Hey everybody,
This is the 4th podcast episode over the events of Passion. And these are the events that happened on Tuesday of that week. Once again, if you haven’t listened to the previous lessons, you might go back and listen before proceeding with this one. Today’s podcast is going to be especially challenging because the gospels record a lot happening on this day. On Wednesday and Saturday very little happens, but the gospel record itself takes up 17 pages of text. Now, if I spent a great deal of time explaining this text, I could be doing so until next Easter. So what I am going to do is divide it into two lessons and simply read it, and only comment in areas that help our understanding, or aid in the continuity of the story. So look for two podcasts today.
Sunday was the triumphal entry, the misunderstanding of Christ, Monday was Jesus trying to correct that misunderstanding. Monday ended with a categorical division of people. Jesus described the people as either coming to Him as the Light of the world, or as remaining and loving the darkness. He called out to them to believe, to have faith, but then declared that that they had closed their eyes, refusing to see the truth. And so in response, God blinded them so that now they couldn’t see if they wanted to. So every part of Jesus word today is about the separation of the saved and the unsaved, the righteous and the unrighteous, the hypocrite and the saint. There’s very little by way of calls to repentance. As one old preacher put it, in this chapter you are either a saint, or you ain’t. If I were going to give this day a sermon title, I’d call it “7 Characteristics of a Hypocrite.”
Our story picks up on the morning of Tuesday A.M. 12th of Nisan 30 A.D.
Monday evening Jesus again left Jerusalem and stayed overnight outside the city. The next morning He and His disciples again walk back to Jerusalem. And they see that fig tree that Jesus had cursed the morning before. You probably wondered what happened to that fig tree. Because the morning before, Jesus had found no fruit on it, He cursed it saying, “no fruit grow on thee henceforth, forevermore.” Well our story picks up in Mark 11
Mark 11:20-26
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
20 And when the disciples saw it, 21 (Peter remembered the curse and said to Jesus) Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus said unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Notice now that Jesus has moved in His teaching of His disciples from salvation sermons to sanctification sermons. As Christians, there was a moment in time that we repented and believed, and the Lord gives us our down payment on heaven; the Holy Spirit. But after the Spirit begins working in us to make us like Christ.
Jesus is now teaching the disciples about having faith, and about forgiveness.
Now as they walk, Jesus teaches His disciples, but as soon as they arrive in Jerusalem and He starts teaching in the temple, He is confronted with the accusations of the Chief priests, scribes and elders who challenge how He drove the money-changers and animal sales people out of the temple on the previous day. They say in John 20:2
Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
What gave you the right to drive people out of the temple? Now they are setting Him up. They want Him to claim that His own authority so they can accuse Him of blasphemy.
3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
It continues to amaze me how much smarter Jesus was than the religious elites of His day. He painted them into a corner, and they know it…
5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
7 And (so) they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
And so begins the contest that takes place between Jesus and the agents of Satan on this day. They are trying to find a cause to arrest Him, try Him, and put Him to death. He is calling them out as the evil hypocrites that they are. And the first way that He does so is with a parable.
In Matthew 21:28
(He tells them a story, and He begins with a question) 28 what do you think? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. (The son answered, “no” but later decided that he should obey his father, and went to work)
30 And he came to the second, and said Son, go work today in my vineyard. And he answered and said, (sure Dad, but laid around and didn’t go)
Then Jesus asks a question which gets to the point of the parable.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. (Even though he was originally disobedient, he repented. The second son was only giving his father lip service.) Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
1st Characteristic of a Hypocrite: They talk a lot, but do very little.
Jesus continues with a second parable…
33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
(He has hired some men to manage his vineyard while he is away.)
34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
By this time in the story, you are wondering why the householder keeps sending lone servants to collect the profits from the vineyard. He needs to send the authorities with a warrant for their arrest. But he doesn’t do that.
37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, his well-beloved saying, They will reverence my son.
Now most people at this point begin to question the householders sanity. I mean, if they beat or killed the servants you sent, why would you think they are going to revere your son? And they didn’t.
38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
Now, no sane landowner, then or now would have put his son in jeopardy like this. But that’s the point, Jesus is talking about Israel’s history. God gave Israel their land and required them to obey and give back to Him. When they didn’t He sent prophets to “collect the rent.” Some of the prophets they beat, others they killed. Then finally God sends His Son to Israel and this current crop of priests, elders, scribes and people decide that if the Son remains alive, they will lose their land, and their power. So they crucify Him.
So what’s the second characteristic of hypocrites? For all of their pious words, all they care about is their position, their wealth, their place in life.
Jesus finishes this parable by asking these chief priests scribes and elders…
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
You are going to lose the privilege of being God’s people, and it’s going to go to another ethnos—which can be translated nation or multitude. And they did lose the privilege---and it went to another multitude; the church.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
You think?
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
In chapter 22 Jesus tells a 3rd parable. He says
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Now, like the previous parables, there is a surprising and ridiculous element. If there’s going to be a royal wedding, everybody goes. Nobody skips the wedding of the kings son.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
Supper’s ready!
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Now once again, this is a parable. It’s not about a king and his son, and some ignorant and malicious invitees, It’s about God the Father inviting the high and mighty of Jewish society, the Chief priests, Scribes and Pharisees to celebrate His Son; Jesus Christ. And they reject the invitation, and react with violence against those who bring it.
Jesus goes on…
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Now at the wedding feast, the guests are provided garments to wear. But this guest decided that he wanted to wear his own clothes. But this isn’t about what clothes you wear to a wedding. It’s about coming to faith in Jesus Christ. See, every religion in the world can be categorized in one of two ways; the religion of human achievement, or the religion of divine accomplishment. The religion of human achievement says, I can make myself good enough to be accepted by God. “My clothes are just fine to wear to this wedding.” “Why is this king insulting me by implying that my clothes (i.e. good deeds, life, morality) is not good enough?
The religion of divine accomplishment says that my works, deeds, garments, even my best are filthy rags before God, so I need Him to supply a wedding garment. And garment is the shed blood of Jesus Christ that covers my sins.
So the 3rd characteristic of a hypocrite is they think too highly of themselves.
Jesus describes the end of the servant who refused to wear the kings wedding garment.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Well Jesus has been speaking to the Chief priest, elders and scribes in parables, but they understand that He’s directing these stories at them. So then they decide to go on the offensive and send people to ask Him questions. Now, when the send people, it’s not because they are interested in His answers. They are asking questions designed to trap Him. They want Him to say something that will either give them a reason to arrest Him, or that will discredit Him among the people, or that they can use to accuse Him before Roman authority, or all three.
Matthew 22:16 says
16 And the Pharisees sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians,
“With the Herodians” make note here that the Pharisees and the Herodians hated each other. But as it is said, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
Dripping with honey
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Now this was a hot button issue with the Jews. Not only did they hate paying taxes to Rome, the nation that enslaved them, but the tax money itself had an image of Caesar on it, and many orthodox Jews considered that image a violation of the 2nd commandment prohibiting making any graven images.
But what was their real reason for asking Him? Because no matter what He said, He would lose. If He said that they should pay their taxes, He would lose credibility with the people. If He said that they shouldn’t pay taxes, they could report Him to Rome as a radical insurrectionist who’s trying to rile up the people to rebel.
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
That’s an astounding answer. He’s basically saying, “Who minted this coin? Who dug the ore out of the ground? Who inscribed it? Who put this picture on it? In other words, who does it really belong to? And the obvious answer was Caeser. So He’s saying, if it belongs to Caesar, then what’s the problem with giving Him back what is his?
22 When they had heard these words, 26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
What’s the fourth characteristic of a hypocrite? They believe that the end justifies the means. They will join with anyone, even their worst enemy in order to accomplish what they want.
Well after Jesus answered that question, another hypocritical group showed up. This group was called the Sadducees. The Sadducees were like the theological liberals of our day. They claimed to believe the Scripture, but they denied the miracles and supernatural in Scripture. The priesthood was comprised primarily of Sadducees. They didn’t believe in an afterlife, or the resurrection. So they come to Jesus with a question that they used to stump their theological opponents, the Pharisees. Here it is…
Luke 20:27-40
they asked him,
28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. (This law was designed to insure that a family name would continue in Israel when a man died with no heir.)
Now they propose this ridiculous scenario,
29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also.
33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.
When she gets to heaven, who’s she gonna be married to?
At this point what they are trying to accomplish is to make Jesus look stupid before the people. I mean the whole notion that you have 7 brothers in heaven vying for the same woman strains credulity. But once again Jesus skewers their reasoning.
34 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
You don’t understand nothin’.
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
There’s no marriage in heaven
The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
So you don’t understand Scripture or the power of God—to resurrect the dead.
37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
In the Old Testament book of Exodus, God appears to Moses in the burning bush and identifies Himself as “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” present tense. He didn’t say “I was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but now they are all dead, but I am the God of..”
So God was saying to Moses, hey those guys that you think are in the grave, they’re not, they’re alive with me, there is life after death.”
Well this was an impressive answer.
39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.
What’s the 5th characteristic of a hypocrite? They are impressed with their own cleverness.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
The last question they ask comes from an expert in the Jewish law. Now this is just a spur of the moment question. I don’t think this guy had a hypocritical motive for his question. He just noted how well Jesus had answered the other questions and decided he wanted Jesus input on an age-old question among Jewish Scriptural scholars.
Mark 12:28-34
28 And one of the scribes which was a lawyer, came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
He wanted to know what is the most important commandment to obey? Are some commandments from God more important than others?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
He is saying that these two laws are like the top of a mobile. Every other law hangs from one of these two. All the other laws are simply elaborations on these two laws, and the most important is to love God.
There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
33 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 whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
The condition of your heart is more important than all the offerings you bring to God. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
The 6th characteristic of a hypocrite: They are very concerned about outward appearances, no so much about the heart.
Now these elders are out of questions, Jesus has answered superbly, and in so doing, exposed them further as hypocrites. But before they’re done, He asks them a question.
Matthew 22:41-46
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together,
Jesus asked them,
42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.
43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
Jesus is quoting Psalm 110:1 where David is talking about the coming messiah. David knows that the coming messiah will be born in his family, his line. And generally the father is considered greater than the son, grand son, or great grandson. But in this passage David says “the Lord (God) said to my Lord (the Messiah.) So David subordinates himself to a child who will be born in his line. Jesus is asking, why?
So why did David call the Messiah Lord? Because the Messiah would be God come as a man. And so the Messiah is greater than David and is due homage. The Pharisees couldn’t fathom that, it was a spiritual truth that had to be revealed by the Spirit of God.
So what’s the 7th characteristic of a hypocrite? They are not Spiritually minded. They are carnally minded.
With this answer Jesus shut them down.
46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
Now I’m going to conclude the first half of Tuesday by reading to you the ultimate description of a hypocrite. Jesus made these declarations in the temple after He was grilled by the Pharisees. And they weren’t seeking truth, they were fishing for something to accuse Him of.
Matthew 23:1-36
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Well after that it’s no wonder that they went into high gear in their efforts to put Jesus to death.
He’s sitting in the temple, and He has just had this major confrontation with some of the most hypocritical people in history. So maybe it’s fitting that as He sits down for a moment, when all the strident voices are quieted, that He can draw attention to a positive example, the opposite of hypocrisy.
Mark 12:41-44
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Tuesday will be continued in the next podcast.
Well as we pick up with this second half of Tuesday in Passion week, I begin to understand the wisdom in that old saying; how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. But I feel like we’ve already had a huge meal, and there’s so much more that happens today. So if you are feeling a little stuffed, don’t feel bad if you choose to listen to this half a little later on Tuesday, or part on Tuesday, part on Wednesday, because Wednesday’s podcast is going to be shorter. Now this podcast covers all of the Olivet Discourse and the parables about Jesus second coming. Once again, I could preach on this section for weeks. But I am just trying to give you a feel for what that final week of Jesus’ earthly life looked and felt like. So don’t be disappointed if we just skip the rock across the surface of this pond. Again this is
Tuesday P.M. the 12th of Nisan AD. 30
As Tuesday draws to a close, Jesus and His disciples are leaving Jerusalem again to go back to the where they will sleep that night. They would again go out of the eastern gate of the city and walk toward the Mount of Olives. But before they leave the temple complex one of His disciples makes a comment.
Mark 13:1-4
And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
The temple was a majestic building. And I can’t do justice to it by trying to describe it here. Columns, and bronze, pools, and huge stones. Needless to say, for men who grew up as fishermen, living in small stone and earth dwellings it had to be quite impressive.
But while they saw a majestic edifice that symbolized their distinction as God’s people, Jesus looked at the building, and its beauty only reminded Him of the not too distant future.
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Well that statement immediately struck His disciples silent. They knew Jesus well enough to know that this wasn’t some allegory or parable. He was serious. The majestic building that they called “God’s House” was going to be torn down, brick by brick.
It had happened before when Babylon invaded Israel, and enslaved thousands of Jewish people. So they knew that if it happened it could happen at the hand of Rome. Rome always struggled to maintain the balance in Israel between their religious identity, and their obstinate defiance against Roman authority.
The disciples remain silent until they are out of the city, and away from curious ears.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? When is it coming, and how we know it is about to occur?
Luke 21:8-19 continues the dialogue. But Jesus jumps from the discussion about the destruction of Herod’s temple to the time at the end of the world. Now the disciples didn’t know this, but we have the perspective history to overlay atop His words.
5 And Jesus answering them began to say,
8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Jesus warns from the start that there will be people claiming to be Christ. We are not to follow someone based on that claim.
9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
So He says that there will be earthquakes, famines and diseases, and signs in the heavens. Well to this point we know that those things have been happening throughout history.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Well if that’s the beginning of sorrows, what sorrowful thing happens next?
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues to councils; ye shall be beaten: and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Now this would have been new to the disciples. I imagine that they can hardly envision taking the gospel to only the Jews, let alone carrying it to the world. And now Jesus says that they will be hailed in to court to testify about Christ. That’s a frightening thing, but Jesus promises.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
So up to this point, everything He has said seems to simply be the condition of the world we all live in. False teaching, increasing sin, persecution, earthquakes, sickness, and famine.
But then the gospel of Matthew jumps to a specific word related to the Holy city and the temple.
Matthew 24:15-28
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Now these verses are what we would call a dual fulfillment verse. In 70 A.D. Jerusalem was surrounded by armies, and in short order, the city and temple were destroyed, leaving no stones left on each other.
But then Jesus talks about “the abomination of desolation” spoken by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place. In 70 AD The Roman army did invade, and the Roman army did enter the Holy of Holies of the temple and defiled it. But there will be another image, of the antichrist set up in the end times.
I personally think these verses apply to both the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, and to the end times. You might say, there is no temple for anyone to defile now. But prophecy implies that Jewish sacrifices will resume at the end. So many believe that the Jewish temple will be rebuilt.
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
So the sign that Herod’s temple would be torn down, and that the end times temple will be possibly desecrated with the image of the antichrist, is that Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Here he says that the second coming of Christ will as visible to all as lightening crackling across the sky.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
So, until now Jesus has described conditions leading to and through the last days of the earth, called the tribulation. Now I want you to notice something. Throughout this entire description, Jesus never mentions one event that many Christians believe will happen before the Tribulation. That is the Rapture, the catching away of the church. Paul wrote that at the last trump, Christians who have died will come out of their graves, and living Christians will be caught up together in the air to meet the Lord.
But Jesus doesn’t mention that catching away before His description of the tribulation, or the antichrist.
Some teach that this chapter is only written to Jews who will be converted after the invisible return of Christ before the Tribulation. They say that after Jesus comes invisibly, He will catch away all living believers in the rapture, leaving the Jews to be converted and experience what is described in Matthew 24:1-28.
I don’t agree. I believe that the reason the “catching away” the rapture isn’t mentioned in verses 1 through 28, is because it doesn’t happen until verse 31. Read it with me.
Matthew 24:29-31
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:
What is this? This is the 2nd coming of Christ. And it happens “after the tribulation.”
and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
What is this? This is the rapture of the church. I believe that the church is not caught away, raptured until after the Tribulation.
Matthew 24:32-41
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
In other words, watch for the signs of the times.
34 Verily I say unto you, This (wicked) generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
The end times judgment is going to be like Noah’s day. The people were going about their normal lives, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, then they saw Noah and his family enter the ark. And in a few short days, judgment came and took away the unrighteous.
Now why do we have this chapter about the end times in the middle of Passion week? I believe it’s because, just like Jesus crucifixion, just like the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, nobody saw it coming. When Jesus came the first time, most of the Jews, who had God’s Word had misread, or misunderstood prophecy. They were convoluted in their thinking about what the coming of the Messiah would look like.
I believe it will be the same at His second coming. By then, very few will have faith, and the few that do will not be expecting prophecies to be fulfilled as they will be. That’s why the remainder of Tuesday’s words from the Lord are about being watchful. Let’s read them
24:42-25:30
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
42 Watch and pray therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Judgment at Son of Man’s coming
Matthew 25:31-46
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Well that concludes the Scripture passages that we are considering for Tuesday. It’s been a full day, with a lot to think about. And Wednesday is kind of the lull before the storm. Thursday brings us to the last Supper, and Friday is the crucifixion
Let us pray,
Heavenly Father, as we sit here on the other side of the cross it is easy to become complacent about our faith. We know all the right answers and the right questions. And we can have that same ease in regards to your Second coming. We have all our charts and timetables figured out. But Lord, I pray you will impress on our minds the lesson of Jesus’ parables about the end. The point of each was that we are to be watchful, and diligent. We are to continue watching our world, and the Word, so we can understand the signs of the times, and not be caught off guard when judgment comes. And we are to be diligent in our work for the Kingdom, so we are not caught in sin, at the return of Christ. Ever teach us Lord, we pray this in Jesus name, amen.