Jesus pronounces 7 woes against the Pharisees and the teachers of the law:
Jesus calls them vipers and snakes. He tells them he is sending them teachers, who they will flog and kill. They will have righteous blood upon them.
11a)
Repeated words: “Woe to you” “teachers of the law and Pharisees” “you hypocrites” “blind such as blind guides, blind fools, blind men”
b)
12a) The religious leaders and the rulers will persecute and kill the disciples and other early Christian leaders.
b) Jesus awaits those to acknowledge he is the Son of God.
13) It’s all very true how we are all sinners and make the same mistakes as the Pharisees in our religious pursuits. Awareness is step one. Next, comes change.
Good stuff. We all need to be told and have our faults pointed out so we can work to correct them and become closer to God.
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Woes would have been familiar to the Jews since they were used by the Old Testament prophets a lot. Isaiah 5:8-23; Habakkuk 2:6-19) Many compare these to the eight beatitudes Matthew 5:3-11.
The word “hypocrite” refers to an actor.
Our altar is Jesus himself and his work on the cross.
God is never fooled by appearances.
Jesus hopes to gain repentance with these religious leaders who were so far away from God. Calling them snakes and brood of vipers is equating them with the devil.
Jesus does not want others to be deceived by them.
He mentions all the martyrs of the Old Testament, including Abel and Zechariah. Abel’s blood cried out (Genesis 4:10), and Zechariah asked that his blood be remembered (2 Chronicles 24:22).
Luke tells us that Jesus is crying as he says these words Luke 19:41 Jesus’ heart breaks at the sin of these men, as it does for us.
Jesus weeps twice in the Bible. Here, for the men who are lost and will face eternal damnation and at the tomb of Lazarus, weeping over death, a consequence of our sin.
Jesus only wants to protect us like a mother hen. (Psalm 17:8; 91:4; Isaiah 31:5;
Jesus’s words here tells us that he repeatedly visited Jerusalem when he was preaching. However, no one recorded these journeys for us.
They rejected Jesus despite his offering of redemption.
Jesus is referring to his Second Coming with the final words here, saying the Jews will acknowledge him as Messiah.
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Jesus asked the Pharisees questions now: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” The Pharisees answer, “The son of David.” “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’?” So he can’t be his son then. No one dared ask Jesus any more questions.
Jesus tells the disciples and the crowds to obey the teachers of the law and the Pharisees but to not be like them because they do not practice what they preach. They are only concerned about appearances and prestige. Do not call them Rabbi. Only call God Father, and Jesus is their teacher. Those who are humble will be exalted. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled.
9a) “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’?”
b) The he was the Christ, the son of David.
c) A lot. Every day I see more of Jesus in me, and as I do, I grow more with Jesus and get to know him. That is my prayer. To know Jesus and to grow to be more like him every day.
10a) He told them to practice what they preach and to not be concerned with just outside appearances. Instead, have everything they do for God.
b) Honor, prestige, and recognition. They want to sit at the place of honor at banquets and in the most important seats at they synogogue. The Pharisees wanted others to greet them in marketplaces and call them Rabbis.
c) Same probably. Recognition. But I don’t know. I shun that stuff, too. God should be my motivating factor in everything.
I love here how Jesus says to practice what you preach, which is where our saying comes from. Neat!
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Jesus now tests the Pharisees and the leaders by asking them a question and connecting it to the Old Testament by using the concept of Christ. This was similar to the question he asked the disciples about who he was Matthew 16:13-15
Bible scholars think that the Pharisees either forgot or did not know about Jesus’s connection to David with this answer. The Son of David is an Old Testament title for the Christ Jeremiah 23:5-6, Isaiah 9:6-7, and Luke 1:31-33). 2 Samuel 7,
Jesus explains the Christ is David’s Son and his Lord. Revelation 22:16 Romans 1:4 Jesus has to be both man and God.
Fun Fact: Psalm 110, is the most frequently quoted OT chapter in the NT.
Thus, Jesus says he is Son of God.
Instead of the Pharisees embarrassing and trapping Jesus, he embarrassed them. Thus, they would no longer debate him because they lost every time. Violence was next.
Now, Jesus turns to teaching his disciples and the crowds about the dangers of the Pharisees’ teachings. (Matthew 15:7). (Matthew 16:5-12). Yet, the people had to honor and respect the Pharisees because they held authority ordained by God.
Moses’ seat is like a teacher’s seat. In synogogues of the day, there was a stone seat in the front where the teacher sat at times.
The Pharisees’ teachings make following the law a burden. They added many customs and traditions that were based on their beliefs and not Biblical teaching. Jesus makes Christianity easy to carry. (Matthew 11:30).
The Pharisees did works in order to be honored by men, not God.
The phylacteries, which are small boxes that contain the Scriptures that Pharisees wore on the arm and head, and the borders of their garments were in accordance with the law (Deuteronomy 11:18, Numbers 15:38-40). However, the Pharisees had made these bigger so they could be seen by others better. They wanted others to admire and honor them.
The people are equal with the religious leaders and others should not call them Rabbi. His point is to not honor those above others.
Greatness is how we serve and honor others; it is not measured by how many serve and honor you.
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A Pharisee asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment in the Law. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The second is love your neighbor as yourself.
7a) Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The second is love your neighbor as yourself.
b) Complete and total sacrifice of your life for God and His purpose; utter devotion to God. Having God first in everything you do. Praying and asking for God’s guidance every day and for every major decision.
c) To treat your neighbor as you would treat yourself. Care for them like you do yourself. Put their needs first.
8 ) Too many to list. It’s a tall order to do everything with God first, praying and listening. Same for putting your neighbor equal with yourself. The only thing you can do is take small steps every day to be more like Jesus and to help others in your life. Pray when you think of it. Read the Bible. Take an interest in others.
Aren’t you glad this question was asked? Even though it as a trick, it helps all of us. Some of my favorite verses in all of the Bible.
Another question meant to trap Jesus. All laws were equal in the Old Testament and were meant to be obeyed. By putting one above the over 600 others, this would show Jesus did not value the laws as he should.
We can never be perfect in these commandments; but, we can do our best and improve every day.
We go from the 10 Commandments to two — seemingly easy ones, but so difficult to implement in our selfish human lives.
The Pharisees continue to try to trip Jesus up with words. They ask him if it is right to pay taxes to Caesar. Of course, Jesus knows they are trying to trip him up. Instead, he asks for a denarius. On the denarius is a portrait of Caesar, so Jesus said give to Caesar what is his and give to God what is His.
Next, the Sadducees try to trip up Jesus. They ask him that at the resurrection, whose wife will a woman be who married all of the brothers because it was their duty to marry her. The Sadducees believe there is no resurrection. Jesus said at the resurrection there is no marriage. They will be like angels in heaven and be living.
3) The Pharisees continue to try to trip Jesus up with words. They ask him if it is right to pay taxes to Caesar. They think that if Jesus answers to pay the taxes, he will alienate many Jews. If he advocates to not pay taxes, he could go to jail for breaking Roman law.
4a) Jesus knows they are trying to trip him up, so he won’t satisfy them.
b) We must submit ourselves to governing authorities, so we must pay taxes since they are our elected officials chosen by God. To God, we owe our lives, but more than that, our service and our love.
5a) The Sadducees ask Jesus that at the resurrection, whose wife will a woman be who married all of the brothers because it was their duty to marry her.
b) They don’t know the Scriptures or the Power of God. At the resurrection, we will all be living and marriage won’t exist.
6) It reveals how Jesus knows our hearts and intentions and talks about the deeper issues. He knows the Pharisees and the Sadducees are trying to trip him up, so he responds appropriately. I was not really surprised or amazed. Jesus is all-knowing, so his actions make sense to me.
You can tell the Pharisees and the Sadducees don’t understand who Jesus is; if they did, they would know he wouldn’t fall into their trap. Jesus gives them many opportunities to repent. They do not.
You know it’s serious when the Pharisees are working together with the Herodians (most likely pagan Romans).
Note they compliment Jesus first, hoping to take his guard down.
They think that if Jesus answers to pay the taxes, Jesus could be accused of denying God’s sovereignty. If he advocates to not pay taxes, he would be an enemy of Rome.
There were many taxes in Judea imposed by Rome. This scene is referring to the poll tax, which is a denarius a year that everyone has to pay.
Jesus shows he is in control. God is superior over all, but government handles local and national affairs.
Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)
Christians have the image of God stamped on them. We belong to God, so we are to give ourselves to Him. We belong to Him. Jesus makes it clear that there is a separation between church and state here.
The Sadducees were a small group of wealthy, aristocratic elite who only believed in the first five books of Moses and even then they picked and choose what to believe in. They were more politial than religious, and with the demise of the temple in 70 AD, they disappeared as a political party. They are only mentioned by name in the New Testament about a dozen times, but when chief priests are mentioned, this referred to them, too.
The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, as the ridiculousness of this question shows. While the premise is true that if a married man died childless, it fell to his brother to marry the widow Deuteronomy 25:5-10, which is known as levirate marriage. Levir is a Latin word meaning “brother-in-law.”
These highly learned men did not know the Scriptures or the Power of God. God can raise people from the dead, and as Paul says, you can have Biblical knowledge, but not understand the Bible. (2 Timothy 1:13).
Jesus tells them that life in resurrection is now what we know life on earth. Jesus says angels are in heaven, meaning they are real, which the Sadducees do not believe.
In the Bible, angles are always male. (Genesis 18:2, 16; Genesis 19:1-11)
Jesus uses the patriarches of the Old Testament since that is the only part of the Bible that the Sadducees believed in. Jesus quotes God as saying, “I am,” not “I was.” This shows they are still living and God is the God of the living.
Hey all!
Here are some great reads on leading God’s life. Enjoy!
Enjoy!
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Jesus tells the chief priests the Parable of the Wedding Banquet where Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king preparing the wedding banquet for his son. Those who have been invited refused to come, even after the food was prepared. Instead, those invited killed the messengers. Thus, the king sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city.
Next, the king invites anyone on the streets to the wedding banquet. Many came, good and bad. However, one came who was not wearing wedding clothes. He was tossed out. The message is that many are invited, but few are chosen.
13) Jesus tells the chief priests the Parable of the Wedding Banquet where Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king preparing the wedding banquet for his son. Those who have been invited refused to come, even after the food was prepared. Instead, those invited killed the messengers. Thus, the king sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city.
Next, the king invites anyone on the streets to the wedding banquet. Many came, good and bad. However, one came who was not wearing wedding clothes. He was tossed out. The message is that many are invited, but few are chosen.
14a) Isaiah 61:10 tells us that the clothes are the garments of salvation and of righteousness. Here, they are symbolizing the acceptance of Jesus.
b) He is telling them they will be destroyed and miss out on the kingdom of heaven if they don’t turn to him.
15) It’s hard to quantify. I am truly blessed to be a Christian and everything I have and am I owe to Jesus’s sacrifice and God’s grace.
This parable shows us that God never gives up on anyone. Jesus keeps pleaing with the religious leaders, telling them the consequences of their actions. Similarly, God never gives up on us, either.
Great reminder about God’s plans!
Jesus explains again in another parable (The Parable of the Wedding Banquet) the danger of rejecting him.
This is probably THE event of the year and decade here. A king’s son’s wedding! Think about modern royal weddings. An invitation normally would have been prized, indeed. There is no logical reason to reject such an invitation.
The king is God here. His Son is Jesus. The invitation is to accept Jesus and enter into eternal life with God.
The king tries again. Many historical scholars say that in ancient times, the Jews would send out an invite like a “save the date” card today. Then they would tell everyone when the day had arrived and everything was ready.
Note how everything is ready — it really is that simple when accepting Jesus.
They rejected the invite again; this time, the king brings judgment. We see Jerusalem’s future here.
Next, the king invites everyone (as the Gospel was extended to the Gentiles) out of grace.
Some commentators believe the king would offer his guests garments to wear. However, in this parable, we see no evidence of that tradition.
The point of the man in inappropriate clothing is that he came for the wrong reasons — for the food. He was not there to celebrate the wedding.
You can only be with God if you are clothed in righteousness (accept Jesus). Again, the man had a chance to accept Jesus when asked about his clothes. He was mute.
Those who don’t accept Christ, who are indifferent, antagonistic, and even unmoved can expect the same fate — to be bound and thrown out.
Take away: All are invited to accept the message of the Gospel. Few do.
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Jesus tells the Parable of the Tenants. A landowner rented out his vineyard. When it was time to collect the rent, he sent his servants to do so. The tenants beat one servant, killed another, and stoned a third. The landowner sent other servants who were treated the same way. Finally, he sent his son who was killed, too. Jesus asks what will the landowner do when he goes to his tenants. The response is he will kill them and rent out the land to others.
Jesus said that the stone that was rejected will be the capstone, quoting Psalm 18:22-23. He says the kingdom of God will be taken from them (the priests and teachers of the law) and given to a people who will produce fruit (Gentiles). The chief priests wanted to arrest Jesus but couldn’t because everyone saw him as a prophet.
10) The landowner is God. The tenants is Israel. The servants are the Old Testament prophets. The heir is Jesus. The vineyard is the land of Israel.
11a) Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity. Faith in Jesus is the key to the kingdom of heaven. 1 Corinthians 1:23 says Jesus is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. Jesus is the stumbling stone to many to God. Those who reject Jesus will never gain the kingdom of heaven, which is Jesus’s message to the religious leaders. Those who accept Jesus (the Gentiles in Jesus’s parable) will bear fruit and gain heaven.
b) Every way. People reject Jesus’s message in every aspect of their lives, picking and choosing what to believe and what not to believe.
12) It makes life harder, that’s for sure. When people don’t do the right thing.
The message is one of how without Jesus, you are lost and do harm to others indiscriminately like how the religious leaders are persecuting and will kill Jesus. There are severe consequences for doing so.
More ways to help strengthen your prayer life!
The belief of the tenants was if they killed the heir, then they would be able to take over the vineyard for themselves. Instead, the owner would judge and destroy them.
The Old Testament uses the vineyard to represent Israel (Deuteronomy 32:32, Psalm 80:8, Jeremiah 2:21, and especially Isaiah 5:1-7).
Note how the owner (God) expects his son (Jesus) to be respected. Instead, the Son is killed. (a foretelling of his own death).
The message to the chief priests is clear — they can expect severe judgment for rejecting Jesus. The leaders have shown no fruit.
Leadership would now be given to the apostles and eventually to the Church (both Jewish and Gentiles).
Jesus asks the leaders if they’ve ever read the Scriptures. They are probably much offended by this since they obviously have.
The leaders answer to Jesus’s question has them condemning themselves.
Jesus is clearly laying out the consequences of rejecting him, and he is telling them that he is the chief cornerstone from Psalm 118.
We see the cornerstone here, too: Daniel 2:34, 44-45 Isaiah 8:13-15 Isaiah 28:16,
Jesus is telling the leaders to expect to lose their leadership to others. You can either be broken by submission to God or broken by judgment.
Jesus shows grace to the leaders by giving them multiple opportunities to come to him. Instead, the reject him and kill him.
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Jesus is questioned again by the chief priests and the elders while he was teaching at the temple courts about his authority. Jesus in turn asked them to answer one question first which was if John’s baptism was from heaven or from man. The elders conferred and couldn’t draw a good conclusion so they said they didn’t know. Thus, Jesus declined to answer their question since they could not answer his.
Jesus told the parable of the two sons. The father asked both sons to go to the vineyard to work for him. One said no, but went later in the day. The other son agreed to work, but never went. Jesus asks which of the two did what his father wanted. They answered the first. Jesus then says the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of heaven ahead of many for they believed John who showed the way of righteousness.
6a) They asked Jesus: “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” Jesus told them they must first answer a question he poses. Then he will answer their questions.
b) They were only taking into account the politics of their answer and what the people would think. They did not care what the real answer was to Jesus’s question. Since they couldn’t decide which answer would be better viewed by the people and would be “right” to say, they said they did not know. They did not care about the will of God.
7a) Probably in every aspect of my life. Really too many to say precisely.
b) Jesus has authority over the entire world. It should not be questioned.
8 ) The first son said no but had regrets and went later. This represents those who have accepted Jesus. The second son said yes but never went. The second son represents many Christians who and answer God’s call of “Will you follow me?” and they say “I will,” but in their hearts, they are not believers.
9) I’m more the first. My initial reaction is no because it’s usually something uncomfortable, but in the end, I follow. Human nature and sin prompt us to immediately say no.
I love the Parable of the Two Sons. How many of us do this? We say yes to God with no intention of following through.
Remember that the previous day Jesus had just cleansed the temple by throwing out the money lenders and price gougers. The priests were curious what right he had to do those things.
The answer to the question Jesus posed the religious leaders is the answer to the question of Jesus’s authority. The answer “men” would upset the crowd who revered John. The answer “heaven” would have shown them to be hypocrites since John believed Jesus to be the Messiah.
When the leaders failed to acknowledge Jesus’s authority, they rejected God at the same time.
God will reveal truth; all you have to do is ask.
Jesus knew this was another trap by the religious leaders. He had no compassion for them.
Remember a parable is a story that aims to reveal truth in an understandable way. Jesus’s parables are merciful to the receptive and informative of your fate if you reject him. At each parable, the religious leaders could have repented. They did not.
Since the sons lived in the father’s household, it was expected they work for him. He asked the sons individually, not collectively. He addressed them as son.
The first son said no but had regrets and went later. (This represents all of humanity).
The second son said yes but never went. (This represents the teachers of the law who profess obedience to God, but don’t accept Christ).
Both rejected the father’s authority (the father is God in this story).
The second son represents many Christians who and answer God’s call of “Will you follow me?” and they say “I will,” but in their hearts, they are not believers. You will forever be lost without acceptance.
Actions are what matter, not your words.
Tax collectors and prostitutes were regarded as the lowest class. This should have made those who don’t follow Jesus repent.