Sunday, May 6, 2012 am
THE LIFE OF JESUS (25)
Warning a Doomed Nation
Matthew 21:23-22:14
After Jesus cleansed the temple, He was confronted and that led
to a series of parables and an exchange that would expose their
corruption and fuel the fires that would lead to their determination to
destroy Jesus at that time.
Beginning with this lesson we are going to examine some of these
teachings and seek to make some applications in our lives.
This is a portion of the next several lessons examining the
teachings of Jesus during this pivotal time in His life and history.
Matthew will be used as our primary source in this study (with reference
to parallel accounts and some teachings from the other gospels)
a.
This account is recorded
in Matthew 21:23-27, Mark 11:27-33
and Luke 20:1-8.
b.
Because of what Jesus
did in cleansing the temple, as well as His teachings and conduct which
challenged the Jewish leadership that week, Jesus is confronted while at
the temple. Matthew & Luke
records that he was teaching, while Mark records that He was waking in
the temple.
(NOTE: In our next lesson, we are going to take a brief look at the
political and Jewish climate that was prevalent at that time, including
the various groups that are mentioned throughout this week.)
c.
Their question of Jesus
(we actually discussed this earlier in our series), “By what authority
are you doing these things?
And who gave you this authority?”
As noted in our last lesson, they waited until things calmed down
before they came to Him.
d.
Rather than answering
the charge, Jesus gave them a challenge.
“I also will ask you one
thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority
I do these things: The baptism of John – where was it from? From heaven
or from men?” The
leaders contemplated how to answer noting the consequences of their
answer. If they said from
heaven, Jesus would demand what they did not believe him.
But if they said, from men, they feared the multitudes because
they saw John as a prophet.
So they said, “We do not know.”
To which Jesus responded, “Neither will I tell you by what
authority I do these things.”
e.
We ask, WAS THERE AN
ANWER? Yes!
John’s teachings were from God.
He was a prophet and messenger sent to prepare the way for Jesus.
So why didn’t Jesus answer them?
It was because they were not interested in the truth.
Rather, they were seeking cause to accuse Him and discredit Him.
With wisdom from above, Jesus “didn’t bite.”
f.
BUT, He did keep
teaching. In fact, Matthew
records a series of parables directed at these leaders.
a.
Jesus asks, “What do you
think?” He then proceeds to
describe a man who had two sons whom he told to go work for him in his
vineyard. One defiantly
refused to go but later regretted it (repented) and went.
The other son SAID he would go, but he didn’t.
In essence, he lied to his
father.
Jesus then asks, “Which one did the will of his father?”
They answered, “the first.”
b.
Jesus responds, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the
kingdom of God before you.
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not
believe him; (NOTE: He answers the question He asked His accusers);
but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you
did not afterward relent and believe him.”
c.
Lessons:
i.
The two paths and
rewards are here illustrated – heaven and hell.
ii.
No matter what your past
might be, you CAN be forgiven.
Jesus noted that it was the tax collectors and harlots that would
enter the kingdom of God. Why?
Because they believed the message of truth.
iii.
IN a very real sense, it
is how you finish! This is
based upon repentance.
NOTICE in the parable how the first son, who repented DID what was
commanded. His saying “I’m
sorry” was not enough. He
had to complete the doing of that which he was told to do.
We need to grasp this as an important part of TRUE repentance
(cf. 2 Cor. 7:11).
iv.
God demands obedience.
It is not enough to KNOW the will of the Father – you must also
do it. Matt. 7:21-23
exemplifies this point.
The second son KNEW what was expected of him and he said the
right thing. But his actions
were inconsistent with his words.
True faith not only knows what to do, but it does it:
Consider 1 Thess. 1:3 – their “work of faith, labor of love, and
patience of hope…”.
1 John 5:3 says, “For this is the
lover of God, that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome.”
v.
God is not impressed
with self-righteousness.
That was really the point of this parable – those who fully understood
the Law and taught it were acting in an ungodly way, failing to apply
the spirit of the Law.
They thought they were in good standing with God (in fact they
thought they were better than the average person) because of what they
knew. Paul had strong words
for such an attitude in Romans 2:17-24.
We could spend considerable time discussing this point.
Often the self-righteous make prejudicial judgments.
They think they are better than others.
Etc. There are few
things despised more by God than the one who possesses this attitude.
IT was THIS attitude that prompted the Jewish leaders to reject Jesus
and to kill Him. We will see
this more as our study develops.
d.
This will lead to the
next parable:
a.
This parable is recorded here, Mark
12:1-12 and Luke 20:9-19
b.
In this parable we find
Jesus is continuing on the same occasion with the same audience (the
conversation which began with a question about His authority which
consisted of the chief priests, scribes and elders, etc.).
Jesus here tells the account of a landowner who built a vineyard
complete with a hedge around it, a winepress and a tower.
It was a completely furnished property with everything needed to
produce wine.
Clearly, Jesus here has reference to Isaiah 5:1-4 where Israel is
described as God’s vineyard that had produced wild grapes.
c.
He leases the land to
vinedressers and then goes away.
At harvest time he wants a portion of the harvest which he was
entitled to. But when he
sends servants, they abuse them in various ways.
Some they killed, others they beat and humiliated and sent them
away. The patient landowner
reasons, “I will send my son.
Surely they will respect him.”
But when he comes, they reason that if they kill him, then they
would seize the inheritance.
This prompts Jesus to ask a question, “What will the owner do to those
vinedressers?” They
answered, “He will destroy them miserably and lease the land to others
vinedressers who would tend the land properly.” (paraphrase)
d.
Jesus, based upon this
response, challenges them saying, “Have you not read…” and then He
quotes Psalm 118:22-23. This
is a passage that speaks of a rejected stone becoming the chief corner
stone.
He concludes, “Therefore I say to
you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation
bearing the fruits of it.
And whoever falls on this stone will be broken;
but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” which
is loosely based upon various passages from the prophets concerning
Israel’s rejection of God
(cf. Isa. 8:14-15, 60:12, Zech. 12:3, Dan. 2:44-45, etc.)
We know they were passages the Jewish leaders understood as we are told,
“when the chief priests and
Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking to
them. But when they sought
to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him
for a prophet.” (45-46)
e.
The LESSON of this
parable is clear: Jesus was
speaking of Israel both historically and at that time as a rebellious
nation that had rejected God.
There are many things in the parable that are symbolic of this –
the vineyard being Israel, the wicked vinedressers – the leaders of
Israel, both king and priest; the servants – the prophets sent to warn
and seek “fruit” from the people; the son- the Son; sending servants to
reclaim His vineyard – a judgment in which they would be destroyed; the
other vinedressers described as “a nation bearing the fruits of it” –
another nation, i.e. the Gentiles to whom the vineyard would be given
and they WOULD tend it properly.
The POINT: God was about to utterly hold this nation accountable and cut
them off. OF all the events
that the wicked vinedressers had done to this point, only ONE task
remained – the killing of the Son.
Jesus was letting them know that He knew what they were up to
(and so did they).
f.
LESSONS for us:
Rather than seeking to apply all the details, a lesson for us is
that of God’s coming judgment where we WILL give an accounting for how
we have served Him. IT could
be shown that WE ARE that “other nation” as Christians.
Are we bearing fruit as faithful stewards?
Is that not what God expects of us?
Consider Romans 11:16-22 which warned the Gentiles that we too
could be cut off if we do not remain faithful.
g.
After this we have
recorded another parable of Jesus:
IV.
The Parable of the
Marriage Feast
a.
Recorded only in Matthew
22:1-14. There is a similar
parable in Luke 14:15-24 which is called “The Parable of the Great
Supper”, but the details are different enough to say that it was spoken
on a different occasion. But
the lessons are similar (those invited rejected the invitation, so
opportunity was provided to others).
b.
We continue reading, “And
Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said…”
WE find her a continuation of His condemnation of these Jewish
leaders.
In our first parable we noted 2 sons – one who repented and the other
who said he would obey but did not.
Jesus likened them to that 2nd son;
Then we noted the parable of the vineyard where Jesus noted they had
been entrusted with responsibility and had failed to fulfill such.
Instead they killed and wounded the prophets and would do so to
the Son resulting in their being cut off and destroyed.
NOW we find this 3rd parable in which we find they have been
INVITED to enjoy the kingdom of heaven, but THEY refused to accept it
and therefore would be cut off.
c.
In this parable Jesus
begins by describing “the kingdom of heaven” as a king who arranged a
marriage for his son. He
sent out servants to call those who were invited to come.
But rather than coming, “they made light of it” and wen their own
ways doing what they wanted to do (tending to their farm, or to
business). Jesus said that
some “seized his servants, treated
them spitefully, and killed them.”
The king was furious and sent out his armies to destroy those murderers
and burned up their city (could this be reference to the future of
Jerusalem?).
THEN, he sent his servants to go out into the highways and find anyone
and everyone who would come and invite them.
They did and the house was full of “both good and bad.” (22:10)
However, among the guests whom the king greeted, there was a man who did
not have on a wedding garment.
When challenged, he did not have a reason and thus he was bound,
taken away and cast “into outer darkness, there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.” (22:13)
Jesus concluded by saying, “For
many are called, but few are chosen.”
d.
The LESSON of this
parable: Again it is
primarily in reference to these Jewish leaders and the nation as a whole
who would reject Jesus and the invitation He offered them for salvation.
They cared more about their selfish well-being than the desire of the
King. And they would kill
anyone who exposed their wickedness (i.e. the prophets).
i.
Some have attributed
this to the response of the Jewish nation AFTER the Kingdom was
established. As such,
ii.
This is plausible for a number of
reasons:
1.
The parable is taught
AFTER the others but on the same occasion.
IF these are presented in order they show a progression in time
and events.
2.
The “marriage” is taking
place and they are invited.
After the Kingdom was established (cf. Acts 2), Jews continued to be
invited – in fact they were the ones Jesus commanded His apostles and
disciples to go to first – and they did!
3.
After the kingdom was
established – the Jews continued to kill God’s messengers – Stephen,
James the apostle, etc. as they rejected the message.
4.
Vs. 7 which described
their judgment included the king destroying those murderers and “burned
up their city.” This is best
reconciled with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 when Rome under
Vespasian and Titus sacked the city.
5.
As the Jews rejected the
message over and over, He turned to the Gentiles - or whoever would
accept the gospel invitation.
e.
What about the man who
came and did not have a wedding garment?
i.
This would be one
invited who responded to the invitation but did not take it seriously.
Just as there are many who as they first hear the gospel, they
respond there is no real commitment.
Others respond with partial obedience (hence the religious
division that is present in the world).
ii.
Physically, it is noted
that landowners often had garments available for their guest, so the
unprepared guest had no excuse.
iii.
When the king inquired,
the man was speechless. One
source noted that we need to be careful before we try to excuse the
guest because of his state in life.
The indication of the text is he careless chose to not properly
prepare.
iv.
That is why his
punishment was so severe - descriptive of eternal punishment in hell.
v.
May WE learn carefully
from this example the importance of continued obedience from a sincere
heart (Cf. Luke 8:15 – the “good ground”).
And
thus we see this group of parables Jesus presented, probably on Monday
of this week. Together
we see a progression from a half-hearted attitude to hatred for Jesus to
continued hatred for His cause, even after He arose from the dead.
Is there any wonder God would cut them off as a nation and give
His kingdom to another “nation bearing fruits of it”?
Truly, as Jesus concluded, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
What about you? You
have been “called” in hearing God’s word.
Will you be a part of the “chosen” by obeying the gospel?
We invite you to respond this morning.