Walk Through the Bible
Lesson 24 – The Passion Week – Tuesday
TUESDAY
◼ Introduction
o There are 68 chapters in what we call the “Synoptic Gospels” (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Of those 68 chapters, nine of them (just over 13% of the entire three books) deal specifically with this one day.
o And it’s not just how much Jesus did on this Tuesday. It was WHAT he did. My Bible calls it the “day of controversy.”
◼ Jesus and the disciples find the cursed fig tree withered (Matthew 21:19-22; Mark 11:19-25; Luke 21:37-38).
o The unstated lesson is about the position of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Jeremiah 8:10; Hosea 9:10; Micah 7:1-6; Nahum 3:12). The religious leaders appeared to do all the right things but they had no real fruit.
o The stated lesson is about prayer. The two key elements (Mark 11:24-25):
▪ Faith
▪ Forgiveness
◼ Jesus’ authority challenged by the Sanhedrin (Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8).
o Matthew devotes about 1/6 of his book to the exchange between Jesus and the religious leaders.
◼ Three parables (Mt 21:28-22:14; Mk 12:1-12; Lk 20:9-19) Jesus was standing against the spiritual “leaders” who questioned his authority. Jesus wanted to know who would accept him and who would reject him.
o Parable of the two sons: It’s not those who say the right things who will get into heaven. It’s only those who do the right things.
o Parable of the vineyard: The people of Israel are the tenants. They have tortured and killed all the prophets that God has sent, and now they are getting ready to kill his own Son. There will be retribution.
▪ Key question: What will the owner of the vineyard do?
▪ The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes (Mark 12:10 – from Psalm 118:22-23).
o Parable of the wedding banquet: God calls all of us to respond to his invitation. But we must choose.
◼ Jesus is tested (Mt 22:15-22; Mk 12:13-17; Lk 20:20-26)
o Paying tribute to Caesar: The Herodians (in collusion with the Pharisees, which is ironic in itself because those groups did not like each other. The Pharisees were the religious leaders who wanted a Messiah to drive out the Romans and restore the land to the nation of Israel. The Herodians were supporters of the Roman government and especially the rule of Herod. Totally opposites, united in their hatred of Jesus and desire to see Him out of the picture.) used false flattery to lure Jesus into a sense of security. Then they ask him a trick question: “Should we pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
▪ Then they ask a question about taxes. It’s funny. The Pharisees and Herodians would have answered this question differently. The Pharisees would say “no, of course not.” The Herodians would have said, “yes, by all means.” That was the point of the trap. No matter what Jesus said, He would have angered half of His audience.
▪ If Jesus says “yes,” then the crowds will not follow him because they do not want to pay taxes to a false “god.” If Jesus says “no,” then the Romans will rise against him. Jesus gets them by stating the obvious: If it belongs to Caesar, give it (back) to him. If it belongs to God, give it (back) to him as well.
▪ The coin is a denarius, representing one day’s wages. And it was the coin used for paying the tax that Jesus was being asked about.
▪ The coin would have been stamped on both sides. One side would have the portrait of the Emperor – In Jesus’ day, Emperor Tiberius. The other side would have an inscription: Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the Divine Augustus. Any particular word in that phrase catch your attention? One word catches mine: Divine.
▪ It makes sense, doesn’t it? Whose image? Whose inscription? Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s (flip the coin) and give to God what is God’s. Caesar might get the coin, but who gets the title “Divine?”
o Marriage in the resurrection: This question by the Sadducees is ironic for one reason: Sadducees didn’t even BELIEVE in the resurrection of the dead.
▪ Now about the dead rising have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” (Mark 12:26-27).
▪ Jesus comes right back at them. You want to quote Moses? Fine! Let’s quote what God told Moses. Sadducees who don’t believe in the resurrection, do you think that Abraham and Isaac and Jacob are dead? Do you remember what Jesus told Lazarus’ sister?
▪ Jesus gets them two ways: 1) Our bodies in the resurrection will not be like our bodies now, making marriage irrelevant; and 2) Our relationships to one another will be perfected in the presence of our Creator. The resurrection is real because our God is the God of the living!
◼ The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:28-34).
o Of the 613 commands in the OT, which was #1?
o This is the first and greatest commandment:
▪ Matthew 22:37 – Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all our soul and with all your mind.
▪ Mark 12:29 – Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
▪ Deuteronomy 6:4-5 – Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
o The second is like it:
▪ Matthew 22:39 – Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
▪ Mark 12:31 – Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
▪ Leviticus 19:18 – Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
o It’s important to note here that Jesus was impressed with the person who brought the third question, telling him that he was not far from the kingdom. We assume that all the Pharisees, Sadducees, etc. were just evil men. That’s not true. Many of them were just like us: seekers looking for the answers to life’s questions.
◼ Jesus now asks those around him a question: (Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44).
o What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?
o Jesus pointed out that the son of David (who in the eyes of the leaders could never be superior to his father) was the King of Kings. Jesus pointed out that the Messiah was both the Son of God and the Son of Man.
o Result: No one dared asked him any more questions (Matthew 22:46).
◼ The seven woes (Matthew 23:13-36) – Jesus pointed out the flaws of the spiritual leaders and what happens to the people when the religious leaders do not do the right thing in God’s sight. He concludes this time with his second lament over Jersualem (Matthew 23:37-39).
o They turn people away from the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 23:13)
o They turn disciples toward hell. (Mt.23:15)
o They make deceptive oaths, making their promises based on financial obligation instead of honesty toward God and people. (Mt. 23:16-22)
o They give tithes to God, but forget about mercy for the people (Mt 23:23-24)
o Their insides are all messed up; they have “dirty hearts”. (Mt 23:25-26)
o They are concerned with looking good on the outside. (Mt. 23:27-28)
o They claim not to be a part of those who murdered the prophets of old, and here they are plotting to kill Jesus! (Mt. 23:29-32)
◼ The poor widow’s offering (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4)
o The widow’s offering points out a contrast between her sacrificial gift and the hypocrisy of the spiritual leaders of Jesus’ day.
◼ The Discourse on the Mount of Olives
o Like other prophecies, there is a “now” and a “not yet” component. Jesus intermingles prophecies around the coming destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 with the end times.
o The destruction of the temple (Matthew 24:1-2; Mark 13:1-2; Luke 21:5-6).
o The second coming (Matthew 24:3-14; Mark 13:3-13; Luke 21:7-19).
o The destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-20; Luke 21:2024).
o False Christs and what is to come (Matthew 24:23-31; Mark 13:21-27; Luke 21:25-28).
o Further applications of the second coming
▪ Jesus refers again to the fig tree (Matthew 24:32-41; Mark 13:28-32; Luke 21:29-33).
▪ Be ready (Matthew 24:42-51; Mark 13:33-37; Luke 21:34-36).
▪ Parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).
▪ Parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).
o Judgment of Christ on the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46).
◼ A few more points:
o The plot to kill Jesus gains strength as the Passover approaches (Matthew 26:3-5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2).
o Jesus predicts his crucifixion (Matthew 26:1-2).
o In Bethany for the evening, Christ is anointed by Mary Magdalene in the home of Simon the Leper (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8).
o Judas, angered by Jesus’ rebuke and affected by Satan, goes to the chief priests to announce he will deliver Christ to them (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6).