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Wednesday, 30 AD. (2 Days Before His Death)

RECAP

Jesus and His disciples returned to Lazarus’ house on Tuesday night after a long day of ministry. As you will recall from Tuesday, Jesus and His disciples awoke early and walked 45 minute walk into Jerusalem. Along the way He cursed a fruitless tree, visited a fruitless temple, cleansed it, and personally healed scores of people who were lame, sick, and infirm. After this, a worship service broke out in the temple courtyard and Jesus had a brief interaction with the Pharisees before leaving and walking back to Bethany (Mark 11:19).

So, you can imagine, after that 45 minute walk, everyone must have been exhausted.

But, this did not stop Him from waking early and heading right back to the city for one of His final showdowns with the Jews. 

THE FIG TREE REVISITED

Before arriving again in the city, the group passed by the fig tree that was cursed on Tuesday morning (Mark 11:20). Peter apparently took notice of the shriveled tree and stopped the group for a moment of discussion (Mark 11:21). This occasion gave Jesus one of His final opportunities to teach His disciples, this time instructing them on faith, prayer, and forgiveness (Mark 11:22-26). But He was far from finished with teaching for the day. As they all made their way into the city and then onto the temple mount (Mark 11:27a) His teaching on various topics had just begun.

JESUS’ QUID PRO QUO SOLUTION

At the temple, Mark tells us that Jesus was confronted by the angry religious mob who had been planning His demise from the night before (Mark 11:27b). Their charge against Him was leveled in a series of carefully worded accusations disguised as questions. They began by saying: “By what or whose authority are you doing these things?” 

Now, Jesus had a very important decision to make that would affect everything, especially the timing of His death. He could tell them directly that God had already condemned them, giving the Kingdom to the tax-collectors and sinners (Matthew 21:31-32, 43), but that would have gotten Him arrested and killed on Wednesday instead of Passover. He also could have ignored the question and went on about His business, but given the volatility of the religious mob, doing that may have enflamed their anger even more, so this did not seem like a viable option. So, instead, Jesus wisely leveraged the fact that the onlooking crowds were standing nearby, watching with rapt attentiveness, and Jesus knew the Pharisees would never act in such a way that the crowds would turn on them.  

They may have wanted Him dead, but they would not crush their lust for power and popularity among the masses.

Before answering their question directly, Jesus gave them a quid pro quo scenario. He offered them the following deal: if you will answer my question, then I will answer yours, which seemed straight forward enough. But, by turning the tables and having them answer His question, He was actually showing them who had the authority and who did not.

Jesus asked them: “Was the baptism of John (the Baptist) from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”

Jesus knew if they denied the baptism of John, they would lose their stranglehold on the people who loved John. But, if they affirmed John, they would look utterly foolish for wanting to kill Jesus (Mark 11:32). In this simple rhetorical move, Jesus put the Jewish leaders in an impossible situation that would turn the crowds against them regardless of what they chose. In the end, He not only avoided their trap, but also humiliated them in their non-answer and delayed His death, once more safe guarding His demise until the just right moment of Passover week. 

JESUS CAPITALIZES ON THE MOMENT

Given that the Jewish leaders were now bound to begrudging public civility (since they could not kill Him in front of the crowds - Mark 12:12). Jesus took the moment to offer His strongest public rebuke of them to date, offering two scathing parables, that you can read for yourselves in the following passages:

1. The Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)

2. The Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:33-44) 

The point of both parables was the same, the Jewish leaders were being removed from authority and punished by God for their lack of repentance. God had sent His one and only Son to them, and in the hardness of their hearts they were going to kill Him. But in killing Him, He would become the new foundation (a cornerstone - Matthew 21:42-43) on which men and women would now be built up in faith. No longer would they need the priests and their laws, the pharisees and their burdens, or even the sacrificial system that was not sufficient to save them. Now, they would need only Jesus who would save them from their sins and make them fruitful again in Him. 

Jesus settled the question of authority right before their eyes. But, in the wicked hearts of the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees, the matter was far from settled.

THE LEADERSHIP REGROUP

There had never been a time when the Jewish Leaders had been so thoroughly challenged and yet so incapable of responding. Out of fear of the crowds they retreated for the moment (Matthew 21:46), but they were far from finished challenging Him. 

TOMORROW:

Tomorrow, we will see part two of this confrontation. We will also see Jesus’ vivid prophecy of Jerusalem’s downfall along with the late night preparations for their Last Supper together and exit to the garden of Gethsemane. Check out our Facebook post tomorrow at 7:00AM or come back to the blog tomorrow for more. 

God bless you!