February 12, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:
Matthew 21 (NIV)
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.........Continue Reading
21Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Pastor has been talking about faith the past couple of Sundays and this verse struck me as such an affirmation of these teachings. Jesus was frustrated by the fig tree cuz while it looked nice with its leaves it produced no fruit. That is us without faith…we can follow the rules, go through the motions, but if we don’t believe we can do nothing on our own!
Matthew 21
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.””
Matthew 21:22 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/mat.21.22.niv
Lord please increase our faith so that we can believe without doubt.
It seems that all of these teachings are connected.
The fig tree did not bear fruit, so Jesus caused it to be withered.
I think that faith and fruit are connected in these parables. Jesus tells the disciples that they if they have faith, believe, and pray without doubting they will accomplish seemingly impossible things.
The chief priests, in stead of believing in Jesus and His works, they question His authority and by what authority He does things. To drive home the point, he tells the parable of the two sons.
” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.” Their lack of faith and belief in Him others will enter the Kingdom of God before them. It is not because of their works or goodness that they are able to enter, but their belief. Even when the priests and leaders SEE the works of Jesus, they did not “relent and believe John”.
Again, the vineyard is Israel, I believe and the vinedressers are the Priests and leaders. Jesus says that he will be giving away the vineyard to others: Jesus said to them, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
They are continually questioning His authority, the Son of the vineyard owner, and yet they are surprised at what He says will happen to them because of their mistreatment of the servants come to get the fruit and ultimately, their mistreatment of His Son.
Matthew 21
Matthew 21
And so it begins, the last week of Jesus’ life here on earth. He enters Jerusalem with the praises of the people, but early on He comes into conflict with the Jewish leaders. I like where it says the whole city was stirred by Jesus’ entrance. But Jesus was concerned with doing what was right rather than that which would make Him popular. He defended His Father’s temple and more specifically the misuse of the court of the Gentiles to sell merchandise. God intended the temple to be a house of prayer for all nations but the Jews had no issues crowding the Gentiles out. Jesus wouldn’t tolerate that. The Jewish leaders than question the appropriateness of Jesus receiving praise and then question the authority on which He acts. In each instance He responds, sometimes directly but usually in a way that challenges the leaders further. You just have to love the conundrum He puts them in with regards to John the Baptist.
He then tells 2 parables that clearly point to them. They were like the son who said yes to the Father but then didn’t do what the Father wanted. Let us strive to be the ones who say yes and do what God asks. And the Jews had a long history of rejecting, beating and killing the prophets God sent to them and now that God’s Son is here, they will send Him to His death as well. And even though they knew He was talking about them and His points were accurate, they looked for a way to get rid of Him rather than repenting. It is what most people do with the truth of God…belittle it, reject it and then reject the messenger. May we be the people that embrace it and follow it!
3If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord (Yahweh ) needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
Matthew 21-23