say, "No, I am too tired."  My second response was to help her in the strength of God's Spirit.  The devotion went very well.  My body was weak, but God's Spirit in me was strong.

"'Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.'"  The very next event after these words is recorded in Mark.  "Returning the third time, he said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!'" (Mark 14:41-42)

4. Jesus' arrest (22:47-53)

a. Judas' betrayal of Jesus (22:47-48)
"While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'"

Thought Question: Why do you believe that Judas' betrayal of Jesus was so hurtful to Him?

 

 

"While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him,"   We are told in Matthew that "Judas" led a large crowd.  "While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people." (Matthew 26:47)  John gives us even more details.  "So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons." (John 18:3)  "Judas" came leading temple soldiers and Jewish leaders.  The whole authority structure of Israel was there, united in their goal of eliminating this One who was a threat to their place of authority, prestige, power, and control.  Leading them was one of Jesus' closest followers.  He had led them straight to Jesus' place of isolation—a place where Jesus could easily be arrested without the crowds knowing of it.

Many an evil scheme is done at a time and place where the crowds do not know about it.  These plots are planned in secret and carried out under the cover of night.  A good test of some plan of action is, can it be done in public and in the light of day—when everyone knows about it.  Or, will it be unsuccessful if all know about it, because it does not pass the daylight test?

"but Jesus asked him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'"  Judas' betrayal of Jesus is made even more hurtful and wicked because "Judas" betrayed Jesus "with a kiss."  While he was giving Jesus an expression of love, it was actually an expression of coldhearted disdain and greed.  It is like the warm kiss of a wife who has just decided that she is leaving him for another man.  Or, it is like the kiss of a husband who has just decided he is leaving her for another woman.  "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." (Proverbs 27:6)

b. Jesus' followers try to defend Him. (22:49-51)
"When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, 'Lord, should we strike with our swords?' And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, 'No more of this!' And he touched the man’s ear and healed him."

Thought Question:  Why do you believe that it was wrong for Peter to try to defend Jesus with a sword?

 

 

"When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, 'Lord, should we strike with our swords?' And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear."  Here we see human zeal.  Many a young Christian and many an old Christian has, in human and fleshly zeal, lopped off an ear in an attempt to do what he or she believed God wanted done.  Jesus' followers and Peter who "struck the servant of the high priest" (John 18:10) thought Jesus' kingdom would be won by human zeal and power.  We can feel the same.  Peter's failures would teach him that God's kingdom can only be won by God's strength.         "' . . . Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6)

Peter and the other "followers" of Jesus were fighting the wrong enemy with the wrong "swords."  "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)  "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:17-18)  May we fight the right enemy with the right weapons.

Luke, alone, mentions that it was the "right ear."  Luke, the doctor, was more precise about these types of details.

c. Jesus defends His innocence. (22:52-53)
"Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, 'Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.'"

Thought Question:  What do you believe that Jesus was seeking to expose by the question He asked them?

 

 

"Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, 'Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me.'"  "Rebellion" is translated as "thief" by the KJV; "robber" by the NASB, NKJV, ESV and Disciples Literal New Testament.  It is translated as "robbers" by the NIV in Luke 10:30.

Jesus, here, confronts the whole leadership structure of Israel that was represented there as to what He had done to warrant this type of armed response from them.  He had done nothing illegal.  Rather, "he was and had been a quiet, peaceful Prophet, sitting day by day in the temple, teaching the people.  His life had been an open book.  Had he been guilty of any crimes, those in charge of law and order would have had every chance to seize him." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

"'But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.'"  This plot to arrest, convict, and kill Jesus has been seen, now and throughout the ages, for what it was.  It was clearly the greatest injustice ever done.  So, the only way it could be carried out was under the cloak of "darkness."  For a time, the power of "darkness" ruled  The very "darkest" time of all was when men, empowered by Satan, tried to extinguish "the Light of the world." (Jn. 8:12, 9:5) See also Jn. 1:3-5, 9, 3:19-21)  It is up to us to decide—do we choose light or "darkness"?

5. Peter's denials (22:54-62)

a. Denial #1 (22:54-57)
"Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, 'This man was with him.' But he denied it. 'Woman, I don’t know him,' he said."

Thought Question:  Why do you think that Peter was bold and courageous when he attacked the army with his sword, but cowardly in front of this "servant girl"?

 

 

"Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance."  Comparing these verses to John 18:12-18, it appears that Caiaphas, "the high priest," and Annas his father-in-law may have lived on the same estate. See also Matt. 26:57-58  There was first a short interrogation by Annas, the former high priest. See Jn. 18:12-14, ll:49-50  This was followed by a trial before the members of the Sanhedrin. See Matt. 26:59-68;Mk 14:55-65  Some time during this trial came Peter's denials that are recorded in Luke.

"But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, 'This man was with him.' But he denied it. 'Woman, I don’t know him,' he said."  It appears that John records two denials that took place before this one. See Jn. 18:17, 25

Jesus did not predict that "Peter" would deny Him exactly three times before the cock crowed, but He predicted that Peter would not be able to make it through the time before the cock crowed without denying Jesus at least three times.  In Digging for Gold on Matthew, I recorded a possible eight times that "Peter" denied Jesus.  Each Gospel, probably out of mercy for "Peter," records three of them.

How could "Peter," who was willing to pull his sword and take on a whole group of soldiers, cower and deny Jesus in response to a  question from a "servant girl"?  Earlier, "Peter" was on the attack and still believed that with Jesus he could conquer any enemy.  Now, without Jesus, "Peter" is on the retreat.  For to "Peter," Jesus appears to be powerless before His enemies; and so he also feels powerless before them.  Without Jesus, "Peter" is just another man, outnumbered by his enemies.  He became timid and fearful.

We, without Jesus, are also outnumbered by our enemies.  But, like "Peter" at Pentecost, we are not alone.  For Jesus is with us, and we are on the winning side.

b. Denials #2 and #3 (22:58-60a)
"A little later someone else saw him and said, 'You also are one of them.' 'Man, I am not!' Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, 'Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.' Peter replied, 'Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!'"

Matthew tells us that he was recognized as a Galilean by his accent: "your accent gives you away."  Then, Matthew tells us that "he began to call down curses on himself." (Matt. 26:73-74)  As people began to be sure that he was a follower of Jesus, "Peter" grew stronger in his denial of Jesus.

c. Jesus looks at Peter and Peter weeps. (22:60b-62)
"as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly."

Thought Question:  When have you had a time when you knew you had failed Jesus, but knew that Jesus was compassionate toward you?

 

 

"as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly."

Here, we have genuine repentance.  Peter now saw his own weakness.  He saw his denials of Jesus as horrible.   He probably thought that they were unforgivable.  With one look from Jesus he became a broken man.  Peter was a man who really wanted to obey God; he was unlike Judas who had greedy and evil intentions from the beginning.

In that look from Jesus there was not hate toward "Peter."  There also was not a "I told you so" attitude.  Rather, there were both sorrow and compassion.  We can know this because of Jesus' forgiveness of "Peter" described in John 21. See Jn. 21:15-17

True repentance is described in II Corinthians 7.  "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter." (II Corinthians 7:10-11)

Each of us who are truly Christians have seen our sin for what it is—we have seen its ugliness.  We have marveled that God could forgive us.  And we have rejoiced that by God's grace we have become His children.

6. The guards mock and beat Jesus. (22:63-65)
"The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, 'Prophesy! Who hit you?' And they said many other insulting things to him."

Thought Question:  Why do you believe that Jesus did not answer their cruel questions and did not stop them from hitting Him?

 

 

"The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him." See Matt. 26:67-68; Mk. 14:65  These "guards" could sense how the Jewish religious leaders felt about Jesus.  These leaders hated Jesus.  So, these guards believed rightly that they would not be punished for mistreating Jesus.  They had this One, so hated by the power-mongers of Israel, completely in their power to do with Him whatever they wanted to do.  These evil men took full advantage of it—they mercilessly mocked and beat Him.  The One who showed mercy received no mercy on that day.

Jesus could have at any time killed the whole group of them in righteous and totally just wrath, but He allowed them to pour out their hatred on Him.  "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7)  "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:23)

"They blindfolded him and demanded, 'Prophesy! Who hit you?' And they said many other insulting things to him."  This cruel game is described only here and in Mark 14:65.  Much of the fun that people enjoy is at the expense of others.  Comedians often make fun of others.  Here, these guards use Jesus to play a cruel game.  They "blindfolded him," "hit" Him, and demanded, "Who hit you?"  They felt that they were proving that He was not who He and others claimed that He was.  In their minds, if He was the Son of God, He would be able to tell "who hit" Him.  If He chose, He also could have prevented them from hitting Him.  But, He allowed Himself to be hit, for "by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5a)

7. Jesus' trial before the religious leaders (22:66-22:71)

a. The charge (22:66-67a)
"At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 'If you are the Christ,' they said, 'tell us.''"

"This is the second appearance of Jesus before the Sanhedrin merely mentioned by Mark 15:1 and  Matt. 27:1 who give in detail the first appearance and trial." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

The trials by Annas (see Jn. 18:12-14) and the trial by Caiaphas (see Jn. 18:24; Matt. 26:57-65; Mk. 14:53-65) in the night were illegal.  Trials were not to take place at night.  So, to make the verdict of guilty that they had already arrived at legal, they needed to have a legal day-time trial. See Matt. 26:65-66; Mk. 14:63-64

"'If you are the Christ,' they said, 'tell us.''"  Their veil of legality is immediately exposed.  According to their legal code, the Sanhedrin was not to act as a prosecuting attorney, and the accused was not to be asked to incriminate himself.  "The Sanhedrin did not and could not originate charges.  It only investigated those brought before it." "Taken from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (I. 309) by Alfred Edersheim.  Quoted by The Six Trials of Christ  p. 73 by John Lawrence.  Copyright 1977."

b. Jesus' response to the charge (22:67b-70)
"Jesus answered, 'If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.' They all asked, 'Are you then the Son of God?' He replied, 'You are right in saying I am.'"

Thought Question #1:  Why do you believe that Jesus said, "from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."?

 

 

Thought Question #2:  Do you believe that Jesus says here that He is God?  Please explain your answer.

 

 

"Jesus answered, 'If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer."  Jesus is simply exposing their hardheartedness—they are going to only believe what they want to believe.  Jesus knew that they would not be receptive to anything that He said to them.  This was not a genuine inquiry, but Jesus was getting railroaded; and He knew it.  Lawrence put it this way: "You members of the Sanhedrin will not enter into a fair discussion with Me.  If I interrogate you as to what the Messiah will be and do when He comes, and whether these are fulfilled in Me, you will in no wise give me an honest answer.  You are resolved not to listen to truth, but to condemn Me to death." "Lawrence p.103."

"But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.'"  Jesus clearly stated that He is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.  "Of David. A psalm. The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" (Psalm 110:1)
See Ps. 110:1-6; Dan. 7:13-4; Matt. 26:64-66; Mk. 14:62-66

They saw a weak man whom they believed was powerless before them.  Jesus says that He was not powerless, and one day they will see who He really is.  Instead of them being His judge, He will be their judge!

"They all asked, 'Are you then the Son of God?' He replied, 'You are right in saying I am.'"  Did Jesus ever claim to be God?  That is what He does right here!  They asked if He was "the Son of God," and He says that He is.

They had already heard Jesus say that He is the Messiah.  Here is what Jesus said in the first trial.  "Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, 'Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?' But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus. 'And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.' The high priest tore his clothes. 'Why do we need any more witnesses?' he asked. 'You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?' They all condemned him as worthy of death." (Mark 14:60-64) See also Matt. 26:62-66

Jesus' statement that He is the Messiah and the Son of God were not obtained at a legal trial, so they staged this legal trial to get Him to incriminate Himself once again by getting Him to state once more that He is the Son of God.

c. The verdict (22:71)
"Then they said, 'Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.'" This verse reveal how twisted man's heart can get.  Jesus has just said, "I am the Messiah," "the Son of God."  What should have been the religious leaders' response?  They should have prostrated themselves before Him.  Or, at least, they should have humbly asked Him questions about why they should believe that He is the Messiah.  But, instead, they were delighted that they had obtained evidence that He was a blasphemer, so they could have Him murdered. And, so . . .   "Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death." (Matthew 27:1)

8. Jesus' trial before Pilate (23:1-7)

a. The Jewish religious leaders take Jesus to Pilate (23:1)
"Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate."  Matthew puts it this way: "They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor." (Matthew 27:2)  These Jewish religious leaders wanted Jesus to receive the death penalty.  But though the Romans allowed the Sanhedrin to hand out penalties for disobeying their laws, they could not carry out a death penalty.  So, for Jesus to receive the death penalty, "Pilate" the Roman governor needed to authorize it. See John 18:31  These Jewish religious leaders needed to swallow their pride to go to "Pilate." 

"Pilate was Procurator from A.D. 26 to 36. . . . He hated the Jews, and was detested equally by them.  The former Procurators had ordered the removal of the image of the Emperor from the standards of the Roman soldiers before marching them into Jerusalem, in order to avoid the appearance of the worship of the Caesars, and so offend the Jews.  Pontius Pilate did no so such thing.  He forces this hated emblem on them, even though later he retracted.  Also during his time as Procurator, he had robbed the Temple treasury and used the money to build an aqueduct to bring water into the city of Jerusalem.  A number of revolts had arisen in Palestine against his regime.  Each time there was a revolt, he would kill a number of Jews, and so use this tactic to suppress further revolts." "Taken from The Six Trials of Christ pp 129-130 by John Lawrence.  Copyright 1977."

The hatred between the Jews and "Pilate" show us how much they wanted to get rid of Jesus.  They were even willing to go to the hated "Pilate," because they hated Jesus even more.

b. The charge—Jesus is a dangerous revolutionary (23:2)
"And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.'"

In the illegal Jewish trials before Annas and Caiaphas and the legal trial before the Sanhedrin in the morning, the only charge that the Jewish leaders could come up with is that He had committed blasphemy—He claimed to be God.  But the charge of blasphemy was not deserving of the death penalty before the Romans—for even the Emperor was believed to be a god.  So, the Jewish leaders had to make another charge against Jesus that would require the death penalty in the Roman court.

A religious charge against Jesus would have fallen on deaf ears.  The Romans sought to avoid being involved in the religious issues of the nations that they ruled over. See Acts 18:14-16  So, we find here that the charges against Jesus were changed into political crimes.

The Jewish leaders make three charges against Jesus:  (1) "'We have found this man subverting our nation.'"  Actually, He was offering men God's rule in their hearts.  The solution that He offered was a heart change, not a political change.  (2) "He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar."  This was an outright lie, and they knew it.  He had actually stated publicly that paying "taxes to Caesar" was appropriate. See 20:20-26  (3) He "claims to be Christ, a king."  They were saying that Jesus was intent on being a ruler; and that He was, therefore, a threat to Rome's ruler.  All of these charges can be put together under one heading: Jesus is a dangerous revolutionary who is a direct threat to Rome's rule in Israel.

They were saying that Jesus was attempting to disrupt the nation's customs and practices.  They make this same charge later in stronger terms.  "But they insisted, 'He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.'" (Luke 23:5) See Acts 13:10 where Paul justly accuses someone of doing this.  See also 23:14

c. Pilate's trial and verdict (23:3-4)
"So Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, 'I find no basis for a charge against this man.'"

Thought Question: Why do you think that "Pilate" found no "charge" against Jesus after He admitted to being "the king of the Jews"?

 

 

"So Pilate asked Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied."  John gives the most complete account of Pilate's interrogation of Jesus. See Jn. 18:33-38  According to John's Gospel, Pilate and Jesus had this discussion with Jesus after they were "inside the palace." (John 18:33)  "Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Is that your own idea,' Jesus asked, 'or did others talk to you about me?' 'Am I a Jew?' Pilate replied. 'It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?' Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.' 'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.' 'What is truth?' Pilate asked." (John 18:33-38a)

"Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, 'I find no basis for a charge against this man.'"  "Pilate" could not find any guilt in Jesus because there was none.  He was the only totally innocent person who has ever lived. See 23:14-15; Matt. 27:4; Jn. 8:46, 19:4,6; I Pet. 1:19  This statement by "Pilate" should have brought Jesus' trial to an end.  An innocent man walks out of a courtroom a free man.  But God's purpose was that Jesus would die for our sins.  Jesus was innocent; we are not.  Someone needed to pay our penalty.  So, we know that it did not end with this verdict by "Pilate" of "not guilty."

d. The religious leaders' protest (23:5)
"But they insisted, 'He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.'"  They insisted that "Pilate"  had not comprehended how serious a threat Jesus was to the Roman Empire.  "Galilee" was known for producing these types of rebels.  "Galilee was notoriously 'the nurse of seditious men.'" "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."

It appears that Pilate had underestimated how much Jesus was hated by the whole power structure of Israel.  But, the mention of "Galilee" gave him a way out.  Jesus was from "Galilee" and "Galilee" was under the jurisdiction of King Herod.

e. Pilate sends Jesus to Pilate. (23:6-7)
"On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time."

Thought Question: When do we see what "Pilot" did here happen in modern-day politics? (with a hot potato issue)

 

 

"On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time."  "Pilate" had found Jesus innocent, but if "Herod" had "jurisdiction" over Jesus, then it was up to "Herod" to make the final verdict.  So, "Pilate" felt that he had made a slick political move—Jesus was no longer his problem, He was Herod's problem.  Jesus is a political "hot potato"; and He is taken to another judge.

9. Jesus' trial before Herod (23:8-12)
"When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies."

Thought Question: What do we learn about this "Herod" from these verses? (He was the Herod Antipas who had John the Baptist killed, not the Herod the Great who killed the children in Bethlehem.)

 

 

"When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle."

This "Herod" was the son of Herod the Great who had attempted to kill the baby boys of Jerusalem. See Matt. 2:1-18, especially 2:16  This "Herod"  was "Herod" Antipas, who had been made tetrarch of "Galilee." See Lk. 3:1  He had an illicit marriage with his brother's wife.  John the Baptist rebuked him for this which led to John's imprisonment and death. See Lk. 3:19-20; Matt. 14:1-12  After John's death, when "Herod" heard about Jesus' miracles, he thought that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. See Matt. 14:1-2; Mk. 8:15; Lk. 9:7-9, 13:31-33  See also Mk. 6:14-29

Now, "Herod" wants to see Jesus; hoping that it will be an entertaining time for him—he was hoping to see Jesus "perform some miracle." See Acts 4:27  Jesus' miracles were meant to be a sign revealing that He is the promised Messiah. See Jn. 20:30-31; Heb. 2:3-4  They were not meant to be done on demand to provide entertainment for people.

"He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer."  Jesus chose not to be part of Herod's parlor games.  He knew that Herod's heart was completely hardened.  So, saying anything to him was a complete waste of time.  Jesus stood before the murderer of John the Baptist and had nothing to say to him.  "Herod" had listened to John the Baptist but then had murdered him. See Mk. 14:60-61, 15:4-5; and Jn. 19:9 where Jesus chose to be silent. See also
Isa. 53:7

"The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him."  "Finally, the silence is broken, not by our Lord, but by His enemies." "Taken from The Six Trials of Christ p 158 by John Lawrence.  Copyright 1977."

Jesus would not incriminate Himself before "Herod," so the Jewish religious leaders voiced their hateful charges against Him.  They did all they could so that "Herod" would not also proclaim Jesus innocent and then release Him. 

"Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate."  If Jesus would not entertain him by performing a "miracle," "Herod" would still have the fun he had hoped for—He had Jesus dressed "in an elegant robe," and he and "his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him."  "Herod" will eternally regret mocking the Lord of Glory in this way. See Lk. 18:32 where Jesus predicts this moment.

This mocking of Jesus shows Herod's verdict.   "Here is Herod's verdict . . . Herod indicates by this that he regards Jesus as a foolish and contemptible person.  He is to be mocked and ridiculed, not to be feared." "Taken from The Six Trials of Christ p 158 by John Lawrence.  Copyright 1977."

Jesus' "elegant robe" symbolizes the glory that He now has.  "Herod" did not take Jesus seriously.  Most men do not take Him seriously.  One day, we will all take Him very seriously.

"That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies."  "Herod" appears to have liked it that "Pilate" turned Jesus over to him to decide His guilt or innocence, and he liked it that "Pilate" gave him the opportunity to be in such control over Jesus.  And, so, whatever had caused the enmity between them was gone.

"The incident before us is a striking emblem of a state of things which may always be seen in the world.  Men of the most discordant opinions can unite in opposing truth.  Teachers of the most opposite doctrines can make common cause in fighting against the Gospel. . . . One common hatred binds them together.  They hate the cross of Christ." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle."

10. Jesus is returned to Pilate (23:13-25)

a. Pilate again proclaims Jesus' innocence. (23:13-15)
"Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, 'You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.'"

Thought Question:  Why do you believe that "Pilate" and "Herod" found Jesus innocent and the Jewish religious leaders found Him guilty?

 

 

"Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, 'You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.'"

"Pilot" calls everyone together so he can make a public proclamation.  His proclamation is that he had found Jesus innocent of anything deserving of the "death" penalty.  Also, he announced that "Herod" had come to the same conclusion.  So, once more, Jesus should have been released as an innocent man.

"as one who was inciting the people to rebellion."   The Greek word is apostrephonta. "to turn away from, to seduce, to mislead."  In 23:2, the word is diastrepho.  It "has more the notion of disturbing (turn this way and that)." "Both quotes taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

"I have examined him in your presence"  We do not have a record of this public examination.  The examination that we have a record of took place in Pilate's palace.  "Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?'" (John 18:33)  But, we do not have an account of the entire event.  The Gospels give us part of what took place.  It appears that this public examination of Jesus by "Pilate" is not recorded for us.

b. "Therefore, I will punish Him." (23:16)
"'Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.'"  What if a judge said this in a modern-day courtroom?  "He is innocent, therefore I will punish him."  The defense attorney and friends of the innocent man would have cried out at the injustice toward the innocent man.  You would expect that the people who listened would have cried out at the injustice that Jesus was experiencing.  They should have cried out: "Release Him: He's innocent, He's our promised Messiah!"

"punish him"  The Greek word is paideusas.  "The word is not synonymous with punish, since it always implies an infliction which contemplates the subject's amendment [positive response]; and hence answers to chastise or chasten." "Taken from Word Studies in the New Testament by M. R. Vincent.  Copyright 1972 by Associated Publishers and Authors."

"In Roman law a light beating was sometimes given together with a magisterial warning, so that an accused might take greater care for the future . . . Pilate was apparently trying to appease the Jews.  If he vented some judicial displeasure on Jesus they might be satisfied." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."

c. The people protest—"Crucify him!" (23:18-23)
"With one voice they cried out, 'Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!' (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' For the third time he spoke to them: 'Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.' But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed." See Matt. 27:15-26; Mk. 15:6-15;
Jn. 18:39-19:16

Thought Question: What does the crowd's response tell us about how a crowd can be manipulated? (See Matt. 27:20)

 

 

"With one voice they cried out, 'Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!' (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)"  Luke omits the reason why the crow screamed "Release Barabbas."  "Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, 'Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?' For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him." (Matthew 27:15-18) See also Jn. 18:39-40

Mark and John state that it was the people's custom to release a prisoner.  It may have been a custom that both Rome and the Jewish people had agreed upon together.  We do not know any more about this custom than what is written in the Gospels.  "governor's custom. Of which nothing is known outside the Gospels." "NIV Study Bible note on Matthew 27:15." 

As it will turn out, the guilty "Barabbas" lived, and the innocent Jesus died in his place.  So, we are guilty and deserve God's judgment; but Jesus the totally innocent One died in our place. see Acts 3:13-14

Why did the people turn on Jesus with such ferocity and with such hate?  One reason is given in Matthew.  While Pilate was receiving a message from his wife, the Jewish religious leaders tried to turn people against Jesus.  "While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: 'Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.' But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed." (Matthew 27:19-20) 

It appears that a mob mentality developed, and this mob ended up screaming "with one voice," "Crucify him!"  So, the people were affected by the religious leaders' hatred of Jesus until they also hated Him.  During the antiwar movement in the late 1960s I witnessed how a group of people could be turned into a screaming mob by a hate-filled small group.  That appears to be what happened here. 

This anti-Jesus mob also reveals mankind's resentment toward God.  Their answer to Jesus was "It's my life and I'll do what I want.  Go away, you're not wanted here!"

"Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!'"  Here, we see that the Jews that were there insisted, in mob-like fury, for the barbaric death of the holy Messiah.  Peter put it this way: "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this." (Acts 3:13-15) See also Acts 5:30

The Jews accepted the responsibility for murdering their Messiah.  "When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man’s blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!' All the people answered, 'Let his blood be on us and on our children!'" (Matthew 27:24-25)

"For the third time he spoke to them:"  This appears to be the "third time" since Jesus came back from being with "Herod." See 23:15,20,22  The appeal to the people that Jesus was innocent in 23:4 took place before Jesus was taken to "Herod." 

Another possibility is that 23:15 is not Pilate's plea that Jesus was innocent, but is a report that Herod had found Him innocent.  Then, the three appeals by Pilate would be 23:4, 20, 22.

Pilate's appeal here is stronger than the previous pleas.  Here, he cries out, "'Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty."  It could not be clearer, "Pilate" saw that Jesus was an innocent man.  Also, the crowd could not come up with charge against Jesus that "Pilate" would accept as deserving of the death penalty.

"But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed."  The screamers were so loud and insistent that "Pilate" relented to the pressure from the majority.  Right and wrong were thrown out the window.  The twisted will of the majority won!  Pilate may have felt that if he did not crucify Jesus, a total revolt would have broken out.  Also, he surely felt that the Jews would have gone to his superiors in the Roman Empire.  John tells us that was part of what he had heard from the crowd.  "From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, 'If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.'" (John 19:12)  So, "Pilate," in this moment of personal crisis, chose to do what was politically expedient for him to do rather than to do what was just and right for him to do—he handed over the innocent Jesus to this murderous mob.

Was the crowd that cried, "Crucify him" the same crowd that yelled "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord" at the Triumphal Entry?  We cannot know for sure.  But, certainly, they were not two totally different groups.  There certainly were some or many who were fickle—they were fair-weather followers of Jesus.  They followed Him when it was the popular thing to do; and they turned on Him when it was not the popular thing to do.  To truly follow Christ requires that we follow Him when it is both the popular and the unpopular thing to do.

d. Pilate gives in, releases Barabbas, and sentences Jesus to death. (23:24-25)
"So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will."

Thought Question: Is "Pilate" responsible at all for Jesus' death?  Please explain your answer.  

 

 

"So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will." 

In Matthew and Mark, we learn that at this point, Pilate washed his hands of responsibility for sending an innocent man to His death and he had Jesus beaten.  "When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man’s blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!' All the people answered, 'Let his blood be on us and on our children!' Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. 'Hail, king of the Jews!' they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him." (Matthew 27:24-31) See also Mk. 15:15-20; Jn. 19:1-16

Probably, in most of the world, what took place here between "Pilate," the Jewish mob, and Jesus is a common occurrence—justice does not rule, but what is most convenient for a selfish leadership is what happens.  But, what took place here is the very worst example of this, for "Pilate" chose to turn the Son of God over to the will of an angry and murderous crowd.

11. The crucifixion (23:26-43)

a. Simon from Cyrene carries Jesus' cross (23:26)
"As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus."  "As was customary and according to law, the execution was carried out outside of the city (Lev. 24:14; Num. 15:35, 36; 19:3; I Kings 2:13; cf John 19:20; Heb. 13:12,13).  Those condemned to be crucified had to carry their own cross.  Commentators are divided on the question whether this refers to the crossbeam alone, the upright having already been set in place on Golgotha, or the entire cross." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

It appears that Jesus attempted to carry the "cross," but because of all He had gone trough, He was physically unable to carry it.  Because there was no limit on what the Roman soldiers could do in beating Jesus (as there was with the Jews), the beating alone would have drained the last ounce of physical energy from Jesus.  Also, He had been up all night and gone through one torturous experience after another—Judas' betrayal, Gethsemane, six trials, and being dragged from one place to the other.  It is not surprising at all that His physical energy and strength were completely gone.

So, a man named "Simon" was involuntarily enlisted to "carry" Jesus' "cross."  He was from "Cyrene," a part of what is now Libya.  Some believe that he was an African—a black man.  But others believe that he was a Jew. See Acts 2:10, 6:9

Carrying the cross symbolized the shame that the criminal carried.  Jesus did not carry His shame, but our shame.  Jesus began carrying His cross, until He carried it no more. See Jn. 19:17  "Simon" surely symbolizes all of us carrying the cross and the shame that we deserve.  As "Simon" walked toward the cross, our shame went with him.  But, he and we did not hang from the cross, Jesus did.

As Wiersbe observes, "Carrying the cross was a sign of guilt, and our Lord was not guilty." "Taken from Be Compassionate by Warren Wiersbe.  Copyright 1998 by David C. Cook." 

In the parallel account in Mark, we learn that he had two children.  "A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross." (Mark 15:21)  This "Rufus" may be mentioned in Rom. 16:13: "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too."  If this is the "Rufus" that was a child of "Simon," his mother was Simon's wife.  Mark may have named Simon's children's because they were well-known in Christianity.  "Simon" may have become a believer as a result of witnessing Jesus' demeanor on that day.

Barclay puts it this way:  "Mark describes Simon as the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21.)  Now you do not identify a man by the name of his sons unless these sons are well-known people in the community to which you write.  There is general agreement that Mark wrote his gospel to the church at Rome.  Turn to Paul's letter to the Church at Rome.  Amongst the greetings at the end he writes, 'Greet Rufus, eminent in the Lord, also his mother and mine.' (Romans 16:13).  So in the Roman church there was Rufus, so choice a Christian that he could be called one of God's chosen ones, with a mother so dear to Paul that he could call her his mother in the faith.  It may well be that this was the same Rufus who was the son of Simon of  Cyrene, and his mother was Simon's wife." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."

As was mentioned earlier, "Simon" symbolized all of us.  He represented the guilt and shame that all of us carry.  Jesus was heading to the place where He would die for Simon's sins and for all of our sins.  It may be that "Simon" ended up believing that, and it may be that his family believed it as well.

b. Many followed Jesus to the cross. (23:27)
"A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him."  Although the majority in the mob screamed out for Jesus' death, as we see in this verse, not everyone wanted Him to die.  Here we learn that there were "women who mourned and wailed for him."  Barclay makes this interesting observation, quoting Plummer:  "'In the Gospels there is no instance of a woman being hostile to Christ.' (Plummer)." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

It appears that these women witnessed the brutality toward this gentle man and their hearts were moved with compassion.  Some of them may have been the mothers of children whom Jesus healed.  They may have even been healed themselves.  Whatever the reason, they "mourned" for Jesus.

c. Jesus speaks to those who were mourning for Him (23:28-31)
"Jesus turned and said to them, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, “Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!” Then “they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’” For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?'"

Thought Question #1:  Why do you believe that these women should have wept for themselves rather than for Jesus?

 

 

Thought Question#2:  What do you believe Jesus meant by: "For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry'"?

 

 

"Jesus turned and said to them, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, “Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!”'" 

Jesus sees past His crucifixion to what will happen to the Jews because they have rejected Him.  Humanly, we can see the horrible injustice of a nation murdering the One who came to save them—murdering God's own Son.  But Jesus sees the horror that is going to happen to Israel because of what they have done.

One of the horrors that took place when the Romans besieged Jerusalem in AD 70 came as a result of the Romans seeking to starve Jerusalem into surrendering.  "Hungry men, defending their city, took food from their suffering wives and children and even killed and ate their own flesh and blood." "Taken from Be Compassionate by Warren Wiersbe.  Copyright 1998 by David C. Cook."  This horror is described by Josephus in The Jewish Wars.  See, for example Book 6, chapter 3.4  As Jesus predicted, it would have been better that their "wombs" had "never bore" these children.

"'Then “they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’” For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?'" See Hos. 10:8; Rev. 6:16-17

People of the earth tend to believe that they can sin without any consequences or without much consequences.  I worked with incarcerated youth for many years.  Often, when they only received a small punishment for their crimes, they felt that the benefit of the crime was worth the risk of getting caught.  After all, the consequences were not that great.  But, sometimes, judgeS would lose patience when it became obvious to them that a youth was not responding to a light punishment.  Then, suddenly, the young man would receive a just punishment for all of his crimes, all at one time, and in one large punishment.  Suddenly, for example, a young man was facing a year's incarceration for doing something that was minor when taken by itself.

God has been kind to Israel, but Israel had rejected His kindness.  In AD 70, they felt God's judgment for the accumulation of their sins.  At that time, they wished that the "mountains" would "fall on" them and "cover" them up from God's judgment on them through the Romans.

"'For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?'"  When Jesus was with them, the presence of God was with them like no other time since the fall of man.  If men could reject God's Son, then, what would happen after He was gone?  This is the meaning of the "tree" being "dry."  Jesus' words appear to refer to the final judgment on Israel predicted throughout the Bible.  Jeremiah speaks of this day.  "How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it." (Jeremiah 30:7)  But, Jesus may be referring further into the future to the final condition of the lost in the fires of hell.  Whatever the case, it is infinitely unwise to not welcome God's grace while we have the opportunity to do so.

d. The two criminals (23:32-33)
"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left."

Thought Question:  We call Jesus' place of death by the name "Calvary."  What do you believe that "Calvary" stands for?

 

 

"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left." See Matt. 27:23; Mk. 15:33; Jn. 19:17-18

"The Greek word for Skull is Kranion (cf. cranium).  In the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin version of the Bible) Kranion was rendered Calvaria; cf. Calvary." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."  It was called "the Skull" because it looked like a "skull."

Ray Stedman believed that "the Skull" is located "a few hundred yards outside the Damascus gate of Jerusalem." "Taken from God's Loving Word on John 19:16b-22 by Ray Stedman.  Copyright 1993 by Discovery House Publishers."  Others believe that we cannot be sure of its location, except that it was outside of the city.  "And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood." (Hebrews 13:12)

"there they crucified him,"  The cross was a torture device that "was invented to make death as painful and as lingering as the power of human endurance." "Taken from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Part two, page 589 by Alfred Edersheim Publishing Company.  Copyright 1917 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co."

"The terror of crucifixion was this—the pain of that process was terrible but it was not enough to kill, and the victim was left to die of hunger and thirst beneath the blazing noontide sun and the frosts of the night.  Many a criminal was known to have hung for a week upon his cross until he died raving mad." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."

But as Hendriksen points out, it was not the physical torture that Jesus dreaded.  "It has been said that only the damned in hell know what Jesus suffered when he died on the cross.  In a sense this is true, for they too suffer eternal death.  One should add, however, that they have never been in heaven.  The Son of God, on the other hand, descended from the regions of infinite delight in the closest possible fellowship with his Father (Jn. 1:1, 17:5) to the abysmal depths of hell." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

Psalm 22 describes Jesus' agony on the cross, 1,000 years before it occurred.  That Psalm begins in this way: ". . . . My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?" (Psalm 22:1)

 "along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left."  Isaiah 53 predicts that Jesus would be "numbered with the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:12) See also Lk. 22:37  Jesus so indentified with us and our sins, that He hung there between the worst in society.

e. Jesus prays from the cross—"Forgive them." (23:34a)
"Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'"

Thought Question:  How does what Jesus did here help us to forgive those who have sinned against us?

 

 

"Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'"  The cross forever demonstrates to us in human history that "God is love." (I John 4:8)  He took our place and paid fully the penalty for our sins.  But, while He was hanging there facing the total and undeserved hatred of those who, with murder in their hearts, placed Him there, He prayed that they be forgiven.  How little it takes for us to become absorbed in ourselves—sickness, confusion, irritation, hurry, hunger, and other unpleasantness.  But Jesus facing the full hatred of Satan being expressed toward Him through men while He was sacrificially giving Himself for them; yet, He still thought of them and not Himself.  Is God love?  This is the God who looks on us today!  "Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:12) See Lk. 6:27-36

Are there those who have wronged us?  The Jesus who expressed love and forgiveness toward His murderers is in us.  We are to seek after His love for others that now abides in us until we also love those who have wronged us and who wrong us.  We are to love and forgive others, just as God loves and forgives us.

"for they do not know what they are doing.'" See Acts 13:27   Paul admitted that he persecuted Christians to the death, not understanding what he was doing.  "'I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them." (Acts 26:9-11)  We learn that Paul thought that he was doing it for God.  "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief." (I Timothy 1:12-13)

Paul said that those who killed Jesus also did not fully understand what they were doing when they killed Him.  "None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (I Corinthians 2:8)  They did not really comprehend that Jesus was the Divine Son of God.  It would have been complete foolishness and totality insanity to kill the Almighty Creator—the Divine Sustainer of their very existence.  And, yet, that is what they were doing.  How sin and Satan blind us. See II Cor. 4:4

Here is what blinded those who killed Jesus and blinded us before our eyes were opened to our need for a Savior.  They chose sin over God until sin blinded them to who Jesus was.  In their blindness, they did not realize that the world did not belong to them.  They did not realize that a loving God gave it to them.  Instead of being grateful to Him, they grumbled and complained—as we can.  In this blindness, they killed the Lord of Glory.  Can we be sure, if we were alive then and in our life previous to being born again, that we would not have yelled out, "Crucify Him!"? See Rom. 1:18-32; Eph. 4:17-19

Was Jesus' prayer for those who murdered Him and supported His murder answered?  Were all of them forgiven?  All of them were given the opportunity to repent and be forgiven.  God's judgment on Israel did not come for some 40 years later—in AD 70.  Certainly, many who stood there that day were among the 3,000 that were saved at Pentecost.  Peter preached these words to the crowd at that time:  "'Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.'" (Acts 2:22-24)

Here is their response to Peter's message:  "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" (Acts 2:37)  They may have gone from being ignorant of who Jesus is to knowing that they had crucified God's Son.  That would explain why "they were cut to the heart."  Those that repented, became born again Christians.

Listen to Peter's words at a later time:  "'Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,'" (Acts 3:17-19)

At this time, even religious leaders were being saved.  "So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7)

The NIV Bible has this note on this verse:  "Some early manuscripts do have this sentence."

f. They gambled for His clothes. (23:34b)
"they divided up his clothes by casting lots."  "John 19:23 shows how the lot was cast for the seamless garment, the four soldiers dividing the other garments." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

We have learned about and sung about what Jesus did for us on the cross, but these soldiers were actually there right underneath Him while He was on that cross.  Hendriksen observes that all that they took away that day was a piece of clothing or two pieces of clothing.  They had no idea that the greatest act of love in the history of the universe was taking place right above them.  The agony that Jesus experienced there was due to Jesus' absorbing God's punishment for our sins.  He was also absorbing God's judgment for these soldiers who were coldly "casting lots" for "his clothes."  The Robe was a 1953 fictional account of the Roman soldiers who won "the Robe" while "casting lots" on that day.  What took place there was predicted about 1000 years before it took place in Psalm 22.  "They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." (Psalm 22:18)

g. The rulers and the soldiers mocked Him (22:35-37)
"The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, 'He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.' The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, 'If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.'"

Thought Question: What explains how people can witness someone in great pain, yet want to inflict even more pain on that person?

 

 

"The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, 'He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen
One.'"  Again, Psalm 22 predicted that this would happen.  "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.'" (Psalm 22:6-8)  ". . . . people stare and gloat over me." (Psalm 22:17)

Never has there been a clearer contrast between God and man.  Jesus, out of compassion, was dying for the heartless, selfish, and self-absorbed men and women.  On that cross, He has compassion for the crowd that is mocking Him, and He asks the Father to forgive them.  He also reaches out to His mother and a thief.  Then, He dies for our sins, even though He hung there before a crowd that despised Him.  He was obviously in a great deal of pain; but the crowd heartlessly wanted to inflict even more pain on Him by mocking and insulting Him.  Do we want to be like them or Him?  Jesus makes it possible for us to be like Him through His life indwelling us—if we have received Him into our lives by believing that He died for us on that cross.

The "people" and "the rulers" were having evil fun at Jesus' expense.  They were enjoying Jesus' apparent helplessness.  The truth is that He was not helpless at all.  If He had lost His patience and willingness to suffer, He could have struck dead every person that was taunting Him to come down from the cross.  But it was love that kept Him on that cross, not helplessness.

"The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, 'If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.'"  John gives us additional details about what took place while Jesus was on the cross at this time.  "Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:28-30) See also Matt. 27:34 where Jesus refused the wine that was drugged.  See also Matt. 27:48 where He did receive vinegar.  See also Ps. 69:21

Luke is the only Gospel that tells us that the giving of the "wine vinegar" was accompanied by "the soldiers" also mocking Him.  It appears that we do not have a complete description of the exact order of events.  The mocking by "the soldiers" could have gone on for some time, and there may have been more than one giving of the "wine vinegar." 

h. What was written on the cross (23:38)
"There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."  In John we are told that this charge against Jesus was written in three languages.  Also, in 19:19 we learn that Pilate ordered that this sign be put on the cross.  "Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek." (John 19:19-20)

The presence of this sign argues strongly that the cross was not shaped like a "T" or an "X."  The traditional shape of a "t" would have provided a place for the sign—on the top of "t."

All four Gospels differ as to the exact words on the cross.  It appears that each Gospel gave their abbreviation of what was written on the sign.  "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS." (Matthew 27:37)  "THE KING OF THE JEWS." (Mark 15:26)  "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." (Luke 23:38)  "JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS." (John 19:19)  Another possible reason for the differences is the fact that it was written in three languages.  Because of this, the Gospel writers chose to put the simple meaning of the sign in their own words.

Why did Pilate have this sign put over Jesus' head?  It probably was because of Pilate's hatred for the Jews.  He was saying "This is how you treat your king."  Little did he know that his words were exactly what was taking place.  The Jews were murdering their King.  One day, they will see this.  "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." (Zechariah 12:10)

i. The conversion of a thief (23:39-43)
"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don’t you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"

Thought Question #1:  Why do you believe that one of the criminals had a change of heart? (He had at first insulted Jesus.)

 

 

Thought Question #2:  What can we learn from Jesus' words that this thief would be in "paradise" that day?

 

 

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!'"  Matthew tells us that, earlier, both thieves mocked Jesus.  "In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him." (Matthew 27:44)  But, as we see next, one of the thieves had a change of heart. See also Mk. 15:32

"But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don’t you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.'"  For some reason, this man "came to his senses" like the prodigal son. (15:17)  Somehow, it became obvious to him that Jesus is the Messiah.  This thief shows in a number of ways that his faith was genuine.  First, he was willing to strongly correct the thief who had ridiculed Jesus.  Secondly, he acknowledges his sin.: "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve."  Thirdly, he will ask Jesus to "remember" him in His "kingdom."  Fourthly, he may have witnessed to the centurion who also came to believe in Jesus. See 23:47  Also, he witnessed to all who were listening—he even witnessed to those who were not at all receptive to his words.

This man's last minute conversion reveals to us at least three very important realities:  (1) It is never too late in this life for someone to turn to Christ.  We probably will be surprised at how many turned to Christ at the very last moments of their lives—as this thief did.  Lying in a nursing home bed or in a hospital bed just before their deaths, how many cried out for mercy?  A doctor friend of ours told a group of us of feeling God's urging her to visit one of her patients just before he died.  She tells of sharing the gospel with him as he eagerly desired to get right with God.  Certainly, there have been many like the thief who have cried out for God's mercy at the last minutes of their lives.  And, they received the mercy they cried out for.  "His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation." (Luke 1:50)

(2) Anyone can receive God's mercy.  No one is so bad that he or she cannot receive God's mercy.  The evil king Manasseh cried out to God for mercy and he received it.  "The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God." (II Chronicles 33:10-13)

(3) There will be those who hear the same message of Jesus' death for us, but respond differently.  One thief totally rejected Jesus and the other totally received Him.  We also will share the gospel message with some who will receive and with those who will reject Him.  Some will be delighted with our message and others will sneer at it.  "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?"
(II Corinthians 2:14-16)

"Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"  These few words provide us with a wealth of facts upon which to base our faith.  First, this man is told by Jesus that his repentant faith is all that is needed for his eternal salvation.  This man was never baptized, yet we know that he is now in paradise with Jesus.  Secondly, he did not go through a period of being dead as the Seventh Day Adventists teach called "soul sleep."  Rather, Jesus said, "today you will be with me in paradise."  The Seventh Day Adventists say, to get Jesus' words to fit their belief, that Jesus meant "today I say to you, that you will someday be in paradise."  Thirdly, Jesus words also say that the thief did not have to endure for a period in time in purgatory to purge him of his many sins, as taught by Roman Catholicism.  No, he went directly to "paradise." 

"paradise"  "In the Septuagint [the Greek translation of the Old Testament], Gen. 2:8, of the garden of Eden.  In the Jewish Theology, the department of Hades where the blessed souls await the resurrection; and therefore equivalent to Abraham's bosom (ch.16:22,23)  It occurs three times in the New Testament: here, 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7; and always of the abode of the blessed." "Taken from Word Studies in the New Testament by M. R. Vincent.  Copyright 1972 by Associated Publishers and Authors."

Robertson did not see "paradise" as an intermediate state, but as "the very bliss of heaven itself." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

Christian theologians differ as to what happens to Christians immediately after death—on whether or not there is an immediate state before the resurrection of the saints at the Rapture and return of Jesus.  Some of these verses that need to be harmonized are the following: I Cor. 15:50-57; II Cor. 5:1-5; I Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 6:9-11

"'will be with me in paradise.'"  Was not Jesus' body in the tomb for three days?  How, then, could He be with the thief in "paradise" when His body was in the grave and He was yet to resurrect?  A possible answer is that Jesus and the thief were in the some type of intermediate state prior to them both receiving their resurrection bodies.

What Jesus did during the period between His death and resurrection is debated by Christian theologians. See Eph. 4:8-10; I Pet. 3:19, 4:6

12. Jesus' death (23:44-49)

a. Miraculous events at His death (23:44-45)
"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two."

Thought Question:  What do you believe was communicated to us by the "darkness" and the "curtain" being "torn in two"

 

 

"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining."  In Mark 15:25, we see that Jesus' time on the cross began at the third hour or 9 A.M.  "It was the third hour when they crucified him." (Mark 15:25)  So, what is described here took place three hours later at 12 P.M., and it lasted until 3 P.M.

"darkness came over the whole land"  Certainly, the "darkness" was a sign of God's judgment on Israel for rejecting His Son.  It is predicted that "darkness" will be part of the greatest time of God's judgment called the Day of the Lord.  "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." (Joel 2:31) See Exod. 10:22; Isa. 13:9-10; Amos 5:18,20; Zeph. 1:14-15; Matt. 24:29; Rev. 6:12-13, 8:12

We are not told what caused this "darkness."  Hendriksen came to the following conclusion:  "The best answer may well be to regard what happened here as a special act of God, a miracle, and to inquire no further as to any secondary means." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

"Those translators and commentators are in error who speak of an eclipse of the sun.  An eclipse is impossible at full moon (which, of course determined the time of the Passover)." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."

The "darkness" may have also been a sign that Jesus was at that time becoming sin for us.  "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (II Corinthians 5:21)  At the end of the "darkness," as recorded in Matthew and Mark, Jesus cried out that God had forsaken Him: "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?'—which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" (Matthew 27:46)

"And the curtain of the temple was torn in two."  There was a "curtain" that separated the two rooms in the sanctuary of the temple.  It separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place.  Behind that "curtain" was the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat, and God's glory.  Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and he could only enter it once a year on the Day of Atonement. See Lev. 16  It was this "curtain" that "was torn in two."  Matthew tells us that " . . . . the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. . . ." (Matthew 27:51)

Since the "curtain" "was torn in two from top to bottom," it is clear that the "curtain" "was torn in two" by God.

What did God want this tearing of the "curtain" to mean to us?  The "curtain" symbolized the barrier between unholy mankind and holy God.  Jesus removed the barrier between us and Him.  "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus," (Hebrews 10:19)

Jesus' death for us opened up access to God.  Now, God's throne is not a throne of judgment for those who have put their faith and reliance on what Jesus did on the cross.  It has become a "throne of grace." (Hebrews 4:16)

Also, the tearing of the "curtain" pictures the ending of the Old Covenant and its ceremonies, and officially begins the New Covenant made possible through Jesus' blood.  The symbolism is replaced with the reality.

b. Jesus' death cry (23:46)
"Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last."

Thought Question:  What do these words of Jesus tell us?

 

 

"Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46)

Jesus made seven utterances on the cross.  Here are the seven:  (1) "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' . . ."
(Luke 23:34)   (2) "Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:43)  (3) "and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:27)  (4) "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?'—which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" (Mark 15:34)  (5) "Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.'" (John 19:28)  (6) "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:30)  (7) "Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46) See also Matt. 27:50; Mk. 15:37

Notice that three through six are not found in Luke.  These words by Jesus that are recorded for us in this verse are His very last words from the cross.  Just before these words, He said: "It is finished." (John 19:30), proclaiming that He had completed His work on the cross—so, the penalty for our sin was completely paid for by Him.  Here, in this verse in Luke, we learn that Jesus' death was voluntary.

Pilate, the Roman soldiers, and the Jewish leaders could not have taken His life unless He chose to give it up.  Jesus predicted that He would give His life for us.  "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11)  "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (John 10:17-18)

As Hendriksen points out, Jesus is quoting Psalm 31:5;  "Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth." (Psalm 31:5)  Jesus omits the part of the verse in the Psalms that says, "redeem me."  He did not need to be redeemed; rather, He died so that we could be redeemed.  And, Jesus adds "Father."

"'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.'"  "That verse was the prayer every Jewish mother taught her child to say last thing at night.  Just as we were taught, maybe to say, 'This night I lay me down to sleep,' so the Jewish mother taught her child to say before the threatening dark came down, 'Into thy hands I commit my spirit.' Jesus made it even more lovely for he began it with the word Father.  Even on a cross Jesus died like a child falling asleep in his father's arms." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."

"When he had said this, he breathed his last."  "The word rendered breathed his last, exepheusen, is not the normal one for saying that someone has died.  In fact none of the evangelists say 'Jesus died,' which may be part of the way they bring out the truth that in Jesus' death there was something most unusual." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."

c. A centurion believes (23:47)
"The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, 'Surely this was a righteous man.'"

Thought Question: Why do you believe that this "centurion" concluded that Jesus "was a righteous man"?

 

 

"The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, 'Surely this was a righteous man.'"  Matthew adds these words: "When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, 'Surely he was the Son of God!'" (Matthew 27:54) See also Mk. 15:39  This battle-hardened and experienced soldier, a ruler over a hundred, had never seen a man respond to death and crucifixion as Jesus did.

So, this experienced soldier, after witnessing all that he saw and heard, came to a much different verdict than the religious leaders and people of Israel had come to.  He did not see Jesus as a guilty man, but he saw Him as an entirely innocent man.  He believed that He was not seeing an ordinary man, but he was seeing the "Son of God." (Matthew 27:54)

d. The people's response to His death (23:48-49)
"When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things."

Thought Question:  Do you believe that those who "beat their breasts" were genuinely sorrowful or were they just going through the appropriate motions that they were supposed to go through when someone died?  Please explain your answer.

 

 

"When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away."  Beating one's breast was a sign of mourning for one's sin.  "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'" (Luke 18:13)

Hendriksen quotes Lenski as follows:  "'They came to witness a show, they left with feelings of woe.'" "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

They had witnessed a very unusual death.  They had joined in as the mob yelled, "Crucify him!" (23:21)  But what they saw and heard were some very unusual occurrences.  Jesus had not yelled out curses at them but had asked His Father that they might be forgiven.  They had witnessed Jesus' love for His mother.  They had seen and heard Him reach out to the thief on the cross next to Him.  They had seen the sun go dark for three hours.  They had heard that the temple's curtain had ripped from the top down.  A great earthquake had occurred, and they heard that people had risen from the dead. See Matt. 27:51-53  They had to realize that Jesus was no ordinary man, and they had to realize that Jesus' death was no ordinary death.  Some of those who "beat their breasts" may have been part of those who believed in Jesus at Pentecost.  Here is what happened when Peter preached at Pentecost:  "'Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.' When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.' With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.' Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." (Acts 2:36-41)

"But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things."  The Gospel of Matthew says the following:  "Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons." (Matthew 27:55-56) See also Lk. 8:1-3; Mk. 15:40-41

Where were Jesus' followers during His brutal and tortured death?  We know that John the apostle and Jesus' mother were close enough to hear His words.  And we know of others who were this close to Him also.  "Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:25-27) See also Matt. 27:56; Mk. 15:40-41

Who were the women, here, who "stood at a distance"?  Some were those "who had followed him from Galilee."  We learn in Mark: " . . . Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there." (Mark 15:41)

These courageous "women."  For, other than John, the rest of His disciples had fled after the trial.  Matthew 26:55-56 tells us that the other disciples fled after His arrest:  "At that time Jesus said to the crowd, 'Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.' Then all the disciples deserted him and fled." See also Zech 13:7; Matt. 26:31,56; Mk. 14:49-50

13. Jesus' burial (23:50-56)

a. Joseph of Arimathea takes the body (23:50-54)
"Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin."

Thought Question:  Have you ever been in a situation that was similar to what "Joseph of Arimathea" went through, where you were outnumbered by those who were opposed to what you knew was God's will?

 

 

"Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God."

Here, we learn that this "Joseph" was "a good and upright man" and that he "had not consented to" the murder of Jesus.  In the Gospel of John we learn that he "was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews." (John 19:38)  In Mark, we learn that he was "a prominent member of the Council." (Mark 15:43)  In Matthew, we learn that he was a "rich man." (Matthew 27:57)

"He came from the Judean town of Arimathea"  "This probably means that he came from Ramah  (= 'height'), the city of Samuel.  In ancient times, it was located in the tribe of Ephraim and was known also as Ramathaim-zophim (I Sam. 1:1).  It was located about 32 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of Jerusalem." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

It appears that Joseph was the type of man that should have been a leader in the Jewish religious system.  For, he was a man who humbly desired to be right with God; he did not go along with the crowd when they were doing what was wrong; and he recognized that Jesus was the Messiah, for he became a follower of Jesus.  The only weakness that we see in him is that he, out of fear, was not outspoken in his faith in Jesus before his fellow members of the "Council."  But, he did become bold after Jesus' death.

Since the vote for Jesus' death was unanimous, it appears that "Joseph" was absent from those meetings.  Or, at least, he did not vote at the meetings. See Mk. 14:63-644, 15:1  Another possibility is that they did not invite "Joseph" and Nicodemus to these early morning trials, due to their lack of agreement with the majority of the Sanhedrin.

"Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body."  Mark tells us that he ". . . went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body." (Mark 15:43)  John tells us that he was not alone.  "He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds." (John 19:39)  The consequences for them taking such a public stand could have been severe.  "Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;" (John 12:42) see also Jn. 9:22

"Joseph" could have left Jesus' body to face what normally happened to bodies after crucifixion.  "It was the custom that the bodies of criminals were not buried at all but left to the dogs and the vultures to dispose of; but Joseph of Arimathea saved the body of Jesus from that indignity." "Taken from The Gospel of Luke by William Barclay. Copyright 1975 by the Westminster Press."

"Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid."  In Matthew, we are told that "Joseph" "placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of rock." (Matthew 27:60)  So, as predicted in Isaiah 53, Jesus was buried in a rich man's tomb.  "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9)

"Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth"  "The Jews did not embalm as the Egyptians did, by removing the soft organs of the body, and by drying the muscular tissues with preservatives.  The corpse was washed (Acts 9:37),  and swathed in bandage-like wrappings from arm-pits to feet, in the folds of which spices where placed (Matt. 27:59, Luke 23:53), and a cloth was wound around the head." "Taken from John the Gospel of Belief by Merril Tenney pp. 271-272.  Copyright by  1976 by Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Company."

 "It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin."  "Preparation Day.  Friday, the day before the Sabbath." NIV Study Bible note."

"the Sabbath was about to begin."  It was near sunset.  The "Sabbath" began on our Friday evening.  Their new day began in the evening rather than at midnight, when our new day starts.

So, it was near the "Sabbath," and the work of the burial needed to be completed quickly before the "Sabbath" began, and when they were no longer allowed to work. 

b. The women watched the burial so that they could return later to further honor Jesus. (23:55-56)
"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."

Thought Question: What do you admire about these women?

 

 

"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it."  Matthew gives us some of their names.  "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb." (Matthew 27:61) See also Mk. 15:47

"Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."  These "women" remained faithful to Jesus, even after His death.  They also remained obedient to God's law of the "Sabbath."  Their faithful and obedient spirit persevered through the darkest time in history.  May their example help us to persevere in faith in the dark times that come our way.

14. The resurrection (24:1-12)

a. Women are told by two angels that Jesus has risen from the dead. (24:1-8)
"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”' Then they remembered his words."

Thought Question: Even though Jesus had predicted that He would rise from the dead, these "women" did not expect to find out that Jesus had risen from the dead,.  Are there areas in our Christian lives where we also do not believe what Jesus promised?

 

 

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb."  It appears that the "women" started for the "tomb" "while it was still dark" (Jn. 20:1) but arrived at the grave "just after sunrise." (Mark 16:2)  "When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body." (Mark 16:1)

The Sabbath was over at sunset the previous night.  That is when they bought the spices—the stores opened at that time.  So, these woman had made anointing Jesus a priority.  This shows their complete loyalty to Him.  Luke gives us their names in Luke 24:10.  "It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles." (When the woman reported to the apostles that Jesus' body was missing.) 

"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!'"

It is apparent that these "women" did not go to the grave expecting that Jesus had risen from the dead—even though He had predicted that He would rise from the dead. See 9:22, 18:31-33  So, they were shocked to see "the stone rolled away," and they were shocked to see an empty grave. See also Mk. 16:4-7

Matthew tells us how "the stone" was "rolled away."  "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it." (Matthew 28:2)  "The stone" was not "rolled away" so that Jesus could escape "the tomb;" it was "rolled away" to show that He was no longer there.  Jesus' resurrection body enabled Him to pass through the walls of "the tomb." 

It appears that the accounts of who spoke to the women differ in the four Gospels.  I will quote from Digging for God in John 20: "Luke says that  'two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.' (Luke 24:4)  Mark, like Matthew, speaks of one angel. See Mark 16:5-8  We have been given different events that all took place that resurrection morning.  They only appear to contradict each other because we do not have all the events described in one place. Instead, we have different events that took place that morning given to us in the different Gospels.  If we could observe everything that took place that morning, we would see that all the events that are recorded in the Gospels took place just as they are recorded.  Then, we would be able to place them together in their chronological order.  Morris observes that the differences in the accounts actually adds credibility to their accuracy.  'The differences between the Gospels amount to no more than a demonstration that here we have the spontaneous evidences of witnesses, not the stereotyped repetition of an official story.' 'Taken from The Gospel According to John by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1971 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co." When police separate suspects in a crime and each tells exactly the same story, they usually conclude that they have put together an agreed-upon story.  What we have here is what would happen if you asked a group of people who had seen an accident from different locations to describe what they saw.  They could give accurate descriptions of what happened that, at first, may seem to contradict each other.  Those taking the testimonies would, then, need to piece together the accounts to figure out all that happened." "Digging for Gold on John 20"

Here, Luke tells us that there were "two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning."  Later, in Luke, we learn that these "two men" were angels.  "In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive." (Luke 24:22-23) See Acts 1:10-11;
Heb. 13:2
  Also, if there were two angels, there was also one angel (as Mark and Matthew tell us).

"'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”' Then they remembered his words."  Once again, see 9:22, 18:31-33

There had always been a predetermined course for Jesus.  Nothing that happened to Jesus was out of God's control.  He came to die at the hands of "wicked men."  Here is how Peter put it at Pentecost:  "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." (Acts 2:22-24)

"Then they remembered his words."  Often, we believe what we want to believe.  These followers of Jesus did not want to believe that He was going to die, so they were in denial of this.  So, they were also in denial of His promise that He would be "raised again."  But, here, they remember.  The light came on and they realized that His death and His resurrection had all been predicted by Him.  His resurrection would become the basis of great fearlessness among His followers—if death could not stop Him, so their death could not stop God's plan from being fulfilled; and if He rose from the dead, so would they.  It should be the basis of our hope, as well.  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39) See also I Cor. 15; I Pet. 1:3

b. The women tell the eleven (24:9-11)
"When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense."

Thought Question: The disciples were not just somewhat skeptical, they were strongly skeptical.  Why do you believe they were so unreceptive to Jesus' resurrection?

 

 

"When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles."

Who were these women?  I will quote from my summary of what we know about "Mary Magdalene" from Digging for Gold on John 20:1-2:  "Many believe that "Mary Magdalene" was a prostitute, but the Bible never says that.  All we know about her is that Jesus cast 'seven demons' out of her. (Luke 8:2) We are not told that she was the sinful woman of Luke 7. See Luke 7:36-39"   

"Joanna" is mentioned in Luke 8:3.  "Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household . .  ." (Luke 8:3a)  She held a high position in Jewish society, but she was also there with the other women to honor Jesus.

"Mary the mother of James,"  In Matthew 27:56, she is probably the one who is called "Mary the mother of James and Joses." We know very little about her.  She is probably the other Mary of Matthew 28:1 and the "wife of Clopas"of John 19:25. See also Matt. 27:55-56; Mk 15:40, 16:1; Lk. 8:2-3

"But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense."  "Nonsense" is the Greek word leros.  "Medical doctors used it for the wild talk of those in delirium or hysteria." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."   The apostles thought that these women were out of their minds.  The apostles obviously, also, were not expecting Jesus to resurrect from the dead—as He had promised to do.  They did not believe even though a group of witnesses of this size would have been hard to ignore.

"The apostles were not men poised on the brink of belief and needing only the shadow of an excuse before launching forth into a proclamation of resurrection.  They were utterly skeptical.  Even when women they knew well told them of their experiences they refuse to believe.  Clearly irrefutable evidences were needed to convince these skeptics." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."  "The first preachers were men who were convinced in spite of determined, obstinate unwillingness to believe.  If the apostles at last believed, the resurrection must be true." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle." 

c. Peter ran to the tomb. (24:12)
"Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened."

Thought Question:  From what Peter saw in the tomb, what do you believe happened to the body of Jesus?

 

 

"Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,"  In the Gospel of John, we learn that both the apostle "Peter" and the apostle John went to the "tomb."  "So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)" (John 20:3-9)

We do not know why Luke does not mention John.  It may be that he is abbreviating what happened; and since it was "Peter" that actually went into the "tomb" and was the first to witness the empty grave, Luke focuses only on "Peter."

"he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,"  There was evidence that the body of Jesus had been there—the "linen" that had been wrapped around His body remained.  The "linen" remained; His body was gone.  In John 20, we learn that "Peter" saw the "strips of linen" lying there, "as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen." (John 20:7)  Modern-day detectives would have to figure out what happened, based on this evidence.  This is not what a grave robber would have left.  Certainly, he would have taken the body while it was still wrapped in "linen."  Or, he would have ripped the "linen" off, leaving a mess.  The evidence fits that belief that Jesus passed through the "linen" leaving "strips of linen lying by themselves."

"and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened."  And, we also wonder to ourselves about what exactly happened in that grave when Jesus miraculously rose from the dead.

The Gospel of John tells us that when John saw the empty "tomb," "he saw and believed." (Jn. 20:8)  "Peter" may also have believed.  His "wondering" may also have included the belief that Jesus rose from the dead—in other words, he marveled at what he saw.

15. Two men meet the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus. (24:13-35)

a. Jesus appears to the two men. (24:13-16)
"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him."

Thought Question: How do you believe God kept these men from recognizing that it was Jesus who started to walk with them?

 

 

"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened."  As I am writing these words, yesterday, a beloved comedian took his life.  It has been the focus of attention on the television news, in the social media, as well as in personal discussion.  After Jesus' death, his death was certainly the focus of many conversations.  It was the focus of the conversation of "two" men on their journey together from "Jerusalem" to "Emmaus."  We do not know anything about the location of "Emmaus" except what is given here: it was "about seven miles from Jerusalem." 

We are given, in the words of one of them named "Cleopas," what they had heard about.  "'What things?' he asked. 'About Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.'" (Luke 24:19-24)

They knew that their religious leaders had tried and convicted an innocent man and they knew about His horrible death.  They heard that a group of "women" reported that on Sunday morning His body was gone and they said that they "had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive."  There had never been a weekend like it, and there has never been any like it since.  These "two" men had no trouble keeping their conversation going about what they heard had happened that weekend in "Jerusalem."

 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him."  Suddenly, the One that they were discussing about was right there walking with them.

How were they kept from recognizing Him?  Mark says this: "Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country." (Mark 16:12)  See also Matt. 28:17; Jn. 20:14, 21:4

b. The two men explain to Jesus about their knowledge of Him. (24:17-24)
"He asked them, 'What are you discussing together as you walk along?' They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, 'Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?' 'What things?' he asked. 'About Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.'"

Thought Question #1:  Some of the Jewish people still believe that Jesus was a failure as a Messiah as these men did.  Why do you believe they see Him that way?

 

 

Thought Question #2:  Why was Jesus not a failure as the Jewish Messiah?

 

 

"He asked them, 'What are you discussing together as you walk along?' They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, 'Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?'"

The fact that their "faces" were "downcast," tells us that they saw what had happened to Jesus as a major disappointment to them.  When Jesus asked them what they were discussing, they were incredulous that He had not heard about it.  How could He have been in Jerusalem and not have heard about what happened to Jesus—Did he quickly enter "Jerusalem" and quickly leave, so that He missed hearing about what everyone was talking about?  "He [Cleopos] wanted to know whether the intruder [Jesus] was only the stranger in, or visitor to, Jerusalem who had managed to remain completely uninformed about matters that were on everybody's lips." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

 "'What things?' he asked. 'About Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.'"

Because of Jesus' powerful words and miracles, these "two" men, and certainly others, had been hopeful that He would be the One who would rescue them from the Roman control of their country.  "A temporal redemption of the Jews by a conqueror appears to have been the redemption which they looked for." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle."  But their own religious leaders had given Him to the Romans to be "crucified."  It had not turned out at all like they had hoped it would.  No wonder they were "downcast."

"And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.'"

Furthermore, we learn here that Jesus' followers did not yet believe that Jesus had risen from the dead—as He predicted He would. See 18:31-33

"some of our women amazed us."  They were totally not expecting that Jesus would resurrect from the dead.  There is often a disconnect between what we believe God is going to do and what He actually does.

c. Jesus rebukes them for not knowing what the Scriptures predicted about Him. (24:25-27)
"He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."

Thought Question: Why do you believe most cannot see in the Old Testament that God's salvation plan is accomplished through God's Chosen One dying for our sins?

 

 

"He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?'"  If these "two" had understood what the Old Testament taught about the Messiah, they would have understood that His death was part of the proof that He was the Messiah.  He was the "Passover lamb"
(I Cor. 5:7); He was every sacrificial animal that shed its blood in their ceremonies; He was the One who died in our place predicted in Isaiah 53; and He is the One who cried out, "Why have you forsaken me?" in Psalm 22:1. See also Ps. 22, where His suffering on the cross is predicted and described.  See also
Ps. 16:9-11, 118:22

"'How foolish you are,'"  Vincent has this to say about the Greek word that is translated as "foolish."  "This is an unfortunate translation, in light of the ordinary, popular use of the word fool.  Jesus would never have called those sorrowful disciples fools in that sense.  The word is a compound of a, not, and noeow, which implies, besides seeing, perception of the mind as consequent of upon sight.  It is therefore equivalent to dull of perception.  They had read what the prophets had spoken, but had failed to perceive its application to Christ." "Taken from Word Studies in the New Testament by M. R. Vincent.  Copyright 1972 by Associated Publishers and Authors."

"The trouble with the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day was that, on the whole, in reading the Old Testament they saw only the glory and victory of the Messiah, not the fact that the path to these blessings was one of suffering.  At times they would even go so far as to apply to the Messiah the references (in Isa. 52:13-53:12) to the Servant's glory, but to apply to Israel the references to the Servant's suffering." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."  The theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ.  He is predicted beginning in the books "Moses" wrote—Genesis through Deuteronomy.  He is predicted as far back in the Bible as Genesis 3:15.  "'And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.'" (Genesis 3:15)  Jesus, a child of a virgin woman, was bitten on the heel, but He crushed the head of the serpent—Satan's head.  Jesus died on the cross, but in doing so, defeated Satan.  "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil . . . ." (Hebrews 2:14) See also Gen. 49:10; Numb. 24:17; Deut. 18:15,18

He is also predicted in the "prophets" (which were the Old Testament books not written by "Moses").  "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)  "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) See also Isa. 42:1-4, 49:6,    61:1-3; Jer. 23:5; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 12:10

"Christ was the true seed of the woman who was to bruise the serpent's head—the true seed in whom all nations were to be blessed [see Gen. 12:1-3]—the true Shiloh to whom the people were to be gathered [see Gen. 49:10], the true scapegoat—the true bronze serpent—the true Lamb to which every daily offering pointed—the true High Priest of whom every descendent of Aaron was a figure." "Taken from Expository Thoughts of the Gospels by J. C. Ryle."

Jesus explained from the "Scriptures" that He had fulfilled the prophesies of the Messiah in the Old Testament.  But, they did not know that it was Jesus who was teaching them.

d. Their eyes are spiritually opened, and they realize that the stranger they were talking to is Jesus. (24:28-32)
"As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, 'Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'"

Thought Question: Describe when your eyes were first opened and you saw that Jesus is the Son of God? (Did your heart burn "within you"?)

 

 

"As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, 'Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them."

When they reached "the village" Emmaus, "to which they were going," Jesus did not presume on them by assuming that He would stay with them.  Rather, He gave them the impression that He was going to continue on past "the village."  He, of course, knew that they would choose to invite Him to stay with them.  And they did so by urging "him strongly" to "stay with" them.

Jesus did not override their freedom to choose.  He stayed with them because they chose to have Him "stay."  God's plans include men's choices.

Jesus would have walked on if they had not invited Him to "stay."  He was not, of course, being deceitful by pretending He was going to walk on, when He had no intention of doing so.  Rather, He was giving them a genuine choice.

"When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight." 

There is a number of questions these verses provoke in us.  (1) Was this a reenactment of the Lord's Supper or a simple meal?  Since Jesus does not say,  "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19), it appears to have been a simple meal. 

(2) Why is Jesus the One breaking the "bread" rather than the host of the home?  They may have been at an inn, and Jesus was honored by the host who invited Him to break the "bread."  (3) What happened that enabled them to recognize Him as Jesus?  It appears that God reversed what was described in 24:16.  "but they were kept from recognizing him." (Luke 24:16)  It may also have been that they saw Him more clearly inside of the house—when it was lit up by some type of lighting.  (4) Why did Jesus so quickly disappear from their sight?  It appears that His purpose for coming to them had been fully accomplished.  Nothing pertinent to His purpose would have been accomplished by Him staying longer.  I am sure that their mouths remained opened after Jesus was suddenly recognized by them and then just as suddenly was gone.  Also, His sudden disappearance provoked an immediate and intense reflection on all that had happened to them.

"They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'"  "Were not our hearts burning within us" reminds me of my first days as a Christian.  I became a Christian while lying on my bed in a fraternity house at San Jose State College.  That was my first experience with the Holy Spirit indwelling me.  I can remember reading the Bible for the first time as a Spirit-indwelt Christian.  My heart burned within me as I read.  The truths on the pages of the Bible were no longer dry religious words, but I was now guided by the Spirit who wrote the Bible.  The words of the Bible now described for me a reality about a spiritual world that I did not know existed before that time.  I believe that everyone who has been reborn by God's Spirit knows what happened to me in the early days of my Christian life and still happens to me.  It was also what was what happened to these "two"" men in "Emmaus."

e. They tell the Eleven (24:33-35)
"They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread."

Thought Question: When have you eagerly shared the gospel message with someone as these two men eagerly shared their experience with the resurrected Lord with "the Eleven"?

 

 

"They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread."

As a new Christian, the reality that I now knew God in a personal and deeply spiritual way was so exciting to me that I shared it with anyone who would listen.  At first, my fraternity brothers were polite; but later, I noticed that the once-opened doors were closed (both physically and spiritually).  But, I was given many opportunities to share about my new relationship with God with others.  These "two" followers of Christ had also had an exciting encounter with the risen Lord.  Though they were "seven miles from Jerusalem" (24:13) and just come back from there, they immediately returned so they could tell "the Eleven" and others about their amazing encounter with the risen Jesus Christ.  They had personally seen and talked to Him.  Tiredness and the late hour were unimportant.  They must tell others of the dramatic and unbelievable events of the evening.

"'The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.'"  Jesus' appearing to Peter has not been reported on in the Gospel of Luke up to this point.  The last we heard, he had gone to the tomb, saw the "strips of linen" and went away ". . . wondering to himself what had happened." (Luke 24:12)  This appearance to Peter is also listed in I Corinthians 15:  "and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve." (1 Corinthians 15:5)

"the Eleven"  This is a name used to describe Jesus' closest group of followers.  It had been the Twelve, but now Judas was gone.  "The Eleven" does not mean that all "eleven" were present, for we learn that Thomas was not with them. See Jn. 20:19-31

This gathering of Jesus' followers heard from the "two" men all that had happened to them.  Certainly, Christ's closest followers were going through an emotional transformation from the deep darkness of the crucifixion to the bright morning that produced a resurrected Jesus.  It would be this resurrection that would enable these followers of Jesus to reach out boldly to a pagan and unbelieving world.  Everyone who is a Christian is a product of the hope that began on that Sunday morning!

16. Jesus appears to the disciples (24:36-49)

a. Jesus suddenly appears to them (24:36-40)
"While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.' When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet."

Thought Question: What can we learn from Jesus' sudden appearance to them and by His words that can give us peace during our times of uncertainty?

 

 

"While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'" See Mk. 16:14; Jn. 20:19-23  If we understand who God is and what He has done for us, "peace' will come to us.

In John 20 (and here in Lk. 24:38-40), we are told that after Jesus said, "peace be with you," and "he showed them his hands and feet."  "The Eleven" and the others saw what produces "peace" in us: the nail holes in His hands speak to us of the price he paid that we might have "peace" with God.  "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Romans 4:25-5:1)

The nail holes tell us how much God loves us.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)  "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)  The nail holes in His hands tell us that we can live in "peace."

"They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?'"  One part of the Christian life that I find very exciting but also frightening, is that we never know what God is going to do next.  That is why, at those times of uncertainty, we need to choose to trust God to experience His "peace."  Even though these disciples had been told by the 'two" men of Jesus' appearance to them on the road to Emmaus, they were not expecting Jesus to suddenly appear physically to them in a room where the doors were locked.  "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!'" (John 20:19)  Only ghosts come in to locked rooms!

"He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.' When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet."

What type of body did the risen Jesus have?  He says here that it was a body with "flesh and bones."  Also, His new body had the nail holes from His crucifixion still present on it.  In John 20, Jesus showed His "hands" and His "feet" to Thomas after Thomas said: " . . . Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." (John 20:25)  Then, Jesus makes the following response to Thomas.  " . . . Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27)  So, we can be confident that part of Jesus' purpose in His first appearance to the disciples recorded here in Luke and John 20:19-23 was to show them the nail prints in His hands and His feet.

So, what kind of body did Jesus have after His resurrection?  Hendriksen gives a good answer to that question.  "What Jesus wanted them to see is undoubtedly the stigmata, the marks of his crucifixion.  It is, of course, impossible for us, who do not as yet possess the resurrection body, to understand how it is possible for the body of Jesus to be, on the one hand, so unlike our present bodies he was able to enter a room without opening either a door or a window; yet, on the other hand, so similar to our present bodies that the very scars from his crucifixion were still showing." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

"and my feet"  "Indicating that Jesus' feet as well as his hands were nailed to the cross." "NIV Study Bible note on 24:39."

"Touch me"  It is the same Greek word found in I Jn. 1:1.  John Stott has the following to say about that Greek word:  It means "to grope or feel after in order to find, like a blind man or one in the dark." "Taken from the The Epistles of John by John Stott.  Copyright 1964 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company."  It means to "touch" in an investigative way.  Jesus invites them to investigate whether or not He is indeed the One who was crucified. 

"a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."  A false teaching of the Gnostics was that Jesus could not have been divine and also have had "flesh and bones."  This false teaching is corrected throughout I John. See 1:1, 4:1-3 

"One of the most dangerous heresies of the first two centuries was Gnosticism.  Its central teaching was that spirit is entirely good and matter is entirely evil . . . Man's body, which is matter, is therefore evil. . . . Christ's true humanity was denied in two ways:  (1) Some said that Christ only seemed to have a body, a view called Docetism, from the Greek word dokeo ('to seem'), and (2) others said that the divine Christ joined the man Jesus at baptism and left him before he died." "NIV Study Bible Introduction to I John on Gnosticism." 

b. Jesus eats with them. (24:41-43)
"And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, 'Do you have anything here to eat?' They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence."

Thought Question: How would Jesus eating "in their presence" help them believe?

 

 

"And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement,"  What we see here is not some fairy tale story where they immediately believed, but what happens in the real world.  We do not immediately go from total despair to total joy.  We see here what you would expect to happen when Jesus' resurrection appearance had so suddenly startled them.  It took some time for all of this to sink in.  It was simply way too good to be true!

"he asked them, 'Do you have anything here to eat?' They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence."  This undoubtedly began to convince them that sitting in front of them eating fish was indeed their resurrected Lord!

c. Jesus explains to them that the Scriptures that predicted Him had to be fulfilled. (24:44-46)
"He said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.' Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, 'This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,'"

Thought Question:  Have you ever had a time when some truth about God that you were familiar with began to be explained to you for the first time in a way that you could understand it?  Please describe what happened.

 

 

"He said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.' Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures."

The disciples had felt that everything was completely out of control—the wicked were having their way and Jesus was their victim.  Jesus, on the other hand, shows that everything was going according to what was predicted throughout the Old Testament.  His trial, death, and resurrection had been the plan all along.  We can see that now, but these early followers of Christ went through it without knowing what we now know.  It was not at all clear to them.  So, Jesus explains it to them and spiritually "opened their minds so they could understand" it.

Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus that they were spiritually rich, but he knew that they would not believe it unless their spiritual eyes were opened.  "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." (Ephesians 1:17) See also I Cor. 2:14

Today, we can explain God's word clearly, but those who listen to us also need to have their spiritual eyes opened before they will "understand."  These followers of Jesus finally heard and understood that all that happened to Jesus was exactly what God had planned to happen.

"opened their mind"  "The same verb as that in 31 and 32 about the eyes and Scriptures." "Taken from Word Pictures in the New Testament by A. T. Robertson.  Copyright 1930 Broadman Press."

"'the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.'"  This was a way of saying: the whole Old Testament.  It is the only time in the Bible that this way of describing the Old Testament is used.

It appears that these followers of Christ had heard and read the Old Testament, but did not "understand" its meaning.  Particularly, they did not "understand" the main part—that God's Son needed to die for man's sins.  They had to "understand" this part of the Old Testament, for it is the message that they would be commissioned to share with the world.  "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve." (I Corinthians 15:1-5)

The main message of the Bible is that we are sinners, God is just, we deserve eternal damnation for our sins against a holy God, but God in love sent His Son to take the penalty in our place.  Jesus' death satisfied God's justice.  That is God's part.  Our part is to receive His amazing gift by believing that Jesus did it for us and then we are to choose Him as our Lord and Enabler, so we can live life His way.  These early followers of Christ now had a message to share with the world.

d. Jesus gives them the message they were to share. (24:47-48)
"and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."

Thought Question:  What is "repentance" and why is it to be "preached in his name to all nations"?

 

 

"and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."  They had a difficult task.  The message of "repentance" is not a message people want to hear.  "Repentance" is telling people that they are going the wrong way and doing what is wrong.  It is telling people of their sinfulness and sins—it is telling people that God deplores their sin, but loves them.  It is, then, telling them that God has provided a way to go in God's way because Jesus has provided us with "forgiveness of sins" through His death on the cross.

They were to preach the message to the whole world—"to all nations."  And they were to start in "Jerusalem."

"You are witnesses of these things."  They were not to share their own personal philosophies, but they were to share what they had witnessed.  Sometimes sharing the gospel is called witnessing.  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) See also Acts 1:22, 3:15, 4:20, 5:32, 10:39-41, 22:15, 26:16

e. Jesus orders them to wait for God to give them the power to carry out their mission. (24:49)
"'I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.'"

Thought Question: What was the difference between the disciples trying to witness without the Holy Spirit and them witnessing with the power of the Holy Spirit? How does this apply to us today?

 

 

"'I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.'"  "Jesus is telling the apostles that he is about to send upon them that which the Father promised, namely the Holy Spirit." "Taken from Luke by William Hendriksen. Copyright 1978 by Baker Book House."

Jesus had predicted that the indwelling of God's Spirit would one day come to them.  "On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." (John 7:37-39)  Jesus also predicted the coming of the Holy Spirit to them in the upper room discourse recorded in John 13-17.  "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:16-18)  "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26)  "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7)  "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (John 16:13-15)

Later, Jesus would again predict the coming of the Holy Spirit to them to give them the power to effectively reach people with the gospel message.  "On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 1:4-5)  "'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 1:8)

17. The ascension of Jesus (24:50-53)
"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God."

Thought Question:  Why would the way Jesus left them provide a memory of encouragement to these early disciples?

 

 

"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven." See Mk. 16:19; Acts 1:9-11

We learn in Acts chapter one that this event took place "forty days" after Jesus' resurrection.  "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3)

"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany,"  "Bethany was on the Mount of Olives and the ascension took place somewhere on this hill." "Taken from Luke by Leon Morris.  Copyright 1946 by Intervarsity Press."  It was "on the eastern slopes of Mt. Olivet." "Hendriksen." See Acts 1:12

"he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them"  The last sight of Jesus seen by the apostles and whoever else was there that day was Jesus blessing them.  Also, the last action of Jesus toward His close follower was to bless them.  There was no question at all that He completely supported them in their God-commissioned task ahead.  Now, these apostles are gone.  So, how does Jesus' blessing to His early apostles apply to us.  We can be confident that He blesses us also as we carry on the commission that He gave to His first followers.

"and was taken up into heaven."  Jesus came from "heaven," and now He returns to "heaven."  He has returned to His glorified state. See Jn. 17:5

"Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God."  It is obvious that they finally got it.  And as a result, they "worshiped" Jesus and experienced "great joy."  Christianity started with joyous worship!

Jesus' followers, in obedience to Him, "returned to Jerusalem."  Acts 1:12 describes what happened next.  "Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city."

Next came a time of prayer and waiting for power to come from God as they waited for the Holy Spirit to come upon them.  The book of Acts, also written by Luke, tells us about the exciting events that took place as the Jesus-indwelt apostles and Christians shared the gospel message first in Jerusalem, and then they went and shared the gospel message to the uttermost parts of the earth.

 

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION  ® .   NIV  ®   Copyright ©    1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

Studies in Luke