Holy Week Tuesday: Confrontation, Parables, and Conspiracy

"The Bible is God’s declaratory revelation to man containing the great truths about God, about man, about history, about salvation, and about prophecy that God wanted us to know. The Bible could be trusted just as much as if God had taken the pen and written the words Himself."  - John F. Walvoord 

It is now Tuesday of Holy Week. The chain of events leading up to this day included Jesus' triumphal entry into the city, the cursing of the fig tree, and the purification of the temple. Now this teacher posed a real threat to the religious leaders; thus expediting the need to challenge his authority and establish a reason to have him arrested (Mark 11:27-28).

Jesus, who has been teaching and preaching to the crowd in the temple, or as he called it "a house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13), was fulfilling prophecy foretold in Isaiah 2:3. It was during this discourse that the priests and elders approached and challenged him. They wanted him to reveal who granted him permission to do what he was doing (Matthew 21:23).

Jesus knew he was not obligated to answer them. He was fully aware that they were trying to bait him into a trap. You see, if Jesus responded that his authority originated from God, they would accuse him of blasphemy. This would be enough to try him on that charge.

On the other hand, if Jesus said that he acted on his own, this would suggest to the people that the priests and elders had the greater authority. But as clever as they thought they were, Jesus turned the tables on them! Instead of the response they had hoped to obtain, he countered with a question of his own (Matthew 21:24-27; Mark 11:27-33).

This surprise move caught them completely off guard; revealing the true intent of their question. They were hoping to get rid of him because he was undermining their power. However, they knew all along who Jesus claimed to be, and who gave him the consent to impart his knowledge ( John 5:36, 43). Certainly, Jesus made no secret of this by both, his words and actions. It was all a ploy to take him down.

Sometime in the afternoon, after finishing his lessons at the temple, Jesus and his disciples headed out of the city towards the Mount of Olives. It was there that he presented the Olivet Discourse. This was a detailed prophecy regarding Jerusalem's destruction, and the end of the age. Again, he taught in parables about the end times, his Second Coming, and the Final Judgement ( Matthew 24:1 – 25:46;  Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36).

What's more, this also marks the day that Judas Iscariot struck a deal with the Sanhedrin to deliver up Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16). Now, after a thoroughly, exhausting day full of confrontations and warnings relating to future events, Jesus and his beloved disciples returned to Bethany for the night.

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:21; James 1:22; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 1:18; 2 Peter 1:3

Prayer: Dear Lord, gratitude abounds in me today as I consider Your lasting presence in my life; Though all may abandon me You remain faithful always. Thank You for being my Savior and the Sustainer of my soul. Amen.

May God bless you!

Joyce