On Monday Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-41; John 12:12-15, the next 5 days were a totally orchestrated symphony and Christ was in complete control as the conductor. There was no event, incidence, or accidental event that took place, He was in complete control. When the Pharisees and Sadducees saw Him riding on the foal, they hated Him with a deeper passion than ever before. The Romans paid Him no mind.
The crowd, this day was made up of Galileans. This is very important for they were disciples of Christ in most cases. Thursday and Friday’s crowd was made up of Judeans, quite a different crowd. Coming into Jerusalem was an “in your face” move by the Lord. What were the enemies of Christ going to do with Him? The Pharisees were forced to take “the Law into their own hands.” “the Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? Behold, the world is gone after Him.” John 12:19 Christ was forcing their hand, it was time to go home!!
This was a different Jesus this week, He was on a mission, His face was set toward His death and nothing would be allowed to stop that. The parable of the fig tree, Matthew 21: 18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-26 symbolized the nation of Israel. They looked like the picture of health, they were in fact the tree of no fruit unto their God!! Christ cursed that tree!! If we bear no fruit, He will declare unto us; ‘depart, I never knew, you.”
He went on to the temple, entered it and found thieves and robbers. Jesus was God with a temper, He began to drive them out of the temple, declaring; “Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves.” The temple was suppose to be the place of worship, a place to give reverence to God, look what they had done to it!! When the Jews had come to worship, they had used the Hebrew shekel in exchange from the Greek drachmas or Roman denari; the rate of exchange was exorbitant, they were robbing the people who were showing their devotion to God! Jesus was not a coward, He was not a push-over, He was a man’s man; He took a whip and began to run them out of the temple. Then came the signal event of the day; the Gentiles ask Philip to introduce them to Jesus!! John 12:21 Suddenly, there was a second audible message from Heaven. “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 12:28 The intent was to tell Christ as the Jewish world was listening, “if the Jew rejects Christ, the Gentiles will not.”
Tuesday was the busiest day for Christ. When He had cleansed the temple, the Pharisees ask Him what authority allowed Him to do this. He answered with a question, Matthew 21:23-27 He answers them using three parables (He did not intend them to understand!) The parable of the two sons (the second son was the Gentile), the parable of the householder that planted a vineyard (“How oft would I have gathered thee as a hen doth her brood, and you would not.”, and the wedding banquet (“in Christ” you put on the wedding garment. You cannot come into Christ kingdom declaring yourself a Jew and that is all, ‘cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:1-14). Seems some “church folk” might not enter the kingdom, but harlots and publicans could and would!! Jerusalem was God’s town, the temple was God’s residence and the Jew had refused God!!
Then, humanity tried to debate Deity! If none of us could read, we would know the outcome!! “Render unto Caesar” and “who’s wife shall she be” was asked to mock Christ. Jesus answered: “it is My time, your foolishness is contemptible”, ”Who was the Son of David?” “I Am the resurrection and the life.” When He went to leave the temple, He wept over their insolence and mockery, for they were the leaders of the people who had been chosen to bring the Messiah into the world! Matthew 23:37 In Matthew 24, He berated the preachers of His gospel: “if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink (as though nothing is going to happen as Christ had prophesied, He concludes with parables to His Church!!”
Wednesday, nothing is mentioned concerning our Lord. What we find is the deliberate intent of Judas to deliver our Lord. “In two days the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.” Satan called an impromptu meeting of his followers in a secret session; “kill Him” they decided.
