Matthew 21
18 Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.[1]
 
Matthew 21
CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
12 Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
 
CHILDREN PRAISE JESUS
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.[2]
 
Mark 11
11 He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
– This would be Sunday Night… the 10th of Nisan.


THE BARREN FIG TREE IS CURSED
12 The next day (Monday – 11th of Nisan) when they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to find out if there was anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs.

• Assume that Jesus was hungry… affirms His humanity.
• The fig tree is the national symbol of Israel.
• Leaves are produced 6 weeks before figs.
• Edible nodules are produced at the same time of the leaves.
• This tree had leaves but no nodules.
• The tree was making a statement that it cannot back up.

14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard it.

• In reference to the Jews, Pharisees & Scribes, Priests, Rabbis, etc.

 
CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
15 They came to Jerusalem, and he went into the temple and began to throw out those buying and selling.

• This is the 2nd cleansing of the Temple
• The 1st was found in John2:13-22 (Covered in 4th week - 04/02/17)

He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple. 17 He was teaching them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!”
18 The chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to kill him. For they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching.[3]

• The majority think Jesus might be the Messiah and it would cost the priests and the scribes their jobs.

 
Luke 19
CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
45 He went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling, 46 and he said, “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!”
47 Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people were looking for a way to kill him, 48 but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were captivated by what they heard. [4]
John 12
JESUS PREDICTS HIS CRUCIFIXION
20 Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival.

• Gentiles had bought into Jewish beliefs.

21 So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

• Crucifixion was a part of being glorified.
• Jesus was able to look past the crucifixion to the glorification.
• Jesus zoomed out and saw the bigger picture.

24 Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

• The bigger picture… Jesus gives up his life here on earth so the Spirit may come and take up residence in every believer that walks the earth.
• Jesus is able to express Himself (in different degrees) through millions rather than just One.
• Galatians 2:20-21 - 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.[5]

26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

• Ephesians 2:6 - 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,[6]

27 “Now my soul is troubled.

• Anyone have a troubled soul?
• It is all perspective.

What should I say—Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.”

• He is able to look away from his immediate pain (troubled soul) and focus on His end purpose (glorify God) in 2 verses.
• He flipped his thoughts that quick.
• We have to see purpose in adversity.

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

• 3rd time God was audible in Jesus’ presence (His baptism and transfiguration).

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder.

• They couldn’t identify God’s voice because they didn’t know Him.

Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for me, but for you. 31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people (Jew & Gentile) to myself.”

• Satan will be defeated through the crucifixion.
• Gen 3:15 - 15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.[7]

33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.
34 Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

• They thought the Messiah was to come and relieve them from the authority of the Romans and any other authority on earth for that matter.

35 Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 21:18–19). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 21:12–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mk 11:11–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 19:45–48). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 2:20–21). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Eph 2:6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ge 3:15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Luke 19
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
28 When he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.[1]
 
John 11
55 Now the Jewish Passover was near,
 - This was the 4th Passover mentioned in Jesus’ public ministry.
and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover. 56 They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple: “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, will he?” 57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it so that they could arrest him.

• The last thing the Pharisees wanted to do was to have a trial during the Passover Festival.
• The last thing Satan wanted was for Jesus to be crucified on the Passover.

 
THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.[2]

• 8th Day of the month of Nisan in 30 AD.
• 1 week before the crucifixion

 
THE DECISION TO KILL LAZARUS
9 Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, 11 because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.[3]

• Couldn’t Jesus have raised Lazarus from the dead again?
• Sometimes you get into a mess so deep that you can’t even think reasonably.

 
Exodus 12
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 “This month is to be the beginning of months for you; it is the first month of your year.
 - Abib – Nisan

• Deuteronomy – 16:1 - “Set aside the month of Abib and observe the Passover to the Lord your God, because the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night in the month of Abib.[4]
• After the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC
• Esther 3:7 - In the first month, the month of Nisan,[5]

 
In Jewish history and tradition

• 1 Nisan (circa 3761 BCE) – Creation of the Universe according to Rabbi Joshua's opinion in the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a)..
• 1 Nisan (circa 1638 BCE) – Death of Abraham according to the Talmud
• 1 Nisan (circa 1533 BCE) – Death of Isaac according to the Talmud
• 1 Nisan (circa 1506 BCE) – Death of Jacob according to the Talmud
• 7 Nisan (circa 1416 BCE) – Joshua sends two spies to Jericho.
• 10 Nisan (circa 1417 BCE) – Death of Miriam, 39 years after the Exodus.
• 10 Nisan (circa 1416 BCE) – The Israelites cross the Jordan river into Canaan (Joshua 4)
• 13 Nisan (circa 474 BCE) – Haman's decree to annihilate the Jews is passed.
• 15 Nisan (circa 1713 BCE) – Birth of Isaac
• 15 Nisan (circa 1456 BCE) – The Exodus from Egypt
• 15 Nisan (474 BCE) – Esther appears before Achashverosh unsummoned and invites him and Haman to a feast to be held the same day. During the feast she requests that the king and Haman attend a second feast the next day.
• 16 Nisan (circa 1273 BCE) – The Children of Israel stop eating Manna, six days after entering the Holy Land.
• 16 Nisan (circa 474 BCE) – Esther's second feast during which she accuses Haman regarding his plot to annihilate her nation. Achashverosh orders his servants to hang Haman.
• 17 Nisan (circa 24th century BCE) – Noah's Ark came to rest on mountains of Ararat[3]
• 17 Nisan (circa 474 BCE) – Haman hanged after Queen Esther's second drinking party.
• 21 Nisan (circa 1456 BCE) – The sea splits, allowing Israel to escape the Egyptian army.
• 26 Nisan (circa 1386 BCE) – Death of Joshua
• 28 Nisan (circa 1415 BCE) – Conquest of Jericho by Joshua (Book of Joshua ch. 6).

 
In the New Testament[edit]

• 8 Nisan – Jesus was anointed at Bethany by Mary (John 12:1)
• 10 Nisan – Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem (John 12:12)
• 14 Nisan – After Jesus celebrated the Passover, Jesus was crucified (Leviticus 23:5 says Passover is Nisan 14)
• 16 Nisan – (Morning of the third day) Jesus rose from the dead (John 20:1,9)

3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to their fathers’ families, one animal per family. 4 If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each will eat. 5 You must have an unblemished animal, a year-old male; you may take it from either the sheep or the goats. 6 You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.[6]
 
7 They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they eat them. 8 They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or cooked in boiling water, but only roasted over fire—its head as well as its legs and inner organs. 10 You must not leave any of it until morning; any part of it left until morning you must burn. 11 Here is how you must eat it: You must be dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the Lord’s Passover.
12 “I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both people and animals. I am the Lord; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. 13 The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 “This day is to be a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. You are to celebrate it throughout your generations as a permanent statute.[7]
 
Matthew 21
1 When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her foal. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”
4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
5 Tell Daughter Zion,
“See, your King is coming to you,
gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt,
the foal of a donkey.”

• 500 years earlier…
• Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem!
Look, your King is coming to you;
he is righteous and victorious,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.[8]
 
6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and its foal; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them.

• Jesus sat down on the donkey and it’s foal
• This colt had never been ridden.
• Mark 11:2 - and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. [9]

8 A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted:
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!

• Psalm 118
• This is what the rabbis taught would be said when the Messiah comes.
• They are proclaiming Jesus is the Messiah.
• Do they believe it?

10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” [10]
 
John 12:17-19 - Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify. 18 This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”[11]
 

• Cleansing of the Temple was the next day.
• Not in chronological order.

Matthew 21
CHILDREN PRAISE JESUS
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that he did and the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
Jesus replied, “Yes, have you never read:
You have prepared praise
from the mouths of infants and nursing babies?”
17 Then he left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. [12]
 
Mark 11
1 When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”
4 So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go.
7 They brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their clothes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted:
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom
of our father David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!
11 He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.[13]
 
Luke 19
29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples 30 and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 So those who were sent left and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?”
34 “The Lord needs it,” they said. 35 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their clothes on the donkey, they helped Jesus get on it. 36 As he was going along, they were spreading their clothes on the road. 37 Now he came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:
38 Blessed is the King who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heaven!
39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”
40 He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”
 
JESUS’S LOVE FOR JERUSALEM
41 As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it, 42 saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come on you when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you and your children among you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in your midst, because you did not recognize the time when God visited you.”[14]

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 19:1–28). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 11:55–12:1). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 12:9–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Dt 16:1). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Es 3:7). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ex 12:1–6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ex 12:7–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Zec 9:9). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mk 11:2). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 21:1–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 12:12–19). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers
[12] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 21:14–17). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mk 11:1–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[14] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 19:29–44). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Luke 19
JESUS VISITS ZACCHAEUS
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus (righteous one) who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

• They purchased their positions from the Roman Empire.
• Tax collectors would take more than was required by Caesar.
• Zacchaeus was a Jew who worked for the Gentiles.
• He was considered “earthly rich” but he was actually “eternally bankrupt”.

3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.

• Childlike – Curiosity and simple.
• Similar to Thanksgiving Day parade

5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”

• God sought after Adam & Eve in the Garden when they hid.
• Jesus, while on earth sought out the lost.
• Today, the Holy Spirit seeks the lost through the Church.

6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.

• Jesus was going to a tax collector’s home (sinner)
• Politically incorrect

7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

• Tax collectors seen on the same levels as harlots and could not receive salvation… from a Jewish perspective.

8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

• Faith came to Zacchaeus and he repented. He changed his mind about what he was doing.
• In Zacchaeus’ own home he became the guest because he made Jesus the Master of his life.

9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham.

• “A” son of Abraham
• Jesus is not offering salvation to the nation of Jews but to the individual Jew.
• This all changed after Matthew 12 when the Jews accused Jesus of working under the power of Beelzebub.

10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

• This is the evangelists verse.

 
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN MINAS
11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away.

• Jesus is speaking to more than the disciples.
• The disciples believed that since they had seen the miracle of Jonah (Lazarus), that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem to set up the Messianic Kingdom.

12 Therefore he said: “A nobleman (Jesus) traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants (believers), gave them ten minas, and told them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’
14 “But his subjects (Jews) hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us.’
15 “At his return (2nd Coming), having received the authority to be king, he summoned those servants he had given the money to, so that he could find out how much they had made in business. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten more minas.’
17 “‘Well done, good servant!’ he told him. ‘Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over ten towns.’

• Received a reward.

18 “The second came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.’
19 “So he said to him, ‘You will be over five towns.’

• He too received a reward.

20 “And another came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina. I have kept it safe in a cloth 21 because I was afraid of you since you’re a harsh man: you collect what you didn’t deposit and reap what you didn’t sow.’

• It is important to know who the nobleman is…
• To actually know the heart of the nobleman.
• If you misinterpret the heart of the nobleman then you will live in fear and miss out on all that He has set aside for you.

22 “He told him, ‘I will condemn you by what you have said, you evil servant! If you knew I was a harsh man, collecting what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow, 23 why, then, didn’t you put my money in the bank? And when I returned, I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 So he said to those standing there, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
25 “But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’
26 “‘I tell you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.

• As believers in Jesus, we have been entrusted with a spiritual gift.
• 1 Peter 4:10 - Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.[1]
• You either plug into life or plug into religion.
• The difference between living a life of religion and a life by the Spirit has to do with quality.
• The Judgment Seat of Christ
• 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 - each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved—but only as through fire.[2]
• Those who walk by the Spirit will receive responsibility and opportunity during the Millennial Reign of Christ here on earth.

27 But bring here these enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter them in my presence.’”

• This would be the unredeemed who face the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (1 Pe 4:10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (1 Co 3:13–15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.