Passion Monday

Today is Monday of Passion Week. This is an excellent time to try to focus on and get in touch with what took place that week, culminating in the death of the Savior. Most of the next few days will be from the book of Matthew, starting around chapter 22, with references elsewhere for clarity. I find it helpful to look at the “normal” everyday life aspects of this time in history. There is much theological in the latter parts of the Gospels, as Jesus does a huge amount of teaching in just a few days of this week. And yet, it also helps to humanize the events that took place; it may be the only was we can really attempt to get in touch with the sacrifice that was made on our behalf.

Jesus has entered the city of Jerusalem the day prior, emphatically “cleansed” the temple, and retreated to Bethany for the evening. Bethany was where Lazarus (once dead, now raised) and Mary and Martha lived. Bethany was around two miles from Jerusalem (John 11:18), and this was a nightly retreat for Jesus and His disciples. With Passover that week, there would really have been no place to stay in Jerusalem anyway.

On Monday, on their way into the city, Jesus encounters the fig tree, a very familiar account. He displays His humanity in that He is hungry, and perhaps even gets frustrated. Taking advantage of a situation to instruct, He curses the tree and it withers by that evening. I believe His point was not just to point out to these men that He was also divine, but also to use the situation to make a bigger statement on the state of Israel, supposedly “God’s people”. The appearance was everything pointing to fruit-bearing, fooling the casual onlooker. But Jesus was intimate, and got up close and personal with the tree to see that it had no fruit, nothing redeeming, nothing refreshing, and His disciples could recall the lesson when they see and hear Him debating with the religious elite in Jerusalem. Jesus will die in just four days, and here He takes time to teach on true faith, obviously modeling the example.

When He teaches, his authority is challenged by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Rather than responding directly, He forces an answer to the question of John’s baptism, that is, what is the significance of John the Baptist’s ministry? Is it from God, or man? They know they cannot answer correctly, and so they choose to boldly proclaim “We don’t know.” Exactly! And thus, they should have listened and learned. Easy for us to say now, I get that.

Lastly here, Jesus uses a parable of two sons. Both hear the call to repent. One says he will and then does not, the other says he will not and then does. ‘Who is right?’ is the question. And it is the lowliest of sinners who understand and who will repent. The religious leaders only gave the message lip service, if that.

SO WHAT?

So, who could blame Jesus if He had other thoughts on His mind this week, that is, thoughts besides His own death? But He cared enough for people to teach them, right to the last moment He could. His perseverance is obviously enviable.

So, how can I better take advantage of opportunities to teach, to share what I know about our Savior?