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As Jesus and his group drew near Jerusalem in the area of Olive Hill and the villages of Bethphage and Bethany, he told two of his disciples, "Go to that village over there and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone says, 'Why are you doing this?,' say, 'The Lord needs it.' And he will immediately send it back here."
So the two entered the village, where they found a colt outside a door that faced the street, and they untied him.
Some people who observed this, questioned the disciples. "What are you doing?"
As soon as the disciples gave the answer they were told to give, the villagers dropped their objection.
Matthew quotes the prophets Isaiah and Zechariah:
Jesus was bracketed by people in front and behind shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom that is coming!"
Some religious Jews urged Jesus to control the enthusiasm of his followers, but Jesus answered, "I am telling you, if these were to remain silent, the stones would shout."
On looking at the city, Jesus wept. "If, on this day, you had only known the things of peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes!"
When word reached the priestly and scribal leadership about this entry, they reacted with alarm, agreeing that he would have to be destroyed, though they were for the moment restrained by the big crowds.
Once in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple and looked around, taking in everything.
As he entered the Temple grounds, children, mimicking what they had heard earlier, broke out noisily: "Hosanna to the son of David!"
The Temple authorities were outraged, repeating the rebuke given a short time before.
"Don't you hear what they're saying?"
Jesus replied, "Yes, I hear them. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of small children and infants you have perfected praise'? [MJNrr1]
But, as sundown was near, he withdrew and went to Bethany, accompanied by his 12 closest followers.
The next day on the way out of Bethany, Jesus grew hungry. Seeing a leafy fig tree at a distance, he walked over to it with the aim of taking some fruit from it. But, figs were not in season.
His disciples heard Jesus say to the tree, "From now on, no one will ever eat fruit from you!"
The next day, Jesus returned to the Temple, where he proceeded to overturn the tables and chairs of the money-changers and those who sold doves, forcing the merchants out. He would permit no one to carry a merchant's container in the Temple precincts.
"Does not scripture say, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples' [MJNx1]. But you have turned it into a cave of robbers! [MJNx2]"
Later, his disciples recalled the scripture which says, "Zeal for your house will consume me." [MJNx0]
Right away, some men questioned Jesus' right to do such a thing. "What sign do you show us that tells us you have this authority?"
Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
That evoked surprise. "This Temple has been under construction for the past 46 years,[MJNtx1] and you will raise it up in three days?"
After his resurrection, Jesus' disciples recalled these words of his.
As soon as the high priest Caiaphas and his associates heard about this action, they knew they had a big problem on their hands. Now they were sure they were going to have to be rid of him.
But, Jesus was surrounded by a big audience who listened in amazement to his teaching.
At about dusk, he and his disciples left the city and stayed at Olive Hill.
On their way back to Jerusalem the next morning, the disciples were stunned to see that the tree Jesus had cursed was dead – shriveled from the roots upward.
"Teacher," said Peter, "the tree you cursed has withered to nothing!"
"Put your trust in God, and, I tell you very sincerely, if you tell this mountain to rise up and be planted in the sea – without any doubt in your heart, but believing what you say is really happening – you will have it.
"So I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you receive it, and you will receive it.
"But, when you stand praying, if you have anything against someone, be sure to forgive, so that your Father forgives your trespasses."
As he walked into the Temple, the Jewish religious leaders approached him. "By what authority do you do what you are doing?"
Jesus replied, "I have a question for you, and if you answer it, then I will answer your question. Tell me, did the baptism of John came from heaven or from men?"
The men held a brief huddle and realized: "If we say, 'From heaven,' Jesus will say, 'Why then haven't you believed him?' But we can't say, 'From men'." For they feared the people, who believed that John was a prophet.
"We don't know," was their reply.
"And neither will I tell you by what authority I do the things I do," Jesus replied.
But, he gave them a hint with this story:
"The first," one of the elders said.
"I mean it when I tell you that the taxmen and the harlots go into the kingdom ahead of you. For John came to you on the Road of Right, but you didn't believe him. Yet, the tax gatherers and the harlots believed him. And you, when you witnessed that, still would not turn around and pay attention to him."
As he taught in the Temple, Jesus gave more illustrations.
"Rabbi, we know you are a truth-teller and not obeisant to any human being. You really teach the way of God. So, is it lawful to pay tax to Caesar, or not? Should we pay, or not pay?"
"Why do you test me?" Jesus said. "Bring me a denarius."
A coin was brought.
"Whose image and superscription is this?" Jesus asked.
"Caesar's," was the reply.
Jesus said, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."
That answer astounded them.
Later that day, some Sadducees, who don't believe in a resurrection, challenged Jesus with the following question:
"Rabbi, Moses' writings tell us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves a wife behind who has no child, that the man should take his brother's wife and inseminate her so that she bears a child.
"Now, there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and, dying, left her barren. The second then took her, but died while she was still barren. And so it happened with the third, and right down through all seven. Finally the woman died. In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For all seven had her for a wife."
Jesus replied, "Isn't the reason why you go astray because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?"
Jesus continued, "When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like heaven's angels."
He added, "But, concerning the dead, haven't you read what God told you, 'I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob'? God is not of the dead, but of the living. You are greatly mistaken."
Jesus was citing what we refer to as Exodus 3:6, which tells of God speaking to Moses from a bush that was in flames, yet not being consumed. [MJNrr4]
After hearing these discussions, and realizing that Jesus spoke well, a Bible scholar spoke up.
"What commandment is Number One?" he asked.
"That would be
The Bible student agreed. "Truly you have spoken well, that He is One, and that there is no other but him, and to love him with all the heart, and understanding, and strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself. These are worth much more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
On hearing that, Jesus said, "You are not far from the kingdom."
After this, no one dared ask him a question.
While teaching in the Temple, Jesus posed this riddle to his hearers:
"What do you think of the messiah – whose son is he? For, in the Spirit, David himself said,
The ordinary people heard him eagerly.[MJNrr5]
he clash between Jesus and the ruling elite comes to the fore when Jesus urges the people to comply with the religious and monetary demands of the scribes and Pharisees, a number of whom were listening, but to shun their ways.
Jesus said, "The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses's seat. So do and observe whatever they tell you. But don't do what they do. For they talk, but don't do. In fact, they pack painfully heavy loads and lay them on men's shoulders, but they won't lift a finger to help carry them.
"What they are interested in doing is showing off. They make their phylacteries large and wear extravagant clothing. They love the best seats in the synagogues and the recognition of people. They love to be called rabbi – but don't you be called rabbi. There is one who is your teacher, and you are all brothers.
"Worse yet are the ones who devour the houses of widows while they put on a show of religion with long prayers. Their punishment will be all the greater." [MJNrr6]
Jesus turned to the Pharisees and religious law experts in the audience.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you bar the way to the kingdom and you won't go in yourselves.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you go all over land and sea to make one convert, and once he has been converted, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
"Woe to you, blind guides! You say, if someone makes a pledge in the name of the Temple, it doesn't count. But if someone makes a pledge in the name of a gift on the Temple altar, that counts. You are blind. For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
"Thus he who swears by the altar, swears by it and everything on it. And he who swears by the Temple swears by it and him who dwells there. And he who swears by heaven, swears by God's throne and by him who sits on it.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you pay your tithes in mint, dill and cummin, but you have left undone the more important matters of the law: Justice, mercy and faith. You should have done these, without neglecting the other.
"You blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!"
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you clean the outside of the cup and bowl but the inside is full of extortion and excess!
"Blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and bowl so that the outside may become clean also."
Later, Jesus was sitting against the wall of the Temple Treasury, watching as people in the crowd cast money into the donation containers. The well-to-do dropped in a great deal of money. But then a poor widow came up and put in two lepta (which is the same amount as a Roman quarter [MJNpf1]).
Jesus called over his disciples and said, "I am very serious when I tell you that this woman donated more than everyone else combined. These others took from their excess, and gave. She took from what she didn't have to spare, including her food money, and gave."
NEXT PAGE:
Teaching in the Temple
https://secretpath191.blogspot.com/2020/11/teaching-in-temple.html
So the two entered the village, where they found a colt outside a door that faced the street, and they untied him.
Some people who observed this, questioned the disciples. "What are you doing?"
As soon as the disciples gave the answer they were told to give, the villagers dropped their objection.
Matthew quotes the prophets Isaiah and Zechariah:
Tell the daughter of Zion,Some people in the big crowd threw their cloaks onto the animal and then hoisted Jesus onto it. Other people took their outer garments and lay them in the road. Still others tossed branches they had cut from roadside trees and spread them on the roadway.
Look, your king comes to you,
Meek, and riding on a donkey
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey [MJN1]
Jesus was bracketed by people in front and behind shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom that is coming!"
These people believed that Jesus was about to fulfill the national dream of a descendant of David bringing in the new messianic reign. Though they were right, they had no idea what sort of kingdom Jesus really had in mind.
By spreading palm fronds and garments on the road, they were according a traditional honor due to a triumphal king.
By spreading palm fronds and garments on the road, they were according a traditional honor due to a triumphal king.
Some religious Jews urged Jesus to control the enthusiasm of his followers, but Jesus answered, "I am telling you, if these were to remain silent, the stones would shout."
On looking at the city, Jesus wept. "If, on this day, you had only known the things of peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes!"
Jesus is lamenting that the city, as represented by its leaders, and the bulk of the inhabitants did not truly repent when John the Dunker called on them to do so. They were not interested in seeking the true peace that comes with serving God with more than the lips.
At those point, Luke also relates that Jesus specifically forecast the fate of Jerusalem, that Roman combat engineers would build earth banks up the sides of the walls and overcome the city.
At those point, Luke also relates that Jesus specifically forecast the fate of Jerusalem, that Roman combat engineers would build earth banks up the sides of the walls and overcome the city.
When word reached the priestly and scribal leadership about this entry, they reacted with alarm, agreeing that he would have to be destroyed, though they were for the moment restrained by the big crowds.
The Jewish elite would have realized Jesus' entry was an insufficient cause to seek Roman intervention as the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, would have noted that Jesus did not vaunt himself as a conquering revolutionary or king but sat unarmed on a little colt. In Roman eyes, such a gesture would not have been an act of defiance but simply some odd religious manifestation.
Once in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple and looked around, taking in everything.
As he entered the Temple grounds, children, mimicking what they had heard earlier, broke out noisily: "Hosanna to the son of David!"
The Temple authorities were outraged, repeating the rebuke given a short time before.
"Don't you hear what they're saying?"
Jesus replied, "Yes, I hear them. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of small children and infants you have perfected praise'? [MJNrr1]
But, as sundown was near, he withdrew and went to Bethany, accompanied by his 12 closest followers.
The next day on the way out of Bethany, Jesus grew hungry. Seeing a leafy fig tree at a distance, he walked over to it with the aim of taking some fruit from it. But, figs were not in season.
His disciples heard Jesus say to the tree, "From now on, no one will ever eat fruit from you!"
People tend to wonder why Jesus would curse a fig tree that could not have borne fruit. And why did not this miracle worker know that figs were out of season?
As there are various varieties of fig tree, we cannot be sure why the tree Jesus came upon was barren. It is possible that an early editor, who was familiar with Jerusalem, had in mind only one kind that he knew would have been out of season in March, when the Passover was celebrated.
In any case, the incident is recorded because Jesus "actualizes" the end of the Jewish era with this action. God used Jesus' human nature to point him toward the tree in hopes of obtaining fruit. God used Jesus' human nature to have Jesus react with disgust and vent his anger at the tree. It was the Spirit that prompted Jesus to damn that tree. This tree represented – and not only represented but in a spiritual sense actually was – Jerusalem and the Jewish system. It was the unproductive religion of the role-player Jews that Jesus was really cursing.
Jesus hated neither the tree nor the Jews. But he was inspired to carry out a divine judgment on this nation shortly before his sacrificial death. Forty years later, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed and 100 years later the Jewish homeland was destroyed and the populace deported [MJNwz2]. Since then, Judaism has produced no fruit at all. Why? Because Judaism cannot save a single soul. Only Jesus can do that, and Judaism to this day rejects Jesus as messiah.
As there are various varieties of fig tree, we cannot be sure why the tree Jesus came upon was barren. It is possible that an early editor, who was familiar with Jerusalem, had in mind only one kind that he knew would have been out of season in March, when the Passover was celebrated.
In any case, the incident is recorded because Jesus "actualizes" the end of the Jewish era with this action. God used Jesus' human nature to point him toward the tree in hopes of obtaining fruit. God used Jesus' human nature to have Jesus react with disgust and vent his anger at the tree. It was the Spirit that prompted Jesus to damn that tree. This tree represented – and not only represented but in a spiritual sense actually was – Jerusalem and the Jewish system. It was the unproductive religion of the role-player Jews that Jesus was really cursing.
Jesus hated neither the tree nor the Jews. But he was inspired to carry out a divine judgment on this nation shortly before his sacrificial death. Forty years later, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed and 100 years later the Jewish homeland was destroyed and the populace deported [MJNwz2]. Since then, Judaism has produced no fruit at all. Why? Because Judaism cannot save a single soul. Only Jesus can do that, and Judaism to this day rejects Jesus as messiah.
The next day, Jesus returned to the Temple, where he proceeded to overturn the tables and chairs of the money-changers and those who sold doves, forcing the merchants out. He would permit no one to carry a merchant's container in the Temple precincts.
"Does not scripture say, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples' [MJNx1]. But you have turned it into a cave of robbers! [MJNx2]"
The merchants sold animals to be used for sacrifice in the Temple. The money changers changed the coins brought by the Jews for the "correct" Temple coins, and took a profit from the exchange.
Later, his disciples recalled the scripture which says, "Zeal for your house will consume me." [MJNx0]
Jesus was overtaken by divine fury, whereby the Holy Spirit suddenly wells up and gives a person tremendous power to win a fight. The Jews knew of such incidents of divine fury in their history, as with their hero Samson. This divine power was a sure sign that the authority behind Jesus was Jehovah God.
Right away, some men questioned Jesus' right to do such a thing. "What sign do you show us that tells us you have this authority?"
Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
That evoked surprise. "This Temple has been under construction for the past 46 years,[MJNtx1] and you will raise it up in three days?"
After his resurrection, Jesus' disciples recalled these words of his.
As soon as the high priest Caiaphas and his associates heard about this action, they knew they had a big problem on their hands. Now they were sure they were going to have to be rid of him.
Caiaphas (formally, Joseph, son of Caiaphas) was a political appointee of the Romans, holding the position from a.d 18 to a.d. 37.
But, Jesus was surrounded by a big audience who listened in amazement to his teaching.
At about dusk, he and his disciples left the city and stayed at Olive Hill.
Since Bethany is at the foot of that hill, we may assume that he and the others rested there at the house of friends, perhaps the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus – supposing that that family did not reside in the Bethany that was at the Jordan ford.
On their way back to Jerusalem the next morning, the disciples were stunned to see that the tree Jesus had cursed was dead – shriveled from the roots upward.
"Teacher," said Peter, "the tree you cursed has withered to nothing!"
"Put your trust in God, and, I tell you very sincerely, if you tell this mountain to rise up and be planted in the sea – without any doubt in your heart, but believing what you say is really happening – you will have it.
"So I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you receive it, and you will receive it.
"But, when you stand praying, if you have anything against someone, be sure to forgive, so that your Father forgives your trespasses."
As he walked into the Temple, the Jewish religious leaders approached him. "By what authority do you do what you are doing?"
Jesus replied, "I have a question for you, and if you answer it, then I will answer your question. Tell me, did the baptism of John came from heaven or from men?"
The men held a brief huddle and realized: "If we say, 'From heaven,' Jesus will say, 'Why then haven't you believed him?' But we can't say, 'From men'." For they feared the people, who believed that John was a prophet.
"We don't know," was their reply.
"And neither will I tell you by what authority I do the things I do," Jesus replied.
But, he gave them a hint with this story:
A man had two sons."Which of the two did what his father's willed?" Jesus asked.
He went to the first and told him, "Son, go do some work today in the vineyard."
This son refused.
"No, I won't," he said.
But later he changed his mind and went to the vineyard.
The man then approached his other son and gave him the same instruction.
That son replied, "Yes sir, I'm on my way."
But he never went.
"The first," one of the elders said.
"I mean it when I tell you that the taxmen and the harlots go into the kingdom ahead of you. For John came to you on the Road of Right, but you didn't believe him. Yet, the tax gatherers and the harlots believed him. And you, when you witnessed that, still would not turn around and pay attention to him."
As he taught in the Temple, Jesus gave more illustrations.
A man planted a vineyard and walled it off. He dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some farmers and took a trip to another country.Another teaching:
When the grapes would have been ripe, he sent a servant to collect his portion of the vineyard's output. But the farmers seized the servant and beat him, and sent him away with nothing.
So he sent another servant, who also was badly abused.
In fact, he sent a number of servants. Some were beaten and some killed.
Finally, he said, "I will send my own son. Him they will respect."
But the farmers said, "This is the heir. Come now, we'll kill him and the inheritance will belong to us."
What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and give the vineyard to others.
Haven't you read the scripture,The stone that the builders rejected,
has been made the keystone
This was from Jehovah,
and it is amazing in our eyes? [MJNw1],[MJNrr2]
The kingdom is like this:At one point, several men, representing both the Pharisees and the Herod clique, tried to trip up Jesus with his own words.
A king arranged a marriage banquet for his son and sent out servants to summon the invited guests. But, they would not come.
So he sent out more servants, instructing them, "Tell those who have been invited, 'See here, the oxen and the best calves have been slaughtered. Everything is ready! Come to the marriage feast!"
But the invitees made light of the offer and went their ways. One went to his farm and another to his merchandise. Others took hold of his servants, abused them terribly, and murdered them.
The enraged king sent out his troops, destroyed the killers and burned their city.
The king said to his servants, "The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go out where the roads are busy and ask anyone you find to come to the marriage banquet."
The servants then went out to the roadways and brought back anyone they could find, both bad and good. So the wedding banquet was filled up with guests.
But when the king arrived to meet his guests, he noticed a man without a wedding garment.
The king said, "Friend, how did you get in here with no wedding garment?"
Then the king instructed his servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness."
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.[MJNrr3]
Called to mind are today's skilled courtroom lawyers who lay traps for unwary witnesses in order to discredit them.
"Rabbi, we know you are a truth-teller and not obeisant to any human being. You really teach the way of God. So, is it lawful to pay tax to Caesar, or not? Should we pay, or not pay?"
The trick here is to try to have Jesus say something that would get him in trouble either with the powerful Pharisaic leaders or with the group – apparently known generally as Herodians – that worked with the Romans to administer Jerusalem and Judaea.
It is quite possible that by Herodians, the writers meant Sadducees, because the Sadducee faction discounted many of the sectarian views of the Pharisees and hence felt able to work with those in power. That is, they did not use fine points of religion as a reason for counteracting the foreign presence. In fact, by rejecting the idea of posthumous divine judgment, they were de facto atheists who could easily brush off religious ideas.
In general, the people tended to favor the Pharisees while the ruling elite favored the Sadducees, which is why many in that sect would have been branded Herodians, even if they worked with the Romans. Also, it is evident that a few of the Pharisee leaders were, if not ardently pro-Roman, perfectly willing collaborators.
The Pharisaic emphasis on strict adherence to Jewish religious law had arisen during the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid empire that preceded Rome's takeover of Palestine. In a.d. 6, a revolt broke out against Rome over Augustus Caesar's decision to have the Jewish region governed directly by Rome, which required a census for tax purposes, something the Pharisees and Zealots saw as ungodly.
Further, the Pharisees opposed the use of "graven images" of humans or animals, which is why the Herodian rulers circulated coins with agricultural images only. But Pilate had no such concerns and, in fact, in 29-31 a.d. he "depicted on Jewish coins for the first time sacred objects associated with Roman worship and power." [MJNz1] On the other hand, Pilate evidently did not issue coins with Caesar's image, though nothing would have prevented the Herodians from possessing some.
Pilate was responsible for issuing coins, and examples of his coinage still survive from a.d. 29, 30 and 31. [MJNwz1] Despite the apparent widespread use of coins bearing Caesar's image, Pilate's coins are rather innocuous, though they include pagan imagery: a ladle used in Pagan temples, an augur's staff, the wreath of victory, and three ears of barley. Stamped on the coins are the names of Tiberius and his wife Julia.
It is quite possible that by Herodians, the writers meant Sadducees, because the Sadducee faction discounted many of the sectarian views of the Pharisees and hence felt able to work with those in power. That is, they did not use fine points of religion as a reason for counteracting the foreign presence. In fact, by rejecting the idea of posthumous divine judgment, they were de facto atheists who could easily brush off religious ideas.
In general, the people tended to favor the Pharisees while the ruling elite favored the Sadducees, which is why many in that sect would have been branded Herodians, even if they worked with the Romans. Also, it is evident that a few of the Pharisee leaders were, if not ardently pro-Roman, perfectly willing collaborators.
The Pharisaic emphasis on strict adherence to Jewish religious law had arisen during the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid empire that preceded Rome's takeover of Palestine. In a.d. 6, a revolt broke out against Rome over Augustus Caesar's decision to have the Jewish region governed directly by Rome, which required a census for tax purposes, something the Pharisees and Zealots saw as ungodly.
Further, the Pharisees opposed the use of "graven images" of humans or animals, which is why the Herodian rulers circulated coins with agricultural images only. But Pilate had no such concerns and, in fact, in 29-31 a.d. he "depicted on Jewish coins for the first time sacred objects associated with Roman worship and power." [MJNz1] On the other hand, Pilate evidently did not issue coins with Caesar's image, though nothing would have prevented the Herodians from possessing some.
Pilate was responsible for issuing coins, and examples of his coinage still survive from a.d. 29, 30 and 31. [MJNwz1] Despite the apparent widespread use of coins bearing Caesar's image, Pilate's coins are rather innocuous, though they include pagan imagery: a ladle used in Pagan temples, an augur's staff, the wreath of victory, and three ears of barley. Stamped on the coins are the names of Tiberius and his wife Julia.
"Why do you test me?" Jesus said. "Bring me a denarius."
A coin was brought.
"Whose image and superscription is this?" Jesus asked.
"Caesar's," was the reply.
Jesus said, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."
That answer astounded them.
For Jesus did not say what belonged to Caesar, and neither did he urge tax avoidance.
The coin would have had the image of the emperor, Tiberius Caesar, along with his name and title. Though the Bible doesn't mention it, the coin also designates the emperor as "highest priest," another notion offensive to strict Jews. In fact, the Jewish high priesthood was one of the concerns that sparked the a.d. 6 revolt against the Romans.
Moreover, we have the possibility that Jesus was brought one of Pilate's coins and then asked, "Whose name is on this?" The same point would have been made. Later, the apostles themselves might have changed "name" to "image" in order to make the story more comprehensible to non-Judaean audiences who would have been much more familiar with Roman coins in general circulation than those that circulated for a limited time in Judaea.
The coin would have had the image of the emperor, Tiberius Caesar, along with his name and title. Though the Bible doesn't mention it, the coin also designates the emperor as "highest priest," another notion offensive to strict Jews. In fact, the Jewish high priesthood was one of the concerns that sparked the a.d. 6 revolt against the Romans.
Moreover, we have the possibility that Jesus was brought one of Pilate's coins and then asked, "Whose name is on this?" The same point would have been made. Later, the apostles themselves might have changed "name" to "image" in order to make the story more comprehensible to non-Judaean audiences who would have been much more familiar with Roman coins in general circulation than those that circulated for a limited time in Judaea.
Later that day, some Sadducees, who don't believe in a resurrection, challenged Jesus with the following question:
"Rabbi, Moses' writings tell us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves a wife behind who has no child, that the man should take his brother's wife and inseminate her so that she bears a child.
"Now, there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and, dying, left her barren. The second then took her, but died while she was still barren. And so it happened with the third, and right down through all seven. Finally the woman died. In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For all seven had her for a wife."
Jesus replied, "Isn't the reason why you go astray because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?"
The historian Josephus, writing near the end of the First Century, relates that the Sadducees would argue with their teachers using reason, or logic, much like many of the Greek philosophers from Socrates and Plato onward. Rational philosophy is inadequate for obtaining the insights that come from Jehovah.
Jesus continued, "When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like heaven's angels."
He added, "But, concerning the dead, haven't you read what God told you, 'I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob'? God is not of the dead, but of the living. You are greatly mistaken."
Jesus was citing what we refer to as Exodus 3:6, which tells of God speaking to Moses from a bush that was in flames, yet not being consumed. [MJNrr4]
After hearing these discussions, and realizing that Jesus spoke well, a Bible scholar spoke up.
"What commandment is Number One?" he asked.
"That would be
Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God, Jehovah is One."Number Two is similar:
And you shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. [MJNr1]
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [MJNr2]"No commandment is greater than these."
The Bible student agreed. "Truly you have spoken well, that He is One, and that there is no other but him, and to love him with all the heart, and understanding, and strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself. These are worth much more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
On hearing that, Jesus said, "You are not far from the kingdom."
After this, no one dared ask him a question.
Not only are you and your neighbor one, but that is even more true when you have been born again.
While teaching in the Temple, Jesus posed this riddle to his hearers:
"What do you think of the messiah – whose son is he? For, in the Spirit, David himself said,
The Lord said to my Lord,"David himself called him Lord. So how can he be his son?"
Sit on my right hand,
till I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet. [MJNqx1]
The ordinary people heard him eagerly.[MJNrr5]
he clash between Jesus and the ruling elite comes to the fore when Jesus urges the people to comply with the religious and monetary demands of the scribes and Pharisees, a number of whom were listening, but to shun their ways.
Jesus said, "The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses's seat. So do and observe whatever they tell you. But don't do what they do. For they talk, but don't do. In fact, they pack painfully heavy loads and lay them on men's shoulders, but they won't lift a finger to help carry them.
"What they are interested in doing is showing off. They make their phylacteries large and wear extravagant clothing. They love the best seats in the synagogues and the recognition of people. They love to be called rabbi – but don't you be called rabbi. There is one who is your teacher, and you are all brothers.
"Worse yet are the ones who devour the houses of widows while they put on a show of religion with long prayers. Their punishment will be all the greater." [MJNrr6]
Jesus turned to the Pharisees and religious law experts in the audience.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you bar the way to the kingdom and you won't go in yourselves.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you go all over land and sea to make one convert, and once he has been converted, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
"Woe to you, blind guides! You say, if someone makes a pledge in the name of the Temple, it doesn't count. But if someone makes a pledge in the name of a gift on the Temple altar, that counts. You are blind. For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
"Thus he who swears by the altar, swears by it and everything on it. And he who swears by the Temple swears by it and him who dwells there. And he who swears by heaven, swears by God's throne and by him who sits on it.
Elsewhere, Jesus admonished his disciples to avoid swearing oaths, but here Jesus is targeting the legalistic, and worthless, teaching and value system of the religious elite. The legalisms Jesus is focused on here were intended to relieve the inner circle of having to pay to the Temple what they had promised when they were trying to gain some divine favor. Meanwhile they were very diligent in getting every last cent out of the poor people in order to finance their lavish lifestyle.
Though not everyone in the Pharisee and scribal factions was highly affluent, Jesus is here zeroing in on the way the Jerusalem elite used religious chicanery to dishonor God.
Though not everyone in the Pharisee and scribal factions was highly affluent, Jesus is here zeroing in on the way the Jerusalem elite used religious chicanery to dishonor God.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you pay your tithes in mint, dill and cummin, but you have left undone the more important matters of the law: Justice, mercy and faith. You should have done these, without neglecting the other.
"You blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!"
Jesus is metaphorically picturing someone sifting a gnat out of a drink but not noticing the camel he is guzzling down. In other words, these men engage in pettifogging detail to avoid ritual impurity while in fact imbibing a large measure of sin.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Frauds! For you clean the outside of the cup and bowl but the inside is full of extortion and excess!
"Blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and bowl so that the outside may become clean also."
Later, Jesus was sitting against the wall of the Temple Treasury, watching as people in the crowd cast money into the donation containers. The well-to-do dropped in a great deal of money. But then a poor widow came up and put in two lepta (which is the same amount as a Roman quarter [MJNpf1]).
Jesus called over his disciples and said, "I am very serious when I tell you that this woman donated more than everyone else combined. These others took from their excess, and gave. She took from what she didn't have to spare, including her food money, and gave."
NEXT PAGE:
Teaching in the Temple
https://secretpath191.blogspot.com/2020/11/teaching-in-temple.html
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