The servant in Jerusalem(chapters 11-12).
This is now less than a week before the crucifixion; Jesus draws nigh and enters Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. It was a time of delight for the Jews, and the population increased many times during this festival. The Servant of God enters the final phase of His journey. Most of His work had been done in and around Galilee, now He approaches the capital city, thronging with worshippers, as the last week of His visible service commences. They came "nigh unto Jerusalem"(verse 1), "unto Bethpage at Bethany at the mount of Olives". From this vantage point, some 2600 feet above the city, He had a panoramic view of the place where His Father had placed His name, the place where He would die for the sins of many, a fact He had repeated time and again throughout the journey(Mark 8 v31; 9 v31; and 10 verses 33-34 with verse 45). Now the time had come and with courage and single-mindedness He proceeded to fulfil His mission. He strode forward in the service of God in full knowledge of what He was about, even if no one else did. All around is confusion, even the disciples were confused, only the man in touch with God knew what He was about.
- Verses 2-10 A crowd without understanding
- Verses 11-14 A tree without fruit
- Verses 15-19 A temple without reverence
- Verses 20-26 Disciples without faith
- Verses 27-chapter 12 v40 A leadership without shame
- Verses 41-44 A widow woman without resources
The above summary is a sad indictment indeed on a nation, which trusted in God, but bespeaks a servant with purpose of spirit as He unflinchingly moves on. The perfect servant did not allow the imperfections of others to deter Him.
Verses 11-14 a tree without fruit Jesus had a look over the temple, His next port of call before retiring with His disciples to Bethany. On His return He saw a fig tree with leaves from afar and sought figs to eat. Bethphage means "the house of unripe figs", so there were many fig trees about. This particular tree had leaves but when He came it had no fruit, even none of the green knobs which were edible, which later would ripen into full grown fig fruits. The absence of these on the tree meant there would be no fruit even later. Jesus used this to teach His disciples a sore lesson, for He had in mind fruitless Israel. He cursed the tree and later they found it "withered from the roots"(verse 20). Symbolically Jesus is applying this to the spiritual state of the nation. It is a solemn reminder to all that we are here on this earth to produce spiritual fruit and if there is none our time on earth is done. "Leaves without fruit" symbolises religious show without reality, and that described the nation. Their outward festivals still went on but there was nothing for God. There are three trees in scripture describing Israel, the Vine...Israel in rebellion in the past; the Fig tree.....Israel in rejection in the present age; the Olive tree...Israel in restoration in the future. The symbolism here is very powerful. We recall the first mention of fig leaves in scripture was to cover the nakedness of the guilty pair. The comparison is obvious, Jesus views the existence of leaves without fruit as a cover for failure. The nation had plenty of outward show, but had nothing that was of value to God. What a solemn warning that God has no use for a fruitless tree.
verses 15-19 A temple without reverence The Jewish temple was the one place on earth where God placed His name, and where He, symbolically dwelt amongst His people. It was the most sacred place on earth, but, because of departure had become profane. It is good to visualize the temple layout to understand this incident. There are two important words for "temple", the first being "heiron" which means "sacred place", and refers to the entire temple area of about 30 acres including the holy of holies and the outer temple where this took place; secondly there is "naos" which is the court of the priests where they officiated in the service of God. Beyond this was the court of the Gentiles, where travelling Jews or Gentiles could come and pray and prepare for the festivals; the court of the women, which was exclusively for the women; and the court of the Israelites where the Jews came to be taught in the law of the Lord(this was sometimes called Solomon's porch). It was in the outer court of the Gentiles where this secularisation had been established where money for payment of sacrifices was changed and it seems extortion was being practised to take advantage of the pilgrims and profit from the worship of God. The mention of "the table of doves" suggested that even the poor people were being overcharged. Jesus forbad this quoting Isaiah 56 v7 and Jeremiah 7 v11, reminding them this was "my Father's house", and it should not be used for corrupt business or even legitimate business for He would not allow the comers to use the outer court for a thoroughfare. This was a stark rebuke for their profanity of a sacred place. This caused alarm amongst the scribes and chief priests, who sought ways to destroy Him for they were afraid of Him for His doctrine was beyond the normal and the people knew it. Any who seek to upset ungodly culture today should not be surprised if similar enmity ensues. He had to cleanse the temple at the outset of His public ministry, there has been no change in three years.
Verses 20-26 Disciples without faith All the while Jesus was teaching His disciples about real faith in God, for they were lacking it. His message to them with all these events was to trust implicitly in God, there was no need to seek the approval of men, nor fear their disapproval. It is too easy to replace the fear of God with the fear of man and only what is for God is of any value. He has just proclaimed a curse on the fruitless tree and they were astonished that so quickly it had withered from the roots. He utters His now famous words that "Faith can remove mountains". How much do we believe that today, how much faith, really, do I have in God? Jesus is teaching His disciples that there are no boundaries to what God can do even impossible things are within our power, if only we believe. God will do anything for us if it is His will, we must demonstrate this unshakeable belief in our prayer life, applying it to everything we ask, we must truly believe He will grant it and not to be doubting..."Therefore I say unto you, what things ye ask, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them". This raises prayer to a high level and we should have courage to do His will and to believe Him. God is disposed to give us good things! He makes one condition, do not pray with a hurtful attitude toward others; do not be bitter toward others in your prayers, and expect God to be favourable to you. Be to others what you expect God to be to you. In summary true faith requires true prayer, not just saying prayers, but really praying, and really believing. Pray in faith, believe in the impossible, trust in God and be forgiving in spirit. Remember God has forgiven you more than you will ever forgive others.
Verses 27-chapter 12 verse 40 Religious rulers without shame It is commonly believed that a nation will not rise above it's leaders, and this was certainly true of Israel in the time of Christ. What follows is a concerted attack on His person from every section of the prominent ruling class at the time. The nation that was taught "Thou shalt not kill", had murder in mind. Jesus had become an unacceptable thorn in their flesh and He was vilified from all quarters. The verses are dominated by a series of challenges from the ruling elite in the form of questions which masked the true ungodly state of their hearts. They begin by asking "By what authority doest thou these things?", referring to His actions to cleanse the temple:
- Chapter 11 v27-chapter 12 v12 The religious challenge from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
- Chapter 12 v13- v17 The political challenge from the Pharisees and the Herodians.
- Chapter 12 v18-v27 The liberal challenge from the Sadducees.
- Chapter 12 v28-40 The legal challenge from the scribes
Chapter 11 v27 chapter 12 v12 a cunning question and a piercing answer. The chief priests and scribes and elders were the spiritual authority in Israel; the chief priests oversaw the religious ritual, ensuring that all was carried out in accordance with the Mosaic procedure; the scribes interpreted and applied the law of Moses from a legal standpoint, ensuring the instructions and the intent were enacted in all service; the elders were the mature of age and status who were examples to all those under their shepherd care. All three had departed from the scriptures on the altar of convenience and the desire to accommodate numbers. Jesus was angry about three things concerning the temple; the obvious exploitation of the people at a time of worship as implied by the description "thieves"; the desecration of the sacred precincts which were to be used only for prayer and worship, instead it had become a market place; the possible exclusion of Gentiles for whom a court in the outer temple was provided, by His assertion that the house was for "all nations", not just the Jews. None of this was in line with the Divine law, yet these rulers had the gall to question His authority. He rounds on them with another question that exposes their hypocrisy, "was the baptism of John human or Divine?". They could not answer for they had rejected John. Jesus was not here(nor are we) to satisfy curiosity, but to expose fallacies and challenge practices by even the elite! Having refused plain language, Jesus then spoke to them in parables, and He begins by relating the parable of the vineyard. The clear inference was that God had left them a vineyard to produce fruit but they had produced nothing, had abused the emissaries and even killed some, and now the son, the well beloved had come and they were now rejecting Him, as the scripture prophesied. They wanted to take Him but they feared the people. They had become a profane leadership presiding over a profane temple service and there was nothing for God.
Chapter 12 v13-17, strange bedfellows, the Pharisees and the Herodians. If ever there was a mismatch it was these two groups. The Pharisees, hotly patriotic, deeply opposed to Roman occupation, descendants of the Maccabean resistance against the Greek invader Antiochus Epiphanes, who would accept no foreign occupation; religious to the core in that they accepted the teachings of Moses; they were a powerful group in Jewish society about 6000 strong and were very influential. Conversely, the Herodians were followers of the Idumean(descendent of Edom) usurper of the throne of Israel. They were quite unpatriotic, indeed courting the pleasure of Rome, for the sake of personal gain, and they had no regard for the law of Moses, the only moral compass being that which brought them personal gain. These two opposite groups found unity in their mutual enmity against Christ. Some of their united group were sent to "catch Him in His words", literally to entrap Him, with a question that involved, in modern language the tension between the church and the state. This was a very serious question involving the role of religious Israel in the situation of Roman occupation. They came with flattery(beware the flatterers), "Teacher we know that thou art true and carest for no man for thou regardest not the person of men but speakest the word of God in truth". Then comes the punch line, (for all they regarded was the personalities of men), "Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar or not?". He detected immediately their hypocrisy "Why tempt ye me?" He pointed to the image of the denarius which was readily available to them and in which they were trading. The Roman occupation of Israel was now longstanding, well over 60 years, and their presence clearly marked the judgment of God on the nation. The masterly answer "Render to Caesar the thing which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's!" They marvelled at Him, for no one before had spoken with such wisdom.
Chapter 12 v18- 27 the wealthy aristocrats who achieved high positions of influence in Roman times.
These were the majority members of the Sanhedrim ruling body, whose friendship with Rome earned them positions of high esteem and brought ever increasing streams of wealth. They cared nothing for "other worldly" matters and lived only for the present world. They did not believe in the spirit world either demon or angel, or the resurrection, their sights firmly on this world. They were remote from normal reality and cared little for those in poverty. They probably challenged Jesus because He had reduced their revenue by refusing trade in the temple precincts from which they would profit. Their question was one of cynical unbelief, bringing up a ridiculous hypothesis about multiple deaths in one family and how the "levirate" law of marriage would apply in this scenario. Jesus ignored their folly and responded simply by reasserting the truth of the resurrection, and establishing their crass ignorance of both the scriptures and the God of the scriptures. In this reply, He followed the wisdom of the proverb, "Answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own conceits". The bible views the likes of these Sadducees as fools and losers.Chapter 12 v28-40 the smart legal eagles, the interpreters of holy scripture. He acknowledges there was some sincerity in this individual scribe but warned His disciples against their "set". Perceiving that Jesus wisdom was greater than His questioners, the scribe asked "What is the greatest commandment of all?" Whether this question was frivolous or not we don't know, for all the commandments are to be observed. Certainly the Lord answered plainly, such that there could be no doubt, in simple terms "Love God"....love your neighbour". These two great commandments say it all; to love the Lord with all you have, and to love your neighbour as yourself is the sum and substance of the Divine law. The scribe replied with understanding, which the Lord acknowledged, and makes the bold observation that to "Thou hast said the truth, for there is one God and there is none other but He; and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding, and with all the soul and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself is more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices". This scribe knew that inward reality was more than outward ritual . Jesus said "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God". He was not in the kingdom but he was not far. This being a very personal application, from this point on no one dared ask Him any questions, possibly because they feared the personal challenge. We don't actually know whether this scribe, this legal expert, who had shown a firm grasp of scripture, ever entered the kingdom, for it is one thing to know what to do, another to do it.
What we do know is that the scribes, as a group, were generally out of touch with reality. Their legal reasoning was faulty, and could this man swim against the tide of error amongst his own fellows? He cites one instance where they had misinterpreted the meaning of the Messiah. The scribes say that the Christ(the Messiah) is the son of David, inferring that David is superior, yet David by inspiration of the Holy Spirit called Him "Lord"(Psalm 110). The scribes were wrong and the common people were happy.
He warned them to beware the scribes because of their hypocrisy. They love the outward appearance of religion; the long distinctive garb; the salutations in the market places where the public honoured them; the chief seats in the synagogue which elevated their ego's, yet internally they were corrupt. "They devour widow's houses, and for a pretence make long prayers". He gives a withering assessment "These shall receive greater condemnation!" Sham religion is a serious matter which will bring judgment on those who perpetrate it.
Verse 40-44 A widow woman without resources Probably tired after a day's grilling, Jesus sat over by the treasury which was in the women's court. He beheld how everyone gave to the Lord; (He beholds how we give of our service whether it is merely outward or from the heart). Many who could afford it cast in much, others only what they could give. He noticed a poor widow woman, not just a widow but a poor one. She cast in two mites, the smallest, thinnest copper coins of miniscule value, yet Jesus proclaims "She has given more than they all!". Once again earthly values turned on their head. They, out of their abundance gave much, but she, out of her poverty has given all that she had, all her living. What a commendation from the One who is to be the judge of all the earth, who will in a coming day assess all our service. There a number of observations here; the value of sacrifice is relative, not what we give, rather what we have left; the cleanness of the gift comes into it for Jesus observed that the scribes "devoured widow's houses", that is they came by riches heartlessly and dishonestly, this poor widow gave all her living; what is the heart of the gift, is it total devotion or is it partial ritualism? The scribe who came to Jesus with a question proved he knew intellectually what was required; He could interpret the scripture correctly "Love the Lord with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and all your strength". The woman knew it from her heart for she gave all that she had. The scribe was not far from the kingdom the woman was in it!! The scribe said "Love your neighbour as yourself", the woman only had two mites, she probably needed one of them but her neighbour's need she made her own What a wonderful ending to a harrowing revelation of the state of things in Israel. How He must have appreciated this in view of Calvary when He would give His all. It seems this poor widow came out better than them all with their long flowing garments and their extravagant riches and their high positions and their ignorance of true values, the woman with the two mites was better than them all in the eyes of the Judge, and His assessment is all that will matter.
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