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INTRODUCTION

The Gradual Growing Tension in Matthew's Gospel:

     In the previous five sets of Studies in Matthew's Gospel, Arrival Announced (Ch.1-4), Sermon on the Mount (Ch.5-7), Authorised Activity (Ch.8-11), Arriving Awareness (Ch.12-15), Awful Announcements (Ch.16-20), we have seen an ongoing hostility from the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the day. Approaching Antagonism (Ch.21-24) takes us into the last week with the arrival at the Temple and subsequent teaching and opposition in the Temple . In these studies we will see frequent references to the religious leaders who are finding Jesus' teaching on their doorstep, more and more threatening.

 

The King in Charge

     We've said previously in these Studies, that Matthew shows Jesus as the coming king. That is highlighted in this set of studies from the beginning with the triumphal entry to Jesus. Many of the parables that he tells here speak about an owner, a king or a returning Lord. The sense of rulership is not far below the surface. It is of course, the claim to “be somebody” that antagonises the authorities, together with his outright condemnation of them for their failures. There is a new challenger here, a “new kid on the block” staking a claim for the hearts of the people. No wonder the authorities are upset!

 

The Breakdown of this set of Studies:

  We will consider each chapter under the following headings:

  Chapter 21   - The Grand Entrance

  Chapter 22   - Challenges

  Chapter 23   - Woes

  Chapter 24   - A Call to be Alert

 

PART 1 : “The Grand Entrance”

     In this first Part of this set of Studies we start with Jesus about to enter Jerusalem at the beginning of that final week. It is very much a set up arrival and the crowds respond accordingly. In the temple he throws out the money changers and then leaves and goes back to Bethany . The next morning he returns and while teaching is opposed by the chief priests and elders. His teaching by parables that follows, is clearly understood by them to be about them. The lines for battle are being drawn.

Study No.1 : Preparations  : Mt 21:1-5

A. Find Out:

      

1. Where were they coming to? v.1

2. What did Jesus tell the two disciples to do? v.2

3. What were they to say if challenged? v.3

4. How did Matthew see this? v.4

5. What had prophecy said? v.5

 

B. Think:

1. Read Zech 9:9-12

2. What was Jesus obviously seeking to do?

3. Why do you think he is doing that?

 

C. Comment:

     The final time is approaching that will focus on Jerusalem , and they are now approaching the outskirts of that city. They pause up and Jesus sends two of them ahead to go and collect a donkey and its colt. Whether Jesus has arranged this with a man there already or he simply knows the owner will co-operate isn't clear; he simply knows the donkey and its colt is there and is available, and he wants them. Why? To fulfil prophecy. It has been said that Jesus fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah. Some of them were completely out of his hands, such as about his birth, but some of them he carefully fulfilled. So why?

     The answer to that must be to give clues to the Jews. They knew the Messianic prophecies and therefore, when Jesus did something that was clearly in line with one of those prophecies, the Jews would know that he was making a proclamation about himself. That is obviously so here. The crowds would have been with him as he approached Jerusalem , and to see him riding on a young donkey into the city would, in their eyes, appear as a clear declaration of his kingship and intent to take back the city from the oppressors. In doing this he would anger the religious leaders who “reigned” there.

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus constantly gave prophetic signs to show us who he was.

2. Jesus was completely in control of circumstances as he came to

    Jerusalem, and knew exactly what he was doing.

    

Study No.2 : Entry to Jerusalem  : Mt 21:6-11

 

A. Find Out:

1. How did Jesus & the disciples prepare? v.6,7

2. What did the crowd along the way do? v.8

3. What did the crowd shout? v.9

4. What did the city ask? v.10

5. What response came? v.11

 

B. Think:

1. How would you describe Jesus' entry to Jerusalem ?

2. How did the crowds treat Jesus?

3. How therefore, do they view Jesus?

 

C. Comment:

     Luke tells us (Lk 19:35) that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt, perhaps with the mother being lead alongside to emphasis that it was a colt, to clearly show prophetic fulfilment. John's Gospel tells us that the crowd was especially big because of the news about the raising of Lazarus (Jn 12:17 ,18), and it is clear that they are under no illusion about Jesus: this is their long-promised deliverer!

     This is clear by what they shouted. Hosanna here essentially means “Lord we praise you, save us”. They then declared him to be one sent by God. Such was the commotion that the people of the city wondered what was going on, to which they were told it was the prophet from the north who had arrived. Remember that Jesus had been to Jerusalem many times before, but it was only this time that he and the circumstances (prompted by him) conspired together to provoke the crowd to adulation. The response by the religious authorities is almost inevitable, but all the time we must remember that Jesus stage managed the whole thing. He knew what the responses of various people would be; here it is the crowds who respond to his activities. Later the authorities will respond to the crowds (Lk 19:39 ) and eventually they would fulfil their plans to kill him because of the following he was getting and the threat they felt that to be.

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus knows how we all respond.

2. Jesus works circumstances to produce our responses.

Study No.3 : Clearing the Temple  : Mt 21:12-17

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus first do in the temple? v.12

2. What did he say the temple should be? v.13a

3. What did he say they had made it? v.13b

4. What did he then do in the temple? v.14

5. What two responses came from that? v.15

6. What was Jesus' response to the chief priests? v.16

 

B. Think:

1. Read Isa 56:7 How had the Jews gone the opposite way?

2. How did Jesus bring the presence & activity of God back?

3. How were the teachers of the law revealed for what they were?

 

C. Comment:

     The religious leaders had allowed the temple courts to become commercialised religion. People were required by the Law to present sacrifices for their sin, so to make it easy for people, the leaders provided sacrifice sellers there in the courts of the temple. This made it easy to say sorry to God (which He never intended), while also raising money for the temple (which was not the way He had decreed). Instead the temple was supposed to be a place of encounter with God, a place of prayer and seeking Him. They had trivialised it.

  When Jesus came he threw out all the trappings of man-centred religion and then proceeded to carry on his ministry of healing then and there in the temple. God had returned to His temple and was delivering His people. This is His heart today!

    Observe the contrasting responses to what Jesus was doing. The simple children responded to the healing with praise and thanksgiving but the religious leaders looked on and criticised! How their hearts are revealed! Remember in all this Jesus is stage managing the end in such a way to provoke sinful mankind to rise against him!

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus wants to come today to cleanse his temple (see 1 Cor 3:16 ). What

     pollutes it today?

2. Are we critical when Jesus comes in an unexpected way and blesses

    people, or are we child-like in our praises.

 

Study No.4 : The Fig Tree : Mt 21:18-22

A. Find Out:

      

1. When was it, where was Jesus going & what did he feel? v.18

2. What did Jesus find on the fig tree? v.19a

3. What did he say and what happened? v.19b

4. What did Jesus say the disciples could do if they had what? v.21

5. What simple conditional promise did he then make? v.22

 

B. Think:

1. What did Jesus obviously expect of the fig tree?

2. How was his word obviously authoritative?

3. How did Jesus use this to teach the disciples?

 

C. Comment:

     Do not look at this story and assume the Son of God acted in a pique of temper. Whenever Jesus did something it was with a clear purpose and it was always just. He comes to the fig tree and is hungry (note his humanity) and seeing it in full leaf he expected it to have fruit. It should have had fruit but it was barren, only fit to be destroyed, so Jesus did it with a word. There is first of all a powerful warning here. In John's Gospel we find strong words about our being fruitful (Jn 15:4, 5, 8, 16). Some say the fig tree was a picture of the nation of Israel (see also Lk 13:6-9) but whatever the truth, the tree should have been bearing fruit, and because it didn't, it was removed (reminder of Revelation warning? see Rev 2:5)

     But then Jesus uses the disciples' amazement at this to teach on faith and prayer. This is nothing great, implies Jesus, you can do much more than this IF you believe when you pray. First point, WHEN you pray. Jesus assumes we will be a praying people. Are we? Second point,, what we ASK for. He expects us to ask. That implies a relationship with Father with us as dependant children. Are we? Third point, IF you believe. How can we believe? When the Holy Spirit puts it in our hearts that this is what He wants and we rise in faith to agree with Him. WHEN that happens, watch out! Jesus has used the fig tree to grab their attention. They will not forget this!

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus calls us to be fruitful.

2. Jesus calls us to be full of faith in prayer.

    

   

Study No.5 : Authority Questioned : Mt 21:23-27

 

A. Find Out:

      

1. Who came to question Jesus? v.23a

2. What did they ask? v.23b

3. On what condition would Jesus answer them? v.24

4. What question did he ask in return? v.25a

5. What were the two possible answers and outcomes? v.25b,26

6. So what happened? v.27

 

B. Think:

1. In your own words, what were the leaders saying?

2. How was Jesus question a trap for them?

3. What do you think were Jesus' aims in asking it?

 

C. Comment:

     The antagonism of the religious authorities is beginning to grow. They now come to Jesus as he is teaching in the temple courts and basically ask, “Who do you think you are, presuming to teach here? This is our place!” The temple had been their domain. Once it had been God's but now it was taken over by man. Jesus had “come onto their ground”! They were feeling defensive and upset.

     Jesus appears to be quite reasonable in saying, “Yes, I will answer you” but he adds a tricky question of his own first. He refers back to John the Baptist. He not only wants to silence these religious men but he also wants to confront them with the truth. Again and again when Jesus spoke to the religious authorities, he didn't act merely defensively, he spoke in such a way that he confronted them with the truth. This is almost a form of indirect preaching, for preaching is declaring the truth of God's word and allowing the Holy Spirit to convict the hearers of the truthfulness of it in respect of the hearers' hearts. It is a hard heart that refuses to face the truth. The truth was that John had come from God and the leaders had rejected God's man. They are now doing the same thing with Jesus

 

D. Application:

1. Jesus always seeks to confront us with the truth.

2. Are there areas of Scriptural truth where we are refusing to believe? If

    there are, it is an indication of the state of our hearts. Repent!

 

   

Study No.6 : Parable of the Two Sons : Mt 21:28-32

A. Find Out:

      

1. What did the man ask of his first son? v.28

2. What did the son say but then do? v.29

3. What did the second son say but then do? v.30

4. What was Jesus' question and what answer was he given? v.31a

5. What did Jesus say was happening? v.31b

6. What had happened with the religious leaders? v.32

 

B. Think:

1. What was the point of the story?

2. How had that been happening?

3. How do you think that can happen with us?

 

C. Comment:

     A simple story told by Jesus. Two sons are asked by their father to go and work for him. The first says no, but eventually does, the second says yes but doesn't work. The answer to Jesus' following question is obvious. Of course it is the son who actually did what was asked of him was the one who pleased the father. Their initial outward professions were meaningless at the end. The important thing was what they ended up doing.

     In Jesus day the priests, elders, scribes, Pharisees and Levites all professed faith, all professed to be devoted to God, but the truth was that when it came down to it, they were not righteous and did not do what God said. On the other hand the apparent sinners who made no great professions of faith had been turning to God and doing His will.

     The story is as relevant today as when Jesus told it. We can be very “religious” people on the outside, but in fact have little love for God and not be doing what God has commanded, not loving Him and one another genuinely. In the meantime those who we consider sinners come along, hear the Gospel, respond and very simply give their lives over to God and obey His prompting and do His will, loving Him and loving one another. The warning is still needed today. Are we merely hearers or hearers and doers.

 

D. Application:

1. Do I say but don't do?

2. God wants heart people who actually DO what He has said.

  

   

Study No.7 : Parable of the Tenants : Mt 21:33-41

A. Find Out:

      

1. What things did the landowner do? v.33,34

2. What happened to the servants he sent? v.35,36

3. So what did the landowner do and why? v.37

4. But what did they do in return? v38,39

5. So what question did Jesus then ask? v.40

6. What did his listeners reply? v.41

 

B. Think:

1. Who do you think was the landowner and what the vineyard?

2. Who do you think were the tenant farmers?

3. Who do you think were the servants sent?

 

C. Comment:

     The facts of the story: the landowner creates a vineyard, rents it out, sent off servants to collect the rent, these were killed by the tenants, and he then sent his own son who was in turn killed by the tenants.

     The application (not interpretation) is in the following verses. From this we can deduce the following: First, the landowner was God. Second, the vineyard was His kingdom expressed on earth in the form of the nation of Israel . Third, the tenant farmers are the people of Israel , the servants are the prophets sent to Israel , and the Son is Jesus.

     As a story it is frighteningly obvious. Stephen was later (Acts 7:52 ) to say exactly the same thing but more openly. God had brought Israel into being and had given them every encouragement to know and experience Him. Yet from the outset they had problems with Him. As soon as they were out of Egypt they complained, after Sinai they refused to go into the land, in the wilderness they complained, when they entered the land they were disobedient and did not fully take it, in the land they rejected God again and again, turned to idols, wanted a king of their own, and finally rejected God and went into exile. Now they are about to reject and destroy the Son of God sent from heaven. Now they condemn themselves out of their own mouths.

 

D. Application:

1. The sinfulness of man constantly rejects the goodness of God.

2. God does not tolerate rejection! (Gal 6:7)

      

   

Study No.8 : The Rejected Stone : Mt 21:42-46

A. Find Out:

      

1. What Scripture did Jesus quote? v.42

2. What therefore, does he say will happen? v.43

3. What are the two possibilities in respect of the “stone”? v.44

4. Who heard this and what did they know? v.45

5. What did they want to do? v.46a

6. Yet why did they hold back? v.46

 

B. Think:

1. What is the basic meaning of psalm 118:22,23?

2. How do you think that applies here?

3. What did Jesus say the outcome would be?

 

C. Comment:

     Having just told the parable showing the coming rejection of the Son by the Jews, Jesus now reinforces it by a quotation from the Old Testament: a rejected stone became the most significant and important stone in the structure. It was something that God did and it was marvellous. That was the quote. Then he applies it.

     First he warns that the kingdom or reign of God in their midst will now be removed from them and given to those who will receive it. Israel had had centuries of the blessing of God in their midst. As we noted yesterday they rejected it again and again. Very well, says Jesus, it will now be given to those who will receive it (the Gentile church).

    Not only that, if you oppose this stone (Jesus himself), either by dropping on it, or it dropping on you, you will end up being destroyed. If you “fall on” and seek to destroy the stone you will end up broken. If the stone is rejected and it then comes in judgement on you, you will be crushed. Such was the outcome for Jerusalem and Israel in AD 70 when the city was taken.

     The religious leaders, when they heard this, may not have understood the full import of it but they understood that he was speaking against them and they plotted against him to arrest him. Their only problem was that he was too popular, so they held back.

 

D. Application:

1. Rejection of Jesus means being rejected by God.

2. Jesus is the measuring stick for our eternity.

     

    

RECAP No.1  "The Grand Entrance"  Matthew 21

 

SUMMARY :

  

In this first group of 8 studies we have seen :

- Jesus setting up his entrance into Jerusalem

- The crowds welcoming him as a coming victor

- Jesus entering the temple and turning over the money tables

- Jesus healing in the temple precincts

- The priests objecting to the children praising him

- Jesus cursing the fig tree and teaching on prayer

- Jesus' authority being challenged

- Jesus telling the parable of the two sons

- Jesus telling the parable of the tenants.

 

COMMENT :

      The final week before Jesus death has come and Jesus stages manages his entry into Jerusalem to stir the crowd and provoke the religious authorities. In the temple he challenges the status quo, heals an teaches in what can only be described as a provocative manner. In his teaching he confronts the authorities with their constant rejection of the prophets and predicts his own rejection. In all these things he is completely and knowingly in control.

 

LESSONS?

1. Jesus knows and Jesus is ion control!

2. Jesus knows us and knows how to challenge sinful attitudes.

3. Jesus looks for our praise.

4. The prayer of faith can move mountains.

 

PRAY :

     Lord, you are THE Lord. You know all men, you are in control in the midst of all the circumstances and you are working out your sovereign purposes for our good.

 

PART 2 :   " Challenges! "     Matthew 22

     The next Part we will see Jesus continuing his teaching in the temple courts and then being challenged by the various religious groups who seek to trap him. It is a chapter of confrontational challenges with Jesus giving wise answers.